almost 3 years, 76k miles, still going strong !!!

2 1/2 years UPDATE !!    After 2 1/2 years and now 76,000 miles, only one strange problem to report.   Various check engine lights kept coming on, dealer said code was a timing problem code number.  Very strange, said they only see this on cars with like 300,000 miles on them.   A call to Toyota technical center (in California I think ???) was put in, they said this is caused by the cam sensor wearing out or the little sensor thingies (sorry, don't know what they are called) on the cam sprockets either cracked off or are out of alignment.   $633 estimate to replace the camshaft sprocket, cam sensor, and associated parts.    I did not fix as the car still gets 34-36 MPG and runs fine.    Other than this, nothing but fluid/filter changes and a new set of tires at 70k miles.    Original factory brake pads are still on the car and just now half-gone at 76k.   GLove box door still rattles if you don't slam it.    I tore off the front air dam on my steep driveway AGAIN (third time), just decided to truck on in 'Road Warrior Mode' without it [sic].   I also ripped the rear bumper cover off on the steep incline too.   $1200 estimate to repair the body damage--but this was my fault not a mechanical breakdown.  The spring-clip on the fuel-filler door came off, very annoying but only cost like 65 cents and they didn't even charge me for replacing it at the dealer.   I drove the car on a 4 hour non-stop trip to Nashville,TN recently and it is punishing, almost brutal on rough pavement.   The struts might be going, not sure... I drive 35 miles one-way to work, mostly interstate and 4-lane highways, that is fine.  But long distance cruising....I rent a Mercury Grand Marquis for long trips, enough said.    I still hate the dome light, it is getting dimmer with age.   Transmission sometimes doesn't like 2nd gear until it's warmed up.    The dealer said they don't recommend replacing the fuel filter.   I had it replaced anyway by a Valvoline outlet for about $45.     The interior fabric and carpet shows zero wear after 76k miles.   Dog hair vacuums off very easily (compare to the velour in a Ford which is impossible!).   Stereo still kickin' out the tunes but I spilled coke in the Ipod jack so that doesn't work anymore.    The new XB solved some of my gripes (no armrest, no cruise control, terrible cup holders, dim lights) but as this one isn't paid off and is just 1/4 of the way on it's 300,000 mile mission to go where no car has gone before.     Last item:  I have rust spots developing on the roof, trailing edge of the hood, and the edge of one rear door.  Dealer says it's out of the 36 month/30k warranty so they won't do anything about it.     I sanded them down with my Dremel tool, primered them and hit it with some touch-up paint I talked the dealer into giving me for free, looks fair...hope it stops the rust for a while.    I'll be back later with another update on my journey to 300,000 miles.    I have no plans to get rid of this car until 300k.  Despite a few problems I am still a very satisfied Scion XB owner.   Dealer service department at Greens Toyota in Lexington,KY not cheap but they are prompt, polite and seem very competent.   -Mike in Kentucky-


UPDATE: It's been a year and 30,000 miles on the xB. So far, so good. Absolutely no mechanical problems, just a dead battery replaced under warranty. Nothing but that and scheduled maintenance/oil changes. Gas mileage averages out to be 32 in almost all highway driving, I have seen a low of 26.2 and a high of 36.33 MPG (this is with the 5-speed manual transmission). Car still gets a lot of unsolicited comments from the public, they either love it or hate the styling. I got a washing machine and appliance dolly in the back with the seats down NO PROBLEM. Also have moved a 35" tv in the box and a 27" tv, the low lift-over height is a true help. Bags of mulch...be careful, it will bottom the suspension it's not a pickup truck. Now, for what i don't like after a year: the seats sit up so high you cannot reach the floor if you drop something, have to stop and get out to get it.
The console is about 4 inches too far forward, if you plug in a cell phone charger the left side cup holder is useless then. Also a Hardee's/Rally's large-size cup fits with just a couple of millimeters clearance. No arm rest is annoying, will buy one online soon. The door locks can have a mind of their own sometimes, I'll have the dealer check that out at the next service. Dome light stinks. Too far backwards and very dim. I have two used 6" round domelights from junked police cars that will brighten it up...!!! You have to reach backwards and over your head to turn on the domelight. What a bad design. Remember up until the 1980's cars had a simple pull switch that you rotated to turn on the light? What happened to those??!!?
You can play a sony walkman cassette player through the Ipod jack but the volume is low and the sound quality is just fair for all you children of the 1980's out there like me. :) The front chin spoiler is very low, I ripped mine off on my driveway incline...




After 8 miserable years of GM products (see my reviews on my GMC Sonoma and Saturn LS200), I purchased a Scion xB. Scion is the "youth-oriented" brand of Toyota. The car was made in Toyota City, Aichi Province, Japan. Mine is Polar White with black interior. All xB's have a black interior regardless of outside color. Scions are non-negotiable in price similar to Saturn. I paid $14,570 which includes ABS front disc/rear drum brakes, Traction Control, Vehicle Stability Control (not sure what that is), power windows, power door locks, tilt steering wheel, 8-speaker/160 watts am-fm-CD player by Pioneer, 1.5 Liter 4-cylinder with an easy-shifting 5-speed manual transmission, air conditioning, rear window defroster/wiper/washer, intermittent front wipers, very bright halogen head/tail/turn lamps, cloth interior, center console with 3 cupholders, two trip odometers, driver and passenger sun visor mirrors, and Goodyear P195-15 radial tires on steel wheels with plastic hubcaps.

