Article Comments - 2008 Scion Xb Full & Long Term Test

35 messages, Last post on Feb 08, 2009 at 12:30 AM

You are in the Scion xB Forum. Your Host is kcram

What is this discussion about? Scion xB, Wagon

Full Test: 2008 Scion Xb - Our test car has been equipped with Scion's top-of-the-line, Pioneer tuner/CD/DVD/navigation system with iPod and aux hookups. It's not as confusing to use as it is to say, and it makes the five-hour trek to college pretty pleasurable. (more)

Long-Term Test: 2008 Scion xB - The 2008 Scion xB is the very definition of hip. After all, it's the successor of the 2004 Scion xB, which made "hip" and "econobox" usable in the same sentence. And while most manufacturers struggle to create this kind of cult following, Scion's unique box effortlessly draws the dollars of the fashionable and the utilitarian alike. (more)

Outline

Messages Page 3 of 4: 1; 2; 3; 4; Prev; Next; Last

#16 of 35 2008 XB 5 Speed is Crap by ipmania Sep 12, 2007 (1:16 pm)
I can't believe no one has mentioned how noisy the 5 speed manual is in first and second gear. It has an annoying whine that mostly disappears after third gear. I sit in traffic going about 10-15 mph and the whine is loud and extreamley annoying. Also the clutch is a joke only engaging the last 1" of pedal travel. I am seriously thinking about dumping this car.
#17 of 35 talk about bias... by colorado1974 Jan 24, 2009 (7:35 am)
anybody else find it amusing how perfect the scion was? what else would you expect from a "toyota?" oh, but the expensive maintenance, peeling hub caps, squeeky brakes, 30,000 mile coolant, faulty nav, broken windshields and other items? What about mileage? One small sentence divoted to the abysmal economy they observed? how can these people say it was perfect, or even a good car? If this car had any other logo on the hood, it would have been ridiculed. Can you imagine if this car had been a Chevy Cobalt? yeah... EDMUNDS.COM, QUIT YOUR BIAS DRIBBLE ALREADY! name one scion that gets over 30 mpg and is on any top quality list! Replies to this message: pezzy669 (Jan 25, 2009 1:08 pm) colorado1974 (Jan 26, 2009 7:13 am) smithchuck (Jan 26, 2009 11:49 am) and 9 more... smithchuck (Jan 26, 2009 11:40 am) counthuber (Jan 26, 2009 6:18 pm)
#18 of 35 Re: talk about bias... [colorado1974] by pezzy669 Jan 25, 2009 (1:08 pm)
Replying to: colorado1974 (Jan 24, 2009 7:35 am) Colorado1974: I noticed the outrageous maintenance costs as well. Makes me chuckle that I have spent significantly less over 49k miles with a '06 Volkswagen Jetta. Hell by 30k I think I spent MAYBE $400 on routine maintenance and I am now up to about $600 with 49k on the clock. So much for gas and oil being the only Toyota requirements. Apparently they require more maintenance than a Volkswagen. GASP! Replies to this message: colorado1974 (Jan 26, 2009 7:13 am) smithchuck (Jan 26, 2009 11:49 am) colorado1974 (Jan 26, 2009 8:42 pm) and 8 more... smithchuck (Jan 26, 2009 11:40 am)
#19 of 35 Re: talk about bias... [pezzy669] by colorado1974 Jan 26, 2009 (7:13 am)
Replying to: pezzy669 (Jan 25, 2009 1:08 pm) This weekend I was talking to my wife about this article. She drives a new 2008 Tahoe Z71. She averages 17 mpg on a tank of gas. That's figuring 70% city driving. Let's compare for a minute. Tahoe. 315 hp. 7000 tow capacity. seats 8. all wheel drive. Routinely on the top of full sized suv quality lists. xB. 4 banger, seats 5. 4 banger. small, 1/2 the curb weight. never, not once been on any quality list. AND THE PUNCHLINE IS THAT IT ONLY GETS 6 MPG BETTER ON AVERAGE THAN OUR TAHOE? You only got 23 mpg average? for a 4 banger toyota? ha. Toyota fell. Toyota fell hard. Replies to this message: smithchuck (Jan 26, 2009 11:49 am) colorado1974 (Jan 26, 2009 8:42 pm) gearhead1977 (Jan 27, 2009 7:14 am) and 7 more...
#20 of 35 Re: talk about bias... [pezzy669] by smithchuck Jan 26, 2009 (11:40 am)
Replying to: pezzy669 (Jan 25, 2009 1:08 pm) Just for grins I looked up the Edmunds 5-year "True Cost to Own" for a 2006 Scion Xb vs. a 2006 Jetta GLI. For whatever reason, they have estimated maintenance plus repairs costs for the Scion (over 5 years) as $6,797 and for the VW it's $9,644. In fact, every cost they list for the Scion is lower than for the VW (depreciation, insurance, etc.), so that after 5 years they estimate the VW will have cost $9,616 more than the Scion, or almost $2,000 a year. I'm not pitching Scion over VW--I just thought it might be interesting to look at the total cost of ownership.
#21 of 35 Re: talk about bias... [colorado1974] by smithchuck Jan 26, 2009 (11:49 am)
