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Scion tC Problems and Solutions

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Comments

  • sighon6sighon6 Member Posts: 10
    i am new to the scion forum. i am currently waiting for my 06 scion tc to arrive here in maine. i am waiting because i didnt want an automatic. so i waiting for my five speed. my question is this. did any other owners have to wait for there delivery? and how long did they end up waiting? im eager to get my car and hate waiting. thanks derick
  • aeroluvraeroluvr Member Posts: 42
    After reading again all of the 2006 issues...for now...I'm keeping my 100% TROUBLE FREE, NOISE FREE, never had ONE problem Nissan 1993 SE Hatchback for now. It is a very similar auto in power and design to the Scion, is almost 13 years old and has NEVER had to go to the dealer for a "problem". I still get offers on the spot to buy it for $6K-8K+ cash! Pretty good for a 13 year old car. I had TWO of them, same age and sold the first one with almost 90K miles on it back in 1999 for $9K.

    The models I bought had all possible options and has been an incredibly reliable and well performing car with no weird noises...ever. It has a moon/sun roof that has never made a peep. Same goes for the hatch area. I have waited over a DECADE to find/see a comparable car be made...I thought Scion might be it but I guess not.

    Will keep reading though and hope for the best. It's not just Scion, seems ALL new cars are cr*p quality these days...and with Scion since it is so cheap, I think the manufacturing issues show where that money savings came from...NOW I see why Toyota went with a separate line name...to protect Toyata rep in case things didn't work out so good LOL.

    I still think it has the potential to be a GREAT car but right now there are far too many design flaws and manufacturing problems not yet resolved. Maybe 2007.
  • markg4markg4 Member Posts: 44
    i left my partially open and my seat got wet. now there is a stain on the sided of it and i am wondering what the best way to take it out would be. i am also concerned that it might get moldy. i left the windows open to air dry in the garage and the seats not wet anymore but i did notice the stain. any idea's?
  • jayjay3jayjay3 Member Posts: 1
    How does this car handle in the snow?!
  • mark19mark19 Member Posts: 123
    jayjay3- the tC handles great in the snow, it also depends on the tires you have on there.. i had pirelli pzero nero's (stock size) and they were fine in up to about 3-4" of snow.. after that i'd suggest snow tires.. but the car as a whole (since some cars aren't good in snow) i didn't feel scared at all.. abs did come on once, but i was on solid ice, and the abs did a great job.. didn't lose control..
  • fightingamishfightingamish Member Posts: 2
    I posted a message on one of the other boards and didn't get a response. Maybe this is a better board for the question. I'm about to buy a new 2006 tC and it looks like some come with Yokohama tires and others come with Bridgestones. If I have a choice, is there one brand I should insist the car has over the other? How are the tires (whether Bridgestone or Yokohama) that the factory/delaer installs? Are they decent (I want something very grippy for aggressive cornering but also good traction for heavy TX rain!) or do I need to plan on buying something better once I take delivery of the car?

    All tire help and advice is greatly appreciated!
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    Suggest you find out the exact model numbers of each, and then go to www.TireRack.com and check the reviews.
  • zhangtao9703zhangtao9703 Member Posts: 18
    Hi,

    Is it true there is no buzzer working with the security on Scion tC?

    I have security installed, but I don't hear any sound when I lock or unlock my tC.

    Thanks a lot for any reply.
  • keke1keke1 Member Posts: 3
    I have been looking at the tC to purchase. I have reviewed the Bridgestone RE92 tires that come standard on the tC via tirerack.com. Not too many people had anything good to say about this tire. Some said it is the worst tire and is very scary in the rain and/or snow. A few said it was ok for an OE tire.

    If I were to purchase a tC, I would ask the dealer/factory to install either the Yokohama or the Goodyear Eagle which I have read have come standard on some tC's...or I would not buy the car.

    I'm curious, did you buy the tC? If so, how are the tires doing?
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,382
    I have them on my car, just turned 10K. No real problems or complaints, even in the wet. Seem to be wearing pretty well, but the winter snow will be a good test (with any luck we won't have any this year).

