About to buy an auris 2016 1.2 VVT-I business edition

[lucy-k]

It's a manual petrol registered may 2016.  It's had owners and they said it was a PCP.

What am I looking out for with rust between the front wheels? I can see some rusting on the bolts. It's got full service history from the Toyota dealership I'm getting it from. 

[jcps001]

For UK standards, and from the pictures you've shown, seems to me that the previous owners took some care to wash off the salt from under the car. Either that, or it has seen very little roads during your winters...

It seems OK to me, and what you see in the bolts, doesn't seem something to worry about, that's normal.

Wait for someone else to pop up and leave a comment, but as far as I am concerned, it's alright down there. Seems to have been washed periodically.

[lucy-k]

The first owner did 8k miles a year but the second owner only did 3k a year so I imagine they didn't drive much in the winter 🤷🏻‍♀️

[solero]

Looks okay. Cat/exhaust has had a bump. Tyre nearing replacement. You dont mention mileage? Front right wing creased low down

Other checks:

Have you checked the mot history?

What does the oil on the filler cap and dipstick look like?

Clutch feel okay?

Air con works?

External/internal air circulation mode works?

Check brake disc for wear (any deep ridges on edge?

2 keys?

Pink Coolant levels ok, same colour (not diluted).

Good luck

[lucy-k]

MOT history looks like he was doing bare minimum but it has been serviced with Toyota every year. There is damage that looks like he's driven into a fence/wall/bollard that they said they'll fix the bodywork on.

 

February 14, 2024: Passed with 40,208 miles. Advisories: thin rear brake pads and a nearside rear tyre worn close to the legal limit.

February 14, 2023: Passed with 34,302 miles. Advisory for a nearside rear tyre worn close to the legal limit.

February 16, 2022: Initially failed due to an exposed ply or cord on the offside rear tyre, but subsequently passed the same day with 31,243 miles.

February 15, 2021: Failed due to a major defect with the offside front windscreen wiper not clearing effectively, passed on retest with 28,860 miles.

February 7, 2020: Passed with 26,832 miles.

February 21, 2019: Passed with 23,060 miles.

[TonyHSD]

The car looks very good underneath. No rust, no problems. 

[lucy-k]

On 5/14/2024 at 4:48 PM, solero said:

Looks okay. Cat/exhaust has had a bump. Tyre nearing replacement. You dont mention mileage? Front right wing creased low down

Other checks:

Have you checked the mot history?

What does the oil on the filler cap and dipstick look like?

Clutch feel okay?

Air con works?

External/internal air circulation mode works?

Check brake disc for wear (any deep ridges on edge?

2 keys?

Pink Coolant levels ok, same colour (not diluted).

Good luck

Would you be concerned about that bump to the cat/exhaust?

 

I'm picking the car up today. They're sorting out other bumps but they may not do this one if they think I won't notice.

 

Edit: from images online looks like it's meant to be like that.

[TonyHSD]

3 hours ago, lucy-k said:

Would you be concerned about that bump to the cat/exhaust?

 

I'm picking the car up today. They're sorting out other bumps but they may not do this one if they think I won't notice.

 

Edit: from images online looks like it's meant to be like that.

No bump on the exhaust, this is normal manufacturing spec of the part. 👍

[lucy-k]

2 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

No bump on the exhaust, this is normal manufacturing spec of the part. 👍

Thanks. I had to walk away because they said it was uneconomical to fix the damage to the back bumper, he said it was due to slamming the boot but there was damage from crashing into a bollard in the wheel arch. When I opened the glovebox the whole glovebox fell out, also there was a lot of mildew around the tailgate hinge that wasn't sorted at the valet. Also water in the back lights that they said was normal.

 

It just seemed not up to standard considering it's approved used from a main dealership.

 

I'm annoyed now because we really needed to buy a car and I feel like I've been completely messed around, and he tried hard sales at the end saying if I don't buy it today (after finding the damage) that he'll have to put it back on autotrader and someone else will buy it straight away, and that people have already been asking about it.

[TonyHSD]

Fully agreed. 
The car turned to be a total wreck. If me I wouldn’t buy it either. You did the right thing. Unfortunately these days and in this country car dealers are mostly horrible place to be or to deal with, not all but the majority and this is just another example. A honest review in Google maps will help others in the future and if me I will not hesitate to do so. 👌
Used approved Toyota was the worse ever experience for me too. I bought from an independent garage and it was the only Toyota they had, the car was better presented and even got discount as there were few little  things to do by myself. 
Good luck with the next one. 👍

[Rhymes with Paris]

Hello Lucy, sorry that happened to you, and that's very annoying being messed around like that.

