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Scion xA

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Comments

  • montazhmontazh Member Posts: 8
    thank you for your reply. i really appreciate the specific instructions!
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    what was your out-the-door-price on your brand spanking new RS 1.0 xA? I saw one a month or so ago at my nearest Scion dealer and I was very impressed by it's looks. Those wheels and tires are sharp looking. A harsh ride wouldn't bother me(I don't think it would anyway), I drive a '01 Kia Sportage 4x4 that rides like a little truck. It's got 88,400 miles and I'm looking at the Scion tC for a possible trade-in, next year sometime. This bright red xA looked pretty sharp, though, in a quirkish sort of way. It really gives it a sporty look.

    jwinters...are you happy with your RS 1.0 xA? What could be improved? IIRC the price for that special edition xA was only around $13,895 before T&L. Is that correct? Also, are Scion dealers out of them all now? I know there are only so many of them available. I have read this entire thread so I've read a lot about the xA already. Just wondering how your experience has been. Anybody else's opinion is welcome about their non-RS 1.0 xA's, too. That value price looks nice-it's one thing I love about buying Kia's, indeed.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    I went by the dealer tonight and they go for around $15,500 plus tax and license. That is still a good deal for what you get, though, obviously. I will not scratch it off my list and I also decided to not test drive one yet. If I'm still interested in the spring-early summer of '05 I'll test drive one then. The xA RS 1.0 in that bright red I saw at the dealer tonight was an automatic or I would have asked to test drive it! Maybe later.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • scotty0820scotty0820 Member Posts: 7
    The dealer signs a covenent with Toyota stating they will not discount the pricing on the Scion. I bought my xA RS 1.0 (#240 of 1550) last week for $15,195 in Springfield, MO. I have the only one in the area right now.

    I saw one this weekend in Denison, TX for just over $16,000... so I'm not sure what the difference is.

    Expect to exact MSRP on any Scion.... and I LOVE MINE by the way....
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    does your xA's taking of bumps annoy you? Or is it what one would expect with thinnish sport profile all-season radials? Any rattles or other petty problems popping up yet?

    Automatic tranny or manual?

    You must have bought from Reliable Scion in Springfield, eh? I looked at the closest dealer to me-just a hop, skip and a jump over from you at Seeger Scion in St.Robert, MO.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • zephyr67zephyr67 Member Posts: 3
    I just purchased a Scion XA in Columbia SC. I am waiting for delivery so I don't have much to say about the car but I can say that it was the easiest buying process I have ever had buying a car. My trade in was under valued but when are they not. The no haggle pricing is wonderful. The dealer didn't even try to push any options. I told him what I wanted, put down a deposit and that was it.
  • scotty0820scotty0820 Member Posts: 7
    It's definitely not as smooth a drive as my Explorer Sport Trac was, but you're right... it's exactly what you'd expect from a tiny car. I think it is fun to drive. Reminds me of my 1984 Pontiac Fiero.

    Since we went out of town for Thanksgiving, I only have 200 miles on it... no rattles yet. Seems very tight and built well. I thinks that's what most Toyota owners will tell you.

    The RS 1.0 is a manual. Yes, I nabbed mine @ Reliable. They had one silver automatic and one black manual of the plain variety... don't know if they'll ever get another RS 1.0. I lost a lot of sleep worrying that someone else would get it before me.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    I have the RS 1.0 xA bug. They do that on purpose, the "only 1,550 so hurry and get yours" thing. Oh well, that's the pull...I mean, I don't really have a hankering for a plain xA much at all. The plain ones just look sort of..umm...plain. Something tells me sales data will show Scion planning engineers that they best be building more of these "RS 1.0" series cars, eh? I remain interested, indeed.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • billmchalebillmchale Member Posts: 107
    I agree that the RS 1.0 looks much better than the basic xA. I think the color might be part of it, but I think the grill is a big part too. It makes the nose look much nicer. I wonder if you can get it or something similar aftermarket?
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    full steam ahead you probably can. Yeah, the grille looks way better up there on the RS 1.0. I also like how the red color accentuates the wheel well styling on this car. I even like that neat little spoiler out back!

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • billmchalebillmchale Member Posts: 107
    Well I am not sure I am going to get an xA... there are just a few too many features lacking from it... I would have traded the power windows for cruise control... and a sunroof is a pretty high priority (though I know that is avaible on the RS 1.0). I also wish they would include the skid control from the xB on it. Oh and a 15 gallon gas tank would be nice as well :).
  • fdannafdanna Member Posts: 263
    If I could get cruise control on the RS 1.0.. I'd go get one.

