Toyota Echo

kaz6 · November 2001

You can also try using clear nail polishover the scratch...the gloss will camoflauge the scratch and won't show up as a color.
Great tip Cliffy, haven't heard of that one before!

majorthomecho · November 2001

I just came across a tip for removing the adhesive applied when getting a car tinted. If you decide to remove the tint and are having trouble getting the adhesive off, try lacquer thinner. I had to take my roommate's car in to get a tire replaced and the mechanic took it upon himself to try a little bit of the stuff on the adhesive my roommate had been trying to get off.

Came off like a charm.

jeprox · November 2001

using lacquer thinner to remove tint can cause u more problem than u expect! if you're not careful, u can end damaging other parts of your car by melting them! lacquer thinner is powerful stuff.

every time i want to remove tint, i simply peel the corners slowly and let 'er rip! after i'm done, i use water and sponge to remove adhesive. the adhesive is basically soap and water so using water would be your best bet to remove it.

jeprox · November 2001

i read somewhere that echo may be replaced with another model called WiLL or WiL in 2005, not sure of the name. anyone heard about this?

also, how's echo 5 speed tranny? any problems with your echo so far? i'm thinking of getting either an echo or corolla next year so i'm doing as much research as i can.

kaz6 · November 2001

I have a 4-door w/5spd with 16k on it. For the first 500 miles or so the tranny was very notchy. It has since loosened and is not a problem. HOWEVER, the tranny has very long throws and I've grinded the gears a few times as a result. The 1st and 2nd gear are too widely spaced but 3rd-5th are great!

wrgraham · November 2001

I have a 4dr 5 speed with 37k on it. Seems on target to call the transmission (gear shifting) notchy. I haven't noticed any improvement over time. It is not easy to make fast and smooth shifts, in my opinion. But it's certainly adequate and I wouldn't have chosen this car with an automatic transmission. Maybe another way to put it is this: I have had a lot of cars over the years, most all of them standard shift. There are so many ways that the Echo is much better than the other cars I have owned, VW, Datsun, Honda, Toyota, Volvo. But the Echo gear shifting is not noticeably better than the others, and would not be my favorite amongst them.

kneisl1 · November 2001

I too noticed notchy shifting in my new ECHO, and also, the synchros seemed slow when shifting at high rpms resulting in missed shifts. But I now think that was due to the device on the engine which keeps rpms up for a few seconds after removing your foot from the pedal. With 7.5k miles on the car a year later either the notchyness is gone or Im used to it. It really isnt a problem overall.

janbee · November 2001

Still waiting for our Owners Club.....

jeprox · November 2001

thanks for your replies. i have driven various toyota 5 speed and have not found one that's NOT notchy. i've said it before, i think that honda makes the best manual tranny out there but toyota on the other hand makes the best auto-tranny! i'm debating whether i should get a manual tranny when i buy my echo or corolla.

i do save C$1000 if i get the manual!

kaz6 · November 2001

One other thing with having the 5spd, as majorthom would attest to, is the joys of highway passing. I've passed many unsuspecting motorists in the high desert...the Echo's engine sings above 60mph!

slugline · November 2001

What an Owner's Club lets you do is subdivide large discussions to make them easier to follow. The ECHO, quite frankly, hasn't sparked that much chatter. (You're right on the money there, major.) It's neither a hot-seller or in scarce supply, so there's no need for a separate "best ECHO deals" topic. Defects are far and few between, so there's no need for a separate "gripe about ECHO problems" topic.

I think the best chance of creating a need for an Owner's Club is if the performance-tuning and aftermarket accessories industries embrace the ECHO in a big way. Maybe if kids start building turbo ECHOs to run quarter-miles in the nines. . . .

pat · November 2001

Because of prior requests, I've already asked for an Echo Owners Club to be created. I imagine that it has slipped through the crack, so I'm checking on it. Hang in just a little bit longer.

Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board

jeprox · November 2001

there are performance parts out there for echo's. eibach makes (kits) springs for the echo. i'm sure other manufacturer makes them too. for the engine department, nothing much can be done for the small engine.

i believe the echo would look cool when lowered with a good set of mags!

question here: why did you folks choose echo over corolla?

majorthomecho · November 2001

I guess it had more to do with the looks of the two cars. The Echo just resonated with me. Now if the new style Corolla had been on sale (and if it had the higher seating of the Echo), it would have been a harder choice.

majorthomecho · November 2001

Anyone looking for modifications might want to check out http://www.toyota-trd.com. This is Toyota's official site. Word of warning, prices seem to be in yen.

majorthomecho · November 2001

There is a recall for the brake booster for 2000 model year Echos with automatic transmission. For full details you can go to http://www.nhtsa.org. It is my understanding that affected Echo owners are starting to receive recall notices from Toyota.

majorthomecho · November 2001

I think it would be nice for us to have one and I thank Pat for checking back into it.

jeprox · November 2001

TRD USA is www.trdusa.com
as far as i know - there are no performance parts in america from TRD for echo. there are wheels, buts that about it. TRD is very,very expensive. some of TRD parts are the same stuff u get elsewhere, they just slap the TRD emblem/name on the product and charge you 3-4x more!

slugline · November 2001

ECHO is the S.O.'s ride: When her previous car was getting bodywork done, she got a Corolla as a loaner. She liked it so much that she went to the dealership intending on getting one of her own. But the salesperson suggested that there was "something else" he thought she would like, too. . . .

She didn't even have the ECHO on her buying radar before this point, but she drove it and fell in love with it. She really liked the higher seating position. The next time I saw her, I had to rub it in a little -- I reminded her that we had seen an ECHO at the auto show just two months earlier, that she had dismissed it at the time as something she wouldn't buy!

photoboy · November 2001

I haven't read this site in a few days and was amazed on how much activity there had been. Just some thoughts on recent postings:
Oil - I use the Mobil 1 synthetic and change it every 5,000 miles. Believe it or not, my local Toyota dealer offers it at a bargain price compared to those fast lube places.
Deals on 2001 Echos - I've seen some 2-door autos with air listed for as low as $9995 in the greater Atlanta area. I bought mine Sept. 9 and received a $1,000 debate from Toyota and got it for $11,000 with auto, air, rear defroster, mats and a couple of other weird options.
Echo vs Corolla - seating position, seating position, seating position. As you can image, I can't say enough about how easy it is to get in and out of the Echo. No, I do not weigh 300 lbs, only 200, and I'm not 7 feet tall, only 6 foot 1.
How far along econo cars have come - I just sold my wife's 1994 Ford Escort LX Hatchback to a friend for his daughter. I had to drive the thing 300 miles round trip to get the deal done. Although I got more than 40 mpg on that trip, it reminded me why I like my Echo so much. My Echo is quiet, very comfortable, has great visibility, and oh, did I mention, it's easy to get in and out of ...
Dayton

kaz6 · November 2001

I frankly never considered a Corolla...I prefer the Echo's styling. A lot of people snickered when I said that Echo is the direction of design for Toyota but you can see very strong connections with the new Celica, Highlander, and RAV4-highly defined creaseline starting with the headlight and prominent tail lights. I get claustrophobic just looking at the Corolla's cramped interior.
I was all set to buy a Focus ZX-3 when I dropped by a Toyota dealership to drive an Echo. Once I drove it I was sold...nothing comes close to its feeling of space and solid ride!!!

lynnann1 · November 2001

I received my recall notice yesterday.

majorthomecho · November 2001

When I was first looking into getting an Echo, I took along my roommate. Her response at seeing the car was, "Well, its your car but I don't like it." That was when the Echo first came out.

Fast forward to about two years later and my owning an Echo for almost a year and her opinion has changed so much about the looks (she now thinks it is cute) that she is considering buying an Echo herself.

