went to my local Titus Will dealer for another closer look at the xB with a friend of mine. My friend is helping me with all the upgrades as soon as i get the box and he wanted to clear up his thoughts about how he thought of the xB *he didn't like it before*. this man is about 6'4" and weighs about 280lbs... hes a big boy compared to me *5'8" and about 130lbs*. i had him first sit in the front passenger seat *driver seat belongs to me * and his exact words "WOW these seat are comy as hell!" while his knees just barely touch the glove compartment without re-ajusting the seat. THEN i have him try the back seat *i have some ideas to move the whole rear seat forward by about 2 inchs, he wanted to get a feel for how much MORE space was back there* and he instantly says "OH ya, if i can sit comfy here and still have a **** ton of leg room left, this can be moved up a couple inches easy and STILL be comfy".

all in all, good day, we managed to figure out that our plans will go as smoothly as expected and the designs should be perfect. BUT WAIT, theres MORE!... just before we leave, i catch in the corner of my eye, an odd colored xB... then i see two more lined up right next to the first. "why whats this?" i said, when i came closer i realised it was the copper penny RS4.0. each one were builds between 1,000 and 1,500 of 2,500. i personaly don't like the color it's self, but i would totaly spend the extra $2,500 just to have an RS model in manual and paint over it later to match the whole project...

this day had now gone from good to outright perfect. the RS4.0 is lovely, the paint is lovely though it doesn't match what i'm looking for but if it wern't for the project, i would keep the copper penny. the build number tag alone is worth the extra $2,500 in my opinion.

from today i have found that by moving the seat up by 2 inches *which is possible using reinforced steal rectangular bars. i can mount the bars where the seat NORMALY bolts to, drill and thread new holes 1.5-2 inches forward from that and bolt the seat back down. i will see at most a 1/2 inch lift on the seat and at max 2 inch movement forward*, according to my measurements, a wheele of choice of upto 18" rim size can and will fit, i can fit ANY 17" or 18" rim size wheele with a configuration of 205 or 215/30-4518/20-40.

Also the rims i will be using will be KYOWA K518's, 18"x7.5", offset in stock is 40, 42 and 45. maybe a special order will fix this to a +25 offset. Tires will be 215/40VR18/25 *V as in i don't plan on going faster then 150*.

 

wait 4-5 months and get the new xB

 

i'd rather stick with the current model. i still have yet to see the new one and i'm pretty content on which version i'd like to have. from the sounds of things, alot of people are liking the look of the new xB and how it's front end is, i personaly don't really take a liking to it if it's as close to the concept as everyone is saying...

 

why would you spend the extra 2500 to get an RS if you plan on re-painting it??? there is not a whole lot about the Rs4 that sets it apart from the stock model, believe me, i have an RS1 and RS3..... these RS's at least have some options to them, but the RS4 is pretty bone stock besides the paint sceme, which is the majot selling point... get a stocker and repaint it don't waste a limited edition paint sceme just to repaint it.... just my opinion

 

oh nono don't get me wrong, i'm not inteding on getting the RS4, just saying it was beautiful and nice to see a RS model in my area. if the old man wasn't so uptight then i would get the RS4 and just paint over it BUT... he wouldn't alow me to i think *trust fund sucks*. i know that the paint is what really sets it apart, but i believe it's the build number tag that makes it what it is.

i would prefure a shadow mica mainly over anything or maybe black gun metal.

 

mmm ... dude, that project is gonna take a lotta dinero.
good luck with whatever route you choose to go with on your potential xB.

 

...not really, it's two steel bars mainly...

then some fiberglassing for the sub settup and sittuating of the new full time spare and batteries.

at most, the only thing that might cost me a pretty penny is repainting some of the interior paneling with black 2 part Polane T in splatter finish to match with the subs and fiberglass enclosure and remodel of the rear cargo area. i'm STILL looking for a paint shop that does 2 part Polane T.

if you want an example of 2 part Polane T, goto your local Guitar Center and check out JBL's SRX and V-Tech series cabs OR if you have access to a JBL GTI subwoofer that is a MKII anniversary, the black splatter finished paint is black 2part Polane T. it's a polyster mixture that is never wet but melted and drys/cools on contact and is VERY difficult damage and in splatter finish is very nice looking.

 

Stick with the current model? Pretty content to which version you like?

WTF are u smoking? You haven't even seen the new model. How can you say "content".. You could LOVE the new model over the old, or HATE IT... but at least wait till it comes out and then pick. You don't want to kick yourself in the ___ in a few months wishing you got the new one...

