Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris - First Car - Corsa or Yaris | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

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Sat 9 Mar 2019 20:52

Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris - First Car - Corsa or Yaris - Suzi Belton

I have recently passed my test (automatic) and I'm looking for my first car... I have found two that I am considering but need some advise please as this is all new to me. I would be using the car mainly at weekends and then for longer drives from London to Dorset 3/4 times a year, I don't want to spend too much money on a first car and would probably look to get a new one in a couple of years.

It's between the two below;

Vauxhall Corsa Comfort 2001 1.4 3dr

£1495

Mileage - 38,000

Full and detailed service history

Car looked to be in almost perfect condition (to an untrained eye!)

Will do MOT and service before I buy

HPI check clear

Felt smooth on test drive

Air con broken

Cam belt - changed at 15,000 miles - warned might need changing again in a couple of years

Toyota Yaris 2002 1.3 5dr

£1400 (was £1495)

Mileage - 80,000

Full and detailed service history

Some small dents on bodywork

MOT due October 2019

No HPI check (experian check clear)

Steering felt heavy on test drive

Car was jerking forward when waiting at lights, still in drive mode.

I liked that this car felt sturdy and had a more premium interior than the corsa

Both had 2 or 3 previous owners.

Any advise would be much appreciated!

Thank you,

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Sat 9 Mar 2019 21:25

Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris - First Car - Corsa or Yaris - badbusdriver

Buying any car at this price level is a lottery, you can only really judge on condition. Of the two you are looking at, natural instinct would be to choose the Yaris due to Toyota's reputation for reliability, but by your description, the Corsa sounds like it is in better condition. Plus the seller says they will put a fresh MOT and service it before you buy. I think that would sway me to the Vauxhall. Fortunately, being the 1.4 it has a 'proper' torque converter automatic gearbox and not the automated manual (easytronic) which you would find if it was the 1.2.

Main advice would be to get someone who is mechanically minded to look at the car with you and to have a good poke around.

BTW, if you say where in the country you are, i'd be happy to have a look on Ebay and Autotrader to see if there is anything else you might want to look at.

Edited by badbusdriver on 09/03/2019 at 21:30

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Sat 9 Mar 2019 22:50

Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris - First Car - Corsa or Yaris - Suzi Belton

Thank you for your reply! The MOT and offer of a service does increase my level of trust in the dealer and their confidence in the car, so would sway me towards the Corsa too. Thank you for the advice to get someone mechanically minded to take a look over, I agree that's a good next step.

I'd really appreciate it if you could have a look for me! I live in London (NW5) and would be willing to travel about 20 miles for a good deal. I have an automatic licence and as I'm a new driver my insurance is through the roof so a 1.4 would be the max I could afford with a decent insurer.

On that point, I'd assume Third Party cover instead of comp (if cheaper!) makes the most sense for an old car with a low valuation, do you have any thoughts on that at all?

Thanks again!

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Sat 9 Mar 2019 23:40

Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris - First Car - Corsa or Yaris - Auristocrat

The Yaris would probably have either the Freetronic or the Multi Mode Transmission (MMT), which, like Vauxhall's Easytronic, isn't a true automatic, but a manual gearbox with automated clutch. Can be troublesome and expensive to repair.

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Sun 10 Mar 2019 10:54

Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris - First Car - Corsa or Yaris - badbusdriver

The Yaris would probably have either the Freetronic or the Multi Mode Transmission (MMT), which, like Vauxhall's Easytronic, isn't a true automatic, but a manual gearbox with automated clutch. Can be troublesome and expensive to repair.

A 2002 Yaris will have a 4 speed t/c auto. According to the model history of the 1st gen Yaris on this website, the automated manual was introduced in May 2003. Also, going by what it says, only on the 1.0. This is born out by what can be seen looking at 2003> examples on Autotrader. Automated manual cars tend to have a certain type of gear selector, with an obvious means of changing manually, whereas t/c auto cars have the stereotypical looking selector. See the difference in them below, 1st car is a 1.3, 2nd is a 1.0,

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190211482...s

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190216500...s

Edited by badbusdriver on 10/03/2019 at 10:55

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Sun 10 Mar 2019 14:37

Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris - First Car - Corsa or Yaris - Auristocrat

"According to the model history of the 1st gen Yaris on this website, the automated manual was introduced in May 2003."

Yes the Multi Mode Transmission (MMT) was introduced from May 2003. However, before the MMT, Toyota's Freetronic was also used - as mentioned in HJ's model history for the Yaris.

Edited by Auristocrat on 10/03/2019 at 14:46

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Sun 10 Mar 2019 16:12

Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris - First Car - Corsa or Yaris - badbusdriver

Yes the Multi Mode Transmission (MMT) was introduced from May 2003. However, before the MMT, Toyota's Freetronic was also used - as mentioned in HJ's model history for the Yaris.

As far as i can find out, the Free-Tronic gearbox was not very common (in this country), only available on the 1.0, and it uses what appears to be the gear lever from a manual car.

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Sun 10 Mar 2019 12:10

Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris - First Car - Corsa or Yaris - badbusdriver

Thank you for your reply! The MOT and offer of a service does increase my level of trust in the dealer and their confidence in the car, so would sway me towards the Corsa too. Thank you for the advice to get someone mechanically minded to take a look over, I agree that's a good next step.

I'd really appreciate it if you could have a look for me! I live in London (NW5) and would be willing to travel about 20 miles for a good deal. I have an automatic licence and as I'm a new driver my insurance is through the roof so a 1.4 would be the max I could afford with a decent insurer.

On that point, I'd assume Third Party cover instead of comp (if cheaper!) makes the most sense for an old car with a low valuation, do you have any thoughts on that at all?

Thanks again!

Firstly, don't assume third party insurance will be cheaper as i have read plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest it isn't. It has to do with how the insurance company views someone who chooses (what they think is) the cheapest option. This makes the insurance company think they are more of a risk, and that someone who chooses fully comp is going to be more responsible. I'm not saying that is the case, but get quotes for fully comp as well, to compare. Secondly, don't assume the size of the engine is directly connected to how much the insurance will cost. I'm not suggesting you should go and buy a 2.0, but i wouldn't rule out a 1.6 just because you think it will cost too much to insure. Again, get quotes. The reason i am saying that is because going to a 1.6 means you will be able to look at other cars, and with a budget that small, you need all the options you can. For example, a Fiesta 1.4 'auto', is actually an automated manual, a type of gearbox rarely trouble free. But a Fiesta 1.6 auto has a proper 'torque converter' auto, and much less troublesome.

I had a look on Autotrader, and almost immediately found what i assume is the Yaris and Corsa you mention. TBH, they both look pretty good and both cars MOT histories show nothing too concerning. So going by what i can see of it, and the MOT history, i woulnd't ignore the Yaris, i think it should boil down to which one you feel more comfortable in. Provided of course, you have found someone you know with good mechanical knowledge that have had a look at the cars and not found anything of concern.

As for other cars worthy of looking at, here are a few, in no particular order,

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190228541...1

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190206465...1

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190131446...1

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190306562...1

Couldn't check the MOT history of that last one (the Picanto) as the reg number has been obscured, but these are very reliable little things.

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190306559...1

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190216498...1

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190307564...1

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190226533...1

That last Yaris looks OK for the money but can't check MOT history as the pics don't show the reg number.

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190219510...1