1- Power... I would gladly give up a mpg or two for more useable power. Power to merge, climb hills are nice to have

2- Thin sheet metal... Looking hard at the box can cause a dent.. Since the panels are tall, they should be beefier... just push on a panel and see for yourself... not too hard though..

3- Interior lighting... Are they having a bulb shortage in Japan? You can't see ____ at night.. especially on the drivers side. The cruise control is also worthless in the dark.

4- Noisey.. Too much engine drone.. I like mechanical sounds... but the xB has some ugly sounds entering the cabin.. They could have used more insulation in the firewall area and made it a nicer place to be.

5- Weak AC... It works.. but can take forever to cool things down on a warm day... The weakest AC of any car around. The fix doesn't help much either.

6- Bouncy ride.. seems like they could have made the rear less stiff. The ride is good for the most part.. but they could have engineered a less stiff ride and still maintained good handling... My Z06 rides better and its very stiff.

7- Cheap ___ plastic dip stick.. Why not provide a metal stick that won't warp, harden and break with time.

8- Drum brakes.. Geeezz.. I thought these things went the way of the Dodo bird along with carburators and vapor lock..

9- Paint.. It looks good... but it doesn't hold up very well... its like it doesn't stick good.. A floating piece of styrofoam will cause it chip..
I know the new paints are water based... but I don't have these issues with my other cars..

10- People asking me when do the Klowns come out....

These are my complaints... I still like the car... Its fun to drive, makes for a great run-a-bout, its economical to buy and maintain... but like anything else... its not perfect...

 

then why did you buy it, the ac is great, you are insane, the ride is better than 80% of cars out there right now and everyone i've known knew the paint was cheap so don't complain

 

I support the opinionated. - Nice write up.

 

Sorry .. I thought this was a forum for open discussion... I didn't know I wasn't supposed to mention things you don't care for..

I think your estimate on ride quality of other cars is way off or you only ride in trucks and jeeps.

AC sucks.. its barely aqequate... you must like up north where its already cold.

 

No issues with the AC here and i live in the Caribbean where our winters are 80 degree temperature..lol

There are some things i dont like about the XB, like the lack of a Water temp gauge, but its not something too big of an issue.. Most of the stuff you listed can be solved by modding it..

 

Good point... lack of gauges should have been number 11

 

I know this for us to list things we don't like, but my list is similar yours...just not as long. To address some of them...

1) agree
2) agree
3) I don't have a problem with the lighting. I'm sure there must be a quick "mod" for interior lighting.
4) I questioned this before I purchased my xB. Honestly, I don't think it's that bad. It's not as quiet as a lexus, but totally different mkt segment. I had a Jeep Wrangler many years back...now that's a noisy interior.

5) No problems for me
6) Overall the ride is very good for me. But I've hit a few highways (looks like concrete) were the ride is definitely bouncy. Overall, 95% of the time it's great.
7) Agree
agree
9) Haven't owned it long enough to comment. Seems good so far.
10) n/a

 

Nice write up, but ultimately do the pros outway the cons?

 

Yes... Fun to drive, economical, good utility,reliable, unique... It's my errand car... does great for zipping around town... Great for those homedepot runs where my other cars can't hang...

 

2 sides to every story I respect your dislikes!

Its all from each of our own points of view too...a/c on my corolla wasnt that great so for me im loving this lol

and the bottom line is it IS an economical car...so they had to cut corners somewhere...I think what we get vs. what we dont get are a huge difference in favor of the positive.

nice points, nice writeup as stated previously.

 

I keep hearing people say somethig about the engine noise. I have no problem with the sound of my engine, Its not loud at all. Am I the only one? because the way people talk about their engines noise I feel like I should really be hearing something and I don't. I really agree witht he interior lighting though. I don't like the fact that there is only one light sort of in the middle which does nothing for the front. That could have been better designed.

 

1. Power - I'm happy right where it is, exactly as much as I need. You have to be willing to floor the pedal with a small Four. It does no harm.

2. Sheet Metal - I dunno, I have no dents.

3. Interior Lighting - I agree. It's particularly annoying when you open the tailgate at night and can't see what's in the cargo area.

4. Noise - It's no worse than other small Fours I've owned. It roars when you accelerate, but it's not a problem at 70mph (with the auto). Most of the noise then is coming from the exhaust.