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • mark19mark19 Member Posts: 123
    I tried the RE92's when i got my tC.. and no i didn't care for them. Braking distances were longer, and handling seemed kind of numb to me. I didn't chance driving in the rain as i replaced them with Pirelli Pzero Nero (stock size) as a lot of tC owners have. Much better tire (ride, handling, braking distances shorter) but a lot of us have had balancing trouble with the Pirelli pzero nero... I might not get this one again.. Lots of trouble to balance :cry: The other tire to look at would be Yokohama and Toyo in the stock size of 215/45-17.. Haven't heard of any trouble with balancing and have heard they are good tires too.. Depends on what you want to do, lots of choices out there!
    But a lot better choices than the RE92's.. they were bad when introduced on the 94 Integra and they are still bad today.. in my opinon :shades:
  • csykes1042csykes1042 Member Posts: 2
    Ive read about all of the problems and questions owner and potential owners have posted. Here's my experience after 38000 miles in my 05 tC.

    Tires: Still have original Bridgestone Potenzas-good handling on dry roads, will hydroplane at speeds over 45 mgh in heavy rain. Ride is a little rough on cracked roads, but not jarring. I live in Florida, so no experience with snow, but based on experience with wet roads, would not trust them in the snow. However, treadware has been great. I expect to get 70,000 miles out of these tires.

    Pops, squeaks, rattles: No unusual sounds from moonroof when closed. When open, lots of wind noise, but what do you expect? No sounds from dash, glovebox, under or between seat as some have reported. I turned off the radio to listen for squeaks in the rear, and did hear some little rattle occassionally, but not sure whether that was from some cargo or what, really had to listen hard to hear it. Because it is a hatchback, you are more likely to hear noises in the rear than in a sedan.

    radio cover: Design seems bad, looks cheap, but mine still works fine.

    Moonroof shades: Look cheap, but again both front and rear still work fine.

    Transmission: (automatic): zero problems.

    Engine: zero problems, don't think I have read of any, either.

    Mileage: about what was posted on the sticker, and I drive aggressively. If you want better mileage, buy a corrolla.

    Heat retention: Interior gets very hot when sitting in the sun in Florida. It helps a little to keep the shades closed, but still very hot and the black interior makes the heat retention worse. Wish there was a lighter color interior.

    Reclining rear seats: excellent feature especially if you have small children who you want to fall asleep in comfortable position. Car seats work fine as well. Kids also like having their own drink and toy holders in rear and their own over head moonroof and interior light.

    Exterior: paint scratches easily, so be careful what you lay on this car.

    Upholstery: No unexplainable stains, but seats are really hard to clean up after kids have made messes. If you are anal rententive about clean upholstery, either don't let kids in this car or get something with an easier to clean interior. I've read that some of you had leather interior put in, that would be better, but don't get black leather if you live in hot climate.

    Driving experience: fun, fun, fun! What other car gives you this much fun to drive for the price? And with an engine that you never have to worry about. And you can personalize it a million different ways.
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    Nice report - sounds like you are a very happy owner overall. Have you had any maintenance issues, other than the usual recommended oil & filter changes and tire rotations? How are the brakes doing as far as wear is concerned?
  • keke1keke1 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks mark19 for the helpful tire advice. I love the tC but I know I will hate the RE92's :cry: You think I can get the dealer to put the Yokohama or Pirelli's on as the OE tire? That would save me money and time. Probably wishfull thinking. I know I don't need a Z rated tire; I'm not going to be racing my car. I just don't want to die in my car in one of the many ice/snow storms that KC MO has every winter. Well, I'm not planning to purchase the tC until the Spring so I'll keep checking this site through out the winter to see if any owners have trouble with the RE92's in the snow. :)
  • stan_top_downstan_top_down Member Posts: 52
    I've only test-driven the tc once (about a half hour w/o the salesman), but I had trouble engaging the clutch cleanly from a standing stop. I attributed it to a very quiet engine compared to my 2 current sticks ('92 Metro LSI convertible - 1L; '01 F250 7.3L Diesel).

