Toyota Echo

majorthomecho · October 2001

Twice the speed of what? You really did not say.

As far as going fast down or up twisting ramps, I already have. : )

majorthomecho · October 2001

Welcome back to this board.

But why the Pitcairn flag?

fangio2 · October 2001

imperial gallons.If not you have outdone the Major in outrageous Echoing.

kneisl1 · October 2001

I REALLY put the ECHO to a severe test of its handling abilities this weekend. I was traveling on I80 looking to get on the exit for 17n when someone cut off a tractor trailer ahead of me. I was in the left center of four lanes and this truck comes all the way over three of the lanes and just about STOPS right in front of me. I was going about 55 and had no time to touch the brakes its was just crank that sucker left as hard as possible to miss rear ending the trailer then another quick crank to the right to keep from going into the guardrail. The car just HAD to respond or it was whammo right into the trailer. After that experience I have no reservations about the handling of the ECHO at all!

protegextwo · October 2001

What were the three top reasons for purchasing your current car? I'm assuming if your a regular in the Toyota Echo Discussion you own a small sedan of some type. I'm interested in, what sold you on your current car!

I'll go 1st. These were the qualities, I looked for when shopping.

1.) Roomy Interior-
2.) Value Pricing-
3.) Attractive Styling-

Thank you in advance!

Repectfully,
Larry

cliffy1 · October 2001

I've been lurking the whole time, but you seem to have things well in hand. I just haven't had enough to add lately.

... and the flag, if I told you, I'd have to.... well you know.

I'll follow this thread and add to it when I can. My job has changed and now that I am in the finance office, I don't get as much dirt as I used to.

kneisl1 · October 2001

1) a small, economical car

2) a car with a reputation for quality (which I thought would be a Civic)

3) a good price ($13.1k out the door vs nearly 16k for the Civic)

vocus · October 2001

Never had a problem taking a 25mph ramp at 50 in my car at all. Leans some, of course. And I only do it when there are no other cars around me and the road is dry. But the car can handle it. Would it be any better if I were doing it in a Toyota Celica as opposed to a Mazda Protege? I have done the same ramp in both (on the way to work, I take this exit everyday), and they hold the road the same, but the Celica had alot less body lean.

majorthomecho · October 2001

I know the basis for the Pitcairn flag. Just did not know why you are using it.

And don't kill me for knowing. Someone posted the reason on a public board.

majorthomecho · October 2001

Did you know that the ramp speeds are generally 10 to 15mph lower than what the ramp can actually be driven? And some ramps you can drive even faster than that.

There is one ramp I take a lot where it is almost three-fourths of a circle and the merge lane is very short which means I have to take the lane at a high rate of speed. I believe that it is marked 25mph and I have taken it at 45mph. Yes, the car leans but I don't feel that I am in any danger.

Thank goodness for the acceleration capabilities of the Echo though. There have been times where I have been stuck behind cars that waited at the top of the ramp which forced me to come to a stop. With the quickness of the Echo, I was able to go from a standing start and merge into the traffic.

My point is that Mazda vehicles are not the only one with zoom, zoom.

majorthomecho · October 2001

When the time came to get a new set of wheels, I wanted a compact or subcompact. I just like cars of this size.

I wanted something I could feel comfortable that it was going to be of good quality and reliable down the road.

I wanted to feel safe in my car and this meant more than actual crash protection. This also meant good accident avoidance.

High performance was not something I was interested in. I wanted my car to be one that kept up with the majority of cars in its class (and do a good job of keeping up with the other occupants of the road). I did not care if my car would stomp the cars in its class.

I wanted something that was fairly roomy inside since I do have two almost grown children. Rear seat comfort was important although I would probably never be riding back there.

I am pretty much a frugal person so price was something of a consideration for me although I had toyed briefly with the idea of leasing a BMW 3-series.

I wanted something with very good fuel economy numbers. My '93 Escort left me spoiled in that regard.

