Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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however, living in LA, i put so many miles on my car--on the order of 30,000+ miles/year. with the cost of BMW maintenance, i am looking at another car to spread out the mileage. at around 44,000 miles i had the first maintenance bill outside of the included window, which cost about $1400 for front rotors, front pads, rear pads, the oil change, and two new rear tires.
on top of that, i am a musician on the side, so i have to bring around a lot of gear. it all fits in the BMW, but you can imagine what loading stuff in and out of a coupe can do to the upholstery and interior.
the xB looks like the perfect vehicle, and i checked out one at the dealer yesterday. it's not fast, and it doesn't handle like a BMW, but i'd be happy putting 30,000 miles a year on this car, knowing it would need an oil change, new tires every now and again, and not much more than that. plus, with the price of gas skyrocketing again, you gotta love 30 mpg for a thing that runs on regular unleaded. i'm getting sick of paying $35 to fill up my BMW almost twice a week these days.
for what it is, the xB makes a lot of sense.
john
Please share your driving experience, either good or bad. Thanks!
>$20,000 base price
#2 reason not to get the Jetta:
-poor Consumer Reports evaluation
#3 reason not to get the Jetta:
-Audi/Volkswagen have some of the worst warranty and lemon law settlements that I have ever witnessed:
An anoymous friend of mine works for that corporation in a position that has given him/her exposure to some of the many unfortunate customers who have tried to have satisfaction for large repair claims [that should be covered under warranty] or lemons. Three people that I know have been unlucky enought to recieve lemons from Audi/Volkswagen (Jetta, A4, Passat), and were forced to sue to get anything from the corporation...and after lawyers are paid have nothing but a car that doesn't work and an evening at taco bell! I know that there aren't many lemons that make it to dealers anymore...but if you get one, don't you want to rest assured that the manufacturer will give you another car?!
Don't misunderstand, I like the Audis and VWs...but I will only buy them after the new car warranty is finished and the manufacturer is out of the equation.
it's not like i'm against VW's, but the bottom line is that i want a second car (a daily driver) that satisfies these requirements:
1. cheaply priced
2. affordable to maintain/excellent reliability record
3. great gas mileage
4. doesn't require premium fuel
5. has lots of cargo volume for guitars, amps, drums, etc.
the scion xB seems like a no-brainer. of course, i'll get my share of razzing at work for driving a box on wheels, but i'm willing to endure that. i can put a cover over the BMW and drive that one on weekends.
the other thing that i'm considering for the sheer value is my boss who has offered to sell me his 1999 expedition with 49K miles on it for $10K. it ain't fuel efficient, but it is cheap, and i could haul around lots of stuff.
If there is an Accord Wagon, then I'll seriously consider it.
it's not like i'm against VW's, but the bottom line is that i want a second car (a daily driver) that satisfies these requirements:
1. cheaply priced
2. affordable to maintain/excellent reliability record
3. great gas mileage
4. doesn't require premium fuel
5. has lots of cargo volume for guitars, amps, drums, etc.
the scion xB seems like a no-brainer. of course, i'll get my share of razzing at work for driving a box on wheels, but i'm willing to endure that. i can put a cover over the BMW and drive that one on weekends.
the other thing that i'm considering for the sheer value is my boss who has offered to sell me his 1999 expedition with 49K miles on it for $10K. it ain't fuel efficient, but it is cheap, and i could haul around lots of stuff.
http://autopedia.com/html/HotLinks_Lemon2.html
you'll see what I mean. The term lemon is over-used. If you have a 5 year old car that is full of problems, it's still not a lemon, it's just an unreliable car.
-juice
link
Steve, Host
after all was said and done, i got the car on my terms. i pick up mine tomorrow--a dark blue thingy that should save me a boatload on fuel expenses and maintenance. i would have gotten silver, but i can't wait over a month for the thing. silver (they call it thundercloud metallic or something) is the hottest color, and you have to pre-order it if you want it.
the salesperson was fine to deal with. it's the stuff afterward that was a royal pain in the behind.
report on the car to come.
it's bulldog-cute, but i love it. i'm sure that i'm going to get a lot of jibes and raised eyebrows on tuesday at work, but i think it's one of those cars that grows on you.
so far, it looks like 30 mpg (if i extrapolate) with spirited driving. more to follow, but i love it already. it doesn't have a lot of horsepower, but it's quick enough around town, and that's fine by me, since i live in LA where it's hard to find an open stretch of road, anyway.