    I have never had any trouble starting from stop with my current vehicles - or with other sticks I've owned / driven. I also have driven many "stick" miles from mid-50's Chevy panel trucks (my dad's) through my / our '63 bug, '69 Renault R16, '73 232 cid Hornet, '78 Datsun F10, '82 6 cyl Citation, '86 Escort. I suspect the tc was the quietest of the bunch - hence I couldn't judge engine rpm w/o actually watching the tach. Per this discussion, once going, I had no trouble with the tc's clutch when shifting up or down.

    I'm looking closely at a tc, and at an Ion quad coupe 3 w the 2.4L engine - both stick. I like the Ion's milage compared to the tc's - but Saturn / Scion has a far better freq of repair reputation. Did anyone here compare the 2 before buying?
  • chacobleuchacobleu Member Posts: 228
  • chacobleuchacobleu Member Posts: 228
    And you guys thought you had it the best; teflon. Think again. And while you're thinking about that, think about how Toyota (Japanese mfg.s in general - just ask Mitsubishi, Honda, & Isuzu) seriously down plays their recalls. Hey, this recall may be worse than stated. Maybe the roof piece shatters when open and the driver sneezes.

    For the latest and greatest, get your recall info from NHTSA
  • djvicedjvice Member Posts: 1
    I was wondering if there were any aftermarket fog lamps that could be mounted and fit in the 2 cutouts right below the headlights (where foglamps normally go)...

    me personally, I think the round foglamps going on the grill look a little retarded, and as if it were a last-minute add-on. doesn't really go with the sporty look of the car.

    thanks
  • ginocginoc Member Posts: 3
    looking to swap out my tires and rims...has anyone done that with sucess?? looking to put 205/60/15, 195/60/15 or 225/55/15 on. Life in the northeast and I need some traction in the winter months.
  • gtwgtw Member Posts: 46
    look at the www.tirerack.com site for reviews and sizes.
  • ginocginoc Member Posts: 3
    been there but nothing really gives me the info I'm looking for....any sugestions?
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    Michelin Hydroedge - great wet traction, quiet, 80,000 miles, but $$$.
  • geneegenee Member Posts: 170
    I started looking at the Hydroedge and found they didn't come in the low profile or speed rating for the tC. Then I read the recent Consumer Reports on tires where the Hydroedge is rated "mediocre" for resistance to hydroplaning. A quick visit to michelinman.com gives the message "Sorry, there are no tires to match your vehicle." :P
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,382
    not that many choices in this size. The Pirelli PZero nero got a lot of good press, but I'm not sure if they are still available.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • tonylexustonylexus Member Posts: 94
    Great review for a great car. I've had mine for 1 yr nad 19000 miles and can ditto your experience and observations.

    As for the discussion on tires. I too looked to replace the Bridgestones immediately but the expense lead me to give them a try. While I am not a Bridgestone fan (Duelers wore out at 35k and were worthless in snow on an RX300) I must admit I have been pleasantly surprised with these Potenzas. I would not buy them as replacements, but they have been adequate thru a Michigan winter. Time will tell how they wear. I expected worse.
  • imac61imac61 Member Posts: 1
    I too am trying to put some snows on my tc found some steel wheels and snow tires called winter force on tire rack.com rims 40 bucks ea and tires are 60 ea , and you can have them studded for 15 ea, tried some gm small bolt pattern fit in the back but wont clear the front caliper the wheels and tires from tire rack are 16" if you dont have a tc the gm small bolt hole might work for you, gary
  • weav727weav727 Member Posts: 15
    I just had my tC in for the 15000 mile service...does the tC need new spark plugs at 15000 miles? I though that sounded ludicrous. I ended up paying over one hundred dollars for an oil change, tire rotation, "visual inspection" of various items, and an air filter. I don't know, that seems really steep to me.
  • mark19mark19 Member Posts: 123
    no the tC doesn't need new spark plugs for a long time, they are iridium tipped and they resist wear. it is ludricrous! dealer told me they removed some at 50k miles still looked fine (ones that were iridium tipped)..

    sounds like your dealer is trying to make some $$$ on service for some simple things.. what is the labor rate there? $100? sheesh..
  • weav727weav727 Member Posts: 15
    Ok, good I'm not crazy. I was tricky with them- I asked a different service guy what the interval for replacing spark plugs on a Camry 4 cylinder was, and he said 120k. Then I asked why I was being told to change them at 15k with my tC. I was told it had different spark plugs, etc etc, and a lot of the other Toyota vehicles had 15k plugs, the Camry being an exception. Now, I wouldn't let them do the plugs, but my bill was still that high.

