I am an Echo owner but confused as to where I should post a message.
Consumer Reports Buying Guide for 2002 arrived today. The 2000 Echo reliability history (on page 210) shows the best on engine, cooling, fuel, ignition, transmission, electrical, ac, suspension, brakes, exhaust and body rust. Paint/trim, integrity, and hardware received a much better than average. Echo received a "better than average" overall reliabililty, the best rating they give. But we drivers knew that already.
Baby, if it is a general post like yours, the best place would be right here. If it is a post where you introduce yourself, the thread said up for that would be more appropriate. If it is about what you paid, etc. should be posted in the appropriate thread.
After gouging both front wheelcovers I decided to replace them. I was going to get some at a national auto parts chain-$39.99 for set of 4. I went to Target and found some that looked even better for 18.99!!! Just finished a 642 mile trip...average mpg: 36.7 I know it's not stellar but considering I was going 70-80mph up steep mountain grades most of the time I think it's pretty good! My old ZX-2 never got more than 28mpg on the same route.
I tend to eat while driving, and have a peanut butter and jelly stain on the seat. Any suggestions as to the best cleaner? I don't want to make it any worse.
I've been reading conflicting reports on the snow/ice question and their relation to Echo's high profile and tiny tires. Please help. I live in the New England snow belt but don't want an SUV because of the low mpg.
Also, where do I go on the web to see the new Corolla style coming out, and when is it, February?
My experience here in NJ with the ECHO in winter driving is that its a little twitchy with the standard 1956514 Potenzas that came with the car. The car seems to float across the snow, rather than dig down in it like my old VW bug used to. But narrower snow tires might make the car handle much better. Without them, I wouldnt rate the car very high for serious snow belt driving. But then again, you might get used to it.
Kneisl1, 195/65R14 is NOT the standard size. 175/65R14 IS the standard size. This according to both the 2000 and 2001 Echo brochures that I have.
I would suggest you get to the dealer immediately because who knows what having the wrong size does to your speedometer. I am pretty sure it will cause it to be off, but who knows how much.
Also, I think you will see better travel in snow with the proper tires.
I am in Ontario, Canada and I know what snow is all about and I find that compared to the civic I used to drive that the ECHO handles better in the snow. The civic and ECHO are really the only 2 cars that I have experienced (and the civic had ABS whereas my ECHO does not) with in winter driving so who knows that the ECHO is like compared to a larger vehicle but last winter I never once slid out of control or felt uncomfortable at the wheel at any time.
re: thinking of buying Echo. Thanks for info re: snow/ice. My further research on Edmunds shows that, at least for 2000-'01 Echo, crosswinds and highway driving are reported problems. What's the consensus out there?
Regarding crosswinds: I just drove back from Vegas going 85-90mph in silky silence. There was a wind blowing around 15mph...I saw more than one suv being blown around. The Echo is not unlike any other high profile vehicle in being affected by crosswinds and no worse. Size is not the issue as I had a 4x4 extended cab pickup that gone blown about pretty good! I think the Echo's cd is around .29? It's one of the quietest cars at speed of any size!
I've only had my 2001 Echo 5-speed for 5 fill-ups and I'm curious if my mileage is about normal. My first tank I got 43.1 MPG. Second tank was 41, third tank was 37, 4th tank was 41, and 5th tank was also 41 MPG. Out of each 200 miles driven, about 50 are highway and 150 are city miles.
I didn't drive over 60 miles per hour until I had 1000 miles (which I just barely went over). Will my mileage increase with time? Or stay the same? Just curious as I am very happy with 40+. I shift at 10mph, 20mph, 30mph, and into 5th gear at 40-45mph. I also coast a lot in neutral when I'm a block from a red light or slowing down. Thanks for any feedback you might have.
coasting in neutral may help a bit in saving gas but it's not a good idea. in case of emergency and u need a quick get-away, may be too late for you to shift. i only coast when i'm slowing down, not when i'm a block away or something like that.
Completely concur with kaz6 about ECHO being one of the quietest cars around. Amazing for a small car. mccallr your mileage sounds completely typical to what Ive expoerienced in my car. My mileage was the same at 200 miles as it is now at 7.5k miles. Incidently, you can drive a new ECHO up to 4k rpm during breakin which translates to at least 70-75 mph. I had mine going 106 before 1000 miles.
of cruising along the interstate and seeing an Echo shoot by at 106 mph?My first thought would be that a carnival must be nearby and a bumper car was flung from it's track.
A few posts ago I mistakenly said my ECHO came with 1956514 tires! Well I was wrong! They ARE 1756514 tires! I just looked. Sorry to be the source of misinformation. I accelerated to 106 because a Saab in the left hand lane of the NJTK was going 65 and we others were doing 75. He refused to leave the left lane, but when passed on the right he speeded up. This happened a few times until I just decided to pass and put my foot on the flor and leave it there. I think he put his foot on the floor too because I was thinking, "Man this is a good way to get a ticket. I must be doing 85!" I took my eyes off the road long enuf to see 106 on the speedometer. The Saab backed off. For 106 it was very smooth and quiet.
