My Yaris Feels Skittish

[wembly]

Just tootling around my car park (the insurance certificate hasnt come yet so I cant tax my baby) and as I learned to drive in a big sturdy focus, driving my Yaris around she seems a little skittish...

I know you have to get used to a new car, but how long did it take you guys to get used to a much lighter more mobile car....

And for anyone with a free tronic, how do you simulate clutch control :oS can seem to get it right yet!

[Demonic Angel]

Well, going from driving my Yaris to my other halfs Focus and you can tell the difference....

It wont take you long to get used to it, practice makes perfect!

Glad you got the manual ok btw! :D

[right-on]

And for anyone with a free tronic, how do you simulate clutch control :oS can seem to get it right yet!

Don't know about the Toyota Freetronic - On a Renault with similar 'box (QuickShift), the clutch takes care of itself. For a hill-start, hold the handbrake and apply a little accellerator - you will feel the clutch bite - just let go the handbrake, and press the accellerator more.

[clarky]

I guess compared to most cars the steering etc is very light - but thats something you get used to really quickly - then other cars feel heavy.

[Red Yaris 54]

And for anyone with a free tronic, how do you simulate clutch control :oS can seem to get it right yet!

Don't know about the Toyota Freetronic - On a Renault with similar 'box (QuickShift), the clutch takes care of itself. For a hill-start, hold the handbrake and apply a little accellerator - you will feel the clutch bite - just let go the handbrake, and press the accellerator more.

Having owned both a Clio Quickshift and the MMT Yaris I fully agree that the cluch takes care of itself................you just have to be careful with the right foot

[seveer unaek]

I guess compared to most cars the steering etc is very light - but thats something you get used to really quickly - then other cars feel heavy.

Light??

In mine it's nice and weighty... then I go in my dads fiat Panda.... soooooooooooo light! It's devoid of feel, especially if you press the 'city' button which makes it even lighter! I bet you can blow the wheel round it's so light!

Other than that though... it's not too bad a car. No breakdowns yet!

[yourlovewas]

...especially if you press the 'city' button which makes it even lighter!

Wow!

[snellgrove]

I think Yarii do not feel stable, to be honest! - brake a bit when cornering hard and you can almost get the back end to step out, its really not good.

They get blown about a bit in the wind on a motorway and I dont feel like I can push it half as hard down a B-Road as I could my last car.

Overall I think the suspension is quite disapointing!

But I think the controls are nice and weighty enough, and provide decent levels of feedback.

Getting some Toyo T1-R's sorted ASAP and hopefully that will remedy the way the car handles currently, as the previous owner put budget rubber on I think - plenty of tread left but those toyo's have gotta get on ASAP!! last car had them and that rocked down a B Road

[Nick SR]

I think Yarii do not feel stable, to be honest! - brake a bit when cornering hard and you can almost get the back end to step out, its really not good.

When cornering hard in any car you shouldn't be braking, in most cars the back end will be thrown out.

But i do agree about the skittish feeling, i never 100% liked the yaris on open roads, but in town it couldn't be more fun.

If it doesn't grow on you, swap and get into a bigger car

[Al J]

I think Yarii do not feel stable, to be honest! - brake a bit when cornering hard and you can almost get the back end to step out, its really not good.

When cornering hard in any car you shouldn't be braking, in most cars the back end will be thrown out.

But i do agree about the skittish feeling, i never 100% liked the yaris on open roads, but in town it couldn't be more fun.

If it doesn't grow on you, swap and get into a bigger car

When cornering any way at all you shouldn't be braking. Unbalances the car.

[seveer unaek]

When cornering any way at all you shouldn't be braking. Unbalances the car.

Exactly... far much more fun!

Better rubber makes a big difference. The wobble at Motorway speeds is because I don't know if people noticed, but the yaris isn't a short coupe. It's a small, upright city car and in that category it handles motorway winds very well. (Try driving a matiz at 80mph in winds without wetting yourself!)

Personally, iv never felt a lack of confidence in my Yaris, ok, the ABS is a bit juddery, but unless you're really whacking the pedal then it's ok and goodridge lines help a lot. Handling wise, the main problem with the Yaris is the roll... this makes you less confident to take corners quick... the yaris (on decent tyres) grips brilliantly and has a great turn-in... you've just got to overcome the initial 'woah' and you'll have a lot more fun!

[alanbradley]

I'm getting so sick of agreeing with Seveer.

Yeah... wot he said, especially the bit about it being a shopping trolley and not a performance GT coupé ;)

A

[Rayburn]

driving my Yaris around she seems a little skittish...

Try getting the tyre pressures right.

After all it is a YARIS.

What do you expect. Its better than a Pegeuot 106. Fiat Panda or Punto.

Its a small car for goodness sake.

If you want road holding and Motorway stability, VOLVO. But at a cost. Or was that why you bought a Yaris.?

£85 a year road tax. 60 mpg.

Volvo was £180 road tax. 30 mpg. On the motorway it drove like a tank. Never stepped out on braking, held the corners like super glue.

But every 8/10,000 miles new tyres.

