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Toyota Echo

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Comments

  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Those Bus' were very narrow looking and blocky, so that would make sense that they aren't stable in winds.

    My mother (at the time) had a '69 Chevy Impala, and this VW Bus cut in front of her once. She hit it in the left back corner so hard that the engine came out of the right side. She said the fan belt was still spinning, as the engine landed in the roadway to the right of the bus. She said the damage to her car was a dent in the rim around the left headlight...
  • IleIle Member Posts: 14
    I don't know how some people got past 113 indicated my car has an electronic limiter at 113MPH. Once, coming back from Texas I was going through Oklahoma and through the entire state I was going no less than 105mph. I should take the time to take the limiter off and see just how fast it could go. I am guessing 118. Yaris in Europe can do that much. I am not certain if that is with a limiter too or not.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    Back when my Echo was much newer and had many less miles, I had it up over a 100mph on a trip back from Saint Louis. Felt rock solid. That was the night that I played tag with a BMW 3 series. He passed me and then slowed down slightly where I then passed him and slowed down slightly. We kept this up for many a mile and it helped pass the time.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    How many miles do you have on your Echo now?
  • pulgopulgo Member Posts: 400
    The tires on my Echo are Michelin MX4's. After 43k miles there are 8/32nds left. Apparently that means that these tires will last 300k miles, assuming I change them at 2/32nds remaining.
    Only time will tell. I keep them slightly overinflated at 35 Psi and rotate them every 6k miles.
    By the way, the difference in mileage is due to the use of winter tires last season. I didn't use them this year.
     
    My brake pads have 80% life left after 56k miles.
    Does that mean that they will last another 170k miles before I have to change them?
    Probably not but only time will tell.
    So you see, my driving is very easy on tires and brakes. Only occasionally I get tempted to try the top speed :-).

    Kneisl:

    At the rate you accumulate miles your Echo is going to survive you!
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    I have 58,000 and change.
  • pulgopulgo Member Posts: 400
    I will catch you pretty soon! I drove my pickup truck for the last 4 months and let the Echo rest for a while. Now that the winter is over here in southwestern BC I'm back to the car. The fact that gas prices are way up convinced me to finally do the right thing. 40mpg is certainly much better than the 19 mpg I was getting before with my K1500 (98 Chev).
  • IleIle Member Posts: 14
    By if I keep driving like I do to my work I'll get about 85xxx by the end of summer
  • janbeejanbee Member Posts: 127
    I need to remove my echo bug guard because it is cracked but how do I remove the little rubber pieces that seem stuck on to the hood?? do I just rip them off or will it take off the paint? Any tips please? thanks.
  • kaz6kaz6 Member Posts: 331
    It's been a couple of months since I've installed the a/c filter so I pulled it out to take a look. Yuck! The filter has turned a light grey color and there were asst'd small bugs and leaves trapped on it. Looks like it will be good for 5 or 6 months. It's made a world of difference for my allergies!
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    You might try softening them with a hair dryer...dont heat the paint to bubbling...just give the bits a little heat until they get warm and pull them off. Maybe pouring some hot water on them will do the same thing.
      Pulgo: Maybe yes and maybe no, I drive only short distances which is definately not good for the engine. It would be cool for it to last 15 years though.
  • wrgrahamwrgraham Member Posts: 112
    Kneisl,
    Sorry I hadnt replied sooner, life has been busy and I have been away from this board. I really don't know if the Toyota mechanic did any valve adjusting for me, at the 60K maintenance. I knew the price to be too high, but I felt like I should go the straight and narrow for once and take my car to the dealer's service department for this one. I didn't get any paperwork that would indicate whether valves were adjusted. Now we are up to 72K.
    ...When I fly to Oahu i get compact rentAcars usually. A week ago I got a Pontiac Sunfire. What a huge difference from the Echo. It felt like a small car (seemed less roomy than the Echo) with all the drawbacks of a large car. None of the agility of the Echo, or visibility.
  • IleIle Member Posts: 14
    I drove one rental about 1 year ago it was terrible. I am sure my 5 speed ECHO would destroy it. I cannot believe people buy Cavaliers same as SunFire. I don't believe that there is ONE aspect about these two cars that is equal to ECHO'S. May be there is but I am not aware of it.
  • cmeijningcmeijning Member Posts: 16
    What kind of gas do you use, benzin or super?
  • banddexpressbanddexpress Member Posts: 63
    You guys act like you own a sports car going 100mph. Come on now its an economy car that gets good gas mileage lets not make it what its not.
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    Remember the BMW 2002 had a 100 hp engine and was considered very sporty for its day. The ECHO has 106 hp and probably weighs less. The handling is VERY quick as I can attest to after rat racing with all kinds of cars on the Garden State Parkway. Yes its an economy car and that is why I love it. The engine is special though. Why dont you do the ton in an ECHO yourself and report bacl. (stay in a straight line!)
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    You don't necessarily have to own a sports car to get it to go 100mph. If you can handle the car at that speed, it should be no problem.