    By the way this is Peruzzi Toyota in Hatfield, PA. I think if I force them to go buy the Scion service manual, I'll be ok, but I'm going to try to find somewhere else to get it serviced. They are TOO EXPENSIVE. Anybody else had this kind of experience?
  • mark19mark19 Member Posts: 123
    I have heard of others getting ripped off at Toyota dealers that aren't also Scion dealers.. I applaude you for going somewhere (or looking for another scion dealer) else. you might want to check out scionlife.com in their forums section you can get dealer reviews, at least you can get an idea of what the Scion dealers in your area are like..

    and yes the tC has the same engine as the Camry, good for you to know that! It's only tweaked a little on the intake side..
  • easyrider10easyrider10 Member Posts: 1
    Try installing Lexus IS300 foglamps. You will have to invert the bulbs, but they are rectangular and look fantastic. You will also have to cut just a bit of the plastic bumper to make them fit.
  • weav727weav727 Member Posts: 15
    Actually the dealer IS a Scion dealer. I don't know what their problem is, but I think they probably rip everybody off that comes in there. It wasn't hard to get an appointment, now I see why.
  • mark19mark19 Member Posts: 123
    wow that IS a Scion dealer.. yeah that is quite sad, definitely find another place. Glad you caught onto them quickly!
  • geracigeraci Member Posts: 1
    gino, do you have a 05 or 06 scion tc?
    I have a 06 and am trying to find cheap steel rims for the winter. I went to the website you mentioned and didnt see any for 40 bucks each....what are they called? are they 17" ? any suggestions on websites to look on?
    thanks....
  • gaurav811gaurav811 Member Posts: 6
    Hi,

    I bought my scion 06 two months ago. And I have now got a job in california. I currently live in ny. So my question is should i drive to CA or to fly ?
    Here are the facts that will help you help me ...
    1) I dont know much about cars at all. Best I can do is to replace a flat tire.
    2) If I fly the new company will pay for my flight but then i have to spend around $1000 to ship the car and my bags. If I drive company pays for the gas. But I pay for hotel and stuff. So basically if I drive I will put 3k miles on my car, burn tires and take the chance that something might go wrong on the way. But I save around $800 in cash given everything goes smooth. Also I have heard that people who ship cars mostly get them back with dents.

    What should I do ?

    please advise.
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    Would you be driving by yourself? If so and it were me, I'd fly. But if you really enjoy your own company, and just want to take your time and see the country, driving might be fun. I wouldn't be worried about the car having problems; I'd be more worried about driving too long and possibly falling asleep at the wheel. If you have a partner that could share driving duties, that would be less of a concern.

    If you fly and ship the car, get references on the shipper, and make sure it's fully insured.
  • trantitranti Member Posts: 51
    Hi!
    It is very interesting question. If I were you, I would drive. Why? I enjoy driving. Your car is new car. There is absolutely no trouble. In addition to that, motel costs only around $30 per night. I drove my car to Texas and back to CA 3 year ago ( 4000 miles). I were happy with driving and sightseeing. Go ahead! Drive. You will enjoy dring your new car. The 3000 mileage adds to your car is nothing. Enjoy your new car, driving and sightseeing.
    Tien Tran :):)
  • gaurav811gaurav811 Member Posts: 6
    Thank you soo much. I will be driving alone but will try to see if I can get any friend of mine to join me. That would be fun. Can you please advise on the list of things I must have with me for emergency.
    I can think of tire inflating tube, some distil water,some food and drink. What else ?
    I`ll get the oil change before leaving and after reaching CA.Also how often should I take breaks and for how long ? How much hours should a person drive in a day without over exerting the car ?
    Its my first drive greater than 400 miles so I am concerned.
    Thanks a lot in advance.
    Gaurav
  • stan_top_downstan_top_down Member Posts: 52
    I typically try to drive around 12 - 13 hours the first day. I live in Amarillo - my first day (when going to Chicago) is just east of St. Louis. I'm 63; I've driven (alone) to Chicago 3 times in the last couple of years, as well as a long triangle from Amarillo to Washington, DC to Austin, TX to home.

