I don't know about where you live but here in south florida there is a disturbing trend I'm seeing.

Every time I see a gen 1 xB off in the distance I accelerate a little to check it out.. and when I get along side it what do I see? Dave's Plumbing .... Rico's Pizza Delivery .... Flowers-To-Go ... etc etc

So many businesses are using gen 1 xBs as delivery trucks it's getting to the point I don't even see "normal" ones on the road anymore.

I hate having a car that is mainly used as a delivery truck. Thats like being one of the poor saps driving one of the rental darlings like the neon or altima. Soon your car is looked upon as the thing that most people see it as.

I hope in a few years this doesn't happen to the second gen too.

 

I actually saw a 1st gen taxi when I was in VA. I imagine they're used elsewhere too... but I don't live in/near any major city that uses taxis too much. So I don't see that many of them.

 

Around here there mainly used as taxis and a few are modified to move people in wheelchairs from place to place.
I don't see too many being used for businesses...

 

yeah .... i see a ton of them being used for businesses. mostly PW's and RS2's ... that's where they all went to eh ....
it's a bit sad, yes. but i mean, businesses see it as a great investment because it's an attention getter.
too bad they're decked out in vinyl graphics advertising pizza delivery, flowers, plumbing, chiropractors, etc ...
*sigh*

 

I seen a ups store xB1 yesterday.....it was kinda funny to see it painted in the poop brown.

 

In SoFla as well, and yes, it's been a trend for some time now. They offer large mostly flat panels to advertise on, very easy to make graphics for due to the shape. I don't think the xB2 will have the same fate, not as boxy so not as suitable. I hope...

 

I think it will suffer the same fate. Those doors and high belt line offer a "large retail advertising space".

 

see that all the time here in jersey, annoys me too, when i try to catch up to one and it's a pesticide box. I also do not think the xB2 will do the same. not advertiser friendly.

 

Yeah, I see a bunch of them here in SW Florida, too. One stock-market exchange car is in my neighborhood, actually.

 

OK, new mission for everyone. Post pictures of the ones you see and lets pick the worst one.

 

i see that a lot here in so cal, i just hope the xb2 doesnt have the same fate haha

 

Oh G-d, my local one is gonna win. Imagine this: a mix of sky blue and green, kind of like a very light turquoise... with a big white circle on the side.

 

well, yeah, the xb is essentially a mobile billboard, but i don't mind at all you know why? for a while the marketing trend was to buy a freaking hummer h2 and make it a billboard for your company. now which would you rather have, a bunch of small fuel efficient xb's? or a bunch of massive dangerous gas guzzling h2's clogging the road?

i say let them advertise on the xb all they want.

 

Agreed, I'd rather have the lesser of the two evils. But I'm just so annoyed at how I'm exposed to an advertisement or product-placement EVERY-FREAKIN'-WHERE!

 

The xB is an ideal vehicle for this purpose. It's also an efficient and inexpensive business vehicle. I always thought they'd be popular for that sort of thing and it seems that's been thee case.

As for the 2008 xB not being so popular in that regard think again. I've already seen at least two. The one that really sticks out was a one driven by a catering service and had been entirely painted/vinyl'ed to match the companys' logo/motif. The newer xB having more room may actually lend itself even more to such use even if it's a bit less ditinctive than its predecessor.

Honestly though, why wwould this bother you at all? Is it that offensive to imagine that your hip ride may actually be a practical and versatile vehicle? If anything, it's a bit more appealing in a sense. It shows that there are some pragmatic business owners out there that put more thought into how they spend money. They could have just as easily gone the old "get a big white Ford/Chevy/Dodge... van" route.

 

Advertising companys pay extra to vinyl wrap an xB and pay a bonus for yellow cars.........The RS2 is the ideal for their purposes I guess. The xB2 is not as distinctive--but is certainly just as practical for business purposes.

 

Can someone tell me what is a RS2?

 

It's the short bus...

(It's the Solar Yellow limited edition box - see Old Yeller's profile - post just above yours).

 

we have a couple XB2's already that are advertising cars around me... I am sure I will see more

 

they are everywhere where i live. haven't seen any gen 2 ads yet... But the gen1's are mostly all business and the other half is mostly customized. Mine LOOKS stock, but that's only to fool you.....hahhahaha.