It may be a while yet before we make it down there. We have some obligations to attend to here over the next few months. Right now it looks like maybe next October, but who knows ?
PS Can we still post photos on this topic? If so, can anyone tell me how to do it ? I have a JPEG image I'd like to share.
When parked in garage, leave windows down about 4-6".
When parking outside, open both doors at once for about 20 secs to clear humid air, then seal up tight if snowing, or leave 1/16" gap if clear.
When driving, leave 1/16 gap in both windows until fully warmed up.
When starting from cold, leave rear defroster off initially. Set heater to full defrost, and fan to third speed (one down from max.). I do this to ensure that the alternator has enough capacity to run the electric heater.
As soon as the blue light goes out, I switch the rear defroster on, and change the heater control to 50/50 defrost/feet.
Once the cabin is fully warmed in the city, I may reduce the fan speed and set the heater to 100% feet. On the highway I leave the control at 50/50, and control the cabin temp. with the fan.
1. Turn off AC. 2. Slide Recirc thingy to right to allow outside air in. 3. Turn vent control knob all the way clockwise.
This will defrog the back window, too. It took me awhile, since I was used to using recirculated air w/ the AC on to dehumidify. THe symbols on the vent control knob sez it all. Very simple & it works. I was going nuts trying to find the rear window defrogger.
When you turn the air control knob all the way clockwise it automatically engages the A/C, whether the A/C button is pushed in or not. Also, the rear defogger button is right next to the A/C button, if yours is so equipped.
echoluvrst wrote: "The Echo is going to be your daughter's car, she is 18, and you got it for her in red? I hope she does not have a lead foot because cops seem to stop speeders in red cars more often. : ("
Look at my user name. If that doesn't give you an idea, look at my user profile. She doesn't need a red car to get noticed by cops. There are approx. one hundred and sixty officers in this city and almost all know her. There is a contest among some officers to be the first one to give her a ticket so they can see me blow up. Not at the officer, but at her. They know I can't stand parents who cover or lie for their children who are breaking the law. After driving for three years, no tickets yet.
Hi guys happy new year rain x makes a die icer that works real good. After it get rid of the ice it protecs to windows with a wax like substance that repels the water on the glass works great . I put my heater control over on the right hand side to everything and use the back window defroster and seems to be clear in 2-3 min. We had 13" of snow this week end and boy was that fun. Washed her today looks good. 9700 and still love this car. Jeanne
I'm closing in on 20K miles after 11 months of ownership and still think the ECHO is a great car. I haven't had a single thing to complain about since the hubcaps were replaced, lo these many months ago.
I have a question for you experienced car types. How many miles can I expect to get out of a set of these small tires? I rotate them every 10K miles or so, but I notice that they seem to be wearing rather quickly (evenly, but quickly nonetheless). I'm not that concerned about it since replacing them won't be too expensive, just more curious than anything. Thanks in advance and Happy New year to everyone!
Toyota says the Potenzas last 30k miles, not sure about the Michelins. Tires wear most rapidly at the beginning of their life, then wear less rapidly later on. Potenzas have a tread life indicator of 160...not too good. But tires should last longer on a light car like ECHO. I'm looking into Aquatread 3's when mine go. These have a treadwear lidicator of 640! (literature says 80,000 miles!) These tires are a cross between the Eagle tire and the old Aquatread. $61 each at tire rack.
Hi folks! Regarding the tires; I have had very good experience with Michelin MXV4 Energy Plus tires...the tread grooves are cut all the way down so that you have good traction till the end and ride/noise levels are excellent! They are very pricey but you pay for what you get. I don't plan on getting Bridgestones for replacements. Does anyone have anything to share regarding upgrading wheel width/diameter? I am still debating keeping the 14" or moving up to 15". Thanks!
Did I mention that my Echo has no A/C? It sounds like the controls are different with and without A/C. My rear defroster switch is right beside the 4 way flasher button, and is controlled independently of the cabin heater. That way I can leave it off until the front window is warmed up. Sorry for any confusion caused.
Hey! Finally, you got your Echo already!!!! Well, you're right, the car sound quiet at first, but after a week or so, the noise will be noticeable, that's what happened to mine Echo too.
As for gas millage, my Echo didn't do very well, in fact, very bad.... half tank has gone and I've only driven about 140 miles. I really don't know what's wrong, I shifted gear at the right timing, it just doesn't help. Could it because of the way I use the car:
-> early morning, I warm up the car (about 10 minutes) -> drive to gym (take about 2 minutes/1.2 mile) -> after gym (about 1 hour later), warm up the car (about 5 to 8 minutes) -> drive back home (2 minutes/1.2 mile) to take shower and breakfast etc. -> (1.2 hour later), warm up the car (5-8 minutes) -> drive to work (4.5 miles/8-10 minutes) on highway -> 9 hours later, warm up the car (another 10 minutes) -> drive home (4.5 miles/15 minutes because of traffic) on highway.
