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A producer for The Drive bought a 2007 Toyota Yaris for $2,300 for a three-week, 3,000-mile trip that included track time. Repairs and a clutch slave cylinder failure pushed his spending above the cost of a round-trip rental, though he kept the car for future use.
A $2,300 used Toyota Yaris did not prove cheaper than a rental for one of The Drive’s producers, who bought the 2007 hatchback for a three-week, roughly 3,000-mile road trip that included track driving. Repairs and a clutch problem pushed his spending above the price of a round-trip rental, though he kept the car as the basis for a future project.
The producer, Joey, was planning a trip around the Midwest that would end with time at a track. He said rental companies’ restrictions on taking rental cars onto a track helped prompt him to look for a car to buy instead. He found a 2007 five-speed Yaris in a friend’s shop yard in Kentucky and paid $2,300—$300 less than the quoted round-trip rental cost.
The apparent saving did not last. Joey put about $300 into the car soon after buying it, according to The Drive’s account, and spent several hundred miles driving around the Midwest to source parts. At Virginia International Raceway, the Yaris completed only one session before its clutch slave cylinder failed and released fluid, leaving him unable to shift. After being towed off the track, he made a temporary repair using hood bolts and continued with the trip.
The report says Joey ultimately spent “quite a bit more” than his original budget, but does not give a final total or a precise rental quote beyond saying the purchase price was $300 lower. The comparison therefore establishes that this particular purchase exceeded his expected rental cost, not how much more it cost or whether buying would be cheaper in other circumstances.
Trip Costs Include Repairs
The account illustrates the difference between a car’s purchase price and the cost of using it. A low-priced used vehicle can bring repair, parts and downtime expenses that a renter may not face directly, while a rental’s quoted price may not suit a trip that includes track driving. The Yaris’s failure also turned the car’s condition into a practical concern during a long journey, not just a line in a budget.
For readers weighing the options, the result is specific rather than universal: this Yaris cost more than Joey expected, but it also remained his car after the trip. He planned to use it as a regional runabout and time-attack project. That future use gives the purchase a value beyond the three-week trip, though the report does not calculate that value or compare it with the cost of renting on later trips.
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Why Joey Bought the Yaris
The decision grew out of a different version of a familiar transport question. Drivers sometimes compare owning a utility vehicle with renting a truck or van for occasional needs; Joey’s situation reversed that calculation. He needed a car for an extended trip, and the planned track session made an ordinary rental less suitable, according to The Drive.
The Yaris had been sitting in a field before Joey bought it, the report says. That detail helps explain why its $2,300 sticker price was not a complete measure of what the trip would cost. Joey also had a longer-term plan for the car: he wanted it to serve as a regional runabout and as a car he could drive hard at track events. Those aims went beyond simply getting from one end of the road trip to the other.
The Final Bill Is Unreported
The Drive does not state the total amount Joey spent, itemize the repairs, or provide the rental’s full quoted price. It is also unclear whether the rental quote included all taxes, fees, insurance or other trip-related costs, and the source does not say whether the purchase price included any post-trip resale value. Those missing figures prevent a precise cost comparison.
The account also does not establish the Yaris’s full mechanical condition before the journey or how much of its repair work would have been needed regardless of the trip. The clutch slave cylinder failure is described as the cause of the interruption at the track; the source does not provide a diagnosis of any wider mechanical issues. The outcome is a report of one buyer’s experience, not a general finding about used cars and rentals.
Joey Plans to Keep Driving
Joey’s stated plan was to turn the Yaris into a regional runabout and time-attack car, which means the purchase was meant to serve purposes beyond the Midwest trip. The Drive’s account does not report a later repair outcome, the car’s subsequent reliability, or its eventual project costs. Those details would be needed to judge whether keeping the car paid off over time.
For anyone making a similar choice, the key comparison is broader than purchase price versus rental quote: it includes anticipated repairs, the length and type of trip, the ability to use the car as intended, and whether the owner wants to keep it afterward. In Joey’s case, the reported spending exceeded his original budget, while the longer-term result remains unreported.
Key Questions
Was buying the Yaris cheaper than renting?
No, according to The Drive’s account. Joey spent more than his original budget after buying the car and paying for repairs, though the report does not provide a final total.
How much did the Yaris cost?
The 2007 five-speed Toyota Yaris had a $2,300 purchase price. The report says Joey later put about $300 into it, but does not give the full repair bill.
Why not rent a car for the trip?
The trip included track driving, which The Drive says was a problem with rental companies. The source does not detail the specific rental terms or restrictions.
What went wrong at the track?
The Yaris completed one session at Virginia International Raceway before its clutch slave cylinder released fluid, leaving Joey unable to shift. He was towed off the track and made a temporary repair before continuing.
Did Joey keep the car?
He intended to use it as a regional runabout and time-attack project. The report does not provide a later update on the car or its long-term costs.
Source: thedrive.com