    Hey, has anyone bought or tried out the suspension kit for the xA? It's on the Scion site and it says that it provides a more "compliant" ride.... does that mean less jittery? I don't think this is sport kit.

    It appears that toyota is paying attention customer quibbles if this is the case.
  • scotty0820scotty0820 Member Posts: 7
    I very much doubt they'll add to the production of the RS 1.0... but there will be a an RS 2.0 next summer I think.... It'll be blue from what I found this on ScionLife:

    :)Just in: RS 2.0 will be in Blue. That should get some people going. Originally it was going to be speedway blue like in the new tacoma-but that has not yet been finalized. Expect Production in April 2005 and a May release.

    Plus on every 06' Scion MP3 minijack connections to the head unit. The RS 2.0 will probably come similar to the RS1.0 on th external, plus fog lights. Roof is a ? so is VSC and Trac.

    -I hope I dont loose my Job leaking info like this-I'm just too excited to keep it all in.
  • scotty0820scotty0820 Member Posts: 7
    I very much doubt they'll add to the production of the RS 1.0... but there will be a an RS 2.0 next summer I think.... It'll be blue from what I found this on ScionLife:

    :)Just in: RS 2.0 will be in Blue. That should get some people going. Originally it was going to be speedway blue like in the new tacoma-but that has not yet been finalized. Expect Production in April 2005 and a May release.

    Plus on every 06' Scion MP3 minijack connections to the head unit. The RS 2.0 will probably come similar to the RS1.0 on th external, plus fog lights. Roof is a ? so is VSC and Trac.

    -I hope I dont loose my Job leaking info like this-I'm just too excited to keep it all in.
  • jwb18tjwb18t Member Posts: 45
    A beautiful Red one with manual. Nice car! MotorWorld in Wilkes-Barre, PA has 2 of them.
  • digyadigya Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone have any experience with snow, ice & heavy rain in the xa? Is it with the 04' or 05'?
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    very cool new info.on the RS 2.0, indeed. If the RS 2.0 in blue looks anywhere as close as cool as the Absolutely Red RS 1.0 I will be watching for it. I'm not in any hurry to trade, but I love to research my next purchase for literally months on the net. Come in there prepared and informed, that's the way to do it, gentlemen!

     

    Question about the RS 1.0's moonroof. Does it automatically open with the push of a button or does it pop up manually like the tC's?

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • zephyr67zephyr67 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2005 Scion XA. It is brand new but I have one question. I have noticed that when I am sitting at a stop light and I have my foot on the break but the car still in drive there is kind of a knocking vibration. If I put the car in neutral it goes away. It is also not present when driving. Is this normal?
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    Is this an automatic? If so, I had a similar problem on an Echo (same motor, transmission, engine bay). Basically, at idle at a light, the engine moves back and forth (shakes) in the motor mounts more than when the rpm are higher. This causes a bracket on the left side of the motor to whack against another bracket or part. The dealer fixed it when I took it in. The only aggravating part was trying to duplicate the sound so they could find it. All they had to do to fix it was bend the hose bracket causing the problem just a little.
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    Anyone have the TRD (Toyota Racing Design) muffler designed for the Scion xA? The stock muffler is restrictive, but the after market (Dynomax, Magnaflow, Walker, etc.) ones I have tried drone a little too loud for me. The Customer Service rep at TRD claims the tone is lower, but not louder, with the TRD muffler, which is designed for the car and not interchangeable. On the other hand, the TRD muffler costs about as much as all the other mufflers I have tried to date, combined.
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    I have had the xA for 12,000 miles and about 15 months now, so I thought I'd give an update.

     

    I still have a love-hate relationship with the car. I think it would be more hate than love, if it were the only car I drove, but I rotate it with two other cars (VW Golf and Dodge Neon) for my commute. As it is, whenever I get back in the car after driving the others, I am impressed by the awesome Toyota quality. This quality is not only the "doesn't break" kind we are all used to, it is the "looks neat" quality that hasn't been there in the past on Toyota's small cars. This Scion is like a miniature Lexus, in comparison to my former Echo which was, at the end of the day, kind of "cheap."

     

    The engine/mechanical sound on this car is great. The motor sounds so smooth and willing. After more than 10,000 miles, it has finally broken in to the point where aggressive use of the throttle rewards with a sporty feel. No, you won't mistake it for strong acceleration, but the car can certainly keep up with (or pass) traffic, just be prepared to downshift and make a run towards (but not necessarily all the way to) the redline to make it worth your while.

