Burn0ut

How does the xB feel in the rain? I was just wondering cuz it was raining pretty hard last night and as I was driving home in my Integra it was pretty sketchy at times (I do need new tires though) but I was just wondering how the xB handles the rain...Thx for the help...

George

Mine handles just fine.

The only negatives I have are:

1. Water drizzles down from the upper front corner of the side windows in a distracting fashion. I wish the car had decent rain gutters, but no car has them any more.

2. Rear wiper chatters on the return stroke. Toyota got very cheap on the plastic wiper arm.

Other than that, life is good, even in the rain.

George

HotBox

to me its pretty fun in the rain :twisted:

DibujoB

my only complaint (and as far as I know I'm the only person with this problem) is that my windshield leaks!!!!! The first time it rained really hard (i bought the car in sep, and this wasn't until november, when i wash the car or it drizzels no prob, but as soon as it pours man it leaks!) I brought it into service and the resealed it and replaced my headliner. Then it happened again, so they resealed it a second time, and even a third time. I was assured it would be fixed, but sure enough...today it leaked again!!!

I don't know if the service guys are just skimping because I'm an employee or what, but I'm going to chew me some azz tomorrow morning! They need to replace my whole windshield (IMO...no more BS reseals) and replace my headliner.

Other than that, I have no complaints...it drives better than my old VW Passat. And like I said, I have yet to encounter another xB that leaks.

Drew

rbloedow

Time for the lemon law to take effect

That said, I hate how water will run right into my car once I open the door, if it's been raining

George

It's scary when a Toyota employee can't get his own car properly fixed!

Like I said, it needs rain gutters!

George

DibujoB

Yeah, I'm not sure what their deal is....every time the fix it the leak gets smaller...it may be they're just having trouble pin-pointing the leak....When you pressure spray the car (and everytime after they fix it, we've sprayed the heck out of the front to try to simulate the problem) absolutely nothing happens. Only during torrential downpours is there any seepage.

I'm going to see to it that it gets fixed once an for all tomorrow though, I don't care if they have to replace the whole windshield!

NemoBronsky

I got to test drive the xB with a little snow on the ground in NY and man that _____ is like a small tank, no problems whatsoever, i know most of you cali guys don't care but figured i'd add that.

George

Reminds me of the old VW Beetle ad showing a Bug going down a snowy road leaving behind a single set of tracks. The caption read:

"Pick the right day to test drive a Volkswagen and you can have the road to yourself"

Somehow, I don't think that my xB will ever be as good in snow as my old bug. Warmer, yes, but somehow I can't see it sliding over drifts like a bug can.

Pablo_xB

:oops: I don't get it, why was there only one set of tracks? Like one tire, not two?


I'm glad to hear the xB is good in snow

DonSwier

:D

In the snow it's great!

I went over 4 Cascade Mountain passes here in Washington State, up to 4500' .

At a ski area, I tried out the VSC... it works like a charm once the tail just starts to go wide. A little chime comes on to warn you that the 'box' is taking over control.

Personally, I don't need the VSC (since we purposely enter SCCA rally events, it's like second nature to be all crossed up :twisted: ), but I'm glad my wife can drive it with confidence in the winter .

I personally think the xB's VSC/TC/ABS trumps any 4wd system unless one is driving through 2' snow drifts!

Workbox

I just had a big time exprience with the rain here in Houston and the xB was just amazing, Corning and turning was great I don't know if it was the traction control or just that it handle great. I didn't hydro plain, the front windshield wipers were good, but the rear got mucky'd up pretty fast, but the windshield worked. I was passing everybody and every thing with confedence. I really tried very hard to make the traction control and ABS to kick in, but you really have to push it realy hard. It's just a little urban tyrant.

dulcimoo

... It's been raining abit here and this is what I think...
The bullbox did well driving in the rain. No probs even in deep poodles and all. The wipers on the front need different settings - I like to set the intermitant myself (it needs to be a bit slower). In HEAVY rain the front wipers did keep up ]:8( And as stated ... ) it drips on you when you open the door.

c_dog

I think the xB does well in the rain.
I test it on sharp turns where I have room to slide if it breaks loose.
So far it's been pretty tight around the corners even in the rain.
No leaks.
Oh just remembered, the xB is overall pretty air tight but when I don't have my stereo on I can really hear the water flowing through my wheel well.
Lot's of water noise like the two back doors are open slightly. Anybody else notice this :?:

chillenn310

driving the xb in the rain is pretty fun. I just wish i had a hotchkiss bar to help me out when i take sharp turns, and I know my passengers do too. the only thing to complain about is the rear window wiper. it works, but not as well as I thought. but other than that, everything's coo with me. just use some rain-x on the front and rear windows and you're good to go in the rain.

Dylan

I've noticed this, too. Several times, I thought I hadn't shut the back hatch all the way (it tends not to latch properly unless it's shut forcefully) or thought the rear doors were open slightly. After slamming everything shut, I got back on the road and still heard the sound of rain as if a door or window was open slightly.

There probably isn't a way to stop this sound. however, other than a bandaid fix like blasting the stereo.

But as far as the xB's handling in rain (or snow for that matter)... it's awesome! But, I've never had a 4x4 or AWD sedan as a comparison.

BigOrangeXb

LoL, I've never driven through deep poodles before. I bet that was messy. j/k
I agree though, there needs to ba a slower intermitant setting for light rain/drizzle (4 seconds isn't slow enough). It does handle awesome in the rain, I was impressed.