Styling was not a big issue with me. I mean it ranked way down the list. Having said that, I really like the styling of the Echo.

I looked at the Mazda Protege, the Ford Focus, the Nissan Sentra, and on, and on, and on.

In the final analysis, the Echo rung my bell the hardest.

janbee · October 2001

Is there a point to the off-ramp story cause you are leaving us in the dark. Major was not taking any jabs at the protege, he never once said anything negative towards mazda. So please dont jump to your guns and make little comments here then jump back to the protege board to razz everyone up there because most of us looked at the protege before buying the ECHO and have nothing but good comments about it. I decided to go with the ECHO because of the Toyota name and I just love how quirky and odd the ECHO looks but that doesnt mean that I dont love the protege as well and I think most ppl on the ECHO board can agree with that.

cliffy1 · October 2001

See the line in my post about non-sports cars. The Celica may not be a true sports car, but it is close. The Celica rides much more harsh than the ECHO but does handle better. Cornering ability is a trade off with ride comfort.

slugline · October 2001

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/roadtest/47564/article.html

On a $128,000 sports car, a center-mounted instrument pod is "a nod to the past" by the manufacturer and is in the end "appreciated." If a company attempts to to do the same thing with a vehicle one-tenth the sticker price, it can't be anything but a "cost-cutting move." <WINK>

photoboy · October 2001

1. Large on the inside, small on the outside.
2. Great gas mileage.
3. Great reliability.
And if I can add a fourth: Easy ingress/egress.
If they had made an AARP version of the new Civic it might have been in the running, but I didn't like practically laying on the ground to get in and out of the thing. The seating of the Echo and the Ford Focus are the trend of the future now that people have gotten used to vans and truck-based stationwagons.
Then, there was the price difference...

majorthomecho · October 2001

Did the difference in quality between the Focus and the Echo have anything to do with it? By quality, I mean the number of recalls.

majorthomecho · October 2001

How has my Echoing been outrageous?

majorthomecho · October 2001

According to one source, if I were to private sell my Echo tomorrow, I would be a few dollars ahead. Not too bad.

majorthomecho · October 2001

The details are blurry, but I really put the braking and accelerating capabilities of the Echo to good use tonight.

Remember the entrance ramp I posted about. Well, just a few feet down the highway from the entrance ramp is an exit ramp.

A lady was (evidently) wanting to get off when I was getting on and rather than her slowing down and letting me on, she stayed on her gas and then swung in front of me.

Problem was I was accelerating and did not really know what she was doing. A turn signal on her part would have been a big help. I had my turn signal on indicating I wanted onto the highway.

I went from accelerating to decelerating back to accelerating in just a few seconds.

The Echo did all that I asked.

fangio2 · October 2001

Think about it-someone would pay more for a used one then a new one?BUT,if it is true,lets go into business-we can buy new ones and sell them as used.

kaz6 · October 2001

slugline, you're not the only one that noticed that review! I almost bust a gut at how they said, "you quickly adjust to looking to the right"! Whatever...
It seems a BMW interior has no faults. Edmunds is not the only review that displays a double standard.
I personally like the placement of the pod both stylistically and ergonomically. When I do a 4 hour drive in the desert night I appreciate not having the glare of an instrument panel in my face and I always appreciate the unobstructed view afforded by the Echo's dash.

babyboomer · October 2001

An Echo wrecking with an Echo.

majorthomecho · October 2001

Okay, that was posted after your comment so I am still wondering what Echoing I have done that you find outrageous.

BTW, I guess you can't read between the lines.

What I meant in post #2368 is that if I private sold my car, I would get more than what I owe.

FWIW, there was a space of a few weeks where a used Echo was going for more than a new Echo. Strange but true. Of course, during this time you couldn't find a new Echo.

That might have had something to do.

