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This leads me to ask which would be better....a 2002 4 door ECHO or Corolla S. Both would be automatic and would be fully loaded bringing the ECHO to about $15300 and the Corolla to $17,000. I would special order these from the factory. Those prices are low because I get incentives from my parents working at Toyota. I want a safe, fuel efficient, and cheap to insure car that is fun to drive. I don't like the Corolla due to its boring interior and 2003 redesign. The ECHO has a 2003 refreshing (or should be in the average Toyota car cycle.) I can't decide whether $2000 is worth paying extra for a car that has cruise and a sunroof (Corolla.) But I'd be trading the fun and neat interior of the ECHO. Oh, I also like sitting up high and seeing all around me also. All opinions are welcomed!
Oh, and a used Prius is possible. We can get used company cars with about 20k miles for 25% off the regular price. Those include Avalons, Camrys, Corollas, Priuses, RAV4s, Siennas, Sequoias, Solaras and Tundras. What is your take on a possible used Prius? I know it will hold up very well, its a Toyota....but I'm worried about wrecking it...and that whole electrical system becoming a problem in the untimely case of a serious wreck.
Sorry one more point....about how much is it to have a cruise control installe don the ECHO? What type of post production sunroofs are available (as in function).
My Echo has the 5-speed, with which I can achieve much more than sufficient acceleration. But, I did test-drive the automatic and it seemed quick enough and shifted quite smoothly, although a more lengthy test would be necessary to confirm its acceleration. However, I do not recall reading any complaint about the automatic on this forum.
The dealer from which I ordered the Echo has a "no-hassle" policy, which means that I bought the car at some fixed amount above invoice ($1000 comes to mind). In any case, I got it with the features described above (#2098) for a little more than $13,800 US. List was $14,330.
Gas mpg has been consistent 36~ in mainly city driving. I have 5-spd 4-door and drive fast.
Vacation time!
NY-> Las Vegas-> Phoenix-> Vegas (again)-> Atlantic City,NJ-> NY-> Ohio-> Back to NY
7300 miles in 2 weeks.
I'm quite happy to say that the car has proved comfortable, even after 10+ hours a day in it.
Notes:
Echos don't like doing 100. But they can!
Echos don't like Utah. Too many ^%$#%! drivers! The scenery is nice though.
Echos don't like being above 10000ft. You can hear the engine working pretty hard to stay at 55 - level ground. (and don't even think about 4th gear (overdrive off!))
I use the air on low and do not drive radically.
I can't think of anything that would cause this.
Is anyone else getting this kind of mileage with a two door auto?
Otherwise, the car runs and performs flawlessly.
Thanks,
Jack
I bought a Seafoam Blue Metallic/4 Door/Automatic Echo on Saturday after owning a VW Rabbit for 20 years.
I was wondering what you all are doing for Car Security, if anything? Do you have a car alarm? Do you use The Club?
Thanks for the input!!
And remember, crash protection is only part of the safety equation. Accident avoidance is the other component. Consumer Reports rates it fairly high in that regard.
Even if you don't carry your grandchild, get the four door. You will be glad you did if you take friends out.
I don't know if there is an aftermarket solution. You might try searching the topics in the aftermarket section here on Edmunds.
I was cleaning the Escort and ran a cleaning wipe over the headlights control stalk. Took the painted symbols right off.
My 2 door Echo, when cold, will not shift into high gear. If the blue light remains on, the car will not go into OD. This can take several minutes and/or miles to take place.
The temperature is very warm here. It makes me wonder what will happen when it gets extremely cold this winter.
When reading on this board of others getting high 30's and even low 40's all around driving, it is curious to me that I can't do better than the mid 30's on the highway.
Has anyone else experienced the automatics not shifting into OD for extended periods, and until the blue light goes out?
Thanks,
Jack
Drove from Newark Delaware to Greencastle PA this past weekend for my oldest son's wedding - about a three hour drive - less than 1/2 tank one way. Did not calculate the mileage, due to thinking about other things. I matched my car for the wedding- silver/gray dress - silver ECHO - husband black tux, silver vest and tie. The color coordination was not intentional.