You documenting the experience on here however is invaluable to many people, both first time and experienced buyers,so thank you for that.

The lies they told you are breathtaking, even nowadays when I thought I I heard them all from dealers/salesmen/saleswomen.

2 hours ago, lucy-k said:

Thanks. I had to walk away because they said it was uneconomical to fix the damage to the back bumper, he said it was due to slamming the boot but there was damage from crashing into a bollard in the wheel arch. When I opened the glovebox the whole glovebox fell out, also there was a lot of mildew around the tailgate hinge that wasn't sorted at the valet. Also water in the back lights that they said was normal.

State of it, I'd strongly suspect badly repaired and undeclared crash damage causing beyond the obvious, wouldn't be surprised if it was a cat s if properly inspected and categorised/declared tbh.

Thank goodness you are clued up enough to spot the obvious faults and lies, dodged a bad one there I reckon.

Just to be clear for me , when you say approved used main dealership, can you say the type of dealership if poss?

ie. Toyota main dealer, independent dealer selling different makes,car supermarket etc.

 

[Cyker]

For what it's worth I think you made the right choice; I know the Toyota Approved Used thing isn't really worth much at the best of times, but that's one of the shoddiest ones I've seen in a while!

The fact that it has a clearly damaged bumper and they couldn't even be bothered to empty the water from the lights, but had the gall to claim that was normal is a sign of how much they care about it - It is a semi-common issue on the Auris, but all they'd need to do is empty the water, dry it out and fit new light gaskets and 9 times out of 10 that'd fix it.

If I was going to get that I'd want a significant discount, certainly not dealer prices.

While the 1.2 turbo is a bit rarer as Aurisesieuseses go, I think there're enough out there you should be able to find one in a better state!

[Rhymes with Paris]

Aye,if it is a Toyota approved from a main Toyota dealer, what is an unapproved one like?

[lucy-k]

13 hours ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

Just to be clear for me , when you say approved used main dealership, can you say the type of dealership if poss?

ie. Toyota main dealer, independent dealer selling different makes,car supermarket etc.

 

It was a Toyota main dealership. Burrows Toyota in Doncaster. It was a comedy of errors on the day and we really needed to buy it as a family car. It was horrible having to walk away.

He kept saying that this is normal for older cars and I was thinking my 08 plate Micra doesn't have all these faults, so I'd expect better from a main dealership on approved used. It's really put me off buying a car now but we really need one.

I did email cr@toyota to let them know, they asked if I was interested in buying a different car from burrows!

[Rhymes with Paris]

7 hours ago, lucy-k said:

He kept saying that this is normal for older cars and I was thinking my 08 plate Micra doesn't have all these faults,

Neither does my 2003 Yaris Lucy, he's talking absolute nonsense.

I'm a shocked actually that this was from a main Toyota dealership as you kindly came back and told us, info like this is very helpful,as I would probably just trust a main dealer as to the condition of a car, well I would have before I started reading this forum anyway.

Going forward though, can you manage for a bit with your Micra,to take the pressure off finding another car quickly?

I have found usually as soon as I stop frantically looking,a good one pops up.

Have you any trusted indy dealers around there maybe with a good local rep?

If not we have a small local indy here with a good rep, have a look at his website if you like, Ian Shammon ,boultham park rd, Lincoln.

There is a good selection of small to medium size cars around the 7 grand or less mark.

I have no connection to that business, but I have heard he buys in really carefully, and is not a rip off when selling.

[///MAZI]

Shocked this is an approved used car.

Jokers.

[lucy-k]

16 hours ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

Have you any trusted indy dealers around there maybe with a good local rep?

 

Thanks. I'm not really in the loop with local indy garages. There's a really good garage in Rotherham but they don't sell cars, and they couldn't recommend anyone that did. 

My husband's Renault Clio has died so we do need a car for him quickly and we need something with a bigger boot. I'm keeping the Micra because there's nothing wrong with it.

[Cyker]

17 hours ago, ///MAZI said:

Shocked this is an approved used car.

Jokers.

It's kinda sad but I've come to realize Approved Used is no indication of better quality; As far as I can tell it just means the car has a full service history with Toyota, but otherwise no guarantee of quality any more than some rando third-party used car dealership.

We've had 2 Used Approved cars so far - One had horrendous paint peel on all 4 alloys, half a beach of sand and a shrubbery under the boot floor in the spare wheel well, and the other had several broken cupholders and trim pieces, and was full of random sweets stuck in the carpet and in random gaps (Clearly it had seen many runs with small children!  )

It's a good object lesson to do your checks no matter who or where you're buying the car from - Assume nothing!!