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Comments
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/factmnc.htm
This should give you a start into the difficulties of bringing a Canadian vehicle into the US.
Here's another interesting link:
http://www.news4colorado.com/seenonnews4/local_story_134112546.ht- - ml
Oh, I don't know about that one! In the span of a couple of months this year, we've had super dry weather, raging forest fires, torrential rainfall and floods.
I like the idea of the hybrid cars, but they are rather pricey. If I spent that kind of money on a car, I am afraid I would have to go into crisis counselling if I got a scratch on it.
If I can't find an Echo hatchback my alternative would be an Echo sedan/coupe rather than the Scion A.
Thanks for all your comments. I will keep you posted.
Thanks,
Don
Does the Echo have a tow rating?
Or were you just stuck for a way to get the Altima home?
If would assume that if precautions are taken (little traffic, no hilly terrain, low speeds, low ambient temperatures) a car like the Altima could be towed safely for a FEW miles with no harm to the engine. I would lock out overdrive (if automatic transmission is used) and not abuse the clutch (Kneisl1 has a manual transmission).
There are many import agents in the US who are licensed to import cars.
You an get a list of them at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/web_RI_list07252003.ht- ml
I talked to one of the agents listed in northern NY state, and they said, in effect, 'This is what we do, and we do it all the time.' The price for their services was US$350.00
I evolved a plan many years ago to import Mexican made VWs when the ones made in germany were no longer availible. Somehow, someway you get one of these illegal critters to your house. You already have, say, an American ECHO already liscenced and insured and just transfer the plates and paperwork to the new illegal one. The illegal import in effect assumes the identity of the legal car. Of course that means its twice as expensive and if you ever get found out in an accident youre duck soup.
For an Echo, which is made in Japan, I understand that the US will charge an import duty when the car is brought in from Canada. Other makes or models may not have the import duty: if the car is actually made in Canada, then the import duty is not levied. This is apparently due to free trade agreements between the US and Canada.
I will post more as I learn about this. Meanwhile, for those of you who want to do their own research, here is a link to a government booklet on importing cars. http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/quiktext.htm#canversion
A couple members of this board (sfecho and babyboomer?) mentioned that they had this one fixed. If so, it would be very useful to have the name and location of the dealer(s) who have done this. Then I can hopefully track this one down. : )
BTW, thanks for the response to my previous post. The TSB forum didn't respond, so I assume there isn't any information there.
- Matt
His side of the story: He does not remember telling them about the pulls. He did not save any paperwork from his trips to the dealer (He said they did not give him any paper about warranty work). I ask for and save all paperwork when I have maintenance done but no trace of dealer replacing the pulls in my files. My son now drives the Echo and does not complain about any rattling. They may have done an adjustment.
Hoping there is someone out there who can help.
Merry Christmas everyone! This is my ECHO's fourth Christmas.
Thanks,
Don Gillespie
I checked my records about when I got my door locks fixed under warranty and here are the details:
San Francisco Toyota
415-674-0640
Service Advisor- David Chu
Invoice TOCB21588
1/29/03
The complaint I have about the hybrids is that 1)they are not inexpensive to purchase initially, 2)the batteries, which surely have a finite life, are extremely expensive: I have heard a figure of $US 5000 to replace the Prius batteries, and 3) the environmental cost of producing them cannot be small.
The Echo might be considered the heir to the Sprint. However, the Echo's mileage is considerably less, the car is somewhat more expensive and (in the US at least) cannot be purchased without a number of pricey extras. It is not available in the US as a hatchback design, which is the only sensible design for such a small car.
It appears that the relaxation of the CAFE standards in the US has sent unfortunate signals to the economy: that it is not important to save fuel, that it is OK to indulge in massive environmentally damaging cars and trucks, and that the current price of oil accurately reflects all the external costs (such as war, global warming, pollution, and the problem of finding a substitute when this diminishing resource becomes scarce).