     

    On the negative side, I tried to put a rear facing baby seat in the back of the xA the other day, and discovered that while there is plenty of knee room for people, the arch of the front seat back into the baby seat space means you've gotta put the baby seat immediately behind the passenger front seat and either move the passenger seat fairly forward, or tilt the passenger seat back fairly upright. So, if you really want to use a small car like this for an infant, the xB is much better, with its gargantuan space between the front and back seats. On the other hand, the car didn’t lose any discernible acceleration with the extra passenger load.

     

    (To give you an idea of the difference in rear seat room on the xA vs. xB: I can't fold down the rear seat, flat, on the xA without first taking out the rear head rests, and this is based on a short driver with both front seats pulled much closer to the dash than average. In comparison, when I checked out an xB last month, I set the front seats where I have them in my xA, which left TONS of space behind the front seats, and the rear seat would readily fold forward without removing the rear headrests. The xB has more rear seat room than the Golf or Neon, and much more than the xA. It's like a limo! On the other hand, the xB has a trunk that looks about 2 feet deep. With a car that short, you either give the rear passengers the leg room, or save the space for the trunk.)

     

    (I don't think we will have the same baby seat problems when the baby is old enough and big enough for a front facing seat, because front facing seats take up a lot less room than rear facing seats.)

     

    Back to the xA. I said, "love/hate" so you are probably wondering about the "hate" part of it. Well, if I drive it more than a couple of days in a row, I can't stand the suspension, which is stiffer than so-called "sports" suspensions, even stiffer than so-called "after market sports" suspensions. Of course, when I get back into the car after rotating it out with other cars, I am amazed that Toyota has managed to extract sports car handling at this level out of a tall, narrow vehicle like the xA. So obviously there is a payback for the stiff suspension.

     

    Closely related to the stiff suspension is the short wheelbase - on most freeways the ride can be pretty "choppy." Once again, this is reportedly less of a problem on the xB.

     

    Finally, the engine is ultra smooth, but at 4,000 rpm, which are the rpm required to keep up with 80 mph traffic, things feel a little "rushed." In comparison (and I don’t know how they do it) the VW Golf at the same speed/rpm is much more hushed.

     

    I am thinking about trading the xA in, next year, on an xB with an automatic which, although much slower, would be a much better city car for my wife (with baby in back). However, I am fairly certain the xB will never be as "tossable" as the xA, it will be MUCH slower with an automatic instead of a stick, and the pricing on the xB is very close to current discounted pricing on a Golf GL, which has better safety features (side curtain airbags).

     

    How much do I love the xA? It's the car I keep wanting to drive again, it's a lot of fun after I’ve been away from it for a day or too and forgotten its disagreeable aspects.

     

    And I have been getting a consistent 34-35 mpg!

     
  • littlecarlittlecar Member Posts: 3
    thanks for posting these photos as a comparsion. sorry i'm confused which is which (probably my browser)

    can you tell which is the first car (yellow) and then last (do they make this in 2D)?

    thak
  • mpalmermpalmer Member Posts: 20
    How many of you would rather have a Matrix? I test drove a Matrix and loved it, but haven't drove a xa yet? Isn't the Matrix a better car that will have a better resale value?
  • billmchalebillmchale Member Posts: 107
    Well it will probably be worth more in a couple of years than the xA, but then again it started out costing more so your likley to loose less though appreciation on the xA unless the latter really underperforms on the used market.

     

    As for being better? Thats somewhat subjective. I terms of fuel economy and power the Matrix I think comes out a head (ok, technically the Scion does a little better in fuel economy.. but trails in power by a fair bit). However many think the xA is a better looking vehicle and if you spend alot of time parallel parking in cities the shorter xA will be greatly appreciated.

     

    --

    Bill
  • mpalmermpalmer Member Posts: 20
    Bill,

        That seems like a pretty fair comparison :) It also looked like the xa has less cargo space than the Matrix.
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    I got an unexpectedly good deal on another car and traded in the xA this weekend. Remarkable trade in value - $10,500 despite being a stick shift and having some minor damage around the rear wheel well (shopping cart? can't figure out where it came from). That's holding a lot of value, even though mileage was low (12,500). I had no accessories, but I had tinted the rear windows.

