hotlavalove

Okay guys the time has finally come that my almost 10 year run with my most beautiful dream car must come to an end. I lost my job and need the money and can't afford my car anymore. It's amazing how I can still love a car 10 years after purchase but this car seriously never wore out on me, not even a smudge. Best - car - ever. I'm here to inquire with all you fellow original xB pro's about the value of my 2004 RS1.0 Hot Lava xB. After I get it detailed and washed it looks spectacular and have kept it in fantastic condition. It has aftermarket leather seats and interior, every possible add-on Scion was offering I got it on this car including the stereo bass tube, spoiler, lights, you name it. I have after market arm rest that is kind of worn in by now. I purchased it with a special type of coat that went over the paint that kept it looking like new even to this day by merely washing it. There is a tiny scratch on the side and a little wear and tear on the back but nothing significant. No missing front pieces. The car is a god damn gem. Mileage roughly 130,000. My question to everyone is this: How much can I expect to get for this car? I must sell it by April I have no choice. It's hard to gauge what it's worth because I have nothing to compare it to. No one sells these cars because they are not only rare, but they are the kind of car you keep, not sell. Clean title, first and only owner. Of note the first week I owned the car my ex gf got in a pretty significant accident. The car was fully repaired and there are absolutely nothing that happened as a result of it whatsoever, but this will probably show up if the VIN# is ran through a system. (damage over $14,000 at the time). 2-3 fender benders it's been in with me behind the wheel over the years had the car repaired and as good as new. Always got the oil changed and kept good care of it. ANyone help me out with a value? I live in Northern California so it was never exposed to any harsh elements. Rims are 17" aftermarket I can get picture I forget the brand. Help! Thanks, hotlavalove

TheQuietThings

kbb.com

hotlavalove

Kbb?

If your big brain could point me to the kelly blue book page with the scion release series prices separate from the regular scion prices then you truly are more clever than I originally assumed.

TheQuietThings

How much was your RS package worth? 1500? Now its worth 33% of what it was originally worth.

Just like the original price of the car. It was worth 15k, now its worth 5k.

Satisfied?

draxcaliber

Truth. as a total loss service rep, I can tell you that the special packages don't add any value to a vehicle after about a year or two. It is just a marketing package to sell a few scions at a premium.

For the extra few grand you spend, you get a numbered series scion in a unique color with a few upgrades from the accessory catelog already installed, plus sometimes a few cosmetic upgrades that only RS vehicles get. the changes are cosmetic only and therefore do not add value to it's general market value. It might be worth more to a person who is just dying to find a hot lava xB, but otherwise no, no extra value.

Sorry!

blupupher

This. You may be able to get $5200-5300 if you sell it yourself.
Cars are not investments (except for the rare few and even those depreciate before they rise in value). If the Carfax shows damage, even if it has been fixed perfectly your going to take a hit on value.
What it is worth to you and what you can get for it are sometimes 2 different things. As you said, this is your dream car, the person buying it will more than likely be someone looking for a cheap car for their kid or some cheap transportation for them self.
The buyer will pull up the value on KBB/Edmunds and get the price there, so no point asking for more.

hotlavalove

Here is why I tend to disagree:

1. This is a relic. It was made for 3 years and the car is practically discontinued (depending on your view on the "redesign"). It's a cult car basically.

2. It's rare, every year that goes by less of this color are on the road. This is our generations beetle van type of cult car. And I have the hottest and rarest one.

3. Those numbers don't always work... if you used the formula for every car then all those old beetles and other retro weird cars from the 70s and 80s would be worth pennies. In reality they hold and maintain a certain value over what a typical car would from that same era because of its cult-hit status.

4. I am aware all the options you buy are meaningless when buying a 10 year old car. The release series hot lava is where the value is, not the leather and all that other stuff. Although it does help.

5. It was a flash in the pan and taken away from us, a rock of a car, and I have the best one - bar none.


No way you are telling me this car is worth $5000 I'll keep it forever if that is all I can get for it. I'll go out on a limb and say my car is better than the new xB's for the right person. I know there is a niche out there that loves the 2004-06 xB that is salivating to get this car. You can't say the same for a 2004 Camry or Civic ...or a 2004 anything really.

draxcaliber

I'm sorry dude, but the car ultimately is what it is. Scion sold plenty of first gen xB's out there. They also sold plenty of the mechanically identical but bland toyota echo and a few scion xA's which was an echo hatchback. the value added in the xB is it has traction and stability control which the other two don't have, and ABS, which is an option on the echo i believe. otherwise, it is just a limited edition of an otherwise quirky economy box. the car will not see a dramatic difference in value in terms of the general market value because it is just a color. to the general market shopping for a used xA, they don't care that much that it is an RS model. they just want a economical people mover, how much extra will they pay for a special color? the answer is not very much more.

