Chikubi

They sure don't -- between the Bosouzoku going literally 5 miles an hour on a main drag, drifters dipping their noses into oncoming traffic lanes, Kanjo/Wangan racers doing 120+ on the highways, etc. , Japan can be a real treat to drive in. My first introduction to the bB was getting hit in the arm by the side mirror of one passing me while I was walking on the side of the road one day. Cops are next to useless there in many cases, though they finally passed some laws last year that gave them the power to actually stop and arrest bosouzoku and the like.

And yeah, crash tests here may be lacking, but our safety regulations are pretty strict -- my Fit has an extra ~2" in the front and 1" in the rear to cover the US mandated bumpers. xB was the same and the xA, I believe, got beefed up doors/side impact beams to meet the regs.

tikiguy

Pardon my ignorance, but what does "bosouzoku" mean? From what I can gather by reading your post, this is someone who drives really slowly? Out here, we call them "tourists"...the "locals" drive really fast and badly, to compensate for the glacial pace of the tourists. I bet it's almost as much fun as driving in Japan!

Chikubi

Bosozoku are Japanese biker gangs that like to make lots of noise and drive slowly, among other things, just to ____ everyone off. It's a sure sign of Spring in Japan when you can hear the roar of 10-20 unmuffled bikes slowly churning their way through the neighborhood. Here's the Wiki entry for more info if you're curious: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosozoku

indigo_xA_06

i know this topic has taken a bit of a turn...but i just wanted to add to this quote.

the iPod deck will allow you to control the iPod from the headunit so your iPod just stays where you put it, plugged in and charging. it is fully integrated with the iPod so you can change tracks, change volume, etc. from the deck, whereas with the standard deck, you can plug the iPod in with the AUX plug, but you have to control track and stuff on the iPod itself.

and someone said something about "if a dealer charges 20000 for every xA, they are not breaking pure price rules" but the pure price is for nation-wide...so no matter where you get your car, every base model and every add on is the same price. the only time it can be sold for more is if the dealer tells you up front that their cars are priced more, and the only way they can do that is if demand is huge in the area. so with pure pricing, no matter where i chose to get my car (whether it be in TN or if i got it in WI or wherever), with all my add-ons, it would be the same $14999.

my dealer called the document fees "processing fees" and gave this huge long list of what it covers. i'm not sure how much they were, though. i had roughly 1400 on fees (tax, processing, etc.)...the price that i paid for the car after trade-in was $12499, and after tax and processing it was $13908 and some change.

i looked at the fit when i first saw commercials for it a month or two ago, and looked at the yaris as well. but with the yaris the hatchback is only 2 doors, and that won't cut it. with the fit, though comparable to the xA, just doesn't really appeal to me, looks-wise. the xA is cute, though kinda quirky, but i like it. to me, the fit looks like a mini mini-van, and it doesn't appeal to me. but i knew that either one i decided on would be one that i could drive into the ground, cause both companies (toyota and honda) make good cars. the the iPod hook-up was something i couldn't get past (i've been looking at the xA since early '05, and when i saw that the '06 models had iPod stuff, i was pretty much sold).

STI2xA

Here is my 2 cents:

I currently own a '06 STI but due to changes in my life (another kid on the way) and rising cost of gasoline, I will be selling it. It is tough carrying two kids in the STI while some EVO, Vette or S2K wants to race you and paying $50 at the pump every two day.

So what I needed was a less racy, more pratical car that is fun and cool to drive in. The Fit, Yaris and xA were on my list. I test drove the Fit (base auto) and did enjoy it. However looking at it makes me feel like drive a sharper-edged smaller version of the Toyota Sienna. And besides the wait is horrible and the dealership with inventory of the Fit wants a premium mark up ($500-$1K - Southern CA). So the Fit isn't a fit for me.

I had the Yaris and xA left to choose from. I drove the Yaris but was not to impress with the quality of the interior. Besides the hatch version only comes in two doors but I needed four doors. So bye-bye Yaris. I ended up picking up a 5spd xA. I am quite happy with my new ride.