    I love driving - most of it has been in a 1992 Geo Metro convertible - now with around 82,000 miles on it.

    I always (in winter) carry water and a warm blanket. I also have a flashlight, a generic set of "car" tools like you can buy at Harbor Freight, Sears, etc. I also carry a pair of jumper cables. I'm an amateur radio operator, so I've always carried a radio with me, but now, in the days of cell phones, a cell phone will definitely be sufficient if you stay on the Interstate.

    I also head to our library & check out audio books (cassette or CD) - that (and music) really helps the time go by. Since you're moving, you may want to consider getting audiobooks at a Crackerbarrel restaurant because you can buy a story at one restaurant and exchange it for a small fee at the next.

    I definitely wouldn't fly - a car is far more fun, and you should really enjoy your TC. If the weather's warm, open the sunroof to keep the fresh air flowing.

    Per how long to drive at a stretch, I can usually last about 2 to 3 hours - at my age (and with the amount of Diet Coke I drink at a meal), my bladder tells me when to stop! Rest stops along the Interstate are fine - I've never had a problem stopping at one, but if you're a single woman driving alone, I think you might be wise to NOT stop at one much after dark.

    If you get tired during the day, pull into the first rest stop you see and take a nap - no one will hastle you.

    Have good maps - AAA, Mapquest, etc. Being a member of AAA is also helpful - towing, etc. Know where the motels are that you plan to stay at (maybe try for 500 - 600 Interstate miles your first day out), although you shouldn't need reservations unless you're travelling over Thanksgiving or Christmas. If you've got a pet, remember that pets (dogs & cats) don't cost extra at Motel 6. Some other chains ban pets completely.

    Know your internal clock - mine says sleep until 8 or 9AM & drive until around midnight - but we're all different. Your driving "clock", though, shouldn't differ from your normal preferred waking hours.

    When you get your oil change before you leave, be sure to have your tires properly inflated. If it's been 6,000 miles or more since your last tire rotation, have the tires rotated, as well. Be sure the service people check the air pressure in your spare tire - they usually forget to do so unless you ask.

    Per the car, it can drive longer without damage than you can. Unless you plan to drive in circles for days at a time in Death Valley in the summer, you'll never stress the car. Just watch your own reactions - keep your brain and eyes active. Check your mirrors frequently, your gauges occasionally.

    Have some food with you - snack food that you can eat while driving without distracting yourself - popcorn, peanuts, etc. A pillow helps too, in case you want to take a nap in the middle of the afternoon.

    Best wishes to you, and, when you arrive, write back to the list to let us know you made it.

    Stan
  • gaurav811gaurav811 Member Posts: 6
    wow.....that was very very informative. It sums up almost everything that i should need. So now I am confident that my car should not give me troubles even for this extended 3000 mile trip. I luv my car and hence making sure all goes smooth.

    Should I let the oil change guys know at the time they inflate tyres that I am going to load it up with all my luggage and so they should inflate more ? Or is it not advisable to do so in a long trip because I guess since the tyre gets over heated the air expands and so extra air might be not a good idea.
    I have an option to go via Route 66 or Rt 50. Any suggestions which one is better in terms of sight seeing and also which one gets less lonely in some parts ?
    thanks,
    Gaurav
  • stan_top_downstan_top_down Member Posts: 52
    Per tire inflation, definitely let the service manager know what type of driving you'll be doing and let him / her advise you.

    Per your route, I just looked up your older postings. I take it you'll be driving from someplace in NY to Los Angeles.

    I'm not familiar with the 2 routes you mention, unless you mean the old Route 66, which really no longer exists - it ran from Chicago to LA - but has been replaced by Interstates 55, 44, 40, & possibly 15.

