My car already looks great. I want it to handle even better and get great mileage and I don't want to spend a fortune. I want the best driving car for city and highway driving. It's already good or I would have gotten a different car.

1st up: I think a sway bar will be the biggest bang for buck. I'm thinking Progress because it looks like I can install myself easily. Whiteline is the alternate but looks more complex.

2nd up: wheels and tires
I think I'll use the stock rims for a dedicated snow tire and get 16 or 17" rims for better handling. Don't want to go too big because I do alot of city schlepping of kids and there are plenty of potholes. Looking for light weight to lower rolling resistance and probably a Yoko tire eventually. I've seen some light wheels at around $85 - would they hold up? They would make the car nicer looking although that is not my goal.

Air filter for better mileage?

What else do you suggest. Lowering seems scary and I don't feel a need for more power (would hurt mpg and car doesn't handle well enough yet)

Comments? Suggestions? Thanks!

 

Definitely the Progress RSB! It adds a lot of noticeable improvement for reasonable $$ and install time.

Tires and rims...I have Motegi RT5, 17x7 with 42 offset. It clears all the hardware (brake calipers, rear swing arm, links/hoses) but be careful with tires. All tires are not the same physical size! I have Falken 215/45-17 ZX512. With this combo, the rubber just clears (about 1/8"~3/16") the rear swingarm.

Many use a smaller tire = 205's-or lower profile = 40 or 35 series but I needed the extra protection from potholes..and 75~80mph Cali freeway speeds.

IMHO, 16 or 17 is the best all around for a daily driver.

Many have done CAI's shocks/struts, lowering springs. Hope they chime in here!

 

short ram intake /CAI. should get yoiu more milage, and a little acceleration boost....

Im getting the YDR short ram... cheap, DIY install, quick boost.

 

I have the Progress bar and I like it. I also swapped the stock shocks for Monroes at the same time. The stiffer OEMs make it bouncy and aren't needed once you have the bar to control the lean. Less bounce makes it corner better on rougher roads.

As for wheels and tires... Just replacing the stock Goodyear will result in better handling. I got cheap alloys and Yoko AVID TRZ in the stock size from tirerack.com (total with wheel locks and shipping was ~$600). Cornering and traction noticeably improved. I didn't want larger diameter rims because the roads I drive are always full of pot holes and torn up from construction. Heavier tire/wheel combo or wider tires will hurt your MPG. Stock weight is ~30 lbs per wheel with tire so don't replace them with a heavier combo.

MPG increase... You could get a K&N drop in. It *might* give you better MPG. I don't think either the filter or an intake would noticeably increase your MPG though. I have an intake and like it for the little extra HP. Haven't noticed a change in MPG. If you have a 5 speed, you could get a ScanGuage- it shows your MPG in real time and average so it'll help show you what RPM to drive in (usually 3k gives the best for me) and where to shift.

 

Very true, my mpg dipped slightly with 17's.

Best ride and best mileage = 15's.

 

Yup for best mileage run a 27 inch tall 2 inch wide tire:0 Sereiously if you want mileage you should stay 15 inch and a standard width. As you surmised some tire designs will give better mileage than others as well...Which I have no idea Going to a larger 16-18 inch wheel generally means a wider tread footprint, which increases rolling resistance and therefore hurts mileage. I like the trade off of more grip for the cost of a couple MPG. My Xb is on 18x7.5 rims with 215/40/18 tires, it is lowered 2" (goldlines) it handles like it is on rails (rest of suspension is stock, but I do have a Hotchkiss sway bar set I will install). The tires made a big difference in the feel of the car in corners, the 2" drop improved this a little more and eliminated a jittery quality of the stock suspension that I didnt like (dont know how to describe that much better, but the car felt kinda thumpy and unstable on rough surfaces). With the goldlines it is very smooth all the time, BUT< if you have rough roads in your area you could possibly have issues bumping valances especially if they are modified (lower). If a larger wheel is what you want for, for a good combo of mileage and handling I would use a 17 inch tire with the recommended tire size or maybe 3/4" max larger diameter. You could use a 16" but the difference between that and the 15" you have would be small except for the look, and if a bigger wheel look is what you want then the 17 is again a better choice.

 

A few months ago a bunch of news articles were floating around mentioning that losing vehicle weight can lead to additional gas mileage, among other benefits. It isn't going to be significant cost savings (a few hundred $ at 100,000 miles for a 1mpg increase) but it is worth mentioning.

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Oct...mption,00.html

 

alot of the time when adding performance mods you will get better mpg, the trick is staying off the go pedal.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Does that mean the sway bar is the first thing I should do? Tires second?

