I am looking into getting a new Scion xB in the next few weeks, and as I don’t know any of the locals that have them, I wanted to post here to see what you all think of your xB’s now that the novelty has worn off. How does it drive? How does it hold up mechanically? How did it hold up if you’ve been in a wreck with it?
Thanks!
~TygerD
A friend who owns a body shop told me that Scions are very difficult to work on, most likely because they are so small that there just is not much room - but that is my WAG, I didn’t ask why.
\hijack
My hub desperately wants one of these hideous cars. He’s researching and researching and I don’t have the heart to tell him that there is no way in hell I’m gonna have one of those ugly beasts in my driveway. Neighbor down the street has one that still has the new plates on it and Hub is absolutely green!
Why, exactly, do you desire one? They look like little square tin cans! I wonder how many people you can shove in one, a’la the old bug stuffing contests.
hijack\
Is is a Scion or is it a mailtruck? Choose A or B.
You guess!
And the answer is…
A is the Scion, but who freaking cares! The mail truck looks better!
Thanks for your info, kanicbird!!!
To the rest of you, thanks for the input that I’ve already read here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and many other threads. Sorry, but this thread isn’t called the "jump on the future Scion xB owner " thread. 
And to answer your question, RSSchen, I like it because:
~TygerD
I think if you’re getting such a vehicle, you had better be prepared to get the whole package, good and bad. As someone just planning to get one, you’ve already seen people’s reactions to it. So you had better learn to enjoy people making comments about the offensive* appearance of such a car.
It’s kind of like how everyone is forever in shock that Michael Jackson deliberately had plastic surgery to make himself look like that. Sure it may save on wrinkle mileage, and his nose will be easier to fit into small spaces, but DANG, man.
This is just a taste of the social stigma that comes with owning such a vehicle. Try to get used to it, and good luck.
*Yes, it offends me with its ugliness, in the sense that, how dare they produce such an ugly vehicle and expect us consumers to want it and how dare you buy one and encourage them?
To actually answer your question, TygerDralion ( :rolleyes: ):
I am the proud owner of a 2006 Scion xB, had it since November and I love it more every day. We just returned from our first long road trip in it (about 900 miles altogether) and it performed magnificently and got AMAZING mileage. I’ve driven it through torrential rains, icy and slick roads, and snow (yay, Reno) with no problems whatsoever. However, I have run into some difficulty with wind (here in the Truckee Meadows, we get some godawful wind storms with those big gusts that come in from the side), as it is basically like driving a billboard down the road and it is so lightweight it just gets tossed from side to side. However, nothing a little cautious driving (something folks here could stand to learn) can’t handle!
Have not been in any accidents and hope to stay that way.
I really can’t recommend it enough, it’s my first brand new car and the perfect vehicle for my husband and I. Our last car was an Oldmobile and was like driving a friggin’ living room down the road, so I wanted something compact, but yet with room enough to move some furniture or something should the need arise, and this fits the bill. Not only that, my husband is 6’6 and had trouble fitting comfortably into our last car, but he has tons of headroom and legroom in this, which is pretty cool.
Good luck, let me know when you get yours and we can rejoice in the Scion Love. 
I’d LOVE to find out what people drive who jump in threads like these and criticize. Something tells me we could find something to complain about for pretty much any vehicle. At least the xB doesn’t look like everything else on the road. I think that’s a good thing.
Good luck with the xB, Tyger. For NailBunny, how difficult was it to get used to the center-mounted tach/speedo? Seems a bit out of the driver’s line of sight.
I think it looks kinda cool, myself. Toyotas are generally very reliable, too. CR gives them two thumbs up.
One thing to concern yourself over- Toyota dealers are the biggest rip-off artists in the industry. If you can, buy from a Broker, not a Toyota dealer. If you *must * buy from a Toyota dealer, take along a savvy friend. Get the CR price report on the car, and know what they really paid for it, and how much mark-up you are willing to pay. Be aware they can screw you so many ways- price, trade-in, financing, selling you crap you don’t want, charging you for crap you didn’t want and told them not to include, charging your for stuff you did want, but they didn’t include, and more.
If you take those precautions with the DEAL part, you’ll be happy with the car.
Yeah, it was a little odd for the first couple weeks to train my eyes to look up rather than into the steering wheel for the speed, etc. However, it’s not an inconvenience at all, or at least I haven’t noticed it being so, and I’ve gotten used to it pretty quickly. And it looks cool. Like a racecar! 