A small, simple, and relatively cheap car which gets high mileage could be (and should be) available to US consumers today, but it is not.
PS if you want a stripper ECHO, try a dealer which is in an out of the way location. Big city dealers wont trouble you get you a stripped ECHO, but a hungrey one in podunk usa might. They might even have one in stock.
Were the Sprints built to last, like a Toyota is? (I truly don't know, I'm asking here.)
How much does safety equipment add to the cost?
And I wonder how much the price difference would be in inflation-adjusted dollars. (Seventeen years is a long time.)
How much weight does safety equipment (mainly airbags) add to a car? I would guess not much. Anti-lock brakes? Again, I would say not much.
The Sprint cost me $US 6000 and change in 1987, not including taxes. That was a stripped car: no air, no power windows, no radio even. The 2004 Echo I got a quote on was $11,500, at a dealer in Maryland. This Echo had the usual package with air and other stuff, so it is not a perfect comparison to the Sprint. I would guess that, if one were to adjust for inflation, the air bags, and the (not optional) extras, the price would come out much the same for the 2 cars. But then, the Sprint comes out way ahead because of its phenomenal gas mileage.
I often hear the argument that light cars are not as safe as heavy cars. From the standpoint of physics, I would have to agree that if everything else is equal, the heavy car, when it collides head-on with the light car, will be safer to be in than the light car. To counter that gloomy realization, I offer this point of view: it is true that I am exposing myself to a slightly greater danger of dying or being injured by driving the light weight Sprint. (I try to offset this a bit by driving more defensively.) But I feel that our nation, partly due to its obsession with huge cars, is dangerously dependent on oil imports. This dependence in part has caused us to engage in war, thereby costing the lives of our young men and women. One might by extension argue that by driving small cars and accepting a bit more danger as drivers, we could collectively lessen our nation's oil addiction, and the wars that are fought (and the lives that are lost)to sustain that addiction.
- Matt
In the 201k miles you put on the Sprint, did you need to do anything other than routine oil & filter/fluids maintenance, such as timing belt, water pump, tranny, suspension, etc?
I have had perhaps 3 timing belt replacements. They are fairly simple and cost about $120 each. For comparison, the local VW dealer quoted me $640 to replace the timing belt on a VW Golf diesel.
I replaced the rear axle due to rust problems near a welded joint. This cost about $300.
I replaced the carburetor with a rebuilt one. I don't think it really needed this; rather I think the mechanic did not know how to work on it.
I have been religious about oil changes, which I do myself. I replaced a thermostat once. Except for that, the cooling system has never needed attention.The clutch is still holding up fine, as is the transmission. I have been very gentle with the clutch and I don't detect any significant wear on it.
I get about 80,000 miles on a set of tires. I always buy the best tires - usually Michelin.
That is about it. It may not be quite as hardy as a Toyota, but it has been a very reliable car over the years.
60 mpg from a carburetor (not f.i.)? Wow.
Sounds like original clutch? Wow again.
-ss4
Don
Toyota US apparently will honor the warranty on Canadian Toyotas; at least that is what they told be when I called the corporate headquarters in California several weeks ago.
The hatchback looks better, and is, in my opinion, a better design for such a small car. It is a shame that Toyota USA does not offer it. I think they are hoping that US consumers can be persuaded to by the Scion instead...
I'm going to contact my insurance company to see how they can figure the premium and if they give me a rate comparable to an Echo.
It says on Toyota's website that the US warranty is valid in all of North America... I'd imagine that should hold true for Canadian and Mexican.
Are you still considering this option?
Thanks,
Don Gillespie
My 2000 Echo has 95K miles on it now. Like new.
Regarding the tach or absence, from prior Road test magazine specs I can pass along that for 1000 rpms in the 5 gears you get almost exactly 5, 10, 15, 20, 25mph. All the actual numbers are within a half mph. Hope this helps.