What an image!The New Jersey Turnpike must be like Carnival in Rio.Did you maintain the 40 mpg fuel efficiency?When you looked to the center of your dash to see the speedo did you notice the fear in your passengers eyes.I think maybe the wind noise was drowned out by the passengers screams.What a great commercial that scene would make for Taco Bell.
The Goodyear Integritys that are OEM on my 2001 2DR will need to be replaced around 20,000 Mi. if I'm lucky. Has anyone had a good experience with replacement tires on their Echo?
The shift points to use to maximize fuel economy are listed in one of the books that comes with your Toyota. I do not remember most of them right off hand, but I do remember that you should shift from 1st to 2nd at around 15mph.
And as far as coasting in neutral when you are a block away from the stoplight or stop sign. CUT IT OUT! As the other poster said, what you are doing is dangerous.
What are you doing to your tires that you need to replace them now? I have the same tires on mine and my car has about 18,000 miles on it. Tires still have a lot of tread left. I think the Goodyears are supposed to last fifty thousand miles.
A friend is considering the purchase of an Echo. The dealer is trying to sell them a "new" 2001 model. I told my friend the dealer should offer a discount on the 2001. Can anyone guess what a reasonable discount would be?
YOU tell them what you want to pay, demonstrate your sincerity to buy the car, and walk out if they dont go for it. Make sure they have your telephone number. My local Toyota dealer is advertising a 2002 ECHO with manual trans, ps, 3 in 1 radio for $10998
"How can that be"?,you ask.According to a very reliable source(the major),used Echi(?)sell for more then new ones.Although this 2001 is new they may be planning to tittle it,thereby increasing it's value.
At the risk of feeding the troll, let me respond to that.
If you check out, the Kelly Blue Book for July to December 2001, you will see that the retail price for a 2000 Echo in excellent condition is higher than the MSRP when the car was new.
Also, I have seen a couple of examples locally that confirmed this.
How many miles does the 2001 have on it and what is the build date?
If there are very few miles on the vehicle and the build date is within six months, I am not sure your friend should expect any discount on that basis.
As I mentioned, the 2001 is "new" that is never sold to a customer and has less than 50 miles. If both cars have a $14,000 MSRP, does anyone know what the discount should be for a car that is simply a year older in model year?
resale and a new one is sold at less then MSRP,I would think in the neighborhood of $11,000 would be fair.I am assuming this is a fairly optioned out car.
There is a thread in the Smart Shopper section entitled Real World Trade In Values. I would post your question there. You are likely to get a definitive answer.
Be sure to post all the pertinent information about the car including mileage, color, and location.
I am trying to pick a low-priced car that's good on gas for my dad to drive. I will use the car sometimes to commute in as well. I want it to be reliable, comfortable, and also well built. Sounds like my total choice would be the Echo, right? Well, yes and no.
I wonder if I can get the seat track for the driver's seat moved back an inch or so? If I could, the car would be perfect.
In a recent message you indicated shift points at 10, 20, 30, 40-45. They may work fine for good gas mileage. And they may be no problem for the engine if you come down very softly on the accelerator after the shift. But really you are working the engine at revs lower than what is best for it. You want to keep the engine up into the range where the torque provided is in the realm of efficient operation. Otherwise you are being unfriendly to your Echo. The torque reaches its band of good strength at about 1800-1900 rpms. So figure 2000 rpm to be safe and shift at the following points, 15, 30, 40, 50. Going uphill I would shift into 4th and 5th a little later, whereas going downhill you could hit all the shifts slightly earlier. This is my viewpoint only, of course.
How did you come to the conclusion that 1800-1900 is when the Echo reaches its "band of good strength"? Just curious as I've always wondered at what point is the best shifting point from the "being friendly to the engine" POV. Thanks, Rich
Toyota says that "For the best compromise between fuel economy and vehicle performance, shift at the following points."
1st to 2nd......15mph 2nd to 3rd......25mph 3rd to 4th......40mph 4th to 5th......45mph
This is for low altitude and you should downshift at the same speeds except when shifting from 5th to 4th, it should be done at 40mph.
If you are at high altitude, you should shift at the following speeds.
1st to 2nd......15mph 2nd to 3rd......36mph 3rd to 4th......45mph 4th to 5th......53mph
Downshifting in high altitude should be done at the following speeds.
5th to 4th......40mph 4th to 3rd......40mph 3rd to 2nd......25mph 2nd to 1st......15mph.
I don't shift based on speed, but rather engine noise, but it turns out I shift pretty close to what the book suggests and my fuel economy numbers have been over 40mpg in mixed driving.