Replying to: colorado1974 (Jan 26, 2009 7:13 am) Just for grins I looked up Edmunds' "True Cost to Own" for a 2008 Chevy Tahoe LT (didn't see a Z71 listed anywhere obvious) vs. the 2006 Scion Xb that I'd already looked up for another post. If their numbers are accurate, you'll be spending $69,337 over 5 years to own that vehicle, versus $33,063 for a Scion. Depreciation alone on the Chevy ($23,981) will be much more than enough to buy a whole new Scion Xb, stuffed with options. And if gas goes to $5 a gallon and you drive 12,000 miles a year, I figure you'd be saving $921 a year with that 23 mpg Scion (which is about 35% better than 17 mpg). They do say your Chevy will be cheaper than the Scion in maintenance & repairs. Of course it's important to buy the car you need, and I'm not slamming Chevy--I just think it's interesting to consider total cost of ownership. Replies to this message: colorado1974 (Jan 26, 2009 8:42 pm) gearhead1977 (Jan 27, 2009 7:14 am) colorado1974 (Jan 27, 2009 9:57 pm) gearhead1977 (Jan 28, 2009 6:29 am) and 5 more...
#22 of 35 Re: talk about bias... [colorado1974] by counthuber Jan 26, 2009 (6:18 pm)
Replying to: colorado1974 (Jan 24, 2009 7:35 am) are u kidding? have you read any car and driver? i think they're paid by BMW. they would kill 30 million people before admitting that BMWs aren't that good.if u want bias, read car and driver
#23 of 35 Re: talk about bias... [smithchuck] by colorado1974 Jan 26, 2009 (8:42 pm)
Replying to: smithchuck (Jan 26, 2009 11:49 am) Looking at that, how could you slam the Tahoe? Tahoe, cheaper to maintain than a tiny 4 cyl toyota? That sentence along should be published in every auto publication. That sentence alone should bring a world of laughter at scion. These two cars really aren't comparible in any way. They are meant for work at the opposite ends of the spectrum of users. My tahoe spends the year towing trailers, hauling multiple kids, friends, friends kids and a dog. The scion really only carries 4 people, or cargo, but not really both. That being said...a 315 hp v8, full sized suv that is pigeon-holed as a gas guzzler that comes within 6 mpg of, and is cheaper to maintain than an "eco-friendly" toyota econobox is extremely hilarious. we all can admit that toyota didn't really try hard, or do a good job on this xb redesign. Replies to this message: gearhead1977 (Jan 27, 2009 7:14 am) colorado1974 (Jan 27, 2009 9:57 pm) gearhead1977 (Jan 28, 2009 6:29 am) colorado1974 (Jan 28, 2009 10:21 pm) and 4 more...
#24 of 35 Re: talk about bias... [colorado1974] by gearhead1977 Jan 27, 2009 (7:14 am)
Replying to: colorado1974 (Jan 26, 2009 8:42 pm) The redesign didn't do much for me, but after sitting in the Xb at the Detroit show, it kinda grew on me. The plastic coming off the wheel covers doesn't surprise me. Toyota wheel covers always look cheap (and probably are cheap). Remember the whole customization aspect to the Scion brand? Toyota assumed, incorrectly or not, that most people who bought into the whole Scion thing would remove the wheel covers and steel wheels soon after purchase, replacing them with alloys. So why put "expensive" wheel covers on the car if most will be discarded soon after purchase. The Tahoe being cheaper to maintain could be true. But dealerships charge whatever they want and whatever people are willing to pay. The Edmunds calculator estimated the service at $201. Even another $50 wouldn't have been unnacceptable,allowing for variations in region,etc. But almost $100 more then calculated speaks of rip-off from that dealer. When I had to have a timing belt done in a Mitsubishi, there was $300 between the highest and lowest price for the dealers in my area, for the EXACT same service! The Tahoe is also a truck. RWD or even AWD truck parts (except for those relating to the AWD or 4WD system) are usually cheaper because they are easier to produce. The Scion Xb is a FWD car, it's a Toyota (Toyota parts usually being more expensive) so that could also account for the higher prices. No matter who does long-term test, I don't think windshields should be included in the total for service. That skews the total and since the windshield for the Scion Xb is probably more specialized then, oh, a Tahoe, it probably costs more. Gas mileage, that I can't argue. 15 mpg, even for a four cylinder driving a boxy vehicle like the Scion, seems wrong. I don't think Toyota dropped the ball, I think there were other circumstances here that kinda through off some of the numbers. Replies to this message: colorado1974 (Jan 27, 2009 9:57 pm) gearhead1977 (Jan 28, 2009 6:29 am) colorado1974 (Jan 28, 2009 10:21 pm) texases (Jan 29, 2009 4:52 am) and 2 more... gearhead1977 (Jan 29, 2009 7:03 am)
#25 of 35 Re: talk about bias... [gearhead1977] by colorado1974 Jan 27, 2009 (9:57 pm)
Replying to: gearhead1977 (Jan 27, 2009 7:14 am) Very poor mileage. Poor Reliability. Not just from Edmunds but from all the other surveys as well. Didn't Toyota become what it was by being reliable and fuel efficient? Exactly what is a Toyota that isn't reliable or fuel efficient? You almost have to ask, "what's the point then?" This also applies to Tundra (the worst in toyota reliability and mileage), sequoia, tacoma, scion and camry. looks like the sales are based on the logo alone, not the vehicle it's attached to.