So, as you can see, I spent more time warming the car than on the road.... could that be the reason that I have very very very bad gas millage?
I'm bringing in my Echo this Saturday to put on the V3 security package, should I ask them to check the car as well? If it need to be checked, what part of the car need to be checked?
I got a flat tire today, and I went to the mechanic I used to go to with my old car. He told me it costs $90 for ONE Michelin tire (the type that came with the car). I trust this mechanic because he seemed fair with me on my old car, he was fair with the person who recommended him to me (could have gotten thousands worth of repairs but instead told the person to get rid of the car), and was fair to the person I recommended to him. Unlike the Pontiac delearship I had dealt with here in Austin. SOUTHPOINT PONTIAC IN AUSTIN, TX-BAD, BAD, BAD, EVIL, BAD but that's another story.
However, I am a little curious if someone else has had to buy a new Michelin and what they paid. He mentioned going to a discount tire place, but I don't always trust them.
It's kind of funny-the green Echo that parks next to me at my apartment complex had a flat about a week ago-I guess it's just the season. PS-don't run over big chunks of concrete at 55 miles per hour.
The longer you let your car worm up the less your gas mileage will be its burning more gas sitting there then you would going to the gym it only needs to run 1 min the get the oil going any thing past that is not need for the car. The tire would last 30 -40 th mile if you do not spin them a lot and rotate every other oil chainge 6000 miles. I had a hundi exel and got 60000 on the tires befor I changed the the first time. Thay had cheep tires and put on michelin on then lasted till I gave the car away. Bridgstons are real good in the snow which meens there a softer rubber but seem to handle good.
I want everyone to vote on whether they like the Echo's gauge placement or not. Results are anonymous feel free to come and vote! Click on the link and then click on the "Vote Now!" link.
First, I hope I did not insult our newest board member, LadyLt. It is funny that I did not realize what your name might stand for because on AOL, one of my names is Lt309Mail, but I am not a police officer or in the military although in chat rooms when I use to go there people would address me as El Tee. Long story as to why I have that name, but I will save it for another day. LadyLt, you go to DisneyWorld once a year!? You are my new best friend! Been once several years ago and would love to go again.
Next, I think that you let your car warm up way too much Moses and that is probably the reason for the terrible gas mileage. It might be good gas mileage if it was a Focus (j/k), but this is an Echo you have. I think that you need to cut down on the warm up time and see if that improves your gas mileage before you get the service department involved.
Speaking of gas mileage, I was down to half a tank and decided with the warmer weather to fill the tank up. I have heard that if your tank is half full that water in the line can freeze when it gets colder and can cause problems. More fuel in the tank helps eliminate this problem. Anyway, I put in slightly over 7 gallons and I had 325 miles on the odometer. I about fell over when I came home and did the calculations on the mpg. I got over 46 miles to the gallon. Yes, I said 46!
Here is what I do in the hopes that helps Moses and others get better gas mileage. I do not let the car sit for more than a minute after turning it on. Turn it on, make sure everything is adjusted properly and go. No jack rabbit starts or stops. No tromping on the accelerator. Nothing really magical or hard to do.
About wheels, I have the steel wheels and alloys are supposed to be lighter and help in your gas mileage so I wonder what kind of mileage I would have gotten if I had the alloy.
About tires, I have Goodyear, but am not sure what kind of Goodyears. Someone mentioned Protenzas. Is that what I probably have? $90 for a Michelin seems kind of high for such a small tire, but who knows. I had an Escort GT that had Goodyear Eagles (I believe) and they were like $125 a tire.
This board has really helped me today. I was at a light and my car started making this strange sound like the engine was running really rough. I turned the stereo off and listened closely. Turns out I was hearing the car in front of me which was a Chevy Metro. If someone on this board hadn't posted about a similar happening, I might have worried.
Well, I just got home a little while ago and it is getting late so I better end this.
One more thing before I go, I just noticed that the spell check button is gone. There is just the post my message button below where I am typing. It was there this morning. Has anyone else noticed that?
When I figured my mileage last night, I forgot one important fact. The car did not have zero miles when I got it. It had fifty-five miles on it which means I have put two hundred and seventy miles on. I went back and redid my calculations and I got over thirty eight miles per gallon on my first half tank full. Still darn good.
Not sure why but the "check spelling" button is back this morning. Perhaps it missed us?
I had trouble starting my Echo on Tuesday. I had to press the gas pedal to get her to start. I've never had to do that before. Once she was running everything was fine. I had run the car for a few minutes that morning to move her out of my neighbor's parking space into mine and she ran just fine. It was 3 in the afternoon when I had the problem and hemp was in the upper 20s.