I have had 4 up in my Yaris, with luggage.

Devon to Yorkshire. Motorway most of the time, no probs with wind or corners.

Just need to Reaprase how you drive. Its not like driving a Focus at all. Readjust comes to mind!!!

[wembly]

driving my Yaris around she seems a little skittish...

Try getting the tyre pressures right.

After all it is a YARIS.

What do you expect. Its better than a Pegeuot 106. Fiat Panda or Punto.

Its a small car for goodness sake.

If you want road holding and Motorway stability, VOLVO. But at a cost. Or was that why you bought a Yaris.?

£85 a year road tax. 60 mpg.

Volvo was £180 road tax. 30 mpg. On the motorway it drove like a tank. Never stepped out on braking, held the corners like super glue.

But every 8/10,000 miles new tyres.

I have had 4 up in my Yaris, with luggage.

Devon to Yorkshire. Motorway most of the time, no probs with wind or corners.

Just need to Reaprase how you drive. Its not like driving a Focus at all. Readjust comes to mind!!!

I dont have a problem with driving t my Yaris, its just driving it for the first time properly, I was taken aback by the fact that it wasnt as stodgy as other cars that I have driven ie the Focus I had lessons in. That said, she is very responsive, I can throw her around a corner without braking (in my empty car park I must add) my main issue at the moment is getting used to the Free-tronic gears but that said, I am pretty much cool with them now!

just waiting for my insurance so I can tax my baby and get out on the open road :)

[Demonic Angel]

Your insurance is taking a while.... I got my certificate through the very next day (before I did it all online! lol)

[Caz SR]

You'll get used to the Yaris with time - plus driving in general. :D

Don't forget that you're driving in car parks, which probably means you're doing a lot of turns in a tight space in one go. You shouldn't really make a judgement until you've done a bit of town driving and that's when the Yaris really comes into it's own

I must admit, the only bit where I get frustrated with mine is on the motorways. Just be careful when passing trucks (as you would anyway) because I've noticed the Yaris gets caught occasionally. Please don't think it's anything more than a little wobble when we write about this issue though - the Yaris certainly won't go flying across any lanes or anything dramatic like that. Sometimes it's only enough to make you hold the steering wheel a little tighter ;)

I agree about getting some good rubber. My SR came with Dunlop SP9000s as standard and I think they're fantastic. Probably a bit excessive as they're rated 'Z' which means speeds of upto 140mph+ But they look good too. Have a search for some recommendations on here once you start buying bits and bobs for it (because you will :P ).

BTW I've just noticed you're quite local to me, so keep an eye out for some meets once you're up and going.

Be safe and enjoy!

[Blue84]

I learnt in a 2002 Focus, then went to a 1996 Fiesta to a 2004 Yaris!

The Focus is very well built, sturdy and heavier compared to both the Fiesta & Yarii but then they are different size & types of cars. The more practice you have in your Fiesta will help you get used to it, but yes I agree with why you say that

[seveer unaek]

I'm getting so sick of agreeing with Seveer.

Yeah... wot he said, especially the bit about it being a shopping trolley and not a performance GT coupé ;)

A

You love it really!! Im such an agreeable person it's untrue!

(except when it comes to diesel power (if you can call it that :o )

I feel that my Yaris' stability was expertly improved when I had my tyres balanced and it fully tracked.... made a amssive difference. Especially at motorway speeds.

Plus, my exhaust mods have made it fly at motorway speeds... very suitable motorway car.

[wembly]

Still no pigging insurance... This is LLoyds TSBs way to cut down insurance payouts... they dont send you the certificate so you cant get tax, thus not being able to drive the car so you cant get it broken :S

I noticed a VITZ just accross the road from me yesterday in a driveway, it was blue... any blue vitz's in the Harrow area put your hand up :o)

[- Andy -]

I went from a 1997 Peugeot 306, which I learnt in, to a 1999 Fiat Punto to a 2003 Toyota Yaris, and my god u feel the difference. The Fiat punto (even the newer ones, in my opinion) dont feel as sturdy or as good to drive as the yaris, and the 306 is a horrid drive.

[DaveSR]

Still no pigging insurance... This is LLoyds TSBs way to cut down insurance payouts... they dont send you the certificate so you cant get tax, thus not being able to drive the car so you cant get it broken :S

I've brought two cars recently and this problem is a nightmare ...... whoever thought of it needs shooting.

Yes I agree that it makes it harder for car thief's or whatever you call them, but sorting out your insurance and getting it in the post within a week is a nightmare.

Yes you can get it delivered in two days by recorded delivery, but WHY should I have to pay extra for it :ffs:

And like you said no insurance letter means no tax and no tax means no car even though you are insured

:ffs: :ffs: :ffs:

Get it sorted Mr Motor Industry

[Woody27]

Yeah i'm not looking forward to that as if i pass a week friday, i have to wait until atleast monday until i can go and get it taxed! O and as i had to declare it off the road with my V5 i have got my V5 back but really need my SORN back before i can then reregister it back on the road aswell so i have to wait around for paperwork!

Of course if i don't pass it won't matter! :P