In the collectors market, that is a completely different thing, but the car isn't really collectable. it is kind of like when Lucas releases "Star Wars Collectors edition" whatever, bluray, action figures lunch boxes, they aren't collectable just because he says they are. What number is on your xB? are the ones numbered as #1 worth more because it is first? #7 because it is lucky? #13? #69? #666? or number 4500/4500 or however any they made? It is only worth more if somebody really wants that specific number badge.



To put it this way, I have a 2005 Scion tC standard model. How much more is my tC worth when I tell you that it is worth more because the first model year produced (which means I don't have steering wheel controls whooo!!!) and 2005 is the ONLY year they made the car in Silver Streak Mica (every year afterwards it was Classic Silver Metallic!!!!) So there, I have a slightly more rare scion because it is one of the OLDEST on the road, and like your RS is a unique color that no other model year had avaliable! My tC is still worth the original 15 grand I paid for it after 96k miles!

I'm sorry, but for general market value, your RS model is only worth a hair more than a NON-RS model, unless you find some diehard first gen xB lover who really REALLY wants to pay so much for an RS model.

Also from experience, Edmunds tends to be better at values than KBB, but KBB has gotten better.

BlingSlade

I think if the car is in tip-top shape like you say you can get at least 7K, if not more. You're right it is a high demand car and it's still very popular. I still have my 06 xB and although I thought of getting rid of it once I quickly came to my senses.

On the subject of keeping cars, are you sure you absolutely have to get rid of it? Can you make any other compromises or what if you get a job in the near future? What I'm saying is try to keep on to it if at all possible! Especially since you have such a unique and special version. At the very least batten down the hatches and hold on as long as you can. I'm 47 and I still kick myself for getting rid of my 1996 Acura TL as it was paid off and a fantastic 5 cylinder luxury car. God I hate thinking about it..even now!!

Anyway, good luck on whatever you decide. My last suggestion before I go is if you think you have something of high value always start high because there probably are people out there looking for exactly what you've got. I know if for some reason I lost my current xB I'd at least look around for another as I know how great of a car it truly is. Good Luck!!

PS: It'd be great if you post some pics

hotlavalove

Thanks for the reply, I do hear what you're saying. But what you are missing is a very key point and one that cannot be overlooked: they still make the tc.

And the tc is a fine car for sure, but there really is nothing special about it. It has no true cult following and never wil. This is because its just a car like any other car.

The xB on the other hand redefined (at the time) what a concept car is. It practically brought the idea of a new concept car to the market. (New Beatle and Mini Cooper were just brought back, not an entirely new concept). The xB *was* scion for the beginning of this companies existance. If you said "look at that scion" you knew it would be an xB. xA was lame and the tc was just a car. The xB is what stole the show. I bet 90% of people at the time had no idea or cared what else scion had or did, dor them a scion was the xB in the same way a Harvey is a motorcycle. You loved it or hated it but you had an opinion either way.

Then for all intents and purposes scion discontinued the xB. That sorry excuse of a car they put out and called it an xB in 2008 was not an xB. They killed the car and everything that went along with it. They went from new hip and trendy and appealed to old people and young people alike to just another car company with some cars no one notices. You need to look no further than to the sales of number of scions sold per year if you disagree with me. The truth is in the pudding. Fact is if they started out with the 2008 xB and never made the original in the first place, they'd probably be out of business. They been riding that wave and are now fading fast. Being a Toyota brand is the only thing that keeps them alive now. For the life of me ill never understand why they did what they did with the xB. Baffles me to this day.

It would be like if google suddenly redesigned their seacch feature to make it impossible to use but left all their other services the same. Google originally was search, no reason to do something stupid like that. They left it mostly the same tinkered with it but built around their niche. Scion destroyed the xB and replaced it with a rectangle gas guzzling station wagon.