But I really need the cargo space to transport stuff from Home Depot/Lowes.
My 2.0 5-speed stick Accord only has 98 HP and gets 30mpg for my daily commute to work, so I think XB is an excellent candicate to consider. (I bought my '89 Acoord DX with AC new in '89. The price paid then was about the same as the XB, so the XB is a good value for me as well.)
i think the xB is ideal for you. the amount of cargo space this thing has is just astounding. it drives really well, as well--it's surprisingly agile for a car that's shaped like it is and which has only 108 hp.
i'm digging mine, with the exception that the blue color seems to be a magnet for bird droppings.
I wrote before on our experience and I was wondering if you got the stick? auto? leather sport steering wheel,etc.,
so far we have put 600 miles of very gentle(break-in) driving on our auto,camouflage xb with the leather steering wheel which I love,the 6CD,silver pedals.
my girl drives it most days to work and she really likes it. I use it on weekends,to the car wash,leisure rides,etc... and it is already a ``family member.''
We are leaving on a long driving trip (Texas and Grand Canyon on return trip to California) (I am also a part-time musician and part of the reason for the trip is to go in the studio with my writing partner--who is Texas based--and the XB swallows a lot of equipment) in one week and can hardly wait to hit the open road....
we are anticipating a lot of questions/comments/stares,etc.,...since there are no scions outside of california...congrats on the xb purchase...and who cares about the razzing from others---I drove the xb a couple of times to work and at first there were the negative comments and the styling...lectures...until these same people saw it close-up---and then their opinions softened...slowly they began to inquire about pricing,then gas mileage...and after a few days they were making the ``it's not that bad'' type-comments...while others were completely taken by the xb and were thinking of buying one too...
just my own two cents...please advise on the specs and enjoy....
also is the 108 hp engine adequate in an automatic xb?
if it's been sitting all day long in the sun--it will take a couple of minutes to cool---but then it cools really adequately.
The only time I have spent time in the back seat was when we test drove the xb---and my girl was driving--I chose to ride in back to check out the space--I remember it was a very hot day and I remember that after a few minutes it was cool in back.
As for the automatic/power issue,I really wanted a manual but since this is primarily--the wife's car--I settled for the auto. I think it is pretty zippy--although we have been gentle during the break-in period--but it moves --it is not slow.
If you are used to V-8's and sports cars then ,of course,you may feel that you need more power but if you go into this not expecting to be blown away,then I think you will be pleasantly surprised. It only weighs 2400 lbs....
i put on 110 miles in the last two days, so the car is definitely getting worked in. i'm being pretty gentle with it--no revving above 4000 RPM, with most of my shifts at around 3000 RPM. i've done a split of city/freeway driving, and last night i was in hollywood, so i got a lot of stares at the car! maybe it didn't hurt that i had a really hot girl in the passenger seat.
i haven't put any gear in the xB yet, but it will swallow a lot of gear, and i'm really digging that. plus, the upholstery looks really durable, so i won't worry about ripping things up as it gets loaded in and taken out.
i'm sure i'll get the comments from my coworkers on tuesday! i work as a bond trader, and our parking lot is basically a BMW/porsche/benz dealership. i have a BMW that i love, but the upkeep and maintenance are too high for the amount of driving i do (about 30,000+ miles/year), so the BMW is now my weekend leisure car.
i agree with chris777's comments. i live in LA, as well, and it helps to roll down the windows first so that when you kick it into recirculated-air mode that you have a lower temperature in the car.
my car is a stick, and the power is adequate for getting around. it's not a rocket, nor was it meant to be, but that's fine with me. i don't feel the need to zip around in this car--i have the bimmer for that.
-juice
That means some dealers do offer XB at prices lower than MSRP, right?
Steve, Host
"You will also experience Scion's Pure Price method, which means:
The Transaction price = Posted or Advertised Price. Price menus are clearly posted for all products and services."