We had folder weather last week and while she complained a little she started just fine.
Lynnann1- I also had trouble starting my Echo on Monday. My car sat all day Saturday & Sunday and when I tried to start it on Monday morning, it sputtered out the first time. I tried to start it two more times and just heard a whirring sound (starter motor?). I was pretty nervous at this point. I have had my Echo since March and have put almost 16K on her with no trouble what so ever. I let her sit for about ten minutes and tried again. After a couple of seconds, she started right up. I live in Mass. and it has been very cold here as of late. I hope it was just an isolated incident as I have not had any more trouble since Monday. I will never let my little Echo sit for a whole weekend without starting her again. My wife just got a new car and we have been driving it almost exclusively, you know, the new car thing. The Echo needed a rest anyway. Can you tell by my username what kind of car she got?
First, make sure you are following the correct proceedure: just crank the engine. Don't step on the gas. Put it neutral, step on the clutch pedal, crank it over. I've noticed that my ECHO takes some cranking to start: my Honda ST1100 motorcycle starts about .001 microsecond after pushing the button, you hardly hear the starter at all. (and it has four carburators) But not the ECHO. I suggest trying it four or five mornings in a row. The engine should start OK, remember: don't touch the gas pedal: perhaps the time you had trouble was an a fluke. (Chaos Theory) If it really won't start take it to Toyota. The whole fuel injection system is programmed in the computor which relys on sensors on the engine to detect temp, pedal position etc etc. There isn't even an idle adjustment. Good luck and let us know what happens!
Your description sounds exactly what my car did. Sputtered out the first time, then the whirring sound. Only difference is mine had been driven the day before and started fine earlier that morning. I had something similar happen in October, but everything worked fine until Tuesday.
Re: Kneisl1 - I don't have a clutch it's an auto and I never touch the gas when starting her, I know it's unnecessary to do so. It's just this time I had to to get her to start.
I'm just wondering, 2 of the replies said don't let the car warm up too long, actually I warm it up until the blue light goes off. In the morning, it's a cold start, so it takes about 10 minutes (is that normal?) After work, it's another 10 minutes because the car was sat in the parking lot for 9 hours while I'm working.
I have to admit though the weather in Kansas City is better for these few days (around 35F) so the warm up time has reduced a little bit.
echoluvrst, you said you just jump in your car, start it, set it and go.... don't you need to wait until the blue light goes off? What kind of harm will I make if I drive the car without waiting until the blue light goes off? I'm still in break-in period, am I too gentle or what? Man, you sure like to cruise around, I got my Echo for 6 weeks now and have only put on 620 miles.
The weather has been very nice, AC echo owner, want to go out some weekend for a movie or so? Let me know.
I was always told if you drove short distances - 10 min. or less you could get worse gas mileage because you were driving on a "cold" engine. In winter I always let my car warm up at least 5 min. whenever possible.
Partly because it's a lot easier to scrape the windshield when it's warm.
The owners manual says let the engine warmup for a few minutes if it is below freezing. But waiting until the blue light goes out is wrong. An engine warms up faster if you drive it away imediately after starting. If you let it idle to warm up, you'll be burning cold air and fuel much longer. This leads to the formation of moisture in the engine and carbon deposits on the pistons, cylindar head, and valves. Carbon on the valve stems will tend to ream out the valve guides causing valve wobble and possible breakage in later life. (or at least having to do a valve job sooner than normal) Carbon on the piston will raise the compression causing pre-ignition which will blow holes in the piston. (not good) Moisture in the engine will lead to corrosion of the rod and main bearings over time. Maybe years ago it was necessary to warm engines up in cold weather, but much engineering work has gone into designing engines so they can be driven away immediately after starting or soon after, even in below zero conditions. Letting the engine warm up by idling until the blue light goes out will lead to trouble later in its life.
Hey folks...just thought I'd throw in my two cents! I've noticed that the Echo does take longer than other cars to start. I live in sunny California so cold temperatures are not an issue. Could it be because the echo is a lean running engine? There have been a couple of occassions I've had to give it some gas to start. Don't want to crank the engine too long. As far as driving without warm-up; no car needs to be "warmed" up. The engine will have more harm done to it idling than driving immediately upon start-up. Just take it easy until the engine is at normal operating temp. My brakes are still squealing intermittently...only when being feathered coming to a stop. I will wait till the 5k check-up unless it gets worse.
kaz6, I wonder how do you like the Echo dynamics in comparison to the ZX2? Also, is it your front or rear brakes that you have a problem with. My rear brake on the Focus, just the right side, behaves exactly as you described in the above post. It's not a big problem with the other Foci. According to this board it's not a wide spread problem with the Echo's too. I've been at the dealer with this problem five times total. First they replaced the brake shoes - the problem came back. Then they just kept cleaning the braking mechanism. The squealing noise was always back in a couple of days. Now I'm waiting for the second set of the braking shoes.
