I had been really into the tC about a year and a half ago, but then decided not to get a new car and have just begun to research the tC again. I test drove an RSX, Civc EX 2dr, and a tC last week and thought the tC was the best value. My question is: How is the overall fit and finish of the car? Is it a well put together, quality car? I was looking at the user reviews on autos.yahoo.com and most people gave it bad reviews because of lots of creaks and noises along with extremely cheap interior materials. One guy claimed that he could take off his whole dash in 10 minutes without a screwdriver. I was just wondering what you guys think. How sturdy is the car and how have the ones that are a few years old held up?

Thanks.

 

take off the dash in 10 minutes? nah... especially w/o a screwdriver.

it creaks, but you know, its a sub 20,000 dollar car, of course it's goignt o creak.

that's what an exhaust is for ;)

i like it because its very big on the inside. For guys like me, that's pretty important.

 

Yes there are rattles and that guy that claimed he could remove the dash in 10 minutes.....is probably correct. The interior can be seen as being 'cheap' but hey what would you expect from 16k?

However with the cheap interior comes a great engine, fun car, reliable and most of all sturdy.

I know that if I ever get into an accident (*knocks on wood*) hit on the side with the doors we have I'd feel secure enough.

 

the interior may seem cheap, but for the price, mane other cars interiors are even cheaper. For the money you probable can't get a better value. The "creature comforts" the tC does provide, backed by toyota's history of reliabibity, it's tough to beat.
I recently went through the whole new car shopping thing, having just totalled my tC back in July, I was in he market for a new car. Ultimately, I bought another tC, after flirting with the Mazda3 and new Civics, as well as some higher priced cars.

Does the car fit you? At 19, most can't find a car that describes them. I'm pretty sure most just have to get a car they can afford. For the price, if the tC is a car that fits you, you should probably break down and get it.


Side note ... did you ask the same question on RSX and Civic forums? cus ... we're obviously going to be partial.

 

Thanks for the input everyone.

I didn't really ask on other forums because the tC was the only car that I had heard of "cheapness" issues being a problem. I remember a while back that there were sunroof and hatch rattles that were a big issue. I have never had a new car before (driving a 93 Accord w/ 182K) so I think that anything would feel like luxury to me. I just wanted to make sure that all you guys out there aren't being driven nuts by little noises in the cabin and having issues with door panels falling off or something.

 

I don't think it would be as much an issue as it was before, but I think a bad thing about this car is that it makes you want to mod...I waste too much money on this thing...:D

 

But if you compare it to other car with the same price, I think tC's interior is awesome.

 

10 minutes for the center console? thats way to long!! i can do it in just about 2-3 minutes!!!

 

i personally was thinking the same thing when it came down to buying a new car. i went with the tC because it was the best bang for the buck, all its awesome features (panoramic sunroof, cool radio door, pioneer mp3 deck, etc), and ive ridden both cars, i just like the over all feel of comfort and quality that comes with the tC.

 

Yeah, I don't plan on getting it until spring (so I dont have the brand new car in the salt and snow) but I am already pricing out exhausts, intakes, spoilers, and other little mods :D . Hopefully I can get the tC and not go mod crazy. One of my reasons for getting the tC is so that I don't spend a ton of money each month on my car payment.

 

Yeah, I have creaks but that's why I bought an Alpine HU! Can't hear them anymore!

I'm an old guy and like my tC very much. It has as much creaks as my woman's Matrix which was $2K more. With the $crill you save compared to the prices of the other cars you were looking at, you can get yourself some pretty cool aftermarket parts.

 

if you're already looking at modding the car, than the availability of aftermarket parts should probably also figure into your decision. One of the big reasons I didn't get a Mazda3 was the lack of selection of parts. We aren't talking 94 Honda Civic availability here, where everybody and their grandmother manufacturers parts of varying prices and quality, but the tC has its share of market. On the other hand, you did say you were looking at an RSX and Civic. Have you taken that into consideration?

 

It really comes down to what you want. The car is fun and has the most bang for the buck with quality. As for the dash, 10 minutes is too long and in some aspects it is kind of cheap but it does offer you the fact that its hell of a lot more car then what you are going to get if you go with something else.

Going back to the 10 minute dash issue. Search online for Toyota Manufacturing/lean manufacturing. Why the hell would someone want to spend over 20 minutes putting a dash together in the plant? It saves a lot of costs.

 

FOR 17,000 you get a great little car..
but if you want a Little car thats great the tc is not for you .

 

And you can't do that to a Honda???

FYI, do you know why so many people target stereo's from Honda's? It takes less that 10 seconds to steal. Step 1: Target the HVAC/dash. Step 2: Pull. Step 3: cut wires. Step 4: Run.

