Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Dennis
but i do plan on keeping the car for a long time anyway, and since i made an insurance claim, it will go on carfax, but i'm keeping reciepts to show the next person down the line what was done and why.
Always a wise move - keep some "before" pictures to show that it was hail dings and not a wreck.
When I sold my M5 the buyer quizzed me about the "accident" report on the CarFax he pulled. I had the before pictures and the body shop receipt showing a minor scrape that was not a problem (someone side-swiped me - barely). It was a non-issue for the sale since they could see how small the damage was and how inexpensive it was to repair.
Dennis
The Box has been a great car and I'll probably give it to my 16 yr. old in about 20K or so. I'm not a huge fan on the new body stlye so I'll probably pass on the XB for my next driver unless Scion does some major changes, The XD is not too bad style-wise, but I have not driven it yet either.
I really think that the xA and especially the first gen xB are going to be cult cars. Then you take gas prices into consideration and they will be more sought after.
If I could keep my foot out of the firewall I might be able to do better than 26-27mpg around town in mine .
Dennis
The Toyota/Scion dealer near me is mostly selling TC's, XB's, Prius, Corolla's and Yaris from new inventory due to fuel economy. They have a lot full on Tacoma's, Tundra's, Highlanders, Sienna's RAV's and FJ's.
I may wait awhile before I turn the Box over to my daughter. I was thinking of buying my co-worker's 2006 Honda Accord EXL V6 when the lease is up. There are only 17k miles on it and it gets turned in around October. She said that it gets 31 mpg on the higway which is 75% of my driving. If gas prices go any higher I won't be buying anything.
EPA find and compare page
Dennis
Have since made another long trip from Missouri to Chicago and the car continues in the 35 to 39 mpg range. And the Seating and vehicle height were a pleasant surprise also.
If this is a young persons car, as touted by Toyota, then I and my wife are going through our second childhood as we are both in our late 60's and love this little traveler!!!!!
I usually run the defrost in the morning for the 35 mile run and run with the windows open on the afternoon return trip. Pennzoil 5w 30 full synthetic oil and tire pressure at 34 PSI. Current OD reading at 86,000 miles.
I wish it was a manual, but my wife can't drive one. I have a Honda Element with manual transmission. The best I got from that vehicle is 34.5, the worse was 23, with reliable estimate of median MPG at about 26. Element, too, showed better MPG as it aged. It has just over 79K now.
Both vehicles are amazngly reliable, low maintenance (neither had any maintenance expenses other than 5000-10000 mile oil change and a new set of BFG tires on the Honda), and retains their resales values. Paid just below 20K in 2003 and still fetches about 10-12K. The xb was just over 16K (including taxes, etc) in 2006 and still fetches about 13K. Local classified lists both vehicles at much higher prices. I am very please with these vehicles. These are unfathomable figures for any of the Detroit 3 vehicles.
I never got more than 23~24 miles per gallon on city/suburban driving for the past three years. With the recent hikes in gas prices, I tried to maintain RPM's below 2500 except when necessary and not to exceed 65MPH on highways (when I had to take highways) and I was able to get 30 miles per gallon for the last two fill-ups. I did not think the difference would be this huge and was amazed with the result.
Please try to do the same thing as I did and I believe you'll see the similiar result. 20% increase in MPG will make a big difference at the pump when you consider $4 gallon gas price these days.
Too bad it will also result it a 100% decrease in your driving fun .
Dennis
Good Post!
Another way to look at it, is that you are now paying $4.00 per gallon to go a given distance. Where before you were effectively paying 20% more, or $4.80 per gallon to go the same distance.
Nothing says you can't "Red Line" it occasionally, for the "Fun" factor. Then have a second fun factor of beating the EPA sticker.
Kip
You really have to calculate mpg based on a number of fills-ups, not just one trip. Doing it for just one trip can be wildly inaccurate, because of variation in fill up technique, blends of gas, how the car sits, how fast you are driving that day, etc.
Also, you may recall that many people here have mentioned that once little Scion engine gets over 65 mph, the gas mileage drops like a rock.