I have a 2000 Echo I bought in January 2000. I have over 20K on it and I havent got less that 32 MPG. I also do alot of in town driving (visiting nurse). I love this car! It is easy to get in and out of and I love the pickup. (I tend to be a little heavy on the foot). I have noticed a decrease in MPG in the cold weather. It is very possible that the efficiency goes way down when it is cold. (I stop the care 5-8 times/day and it cools each time). I personally like the styling. At first I thought it was goofy looking (thats why I bought it), but now I think it looks kind of cool! I want looking for another econobox like the corrola etc. It's a little loud from the road noise (I tend to keep the tires hard - that may have something to do with it).
I never wait for the blue light to go off. I dont think I have ever waited anymore than 5 minutes when first starting the car. I usually just start it and go. Even the cold weather (Im in Canada so I know cold..lol, and I park my car outside) I just start it, wait 1-2 min and go..I find the car warms up faster if I drive, and usually by the time Im out of the neighbourhoods the car is already warmed up!
Aside from the ZX-2 being a very different car...it's one of the best handling/balanced cars in its class. I loved the ride and handling and the acceleration was amazing! Mine had the sport upgrade so the seats were outstanding. It too was the lightest in its class. Gas mileage sucked though; 21 city/30 hwy. Living in LA meant 18-22 in town. The Echo has a much more refined powertrain and much quieter ride. Handling is stable (I cruise around 80 on hwy)straightline but heavy understeer in turns. I wish the steering wheel was thicker too. I love my Echo and the only thing to get me to the Focus is price and content. The Echo engine is far superior though IMOA. Good luck with your Focus!
I tried the suggested way this morning - drive away without waiting the blue light goes off.
I let the car warm up about 2 minutes and just leave. By the time I hit the first traffic light (about 1 minutes later), the light goes off.... that's a lot faster!!! Now I have another excuse to get up late for the gym - don't need to waste time in the car!!!
kneisl1, thanks for the detail explanation, I have put on about 670 miles in the car right now, which is not a lot. So I hope I'm not doing too much damage in the car, plus I have put in antifreeze treatment in the gas tank that eliminate water vapor etc.... do you think that help in the situation you mentioned?
From now on I'm going to drive the car as suggested, and will keep you guys posted about how my car is doing. One thing though I can't avoid driving less than 10 minutes, I'm living in a very convenient neighborhood... the gym is so close, and my office is not far too, so if I were able to get 38 mpg (in town + highway) I would be happy already.
So the difference in gas mixture, temperature caused inefficiency, poor road surface, slower traffice... can quickly add up. I'm quite suprised that governement actually did a test on a useful subject.
This is for Mong1. Do not worry about how much or little you drive your car. That should not hurt it any. The best way to prevent moisture getting into your GASTANK is to keep it full, or nearly so. When the tank is empty, water can condense on the inside...that's how you get water in the gas. If you can keep water from getting into the tank, you won't need gasline antifreeze. Much better to prevent a problem than to deal with it once it happens. (Of course, sometimes water is already in the gas when you pump it in, but that is rare) Driving short distances as you do, can also cause condensation of water in the engine itself. The best way to deal with that is to change your oil every 4 months/5000 miles as recommended in the owners manual. For you, the four month interval is critical, not the mileage since you don't need to travel long distances. How long have you had your car?
And wenyue's responses to a loaded question on ECHO styling I posed about 18 months ago caused us to go look at the ECHO. Not only did we look, the salesman handed me the keys and said to take it for a test drive WITHOUT him or anyone else going with us. I love the ECHO but my wife did not want to give up padded door armrests and padded fold down armrest. That is why I have posted that Toyota needs an LE model of ECHO with nice interior + Cruise of Sienna LE. Although we live near family and friends, we are considering a move to a place 400 miles away for health reasons. The ECHO would be ideal for making frequent 800 mile round trips so my wife can visit our 5 granchildren and 3 daughters. Since my 99 GC gets 25 MPG (EPA rating 18 City 24 Highway) on this trip with cruise set at 80 MPH, I know I would get about 44 MPG with an ECHO by driving at no more than 75 MPH.
Horrible looking little thing! Stomp on them. The Tercel, a good looking car, was replaced by the Echo. Why Toyota went so radical beats the hell out of me. I don't care if the Echo is good but I bet their sales have suffered because of its weird look. Every time I see one I have a good laugh.
Toyota's sales goal for the Echo in 2000 was 50,000 units. That was, on average, the amount of Tercels that were moving off the dealership lots every year for the last 4 years it was sold in the US. Toyota MET that goal, which personally I knew they could. They sold just over 50,000 in MY2000.