Although it is a no-haggle policy, the dealers seem to be able to advertise/post a price other than the MSRP, based on demand and supply.
http://www.scion.com/about/about_faq.html
I have noticed that in the Scion corporate advertising, the usual language about "dealer sets actual selling price" is sitll in there, so I guess some dealers may offer Scions under sticker (or over?).
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The Element may be bigger but I'm willing to be the xB has more payload capacity.
-juice
It's about 14 inches shorter than a Ford Focus
What will they think if I buy a Xb?
xB will garner all sorts of reactions. Some will find it trendy, others dorky, others cool, others just strange. But it *will* attract attention.
-juice
yup, well, that's pretty amazing, but from all the reports i've read, the golf's reliability ain't so hot. the big selling point for the xB--besides the price and the features--is the fact that it's a toyota.
that means i'll change the oil, put gas in it, and change the brake pads and tires every so often. other than that, it's pretty much maintenance-free.
Regarding the Golf TDI. I drive a lot of miles and have owned 2 Golf TDI, 1 Jetta TDI, a Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma, Honda Civic Si, 3 Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord and the list goes on.
My VW's have exceeded the reliability of all the above but the Corolla. Very trouble free and higher quality interior, driving and fit and finish than most of the vehicles I've owned. My opinion is that the lousy VW dealer network gives VW's a much worse reputation than the vehicles deserve. Poor customer service and poorly trained mechanics.
Toyota's are fantastic vehicles for component quality but not as fun as VW. Guess that's why I'm happy to own both VW and Toyota. And I'm thinking that an Xb is going to replace my wife's Corolla.
the more i drive the xB, the more i like it. it's a car that makes sense for so much stuff around town, and the gas mileage is great. the car drives very easily, and i gotta imagine that it's going to have that legendary toyota reliability. it's small and easy to put into small spaces, yet the inside is cavernous.
i've always loved the way that VW's handle. it's a german car thing, which is why i love my BMW, which has now become a weekend car.
I'm shopping for one via internet only. Only about 50% of the dealers even responded at all.
Of those, about half said they prefer to discuss the car in-person and won't answer any questions on-line.
I have been quoted that the price of the 6CD is $395 (it is.) and $670 and $895.
Somehow, they keep making errors in pricing and fees that strangely, are always in their favor.
I contacted Scion about this.
Despite their claims of a new way to buy cars, Scion finally answered that each dealer is free to set their own prices and policies.
So much for a new, buyer friendly experience.
-----------------Mini ------ xB ---- Civic Sedan
Length ----- 142.8 ------ 155.3 ----- 174.6
Height ------ 55.4 ------- 64.6 ------ 56.7
Width ------- 66.5 ------- 66.5 ------ 67.5
I rode as a carpool passenger in an xB last week. The back seat was roomier than my Civic, and the seat was quite comfortable. The ride was a bit harsh for a new car, but that's not a surprise given the short wheelbase. I wish they'd had these in '02, when I bought my Civic....
- SanFranDan
It's odd that those Scion dealers did not respond to your on-line queries. I thought there was a training course for dealers to take care of the Gen-Y (Internet savvy) buyers.
I bet the invoice on the CD option is $395, the other prices may include installation. The dealer has to charge you for labor, if it's not already installed.
Even so, OEM stereo prices are absurd. I got a take-off WRX 6CD changer for my Forester, they run $140 or so now on E-bay, and any good stereo shop will charge about $75 for the install.
-juice
So their prices of $670 and $895 are just rip-off attempts.
I expected the dealers to suck and was not disappointed. I e-mailed 6 and have only had a decent, interactive response from one.
I guess I was let down that Scion Co.'s response was, in summary, "whatever".
-Andrew L
They are not Titled or Registered as a Scion.
Your ownership papers will say it's a Toyota.
Between the crappy, dishonest dealers, Scion's steadfast defense of the dealer's games and that cars are titled as Toyotas- I think the whole Scion marketing hype is a bunch of BS.
-juice
Make: Toyota
Model: Scion
It's strange that the car does not say Toyota anywhere on it yet that's what it's registered as.
Steve, Host
If DMV, it could be that the state that doesn't have it right.
A Scion is registered as a Toyota.
The manufacturer code imbedded in the VIN indicates that the make is "Toyota", not "Scion".