Does anyone know or have tried to get parts for converting a stock rear seat on a 2001 echo to a split-folding type? I tried several local dealers and was told "no" but the answer seemed too quick to be necessarily the correct one.Thanks for your help in advance! Don Nashville, TN
rwgreenberg, sorry I am slow getting back to you, it is because I was out of town for almost all of this past week. I commented previously about shifting into a rev level that falls within the power band of the Echo. Back when I was first researching and purchasing my Echo, in the spring of 00, I got a nice little graph from one of the magazines. I think it might have been Road and Track, but I am not sure. The graph showed the torque versus the rpm's. I probably have it somewhere still in my files, but couldn't find it when I looked just now.
Comments
Sandman46
Consumer Reports Buying Guide for 2002 arrived today. The 2000 Echo reliability history (on page 210) shows the best on engine, cooling, fuel, ignition, transmission, electrical, ac, suspension, brakes, exhaust and body rust. Paint/trim, integrity, and hardware received a much better than average. Echo received a "better than average" overall reliabililty, the best rating they give. But we drivers knew that already.
I went to Target and found some that looked even better for 18.99!!!
Just finished a 642 mile trip...average mpg: 36.7
I know it's not stellar but considering I was going 70-80mph up steep mountain grades most of the time I think it's pretty good! My old ZX-2 never got more than 28mpg on the same route.
Also, where do I go on the web to see the new Corolla style coming out, and when is it, February?
Thanks.
I would suggest you get to the dealer immediately because who knows what having the wrong size does to your speedometer. I am pretty sure it will cause it to be off, but who knows how much.
Also, I think you will see better travel in snow with the proper tires.
Happy Gobble Gobble Day!
The Echo is not unlike any other high profile vehicle in being affected by crosswinds and no worse. Size is not the issue as I had a 4x4 extended cab pickup that gone blown about pretty good!
I think the Echo's cd is around .29? It's one of the quietest cars at speed of any size!
I didn't drive over 60 miles per hour until I had 1000 miles (which I just barely went over). Will my mileage increase with time? Or stay the same?
Just curious as I am very happy with 40+. I shift at 10mph, 20mph, 30mph, and into 5th gear at 40-45mph. I also coast a lot in neutral when I'm a block from a red light or slowing down. Thanks for any feedback you might have.
http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/features/2001/november/200111_feature_gasoline.xml
coasting in neutral may help a bit in saving gas but it's not a good idea. in case of emergency and u need a quick get-away, may be too late for you to shift. i only coast when i'm slowing down, not when i'm a block away or something like that.
just my $0.02
I accelerated to 106 because a Saab in the left hand lane of the NJTK was going 65 and we others were doing 75. He refused to leave the left lane, but when passed on the right he speeded up. This happened a few times until I just decided to pass and put my foot on the flor and leave it there. I think he put his foot on the floor too because I was thinking, "Man this is a good way to get a ticket. I must be doing 85!" I took my eyes off the road long enuf to see 106 on the speedometer. The Saab backed off. For 106 it was very smooth and quiet.
I have a 2001 Echo. Do I feel the wind as I drive? Yes. Do I feel as I am in danger? No.
And as far as coasting in neutral when you are a block away from the stoplight or stop sign. CUT IT OUT! As the other poster said, what you are doing is dangerous.
The dealer is trying to sell them a "new" 2001
model. I told my friend the dealer should offer a discount on the 2001. Can anyone guess what a reasonable discount would be?
If you check out, the Kelly Blue Book for July to December 2001, you will see that the retail price for a 2000 Echo in excellent condition is higher than the MSRP when the car was new.
Also, I have seen a couple of examples locally that confirmed this.
If there are very few miles on the vehicle and the build date is within six months, I am not sure your friend should expect any discount on that basis.
If both cars have a $14,000 MSRP, does anyone know what the discount should be for a car that is simply a year older in model year?
Be sure to post all the pertinent information about the car including mileage, color, and location.
I wonder if I can get the seat track for the driver's seat moved back an inch or so? If I could, the car would be perfect.
Thanks,
Rich
1st to 2nd......15mph
2nd to 3rd......25mph
3rd to 4th......40mph
4th to 5th......45mph
This is for low altitude and you should downshift at the same speeds except when shifting from 5th to 4th, it should be done at 40mph.
If you are at high altitude, you should shift at the following speeds.
1st to 2nd......15mph
2nd to 3rd......36mph
3rd to 4th......45mph
4th to 5th......53mph
Downshifting in high altitude should be done at the following speeds.
5th to 4th......40mph
4th to 3rd......40mph
3rd to 2nd......25mph
2nd to 1st......15mph.
I don't shift based on speed, but rather engine noise, but it turns out I shift pretty close to what the book suggests and my fuel economy numbers have been over 40mpg in mixed driving.
Don
Nashville, TN
have a good weekend!
2001, 14,255 miles, no problems. And new wheel covers from eBay. I believe they're from a Corolla...