Hi Guys, Just got back after several weeks away to find my auto insurance renewal package from USAA. Was surprised to find an additional line item for "Vehicle Injury Rating Discount" that equals the "Passive Restraint Discount" (air bags)on my Echo. The injury rating discount is NOT noted on our '95 Camry. Anyone aware of recent testing that would cause this additional discount?
Re the several air conditioning questions while I was away (which pipes to wrap, etc.), my post on that was #667 in Forum 6.
I have just returned from a trip to Brisbane in our Echo and I was astounded at the economy. Our best was on the return journey with the A/C on (it's summer here guys), and we got 17.65km/l which is about 44mpg (US) or 49.35 mpg (imperial). Our worst was 14 km/l commuting around Brisbane and to the beaches. As well the car performed well on the narrow mainly two lane road with plenty of overtaking and plenty of hills.
Compared to the Echo the Tercel is beautiful. They may have reached their sales goal but they would have sold double that amount if they looked better. Oh well, I suppose if people enjoy driving around in toy cars that's their democratic right.
I think you are missing the point with this forum...it is for questions and comments regarding the ownership and operation of Echo's. Looks are always a subjective matter and people that need to voice negative comments come from a place of insecurity. Nuff said.
According to the NHTSA website, they are planning on testing the Echo sometime in February. Their results will be interesting to see but I'm waiting more for the IIHS to crash test it too.
I just found a copy of Automobile magazine where they talk about the Echo when it was still in pre-production. They say you can get the Echo up to 65mph in 2nd gear! Anyone try that?
The current issue of that same magazine has a photo and small story about the Echo based Bb. I am not sure how to describe it, but it is geared toward the young in Japan. I thought it was a pretty neat car.
I am down here at my mother's for the weekend to do laundry, watch movies, and play on her computer. A very pleasant trip.
My mother thought my Echo is a very nice looking car while my step-father said things that are not repeatable. He thought the car was great don't get me wrong, but the way he phrased his thoughts makes them unrepeatable.
It is 1am and I need to go to bed. "See" you all a little later. I cannot say see you tomorrow because it already is tomorrow.
I got up to almost 60 in second, (she confesses red faced) Didn't know I had it in second, was very early in the morning... Thought gee the engine is revving awfully high.....
got to a red light looked down... moved object blocking gear shift markings found I was in second....
First of all, kneisl1, thanks again for the educational reply, I had my Echo for about... ehh... 6 weeks I believe, and I had only put on 650 miles (filled up my tank for the third time yesterday). I will keep your advice in mind, I always fill my tank when it reach 1/4 full as suggested by the owner's manual: "keep the tank at least 1/4 full". I believe after break in I will drive more often for shopping and things like that plus the weather should be nicer to go out.
Well, it's Sunday morning, I'm watching boring iv and found this informatial "Tornado". They claims it can increase your horse power and gas millage, have anyone try that or seen it works? You can check it out at http://www.tornadounderthehood.com/
Yesterday I went back to the dealer to put on the V3 security..... Guess what? I waited about 30 minutes and the mechanic suggested me to come back during weekday... it's too crowded on Saturday that they can't work on the security in that short amount of time (I gave them about 5 hours). They told me it's their first time to put on a V3 into an Echo, and they need to remove the dashboard!!! Well, it's lucky that I didn't get after market security. If you look at that owner's manual, the security seems complicated, there' re so many detection and posibilities to set off the alarm. I guess that's the reason they need that much time.
Oh, yesterday the weather was very very nice here in Kansas City (about 50F). I finally take my Echo to wash... boy this car is pretty big, my hand get sore after washing it, the car is tall that I could use a stool to wipe the top clean. After washing the car, I parked it under a tree at the car wash center to dry it, apply paint protector (I didn't wax it... too lazy), and apply plastic shin treatmend on the clading.... guess what? I was working hard on my Echo and a absolute red Dodge Neon just finish his car wash and leaving the car wash center... he stopped at the exit and reverse back..... you know what he is doing? He was looking at my Echo's "BUTT"!!! which has four shinny alphabets "E C H O"... I guess he was curios and amazed by the Echo. I took that as a compliment and kept on working hard to give my Echo a finish shine. Now let's hope that my neighbor's cats are not going to jump onto my Echo and leave those nasty cat palms print, or I will give them a good lesson.
Ok, have to go, got to enjoy the weekend before it's over.
Hi I have been reading the entries by u guys , and amazed that u guys have this msg board. articles have been very educational and just reading what you guys are saying abt your echo's just makes me excited as I am currently waiting for my 8k8 Dark blue mica echo 2001 sedan.
I live in Singapore, and I think cars are the most expensive in the world here, due to the limited land we have for roads. I purchase my echo for a grand price of $ 77, 000 may7be 5 x. what you guys have paid. I hope I'll be satisfied with my car as it is the first car I have ever purchase. I also had the diliema of choosing my car color, but i stuck with the dark blue as they don't have the black model here! Cheers to you guys and a happy new year.Keep you guys posted as i wait for the delivery of my car which should be in like 3 weeks time!
