Finally gave in... bought an automatic - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Stubby79 · 03-31-2018, 03:18 PM

...and bought an automatic. My morning commute now consists of bumper to bumper traffic on the highway flowing at an average of 20-30km/hr. Shifting up and down like a yoyo is not what I want to be doing after a long day of work.

Of course, I still wanted 30mpg or better. Which I might get out of an automatic Geo Metro, but I understand they're completely gutless (and I'm used to driving a Metro...don't think I want even less oomph), and max out at 35 mpg. Kinda ruins it.

So what's left, in an automatic and gets 30+mpg? Couldn't find a Prius cheap enough. But I did find an Echo. Not just an Echo. A blue 3-door! (I've always pined over them since first seeing a blue hatchback, and now I have one.)

Complete with a silly little wing on the back.

It's not all grand...though that's probably why it was cheap. 264k kms on it, the driver's window was off the track, and it needs a lot of love...in the form of cleaning. Only have an under hood shot, but it will give you an idea of what the seats and carpets look like inside...

Note the corrosion on the battery hold-down.

5 minutes with a pressure washer and a short drive to dry it out, and it looks much better...

As to the rest...I had the window back on the track in about 5 minutes. It will need fixing properly, but for now she's sealed back up. Despite the 264, she is one tight little machine...not a rattle, handles like a go-cart, goes like snot when you put your foot down. Engine is smooth and happy, for the most part. I'd prefer the cooling fan not to kick in so much at idle, but that's about it.

I'm guessing it survived it previous owner(s) due to being a bullit-proof Toyota. But she will start getting lots of love here on out. The whole interaction with her previous owner was an adventure in it's own right.

Tomorrow she should get shampooed. I'll tinker under the hood after that...

jcp123 · 03-31-2018, 05:14 PM

Automatic Echos don't suck. I do wish we'd gotten the 3-doors down here though. You'll get a lot of life out of that car, mine had been abused before I started driving it and I still got 5 years of service out of it on a shoestring budget. Truth be told, I got rid of mine more on a pretext than because it was truly toast.

cRiPpLe_rOoStEr · 03-31-2018, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcp123

I do wish we'd gotten the 3-doors down here though. You'll get a lot of life out of that car, mine had been abused before I started driving it and I still got 5 years of service out of it on a shoestring budget.

Among all the 1st-generation Yarises/Echos that I have seen, only one was a 2-door (I refuse to count the tailgate as a door). But anyway, most had either Uruguayan (usually manuals and sourced from official import) and Paraguayan plates (an overwhelming majority of them automatic and JDM grey-import), which were somewhat of a sign that they were subjected to some harsh driving.

Stubby79 · 04-01-2018, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcp123

Automatic Echos don't suck.

I've noticed! Peppy and responsive, plus supposedly only 2mpg difference between an auto and a stick. Not much else (affordable) like that.

About the only thing I have to complain about is the lock on the hatch...I'd prefer it to always be locked, rather than having to lock it again after each use. I'm likely to forget one day.

fusion210 · 04-01-2018, 01:32 AM

Does it hold the record for having the largest battery for a small car? Whoa! Some kind of winter package?

Stubby79 · 04-01-2018, 04:02 AM

I think it's the stock group 26 battery. All of ~420CCA. Its not very tall, and probably looks bigger because everything else is so dang small and tight under the hood. Same size as many small toyotas, and the same as in my Geo.

Frank Lee · 04-01-2018, 05:21 AM

Ahh, growth. The Holy Grail of every bidness and gummint "leader" and the breeders quite like it as well. Ain't it great?

Stubby79 · 04-01-2018, 06:02 AM

If by "growth" you mean "getting too old for this crap", then yes...it's "great"!

(I can blame it on the growth of this city...traffic wasn't a problem 15 years ago. Except that most of the drivers were over 70 and dangerous on the road)

Stubby79 · 04-01-2018, 06:04 AM

Soo....who's an expert on Toyotas around here? I mainly want to discuss fluids.

iikhod · 04-01-2018, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stubby79

Soo....who's an expert on Toyotas around here? I mainly want to discuss fluids.

Maybe not an expert but my wife had manual yaris for many years and her sister a yaris verso, and i myself have a yaris verso. Also had a lot of other toyotas in the past.
Ask away, maybe i can help.