So I'd say calculate at least 5-6 fillups and let us know how it's going.
I understand how MPG works, but you don't have to be a savvy to understand that by zeroing your odometer seeing that is has measured 225 mi when is time to put gas again this means your tank only gave you that amount for the 10.2 gallons you put the last time and in just 8 days. But I will make sure I do a couple of fueling to be able to provide you with more accurate information.
One more thing, is it possible that when the filters were changed they were set to be filled up with a ratio higher than what's recommended?
Regarding the Scion--one thing to keep in mind is that these little cars are geared (in the transaxle gearing) for acceleration, not for top speed. They are, in other words, not a "long-legged" car. This is why the 65mph + penalty kicks in.
Are the tires the stock 15" or are they upgraded to 16. 17, or 18"? Tire pressure at 35psi? Oversize rims and tires rob the Scion of mpg. I also get less MPG with the tire pressure set at the door sticker of 29psi. Oversize tires will make you lose mpg substantially as well as some oversize aftermarket exhausts. Some posters have complained that CAIs have robbed them of 8-10 mpg.
My mpg drops from 32 to 28 when the stock 15" tires are rotated at the tire shop and they set the pressure back to 29psi.
Have the plugs been changed with platinum tipped plugs as specified by Scion? I change the air filter every 10k miles and the oil is 5w-30 full synthetic.
I have 101,000 on mine and it still gets 32-33 mpg and average about 330 miles per tank. I run it regularly from DC to NJ and back at speeds up to 80.
I hope some of this helped.
Regarding the plugs, I have no idea whether these are platinum or any other material. I just know that when I bought it last month I expected the auto dealer to perform a 26 points inspection (whatever this means) and assumed they would change oil and plugs or anything that is considered essential for good performance after some months being parked.
It currently has 37150 and as I said before, not in this opportunity, for instance, I put $30.02/10.5 gal on November 19 and combined it with a fuel system cleaner I got from AutoZone. That day I got 50 miles for 1 gal according to the gas meter, but the day after began to decrease progressively. As for today, it shows 198 mi for about 7.5 out of 10 gal consumed.
Another thing I've noticed is that the gas meter fluctuates a lot, even when I turn the car on the same day. The other day saw it marked 5 gal (I assume each line represents one gal since it hast 10 in total) during the night, and when I turned on the next morning it had dropped to 4.5 gal or less.
To make it easier, I already know the car has some kind of filtration, although the guys from Toyota service told me there is no gas leaking. It might be the tank cap or something like that, but I am thinking of taking it to another shop for another check up.
Thank you for your comment.
Outback was sold with a 6 cylinder. It will NOT achieve 33 mpg.
Nope, not credible.
For the xA, I suggest logging the fuel in gallons pumped and miles at each fill up for the next 5 fill ups, then determining the average mileage.
The xA should get better mpg than the xB. There is an online mileage tracking site that I have been using and there is an xA owner from Dubois Wyoming that is averaging close to 40 mpg in his car.
It is my understanding that the automatic cars are geared better for economy--so I'd say, ironically, that automatic xAs have a better shot at good MPG than the 5-speeds.
This is the data from my xB '05 xB Economy
Also, you can't claim to be an impartial tester, even if you ARE impartial.
Nonetheless, impressive #s for an xA
I tried experimenting with different grades of gas and found that I got 30 miles more with grade 89 than 91. Also, since I put in the grade 91, my car didn't seem quite as peppy/zippy. Also - the transmission "stickiness" i noticed started right about that time I put in the 91. Since then, I have put nothing but 89 into my car. (Yes, I am faithful with my oil changes and checking my tire pressure). I have yet to check if anything major has somehow found it's way into the air filter.
What the heck is going on? I really don't want to have to go to the dealer completely angry that things are going wrong already. Please help... or explain.
Suggest Toyota Corp send memo to back off 1/4 quart at oil change which may improve engine problems stats in the long run, etc! Yes, I know you'll probably get complaints they didn't top it off-so what, it's better for the car/customer!
Well done on the 2012 model-compact car mpg, quiet, refined engine/drive train, etc!