I Love This Car

August 12, 2006

This is my first post since recently registering on this forum.

I bought a 2004 T-Sport two weeks ago. 7,400 miles on the clock, one owner, absolutely mint & standard for £6,750. It's in Thunder Grey and spotless. Got it out of Autotrader - but had been watching a few on eBay.

So far, I've painted the brake calipers and the parts of the disk that show through the wheels (not the surface that's actually used for braking obviously!) - I used silver Smoothrite. Not sure whether it's heat resistant but it's stayed on so far and hasn't burnt off. I've also opened the side of the airbox out (drilled a whole load of holes, cut out the whole section and cleaned up all the edges. I put in a larger cold air duct - made out of some concertina ventilation hosing, courtesy of B&Q. And then finally, last night / this morning, I've put a set of Spax on taking it down another 25mm (the old springs are on eBay if anyone needs a set of standard T-Sport springs). I'm well impressed with the Spax. The thickness of the springs actually seemed less than the originals but once on the car they're much more progressive when turning in and don't bottom out, crash, bounce - the ride seems just great (have done some cars previously and not been so happy with the results).

I've kept the standard filter but with the airbox mod I now get a nice growl from low rpm, changing to a lovely howl once the engine's spinning up.

Although the wheels are mint and the tyres still about 70% there, I'm thinking of selling them and getting some 16's with lower profiles - keeping the rolling diameter the same so I don't have to mod the speedo.

Anyway, well chuffed with the mota. I only use it occasionaly however. My main mode of transport (which I commute on) is my GSXR750 and the family car, which my wife drives most of the time, is our chipped up Zafira GSI Turbo (standard 194bhp, now 225bhp).

My only complaint with the Yaris is the gearbox winning you get when coming off the throttle, as it's quite intrusive but it goes away when you get back on the gas again! My 4 year old son just loves going out in the Yaris. Probably be his first car in a few years time, as I ain't gonna sell.

Cheers all.