GrafX_MunkE

First off, I want to say I'm impressed with how fast this car has caught on. All of you really seem eager to get to work on this car to make it a streetable performer. I have yet to find one on a lot here in NorCal to test drive, and I understand that the car has only been out for a little while. I just had a few questions to all you owners.

If anyone has taken the time to try it yet, I was wondering how the car handles in the corners, and excellerates out of them. Does anyone feel that the 17' wheels are too big for the car? Would a set of 16x7.5s be better? Does the car have an obsurd amount of body roll? How is the power down low? Is there noticable over or under steer? Being almost a ton and a half, does the car feel like it NEEDS the supercharger, or is the 160/163 power rating good for standard? I've always been one for a good suspension. You can pretty much make anything fast, but if it has a crappy suspension make-up then things pretty much suck. I love my 91 MR2, but the stupid engineers at Toyota outfitted it with a MacPherson setup that I think really holds the car back. How does the tC work with it's setup? Odd to see that it is MacPherson up front, double wishbone in back. I would think that lowering this car is going to put some ugly camber up front. Speaking of which. How do you performance guys like the car with the TRD springs and swaybar? I think it is pretty impressive to read that people are already working on turbos and other goodies for this young car. The potential for high quality parts is there, and if I get one, I'd love to know that I would have more choice in the aftermarket than say.... clean taillights and generic intakes and mufflers.

I'm not looking to turn one of these tCs into a super racer, but if I find that my friends are holding a track day at Thunder Hill, and I am in my tC... I would like to be able to have alittle fun in it.

Thanks in advance for any and all insight. Also, I'd love to see pics of what people have done with their cars already.

Ken

JSVH

welcome to scion life.

Most of your questions you can find by searching, there have been many reviews. But I will try to answer some of them as best I can.

IMO, this car accelerates and handles great, especially for its class. This car feels plenty fast for me, it is faster then the Civic Si, and almost as fast as the Lexus IS300, I dont think I could ask for much more speed but I am sure the S/C will give you all the power you would want in a FWD car. The suspension set up is also great, people say it feels like the celicas, but heavier and with a better ride quality. There is still some body roll, but the TRD springs are suppose to get rid of that and still maintain stock ride quality. I dont have any mods on my tC but they should not be hard to come across.

GrafX_MunkE

You know... I'm on a MAC right now, and it is not letting me type in that section. I will admit that I'm pretty dam lazy when it comes to the Search function in forums.

My concern is that I've been driving a turbo MR2 for the last 8 years, and have come to a point where I need to sell it and get a commuter. I know though that a tC is not a replacement for the ***** out power and speed of 18psi, and there is no way I'll ever stop driving hard. I just want to be sure that a tC could handle it. Sure I could go out and get a Honda Civic or something... but I'm a Toyota man... and I sure as heck don't want a Corolla. Besides, $16000 is great for this car, especially for what you get. It looks good too.

Thanks for the reply, BTW.

tC4me

Welcome aboard!

I've had my car for almost a month now and I've been pushing it pretty hard. I live in an area that has a set of turns like no other, hairpins and all. It handles pretty good...for a FWD car. The back does seem to kick out a little and so does the front. But like I said, i push it hard. The springs are kinda soft, but not too bad. a bit of body roll but thats to be expected. I have the front strut, dont know if it has helped but it might. Sway bars will help...not sure if they make them yet. The tC feels pretty quick (5spd), I wasn't impressed with the automatic, but it sounds like if you want to go to the track, and auto is out of the question...at least I hope so. =o) The S/C will be nice, but with the vvt-i and the high amount of torque, it gets moving pretty good. Dont Go Smaller with the rims, 17's are the best for turns.(so i hear) Hope I've answered some questions for you. The tC is a great car.

JEDI

Coming from a stock DSM except for wheels and tires (well, that actually helps a lot on those cars), I can tell yo uthat the tC handles very well.

I have yet to drive one without TRD spings but I am told they make a world of difference. I am scheduling an apointment to get a TRD Sway bar installed so I will give you an update of the difference.

So far though I haven't been disapointed. Driven at 8/10s the car grips well and the back end tucks in nicely. You can drive this car as opposed to aiming it. Loose traction a bit and you will understeer. The sway bar wil probably bring the car to a more neutral position.