So Fangio, before post #2368, what have I said that was outrageous?

geegee1958 · October 2001

I have an Echo and I like it alot, but don't understand the logic of why a used model might sell for more than a new one, unless there was a severe shortage of Echo's around. I see plenty of them here in south east Florida, mostly 4 door, most with body cladding, and white and red seem to be the most prevelent colors. I like the red best, but though red may fade in the hot Florida sun, so I went for the silver (and a 2 door, which I now regret). Or I suppose on the resale you may make a profit if you got an especially great deal when you bought it new, but in SE Florida at least, Toyota dealers seem to offer little bargaining power and no incentives at all on Echo's (unlike on Corolla's w/ tons of incentives). Maybe because they are available in much smaller numbers and don't need incentives to sell?

majorthomecho · October 2001

FWIW, the current Blue Book also shows that a 2000 used Echo's asking price is more than what it cost when new.

fangio2 · October 2001

We could buy some new Echos,title them and sell them as used.This could be a gold mine.We might need to store them somewhere for a year or two.We could get some land Louisville.We would be selling aged Kentucky Echos.Send me the money now.

mdrew · October 2001

1.LOOKS (believe it or not it was love at first sight when I first saw one on the street and didn't know what it was. I hate all the generic-looking sedans, but wanted a good quality car like them. Bingo.

2. HIGH SEATING POSITION and visibility. I love being high up but don't like SUVs; have a narrow driveway onto a busy street that's hard to see out of. I couldn't believe how the little Echo towers over other sedans (without getting in other people's way).

3. THIS BOARD. Reading the Focus and New Beetle Edmund Topics was scary, at least last year; I haven't read them lately. So many problems and complaints at the time; I was really put off. You had to know the Echo was a great car reading how many owners were happy with it and how few serious complaints there were. Not like one testimonial, but hundreds.

The Edmunds bias against this car is such a joke; I'm convinced it all stems from the looks. All the concern about safety, when 5 other cars in the same weight class and probably less reliable, get positive reviews without safety warnings (e.g. "We like the Suzuki Swift" (all 1,895 pounds of it).

Approaching 10,000 miles on my seafoam blue 4 dr auto and glad I made the move.

cliffy1 · October 2001

You are not alone for liking the distinct styling of the ECHO. Sure, there are those who don't like it, but many do. I don't sell a huge number of these cars, but the ones I do are to people who are absolutely love it.

I can explain the double standard of Edmunds. The reviews are written by different people. Evidently, the guy who does economy cars is unenlightened as to the benefits of the center pod while the performance sedan guy knows a good thing when he sees it. I think it is a compliment to the ECHO to know that the performance guy likes the idea.

kneisl1 · October 2001

I also disagree with the review of the ECHO by Edmunds, but I thought they had one point...the resale value of the ECHO is probably less than that of the Civic. A point to consider when buying a new car. As far as used ECHOs being worth more than when new, no one in their right mind would pay more for a used car than it sold for new. The ECHO is an excellent car, however.

ckdk82 · October 2001

I bought a 2000 Echo used. It did not have a Toyota recommended schedule of maintenance with it. Does anyone know where I could get a copy of this? The dealers recommended service is for their benefit, not the owners. Thanks.

slugline · October 2001

Keep in mind that buyers in the Phillipines have a different array of cars available for purchase, but I thought the ECHO-lovers here might find this review of the 1.3L five-door hatch interesting:

http://www.carz.com.ph/test_mar01.htm

janbee · October 2001

I dont know if it was the U.S. or Canadian Toyota site but it had a maintaince schedule on it...check it out...I think it was in the owners section (I have a feeling it was the Canadian site I saw it in but Im sure they would have it somewhere on the U.S. site)

cliffy1 · October 2001

The US site does not have the maintenance schedule. Your car should have come with a book covering that. Service intervals are at 5000 miles or 7500 depending on driving conditions. I personally, suggest 3000 or 5000.