What attracted me to this car was the features for the price. It has a lot more for the money than a Corolla or Yaris. A co-worker bought one because he has knee problems and with the big square doors and elevated seats it was easy for him to get in/out of. I agree, it's very easy entry and egress from the front or rear. The interior room is amazing--better than my Saturn LS200 I traded in by far. The seats are DARNED COMFORTABLE...very firm padding with this neat stretchy black material that's easy to clean too. I'm 5'10" and 315 pounds I this seat fits me like a glove, I love these seats. My neighbor who is 6'3" has headroom left over. You sit very upright and the seating position is noticeably higher than other cars on the road. Fantastic visibility with no blindspots due to the large windows, very short hood you can see over, short rear bumper so backing up is easy. The rear window is low enough to offer great rear visibility but the large rear headrests block the side view to the rear window a bit. Looking straight back though is fine for me when backing up though. The a/c unit fan speeds are pretty slow and the back seat takes a while to cool down but so far the a/c and defroster work good. If you used to own a 1973-1979 Volkswagen Super Beetle the sole instrument pod will look familiar...sits on top of the dash just like the old VW's. Everyone thinks it's weird but on my first test drive it was apparent that the pod is directly in your line of sight, you do not have to take your eyes off the road to see speed, fuel or engine RPM. I really love this feature of the car!! There are no instruments in front of the steering wheel at all. THe radio controls take a bit to get used to but you can customize the color...I changed the text when you start the car to read my name, it has pre-programmed phrases including "Scion" in both English and Japanese you can change it to which is pretty wild.

Rear seat room is shockingly huge for a car so small. Everyone who sits back there can't believe it. With the seats folded down I hauled a 35" TV set for a neighbor today with no problemo. The lift-over height is about knee-high which is nice. I recommend you get the accessory rear bumper applique however to prevent scratches. I got a cargo net too, bought both off the internet which was a lot cheaper than the Toyota dealer.
(www.scionlife.com has a lot of feedback on accessories, their quality and prices from various sources). The headlights/turn signals/brake lights are VERY bright.

The engine is a 1.5 liter 4-cylinder, which is also used in the Toyota Prius, Yaris, Scion xA, and the discontinued Echo. 103 horsepower and a 5-speed manual will not win any drag races and you have to plan highway passing/merging carefully. The car drives like my old VW Super Beetle--fast up through the gears around town and very zippy but it's out of steam by 50 MPH. The car turns 3000 RPM at 60 MPH, but it seems 'happy' at that speed like the old VW did at 70 MPH in 4th gear with your foot to the floor. ;) Save me the "this is a Scion review not a nostalgia review of the VW" emails. The driving experience is strikingly similar! Plus like the VW, the styling is a love it or hate it thing. I have many people stop me in parking lots to ask what the world is that thing? Other xB drivers honk and wave at me. Our vehicles are unique and there are endless accessories available for them. I really enjoy driving this car for its blend of 30 MPG , utility to haul people and cargo, features for the price, and it has a certain "character" so many new cars lack (hey, like the VW Beetle... ;). I suspect many folks reading this are old enough to have owned a slugbug years ago so you can probably relate. :)
The xB is supposed to be a 'youth' car but most people I see driving them are probably 35 to 55.

Okay, what don't I like so far ? The glovebox door rattles if you don't slam it shut. The doors are a bit thin and require a good shove to close (this is not a Lexus). Dealer prep was really poor, scuff marks on the door panels and dashboard, paint chip on the rear bumper, leaves stuck in the air vents. Very poor pre-delivery prep!!! The interior light is too far rearward and too dim. There are instructions on the internet on how to install additional interior lights but check to see if it voids your warranty before trying this! The front of the car is very upright, it's a bug magnet and a half. I bought a Wade acrylic bug shield to help this problem. After driving a Saturn with automatic headlights and automatic door locks for 5 years, I have to remind myself to turn on the headlights and lock the doors manually. The Scion xB does NOT have daytime running lights.
The xB does not have side or head-curtain airbags available but it does have very good crash ratings.
The insurance was surprisingly cheap for full coverage.

Last thing I don't like is I did not get an Audio manual from the dealer, the stereo system is hard to figure out.

Oh, the stereo system in this car sounds awesome. I have tried classical, heavy metal, techno, rap, country, am talk radio, FM radio, latin/salsa music and it all sounds great once you figure out how to adjust the stereo.
It also has very loud volume and with 160 watts it can keep up with any type of music it seems. I love this stereo!

First two tankfuls were 29.204 MPG of mostly city driving and 30.000 MPG exactly on mixed city/highway. The dealer tells me that the MPG tends to improve as the engine is broken in, usually by the first oil-change around 5,000 miles it should get around 35 MPG. It is EPA-rated at 30 city/33 highway with the 5-speed.

So far, so good. I am very impressed by The Box and highly recommend it for the price. It would be a great car for someone with young children due to its roomy interior or if you carpool for work. I'll let you know how it does after a few thousand more miles.