Body roll with the springs isn't bad at all. Compared to a lot of cars out there the tC is pretty well balanced.

Again, I can't speak of what a stock tC will handle like as I have never driven one. But mine with the TRD springs handles very well.

gwtc

iTrader: (4)

Welcome! here's a post I wrote a while ago: https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...583&highlight=
and this was before I installed the TRD lowering springs.

sushi1111

funny GrafX, I'm in the same boat. I'm selling my turbo mr2 after having it for 4 years & for the same reason; I need a reliable daily driver.

From what I felt, the tC is in no way going to stack-up with your MR2... sorry. The torque just isnt there (in the auto I test drove at least) and the handling is nice, but nowhere near what I expected (heavier & softer than I'd like). Albeit, with some mods, im sure you can make the tC handle loads better, but for whats its worth, stock, I really didnt feel like the tC was an adequate replacement for an MR2 if you seriously consider replacing it as a performance car. On the other hand, as a fun, peppy, reliable daily-driver? Definately!

BTW, Anyone interested in buying MR2....
http://www.mr2oc.com/showthread.php?...758#post363758

GrafX_MunkE

Ehhh... I'm torn on selling the 2. I've put so much time and money into it... I think that is the problem. HAHAHAHA... TOO much money. But I have a truck, a motorcycle and the 2... living in an apartment, and moving toward buying a house (in CA... HAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!). Just need to cut my spending, get as much $$$ as I can save, and blow it all on a pad. That's were the tC came into the picture. It looks great, and comes with all this stuff for so cheap. I'm high on this TRD S/C and handling mods cause... yeah I'm Gen X'er gear head that's been around imports since... forever. All this input is really selling me on the car guy/gals... thanks. I've been all over the internet reading write ups and discovering new things about it. Shoot, I found out Turbo Magazine has already turbocharged one.... (looked really good too). I need to find one now and test it out. I think a big selling point, for me at least, is that that the drivers seat moves up and down, which is nice cause I'm 6'3" and barely fit in most Japanese cars. I drive my MR2 like I'm sitting in a gocart! LOL!

... dam, I'm gonna miss that thing. Oh well. I'll get another toy later.

Thanks everyone.

Nick_AGP

tC is slow and understeers like crazy. I think a complete spring/shock/sway bar combo would help. The brakes are decent. Accelration is sad.

GrafX_MunkE

... slow compared to what? Sentra? Civic EX or SI...?
0-60 in 8sec isn't blazing, but it's not GEO Metro either.

Nick_AGP

In general. Yes, it can beat most stock civics, but thats still slow. A stock GSR integra is much faster.

A tC may run a low 16 in the 1/4, and thats just slow period. Anything slower than 13s is slow.

GrafX_MunkE

LOL! Spoken like a true turbo nut! I'm with you there, brother... :D
It's definately a class type car. but it's only been out for what.. 2 months. If sales do well enough, maybe Toyota will expand the model line with different performance configs. I mean... the GSRs and Type-Rs didn't just happen. Honda just listened to the demands of the buyers/racers and redesigned the cars accordingly. Having a rock solid engine helps too (toyota engines aren't too shabby).

stwest79

As another ex-mr2 turbo owner, i'd like to chime in as well. My GFs getting her car delivered this month, and it sure is a nice car and all, but a bit on the pudgey feeling side in comparison to an mr2, and not nearly as responsive in handling or power.

Still for 16k, there's not much else that can beat it for a new car. My only other suggestion would be giving both the tC and the Neon SRT4 a test drive. The SRT4 is a pretty nice blast for the cash, but doesn't offer the same level of quality. At the same time its not a complete bucket of bolts ;)

phillytc

a stock gsr integra also weighs like 300 ibs less then the tC and has 10 more hp, and it still only runs 0-60 in about 0.2 faster then the standard tC. But the thing is that the integra is only a couple thousand less then the tC even when it has like 30000 on it, the tC is new, and integras are everywhere. I like having a car thats not everywhere yet and lets face it the tC was not made for the same things the integra is.

now the newer integras(RSX) the type s is a lot faster then the tC or the gsr with around 6.7 0-60 course it costs like 25k too though

tC_Sciontist

test drive it... its incredible