    As a result, I'll describe the routes I'd take today. If you're coming from NY City, I'd take one of 2 routes to St. Louis. I'm not sure I prefer either, but the first is easier to describe. If it makes a difference to you, I think most of the first route is on tollroads; most of the second route is on freeways.

    Route 1 to St. Louis
    ********************
    Head west on Interstate I80 from NY City to Interstate I55, just south of Chicago. Take I55 south through Illinois to St. Louis where you'll pick up Interstate I44 heading west.

    For sightseeing, spend some time in Chicago, IL & Springfield, IL.

    Route 2 to St. Louis
    ********************
    Take Interstate I78 west to near Harrisburg, PA, where you pick up Interstate Interstate I81. Head south to Interstate I68 at Hagerstown, MD. Then head west on I68 to near Morgantown, WVa, where you'll pick up Interstate I79. Take that south to Charleston, WVa, where'll you get on Interstate I64 which you'll take west to St. Louis where you'll pick up Interstate I44 heading west.

    I prefer I79 to I81 because I79 is posted at 70mph - one of the few highways east of the Mississippi that is. It's also a very pretty drive.

    One of the prettiest areas of the country, which has lots of Civil War history, is Harper's Ferry, WVa. You'd have to take about a 50 mile (round trip) detour, though, to get to it. If you want to, instead of heading west on I68, head east to Maryland highway #65. Take that south to Harper's Ferry - well worth the trip. To get back on course, take #65 back north to Interstate I68 and then head west.

    Farther west, Louisville, KY has some interesting sightseeing opportunities, including a 2 hour steamboat ride on the Ohio River, but I'm not sure whether it runs in the winter.

    St. Louis West
    **************
    Both of the above routes take you to Interstate I44 west (part of old route 66). Take that west to Oklahoma City, where you get on Interstate I40 headed west. For sightseeing, both St. Louis & Oklahoma City are worthwhile, depending on your interests. St. Louis has a great zoo & transportation museum; Oklahoma City has wonderful western American art (paintings & sculptures) at the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

    Then stay on Interstate I40 west until you reach California. I've never driven in the LA area, so someone familiar with that area will have to advise you once you get to Interstate I15.

    Per sightseeing along the way, once you leave Oklahoma City, your next major city is Amarillo, where I live (if you want to get together for a meal, send me a separate e-mail at [email protected], and I'll e-mail you back with my cell phone number). It's worth seeing Palo Duro Canyon here - only 20 miles from Amarillo.

    West of Amarillo is Albuquerque, NM - very interesting in itself, and only about 60 miles from Santa Fe - also very interesting. Heading west from there you'll pass very close to the Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona.

    West of that is Flagstaff, AZ, which is close to the Grand Canyon - definitely a "must see". Also in the Flagstaff area are Tuzigoot, Montezuma's Castle, and Cedar Canyon (all Anasazi Indian ruins which pre-date Christopher Columbus).

    That's as far west as I've driven on I40, so I'm not familiar with the area west of there, but there are some very pretty areas north of I40 in southwestern Utah (Zion National Park & Brice Canyon National Park) that are spectacular if you have the time for a fairly lengthy side trip.

    I hope the above helps. Per time, if you don't do any sightseeing, you should easily make the trip in 5 days - 600 miles a day is very easy on the Interstate system.

    Best,

    Stan
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    There's no right answer...there are pros and cons. Your $1,000 quote is obviously for OPEN trailer, not closed, so there is a good chance of some damage whether you drive or ship. Closed shipping is more like $1,800 coast to coast.

    It's a big country and a longgg drive, especially this time of year pretty risky, too. Besides, you'll need at least 5 days, so hotel/motels/meals will add up.

    I'd probably fly out and take my chances with the shipper Go to epinions. com and see if there are ratings for the shipper you are choosing. Some are great, some okay and some totally dreadful.
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    I found some articles about driving long distances. Hope they help!

    Top 10 Summer Travel Tips

    How to Share the Road with Truckers
  • gtwgtw Member Posts: 46
    My daughter's 2005 tC has around 18,000 miles on it. Bought July 2004. No problems what so ever until about a week ago. When backing out of the garage, her brakes squeak like crazy. Anyone else experiencing this?
  • scott1scott1 Member Posts: 50
    I bought my scion 06 two months ago. And I have now got a job in california. I currently live in ny. So my question is should i drive to CA or to fly ?