     

    I missed my nifty little slot car racer almost immediately.
  • kkoankkoan Member Posts: 7
    Hello

     

    I have had my Scion xA for a little more than 3 months with around 3200 miles on it. I'm a bit concerned about something: the car's engine makes a lound rattling sound when I stop at a light or when I am idle after a while. The longer I drive, the louder the rattling gets when it's idle. It only happens on the "d" shift, not on R, N, or Park.

     

    I took it to the dealership and they said it was a loose component in the engine. First they said they would have to order an extra part. Then they bypassed that and said they didn't have to and fixed it. It was OK for a few days but the rattling returned. Then last week I took it to a different Scion dealership when I visited my parents. They said that it was a loose component on the air filter. The rattling came back! It's still loud and I've asked a couple other people if that was "normal" and they said it wasn't.

     

    I've taken the car to 2 different dealerships and neither of them have been able to permanently fix the problem. Along with that, I'm not happy with the mileage it's getting - it's been inconsistent. It started out averaging about 27 mpg, then to 28. 5, then to 30.5, and now recently the past 3 times I have filled the tank, I've been averaging 27 mpg. I really feel I should be getting better mileage because even though I do drive in the city, I usually use the car on the freeway to go to work which lasts about 15 minutes each way with normal traffic.

     

    I'm concerned. Any advise?
  • carlisimocarlisimo Member Posts: 1,280
    IT'S GONNA BLOW!!

     

    Sorry. Um... you might have some luck having them adjust the idle speed up and down in small increments. Motor mounts could fix it, but I don't know how those would go bad in the first place.
  • mjgrossmjgross Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone installed XM.....how much did it cost, where did you have it installed ?
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    You said:

     

    "I have a 2005 Scion XA. It is brand new but I have one question. I have noticed that when I am sitting at a stop light and I have my foot on the break but the car still in drive there is kind of a knocking vibration. If I put the car in neutral it goes away. It is also not present when driving. Is this normal?"

     

    I had an earlier post about this. You are the second person (besides me) to have this issue. The issue for me came up on an Echo with an automatic. I presume you have an automatic, too. I had a stick shift xA and this was never an issue because stick shifts don't shake at idle - automatics SOMETIMES have a little engine shake because the rpm dip down and the engine is under load when left in Drive.

     

    Anyway, I took my Echo to the dealer and they quickly found the problem - one of the brackets on the top part of the engine, I think the one that routes the throttle cable, was hitting against another piece in the engine compartment. All they had to do, was bend the metal bracket a little. Like you, I thought the knocking sound was much more serious. It isn't, and the fix is quick and simple, if you have a good "knocks and rattles" tech to listen to it.
  • jj_accordjj_accord Member Posts: 8
    A friend of mine is considering an XA. I was wondering if Scion's are part of the Toyota Trac program and dealers do have access to low mileage ones they can sell as certified pre-owned?

    Thanks.
  • tundradudetundradude Member Posts: 588
    I saw three at a local dealership, and I was impressed. Its a pretty car.
  • haiyokahaiyoka Member Posts: 2
    It is automatic. Slides and/or tilts. Works absolutely great! Really makes the car fun.
  • haiyokahaiyoka Member Posts: 2
    I've had my 1.0 Xa for 21/2 months now. At 3,000 miles, I'm still only averaging 28-30mpg on highway driving. 30 mile commute each direction, 28 miles I drive 45-60mph, little stopping, only 2 mile of city driving. Dealer says don't even watch gas mileage until have 5,000 miles, but I think this is what it is.

    I really enjoy the little car, love the sun roof (never had one and it works perfectly), and really like a lot of the features--but the gas mileage is disappointing. My old 4-cylinder Toyota truck with camper shell does just as well!

    With more driving, how is yours doing?
  • billmchalebillmchale Member Posts: 107
    Tundradude, I agree about the 1.0; I think the front grill on it is far better than the standard one and makes the car look much better.

     

    I hear Toyota is planning on restyling the xA and I wonder if that is where the designers are going to concentrate (Or maybe they will just switch all the cars over to the new grill).

     

    --

    Bill
  • supercarriersupercarrier Member Posts: 7
    I am thinking about buying an xA for my newspaper routes. I run 2 small local routes and a huge USA Today. I had 155000 on a Chevy Metro and it finally blow up. I drive about 650 miles per week. I need a strong car, good on gas and one that will last. The Metro lasted 4.5 years, so I am hoping a Toyota based car will last longer. Half of my driving is highway miles. Anybody use there xA like this. Chuck
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    Just check the load capacity to make sure it is sufficient.

