GenFUBAR

Hi Nafis. Heel and toes is something I learnt many years ago, and still do it most the time in the Echo coming down the gears. I'm currently looking at tyres myself, but yet to decide on what to get. I also had issues with the headlights, with the lenses yellowing badly. I fixed mine polishing them with Autosol. They came up like new with a bit off good old elbow grease and time. Also use a good polishing cloth. Use one cloth for the polishing, then use a clean cloth for finishing them off. Mine went from being scary to drive at night to WOW! I'd thought about driving lights, but after polishing up the headlights, I found I didn't need them. Do the airbox mod, it costs nothing, and gives a nice throaty growl & a bit more up & go. Just pull the intake snorkel from the airbox itself & push it aside, it's that easy, that's all I did. See pic attached. Enjoy your Echo. I know I am.

Thanks for that Ian & Tony. Great information.

Nice find Ashley. Looking at the charts in that link, the torque jumps at around 3500-3600rpm, which feels about right. It's not a big jump, but noticable nun the less. Going the turbo route isn't an option to me, and the car will be going to my youngest daughter when the time comes.

Thanks for that info Ian. The Echo does feel like it suddenly starts to pull harder from around 4k rpm, like the VVT is kicking in. My car being a 2005, I thought that that would've been early in the VVT days, I thought it'd work similar to Honda's VTec in that it ran with one cam duration, then kick in another when it reached a predetermined RPM. I know that these days the VVT systems usually have solanoids adjusting the cam timing as the rpm rises. You learn something new everyday.

Thanks for the advice Ashley. I run Castrol Magnatec full synthetic oil. Have for years in my cars, and trust it. Changed the oil and filter about 2k km ago, and it still looks good. My mechanic changed the brake & coolant fluids about 5k km before that when he went over it for me when I took it to him to replace a shreded power steering belt. The car only has around 190k km on the clock, And it's been driven like a Nanas car until I bought it about 2 years ago off family friends who bought it brand new. My oldest daughter had it for about a year before I ACTUALLY got hold off it, and she drove like a Nana also. lol. I don't thrash it, but I usually hit redline at least once when I take it out after its warmed up. Having owned & driven bigger heavier cars all my life, I do get a buzz out off this little pocket rocket, if you can call it that, when I drive it. lol. The tyres on it are coming up due for replacement, and I'll be putting something a little more sticky on it. Bought the car off family friends about 2 yrs ago, and they bought it new, and they put the standard type tyre on it. I'll be staying with the original size. There's still a few Km left on the brake pads, but I'll be putting new fluid in when I next change them. Thanks on the idea of braided brake lines. I'm happy with the headlight globes at the moment, they're plenty bright. They actually out perform our 2017 Jeep Cherokee, high & low beam. Probably change them if or when I blow a globe. The car looks stock, and that's how I like it. I'm into the sleeper look when it comes too this type off car. And with the car looking ok for it's age, I don't really want to put a lot off money into it. Besides, the car will be going to my 17yr old daughter eventually, when she gets off her butt and does something about getting her license. lol.

Hi Tony. Thanks for the reply. I'm hearing ya. I was asking more out of curiosity as to what others have done than anything else. For a car that only weighs in at 900kg with a 1.5 vvti, it gets up and boogies ok, surprises a few people. Not planning on putting a lot of money into it, just wondering what others have done on the cheap.

Hi. I have a 2005 Echo 1.5 vvti 5 speed sedan. I'm after a little more go. I removed the snorkel from the airbox & replaced the old filter, and that made a big difference, especially when the vvt kicks in. All it's cost me is a new airfilter, so I'm happy there. But as they say, Once bitten. What have other people done? I'm in Melbourne, Australia.

Hey Glen. I had the same issue with my 2005 Echo. I used Autosol, a good soft rag, and plenty of elbow grease. Mine came up like new. I did it with the lights complete & still on the car. I used two rags. One for applying the Autosol and giving a good polish, and a second for final cleanup & shine. I did mine about a year a go now, and they still look like new.