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Toyota Echo Owners: Meet the Members

51 messages,  Last post on Aug 31, 2011 at 12:21 PM

You are in the Toyota Echo Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota ECHO, Coupe, Sedan

Messages Page 6 of 6

#42 of 51 The mighty Echo! echo...echo.....echo...... by dake

Jan 23, 2008 (3:10 pm)

I'm late to the game, but might as well dive in. I bought an '01 Echo back in '04 with 75,000 miles on it. It was a single-owner and had been bought new and serviced at the same dealer who sold it to me, so I got all the service records. I drive far less than average (about 9000 miles a year), so I still haven't broken the 100K mark, but it'll happen within the next month or so.
 
I love my Echo, it's been such a great little car. I've had Toyotas pretty much my entire life. I started with an '85 Van that I traded in at 225,000 miles on an '87 Celica in '94. The Celica got flooded in a tropical storm in '01 at 199,000 miles (otherwise I'd probably still be driving it! ). After the Celica I got an '89 Chevy Nova which was just a rebadged Toyota Corolla. The CV joints started going out on that around 100K (the boots got torn, so it was only a matter of time), so instead of fixing it, I donated it and got my Echo.
 
I love knowing I've got a car that I can drive for as long as I need to. A car I can always just get in to and start up. There's a reason Toyota is becoming the number 1 auto maker and it's quality like this across the board, from the least to most expensive cars.
 
*on a side note to the poster asking about what size bolts on Toyotas, they use 10mm for darn near everything.

#43 of 51 Greetings from near Edmonton, Alberta by thegreyone

Oct 03, 2009 (2:17 pm)

G'day. I'm Denis (TheGreyOne), father of a 19 yr old who bought his first car... a cute little red 2000 Echo Coupe with 255k km (or 160k miles) on it. It's in reasonable shape, runs purrrfectly and is a blast to drive. It took about two evenings for my son to learn how to drive the 5 sp without stalling it. It appears to have a bit of a touchy clutch for starting out from rest... the same was true of my nephews 2008 Yaris so maybe it's just the tiny (economical) engine.
We filled it up on Tuesday and with his first fill up he put in 38L for 640 km, 5.8L/100km, 41 mi/US gal or 49 mi/IMP gal. WOW! For such an old engine, I wasn't expecting that but that is what some people are getting as reported in the gas mileage forum. We have fairly rolling terrain and since we live in a suburb... about 50/50 city/hwy driving.
 
I think we are going to love this little car!
 
Thanks for hosting this forrum you guys!

#44 of 51 Re: Cost/replacement of sports cladding? by gbeatty

Nov 27, 2009 (7:55 am)

Replying to: lily888 (Jun 11, 2002 2:46 am)
Someone cracked a short piece of my sports cladding over the right wheel-well.
 
Any ideas on cost of replacement and where to find? Googling cladding and sports cladding lead nowhere.

#45 of 51 Just got a new Echo, I am happy with it by johnnyecho

Dec 29, 2009 (5:28 pm)

Hi I am John from Oklahoma. Ok it's not new. It is a 2001 with 42k on it. The car looks like new and the interior is absolutely perfect. I have added a toyota CD player, and she has been sitting since last Wed because Thursday morning we got snowed in. I am getting itchy to drive it again.
I went through one tank of gas and got 43. It had a half tank, and I don't know what it was. My wifes Vibe loses mpg with the ethanol blend they sell around here, so I am looking forward to a few good tanks of gas with the ECHO.

#46 of 51 Re: Just got a new Echo, I am happy with it [johnnyecho] by thegreyone

Dec 29, 2009 (9:34 pm)

Replying to: johnnyecho (Dec 29, 2009 5:28 pm)
Hi John,
 
You're message got me thinkin' about my son's 2000 Echo. Other than the obvious great gas mileage... I really appreciate the good design. It is easy to work on... the whole dash board snaps apart in sections allowing one to work on it without having to crawl upside down under the dash with my butt up on the seat... etc.
 
ALSO... coming from Northern Canada... throughout the cold spell in late Nov and early Dec. it has been starting reguarly at -38 degrees Celsius... (about -36 degrees Farenheit) sitting in the street, not in a garage and WITHOUT being plugged in with a block heater. Not many vehicles can do that. Mind you... the new battery certainly must be a factor... but STILL... it's amazing!
(Have a good and save New Year's everyone)
 
/denis

#47 of 51 Re: Just got a new Echo, I am happy with it [johnnyecho] by nippononly

Dec 29, 2009 (11:03 pm)

Replying to: johnnyecho (Dec 29, 2009 5:28 pm)
Lucky you to get one with such low mileage! If you're into hassle-free transportation using practically no gas, this is the car for you.
 
And you won't be driving a model that is on every street corner and found by the thousand at every mall parking lot. Even in import-crazy California, an Echo is a fairly rare sighting.

#48 of 51 2004 Echo RS 5-door hatch speedo lighting query by im4eestor

Aug 29, 2011 (8:28 am)

Recently imported a 2004 Echo RS 5-door hatchback from Canada to Minnesota, for my daughter's university transportation, and noticed the speedometer cluster illumination appears quite dim, particularly to the left: Might there be a bad bulb somewhere, that's relatively easy to access?
 
Anyone have a resource for acquiring service manuals for this wonderful little vehicle?
 
Thank you!

#49 of 51 rs by kneisl1

Aug 31, 2011 (3:15 am)

I have a bad feeling that car is different from US ECHOs so perhaps the service manual wont help.
 
I have the SM for our ECHO and will check it out tonite.

#50 of 51 Re: rs [kneisl1] by im4eestor

Aug 31, 2011 (11:46 am)

Replying to: kneisl1 (Aug 31, 2011 3:15 am)
Thanks... it IS different - a 5-door hatchback, which is something never sold in the US domestic market 'til the recent iteration as a Yaris...

#51 of 51 meter by kneisl1

Aug 31, 2011 (12:21 pm)

On the American ECHO with the speedo in the center and angled towards the driver. There is a trim ring around the combination meter as its called. Remove that and see two screws that hold the speedo in place. You lift it up and disconnect the electrical connector to remove it. Looks very easy and i think I had mine out once. From there I dont see anythings but if you look behind it perhaps you will see the bulbs that are burned out.
 
Good luck and tell us what happens!

Messages Page 6 of 6

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