GR Yaris (Gen 2) GR Yaris Mk2 (MY2024->)

[sandervdw]

I’d still expect a clear-coated roof to last much longer than a sticker. BMW M cars have been mass-producing clear-coated carbon roofs for years, and while they occasionally have issues, they've generally held up well over time—far more reliably than the sticker Toyota uses. My buddy’s daily-driven E92 M3 with over 150,000 miles still has a pristine carbon roof. I seriously doubt any GR Yaris carbon sticker will last 10+ years if it's used daily.

I'm guessing BMW (and all other manufacturers) use a specific UV-filtering clear-coat.
To give an idea about a BMW Carbon mirror over the years:


Also, I see a massive risk for Toyota to not even wanting to touch your car with a pole because you decided to remove the protection from the roof and DIY it.

 

[Inversed]

I'm guessing BMW (and all other manufacturers) use a specific UV-filtering clear-coat.
To give an idea about a BMW Carbon mirror over the years:


Also, I see a massive risk for Toyota to not even wanting to touch your car with a pole because you decided to remove the protection from the roof and DIY it.

I mean yeah, it's one of the reasons. Same way as they might not touch it if you lowered seat rails or did anything else. And apparently if you drove above speed limit. If there is a problem with roof I guess they wouldn't do anything, but I don't think it would influence the engine/transmission repairs.

I honestly don't think that BMW uses something so much better that it's hard to get it yourself. But only time will tell, without being professional on the field it's just amateurs opinions now.

If I would do clear coating I would do that + XPEL PPF.

 

[sandervdw]

I mean yeah, it's one of the reasons. Same way as they might not touch it if you lowered seat rails or did anything else. And apparently if you drove above speed limit. If there is a problem with roof I guess they wouldn't do anything, but I don't think it would influence the engine/transmission repairs.

I honestly don't think that BMW uses something so much better that it's hard to get it yourself. But only time will tell, without being professional on the field it's just amateurs opinions now.

If I would do clear coating I would do that + XPEL PPF.

I agree that XPEL (which you can get with UV protection) is better than just clear coating with (probably) products with unknown characteristics.
If you can get a professional paint-shop to do the clear-coat, they will probably get the right products as well. But I would never do it all on your own.

The difference with lower seat railing etc, is that these are reversible changes. They probably will fix mechanical issues, but as the roof is a structural part in a car, you're still taking a risk.
I would never remove the wrap without consent from Toyota. They clearly investigated without the wrap (eg, the Corolla) and still decided it would be better to go for the wrap on the Yaris.

 

[Greenthumb]

On my Evo 8, which I bought new, the clear coat on the carbon started to dissolve after just 2 years. That's also the reason why I haven't removed the film on the GRY, even though I would like the look of it underneath.

 

[Inversed]

They clearly investigated without the wrap (eg, the Corolla) and still decided it would be better to go for the wrap on the Yaris.

In Japan the MK2 is available with coated roof.

But anyways, this thread alone is enough for me to reconsider doing anything to the roof. Not worth the risk.

 

[Ecsrobin]

In Japan the MK2 is available with coated roof.

But anyways, this thread alone is enough for me to reconsider doing anything to the roof. Not worth the risk.

My understanding is the time/cost to prepare the roof properly and the discard rate of roofs not suitable for prep is why they resorted to a wrap for the majority of cars.

 

[sandervdw]

My understanding is the time/cost to prepare the roof properly and the discard rate of roofs not suitable for prep is why they resorted to a wrap for the majority of cars.

That sentence alone has to be enough to convice people to not peel of the wrap...

 

[Euge]

My understanding is the time/cost to prepare the roof properly and the discard rate of roofs not suitable for prep is why they resorted to a wrap for the majority of cars.

To have the Japanese coated forged carbon is a 1000euro / 870gbp option.

 

[markku]

The rain was getting stronger and stronger. I wouldn't look to close into these laptimes for serious comparison. But as far as manual/auto goes, we already know there is practically no difference. However it's a really fun video to watch.

You are so right. Actually my comparison manual/auto was just to tease @Norbi, there is a personal (joking) battle between us since I ordered a manual and he ordered an auto one.

I'm still fully convinced that manual and auto are quite even about pure performance, and that are just two different great ways to enjoy the Mk2 GRY.
In fact, I'd like in the future to have both in my garage.

