Scion Sales Down
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 37
From: Washington, DC
Meanwhile, the xD has a tough-to-beat nemisis, the Honda Fit. It's a heck of a car for the same price and the Honda dealer may even feel the need to entertain a bit of haggling in the current economy. This is another car on my short list. I'm not fond of Fords in general, but the new Fiesta will also knock down xD sales.
The Fit was just too slow. It was quicker than my xA, but most things were. (turtles, trees, continents...)
The Mini Cooper S felt like it might take my head off if I didn't put the headrest up to maximum height. But, everything I read indicates that it is about as reliable as a Chevy (best to bring a mechanic on any long trips).
The xD is nimble, with the TRD sway bar, and, with the TRD exhaust, nice and throaty. The 0-60 seems pretty good (better than the Fit, for sure). I wouldn't out-drag the Mini S, but after a 1/4 mile the Mini's engine would probably detonate.
As for this peer-pricing stuff I'm seeing, I don't know what everyone's complaining about. I got a 2.34% interest rate at the DEALER. You read that right...they got motivated enough to check with other lenders while I waited. Plus, they tossed in a couple of options for free (no installation charges on any of the laundry list of options I installed, incidentally).
Bottom line: you've got to know how to negotiate.
Pure price is a myth that they try to hide behind. The salespeople need the sales. Make it clear that you're interested, but also really, really, stubborn, and you'll get a good deal.
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When it all boils down, the xD is very competitive, it's basically the 1.8L yaris available in other markets. The ONLY gripe I have is it is very ugly (just my opinion, backed by extremely low demand). As evidence, the much more attractive (and POS) Versa is flying off the dealer lots... It's that stupid scion family
Grill/front facia. It's
hideous! Thrown some
cosmetic mods and the xD can be beautiful.
Grill/front facia. It's
hideous! Thrown some
cosmetic mods and the xD can be beautiful.
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From: Beallsville ,MD
Take a look at the sales figures and compare the Scions to all the other models made by Toyota that are sold here. Yes, everything is down, but Scion more so than the many others.
The xB2 is an excellent machine, and I've recommended it wholeheartedly to folks I thought it would work well for, it's just not a City Car UUV (tiny footprint, tiny engine, lots of space), it's a Highway Cruiser - longer, lower, wider, more power - and an excellent bargain.
These are the UUV version, same size as the xB Classic but with a LOT of upgrades...
(Yes, those are all from the same factory and are the same vehicles except for nameplate and trim. I like the DEX front and the bB rear the best..)
The xB2 is an excellent machine, and I've recommended it wholeheartedly to folks I thought it would work well for, it's just not a City Car UUV (tiny footprint, tiny engine, lots of space), it's a Highway Cruiser - longer, lower, wider, more power - and an excellent bargain.
These are the UUV version, same size as the xB Classic but with a LOT of upgrades...
(Yes, those are all from the same factory and are the same vehicles except for nameplate and trim. I like the DEX front and the bB rear the best..)
Bring the DEX to the states!!! make that a scion... I'd drive that over a Kia soul or Nissan cube any day.
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People complained for years wanting jdm or euro cars... Toyota started the trend, sold a ton, and went back to their old program. Now ford is bringing the fiesta, Honda has the fit, and soon there will be more options than we know to deal with. But we have the iQ... That's a start I guess
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From: University Place, WA
A grocery cart holds more than the iQ, though, so while it is a cute (and very nicely done) City Car people mover, it isn't that great as a City Car Utility Vehicle.
Ya know, Toyota should get ahead of the rush and trademark City Car™, Urban Utility Vehicle™, and UUV™ so that they OWN those terms - then bring 'em on.
iQ and DEX would be great as the iQ City Car™ and the xB UUV™ ...
Oh, well, I can dream. *sigh*
(As it sits right now, today, if some idiot ran over Vanilla, I be driving a Kia Soul by the end of the week. Toyota has nothing to sell me.)
Ya know, Toyota should get ahead of the rush and trademark City Car™, Urban Utility Vehicle™, and UUV™ so that they OWN those terms - then bring 'em on.
iQ and DEX would be great as the iQ City Car™ and the xB UUV™ ...
Oh, well, I can dream. *sigh*
(As it sits right now, today, if some idiot ran over Vanilla, I be driving a Kia Soul by the end of the week. Toyota has nothing to sell me.)