5. A/C - I have no complaints, but I can understand why others might. I also noticed how I immediately started getting 2mpg better when I stopped using it, so maybe a more powerful AC would not be as welcome as one might imagine.

6. Ride - I love the ride. I love the feel of the road, the sense that the car is glued to the pavement. I can see how someone might think it's harsh, but it's one of the attractions of the car, for me.

7. Dip Stick - If it ever becomes an actual problem, let us know. Meanwhile, it's less likely to burn you than a metal one.

8. Drum brakes - I've had disc/drum on every car I've owned, except the oldest ones. It works. It's simple, it's proven, it's cheap.

9. Paint - Still waiting for a problem on mine.

10. People's opinions - a) who cares? b) around here, xB's are common and sought-after.

Me, I've been buying "the cheapest car that does the job" for 30 years. The xB is by far the best example of that I've ever owned. Of course, the current definition of "the job" changes over time.

RichC

 

Well I agree you should be able to post your opinions I just can be quick to criticize negative posts about my baby. As far as teh ac I live in texas, hard to find hotter and more humid, and I am fine, yeah you may have to kick it up to level 3 to cool it down but I have never had a problem with it. As far as ride my whole family drives luxury vehicles and prefer to ride in the box with me, so no, I don't ever ride in trucks or jeeps. Anyways, hope you can get past the negatives and enjoy your box.

 

Personally I think the Xb is a cheap car that doesnt feel, look or handle anywhere near as poorly as any of the other cheap cars I've driven.

And I've owned my share. Early 80's Starlet, mid 80's Omni and GTI, early 90's Tercel, Late 90's Neon and now the Xb (also an MG midget and a mini but those were novelties not true 'cheap cars').

If you can find a better one for the price, buy it.

 

I like it ....it's fun and easy on the pocketbook. It beats walking and a sharp stick in the eye. I don't care what kind of car you drive you will ALWAYS find something you don't like about it no matter the cost of the vehicle. So enjoy what you got and Be The Box!!!

 

I agree... it doesn't feel like a cheap car.. It does handle better than many other econo cars... In fact the xB like most toyotas feel very precise and refined. My family and I are very fortunate, we have some nice cars at hand. Lexus, BMW...etc.. The box feels good.. I enjoy driving it... but it does have some low spots... as I mentioned.... but then again... so does the GS400 and the Z06.... I was just pointing out what I feel is lacking in this otherwise fine car.... just making conversation... Oh and my family loves to give me grief about my cars... but they really like to tease me about the box...
When I have it parked next to the Lexus... I tell my in-laws... "See.. you could have saved $35K and bought the xB.... its almost the same thing...." So I bring on the insults myself... I made my sister in-law bow to the box when she asked me to help her return a piece of furniture that she couldn't fit in her car........ it was great..

 

I live in Phoenix and have not had probs with the a/c

1. Interior lighting would help out, or maybe a light in the glove box.

2. Road noise is fairly loud, but hats why I have 2 12's in the back to drone it out =)

3. No dent problems and I drive 80miles on the freeway roundtrip to go to work.

4. The only complaint I have is the noise I get from the rear everytime I hit a bump, yes I'm lowered, but I even heard this in my buddys who is stock it was just not as loud.

Other than that I love my box, very happy with scion far.
Just wanted to put in my 2 cents.

Thanks all

 

1- Power... What are you hauling? Mine has plenty of power.

2- Thin sheet metal... Never had a problem with it.

3- Interior lighting... The cruise control is worthless in the dark. Ok, but its positioned such that it ain't too easy to use in the day either.

4- Noisey.. Yep.

5- Weak AC... Set it on recirculate - makes a world of difference.

6- Bouncy ride.. Amen. This would be my #1 complaint.

7- Cheap butt plastic dip stick.. You kidding? This is nit picking. Let us know if it ever actually breaks.

8- Drum brakes.. 60 to 0 stopping distances are phenomenal, what more do you want?

9- Paint.. Amen - this would be my #2 complaint.

10- People asking me when do the Klowns come out... Hasn't been a problem, but if it was I'd say that I make my co-workers drive their own cars...

Overall the pros still vastly outweigh the cons...

 

Plenty of power? compared to what? , moped...

Phenomenal brakes? You're kidding right?

 

i actually like that is DOESNT have gauges? if there are so many things wrong why did you buy it. you should stick to your z06