     

    It's the smallest, lightest, most fuel efficient (except for the hybrid) Toyota.

     

    Another option is a Matrix, assuming you need a hatch and 4 doors.

     

    There are no major glitches in the xA. It is similar to the Echo, which has among the highest reliability ratings from Consumer Reports. It is not a new car, it was previously made and sold in Japan and Europe.
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    The xA and Echo are based on the Japanese market Vitz. A new Vitz and its specs have just been announced - Google "redesigned toyota vitz" for details. It sounds like just the incremental upgrade we have been looking for in the xA - slightly longer wheelbase, more rear overhang for better luggage etc.
  • supercarriersupercarrier Member Posts: 7
    Got my Silver Scion xA Sunday in Louisville, $14100-w/ Cruise! They had the Ross people do it and it worked fine. Love the car!
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    Compared to old Vitz/xA:

     

    new platflorm, suspension, brakes, compact torque converter (on automatics);

     

    shortened nose (! it was already short!) and lengthened rear overhang for more interior luggage space;

     

    4.3 inches longer overall, l8 taller, 1.2 inches wider - but most importantly, 3.5 inch longer wheelbase - still on the short side, but the ride should be a lot less choppy!
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    Congratulations! You WILL put more miles in a short time than any of the rest of us, so PLEASE update us on repair and warranty matters. Should be pretty good, but your reports will be invaluable!
  • rossm2rossm2 Member Posts: 96
    You must be careful in the comparison. The xA and the old Vitz are not the same car. The Vitz is the same in dimensions as the ECHO hatchback found in Canada, not the xA.

     

    Length: 147.1"

    Width: 65.4"

    Height: 59.1"

    Wheelbase: 93.3" (same)

    Weight: 2150 lb. (5-door manual)

     

    Ross
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    I am still hoping for the best on the xA getting a little longer, wider track....
  • rossm2rossm2 Member Posts: 96
    I was planning on getting an ECHO hatch later this year, but will probably wait now until the new one is out, or at least until the specs are known. I actually hope that the wheelbase and track DON'T grow very much. I have always appreciated small cars (my first new car was a '69 Austin Mini Cooper - yup, the real thing). A short wheelbase, narrow track car is wonderful for negotiating forestry roads, and we have an abundance of them here on Vancouver Island. The current platform does not have particularly good clearance, so making it too much longer/wider would make it less useful for me. On the other hand, my Duck Toller would probably like a bit more room than the current hatch provides for stretching out. :-)

     

    Ross
  • supercarriersupercarrier Member Posts: 7
    Since I will be putting about 700 miles per week on my xA at least, I will keep everybody posted on its' performance. My two local routes are mostly bag and toss, not any really hard stopping, and my huge USA Today route is 75% highway stops and 25% in the main drag where I live. I always drive careful and repectfully-I think this is why my paper cars last so long. I look forward to posting messages and getting feed back from everybody! Chuck
  • tundradudetundradude Member Posts: 588
    It would be very interesting to see a second generation ECHO. Although, I think there is a low probability. I know the Canadian market is different. Canada still has the Celica or rather is Tsunami.
  • rossm2rossm2 Member Posts: 96
    Indeed it is. The ECHO, largely due to the hatchback, was the number 10 selling car in Canada for 2004! Small cars, and especially hatchbacks, have always been much more popular here than in the States. And yes, the Celica is still offered here.

     

    Ross
  • tundradudetundradude Member Posts: 588
    Small cars would be more popular if gas prices rise. However, that would make going camping more expensive.
  • supercarriersupercarrier Member Posts: 7
    Well I have had my Scion xA for 11 day and have almost 1400 miles on it! I love this car. The power steering, 15" tires, great sound system, and heavy duty suspension are great!!! I had about 850 lbs in the Scion on friday and it handled perfectly. The power steering makes my routes so much easyier. The cruise is great when I am coming back from my USA Today route. And Gas-28.23, very impressive for what I do. How long has the xA been sold in Europe and Japan? Some history please. What about using synthic oil? Any help would be much appreciated...
  • fdannafdanna Member Posts: 263
    Oh boy, you're really opening up a huge can of worms with the synthetic oil discussion. There are two distint opinions on this. I belong to the side that says it's completely unnecessary and a pure waste of money (like high octane gas).

    The only reports that seem to back it, come from the manufacturers of the synthetic oil because they make more money on it.

    I say save your $$ and stick with the regular oil from a high quality brand and change your oil on the normal schedule (probably every 7500 miles, check the book).
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