    Small, lightweight cars are going to be quicker and handle better than a heavier one, that's physics at work for ya...
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I owned a Cavalier and a good friend now has an Echo. I can tell you that the Cavalier is larger, heavier, less reliable, and less economical than the Echo, and also has less interior room. I don't see anything about the Cavalier better than the Echo either, other than the initial price. But you get what you pay for...
  • jackiedoodlejackiedoodle Member Posts: 11
    Yes. I have owned all of these sports cars. I crashed the 71 gremlin into a telephone pole back in 76. It had a light rear end that tended to spin out on curves covered with leftover snowplow sand. I was a senior in h.s. and was doing about 45mph. Of the five, Echo handles the best-gremlin, the worst. Gremlin had the most cubes with 232 but, the least comfortable seats. Stay tuned.
  • 719b719b Member Posts: 216
    "Gremlin, Vega, J2000, Horizon and Echo."
    "Yes. I have owned all of these sports cars"

    you don't really consider any of those vehicles a sports car, do you?
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Bare-bones economy cars at the very best, with the Echo being the best one...
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    I would love to have a new Gremlin...or better yet a Pacer.
  • wrgrahamwrgraham Member Posts: 112
    I was wondering how the new Corollas shape up, in comparison with the Echo. A good bit heavier, but with a correspondingly larger engine. A tall shape like the Echo, but not quite as tall. Good gas mileage, but not quite as good as the Echo. How about handling. Will it take corners better than an Echo? Is it significantly more roomy inside? I test drove an older 2000 Corolla before buying my Echo, but it was surely quite different from the new ones.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    2 of my friends have 00 Echos, and I have driven a Corolla LE before. The Corolla feels alot more substantial and better planted than the Echo does, but it also comes with 15" tires compared to Echo's 14s, so that makes sense. Power is about the same, feeling a little more sprightly in the Echo. The interior is a little roomier in the back, but not much more.
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    Yes the new Corolla is a VERY heavy small car. The Matrix version weighs 3800 pounds! I think the sedan is 3500. ECHO is 2000/106 equals 19 pounds per hp. I gotta believe the ratio is not as favorable for the Corolla. I like the look of the car, however.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    The heaviest Matrix, the AWD XR with automatic, weighs 2965lbs./123hp (24.11hp per lb.) according to Toyota. The heaviest Corolla (LE automatic), 2590lbs./130hp (19.92hp per lb.)