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Scikotics
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Tomas, buy another 1gen. I've got a spare engine, spare transmission, spare ECU, spare heater core, and now a spare 2004 xB 
. This car is going to see 500k miles, though it might take a few rebuilds to get there.
Check your invoice, and I bet the base xD was still $16,370 (assuming 2010 w/ auto trans). Pure price ONLY applies to the Scion as it comes off the dock. Anything dealer installed, dealer warranted or dealer financed is open to negotiation. I went to my local toyota to try and pick up my second xB and asked about financing. I'm lucky in that Navy Federal Credit Union is across the street, so any financing they'll match if you bring in the quote.
. This car is going to see 500k miles, though it might take a few rebuilds to get there.As for this peer-pricing stuff I'm seeing, I don't know what everyone's complaining about. I got a 2.34% interest rate at the DEALER. You read that right...they got motivated enough to check with other lenders while I waited. Plus, they tossed in a couple of options for free (no installation charges on any of the laundry list of options I installed, incidentally).
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Besides, the newer version of the bB has improved features and functions that the xB Classic does not, starting with the side airbags and improved rear seating features...
Some of us are pretty much stuck with the new car market - one car and it MUST work.
Tom
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Scikotics
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Maybe we'll git it in 2012, a year before it goes out of production in Japan like they did with the 1gen. I drove a rental Soul, it's smaller than it looks, and has a LOT of hard plastic. Felt like a Chevy.
Would be a new xB or maybe the Hyundai Tuscon if I was in the market for another box, possibly the Cube Krom edition.
Would be a new xB or maybe the Hyundai Tuscon if I was in the market for another box, possibly the Cube Krom edition.
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Competitor to what?
I don't see the size specs yet, just some info from pre-production Euro models, but it looks cramped and access looks like a fail...
EDIT: I found sizes, it's larger than the xD outside and appears to have less space inside.
I don't see the size specs yet, just some info from pre-production Euro models, but it looks cramped and access looks like a fail...
EDIT: I found sizes, it's larger than the xD outside and appears to have less space inside.
Last edited by Tomas; Jun 26, 2010 at 08:45 PM.
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From: What's in your Box...
but awd and turbo for just a bit more costs
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I've seen gloveboxes with bigger openings than the rear hatch on that...
Seriously, it was designed to be fashionable rather than functional. Some folks like that, some folks prefer a more "form follows function" design.
That's one thing I really like about the xB Classic: It is totally unapologetic for being a box with big openings. It was designed to carry things, not to be fancy. It's totally honest about what it is and what it does.
(With the suicide half-doors on the Juke, I wonder if they got around the problems of the front seat shoulder belts having to be unlatched and the front door opened to get someone in or out of the back seat like on the older Honda Element. Used to amuse me to watch one gal taking her kids to the school near where I used to live, and having to unfasten everything, get out of the car, walk around to the passenger side, open the front door then the rear door to let her kids out on the non-traffic side every morning - especially in the rain, the reverse the whole thing before she could drive away all soggy.)
Seriously, it was designed to be fashionable rather than functional. Some folks like that, some folks prefer a more "form follows function" design.
That's one thing I really like about the xB Classic: It is totally unapologetic for being a box with big openings. It was designed to carry things, not to be fancy. It's totally honest about what it is and what it does.
(With the suicide half-doors on the Juke, I wonder if they got around the problems of the front seat shoulder belts having to be unlatched and the front door opened to get someone in or out of the back seat like on the older Honda Element. Used to amuse me to watch one gal taking her kids to the school near where I used to live, and having to unfasten everything, get out of the car, walk around to the passenger side, open the front door then the rear door to let her kids out on the non-traffic side every morning - especially in the rain, the reverse the whole thing before she could drive away all soggy.)
Last edited by Tomas; Jun 30, 2010 at 05:24 PM.
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From: What's in your Box...
Seriously, it was designed to be fashionable rather than functional. Some folks like that, some folks prefer a more "form follows function" design.
That's one thing I really like about the xB Classic: It is totally unapologetic for being a box with big openings. It was designed to carry things, not to be fancy. It's totally honest about what it is and what it does.
That's one thing I really like about the xB Classic: It is totally unapologetic for being a box with big openings. It was designed to carry things, not to be fancy. It's totally honest about what it is and what it does.
Last edited by Tomas; Jun 30, 2010 at 05:41 PM. Reason: fix formatting