Okay sorry got off track. My point is many scion enthusiasts feel just like I do. Like the guy below everybody who owns an xB original knows it is hands down a fine auto. The key concept here is that this car is gone. They made it for 3 years and discontinued it. You can't get a new one. You being the owner of a tc can get a new tc and know its a better car and more importantly the same car, and most importantly an IMPROVED car. Sure the old one has a few things that give it sentimental value but if given a choice are new one is better and more in demand.

So to review:
1. It has a cult following
2. It's discontinued
3. I have the best one that is the rarest and most in demand.

I have a feeling that this car is not old enough for it to be appreciated as a cult hit classic like the old beetles are to us. I think in 15 years this car will take on a whole new meaning. Maybe I'm wrong we'll see.

I guess I thought it would garner interest from a small group of people who love cars and know this is a gem for 2000s cars. Honestly I wouldn't sell this car to someone who was merely looking for a used car to tug the family in. This car needs to be passed down to someone who knows what the hell they are getting. (As if it wasn't obvious enough this car is so god damn great).

hotlavalove

Believe me I have zero interest in selling my pumpkin pleasure palace (don't ask). But I'm in a situation that is quite unique and will leave my daughter and I homeless by the end of April unless I make a move. I'm a student and can't work at the moment because my friends at "child support" would take half. Yes I have my child fulltime, don't ask, just know it's a mess. I have no choice this must happen. But if getting 5000 is all I can expect it wouldbt help my situaion anyway not to mention this car is t going anywhere for that measly amount of money.

Ill post pics tomorrow after I detail it. Thanks for the reply.

draxcaliber

Cult following and market demand are two completely different things. also, the tC put scion on the map because it was a fantastic looking car with lots of standard features and blew away other cars like the civic coupe away because of how stylish it was. When I first got my scion in late 2004, I literally had people shouting at me in parking lots that they loved my car and had no idea what a Scion tC was. but this isn't a ____ing match over which scion is the coolest of all time.

When you say it has a cult following, that means the car is only worth more money to a considerably niche market, but to the GENERAL MARKET it is not worth much more than a regular Scion xB. Also, cars like the Beetle aren't worth that much, they've only appreciated in value because of inflation, or to collectors who want a project car or a fully restored car.

You have to remove your personal reservations about how much awesome sauce your xB is. Pretend you're a perspective buyer, Mr. Jon Q Public, you're trying to sell your 10 year old xB with 130k miles in what I'll presume is in good shape for $12k or just using cars.com and searching from a random zip code in northern CA, I found a 2007 Honda Fit with 45k miles on it. The Fit newer, lower mileage, more useful, way more fun to drive and just as well built as your xB, now as a buyer of the general public, what would I really want to buy with my $12k for a daily driver? an older car with much higher mileage because it has a special color and trim package that otherwise might be a ticking time bomb waiting for a serious mechanical failure, or a newer lower mileage car that is likely to easier to keep for the forseable future?

If you think somebody in the Cult of the First Gen xB will covet your hot lava RS1.0 to the point they'll pay $12 grand for it, find him and sell it to him, but to the general public, no, don't care much if at all. It is an economy with a special color.

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...nal&listType=1

draxcaliber

Just had a brilliant idea! take your xB to Colorado, sell it to a Denver Bronco's fan, or take it to Baltimore MD, sell it to an Orioles fan! They'll see the color and say "I gotta have that!"

sdsnybny

iTrader: (1)

I love my "someday to be" cult car RS model just as much as you but with the damage history you will be lucky to get $5,00.00 In the last year I have seen many RS1's for sale, do a search on auto sales sites, e-bay, craigslist.
Just recently I have seen two RS1's w/less than 60,000 miles and no damage history go for less than $8,000 local to me. The market is just not there for that kind of $$ collectable or not

http://cars.oodle.com/2004-scion-xb/...gallery&inbs=1
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...rch=true&Log=0

o TaGGeD o

iTrader: (2)

IMO the xb2 is by far better I thought the Xb 1 was garbage just saying GL with your sale to get what your asking market is very slim and will take a very long time not to mention any car that's ever been in a wreck I won't even look at it

draxcaliber

the first gen xB is a good car, but it isn't going to be an collectable car that appreciates in value for another decade.

draxcaliber

Yeah, from personal experience, the tC can deliver a lot of food in style and quickly, I imagine an xB can do quite well too!

Zman

You could start at $9,999 and get a private buyer.

Zman

LOL! You have a REALLY RICER 4x4 tC, congrats bro.

o TaGGeD o

iTrader: (2)

What are you talked about? I've got a boosted 13 tc2 lol