JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR ---

[Darlo]

I just bought a 2004 Toyota Echo RS!

Has cruise and AC, and only 100K Miles

Very conflicted now, as to what I will do with my beloved Festiva! :cry_smile:

[drddan]

Pull all that tape and coroplast off the Festy and put in a B6 .... or B8 .... or BP..... or ....? :p

[91mcnasty]

That's what I was thinking!!!

[Darlo]

Pull all that tape and coroplast off the Festy and put in a B6 .... or B8 .... or BP..... or ....? :p

Then it would not get as good of gas mileage! lol!

I am thinking I may want to make it my backup/iceracer ?

That would be fun!

I JUST HAD TO BUY THIS ONE THOUGH! ALL the other Toyota Echo RS Hatchbacks are over $7000, and I got this one for only $3400!

I still have the Festiva insured though, as I may simply flip this Echo for a couple grand......lol

[Safety Guy]

"I JUST HAD TO BUY THIS ONE THOUGH! ALL the other Toyota Echo RS Hatchbacks are over $7000, and I got this one for only $3400!"

That sounds like a great deal! Keep it awhile to see how you like it and to compare MPGs with the Festiva, but why not keep both?

Karl

[Darlo]

"I JUST HAD TO BUY THIS ONE THOUGH! ALL the other Toyota Echo RS Hatchbacks are over $7000, and I got this one for only $3400!"

That sounds like a great deal! Keep it awhile to see how you like it and to compare MPGs with the Festiva, but why not keep both?

Karl

I had a 2005 Echo Hatch in the past, and it got an average of 40-42mpg. I love the Festiva too! lol


I am thinking I will keep both, but only have room for two cars (my wife has her 2000 Echo). I need to choose one, or find a place to store it quick!

[91mcnasty]

I hate when there's no space available!!!!

[Darlo]

Yeah I am really not sure what I will do.....

May sell my wifes Echo, and she will drive the new one, and then I can keep the Festiva..........

Here is my list of pros and cons with driving the Echo instead of the Festiva

PRO's

- Cruise control (I love cruise)
- A/C
- Will break down less (but will cost more when it does)
- Comfort (the RS echo seats are very comfy)
- I can use my ScanGuageII (see link)http://www.scangauge.com/products/scangaugeii/
- four doors
- passenger comfort

Cons
- Similar gas mileage (but without the option to aeromod :p)
- Less money in bank (Festiva = $1000, Echo = $3400)
- Maintenance cost higher (Aka tires are not $30 anymore)
- If a major thing goes, larger cost ensues.
- I have fixed so many things with the Festiva (Well Mike has, lol) and there is not much more to go wrong.
- I just finished installing all my fog lights, driving lights, stereo, subs, etc.
- I like the Festiva for its uniqueness.
- higher insurance cost (from $88 to $116 per month)

Please help me choose.......What would you do if you could only keep one?

[lanemeyer14]

^I'd keep the Echo myself. It's not everyday you find a deal like that on those....especially in my parts! You could always pick up another festiva in the future if you wanted

[chrisofna]

We never got those in America. Good looking car.

[Darlo]

We never got those in America. Good looking car.

Thanks! But what would you do?

[Darlo]

^I'd keep the Echo myself. It's not everyday you find a deal like that on those....especially in my parts! You could always pick up another festiva in the future if you wanted

Yeah but I am quite attached to the Festiva that I have! And I know that my Festiva has certain issues, and certain things have been fixed already (aka heater core, exhaust, battery terminals, alternator, bearing(s), brakes, tail lights (smooth, lol).......and more things that I forget, lol


Just will be hard to let go if I go that route! :cry_smile:

[Team Lightning]

Simple, flip the echo for more Festiva Goodies!
If you can sell it for 6K-7K, thats 2-3 K profit.

