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always show'em 'n price'm....but haven't seen any new ECHO's on any of the SoFlo ToyLots
that I've been too (including one that claims to be the worlds largest Toy Dlr) that had the
packages. On they got options but not bundled as per the packages...Guess they can charge
more that way....Was wondering if other lookers/buyers noticed this phenomena of busted-out
optioning or if its just a SoFlo sales scam....BTW, have also noticed a real dearth of new ECHO inventory even at the huge ToyLots we have down here....Also all the sales people I've
talked to all tryed to steer me into a Corolla which I ain't the slightest bit interested in....There
are always incentives on Cor's, Cam's, Hilanders, etc but never ECHO...its almost like they
aren't interested in selling ECHO's....Just me???? At any rate, still haven't bought....
ps - on the bright side for current owners, the miniscule "used" inventory i've observed have
been priced really really high relative to original new price & seem to sell inna cupla daze....
I think this is the first time for this offer for Echo buyers.
Good news I located the block drain for the coolant! You need to have the car up on ramps. Crawl under there and center yourself under the oil pan (really an oil plate) Scooch a little further in and look up into the space there (around the axle shaft) and youll see it! It has a spigot thing with what looks like a 10mm or11mm nut to open the spigot. Tight fit but doable. They say change the coolant in the OM every two years, but suposedly the car comes with "long life" coolant. What is that supposed to mean? Since I drive mostly short distance Ill opt for a two year interval I think. Oil change for the manual trans looks easy enough, but you need to take off the plastic nose tupperware under the front part of the car to get at the fill plug. I cant wait to change it! The coolant too! 30k for the oil change interval and my 15 month old ECHO only has 8.6k miles. But come 24 months Im changing that coolant, baby!
1) Open the hood. Look between the engine block and the battery. The airbox is roughly the size of two small loaves of bread, stacked. It will have a big hose running out the front.
2) Use a screwdriver or 10-mm wrench to loosen the screw clamp; disconnect the big hose from the airbox.
3) See the small hose branching from the big hose, leading to the engine block? Loosen the spring clamp and disconnect the small hose.
4) Pull and unfasten the two clips that hold the airbox together at the middle.
5) Separate the top and bottom halves of the airbox, and you will be able to pluck the air filter right out:
6) Install the new filter and replace everything back where you found it.
kneisl1: A casual glance suggests that the aftermarket filter may actually be better than the Toyota. As you can see below, the Purolator (left) has deeper pleats and more of them, creating more surface area for filtration:
Only a lab test would be able to compare the actual efficiencies, of course.
In fact, if you follow the printed schedule by the letter, then the ECHO will NEVER have its automatic transmission fluid nor its spark plugs changed, and that doesn't seem right to me. Was this omission fixed in 2001? I think it would have been better to include an ECHO-specific schedule into the owner's manual, so there is no confusion.
I further recommend checking the boots on the axle shafts every oil change after 30k miles. Ditto the brake pads/shoes at least once a year after 30k (maybe sooner if youre a hellion driver)
Drive belts better be checked yearly after 30 k miles also, though they probably last 60k miles if not more IME>
CReports observed mpg at 28/46 (manual). Is this accurate?
Seems that the posts have been good about crashes/crash test ratings. Accurate?
I am 6'5", seems to fit larger drivers well??
Want to change a few things. hks.com seems to have a few parts that I could squeak out more performance and more mpg (intake, exhaust, etc.). Accurate?
Insurance costs seem like they would be lower, considering its 10K base price tag.?! 55.89/mo from State Farm.
I usually drive ~74, any issues besides a little wobble b/c of its height?
I notice cruise control isn't there, anyone add one?
Any other comments that you may think may affect my decision would be great! Thanks for the b/w.
p.s. The other contenders that were eliminated (Golf TDI (diesel too expensive to justify 3K more, Civic (no ABS on lower models), Insight and Prius (why pay 20+ to get 5-10 mpg more??)
Jeff
This car's strengths are its small size and a motor that is both sufficiently powerful and a fuel miser. The small size, however, is also the biggest weakness. It will be more susceptible to crosswinds and it will be more vulnerable in a crash with larger vehicles. Stay alert and keep your hands on the wheel in gusty conditions, and you'll stay in your lane. The ECHO got nice government frontal crash-test scores, but those tests remove the weight factor out of the equation; this criticism applies across all subcompact cars, of course. I've also noticed that the short wheelbase amplifies all the little ups and downs in the road; probably not a big deal unless you were expecting a luxury-car ride.
With all that being said, it is almost the ideal commuter car. Cost of ownership expenses should be very low, and there's an abundance of storage spaces for the detritus of everyday life. If Toyota would get a clue about Americans liking our road trips and get cruise control on the options list, this would be my ideal commuter car.
You said 13,741 with every option. Does that include automatic?
ABS
SRS Restraint
Spolier
All Weather Guard Package
Upgrade Package #1
Upgrade Package #2
Upgrade Package #3
All weather guard package
Upgrade package #1
Upgrade package #2
Spoiler
Alloy wheels
All weather floor mats
$14,530
I added: custom seat covers, Python auto-start/keyless entry
Being the Echo is assembled in Japan it may well turn out to be better than the Corolla, although I don't think it will keep as much resale value.