That could be true, we bought from the dealer but we did bring along my mom (like I said: first new car, wanted someone w/some experience along) and she was excellent about asking all the right questions and so forth. My own experience at the Scion dealership was that they were awesome guys who answered every single one of my stupid questions with a totally straight face, and who really went above and beyond to give me a good first-car-experience. They still call me and ask how everything is going with the car!
Oh, and because I love to show it off every chance I get:
We had virtually the first xB out in SoCal, way back in '03. It was great having people stare at us for the first month.
It’s been absolutely dependable, like a rock. No problems at all, ever.
As far as pricing, I thought the Scions were pretty much non-negotiable. They’ve set up the price structure so you really can’t haggle. This is good for someone who has no experience “dealing” with salesmen. I don’t feel ripped off at all. I mean, 16k for a very reliable car is a good deal, period.
:smack:
That’s right. I think they reminded us about this about a gazillion times while we were going through the process, and a friend of my mom’s who works for a rival dealer confirmed that they can get in HUGE trouble if they futz with the price whatsoever.
Glad to hear you’ve had no problems in three years, I look forward to many happy years with mine. Especially after the long trip we just made (Reno to Vegas and back, over seven hours each way) - it was so comfortable, I hardly realized I was driving the whole way.
Well, I don’t have an xB, but I’ve had my Scion xA for three months and I absolutely love her. She’s very quiet, runs smoothly and is great on gas (I’m averaging 33 mpg city). Not as much pickup as other cars, but I don’t really need to go from zero to 60 in .3 seconds. I was a little concerned about the speedometer being in the middle of the dashboard, but I got used to it in no time.
As for durability, I was rear-ended by another driver six weeks ago. From the force of the impact I was expecting a bashed-up fender. The damage? A little scratch in the paint. I feel pretty safe in this car.
And, like NailBunny, I also have pictures.
Based on reading Car and Track in the waiting room at Leipold Tire in Akron, OH, I believe the Scion xB is the or nearly the slowest car that magazine has reviewed in the last few years. Certainly one of the lowest top speeds.
Oh, and I’d love to have one for toting stuff around and the neato styling.
And… someone asked what car the critics drive. I have an '02 Mercury Sable, fully loaded, all options minus side air bags and traction control.
I think they style is cute and catchy.
As someone who is currently driving a mobile living room that gets -7 per mile of gas, I’d drive a Scion in a heartbeat if I didn’t think it would bottom out on my washboard roads 14 months of the year.
I also need a 4x4 option because of our roads. Weeeeeeeeeee!
Is it pronounced Sky-on or Sheeeon?
/Detroiter
It’s pronounced Sye-On.
Make sure you test drive it before you buy one, which should go without saying. I was seriously considering one but was too put off by the weak (108hp I believe) engine after a test drive. This car would be perfect with the Corolla engine @ 130hp. I bet they will upgrade the engine soon to make the xB a lot more competitive. The question is how long can you wait?
I thought the Matrix’s were ugly so never considered one, but now that my girlfriend bought one I wish I would have also. The amount of cargo room is the same, it gets similar mileage, and has more power than the xB.
A Subaru Outback can handle those conditions, and it gets pretty damn good milage for a SUV.
Well, I test drove a manual one in “Salsa Red”. It had enough pickup and go for me, not too different from the automatic Corollas that I’ve rented, as I had control of the gear shifting.
Soooo…
I put some money down on one! Not just any ol’ regular one, even. I’ve got my sights set on one of the Release Series 3.0 special edition models. You’ve seen the orange ones (Release Series 1.0) and the yellow ones (Release Series 2.0)… This one is in a shade called “Envy Green”.
The E.T.A. is 6-8 weeks, and the dealership I’m dealing with is only getting in one, and it’s an automatic, so it’s contingent upon them finding a dealership that’s getting a manual and trading with them. I’m not going to have an automatic! I’ve been stuck with them, save for my 1981 Toyota truck, all my life, and I like the increased level of control from a manual tranny. Here’s hoping for an early delivery!!!
And you know what? I hope I live near Charger so I can offend him/her every day! I don’t give a rats butt about what other people think of it, I was just trying to keep the conversation on topic. Hence the thread title.
And, last but not least, thanks to everyone that provided helpful comments and advice, especially NailBunny and ladybug for sharing their comments and pictures of Johnny 5 and Serenity!!!
