Buying a car

[Jet Black]

I'm looking to buy a car - a toyota yaris or something like that, but one I have asked about doesn't have power steering. How essential is power steering for a woman? I have no idea and don't care too much, bu I don't want the better half's little arms to get too tired.

[Christina]

I'm reasonably strong from working out, but I have a hard time parallel parking without power steering.

[rigorist]

Parallel parking is the one application where it is really nice to have power steering.

[Jet Black]

yeah I guess. How much would it matter for such a little car though?

[Christina]

Can she test drive one to find out?

[Luis Garcia]

Mrs Garcia has a yaris, and she's tiny, and she's never commented on it. Steering isn't the problem in a yaris, accelerating is.

[Jet Black]

Can she test drive one to find out?

not legally, no :P This is also part of the problem! I'll be doing most of the driving for a while anyway, so I will probably send her off to the gym to beef up those parallel parking muscles.

[Jet Black]

Mrs Garcia has a yaris, and she's tiny, and she's never commented on it. Steering isn't the problem in a yaris, accelerating is.

I assume no power steering in that. I'm not too stressed about acceleration, it's our first car and neither of us have any no claims, and I don't want sky high insurance. Even on this, the TP,F&T insurance will cost us about €1000 a year.

[Christina]

I don't know where you live, but I rarely if ever have to parallel park. I drove a little volvo P1800 coup for years that didn't have power steering and it was well worth some embarrassing parking problems because I loved it.

[Luis Garcia]

I assume no power steering in that.

Correct.


I'm not too stressed about acceleration,

That's because you've never pulled away from a junction at the front of a queue in a yaris. You'll learn, young sparrow.


it's our first car and neither of us have any no claims, and I don't want sky high insurance. Even on this, the TP,F&T insurance will cost us about €1000 a year.


*blinks*

You've shopped around and that's the best you can get? Wow

[Garnet]

I drove a Toyota Corolla for 10 years. It didn't have power steering and that was never a problem for me. But then, I wasn't then and am not now, a small woman.

[Jet Black]

I assume no power steering in that.

Correct.


I'm not too stressed about acceleration,

That's because you've never pulled away from a junction at the front of a queue in a yaris. You'll learn, young sparrow.


it's our first car and neither of us have any no claims, and I don't want sky high insurance. Even on this, the TP,F&T insurance will cost us about €1000 a year.


*blinks*

You've shopped around and that's the best you can get? Wow

Ireland is pretty steep. Alot of people I know moan about car insurance. I'll keep looking though...

[earljail]

I have a Yaris which has electric power steering. I was under the impression that all 2nd generation Yarii had it, although I could be wrong. The first generation had traditional hydraulic power steering, although perhaps not in the base model.

[Jet Black]

well this one is '99.