What really impressed me is the comparison with the no-GRY competitors.

 

[markku]

Saw this car yesterday in front of my supermarket. Unfortunately I didn’t look him up right then&there, but did today:

„Starting in 2021, he (Latvala) served as the team principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, replacing Tommi Mäkinen.[1]“(!)

Damn, I’m still so ignorant about WRC and GR‘s history…

Should have asked him about the eternal manual vs AT debate

View attachment 30413

I’ll keep looking, maybe I’ll see him again…

That's so great! Keep a closed eye on it, and wait for the driver to come pick it up!

 

[Ecsrobin]

To have the Japanese coated forged carbon is a 1000euro / 870gbp option.

And how much does a paint/prep shop get paid an hour? Should give you an idea of how long it takes to prep vs sticking some vinyl on.

Some will argue it’s a low cost but if you add on every compromise / option you’d be at a £60-70k Yaris without being a special edition.

 

[6mt]

I'm guessing BMW (and all other manufacturers) use a specific UV-filtering clear-coat.
To give an idea about a BMW Carbon mirror over the years:


Also, I see a massive risk for Toyota to not even wanting to touch your car with a pole because you decided to remove the protection from the roof and DIY it.

I'm not, and never have been, a fan of carbon fiber for exactly those reasons. Whether it's the traditional weave or the forged carbon look, these materials are simply not built to last as long as standard painted sheet metal. It's all gimmickry and marketing hype. This car is already lightweight by modern standards. An all-aluminum roof would be nearly as light and wouldn't suffer from these durability issues.

I'm certainly not going to peel off the wrap just to clearcoat the roof. My point is that, sooner or later, the wrap will need replacing. When that time comes, the options are to either clearcoat it or replace it with another wrap, whether it's OEM from Toyota or a PPF like Xpel. Both options are equally expensive where I live. Having the roof prepped and properly PPF'd by a reputable installer will easily cost over $1k around here.

Overall, the carbon roof is a compromise - it's a problem area for many people, no matter how they choose to deal with it. The wrap doesn't hold up, and this issue is widely recognized not just on this forum, but across many online discussions. In contrast, most BMW clear-coated carbon roofs I've seen over the past two decades have aged remarkably well.

By the way, BMW carbon parts fall into two categories: those installed at the factory and those installed at the port.

The carbon parts installed at the port - often labeled as BMW Performance—are almost entirely made in China, and they simply don’t last. Historically, their carbon mirror caps have been part of the Performance catalog, and I’ve seen these parts up close. They don’t come close to the quality of the factory-installed carbon parts, many of which have been produced in Italy over the years.

 

[Onehp]

What really impressed me is the comparison with the no-GRY competitors.

I was impressed that the high mass didn't punish the times more, and the drivers reviewed the heaviest car as feeling light. Best cars in their respective category?

 

[Galerion]

In case anyone is unaware Toyota started as a company producing weaving machines and as far as I know they still do. They built a huge and expensive carbon fiber loom just to produce the chassis for the Lexus LFA. A car that was built 500 times.

If Toyota wanted to they could easily give you an exposed carbon fiber roof like they do on the Lexus LC 500 for example. It's not a question of know-how or anything like that. It's just that they likely found it's not worth the effort and cost.

Everybody can have their own opinion on it but it's worth it to remember how cheap the GR Yaris is for what you are getting. Toyota already subsidized the car. There is no other car in its class that even has a carbon fiber roof to begin with.
How much more expensive are those BMWs people mentioned? 2x or 3x times the cost surely. At some point you have to be a bit realistic.

 

[sandervdw]

In case anyone is unaware Toyota started as a company producing weaving machines and as far as I know they still do. They built a huge and expensive carbon fiber loom just to produce the chassis for the Lexus LFA. A car that was built 500 times.

If Toyota wanted to they could easily give you an exposed carbon fiber roof like they do on the Lexus LC 500 for example. It's not a question of know-how or anything like that. It's just that they likely found it's not worth the effort and cost.

Everybody can have their own opinion on it but it's worth it to remember how cheap the GR Yaris is for what you are getting. Toyota already subsidized the car. There is no other car in its class that even has a carbon fiber roof to begin with.
How much more expensive are those BMWs people mentioned? 2x or 3x times the cost surely. At some point you have to be a bit realistic.