Have any of you tried to modify your echo? I am just curios. When my car comes, I'm thinking of changing the tyres and installing an amp for my stereo which comes standard with the 77 000 price plus the digital speedometer, ABS brakes, power windows, and wireless entry, oh sport rims too.! any suggestions.!
Comments
PS
Can we still post photos on this topic? If so, can anyone tell me how to do it ? I have a JPEG image I'd like to share.
When parked in garage, leave windows down about 4-6".
When parking outside, open both doors at once for about 20 secs to clear humid air, then seal up tight if snowing, or leave 1/16" gap if clear.
When driving, leave 1/16 gap in both windows until fully warmed up.
When starting from cold, leave rear defroster off initially. Set heater to full defrost, and fan to third speed (one down from max.). I do this to ensure that the alternator has enough capacity to run the electric heater.
As soon as the blue light goes out, I switch the rear defroster on, and change the heater control to 50/50 defrost/feet.
Once the cabin is fully warmed in the city, I may reduce the fan speed and set the heater to 100% feet. On the highway I leave the control at 50/50, and control the cabin temp. with the fan.
2. Slide Recirc thingy to right to allow outside air in.
3. Turn vent control knob all the way clockwise.
This will defrog the back window, too. It took me awhile, since I was used to using recirculated air w/ the AC on to dehumidify. THe symbols on the vent control knob sez it all. Very simple & it works. I was going nuts trying to find the rear window defrogger.
"The Echo is going to be your daughter's car, she is 18, and you got it for her in red? I hope she does not have a lead foot because cops seem to stop speeders in red cars more often. : ("
Look at my user name. If that doesn't give you an idea, look at my user profile. She doesn't need a red car to get noticed by cops. There are approx. one hundred and sixty officers in this city and almost all know her. There is a contest among some officers to be the first one to give her a ticket so they can see me blow up. Not at the officer, but at her. They know I can't stand parents who cover or lie for their children who are breaking the law. After driving for three years, no tickets yet.
LOL..... I haven't ever given myself a ticket. But I have certainly told on myself if asked a direct question.
Bianca
I have a question for you experienced car types. How many miles can I expect to get out of a set of these small tires? I rotate them every 10K miles or so, but I notice that they seem to be wearing rather quickly (evenly, but quickly nonetheless). I'm not that concerned about it since replacing them won't be too expensive, just more curious than anything. Thanks in advance and Happy New year to everyone!
Randy
I don't plan on getting Bridgestones for replacements. Does anyone have anything to share regarding upgrading wheel width/diameter? I am still debating keeping the 14" or moving up to 15". Thanks!
http://www.toyo.com/tire_basics/plus.html
http://mr2.com/FORMS/tire.html
Well, you're right, the car sound quiet at first, but after a week or so, the noise will be noticeable, that's what happened to mine Echo too.
As for gas millage, my Echo didn't do very well, in fact, very bad.... half tank has gone and I've only driven about 140 miles. I really don't know what's wrong, I shifted gear at the right timing, it just doesn't help. Could it because of the way I use the car:
-> early morning, I warm up the car (about 10 minutes)
-> drive to gym (take about 2 minutes/1.2 mile)
-> after gym (about 1 hour later), warm up the car (about 5 to 8 minutes)
-> drive back home (2 minutes/1.2 mile) to take shower and breakfast etc.
-> (1.2 hour later), warm up the car (5-8 minutes)
-> drive to work (4.5 miles/8-10 minutes) on highway
-> 9 hours later, warm up the car (another 10 minutes)
-> drive home (4.5 miles/15 minutes because of traffic) on highway.
So, as you can see, I spent more time warming the car than on the road.... could that be the reason that I have very very very bad gas millage?
I'm bringing in my Echo this Saturday to put on the V3 security package, should I ask them to check the car as well? If it need to be checked, what part of the car need to be checked?
However, I am a little curious if someone else has had to buy a new Michelin and what they paid. He mentioned going to a discount tire place, but I don't always trust them.
It's kind of funny-the green Echo that parks next to me at my apartment complex had a flat about a week ago-I guess it's just the season. PS-don't run over big chunks of concrete at 55 miles per hour.
http://members.nbci.com/sonatafan
Next, I think that you let your car warm up way too much Moses and that is probably the reason for the terrible gas mileage. It might be good gas mileage if it was a Focus (j/k), but this is an Echo you have. I think that you need to cut down on the warm up time and see if that improves your gas mileage before you get the service department involved.