[Movin]

there shouldn't be any question, you don't hang on to a time bomb like
that echo, its a deal to make money period !! The reason is that echo
is just like hybrid cars and other less expensive cars that have very expensive
parts that may require a pro. I looked for the best deal on a ABS module, used
OEM from junk yard. It was $430 bucks. Do you really want used safety stuff?
You just totaled your car or are so close the question comes up. Also, if you go
in for a ABS light on, your car is going to be inspected for other needed repairs.
You run the risk of traveling with an echo, going in for repair and having a
shop sending you away because the repair costs more than the car is worth
( retail value less salvage value is repairable value ). wow what were you
thinkin!!
A festy has help all over the North America if needed, most stuff you can fix.
No ABS module, speed sensers, Air bag module, air bags, retracters, no gas
cap engine light codes, no $800 timing belt jobs, The festy is the last of the
truly fix it youself cars...Sure try and do a brake job on an echo, get material
in a speed sensor, the ABS light turns on..Go running to Auto Z and see what
they have to say about it. It will have been cheaper to take it to the pro and
pay the $180 bucks for new front brakes...

LOL I know how it is, you make lots of money and don't mind forking it
out to expensive shops so you have time to strut around the ski lodge
packing your snowboards!!

Darlo, I seriously respect you and all your mileage improvements but you
have just nicked the surface of what you are capable of. Festies lend them
selves to other things too but with the US bent on driving up gas prices this
is a heck of a time for you to bail! What ever you do, remember your friends
are here!

[Darlo]

there shouldn't be any question, you don't hang on to a time bomb like
that echo, its a deal to make money period !! The reason is that echo
is just like hybrid cars and other less expensive cars that have very expensive
parts that may require a pro. I looked for the best deal on a ABS module, used
OEM from junk yard. It was $430 bucks. Do you really want used safety stuff?
You just totaled your car or are so close the question comes up. Also, if you go
in for a ABS light on, your car is going to be inspected for other needed repairs.
You run the risk of traveling with an echo, going in for repair and having a
shop sending you away because the repair costs more than the car is worth
( retail value less salvage value is repairable value ). wow what were you
thinkin!!
A festy has help all over the North America if needed, most stuff you can fix.
No ABS module, speed sensers, Air bag module, air bags, retracters, no gas
cap engine light codes, no $800 timing belt jobs, The festy is the last of the
truly fix it youself cars...Sure try and do a brake job on an echo, get material
in a speed sensor, the ABS light turns on..Go running to Auto Z and see what
they have to say about it. It will have been cheaper to take it to the pro and
pay the $180 bucks for new front brakes...

LOL I know how it is, you make lots of money and don't mind forking it
out to expensive shops so you have time to strut around the ski lodge
packing your snowboards!!

Darlo, I seriously respect you and all your mileage improvements but you
have just nicked the surface of what you are capable of. Festies lend them
selves to other things too but with the US bent on driving up gas prices this
is a heck of a time for you to bail! What ever you do, remember your friends
are here!

I understand what you are saying, and some of it I agree with, but some is just plain incorrect.

First, there is not a heck of a lot of "safety" things on the Echo (no ABS etc) and I think the only thing to worry about is the airbags.

I am of course worried that something big (aka the engine, timing belt, etc) could go, and if it does I can get parts for cheap (connections within a parts company) and my family has a friend who is an amazing mechanic, who charges us pennies on the dollar for repairs.

Parts are not as expensive as you think on the Echo, and this is the fourth one that I have owned in my life. My wife has been driven her Echo for 70K and we have had to replace the brakes (which are super cheap), a battery, and have done oil changes. Thats it...... Our other Echo sedan got smucked be someone running a red light, but I never had to do anything to that car but regular maintenance. In fact, the only thing I have ever had to do to one of my Echos was a clutch, and it costs $125 for the clutch kit (has everything) and is a "6 hour job" which actually takes 4.5, lol........ Which when you know the mechanic..........isnt that bad..........

That being said (aka I have alreay driven Echos for 100K +), I am not worried about the reliability of the Echo, as it is amazing. I am worried about the extra cost of the car, and the fact that I wouldnt have my Festiva which I love!

Like I had said before, I have done bearings, exhaust and muffler, radiator, heater core, alternater, battery, new tires X2, etc, on the Festiva, and have really grown fond of it (well I was fond of it when I saw it the first time too, lol). I dont want to get rid of it, as I have met so many cool people (Like Mike, and the local crew ) because of the Festiva, and it is super unique!

It is indeed the Festiva support that would make it super difficult to sell the Festiva! And, I wouldnt be able to do the gas mileage stuff on the Echo!

But again, I am unsure.......