 

I'd do the sway bar first. If you're lazy and don't take off the wheels to do it (I just backed up some ramps) then you could scratch your rims with a wrench. It's really tight on the front two bolts. Better to scratch the steelies than some alloys.

 

Swaybar first. Put it up on stands, pull the rear wheels to make it easy...

Look for lightweight 15" rims and gowith 185/65R15 for slightly larger diameter and minimum rolling resistance, if you're after good mileage...

Aftermarket intakes won't really improve mileage... I'm using a TRD cotton gauze air filter, seems to let it breathe a little easier

Investing in a scangauge lets you learn how to change your driving habits to boost mileage- it gives continuous mpg readouts

 

I'm using the TRD air filter...seems to make little difference in mileage or performance IMO...did put 16 inch wheels and Falken tires ...didn't notice any loss in MPG.

 

This is good advice. I have the Progress RSB. love it. Short Ram Intake. Scanguage. I wouldn't go too far out on the rims and tires. $$$ Enjoy!

 

I just ordered the Progress bar (from showstoppers for 135.00 shipped). Whee!
Next bucks will get me a scangauge.

I'm thinking on the tires and wheels for now. Pricey. Anybody have any experience w/ the Sport Edition wheels that TireRack sells? They are cheap and very light.

The K&N air filter looks like a cost-effective change. And I'm studying the crank pulley issue.

 

I have the 15" D5 and like them. I don't think they're any lighter than the stock with the Yokos though. Tomas has the D3.

Do a search, here's a thread from when I was buying mine...
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=134316

 

Funny how the law of unintended consequences enters the situation. I installed a trd sport muffler, for example, which should increase performance and economy slightly, everything else remaining equal... but that's not how it worked out. The exhaust snarl inspired a more aggressive driving style on my part, leading to worse fuel economy...

I tell my coworkers that it really wants to be a fast car, but it's just displacement challenged...

The sport edition D5's look to be a good option, letting you keep the stock tires 'til they're gone. Shop around locally, too. Dunno what outfits there are in your area, but Pepboys has some pretty good stuff, too, as will local/regional tire distributors. Sometimes you can get a good deal on a special or closeout set, maybe get free mounting and balancing. It's tough to get anything under that $75/wheel price barrier, though...

 

No way, the stock tires are horrible. No point spending $10 - $20 per tire to get them swapped to new wheels when you can get better for $55. The xB is so light and low power, it should take a long time to go through a set. I wouldn't drive on the Goodyears long enough to wear them out unless you can't afford new tires.

 

I'm no big fan of the stock Goodyears, but the price was right, and they have one other redeeming virtue- they're pretty good in snow... not great, but pretty good... so I'll keep 'em, at least 'til spring. I've been considering some Falken Ziex 512's, in 195/60R15...

I don't like he idea of having to switch tires seasonally on a daily driver, especially around here, where you never know what the weather will do...

 

For handling go with the Progress.
Ride comfort- go with the Monroe 5987's.
Gas mileage- Keep tires inflated to 32 psi and check them often. Go with K&N drop in filter. Remove the snorkle, it cuts down on airflow. Also go with the NGK Irridium plugs gapped at .044.
For tires- just use the Goodyears till they're worn out then upgrade to better tire.
With this combo you should see 30 mpg on a regular basis and have a box that is 100% better all the way around.

 

For the most part, you're getting great advice.
The easiest mileage helper is a K&N panel filter. They're about $45, are guaranteed for life, and slip right into the spot your stock air filter is. I got a steady 1-2 mpg better with just that installed, and you might even feel a little more "oomph" around town. You can go with the Cold Air Intake, too, but they're a LOT more expensive, and - in my opinion, won't help that much more than the K&N panel.
As mentioned, a rear sway bar is also a great upgrade, is fairly cheap, and on an xB, is SUPER easy to install - honestly, you can do it. I got my Progressive off of Ebay for $120. My non-mechanically-inclined 14 year old son and I installed it in about 15 minutes, including jacking the car up!
Since you're concerned about mileage, I'd stick with the 15" wheel. Anything larger weighs more, is most likely going to put you into a tire that is slightly larger in diameter than stock, and you'll definitely feel the centrifugal effect of those bigger hoops turning - both when starting from a stop, and stopping. Not to mention affecting your mileage.
Actually, the Scion factory 15" alloys are one of the lightest out there, are priced in line with aftermarket wheels, AND are covered by factory warranty! Just ditch those stock Goodyears, slap some decent tires on them (research the reviews at TireRack.com for starters), and you'll think you've got a brand new car!
Good luck!