Speaking of gas mileage, I was down to half a tank and decided with the warmer weather to fill the tank up. I have heard that if your tank is half full that water in the line can freeze when it gets colder and can cause problems. More fuel in the tank helps eliminate this problem. Anyway, I put in slightly over 7 gallons and I had 325 miles on the odometer. I about fell over when I came home and did the calculations on the mpg. I got over 46 miles to the gallon. Yes, I said 46!
Here is what I do in the hopes that helps Moses and others get better gas mileage. I do not let the car sit for more than a minute after turning it on. Turn it on, make sure everything is adjusted properly and go. No jack rabbit starts or stops. No tromping on the accelerator. Nothing really magical or hard to do.
About wheels, I have the steel wheels and alloys are supposed to be lighter and help in your gas mileage so I wonder what kind of mileage I would have gotten if I had the alloy.
About tires, I have Goodyear, but am not sure what kind of Goodyears. Someone mentioned Protenzas. Is that what I probably have? $90 for a Michelin seems kind of high for such a small tire, but who knows. I had an Escort GT that had Goodyear Eagles (I believe) and they were like $125 a tire.
This board has really helped me today. I was at a light and my car started making this strange sound like the engine was running really rough. I turned the stereo off and listened closely. Turns out I was hearing the car in front of me which was a Chevy Metro. If someone on this board hadn't posted about a similar happening, I might have worried.
Well, I just got home a little while ago and it is getting late so I better end this.
One more thing before I go, I just noticed that the spell check button is gone. There is just the post my message button below where I am typing. It was there this morning. Has anyone else noticed that?
Not sure why but the "check spelling" button is back this morning. Perhaps it missed us?
We had folder weather last week and while she complained a little she started just fine.
Haven't had any problems since.
BMW mine's an auto tarns.
Anyone else have a similar problem.
I also had trouble starting my Echo on Monday.
My car sat all day Saturday & Sunday and when I tried to start it on Monday morning, it sputtered out the first time. I tried to start it two more times and just heard a whirring sound (starter motor?). I was pretty nervous at this point. I have had my Echo since March and have put almost 16K on her with no trouble what so ever. I let her sit for about ten minutes and tried again. After a couple of seconds, she started right up. I live in Mass. and it has been very cold here as of late. I hope it was just an isolated incident as I have not had any more trouble since Monday. I will never let my little Echo sit for a whole weekend without starting her again. My wife just got a new car and we have been driving it almost exclusively, you know, the new car thing. The Echo needed a rest anyway. Can you tell by my username what kind of car she got?
-Rich
Your description sounds exactly what my car did. Sputtered out the first time, then the whirring sound. Only difference is mine had been driven the day before and started fine earlier that morning. I had something similar happen in October, but everything worked fine until Tuesday.
Re: Kneisl1 - I don't have a clutch it's an auto and I never touch the gas when starting her, I know it's unnecessary to do so. It's just this time I had to to get her to start.
I'm just wondering, 2 of the replies said don't let the car warm up too long, actually I warm it up until the blue light goes off. In the morning, it's a cold start, so it takes about 10 minutes (is that normal?) After work, it's another 10 minutes because the car was sat in the parking lot for 9 hours while I'm working.
I have to admit though the weather in Kansas City is better for these few days (around 35F) so the warm up time has reduced a little bit.
echoluvrst, you said you just jump in your car, start it, set it and go.... don't you need to wait until the blue light goes off? What kind of harm will I make if I drive the car without waiting until the blue light goes off? I'm still in break-in period, am I too gentle or what? Man, you sure like to cruise around, I got my Echo for 6 weeks now and have only put on 620 miles.
The weather has been very nice, AC echo owner, want to go out some weekend for a movie or so? Let me know.
Partly because it's a lot easier to scrape the windshield when it's warm.
My brakes are still squealing intermittently...only when being feathered coming to a stop. I will wait till the 5k check-up unless it gets worse.
I wonder how do you like the Echo dynamics in comparison to the ZX2?
Also, is it your front or rear brakes that you have a problem with.
My rear brake on the Focus, just the right side, behaves exactly as you described in the above post.
It's not a big problem with the other Foci. According to this board it's not a wide spread problem with the Echo's too.
I've been at the dealer with this problem five times total.
First they replaced the brake shoes - the problem came back.
Then they just kept cleaning the braking mechanism. The squealing noise was always back in a couple of days.
Now I'm waiting for the second set of the braking shoes.
The Echo has a much more refined powertrain and much quieter ride. Handling is stable (I cruise around 80 on hwy)straightline but heavy understeer in turns. I wish the steering wheel was thicker too.
I love my Echo and the only thing to get me to the Focus is price and content. The Echo engine is far superior though IMOA.
Good luck with your Focus!
I tried the suggested way this morning - drive away without waiting the blue light goes off.