I think the day to day exposure to the looks, the great gas mileage, and the great ride won her over.

kaz6 · November 2001

I was one of those that thought it (the Echo) looked hideous when it first came out. However, it's one of those things that grew on me and I now love the way it looks!

echosox · November 2001

I'm finding that I can only cram about 10.3 gallons of gas into my Echo's tank, and that's filling it up from below empty. I've read that it's supposed to be 11.9 U.S. gallons. Is anybody else experiencing this?

jeprox · November 2001

i think those numbers of how much a tank can hold is based on an empty tank - completely empty!
so i think unless we empty out the whole tank, i dont think we can get those numbers stated by the manufacturer.

i also believe it's not good to wait until u reach "E" before filling up again. i know of a few people who do this all the time. all of them run into problems with their injectors/carburetors. over time, gas tanks will have "dirt/garbage" at the bottom - so if u wait until gas level is low and then fill up, it'll start sucking the dirt and u end up with clogged injectors/carbs! if you don't run into problems with injectors/carbs, you will get stranded one of these days - run out of gas.

just my C$0.02 worth.

majorthomecho · November 2001

I try and fill up when my tank is no less than 1/4 full. As winter is approaching, I am going to increase that to filling my tank when it hits the 1/2 full mark.

vocus · November 2001

I have coasted into the gas station before, up to the pump before I filled up.

With my new car (a 2002 Jetta 1.8T) I won't be doing that. I usually refill it when it gets to the 1/4 mark.

echosox · November 2001

Yeah, I've heard similar stories about injector problems from letting the tank go almost empty, though I don't think it matters much with an almost new car (mine's about 4 month's old), as there probably isn't much debris in the tank yet.

Another question: How are people finding the Echo holds up in ice and/or snow? With its light weight and narrow tires, I'm a little concerned about how it will perform in winter, on ice/sleet especially. I live in a hilly part of New England.

majorthomecho · November 2001

I have had my Echo since December 29th of last year so I have experience in driving the Echo in all kinds of weather.

I am very happy with the performance of the Echo in wintery conditions and have had zero problems except for an encounter with "black ice" and I don't think all the traction aids in the world would have prevented it.

But I was able to get the Echo back under control without hitting anything or anyone.

Also, I live at the top of a hill in my apartment complex and not once did I have to leave the Echo somewhere and walk up the hill.

Just remember in winter, it is more a case of not what you drive, but how you drive. Just don't go racing around like it was a sunny, summer day.

dsgecho · November 2001

Tried the scratch Tx and it worked flawlessly.
Thanks!
Don

majorthomecho · November 2001

I just love putting gas in the Echo because it shows me what great gas mileage I am getting.

Most recent fill up revealed that my fuel economy was a staggering (to me at least) 44.61 miles to the gallon.

cliffy1 · November 2001

I'm glad you like the little trick. It never ceases to amaze me.

mpgman · November 2001

Agree with you on the "technically" available but I have yet to find or hear of anyone who tried to get one with ABS/side air bags/power windows whether they ordered it or not. I think "ordering" an Echo, unlike ordering a Ford or a Chevy, is a much different animal. Will Toyota actually custom build one or will they attempt to find one out there, anywhere?

cliffy1 · November 2001

Ordering with Toyota is a trick but can be done. For domestic built vehciles, it is fairly easy, but not with Japanese cars like the ECHO. A dealer must put in a build order and then wait 4 to 6 months. Once the order has gone in, there is no way to track it until it is in transit. Most customers loose patience with this and buy something else while they wait which leaves the dealer with a car they didn't want. Most dealers will require a non-refundable deposit due to this.

The other trick you will have is finding a dealer willing to place such an order. Any dealership will be reluctant to do it but if you are persistent, you should be able to find somebody to do it.

mpgman · November 2001

Thanks. Suspected that. I really like the Echo and wish more people would consider them. Anything to break the reliance on foreign oil. I just wish that Toyota wouldn't force "economy and bare bones" down your throat by making the car so spartan. Even Accents come with nice amenities. Why not a center arm rest or some gauges instead of a pod full of idiot lights? That stuff costs a lot less than the Roxy edition add ons.

cliffy1 · November 2001

I agree with you on the ROXY. The problem with the ECHO is that the price is already too close to that of a Corolla. One you load it up, you are beyond the price of a CE and coming pretty close to an LE.