dsgecho · October 2001

janbee · October 2001

As I was waiting at a red light, I turned my wipers on to wash my windows. there was a leaf draggin along the drivers side wiper so I opened my window and grabbed the leaf as the wiper passed upwards, well I musta grabbed the wiper along with the leaf cause the wiper went way up over the side pillar that runs along the window. It ended up leaving a scratch along the pillar and now the one wiper doesnt work. It seems like it snapped out of place. A buddy of mine is a mechanic at honda, so if it doesnt rain tomorrow Ill get him to look at getting it to work again, but how will i get rid of that scratch?? And do you think the wiper will be more than just snapping into place???

kaz6 · October 2001

Thanks for the link to the review! It pretty much sums up my feelings about my Echo! It's amazing how much power there is past 2nd gear!!!
Cliffy, what is your recomendation based on? I was told that the owner's manual/schedule of maintenance has to pass muster with legal so the mileage recomendations are conservative...
btw...how do you like your Tundra? My friends have one and rave about it!

kneisl1 · October 2001

5k miles or four months:

change oil and filter, rotate tires, inspect the following: air filter, ball joints, drive shaft (boots) brake linings, steering linkage and boots, nuts and bolts on chassis and body

at 15k intervals do the above plus inspect the exhaust system. Hold a rag over the tailpipe with the engine running. If there is no back pressure you have a hole. Dont let pressure build up for long though or you could blow the muffler off!) also: inspect brake lines and hoses

30 k miles or two years: 5 k service plus: replace air filter, replace coolant (I dont know about this one, Toyota says the car comes with "long life" coolant, but two years is a normal drain interval) replace spark plugs (but you can get platinuim ones that last 60k) replace manual trans oil, inspect fuel tank cap gasket, inspect fuel lines and fuel system for leaks. I would also suggest replacing brake fluid/clutch fluid at this point also, but the manual doesnt call for it.

60k miles adjust valves

janbee · October 2001

well I got my mechanic friend to look at it, and it was sooo simple. all he did was take the cap off the base of the wiper and tighten the screw (I had no idea that this cap came off to reveal the screw) Now I just have this scratch about 1 1/2-2 inches on the drivers side pillar, he said it seemed quite deep and that I should take it to a body shop, and they would prob have to rebuff the whole drivers side pillar, my poor baby....I also noticed while washing the car today that in my right rear tail light I have a dead ladybug and in the left light is a dead bee...how the #$^% did they get in there?? LOL

kneisl1 · October 2001

I took off the black plastic cover that goes over the valve cover yesterday in a futile effort to locate the block drain for the coolant system. (the SM shows the drain on the front of the block in one illustration and on the rear of the block in another) On the valve cover I found a fastener just like the ones that secure the plastic "tray" around the inlet vents to the interior which are just below the wipers. It seems the assemblers dropped this fastener onto the valve cover before installing the secondary cover. So for $13,100 (bottom line) I got an new ECHO AND a spare fastener! I wonder what else is in the car?

mccallr · October 2001

I purchased my 2001 5-sp, 4-dr, Echo last week and the only quirk I noticed was that you can't swing the passenger-side sin visor without hitting into the rear view mirror. The driver's side visor is fine. Does anyone else have the same problem? The only workaround is to unsnap the passenger side visor and move it around the rear view mirror before flipping it up or down. I'd appreciate any feedback. By the way, my first tank of gas resulted in 43.7 mpg (around town). I really enjoy the car.

lgoldin · October 2001

Hi all. I am looking for the small car for my parents with the lowest cost of ownership for 4 years. I narrowed my choice to Elantra and Echo. Since I live in Canada and they live in Nebraska, I have no idea what should I expect there in terms of price. I am looking for 4 years lease automatic, with power lock. Can anyone from Omaha area suggest good dealer and what deal I can get there with 0 down?
Your input would be really appreciated. Thanks.

majorthomecho · October 2001

I ended up letting my roommate drive my car last night. I figure after ten months of her sitting in the passenger seat, she should get to have some fun. And plus I only let her drive a mile.