    I would drive for sure. I've done several cross country drives..a bunch from Wisconsin to Phoenix, plus Wisconsin to Los Angeles. I enjoy a cross country drive, and have never encountered a problem. By sticking to the interstate highways, you'll always be in cell phone range in case of any problems.

    I don't have a TC, my trip to Phoenix last march was in a Lexus GX470, but the TC is a great road car, and very comfortable on the highway. I wouldn't worry about reliability with a Toyota product either.

    A big advantage to driving over flying, especially since the TC has quite a bit of hauling space, is that you can personally transport your more valuable or fragile possessions without having to worry about entrusting them to a shipping company.
  • tomsr1tomsr1 Member Posts: 130
    Earlier in this forum owners of Scion Tc 's complained about a missing feeling at cruise speed.Being older I remember the cars of the 70's in order to make cars
    produce lower emission manufactures would cause the engine to be very lean at certain speeds and it was very
    irritating to drive the 74 Datsun I had.I assumed with EFI
    this problem went away.I am looking at 2 door coupes
    and visit these sites often so keep up the honest input.
    I wonder if they licked the smog problem with fuelinjection
    and now are trying increase mpg with lean burn.
  • cooldad24cooldad24 Member Posts: 163
    Another thing to consider is how many stuffs you plan to carry? If you are struggling what to bring, then plan ahead and drive. Instead of spend 3 days, which I tried and no fun but tired, leave 2 days in advance. Then you will have time to scene sight and make the trip fun and memoriable.

    As to the brake and tire, they last longer than you think. For tires, with proper pressure, care and doing alignment and rotation with normal driving can last at leask 25K-30K. The brake could last even longer. In general, highway cruising do least wear on the brake than stop and go traffic. All cost you just mileage which is very low due to the price of the car.

    As to the risk of damage, sufficinet planning and preparation, enough rest and plenty of time to spare so you don't have to rush but take it easy, you will be in good shape. If you are AAA member of any of your family or friend is, get the maps and route plan free. Make sure to have them to suggest the one to avoid possible foul weather beside the scene points.

    Enjoy the trip!
  • gaurav811gaurav811 Member Posts: 6
    I am overwhelmed by the really positive response that I have. It really helps in buliding confidence. I do have ample stuff to fill the car and so I am now confident it would be more enjoyable to drive and more cheaper. By the time I leave I expect the car to have 3500 miles on it. So I will do the tire rotation after reaching CA but would put in a Mobile 1 synthetic before leaving.
    I had a question. How do you know when your breaks have worn out ? I mean I had a old honda accord before which had really soft breaks. But I never had problems using them since I just got used to adjusting my breaking distance accordingly. I fear the same i will do to my tc. So when do you guys go and ask mechanic to check your breaks ?
    I am not a AAA member but will become one just for the advantages of maps and road site assistance etc. I plan to finish the drive in 5 days. So might be able to stop at few places but not a long stop over. Mapquest says it will take 42 hrs......is the mapquest travel time given based on assumption that we will drive at speedlimit or less or more ?
    The last question. Today while reversing my tc i reversed real sharply, stopped sharply, changed to drive gear and accelerated sharply. At that moment there was big thud like sound under the car and it jerked harshly. Then everything was normal. I believe I was abusing the car but my head was not straight since I quit my job today. So well, should I take this thud sound seriously and get a checkup or it was just normal when we shift gears this way ?
    thanks a lot guys,
    Gaurav
  • phindiasphindias Member Posts: 11
    The owner's manual says no deliberate break-in is required for the tC engine. Just wondering if there is anything in particular I should look out to for the first 1000 miles.
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    The ususal advice for break-in is don't slam on the brakes for the first 500 miles, don't over-rev the engine (stay below 3000 rpm's at first, then gradually increase the top end but don't keep it at real high rpm's for an extended period, and finally don't drive at a steady speed for extended periods - vary your rpm's for the first 1000 miles.
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