On the way home saw a 2-door ECHO with no wording on back, it was missing ECHO across the trunk and Toyota under the left back light. There appeared to be no holes where the letters might have been. Very strange, I guess it makes it unique.
Regarding manual transmissions & shifting techniques, some people seem to say that it was bad to put the car in neutral while slowing down and coasting. I always figured it was better than riding the clutch, and under normal circumstances downshifting through the gears to slow down seems rather painful. Of course, I don't do this in dangerous or tricky conditions (like ice or rain or down a steep hill), but I seem to get better gas mileage when I drive this way.
Additionally, I sometimes find it interesting to shift without using the clutch at all (really!). If you do it correctly (at the right speed/rpm), you can slide it right in. And even if you get it wrong, it doesn't grind the gears or anything -- it just won't go in. I don't think I've managed to get this to work when downshifting, only upshifting. At any rate, I don't do this very often, and it never feels like anything is scraping or bad, but I was wondering if there was anything terrible about it. (BTW: I've been able to do this on my 1st stick shift car, a '91 Ford Escort; my last car, a '98 Neon; and the Echo.)
I have a 2001 red echo and it is starting to squeak when I back up and turn the wheel to the left. It started out only occaisionally but now it is pretty consistent. Does anyone have any idea how this may be improved? Otherwise, no problems. Love this little car.
Thanks
What is the purpose of having the Echo doing this?
Congratulations concerning your son's wedding!
Thanks,
Jack
What ECHO color do you like best?
It doesn't take long for it to warm up. In warm weather the light is out before I'm out of my neighborhood - about a quarter mile. In winter, depending on how cold it is and whether I warm up the car or not (longer warm-up if I have to scrape ice and snow), it can take up to a mile of driving time -- really not long at all.
It was a bit disconcerting at first because I thought something was wrong with the car, but now that I know it's supposed to be that way, I have no problems. My husband says our mini-van with the torque converter lock-up is the same way, but for some reason after driving it for ten years, I never noticed it. It could be because the Toyota shifts to OD at a little lower speed than the van does.
To Coolguy - I like my silver best, but the sea foam blue is also nice.
The Seafoam blue is pretty snazzy.
It was a seafoam blue sedan from Wisconsin. That might not be too unusual if I lived in Michigan, but I live in Missouri so they were a ways away from home.
They stayed in front of me and in the same lane for a couple of stoplights before the young female driver shifted over one lane to the right.
I used this as an opportunity to pull up somewhat alongside. The driver of the other Echo had her car almost into the intersection so the front of my Echo was about even with the back of the front door.
I honked and all the occupants turned to look. I mouthed the words, "nice car," and I received smiles, chuckles, and a "yours too" in return.
Later on, I saw a green Echo. I was too far back to see if it was a four door or a two door.
From what I have seen though, the conclusion could be drawn that four door Echoes are more popular in Kansas City than two door Echoes.
Has anyone found good success an in aftermarket cruise control also for the ECHO? I'd definitely get an ECHO if Toyota had these options...although I guess they aren't that hard to get on the aftermarket.
(By the way, re: overdrive not kicking in with the blue light on, the Echo owner's manual says just that--it's not supposed to.)
Found a solution, maybe temporarily, to my rattling door button. I put a short piece of electrical tape around the stem, not too thick so it will lock, and no more rattle. Didn't realize how much that rattle was annoying me so glad my tape is keeping it quiet. Originally I thought the rattle was a wire in the door panel vibrating but found the real source by reaching over while driving and holding the stem against the housing.
When i went into my dealership to get my car seat tethers replaced, i was looking at the car pamphlets and noticed they had a toyota accessories one. In it were all the things you could buy for their lineup of cars. I chose the bug deflector ($79), the splash guards ($49) and the cargo net ($46). (these are Canadian prices)
It took about 45 minutes and I think they made my car look sportier.
I won't concern myself with it any more.
By the way, saw a seafoam blue Echo in Lexington. If I hadn't gotten an unbelievable deal on the black one, I would have bought the blue. Great color for this car design.
Thanks again,
Jack
Yes, I have felt the wind, but never in a manner that I considered uncomfortable or unsafe.
The ECHO is a great car. Buy it and enjoy it.