    By comparison, the heaviest Echo (auto sedan)weighs 2105lbs./108hp. That's 23.98hp per pound. So the Echo is right on with the Matrix when it comes to hp per pound, and even the FWD Matrix felt slow in my test drive...
  • wrgrahamwrgraham Member Posts: 112
    Vocus, your specs about the Matrix and the Corolla are more in line with what I had been seeing. And your math is appropriate, except you got a bad number for the Echo. Pounds per horsepower should be 19.5 with the numbers you reference. Which makes it match closely to the Corolla, as we expected. I wonder where kneisl got those big Matrix numbers?
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    I BELIEVE I saw them on the vehicle sticker which is on the left door post. NOT the sticker on the window with the price but a small silver one the govnmnt requires be on the vehicle.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    On my calculator, 2105lbs./108 hp (2105/108) = 19.4---, rounded to 19.5...
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I think you were looking at the gross vehicle weight, meaning the weight with the max load in the car. That would have to be what you looked at, that # was wayyy off.
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    Could be.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    Don't forget to add your own weight into the equation. It isn't like the car will drive itself after all.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Haha, good point! :)
  • lynnann1lynnann1 Member Posts: 85
    Hey guys. I've been away for awhile.

    Just received my insurance renewal for my 00 ECHO and the #$%^&&& insurance co raised my rate $102 for six mos $17 per month. They said that the vehicle safety discount has been removed. Anybody else seeing this?
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Did't you have an accident not too long ago? Maybe that has something to do with it. I would definitely call your company about the price hike.
  • lynnann1lynnann1 Member Posts: 85
    I had a fender bender 10/00 - my fault, but only received a verbal warning -- no injuries. I was rear-ended May 2002 - not my fault other driver received a ticket for inattentive driving also no injuries -- so I don't think it's related directly to that. What it actually says for the Premium Adjustment is
    "The Medical Payment and Personal Injury Protection Coverages claim experience is reviewed annually to determine the level of vehicle safety discount that is applied to each make and model of vehicle. In addition, the comprehensive and collision claim experience is reviewed annually to determine which makes and models have earned decreases or increases from state Farm's standard rates. If applicable, these adjustments are reflected in the rates show on the front of this renewal notice."

    They had already tacked on extra(they raised that too) for my accident which I thought was unfair, since I'd never had an accident before or even a ticket. Some companies give you a little leeway.

    Anyway it sounds like they're having problems with ECHOs in general. I could have sworn that I had read crash test data at NHTSA that Echos were fairly safe for small cars. Now I've looked again and they say they haven't rated the car. Was I imagining things?
  • sluglineslugline Member Posts: 391
    lynnann1, when you search the NHTSA site, loosen up your search criteria a bit. If you search for the Toyota ECHO and don't specify a year, you'll get data for 2001 forward. I am pretty sure that their ratings for 2001 should be applicable for 2000 as well.

    I checked the IIHS site and did come up empty there.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Oh, I can answer that. State Farm lost major $ last year, and every one of their insured's policies went up. Mine went up too, it was a linewide increase. That's what I was told anyway.
  • kaz6kaz6 Member Posts: 331
    Ditto here. :p
  • library1library1 Member Posts: 54
    On the IIHS web site is a PDF file on the medical costs of accidents per car. Honda Accord is indexed at 100. So for every dollar of medical treatment for an Accord crash, other cars will cost a relative amount for injuries.

    Examples:
    VW Passat: 80
    So a Passat injury costs $80 for evey $100 an Accord injury costs.

    Toyota Echo 4 door: 160 So an Echo injury costs $160.

    This is real-world results of accidents- not an artificial crash test. Bad news.
  • sluglineslugline Member Posts: 391
    Bad news indeed, but it shouldn't be news for anyone who has chosen a small car. The smaller and lighter the car, the less protection you have in a collision. The IIHS list mentioned by library1 reflects this trend.

