Toyota Yaris Problems

The cost for replacing your car keys will depend on the variant and year. If you have a spare you can go to an automotive locksmith, but if not you will need to talk to your dealer. You can read more about how to replace your car keys here.

The Holden Spark has been discontinued in Australia, with the company citing low volume as the main issue. But if that doesn't deter you, it's still a solid buy at under $15,000. Dealers have plenty of stock still on showroom floors, and you can get really good prices on 2017-plate models for less than $15k, drive-away. Shop for the LT if this is the car you like most, because it has a better features list than the LS.

Probably best to steer clear of the regular Barina, which is admittedly bigger, but definitely not better. The current-generation model could find its way to the automotive graveyard this year, too. 

The Mirage isn't as good as either the Barina or Spark, so unless you just want a very inexpensive car, it's not high on our recommendation list. The Yaris is lagging behind the times in terms of features, but there's a reason it's a go-to for many budget car buyers: it's a strong offering for space and comfort. 

All of that said, the Kia Picanto is the budget car we'd most likely recommend, because it has a strong and long warranty and is the only one in the mix with auto emergency braking (AEB). Plus it has a reversing camera as standard (the base model Spark doesn't). 

I wouldn't recommend the Polo, it requires the more expensive Premium unleaded, it's got the dual-clutch auto, which can be troublesome, and it will be more expensive to service. The Mazda 2 or the Toyota Yaris are better choices.

If it were my daughter I would be looking for safety and reliability as top priorities in a first car. With your budget I would be looking at a 2013/14 Mazda2, a 2014/15 Kia Rio, and a 2014 Toyota Yaris.

If it is still under warranty take it to your dealer and ask for an assessment of the paint and make a claim for it to be repaired. If it is out of warranty, try for a goodwill payment from Toyota; otherwise you are up for the cost of the re-spray.

On the surface it seems a good deal, the price is about right for that model. You will need to pay a transfer fee of $38.30 and stamp duty of $630 to transfer the ownership into your name. Make sure the person selling it actually owns it by checking the ownership papers, and try to find out more about the insurance claim story. It would also be worth having the car checked by the motoring club in your state.

We recently reviewed the Honda City as used car buy. To summarise the City has 5-star safety, which means it has all of the safety features you want, it also has the features your daughter wants. Best of all owners are unanimous in their praise for the car. The price is on the high side, but being a drive-away deal you save on government charges, which makes it a pretty good buy.

Do not buy a Cruze, or buy a European brand. They will prove costly. It's best to go for the cars that are well proven over many years. The Lancer is a good one, but so too is the Toyota Yaris or Corolla, Suzuki Swift, Mazda2 or 3, or Mitsubishi Colt.