Hello tC group, I don't own one yet, probably won't for another month but my current car (1990 legend) is slowly but surely taking a crap on me.

As far as the tC goes how well do they hold up to being driven..not so much as a sedan but more of a sportscar. I was raised in a performance vehicle family and my primary summer vehicle is a CBR 600. Aside for the slight bit of abuse how are they for reliability?

Another thing I enjoy doing to some extent is my own maintenance, how easy is the tC to work on as far as plug changes and oil changes?

 

plug and oil changes and most maintanence is pretty easy. i only have 7000 miles on mine so i can't talk about reliability yet. but i don't hear about to many problems on here. the motor is a very proven motor(from the camry). but it's really not a "sportscar". it's got some pep to it but not a performance car.

 

one of the key points of my decision to purchasing the tC was the fact that it has the Camry's 2.4L engine.

it's meant to be a reliable car. as far as performance... it's sporty... but in no way would it be considered a sportscar.

it's easy to maintain and meant to be that way.

 

Groovy, just what I was looking to hear. I do understand it's not a sportscar but some of the reviews I've read by drivers ____ed and moaned about stuff including the clutch, mushy handling, and other crap like that. My first thought was this is a coupe, not a sportcoup or dedicated sportscar, but a decent ride, good bang for the buck, and looks good to boot. I'm in need of a good commuter that's more reliable and practical than pretty and fast.

 

What were their complaints about the clutch? I mean, its not quite a super precision clutch that you get on some cars I suppose (I wouldn't know, the tC is the only manual car I've ever driven), but its fine.

Mushy handling... well, that's understable on stock springs.

But yea, its a great car for what it is - an elegant, reliable ride. And yes, oil changes are very easy with this car.

Hope you decide to join us!

 

sloppy clutch in weather changes (wtf?), another is clutch is effected by weather.

So far the tC looks to be the best bang for my buck. Also can anyone answer why used tC's go for more than new?

 

I was a big mazda head before I saw the scion. Basically I chose the Scion because of the price and what you get. You just can't beat it.. It has a much more aggressive looking front end like a BMW. Surprisingly it has a lot of rear space for passengers and a trunk to boot , lol.

Chicks dig the moonroof and fact the seats go back all the way, yes it's been tested and approved ;)

In the end I think the value of everything you get matches the price. As tcguy85 said it's a peppy car. It's a 'sporty' car not a 'sports' car. I also have about 7k on it so there's no real maintenance work yet other than the occasional oil changes and stuff.

As far as the manuals go it's actually harder and easier in a way. If you've driven those old hondas or 90's integras you'll know what I mean. In those oldies you have to be very precise about gear shifting but the Scion not so much. Just don't punch it and you'll be fine. Hill driving (if you have any) is a BREEZE with a Scion.

I'd definately put it in the 20's to early 30s (age bracket) type car. It's not a midlife crisis car so if anyone reading this that are in their 40s you may as well get that z06 you've been dreaming of ;)

 

The only sticks I've really driven to date were two Porsches, a late 70's 924 and late 80's 944S, and a Ford Aspire. I do also have a fair bit of hill driving for now, hoping to remedy that shortly after getting my ride.

I was considering a Mazda 3, only thing I didn't like was lack of two door. So far I'm pretty well sold on the Scion I like the looks and all the equipment that's standard.

 

Limited production, high demand, and they don't jack up the prices at original purchase. What you see on the sticker, MSRP, is really the price you pay. I bought mine for 17,200 with floormats, nothing else extra on it. KBB has mine at 18,600 with 6000 miles, and the options that are on it. It's a great car, great value for any car in its class, and a fun car to drive. Also, the great thing with the camry motor is, it will last, and it will also modify well. Hope you decide to purchase one, I think you will be pleased!

 

As some others have stated the car is pretty much a toyota. Toyota is great with reliability. I myself have never had to have my car worked on "BUT" I only have 700 miles on it, so that explains that. I would recommend the TC to anyone.

 

With the way you lot pimp your rides so shamelessly I really do want to get one now. Just gotta find one.

 

Good choice, man. Scion tC- always a good decision.

 

Just read on another forum about a dude having some mechanical issues after only a couple months of ownership. I'm working on getting more info. Do the tC's have the same issue Caddilac generally does where you either get a cherry car or it's nothing but problems? Or is it each car is a tad different.

So far for the price range the tC is a total no brainer when compared to the Focus, Cobalt, Civic, Mazda 3, Saturn Ion, and the like. Also if you gents don't mind my asking what did you all pay for your rides? I'm not in the market to get screwed and I keep reading about this no haggle deal, so how much bargin power do I have, or do I even need any?

 

ive honestly never heard of a scion having too many mechanical problems...

however, there is always the 1 in every million that might have A problem.

and if anything, you have a warranty to back you up.

toyota isnt going to become the #1 car company because they cant build car. In fact, they build the best cars. You can not compare the reliability of a cadillac to that of a toyota.

 

Hah touche, you can't compare a toy to pretty much any 'merican made car.

Now I've got guys trying to compare the MR2 to a tC. Ugh. lets stay in the same class really. I bet the tC won't drive as well as my dad's 944s either.

 

If they charge anything more than $16,980 for a manual without side airbags that goes against scion's pure price plan. Also the only avaliable options are manual or auto, side airbags or no side airbags. Everything else you can get from the dealer when ever you want and there cant be any surprises in pricing when it comes to customizing.

 

Me and my dad paid $17k out the door. You can't haggle with the price.
I wish I could get that blue book price on resale. Whenever I find the woman who ran me off the road, i'll give her the honor of needing new windows.

 

Hm..the 16,8 is pretty reasonable. I found one locally for 17 something but it doesn't list what it comes with. I found a bunch in Redding, CA (go figure 200k+ people and no selection but 75k has multiples of what I want). To my understanding dealer trades might be a couple hundred miles tops I cannot get what I want from Redding so either I get stuck waiting or have to deal with what's here. I'm hoping there will be something decent here when I'm ready to buy in about a month.