I let the car warm up about 2 minutes and just leave. By the time I hit the first traffic light (about 1 minutes later), the light goes off.... that's a lot faster!!! Now I have another excuse to get up late for the gym - don't need to waste time in the car!!!
kneisl1, thanks for the detail explanation, I have put on about 670 miles in the car right now, which is not a lot. So I hope I'm not doing too much damage in the car, plus I have put in antifreeze treatment in the gas tank that eliminate water vapor etc.... do you think that help in the situation you mentioned?
From now on I'm going to drive the car as suggested, and will keep you guys posted about how my car is doing. One thing though I can't avoid driving less than 10 minutes, I'm living in a very convenient neighborhood... the gym is so close, and my office is not far too, so if I were able to get 38 mpg (in town + highway) I would be happy already.
http://www.epa.gov/OMSWWW/rfgecon.htm
So the difference in gas mixture, temperature caused inefficiency, poor road surface, slower traffice... can quickly add up. I'm quite suprised that governement actually did a test on a useful subject.
Although we live near family and friends, we are considering a move to a place 400 miles away for health reasons. The ECHO would be ideal for making frequent 800 mile round trips so my wife can visit our 5 granchildren and 3 daughters. Since my 99 GC gets 25 MPG (EPA rating 18 City 24 Highway) on this trip with cruise set at 80 MPH, I know I would get about 44 MPG with an ECHO by driving at no more than 75 MPH.
Just got back after several weeks away to find my auto insurance renewal package from USAA. Was surprised to find an additional line item for "Vehicle Injury Rating Discount" that equals the "Passive Restraint Discount" (air bags)on my Echo. The injury rating discount is NOT noted on our '95 Camry. Anyone aware of recent testing that would cause this additional discount?
Re the several air conditioning questions while I was away (which pipes to wrap, etc.), my post on that was #667 in Forum 6.
Cheers and Happy New Year to all.
As well the car performed well on the narrow mainly two lane road with plenty of overtaking and plenty of hills.
The current issue of that same magazine has a photo and small story about the Echo based Bb. I am not sure how to describe it, but it is geared toward the young in Japan. I thought it was a pretty neat car.
I am down here at my mother's for the weekend to do laundry, watch movies, and play on her computer. A very pleasant trip.
My mother thought my Echo is a very nice looking car while my step-father said things that are not repeatable. He thought the car was great don't get me wrong, but the way he phrased his thoughts makes them unrepeatable.
It is 1am and I need to go to bed. "See" you all a little later. I cannot say see you tomorrow because it already is tomorrow.
I got up to almost 60 in second, (she confesses red faced) Didn't know I had it in second, was very early in the morning... Thought gee the engine is revving awfully high.....
got to a red light looked down... moved object blocking gear shift markings found I was in second....
very embarrassed..
Well, it's Sunday morning, I'm watching boring iv and found this informatial "Tornado". They claims it can increase your horse power and gas millage, have anyone try that or seen it works? You can check it out at http://www.tornadounderthehood.com/
Yesterday I went back to the dealer to put on the V3 security..... Guess what? I waited about 30 minutes and the mechanic suggested me to come back during weekday... it's too crowded on Saturday that they can't work on the security in that short amount of time (I gave them about 5 hours). They told me it's their first time to put on a V3 into an Echo, and they need to remove the dashboard!!! Well, it's lucky that I didn't get after market security. If you look at that owner's manual, the security seems complicated, there' re so many detection and posibilities to set off the alarm. I guess that's the reason they need that much time.
Oh, yesterday the weather was very very nice here in Kansas City (about 50F). I finally take my Echo to wash... boy this car is pretty big, my hand get sore after washing it, the car is tall that I could use a stool to wipe the top clean. After washing the car, I parked it under a tree at the car wash center to dry it, apply paint protector (I didn't wax it... too lazy), and apply plastic shin treatmend on the clading.... guess what? I was working hard on my Echo and a absolute red Dodge Neon just finish his car wash and leaving the car wash center... he stopped at the exit and reverse back..... you know what he is doing? He was looking at my Echo's "BUTT"!!! which has four shinny alphabets "E C H O"... I guess he was curios and amazed by the Echo. I took that as a compliment and kept on working hard to give my Echo a finish shine. Now let's hope that my neighbor's cats are not going to jump onto my Echo and leave those nasty cat palms print, or I will give them a good lesson.
Ok, have to go, got to enjoy the weekend before it's over.
I live in Singapore, and I think cars are the most expensive in the world here, due to the limited land we have for roads. I purchase my echo for a grand price of $ 77, 000 may7be 5 x. what you guys have paid. I hope I'll be satisfied with my car as it is the first car I have ever purchase. I also had the diliema of choosing my car color, but i stuck with the dark blue as they don't have the black model here! Cheers to you guys and a happy new year.Keep you guys posted as i wait for the delivery of my car which should be in like 3 weeks time!