I chose my Echo over the Corolla for the following reasons: 1) Easy entry and egress. I'm 6'4", 250 pounds, and there was barely enough room for me in the Corolla. 2) Price: There was about $ 1500 in favor of the Echo and better rate for financing 3) MPG: My average for 1 year, 27K miles is 42 mpg, about 4 mpg's better than what you can expect with the Corolla. 4) Crisper steering. I suggest you drive both cars the same day and find out yourself which one you like better. 5) Styling: Most people I know dislike the Echo's styling. I am not the average person and I have always liked driving cars that are different and I've grown to like my car's styling ( a few of my previous cars: Volkswagen 412 Variant, Chevrolet Caprice, Saab 9000)
Finally, the fact that the car is made in Japan had nothing to do with my decision. I believe the quality would be the same if made in the US or Canada. I expect to keep this car for at least 200K miles, therefore I don't care about resale value.
The drawback of the Echo is yes, it is very susceptible to wind. I've been blown around in the wake of big rigs. I've been pushed into other lanes in extremely windy mountain areas (probably 50 mph winds or more), with little control of the car. But the same would probably be true of any subcompact. It is amplified, though, by the high position of the Echo. The Echo also feels a bit "tippy" when you go around a turn. But it is a cute and quick car. And much more legroom than the Corolla -- I'm a 5'8" female, and the Corolla was too small for me. It seemed even more cramped for anyone riding in back. No problem for me or back seat passengers in the Echo.
Also, the crash I got into was a head-on, and while it wasn't high speed, I was pleasantly surprised that my little Echo absorbed the impact in front better than I thought. I don't know if it would do well against an SUV, but it kept me safe while being hit by a mid-'70s American sedan.
You might want to see, though, if you can find a shop that will move the driver's seat back for you if you think legroom might be a problem. Shops that specialize in modifications like custom seats, sunroofs and trim, or else shops that modify cars for handicapped people, might be willing to do this. That way, you'd have the option of getting a few more inches of legroom if you decided you needed it.
Make sure you take an Echo for a good long test drive before you buy - at least an hour - and make sure you're comfortable enough. And in particular, if you're going to buy one with a manual transmission, I'd test drive one of these, to make sure shifting and operating the clutch is comfortable for you.
(The thing about the Echo is that its seating position is different than other cars, so it's particularly important for any potential driver to make sure it's going to be comfortable.)
One last thing - your "wish list" has ABS brakes on it. According to many postings here, and also many dealers I've talked to, these are very hard to find on an Echo. I would have liked to get them, but I never saw an Echo for sale with them. My understanding is that these need to be special-ordered, and take at least several months to arrive.
I am ready to change both the coolant and the air filter in my Echo. And I will use your info to help find my way. By the way, I change oil and filter every 6000 miles, so I have done about
7 changes by now. And I dont bother to remove any of the plastic shielding stuff. All you have to deal with is the oil plug under the car, the cap on top of the engine for filling, and the oil filter itself which is rather difficult to get at. But I run the car up on 4x4 wood leftovers, and crawl under with one of these largish kinds of adjustable pliers. I can grab the filter and gingerly turn it enough to loosen it and then finish it off with my hands.
Now that you have 42 k on your car, its important to check the rubber boots on your drive axles each time you change the oil. If they go and you dont catch it for thousands of miles, youll need new axles $$$. Also time to get a feel for how much brake pads you have left. Fronts are easy, just remove a wheel and look at the calipers. Theres an inspection hole on the rear vrakes on the inside backing plare. Look behind the wheel at the part that doesnt turn. Good luck!
I spotted the new Corolla on the road for the first time yesterday. My first reaction was "Hey, that's a nice looking car!" While there are few nameplates that have such a well-earned reputation, I've never thought of Corollas as lookers before. From the outside, it looks like this car has more room inside. So as far as the marketplace is concerned, the ECHO could be in trouble. The base Corolla packs enough standard equipment (and offers optional eqipment) to eaily steal back sales that may have went to loaded ECHOs. It might be nice if Toyota re-balanced the playing field by building more equipment into the ECHO without raising the price.
...Maybe there are not enough people with my attitudes to support a major car model, or maybe the Echo just turns off too many people on the looks alone to be more successful.
There is a market for "optionless" cars, but it's obviously not very big, or the car manufacturers would take advantage of it and offer more cars like this. And for more expensive models than the Echo, it can be hard to find a car that doesn't have all sorts of undesired options added. For example, a friend of mine wanted a Camry with manual transmission, no power windows and doors, etc, and had to wait several months to get it. I had a similar experience when I briefly looked at the Solara: they all come with power stuff, and in addition, the only 5-speed models I ever found had over $1000 of extraneous things like spoilers and power seats added on.
I also was happy to find a good selection of Echos with manual transmissions; I am so used to shifting gears that an automatic transmission is, yes, just another option I don't want.
Concerning features/options: I do appreciate simplicity in cars, but not cost-cutting annoyances. Prime offenders on the ECHO in this regard are the side-view mirrors. Why are these not foldable? Parking lots are a fact of life, and so are people who brush by your car in the lot and knock the mirrors out of place. It happened again today and having to roll down the window and get the mirror back where I like it just seems like an unnecessary hassle, especially on the passenger side. It seems a bit incongruous to have an innovative convenience like the dual-level glovebox, yet not have mirror controls on the inside of the vehicle -- they don't necessarily need to be powered.
intermittent windshield wiper capability was not standard on the 2000 model. And I did add a CD player for my teenage daughter, later, thanks to help from another person in this forum.
...My Echo has 44000 miles now, and no difficulties have arisen.
Do you Echo owners agree? Is the Echo boring to drive?
The only problem I've been having is a whistle/squeal noise that comes on with partial throttle and seems to be louder when the ambient temp. is below 70. The dealer says it's normal but it didn't make that noise when new. I'll have it checked further at my 30k service.
My ECHO so far has only 700 miles on it. Should I get the oil changed at the 3 month mark even though it has so few miles?