Yes, it's that easy. At least the stereo on a tC is held on by a few screws. Yeah, you can take apart most of our dash without a screw driver, but most of the critical components are bolted down in some way. The HVAC controls are not bolted, but at least it's seperate from the stereo. If you've ever seen someone strip a Honda, you'd realize that the tC is not far from the norm, and is a slightly above average. No, it's not going to have five million screws like a Benz or BMW, but it has bolts where it needs them.

I really like the Civic, don't get me wrong. . . but one thing egged me wrong. In a manual, try moving the shifter from left to right (in neutral) to feel the play. Fell that shake on your leg? Yup, that's the whole center console moving. The tC seems cheaper at times, maybe because of the orange lighting, but the fanciest gauges in the world can't make up for good build quality.

Rattles. . . many people who complain and moan about rattles are also lowered. If you drop a Lexus (built like a tomb), it's eventually going to rattle too. The car is designed with the OEM stress levels, and the added bumps and shakes from a modified suspension are inevitable going to cause more rattles to occur.

No, it's not perfect. But relative to its class, the tC does fine. I have an '07 tC and it's really not that bad (5k miles so far). . . and coming from a previous Lexus owner, that says a lot, as my standards are very high.

My biggest complaint? Cheap paint that chips too easily (get a clear bra!) and lack of a 6 speed option. RWD is on the wish list, but other that, this car is STILL an incredible value, and a well built car.

 

I never felt that my tC is small other than it only has 2 doors. The back has more room than my wife's 3 series.

I still think my tC is bigger than my coworker 4 doors corolla. I dont think tC is that small.

 

Agree, I think the fit and finish is great in terms of the price, and it's better than a lot of cars.

 

i love my tc, i feel that it is a very well made car, i have an 05 with 32k miles on it, and it feels just as good as the day i got it. yes, the plastic is probably very cheap, but they took the time to make it work and look good. i like how i close the door and it feels very solid. i close the doors on my mom's thirty-thousand dollar subaru legacy gt, and it feels and sounds flimsy. i know her car canblow the doors off my tc, but i still love it more cause it still feels more luxurious to me.

 

Yeah, tC is like buying mossimo jeans at target LOL

 

The tC is well built, IMO. You have people that think that the interior is cheap, and vice versa. Some people complain how the interior marks easily, but I have yet to have that problem because I take care of my interior. I don't drag my feet along the door panels when I get in/out, etc.

If you take good care of your car, it will last. Unless you get a lemon...

Even if you price it out, the tC is the car with the most bang for it's buck. Research other cars and you'll see, you'll probably be throwing tons of options on that the tC comes standard with.

Toyota reliability. What more can you say to that? I see a ton of older Camry's on the road and that makes me feel good about sharing the same engine.

The interior room amazes me every time I get into my tC, whether I'm hauling a load of crap or just myself. It's rather roomy and it's pretty darn comfortable. Plus, what other coupe in the tC's price range has relining rear seats?

And about the car virtually being a giant Lego piece, yes. It's true, and it's convenient if you mod the car. If you don't plan on modding it, who cares. Everything will stay in place. It's just nice to unsnap the rear bumper to put in TYCs or unsnap the interior for LEDs. The list continues. It's just convenient, and I believe Toyota made it this way because it IS a Scion. They built it with tuners in mind.

There are so many mods out there for the tC, it's amazing. Performance, visual. You name it. The car has potential. You just have to work at it.

As for rattles, some experience them, some don't. I've had rattles ever since I drove it off the lot. With enough patience and effort though, you can get rid of them yourself. There are a ton of DIYs on this site. And the Scion community is awesome. The will definitely help you out if you ever need it.

The paint issue exists, but I think in general, people are going too far with this. So you drive on the highway and get rocks chips. What car wouldn't when you're traveling at speeds 55+? And with people who get giants chunks of paint coming off, they're probably due to some sort of flaw in the paint (usually from road debris), thus cracking the paint, and woosh, off it goes when you drive and the wind hits your car. I had the same problem with my other car (which is a Ford, mind you all, not a Scion), my front bumper looked like a war zone, I had tons of missing chunks of paint. I just got it repainted last month. End of story, paint is holding up well. Minus the rocks chips from high way driving. In conclusion, paint can be an issue with every car. I guess it just depends on luck of the situation you're in.

Overall, the tC is the best value on the road. Yes, I looked into the mazda 3, RSX, civic, etc. But when I looked at the tC, there was no question in my mind. Reliable, fun, sporty, and well built. If I could do it all over again, I would still buy a tC.

(Wow, that was a long post, lol)

-Glor