Corbic

Well I went down to the good old Toyota lot today. I'm surprised at how well they got their stuff together since I was last their. They currently have a "demo" xA and xB (show car stuff, decals, rims, springs, tint customer paint), an Auto RS with 2gs worth of goodies and base xB manual.

I drove the RS (Being closest to a stock xA). Initial impression was the car seems niced, composed and small. (durh). I very much enjoyed the simple compact nature of the engine and the quality of interior parts. The sound system was good and I love the fabric seats.

Drive: Car had a nice "Soft" ride, not harsh like an Echo. I was surprised at the "get up", very similar to my Golf (but it gets +10mpg more). The engine had no problem revving smoothly up to 4,500rpms. I didn’t have an opportunity to take the car above 52ish mph.

The seats are wonderful. While they don’t have the side support like the Golf they have excellent back support and are very nice (considering it’s a 12g car even more impressive). I had plenty of head room (didn’t fee squashed) even with the sunroof.

The major reservations I have right now are both the height of the car, wheel gap and high of the front passenger seats. Driving the car felt more akin to a truck then a car or even a sports car. The seats sat high, well above the steering wheel and offered a "commanding" view. I don't like it. I prefer to be sunk down nestled in my car from all danger. Is their any way to lower the seats, oh an Inch or more? The other problem that got on my nerves was the center gauge pod, What is the purpose of this thing besides to cause agravation and to leave a gap of nothingness behind the steering wheel?

Lastly safety. Does anyone have crash offset tests for this car or the Yaris/Vitz? While the car is very nice, I'm still concerned about becoming squashed beans.

In short.

Problem: To much wheel gap and to height
Fix: Get the stupid springs. Item + Install is $525, good deal or not?

Problem: Over priced options
Fix: Not getting them

Problem: Seats are too high
Fix: You guys no how to lower them any?

Problem: Safety
Fix: Well Yaris/Vitz is basically the same, any ratings?

Problem: Image
Fix: Rebaged the thing as a Peugeot (GF thought it was one to start with).

Overall, cute car, love the styling. It drives nice and gets great gas mileage. Interior lay out is good, plenty of back seat room for even me. No problem with head space. Good view. IT HAS POWER! (Never had power options before). Good price, affordable extended warranties (100k 10yr bumper to bumper was like $1300). Sway bar is only $195 installed (sounds good). Dealer was great. After I scrub up my car (inside and out) I'm going to go see what he will give for it. If its $1,500 or more (beyond pay-off), I'm sold. If its $800-1,300 and most of those issues above have been solved I think I'll get it and anything less then $800. Kiss my.. eh heh.


Oh also, is $485 for a dealer installed speed controler a good price? Never had speed control and that is something I will be using quite a bit of come summer. I guess I could always have it installed latter.

Thanks for all the great help.
Jack

BeQuietAndDrive

Don't get your springs from the dealer. They will rip you off insanely.

Once again, why are you so concerned about the "Scion" image?

If you ask me, Volkswagon is the one with a crappy image. I have heard nothing but terrible things from their recent cars, especially due to electrical problems.

LeeD

I agree with the post above. Don't buy the springs from the dealer unless you didn't plan on installing them yourself, otherwise I think the price for the springs with install in reasonable...

Regarding the seats, I'm currently working on a package to sell that will lower the seats for people. You're not the only one to complain of this.

Never heard of any safety ratings, but on the forum here, we've seen a few other Scion cars that have already gotten into accidents and the crumple zones are very well engineered.

Swaybar installed price is very good.

Speed controler is just a cruise control. I've never used it on any of my other cars, so I don't miss having it, but everybodies different.

I love mine, and I'm very very suprised to find that I attract a lot more attention with it, then I did with my modified 300ZX TwinTurbo. Not a week goes by that somebody comes up to me and compliments me on the car.

The center pod thing takes time to get used to, but I really like it now.

Also, I've found the quality of the car has been much better than I expected. Much better than what I thought I'd get for the money paid.

Oni-Haya

I must agree with LeeD ... this little xA RS1 is the best car I have ever owned. My wife loves to ride with me just to watch the reaction of people.

empleh

well, the center console took me about a month to get used to. so did the seats. in the government crash tests the xA scored a 4 out of 5 for front, side, and rear. which for a car this size, is very good.

superjeer

The rating has nothing to do with size. It's a relative rating for the class.. so apples to apples the xA didn't do best in class.