Just think.. you could be one of the firsts with a heavily modified xB^2....

Don't be so ignorant. I know which I like.. and you haven't even seen it...


If i could afford a second car, I would buy the xB^2 just cause.... version 1 and 2.. why the hell not? I just can not get rid of my RS1 and until it's paid off, i'll be driving it.....

 

"You haven't even seen the new model"

thats my whole point, i'm not going to want something i havn't seen. until i do see it with my own eyes, i'm not going to want it.

plus i don't plan on waiting even longer to buy.

 

LIGHTEN up please? Maybe he likes the regular (original xB)? Plus who knows how much this new one will go up in price. I'm thinking at least 2 grand just for all the so-called improvements.

 

i've seen the new model , bleh.


why move the seats forward?

 

for someone who doesn't understand... and i'm sure the comments will continue..

by repainting a RS.. the RS4 ESPECIALLY.....

that badge might was well be worthless...

you want a build number? you can look at your VIN. it's special.. no one else has the same one.

 

^^^YES, Essentially the tag will mean nothing cause the is no proof that it was an RS4.0 in the VIN. Glad he isn't planning on wasting an RS4.0 for this project tho.

 

yea...

 

the reason why i say it's worth the tag alone is because what if the owner doesn't like the color? or what if they got tired of the color? the tag is still there and theres always a camera handy for before and after results.



moving the rear seat forward by about 1-2 inches wil allow for a bit more room for a full time spare to sit with a ood rim size. fitting so that it's relatively easy to pull the spare out when needed might require the rear seat to be moved forward, this is of-course if you ahve a 17's with good 45 series or higher tires or 18's with 40 series or higher tires. i'm goign to do a step by step for everyone here that way if someone else is interested in the settup they can follow along them selfs. completely re-doing the rear storage area to fit two 10s on the sides near the cargo windows, full time spare, ice/snow chains, compact tire pump, small jack, tire iron, replacement lugs, flares and jumper cables. my settup of-course should never have the need for jumper cables... i've got enough battery juice to seem like i'm holding 3 stock batteries at once. but thats not the point, the point is to cram it all in and have it look nice. 80% of the all the road saftey stuff will be situated inside the rim space of the spare as there is TONS of room there. still working out a spot for the compact tire pump but i'm 99% sure that it will fit *100% sure if the tire pump wasn't needed...*

you'll all see when it's done and how to do. i've got it all figured out *points to his rough design notbook and handy dandy external harddrive with all the detailed layouts* .

 

Why full sized spare? Mine is almost 3 years old and the spare has never touched the pavement. I would think just a can of fix a flat or have a good road service would do in a pinch. Or just carry one of the steelies if need be but not a fifth complete matching wheel/tire combo. Just seems like way overkill to me.

 

well if you think about it, having nice rims is nice, but when you do get a flat you are most likely going to ride the rim and chew it up pretty bad within the first couple of seconds of knowing you have a flat. having the 5th nice and new looking spare in the back is very nice to have that way it doesn't look too dorky to have one steely goin on or you're riding around on a chewed up rim.

plus, do to the tire size and whatnot, using the factory temp spare with upgraded wheels can be very bad if your main wheels are a larger or smaller size then the temp spare. you can put mass prolonged stress on your suspension and chassis if you're not near a tire center.

it's one of those things where everything is thought of, incase of not being within your road side assistance service range or if you're nowhere near a tire center or of you're out of cell phone range in the middle of nowhere. those supplies will come in MAJOR use cause i don't know about the rest of you but it seems to be a bad luck thing with my family that something goes wrong like a flat or bad icy wheather when someone is driving alone and is on a long trip on a long stretch of road without cell signal or emergency *road ready* supplys when they are needed. see my view on this now? not saying it will or wont happen, but it's better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.

 

 

If the owner doesn't like the color, they shouldn't buy that one...
Really, the biggest draw of an RS, especially this one is the paint. It seems silly to even think about repainting an RS. (You'd also have to dismantle the tail lights and repaint them (those are color keyed)).

If you're in the market to buy, I would wait. The new xB debuts at Chicago in just over a week. There will still be 1st gen Bs on the lot after they show the new one. It's not like the old ones are going to vanish. This way, you give yourself the choice, and the ability to truly be "content" with the current gen. You can wait 8 days, I promise.

 

toyotaisme, those are some nice wheels and they go great with that color for sure!