ok I just spent the past weekend reading hundereds of postings on this site and Ohioscions.com , viewing some very cool cars, and trying to make some decisions on my new 2006 xA that will be here soon. I am not a "tuner" guy by any means, but I will be doing some mods that I have seen out here... the cup holder lights for $10.00 bucks now that is just cool!

My problem is this. I want to lower the xA from stock height. I have read all the postings but it would sure be nice to get some details with photos. From what I have gathered the delear supplied TRD's will lower 22mm which is just under an 1" which I thought was cool, then I read about the Teins which would 1.5 but I should get new shocks. But I will be using this as an everyday car, not looking to not be able to drive in certain area's because my damn car is too low! Also it snows here in NE Ohio so I need to be somewhat practical!

So basically I am at loss. Being new to this, my comfort level would be to go the TRDs the delear is selling (although I don't like his install price seems high at $294.00) and call the lowering done for now. If I blow the shocks sooner than three years, then it would be my understanding that the dealer would have to replace since I went with dealer installed springs!

I plan to get wheels in the spring, defnitely an after market item. and a local guy I read does tinting, so there's the mods for this year!


Anyway, if you read this far then you like "wtf ask your questions!" so here is it

1. Can someone post a before and after of an xA with TRD's only? or point me to a thread that has one I just wnat to see this before I do it! (it would be nice to see with Teins as well)

2. What is fair price for the lowering springs instal? (with alignment included!) If I take it to another dealer will it still be covered if I can't talk my guy down.

Thanks for any input on this. I am totally obsessed right now after spending literally hours going trough the postings trying to learn. Hopefully I will calm down a bit once I get the car!

 

Here's my two cents....save your money. I know a lot of people on here are going to disagree with me. That's fine (they are entitled to be wrong ). I just don't see the point in lowering a xA unless you honestly plan to drive it like a race car. Unless it's heavily modified, a Scion xA simply is NOT a performance car. So if people do it as a performance upgrade, it should be along with a ton of other mods.

I've seen dozens of "before and after" pics on here of lowered cars. On at least half of them, I honsetly can't even see the difference. So if the reason to do it was for looks, it was money wasted.

Not to mention all the possible problems lowering the car can create. I've read about people having problems getting the alignment right after lowering, problems getting a jack under the car, tires rubbing....etc. Plus there's the issue of snow that you've already mentioned.

My xA and xB are going to stay stock height.

 

from my understanding taking it to another toyota/scion dealership shouldn't void your warranty. lowering a vehilce any can cause some issues but at the same time its all in what you do afterwards. lowering does imrove the handling of a vehicle. even an inch and if you plan to get aftermarket wheels you can easily get ones that will fill the gap is its look your going for. i live in new hampshire part of driving a lowered car is knowing what you can and can't drive through. for winter i would recommend snow tires. i've talked to other people saying that lower cars actually go through snow better you also have fwd which doesn't hurt either.

 

I'd love to hear the explanation behind that one. It's a simple matter of clearance.

 

sometimes lowering your car can screw with your insurance rates

 

Not sure I buy the better in snow with a lowered car. The roads can get pretty bad around here packed snow could prove to be bad. Insurance increease too....

I like the look of this car lowered just not looking for the extra hassle which is why I was looking to go with the TRDs from the dealer. I may just save the cash and maybe go for the nicer wheels for now. I already know I want tint, that plus the nicer wheels may be enough for now for that cool factor. Besides these still look very nice stock. At this point I just want the dealer to call me back and say the dang thing is here!

 

Yea, what he said^.

 

Thanks guys I think I may have gotten carried away with the excitement of getting this really cool little car. I talked with co-workers as well and we all had a really good laugh. Headache gone!

 

This car looks silly at stock height. I'm lowered 2 inches and there is still 2.5 inches of wheel gap left.

 

Personally, I like the way my car looks not lowered. I know that makes me weird. But then, I also think my car kind of looks like a baby version of my minivan.

 

The appearance of the xA will change dramatically with a drop. My car no longer has the off-road economy look to it. It looks more proportional when lowered. Also, with the 96 inch wheelbase, the lower center of gravity given by lowering the car helps the handling immensely. I live in New Hampshire as well and I know the winters will be interesting with my xA, but I generally don't drive with heavy snowfall on the roads unless I absolutely have to. I have also gone ahead and removed the two airdams under the bumper to allow for better ground clearance and it helps unify the look of the front end.

I did the installation of the Spring and struts with the help of my friend and it only cost me the price of a dinner or two. 250.00 for dealer installed springs is a bit high.

 

If you go TRD, I highly recommend getting the shocks as to help with the ride.

As for the look, those who are into subtle details will notice immediately, and those who aren't won't. There is still a fair amount of clearance with the TRD's (why I chose them as well), but those little air dam things do tend to scrape.

No matter what, if you plan on doing an installation at a Toyota dealer, you will be ripped off. With an alignment, my install was about $100 ($60 for the install, $40 for the front end alignment). It honestly doesn't take more than an hour, and you could do it yourself in about 2 or 3.

At the price the dealer charges, you'd be better off doing the install somewhere else, and installing the old springs back in when/if the shocks fail. You'd probably end up paying the same amount. $60 x 4 installs/removals = $240 + 1 alignment = $280. . . depending on whether or not you want to realign again at that point.

 

only if they know.

 

Get the spring. You will really like the way the car looks. It's going to look more agressive and cool! And enjoy it!

My box has been dropped for more than a year on stock shocks and Tein s-techs. I have 18,000 miles on it and got the springs around 2000 miles. I recently had the car serviced and everytime I ask them to check the suspension. They said it's solid, no problems with the shocks. I have no doubt that they will be changed oneday, but it's not necessary unless you really want ultra performance. My box rides better with the Teins, even with the stock shocks. Just get them, and drive!