Corolla is something else you may want to consider. ABS is not impossible to find on them and they get 38 MPG on the highway. If you can find one this month, you can even get 0% financing on it.

I will warn you though that the Corolla is about to change. The 2002's are done as of this month and the 2003 will be out by February with a complete body style change.

kneisl1 · November 2001

First of all, ECHO does NOT have narrow tires! 1956514 tires are plenty wide (and expensive! $99 each for Toyo 800s) Secondly, narrow tires are preferred for driving in snow because wider tires float over the snow whereas narrow tires (a la VW beetle) with the same weight on them cut through the snow to pavement.
I was a little disappointed driving my ECHO last winter with how it handled snowy conditions. Traction was not too great and the handling on packed snow was twitchy. But this was in NJ with no hills and with the Potenza tires, not great tires. Never had a chance to drive it in "real" winter conditions like upstate NY.

wrgraham · November 2001

Surprise for me, I was down in town yesterday and saw a Toyota Matrix parked on the side of the road! Then when I got home later my daughter told me she had seen one (same one) in the parking lot at the market. I thought they weren't out for sale yet. It looked to me like one of those Ford Focus hatchbacks that are rather neat. But a little bit bigger everywhere.

sandman46 · November 2001

I was at the Miami Auto Show last week and the Echo there had 175-65-14's on them which I believe are the standard size tires. Even the Corolla LE rides on 185-65-14 tires and the CE rides in 175-65-14's.
I tried 195-60-14's on my Corolla DX and hated them so went back with the original 185-65-14's and am much happier. Bigger isn't always better!

coolguyky7 · November 2001

Are you sure it was a Matrix? Ford has a 5 door Focus hatch back now and so does Mazda.

janbee · November 2001

or maybe it was a subaru...

kneisl1 · November 2001

My 2001 ECHO came with 195 65 14 tires, but I see from some posts that perhaps ECHOs come with 175 or 185 widths. Does anyone have the narrower tires and what do you have to say about them? (Id prefer a narrower tire if its cheaper come replacement time)

majorthomecho · November 2001

My Echo came with Goodyear Integrities in 175/65R14 and I thought all Echoes came with that size.

The car that Consumer Reports tested came with that size as did the car that AutoWeek tested although the tires were Bridgestone Potenzas in each case.

I think the cost for Goodyears is around $50 a tire.

And remember that you do not have to get the exact same tire when you get replacements. I remember when I about stroked when I found out the tires on my '92 Escort GT ran to over $125 each. As my father pointed out, "just because the car came with them, doesn't mean you have to stick with them."

wrgraham · November 2001

Guaranteed that it was a Matrix. I saw the toyota logo,
the circle with the arc through it, and I saw the word
Matrix written prominently on it.

wrgraham · November 2001

I would also like to say that I have really been appreciating the defroster on my Echo during the last couple of weeks. Maybe most new cars are as good, but this is way better than anything I have ever used before. No snow here, but wet, cool, and foggy weather can make the windshield fog up thickly. When I crank on the defroster my windshield gets completely clear in less than ten seconds, every time. Thanks, Toyota.

janbee · November 2001

I have noticed that too, last winter I was amazed at how quickly my front and rear windows had melted away the snow and ice, it would only take a block or two for the windows to defrost whereas my previous car (92 civic) wouldnt defrost till I pulled into the parking lot at work.

kneisl1 · November 2001

When you turn on the front defroster on the ECHO it sends the resulting air flow through the airconditioner which removes all the moisture in the air. Thats why your foggy window clears so quickly.

Karen_S · November 2001

...for taking so long to get an Echo Owners club started. You can thank Pat for constantly reminding me. :-)

The new Toyota Echo Owners club is now available on Edmunds.com Owner's Club board. Please stop by and introduce yourself in Meet the Members and let me know how I can help build your club.

I have linked this discussion into that folder, but it will always reside here in Sedans.

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs

majorthomecho · November 2001

But thanks to you too, Karen.

Nice use of post #2500. ; )

Toyota Echo

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