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Does Scion need saving?

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Old 03-15-2008, 05:11 AM
  #21  
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the avensis is the tC already, they just deleted the back doors.
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Old 03-15-2008, 08:56 AM
  #22  
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Rear wheel drive would definitely be nice. I find myself driving the xB less and less because of the FWD and the way it drinks gas at highway speed (80+... if your going slower, great... you left home early. Screw that.).

The problem is trying to get RWD, good mpgs, and something worth fiddling with.
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Old 03-15-2008, 04:10 PM
  #23  
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the thing is Scion set the standard for sub 20k vehicles. Auto companies took that standard and rose the bar. Scion/toyota has not compensated for it.
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Old 03-15-2008, 05:05 PM
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i wouldnt say so, and also the other companies have not instituted the great ease and fun it is to buy and own a scion.
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Old 03-15-2008, 05:28 PM
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No doubt. the approach they use to purchasing a scion is great. However, the competition are now producing cars that come with a lot of standard features for an affordable price. Something that was unique to the scion brand.
Other than the purchasing experience and the level of involvement the company has with the consumers, in the way of product, Scion does not provide anything unique now.

In point the civic, Hyundai has always provided a lot of standard features at an affordable price, but not at the level scion, and they have never been at the "cool table" of automotive manufacturers. Domestic market is starding to up their game when it comes to affordable cars also.
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Old 03-15-2008, 06:04 PM
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Pure pricing was something Saturn did when they started so it is nothing new. As far as the scion buying experience, lets see since I have purchased three of them from different dealers. Most dealers have no idea what is on the car, I know more about it than they did. They loaded up my RS3 with crap I didn’t want and would not take it off. I knew what I wanted and they just gave it to me, they didn’t have to sell me a car. If they had to sell me a car they didn’t know enough to be able to do it.

As for Hyundai there cars are not as cheap as people think. They are between 15-17k for the decent models yes they have the striped down versions starting at 12k but no one wants those.
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Old 03-15-2008, 06:19 PM
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How about just start using nice colors!

All of the colors are bland and dark... Burgandy? Teal?

Stop forcing RS packages on us and dish out some cool colors in stock form.

And another thing, I can load up an xB to damn near $30k, but I still can't have a moonroof?

Scion is definitley trippin' in 08. If I were car shopping right now they wouldn't even make my top 5.

-THE DON
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Old 03-15-2008, 06:38 PM
  #28  
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i would not get another scion or toyota because im sure it will also have the camry motor, almost all thier cars have that damn motor.
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Old 03-15-2008, 08:01 PM
  #29  
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^^Partially agree...I can't see myself buying another Scion unless its a RWD sportscar(which probably won't happen) . Anything else would have to be a Lexus.
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Old 03-15-2008, 08:46 PM
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Well, the base Scions are nicely loaded and the price for them is reasonable. I wouldn't say I'd never buy another one, but it would only be after browbeating another company's salesman to try and get the best price on a better vehicle, and getting fed up before he breaks.
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Old 03-15-2008, 08:51 PM
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I think Scion didn't totally bomb the '08: I mean, I traded my '05 in on one. However, I will agree that with the change to the new generation, the xB lost a bit of its soul. The xB is still a very different and value-packed car, but it's a little more normal these days. The new xB kinda reminds me of a foreign exchange student after three years in the 'States: They fit in a little more, and have gained a bit of weight.
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Old 03-15-2008, 10:52 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by atodak
^^Partially agree...I can't see myself buying another Scion unless its a RWD sportscar(which probably won't happen) . Anything else would have to be a Lexus.
Thats kind of the whole point in scion is to get you to buy a toyota or lexus. So in that aspect they're right on track. lol
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Old 03-16-2008, 10:00 AM
  #33  
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Need a better marketing strategy. It worked for the 1st gen. But need a new one for these. Now they are trying too hard. Especially the one that says "Two Cool". Fired!
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Old 03-16-2008, 12:33 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by THE_DON
How about just start using nice colors!

All of the colors are bland and dark... Burgandy? Teal?

Stop forcing RS packages on us and dish out some cool colors in stock form.

And another thing, I can load up an xB to damn near $30k, but I still can't have a moonroof?

Scion is definitley trippin' in 08. If I were car shopping right now they wouldn't even make my top 5.

-THE DON
I think this is the first time i have ever said that i agree with THE DON. He hit it right on the head along with most of the posts here.

I dont care if you call it Slate Grey, StingRay Grey or its a Cloudy Monday with a Chances of Showers grey, its still grey. If you want to be daring Scion, make the cars you have availible in more eye catching colors. If you take an odd looking car and make it an eye catching color that stands out, you get noticed. I still catch people looking at my RS1 as i drive it around.

