Is my car suitable for the motorway?

by **Guest** on Fri Jul 14, 2006 9:46 pm

I have a 1.0 Toyota Yaris.

I understand it will be a little noisy but I wont damage it will I by going at motorway speed? It will be about 3 hrs each way.

Will I hold people up and get them mad?

by **Guest** on Wed Jul 19, 2006 1:26 pm

won't damage the car, but may damage your hearing because of the harshness in general.

small cars also tend to have more nervous steering and may give you bad should/back if you're too up-tight.

keep to the left (if you're driving in uk) and be considerate such that quicker cars can pass you easily if they wanted to. you can cruise between 90k to 100k and i don't see a problem.

by **Sherwoodlondon** on Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:53 pm

You should be ok on the motorway. But stay out of the "fast lane", i.e. the third lane, which is strictly for overtaking only, but always occupied by drivers with powerful cars who think that because they are doing between 70 & 100 mph no-one else should use the lane. They will come up fast behind you flashing their headlights.

by **Guest** on Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:30 am

The Yaris is meant to do a little over 100mph in stock form flat chat. Most small cars are designed to cruise at 60mph. You should be OK. Just suck it and see. If it doesn't feel right to you slow down and take it easy.

If you plan doing longer high speed trips see what tyre options are available and doing a little chassis tuning. Some tyres will give improved grip and some tread patterns will produce less noise - both attributes will improve your experience of highway driving.

by **ssphinxx** on Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:25 pm

Youre car will be fine,noisy and un-comfortable but otherwise ok

by **Marley** on Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:23 pm

It'll do the job absolutely fine, but as people have said it may not be the most comfortable of cars for a 3 hour motorway journey. But if it's required then I'm sure it will do the job. If you have that kind of a journey to do regularly, it's worth considering changing to something a bit bigger and more comfortable in the future. If it's an rarity to go on the m'way for 3 hrs then don't bother!

by **minigirl** on Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:28 pm

you didn't say how often you're going to be using the motorway. if it's only occasionally, then fine, go ahead and everything will be ok - just don't try going as fast as everyone else.... if you're going to be doing it every day (using the motorway that is) then you might want to think about getting a different car.

i once drove a (borrowed) 500cc suzuki hatch from sydney to wollongong and back on the motorway without any problems, although i can't say it was a very relaxing drive - it was also the only time i've ever had to change down gear on a motorway to keep up my speed on a gentle hill...........

by **Exodus** on Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:31 pm

I like how everyone says the car is fine and should be safe, when no one has asked any details about this car . . . lol

Why is it noisy? Does it have a bad muffler, bad cat-converter, holes in the exhaust setup, broken header, etc? Does it spew black smoke or sound like it wants to stagger and die when it idles? Does it vibrate excessivly?

I also wanted to comment on SherwoodLondon's comment above me saying how people think they own the lane cause they are going 70-100. Uhhhh, yea, thats why they are in the FAST lane meant for overtaking. If someone is in the fast lane going 60, I'd be pissed too. I don't know how different drivers are out there in the UK, but here in the US, drivers will blow past you if you are in the fast lane not going anywhere above 85mph. Now, they can't flash their headlights or honk the horn, seeing as that is considered road-rage and is arrestable. Point being, if you are going to be in the fast lane, go with the flow of traffic and go fast - - i.e, what is is meant for.

by **minigirl** on Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:22 am

Exodus wrote:I like how everyone says the car is fine and should be safe, when no one has asked any details about this car . . . lol

i would imagine that is because some of us know what a toyota yaris is - and the reference to noise said "a little noisy" rather than "very noisy", which would be normal for a car of this size at motorway speeds.

by **astrocan** on Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:06 pm

It aint going to be fun or comfortable. As you seem to have geussed the Yaris is ideal for whizzing around town but long slogs up (down?) the motorway were not on the designers agenda. Technically it should cope but find out how to lift the bonnet and check all the vital fluids before you set out, tyres are also v. important, they should be at the recommended pressure AT LEAST. You will not do any harm by sticking a bit more in, soft tyres are far more likely to blow than firm ones.
For yourself, plan a couple of breaks, I drive a truck and on a journey like that I would take a break just after the mid way point. As your car is not ideal for the task I would take two, just ten minutes at a service station or even better off the motorway will make the world of difference. You can be the Geust who is late, or the Late Geust (as in deceased), you choose.
If you are going to make a habit of this get a more suitable car.