She prefers automatics and my Echo is a manual, but she was very pleased with how smoothly the shifting went.

Don't tell her, but I think she drove the car better than I do.

rajmoran · October 2001

I just turned 30,000 miles on my '00 and thought I'd check in. I'm averaging around 35 MPG in leadfooted short-distance commuting (around 10 miles one-way). I've had no problems whatsoever. The ECHO is just plain fun to drive (and to own) and I'm still in love with the car. If you're looking for a brilliant small car, this it it!

Happy ECHOing!

cliffy1 · October 2001

I just distrust the ability of oil to do its job beyond 5K miles or 4 months. I suppose if you did exclusively highway driving, that might be different but for most users, that is not realistic. I guess its a personal preference, but I still do mine every 3K miles.

As to the Tundra, I love it. My lease is up next year and I'm already planning on another one. There is nothing like in a pickup.

melody1016 · October 2001

I have had my little red echo for exactly one year now. I love it as much as I did the first day. I have about 8,000 miles on it. Which I think is pretty low mileage for one year. I have taken it on two long distance trips and it did great. Only boo-boos I have had were a few paint chip spots from rocks thrown on my hood and one tiny ding in the drivers door that only I can see. This is a great car. Everyone who rides with me tells me how suprised they are with this great little car.
Also, never ever get wax on the body cladding. I got Turtle Wax paste on it (actually my daughter did). Windex did not take it off, but rubbing alcohol did. However, it made the cladding look washed out, so I used Armor-All for rubber and plastic on it. The cladding looks showroom new.
If you live in KC and drive an Echo,it is probably me that waves and honks when I see you in your Echo.

majorthomecho · October 2001

Where in the heck have you been? You have not posted in so long and neither has the other male Echo owner in KC.

In case you are wondering this is the former Echoluvrst. Remember that I too live in Kansas City. I changed my name in honor of my Echo.

Yes, I finally got my Echo. Not sure if you knew that or not. It is a 2001 in black sand pearl with four doors and a manual transmission. I have had it since the last weekend in December. Almost ten months and slightly over 16k miles. Still loving it.

I have to go, but can I suggest one thing?

STAY IN TOUCH AND NOT SO LONG BETWEEN POSTS.

Happy Echoing.

kaz6 · October 2001

Cliffy, Consumer Reports did a study of motor oil in NYC taxicabs. What they found was that even with 7,000mi intervals there was no significant breakdown of viscosity nor engine wear.I believe they did 3k,5k, and 7k groups.
They also reported that as synthetics go, Mobil 1 was the only one to provide added protection under extreme heat. They found other brands to be corrosive to the engine. I suppose that's why Porsche calls for Mobil 1 oil.
I watch the color of my oil and the color does not seem darker at 5k intervals. I use Mobil 1 5-30.
Btw, do you know if there will be any hatch versions of the Echo coming soon? I wish there was a 5-door available. Matrix looks good too.

cliffy1 · October 2001

Call me old fashioned, but I'll continue to do my oil at 3 to 5K intervals and I lease mine.

As to a possible hatch back, I haven't heard of anything in the ECHO line. There will be a Corolla coming this winter that will be a "sport wagon" version. I realize this isn't a hatch back, but will offer the benefits of one. It will be called the Matrix and there will be a couple of versions of it, including one with the 180 hp Celica GTS engine, 6 speed transmission and all wheel drive. I think there will be a more budget conscious variant as well. We'll have more details in December.

kaz6 · October 2001

As always, thanks for the info! Now if only the dealership I bought mine at were as helpful!
Yes, I saw the Matrix but I think it's out of my price range for a small car.

If anyone out there has upgraded to 15" wheels on their Echo, please let me know what you got and the results re: mpg and ride. As the Echo is so light to begin with, I'm thinking of buying plain steel wheels in larger size.

janbee · October 2001

If anyone is interested in one I saw one advertised on Ebay for $24.99...

Toyota Echo

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