The RS packages are nothing short of a joke any more. Make the package a true limited edition and keep the cost down. You guys ( Scion ) did it right the first time buy suppling a ton of stuff on the RS1 box and you charged a minimal price. Ever since then you now do the exact opposite. I had a close look at the GoldRush RS last night ... and you have to be kidding me. You offer a lip kit that has black vinyl where in theory an air inlet should be? Same for the rear, 2 more black swatches of black vinyl where holes should have been punched into the kit. The same rear where you only added to the corners and not even an entire rear lip? Once again you have offered a blah RS and managed to push the final sales price somewhere in the neighborhood of 23K or more ( do to local sales taxes ). When i bought my RS1 in Jersey ( 6% sales tax ) my final price was just over 18K. That was a bargin, and that what i thought Scion was in the market to do, make fun cars affordable.

The sun roof thing ... i also noticed that the GoldRush has a factory stamped sun roof. I intially thought that the sunroof would be added at port because your factory wasnt set up to punch the sunroof out. Turns out that you can set up your assembly line to make that availible. I shudder to think how much you would actually charge the common Joe for such an option.

I honestly think that when Scion first came to the states there was someone(s) possibly from Japan who was daring enough to give us unique colors and cars. Now you offer neither. Your current styling is nothing short of the typical American version of what an import should look like here in the states.
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Old 03-16-2008, 02:28 PM
  #35  
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Scion has become ordinary. I could have bought other more expensive cars when I bought my 05 XB, however it had a something that other cars did not have. People here have called it an "it" factor. Scion no longer has and they have lost their way.. Think of it as like when V-Dub stopped the Beetle and came out with the Scirrocco.......it was never the same company to many many people......many of their customers never came back.... and the same could be the case here.. Unless something changes when I am done with my XB I am not coming back. I am going to look at the next "it" car..
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Old 03-16-2008, 07:46 PM
  #36  
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As long as they don't go with the loud ugly colors that are on the Chevy aveo or Hyundai Accent it will be all good.
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Old 03-16-2008, 08:30 PM
  #37  
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While we tend to agree on what happened to the direction, a couple thoughts on the following:
Originally Posted by butterfly0fdoom
What Toyota could give Scion from their JDM pool:
- the Voxy: a boxy wagon with an emergency third row of seats and sliding doors that won't ding other cars in tight parking spaces that could, size-wise and price-wise take the place of the current xB in the lineup ($16k?) Too "Soccer Mom" Toyota NA has Sienna.
- the Premio /Avensis: a sporty-ish sedan that fits between the Corolla and Camry ($17k?) With Corolla at 17k this would be over 20. Too close to the Camry, wrong market.
- the bB: because Scion doesn't need a boxy version of the Matrix; it could take the xD's place in the line-up, too ($15k?) Scion's biggest mistake. Trying to Americanize this funky 2-box laid a big one.
- the Porte: to fill in a void that would be left if the xD were to be eliminated, market its quirky extra-large passenger-side door ($13k?) Thought elements of the Porte would be in the new xB as they were shown in the T2b. Funky enough that it should have been considered.
The car you forgot was the Ractis. Was hoping it would be the xA replacement. The full moon roof would have made a nice compliment to the tC. Had all the elements of the original Scion lineup that drew us here, plus it would have been a more complete competitor to the Fit.

What Toyota should do with the current Scions:
- the xD: find ways to cut costs while minimizing features removed so that the MSRP can be lowered down to $13-$14k as it already is the stylish version of the Yaris hatch or get rid of it. The only issue I have with the xD is the front end. If CALTY hadn't f'd with the new ist, I'd bet sales would have been much better. Price is where it should be. Comparable Yaris is over $17k. We basically get a Yaris TS for a great price. (Wish we had the Yaris RS 5-door instead though).
- the xB: get rid of it and slap the xB badge on the bB Yep
- the tC: replace it with that rumored low-cost RWD/AWD sports coupe Maybe the Hako will be it
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Old 03-16-2008, 09:08 PM
  #38  
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if sales have fallen for 16 straight months thats not good. xD is ok. the xB2 needs to be replaced with the JDM bB. and the tC replacement needs to be something serious, not a 2dr corolla. if they dont get things straight scion is going to become the next saturn
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Old 03-17-2008, 12:40 AM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by jpauletteUSAF
The new xB kinda reminds me of a foreign exchange student after three years in the 'States: They fit in a little more, and have gained a bit of weight.


Really, if Scion wants an immediate boost in sales, import the Open Deck. Already tooled, way cool and back to the bB/xB roots. Bam.
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Old 03-17-2008, 12:51 AM
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Originally Posted by tanakasan
Really, if Scion wants an immediate boost in sales, import the Open Deck. Already tooled, way cool and back to the bB/xB roots. Bam.
But not manufactured since '03/'04. We're really talking about moving forward.
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