Hello All!
I’m a new member but not a owner as of yet. Tonight I will be test driving the xB. I would like to know what everyone thinks of these. What are the pros and cons of this vehicle? Are there a lot of modifications I can make to the xB? If I buy the xB, what options should I ask for in the car? Thanks for your time.

Shaun

 

The best advice for a new soon to be owner is Lurk these forums. Read read read..

I just picked mine up about 10 days ago still reading and learning.

-Tek

 

LOTS to read and learn.

First suggestions an experienced owner would say is:

"Buy your mods aftermarket and do them yourself"

You'll save a ton!

The only thing I had installed at the dealership was my sunroof,
and that's because I wanted my extended warranty to cover it!

As for Pro's and Con's of the xB itself...well, if your considering
it, then you are probably past the first Con, and that's the shape.
It's a real love hate thing. You either think it's a great new
style out there and fall in love with it, or you hate the boxiness.
I find no in-between when I talk to people.

The second drawback I find, is lack of power. My previous
two cars were a SAAB Turbo and a Porsche 924S, so I was
used to a 4 banger with good torque and decent HP.

The box doesn't lag or have troubles on the highway mind you.
Because it's so light, the power it does have suits the car,
but many of us would wish for a bit more "just for fun".

Beyond that, my xB experience has been great!

It doesn't hurt that the Scion community is a lot of fun, and
lets face it, this is a Toyota. Those Japanese sure know how
to make a solid car!

 

Thank you for that information!

What is a good price to negotiate on? I would like to pay anywhere from $225 to $250 a month. The only set back I have is I’m ending my lease. I have 5 more payments of $400 on my lease. Anyone have and Ideas on this?

Shaun

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "negotiate on the price". You do know (don't you) that Scions all have a set price. No dealership is allowed to haggle on the price of the vehicle. The only thing that will vary the cost is the list of options you choose to put on the car. And as LoneyRaven said, you're better off getting that stuff aftermarket.

 

You may be able to haggle a little on the interest rate if you get it through Toyota, and maybe a little on a destination fee, but the price of the car is the same for everyone.

 

I bought mine in April and I've had a good time modding my xB. Browse the posts and see what people are doing.
I was surprised at how well the box handles on the highway. I never thought I'd take the xB on a long roadtrip, but after a trip to Austin (265 miles), I wouldn't have a problem driving it cross-country.
I have minimal $$$ invested, my sunroof was free because they installed the wrong roof, it was cheaper for them to give it to me then fix the car, then I won some things at the Scion Expo. All the other Scion accessories excluding the suspension package I bought online and installed myself. These cars are very easy to work on.
It just turned 2000 miles, I ran it to east Texas last weekend and got 33 mpg, the little 1.5 is starting to loosen up and pull in some mileage. Some people have said they're getting 38-40 after they're broke in. With gas prices as they are the box has become my main driver.
If you buy a box you will enjoy it. It's fun to drive, it's not fast but it's allot of fun and turns heads everywhere it goes...

WW

 

They are a lot of fun. Unlimited amount of aftermarket parts to personalize your ride! Don't expect to much as far as performance: it is a 1500cc engine that gets 30mpg, but also lots of add on things to make it go faster and quiker.

Join the fun and get one.

 

It's not fast and it has a bumpy ride. The ride can be fixed with suspension mods fairly cheap. Not much can be done to make much faster without spending some serious $$$.

 

I think it's important that you get a manual, not an automatic, my opinion.

 

OK here is my opinion....

My main vehicle is a 2003 chevy avalanche z71, its as loaded as a truck can get down to seat warners etc. I love it. But it gets 16mpg and I drive 30 miles each way to work every day...

So I decied to get a commuter car and did TONS of research, ok Im a research freak, and decided on the xB. Yeah its small outside, big inside, yeah its slow, very very slow, and yeah all my friends honestly harrased me about how ugly it was. Personally I found it exciting. So I ordered an 06.

Ive had my 06 now about 1.5 weeks. And wow its amazing. I have more fun driving it that I ever did my avalanche. I am more excited about it than I ever was about my avalanche. Its a very fun car to drive and the custom options are endless and at decent prices. Its a very fun "toy" car. Meaning its like a blank slate and you can do so many things to it all for fun.

And yeah I like the 5 speed better personally too. I highly recomend it at this point.

My two cents.

 

LOL....I did almost the same thing last December. The only difference is that I sold a Silverado Z71 LT and bought an xA. I love it so much, we recently got my wife an xB! Best two purchases we ever made.

 

I've had my xB for about 1 1/2 weeks now and I love it. I first drove the Japanese version (bB) in 2001 and it was perfect for the narrow roads, tight spaces, and high gas prices over there. I knew if it ever came out on these shores I'd get one. Plus we get the manual version (Japan only has the automatic) so Im even furthur impressed by the perkiness of the engine when doing my own shifts. It will make out just fine in highway traffic especially with the 5-speed.
If you drive a lot, do get the cruise control. I run between ATL and STL a lot-- a 7 hr drive. Anything else you get at the dealer is just for ease of installing it.

 

Lonelyraven and Matt_A have you covered.

 

Congrats, Shaun! xB's seriously rule.

I would recommend the manual, but regardless of transmission the single most important mod I would recommend , which you can do right at the dealer, is the AEM Cold Air Intake.

We got our xB in August '03, before the CAIs were readily available, and it was about a month or so before the dealer got it in stock and installed it. So, we had plenty of time to drive the car with and without the intake. Trust me, it is much more enjoyable to drive with it. I'm not talking about racing around, just day-to-day driving. The few hp increase makes a big difference.

After that, I'd suggest a muffler upgrade, or at least a larger clip-on tip for your stock muffler, to fill out the cutout in the bumper. Otherwise, the xB will look uneven! (At least to my eye). Plus, ours feels even a bit quicker with the muffler.

We had bigger rims/tires 17", but they made the car much slower. After they were stolen, we just stuck with stock 15s. Maybe every cloud really does have a silver lining.

Other helpful add-ons? The brushed door sills look classy, upgraded steering wheel is more comfortable (but pricey), but the stock shift **** sits lower and feels better than many aftermarket, including Momo, so keep it.

I'd also recommend some different springs. We have Hotchkis front/rear, and it was only about $200 for parts (used)/labor. Makes the car look a lot cooler, and it rides much better than stock, too. "Better" as in less bouncy/bumpy, and corners flatter.

Good luck!

Oh, and--of course--you have to get the illuminated cupholders. They rule, and are the only way you can get a switch in the car--any car--that says "Ill."

 

Just to balance things, not to start a debate, but don't fear the automatic, if that's what suits your driving needs.

 

Thank you everyone for all the helpful comments. I'm very excited!

 

You think you're excited now, wait till you get people asking
you about it at stop lights, or stopping you at the gas station
to ask you what kind of milage you get on it.

It's fun!

 

get it!!

 

make sure it has enough room for all your stuff....has excellent leg room but poor storage w/out seats down