    When the government crash tests cars, they categorize them by weight/size so that the "star ratings" are only validly compared within a class. If cars had to measure up against the entire automotive market in those tests, I think a lot of people would be scared away from the ECHO and other light cars.
  • kaz6kaz6 Member Posts: 331
    I had to use a rental car today to take some friends around. It was a Dodge Stratus and while it was quiet and smooth, the interior felt very claustrophobic and the windshield was very low. While the ECHO may not have as much hiproom, it certainly felt more comfortable overall.
    Yes, small cars tend to fair poorly when involved in accidents with larger cars but the BEST safety feature of ANY car is its driver. ;)
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I know what you mean about the Stratus. I would rather drive an Echo than a Stratus, because of the low roof and windshield. I am 6'3, and my head rubs the headliner...
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    Heres an ad for an ECHO in my local newpaper (not my car nor do I have any connection with it...nor do I say its accurate!)
    TOUOTA 00 ECHO 2dr 5 spd CD plr ps AC red/grey int 22k $5995 609 381 1200
    This car in in NJ near philly. Go for it!
  • jackiedoodlejackiedoodle Member Posts: 11
    the 74 vega station wagon had a lot of room and sat very low to the ground. Pickup was practically nil for the 4cyl 155 horse when compared to the spirited echo. pretty good buckets and a forerunner of today's "rice" cars, it was a favorite of cool guys everywhere. picked mine up for $1500 back in 78. Pretty good snow runner, as it handled better than my 74 lemans (chick magnet). got about 26 mpg which was considered way good. It was a cool college car with an aerodynamic hood, easy break in access, but prone to radiator and oil leaks.
  • levine90levine90 Member Posts: 21
    I'm at about 20,000 miles on my 2001 Echo 2dr 5sp, and it's rattling itself to death! There are what sounds like glass against metal rattles in both doors (could be metal-metal rattles), a similar sound on the rear right window, and a buzzing in the center dash at certain RPMs.

    I've also had to get my drive belt tensioned - in cold weather, I was hearing a chirping under the hood whenever I didn't have the clutch pressed in, that seemed to speed up/down with engine revs. The chirping stopped as soon as I put any pressure whatsoever on the clutch. The dealer fixed the problem for about 4 months, but it's creeping back now.

    Further, for almost 9 months now I've been hearing this very high pitched whine sound when my accelerator is between, say, 5% and 15% depression.

    If any of you have experienced any of the issues and had them resolved, please let me know what it turned out to be. I'm going to be bringing it in within the week, probably, to have these problems looked at, but I have a sinking feeling they won't find anything wrong. The rattling is detracting seriously from my ability to enjoy the car. Unfortunate, that; the engine has held up very well under the stress of my shall we say "spirited" driving (I regularly bring the engine up to 5000rpm+, downshift into turns and use engine braking, and heel-and-toe shift to the best of my ability on good days) but it looks like the rest of the body isn't up to the task.

    levine
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    Im thinking that noise that goes away when you step on the clutch isnt the belts but the release bearing for the clutch or parts of the clutch it self. Sounds like your spirited driving has worn things out and youre going to need clutch work. I used to drill a hole in the transmission on my old VWS and squirt a little molybedum spray on the bearing, but I doubt they do that anymore. That whine sound may have something to do with the clutch also. Im thinking the dealer will find and fix the rattle in the doors. It sounds like youve been burning your ECHOs candle at both ends and its time to re-cast the wax.
  • kaz6kaz6 Member Posts: 331
    I too have that high-pitched whine with part-throttle. The dealer hasn't been able to figure out what it is but it hasn't affected any aspect of performance. It's usually louder when the temp. is cooler.
    As far as the rattles, I believe there was a post that mentioned a TSB to fix it. My rattle is from the lock buttons moving about in their respective openings.
    My ECHO is a 5-spd and my clutch has been great so far; mileage is currently 42k. I live in Los Angeles and have some pretty bad traffic but I don't brake with my engine and usually go into neutral before a stop.
  • babyboomerbabyboomer Member Posts: 205
    The dealer replaced the door knob pulls with thicker ones. No more rattles. Toyota must have had a service order on it since they did not charge me.
  • janbeejanbee Member Posts: 127
    I also had this problem on my 2000 automatic but the problem was fixed after the belt was tightened and I havent heard the sound since, and I believe its been about 8 months chirp-free.
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