Topic: Almost bought a car today! But...

[Snowman]

[safristi]

Aaahh Now I can rest easy...with Homeland Guru
posting those nice pastel colours...sorry Kolors!!!!....what's the shade needed before I cansafely go out on a weekend beer run???..I fergot was it puce or puke???

[Snowman]

[Brig]

[Straysheepie]

Just read the thread and laughed at how it disintegrated into a trolly mess!

As Roadrunner suggested, I will get back to a post with an automotive spin: saw an ad on an import forum for a 2001 Corolla S, has extra goodies like keyless entry, immobilizer and CD, and I think it's been modded but I'm not sure what it means - I can list them from the ad though: TRD sideskirts and rear, custom front lip, tinted front and back windows, lowered on h and r rims, as well as a spoiler.  I looked at some photos of it and it looks fine, I think the S is the only Corolla I would ever consider since the other ones are so "vanilla".  Will meet the seller tomorrow morning to see the car and take it for a spin... asking price $12,500.  Seems a bit high since that's approximately the asking price in buy and sell dealer ads but I don't know how much the mods are worth.  Any input on this?

I'm running out of patience though so if this doesn't work out I'll probably go for a 2004 or 2005 Echo just to avoid more aggravation!!!

[initial_D]

Mods don't add much value to a car, if any at all. Do take the car to a shop for a good check up.  

Personally I don't think someone buys a Corolla and mods it does a lot of hard driving to abuse the car, I will check for maintenance records and such. Offer $11500 to start?

[Mdxtasy]

I'm not a big fan of purchasing cars fitted with aftermarket parts.  You're never really sure how well they've been installed and to me, it throws up a red flag.  If you want to buy that Corolla, I would not offer a penny more that what an OEM Corolla is worth.  

You got to hurry...rumor has it the Echo might go bye bye with it's poor sales.

[Saint11]

poor sales of echo's? not in vancouver...

tons of them around. hatches and sedans. those things actually do have a lot of space. i sat in a sedan and i was pleasantly surprised at the space. and im a fat guy too.

[Mdxtasy]

That's the word on the street....

by Associated Press     posted January 13, 2005
 
DETROIT -- Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. will replace its unpopular Echo compact car with two European-styled small cars in 2006.

Toyota spokesman Mike Michels confirmed the plans Thursday but said the company was not ready to offer any more specifics about the two replacements.

Toyota, Japan's No. 1 automaker, sold fewer than 4,000 Echos in 2004, down from 26,167 the year before, according to Autodata Corp. Despite the sharp decline, Toyota's overall U.S. sales rose 10 percent last year.

"The current Echo certainly hasn't met expectations," Michels said. "We need a mainstream, very affordable product below the Corolla."

Hoping to revive demand for its flagship Avalon sedan, whose North American sales were off 28 percent last year, Toyota introduced a redesigned version of the car during the media preview at this week's North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Also this year, Toyota will launch hybrid versions of its Toyota Highlander and luxury Lexus RX sport utility vehicles.  

(Message edited by mdxtasy on January 24, 2005)

[Winson]

Maybe Canada will keep the Echo Hatch?

[Mdxtasy]

Maybe it'll stay for Canada but I don't know if that will happen....considering a European replacement is expected.  There's really no reason to continue production of the Echo just for Canada if the replacement can be a global car.

[Froggy]

The Echo hatch is known as the Yaris in Europe, isn't it? So, it is not a "Canadian only" car...

[Bullet Blue]

I don't believe anyone said it was a "canadian only" car froggy. They are availible world wide as you've noted.

This is a bit of a surprise to me and those sales figures were an evern bigger shock. I, like others, thought the echo was doing fairly well. A buddy's of mine's father will be purchasing an echo this year, so make that number 4001

[Shnak]

Why would anyone in the states by an Echo when they have the Scions around???

And the Echo is here to stay in Canada, that's for sure. It might be a new design coming from Europe, but it'll still be called the Echo in Canada.

[safristi]

Tiny cars take a beating in the BIG OL USA...funny as its smaller than CANADA....ok had ta get a lick in...they buy by the pound in the South..thank god we are building the 300's fer them in Brampton (Motoring 2005's car of the year)and swapping them for greenbacks.....
        What think ye of the 300 Chrysler winning that award...will it stand the test of time..didn't the Intrepid win the award a few years back when it was edgy and cool looking too 'now they are giving them away second hand....if the quality/reliability is good I personally think they will do very well.....

[Roadrunner]

I watched that Motoring 2005 show, but I think only time will tell if these stay around or not.
Choice of the cars they showed in that group, (300, Corvette and Mustang).
Personally, I would have picked the Corvette.

[Straysheepie]

From what I've read the echo is doing poorly in the US but Canada sales were more than 30,000 which is pretty funny actually... sales are brisk in Vancouver, both Toyota dealers I visited won't budge on price because demand for Echo hatches exceeds supply... the first dealership had only one left and I peeked at the previous customer's lease and it was another silver hatch.

The seller says his parents want what the dealer is willing to pay for trade-in, around $12k stock. That seems steep to me and I'm surprised they would offer that much... but then again maybe people just lie...

[Bullet Blue]

You're right Straysheepie. Sales are up this year (2004) from last for the echo 25%. It is the 10th cest selling car is Canada for 04

http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/050124-1.htm