Corbic

Exactly. I'm unable to also find out where it stance is to other cars of its size. I know for example the Mini Cooper is a 5 all the way around and on offset as well (Best in Class) and the Golf is 5 Front, Side, Rear and a 4.5 off set. However is the Golf a compact like the Scion or one up in class? I also can't find any info on the Scions offset, which to me is the most important. How many times do people hit brick walls head on going at 35mph? If anything, Frontal just shows the "Best possible scenario". Offsets will rip cars and occupants apart. Hyundai Elantra is great example. It’s a 4 front and 3 sides, I think, but in an Offset it’s "potentially survivable". This is why Hyundai made side airbags standard, which also makes it look like the car is getting more bang for your buck.

Corbic

Oh, also how hard is it to instal the springs yourself? What is a good price for springs? I'd lower the car by about .5" to 1.0". Would like to keep some ground clearance.

XaRS0888

get TRD springs. this car looks very easy to work on, there's DIY on the spring install on this forum as well.

matt_a

I don't mind the center pod at all. I just think it's hilarious how Toyota (Scion) tries to market the idea as "for safety...so you don't take your eyes off the road as much." Puhleese...it's to save them a ton of money in the manufacturing process. Whether they make a right-hand-drive car or a left-hand-drive car, they don't have to change the gauge placement.

BadKarma

I feel like the center gauge cluster topic is a dead horse continually being beaten. Opinions are many and subjective. Some people hate them and will never get used to them.....others need a while to warm up to them but eventually will.....I needed no time at all to get used to them. The transition from in front of the steering wheel to the center of the dash was natural for me. Again, this is subjective, but I feel like having to glance down was more arduous than having to glance to the right. I LOVE my xA.

djct_watt

yeah. . . I've grown to love my center pod. . . but I wished it was more like the xB's, and shifted about 6 more inches toward the driver. Especially in a car with high seats, like ours, you'd want a higher gauge pod, and I really like the position.

On the seats, I wouldn't lower them. The reason it seems that have so much legroom, is because of the height. You don't need as much actual room to get comfortable, as your legs sit vertically, rather than horizontally. My brother's IS300 has more interior room, yet you feel more cramped, as your legs sit forward.

Corbic

I'm horrified right now.

I just got a copy of Consumer Report magazine. It offered nothing in the way of additioanly saftey information. However it did offer one thing.

They got 20mpg City and 37mpg highway in an auto xA. WHAT THE F##k!
What sort of mileage are you guys getting? I do a LOT of city driving, and I have a lead foot. I was figuring I would get the EPAs estamate of 30mpg (seeing I get roughly 23 in the Golf which is rated 24/30 or something like that).

XaRS0888

31 in the auto mostly city stop and go driving.

djct_watt

Must be a misprint, or they otherwise don't know how to drive (being that the main objective of that magazine is to review refridgerators, blenders, and toasters). I drive as fast as I possibly can. . . it's amazing that I havn't been locked up yet. . . . When I drive normally I see about 35 mpg. When I drive quasi aggressively (ticketable-infraction), I get about 30mpg. When I drive hard (felony/misdemeanor-handcuffs), I get at the very least 24-26mpg. They must have gotten a brand new xA, as the mileage is a little lower than normal when the car is new. After about 3000mi, when the engine is nice and broken in, mpg spike up.

Epitrochoid

[quote="LeeD"]
Regarding the seats, I'm currently working on a package to sell that will lower the seats for people. You're not the only one to complain of this.

quote]

AWESOME! Count me in on that!

JMD83

The center pod looks to be slightly angled towards the driver, at least I think it is...
I was already used to the center pod due to the 53K + I put on my Echo prior to trading it for my current xA RS 1.0 and I hven't looked back yet! The car is very impresive in the way it handles and winds up. It is a much better package all around in my opinion. However I don't know how an auto would feel, but you already drove one and seem to have been o.k. with it so I say just get it!

djct_watt

I wish we had our a little more towards the driver, a la xB. I honestly like it center, rather than below the top of the steering wheel. . . but just a wee bit closer would be nice

EExA

31 in the city
37.5 on freeway (Bone stock, no wheels, well the factory steelies)

As for Cruise Controls, I used to do them for $225 installed. I believe the local shops are still doing them under $300. Toyota has yet to come out with a factory cruise as far as I have seen. Most of the dealers I'm seeing are advertsing the same cruize kit with a different controler for about $400 installed. Check a local shop. the Cruise unit with a standard controler is about $130 thier cost. Figure about $90 to install and a 20 to 30% mark up on shop parts (the unit it's self.)