From my experience, both the Fit and xA is quite similar. Appearance-wise you can expect folks from this forum to tell you the obvious. You visit the Fit forum and can expect the obvious as well. My expericence was similar to yours and I ended up with the xA, happy ending. javascript:emoticon(':D')
Big Grin


:D :D :D

djct_watt

Just so you know, CVT's have torque converters too. . . and they sap just as much power as standard autos. . . their main advantage is that they never have to shift, in the conventional sense. So:

A: There is no disruption of power output to the wheels
B: You can rev the engine at peak power output and keep it there


But!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, there is a but!!!!! Some manufacturers choose NOT to use a step less system and have "simulated gears." A true CVT will rev to peak power and stay there, until you let off the accelerator. It would sound like an airplane taking off, rather the traditional revving. Many manufactuers stay away from this for various reasons. . . added stress on the engine, weaknesses in the CVT construction, stupid drivers unable to deal, etc. . .

The Jazz "7 speed" CVT I drove in Thailand was pretty lame. . . there was no way to put it into full CVT mode. . . and it would cycle through it's stupid, predetermined "gears," wasting power and fuel.

champagne_supernova

"and someone said something about "if a dealer charges 20000 for every xA, they are not breaking pure price rules" but the pure price is for nation-wide...so no matter where you get your car, every base model and every add on is the same price. the only time it can be sold for more is if the dealer tells you up front that their cars are priced more, and the only way they can do that is if demand is huge in the area. so with pure pricing, no matter where i chose to get my car (whether it be in TN or if i got it in WI or wherever), with all my add-ons, it would be the same $14999. "

That is not what pure price means. What pure price means is that a dealer can charge whatever they want for the car, fees, etc, they just have to charge each person the same amount. A dealer could easily say that every scion on his lot is $20k regardless of model and he would not be in violation of pure price. Most dealers CHOOSE to retail for MSRP but there is nothing besides competition that prohibits overcharging. Pure price isn't a nationwide price for the car- it's just a set of rules that prohibit haggling.

indigo_xA_06

i'm just going by what every dealer i went to told me, that all xA autos have the base of 14120 (after delivery charges), and the only way it can be more if the dealership uses demand pricing and lets you know why it's more at his place versus another dealership...

champagne_supernova

well that's true but any dealer can charge whatever they want for the car. The MSRP is a suggestion but not the rule. If a dealer feels the market will support a different asking price, he can ask it- but all "pure price" is is a rule that says everyone who buys from a given dealer pays the same amount for the base model car and any accessories, not that the price has to be the same at every dealer.

jrussell98003

^^^ True...

From the Scion web site:

"Here's how it's done: Scion's Pure Price purchase experience means no haggle, no hassle. The price you pay for all products and services offered equals the dealership's posted and advertised price. Price menus are clarly posted in the dealership showroom for all products and services. Dealers are free to set their own prices."

So yeah, the dealers can set their prices independent from one another. They just have to be upfront and have thier prices posted accurately.

indigo_xA_06

fair enough

i guess the only dealers i've gone to have had the base MSRP that is on the scion website. and the first one i went to (to see if the scion was the right car for me) was the one who mentioned that they cost the same everywhere unless demand was high and dealers decided to up the price, and she said that they were supposed to mention why their price is higher than MSRP (cause really...if i went to a dealer that was charging more than, say, online, i'd go order it online, or find a dealer that had the advertised (scion.com) price...

ilikemyxa

its all about the Honda Beat!!! MR configured kei car? what!?

george_da_2nd

well time for my lil bit of nothing ness. today marks my one week after buyin my xA i ts at 683 milles allready. i cant stop driving it lol. i test drove alot of cars including the fit the yaris the elantra and a few others. im not gonna go into comparison bs because there is enough of that. im gonna say this i got the xA becuase it felt sportier with a manual than the fit's manual. and i loved the fact that its 3500 dollers less and thats baised on msrp not what they wantted me to pay. i lvoe my xA so dont be scared of buying an xA and not being happy because i was scared of the same thing while i was signing papers but after one week and about 600 milles i cant stop smiling

oldmanatee

Welcome to the group of happy owners... now you can change your avatar and sig line.....