Hi All

I am a noob here and I have a simple question: Does your tC have soul?

Let me give you some background. My automotive history is a 1983 celica, a 91 MR2 (na), a 95 miata, and an 03 golf tdi. Each of these cars were special in their own way. The celica was one of the last rwd celicas and just a blast to drive. The MR2 was...well an MR2. The TDi literally purred. I'd still have it if it weren't for the unfortunate random airbag deployment. I still have the miata and there is just an unbeliaivable connection to the road.

I traded the golf for an 06 tC. I like the tC a lot aside form the fact that it feels boring. I have added the TRD lowering kit and the TRD quickshifter which have helped, but it still feels boring.

Don't get me wrong, I like this car a lot. It is an incredible value. I just feel like the car is a bit sterile, almost appliance-like. Does anyone feel the same way? Or do you feel like your tC has something more to offer? I am curious. Let me know.

 

I've had mine in the shop enough times that the honeymoon's over. It's just a car.

 

Thats interesting, what has it been in for?

 

The sunroof - it wouldn't close all the way. On the 4th try they replaced the whole thing. All that was in the first 12,000 miles.

 

Wow, that sounds almost VWlike. I hope I don't have the same problems!

By soul, I mean some sort of connection to your tC. Right now I just don't have that connection and I am wondering if anyone has found it.

 

South Korea's got Seoul!

Seriously. I know what you mean about "Soul" in a vehicle.

The way I see it, the car by default is kind of "sterile". Adding the supercharger REALLY made a big difference for me. And boy I hope you got the 5 speed. Nothing gives you that sense of "closeness" like a gearbox you control.

Before, the car was basically saying "Sure, i've got pep! Just like every other car out there these days. Oh. Except the corolla." And yeah, with 160hp, it easily beats out my stock 305ci 5.0 liter V8 1986 Trans Am. But it doesn't do it with as much "attitude".

But after adding the supercharger, 1st and 2nd gear pretty much just scream, "Man, you better not be doing this on moist pavement."

As far as creature comforts go and how the cockpit feels to a 6'4"er, it definitely has that "look at me" feel... Toss an Eclipse AVN-5435 in there, and man - you've got a vehicle that is your *buddy*.

So yeah, bottom line, by default it has a LITTLE soul, but you gotta put the rest in.

 

Let me put it this way: I am a transmission snob, so yes it is a 5 speed.

I have seen the same thing, the more I put into the car, the closer I feel to it. The thing is, I never had to do that with my previous vehicles. Its not a bad thing, just different.

 

Well, it could be worse... You could have gotten a Cobalt SS or SRT4

Now THOSE are soulless.

 

when i read your post i thought i should give a thoughtful response instead of "it's a car", because imo, it was a good question.

obviously, you impart the soul to your "car". and like you, i haven't really created a relationship with this one like i have with others in the past.

it's odd because i've had no issues, it's a great buy, a good daily driver, has good styling, etc., but i am constantly car shopping. "sterile" is a word that comes to mind for me too.

 

I understand what you're saying about the tC not having "soul". As far as drivability goes, the car (stock anyways) has no redeeming qualities. I think that's the way the Scion brand goes. Start with a clean slate, so to speak, and customize it the way you want. Give it a soul.

 

Im going back for the 6th time next week for the sunroof. Good thing they have coffee. I am going to have to start sending out more christmas cards since I know about 10 people that work at the dealership. But - i dont want to talk about the sunroof - I just wanted to give my 2cents since you are on your 4th shot.

 

This is my third car, that I have driven. First I had a 92 Corolla, not a choice I ever wanted, but worked for me a lot. He gave me what I needed. The Eclipse is another story, even with all the problems he gave me (A LOT, non Turbo Eclipse) I treated him as good as I could. But the Scion is by far the best car, the most responsive I have ever driven, even if there are faster cars and more powerful around, IMO. The point is I have comunicated to such an extent with my car, that everytime I shift from one gear to another, the smoothness talks to me, the car handles (FOR ME) like no other, every time I put the pedal to the metal this car speaks to me, even better to describe it; we become one in every corner we tackle hard, and every time we swift thru traffic, everytime this happens I say to myself (and to the car), "This is what I have been looking, since I started driving." And that's how I feel about my car. Does it have "Soul"? For me it is like a person, I expect to treat it like that, I expet from "him" to give his max, so we could work together.


Sorry went in a dream there, just by describing all this.

 

My car got its soul when I got the TRD exhaust. Especially parking next to identical stock tCs, it was the one thing that I was dying to add to give my car some attitude. I heard a stock tC start up the other day and it was painful not hearing the engine.

 

I have the draxas exhaust - when I startup my car it reminds me of a nissan z mixed with a mustang gt. .....but then I open my eyes and its just my tC.

 

no need to apologize. that is what i think we're talking about. that is what you hope for when you buy a car. it hasn't happened for me with this car. i realize i have an affinity for german cars and this has been an interesting experience for me. but not quite "it".

 

I thought it had some soul when I bought it. Then, I did the things I wanted to do to it - supercharger, leather, tint, spoiler, stereo, ground effects, etc. Now it has major soul, and since it is everything that I wanted, I could say it has MY soul! (and my bank account...).

Anyway, that's what I thought was cool about these cars - a fairly nice clean slate to start with, then you do the rest and give it the personality/soul you want it to have. At least that's what worked for me.

 

There is certain feeling you get when your car is individualized, and yet i am still searching for that feeling. After i bought my tc, 4 other people from my town bought the exact same color. I cant help but feel sort of upset. But thats why of done some of the "minor" changes to my ride, cold air intake, axle back exaust, and thail light switch. My car may stand out of the crowd with these few modifications, but yet when i see their car next to mine I cant help but think of clone wars. But i know one thing, when my car is finished they way i want it, nobodys tc from my town is going to be able to hold a light to it. and thats why my car is in the begining of the destination for soul.

 

sad to say i don't think i connect with my tC very much. i become less enthusiastic about the looks of it (interior and exterior), i can't enjoy the drive as much as i would like b/c of the poorly designed driving position, telescopic steering would of been a huge help, and the handling and overall driving of the car feels blend, like every other car. i shouldn't be feeling this way on a car that i only owned for 3 months. i'm suppose to have great pride and hold my head up high when riding around in it, which i do for the most part but it's inside me that i don't feel the connection with my tC. i'm afraid i have a bit of regret on my recent tC purchase. with the options i put on it, i could of gotten the Si. but i wasn't concerned too much about performance at the time of purchase, i was more for room and practicality (tC has reclining rear and hatch, bigger rear room, etc). but now i feel the more room in the rear, the more weight is put on a car and wasted. realistically i don't, and i'm sure most other ppl don't even use their back seats 99% of the time. so one of the most unique features on the tC is hardly ever used, reclining rear seats.

i'm not too big on modding cars, i'd rather just have a nice and fun car to drive out of the box. that way the resale value holds and less problem will occur in the future.

my friends all love my car and they all wish they had an 06 car of their own, but i just don't feel the excitement when drving it. there just isn't any performance in it to be excited about. i know it's a low budget car, but even the mazda 3 and civic are more fun to drive according to magazine. i have driven both the 3 and the new civic and agree with the verdict. i also agree on consumer report saying "the tC is not sporty". kinda sucks when it's in the sports coupe class.

i don't know if i offended any tC owners, but my intentions isn't to put down the tC, but rather to describe how i really feel about my tC. these are just my oen personal opinions on my car.

 

Thanks for the insight everybody. It sounds like others have the same thoughts I do about the car. I think it is a nice car, I'm just struggling to find that connection with it.

 

Shrinks would have a field day with this thread