There is a massive difference in cost between forged carbon and woven carbon ofcourse. The look of forged carbon is very subjective to taste.

And there are other cars in its price range with a carbon roof:
Abarth 124 GT (41k€ when new)
Alfa Romeo 4C (51k€ when new)
BMW i3 (40k€ when new)

 

[Ecsrobin]

In case anyone is unaware Toyota started as a company producing weaving machines and as far as I know they still do. They built a huge and expensive carbon fiber loom just to produce the chassis for the Lexus LFA. A car that was built 500 times.

If Toyota wanted to they could easily give you an exposed carbon fiber roof like they do on the Lexus LC 500 for example. It's not a question of know-how or anything like that. It's just that they likely found it's not worth the effort and cost.

Everybody can have their own opinion on it but it's worth it to remember how cheap the GR Yaris is for what you are getting. Toyota already subsidized the car. There is no other car in its class that even has a carbon fiber roof to begin with.
How much more expensive are those BMWs people mentioned? 2x or 3x times the cost surely. At some point you have to be a bit realistic.

This is carbon fibre reinforced plastic rather than just carbon fibre.

You can read more about it here:

Mitsubishi Chemical’s SMC Adopted for Roof of Toyota GR Yaris

Carbon fiber sheet molding compound (SMC) by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation has been adopted for the roof of the new Toyota GR Yaris

us.mitsubishi-chemical.com

 

[Onehp]

There is a massive difference in cost between forged carbon and woven carbon ofcourse. The look of forged carbon is very subjective to taste.

And there are other cars in its price range with a carbon roof:
Abarth 124 GT (41k€ when new)
Alfa Romeo 4C (51k€ when new)
BMW i3 (40k€ when new)

Lol latter two were complete body in CFRP...

This is carbon fibre reinforced plastic rather than just carbon fibre.

No such thing as just carbon fibre, but there thermoharding (but still a) plastic and there are thermoplastic plastic matrixes.

 

[GRandemakina]

This is carbon fibre reinforced plastic rather than just carbon fibre.

You can read more about it here:

Mitsubishi Chemical’s SMC Adopted for Roof of Toyota GR Yaris

Carbon fiber sheet molding compound (SMC) by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation has been adopted for the roof of the new Toyota GR Yaris

us.mitsubishi-chemical.com

"carbon fiber reinforced plastic/polymer" is generic name for all types of the commonly known as "carbon fiber" - regardless of of its production method/technology.
To be honest, I do not agree to categorize the "forged carbon" as a lesser (or inferior) type, neither cheaper. It's just a different tech... with advantages in terms of formability and homogeneous (isotropic) mech properties - which can more suitable for certain applications.
The UV considerations are similar for both types - as far I know.

 

[sandervdw]

"carbon fiber reinforced plastic/polymer" is generic name for all types of the commonly known as "carbon fiber" - regardless of of its production method/technology.
To be honest, I do not agree to categorize the "forged carbon" as a lesser (or inferior) type, neither cheaper. It's just a different tech... with advantages in terms of formability and homogeneous (isotropic) mech properties - which can more suitable for certain applications.
The UV considerations are similar for both types - as far I know.

The UV considerations are due to the resin they use (which is the same between the types).
The reason forged carbon is cheaper, is just because it's less labor-intensive to create. And if you want it visible, the forged carbon will be easier to make look good.
Eg. Bugatti aligns all the weaves in their carbon panels so they match across the car. That's a crazy amount of work, but if you don't do it, each panel will look off.

 

[Onehp]

The UV considerations are due to the resin they use (which is the same between the types).
The reason forged carbon is cheaper, is just because it's less labor-intensive to create. And if you want it visible, the forged carbon will be easier to make look good.
Eg. Bugatti aligns all the weaves in their carbon panels so they match across the car. That's a crazy amount of work, but if you don't do it, each panel will look off.

Not sure resin is the same, normal prepreg/thermoharding resins will just decompose and burn when heated. They don't say what kind of resin as its probably the proprietary part of the whole story, but moulding typically assumes some form of thermoformable aka thermoplastic plastic of different chemistry.

So in short, formability usually both comes from the short strand fibres aka forged, and the matrix or resin.