Well, ive been sitting here, for about 2 weeks contemplating what type of vehicle i should get. Obviously the xB has came to mind, but i have recently been wondering this question: Can i see myself in this car for 7 years? If you can see yourself in this car for about 7 years, post here. Post why, and how you think the xB will still be a 'popular' yet good 'ride' in another 5 years or so. What will seperate itself from other vehicles in that 5 year time span? Is this a trade in car? Or is a car that will have an impact of the way we will drive in the future.

 

Well I can see myself in the car for 7 years. Reason is the versatility (spelling?). The xB get good milage, has lots of room for people. And ever still has some cargo room. I personally think they look very sweet. Starting price is CrAxY cheap for a TOYOTA with that equiptment. Resale is in for 04. Go to KBB.com and book out an older one in Retail and trade-in value. NOT BAD! Service the xB on time and it will last for a long while, longer than the 7 years you are kicking around... What else? Um, well I love the xB. I see myself getting ride of the tC before the xB. Not that I dont like the tC, but not as versable. Hope this helps. JOe

 

Agreed. My loan is for 5 years and I don't mind if I pay it off early. This xB is mine and for a loooong time, dammit!

Plus, Toyotas have lasted 200k or more. Compare that to my average weekly drive and that's over 7 years. By that time, either the xB will have transformed into an Element looking vehicle (ick) or a Ford Escape (ack!).. but hopefully something else will take its place by then if that ever happens.

 

Thanks for all the help, more responses cant hurt :D

 

I think its look and style will endure the designs of the future. It is reliable, good on gas, and versatile. It is simple in engineering and reminds me of driving a fancy tight-handling go-cart (mine has suspension upgrade) that can keep up with modern traffic. I have seen all age ranges in drivers of the xB. It is unpretentious, owned by someone who just got his/her first job, yet appealing enough to be owned by someone who also owns a mercedes. It is easily modifiable without compromising reliability. So, after several years, you can still have fun by changing the look of the xB. I can see myself driving it beyond 7 years, whether by then I will own a newer car or it being my only car.

Hope this helps. I don't think you'll regret it.

 

the reason why the xB will be long lived, is for one its a TOYOTA- look how long 4Runners have been around. Amongst alot competition, the 4Runner has surpassed reasale, reliability and value than any other SUV..........

Another thing is the fact that Scion is smart! A.) they only advertize on MTV- so you wont see a BUNCH of old people driving them (unlike the Element and PT cruiser) and they also wont over produce them like what they did to the PT cruiser- you can buy a pt cruiser and a beetle in any color, and day of the year in my area! Scions have a 1-3 month wait!

And the overall build quality of this car is of the same level as my mothers 26K Camry, or my father's 33K 4Runner. Of course my scion makes due without heated seats and navigation, but they over quality of the interior and exterior is great! Yes I know it has its cheap spots - Ie the rear doors, the back hatch covering, the front visors. but what do you want for 15 k? a Neon? HELL NO! The Scion is a notch above the Neon, Focus and Civic ( they have become extreamly tinny and cheap in the last couple of years)

So just buy one and be happy!

 

The answer to your question "Can I see myself in this car in 7 years?" is twofold. First, will you still want to be driving it and second, will it hold up?

I've never kept a car 7 years, so I would be surprised if I was still driving my (currently 4 day old) xB. The longest was 6 years (Suzuki Samurai) until I rolled it. But by then, they were no longer importing them... so it is possible that I would. A major factor is the 2nd part of that answer....

I've never owned a Toyota before so I don't know how well it will hold up over the years. And I don't know if Toyota made any compromises on the Scion line to keep costs down.

 

I always plan on a new car lasting 10 years. Don't always make it but thats my plan.

I never factor what others think into the equation.

 

I had my Mustang six years but hated the last three of those, but the car was junk. I can easily see myself driving the xB happily through the payment period (60 mos.) I think the key is to put some mods on it, but not all at once. One or two major mods a year will give a renewed interest.

 

Hell, that's what several European countries do with their little Mini vehicles and such. So if the design is European-ish and a Toyota, with the right upkeep.. 10 years sounds like a good length of time (whether it's passed to family members is a different issue).

 

In answer to your question, Yes I will be driving it in 7 years or longer, why am I so sure, 1. the vehical I got rid of after getting the xB was an 88 ford ranger, my wifes dad bought used while she was still in highschool, this car will be better taken care of because I got it new and I take better care of my cars than the previous owner of the Ranger did. 2nd, my wife gets the new car every 1-2 years, I'm the one that buys the car and drives it til it drops.

as far as the style question, Scion has said that they will not freshen the xB they will just come out with a new car. Model life is to be about 3 yrs for the scions. This means that there wont be a ton of them on the roads ever! Will it look dated 10 yrs, maybe, but I'll still love it for its roominess and drivability, and I must add that after this lates snow storm we've had in Iowa, I'm just thrilled with how well it handles snow.

 

I think the xB will be like the PT Cruiser and Mini Coooper, everyone poops their pants at first but then they become accustomed to it and are not 'shocked' by it anymore.

I will still have mine, it will still look pimp and it will still be dropping panties for a long time.

 

I've had mine for almost a year now and still love it. Just got rims and neon put on. will keep modding like mad.

 

Got mine at the end of November, Just started to mod mine. I can see keeping it for longer than I did my Matrix.

 

Well i can see the car for 7 more years unless my thoughts on getting a brand new tacoma 4x4 doesn't get the best of me. It might make a great backup car just in case i get a tacoma :) . As for impact in the way we drive in the future. I think that cars will have a higher roofline because it creates a more spacious interior. The headroom is great right. But besides that, I think that car companies will see that having interior room has its advantages. Honda/Nissan bringing out cubed styled cars.

 

Lets see................I have been a licensed driver for 31 years and have owned 28 different primary cars in that time (yes I have kept a accurate count). That count does not include any that I rebuilt for resale or extra part cars etc. So..........I figure I'll keep this xB for less than two years considering I start to get bored at the 12-18 month mark. "Varity is the spice of life".

 

I plan on keeping it around for the long haul. It's easy to work on, makes a great project car. If you do it the right way you can essentially build yourself a new car every year.

Of course it won't be my primary vehicle for ever, but it'll have a nice little spot in the garage.

 

I keep a car/truck until either A: I run out of ideas to customize it to my tastes and preferences...or B: Something better comes along or there is a *NEED* to trade. Which is why I traded my Ranger I had less than a year for the xB, I travel a lot for work and the better mileage I get, the more money in my pocket for mods, plus the Ranger was getting 15-16 MPG when gas was near $2, and the xB offered more for the money. I will keep my xB as long as I can keep coming up with fresh ideas for mods...even if it's little things like my rear domelight idea mod(soon to come in Electrical/ICE), but if I go 4-5 months without any ideas on new mods, **OR** products that I want to buy and am saving for, then I will get bored and start looking for a new project. It's like NFSU 2, I end up running out of stuff to do to my car and I trade it for a new one so I can start a new project. It's a disease, a horrible, expensive disease. I already know my next vehicle will be either a truck or a fast sports car. I'm wanting to get back into the minitruckin scene, but when I get ready to trade, I will be 25 and insurance will have dropped which is what has kept me from buying a sports car over the years.

-Z

 

If Toyota sticks to their word and discontinues these in a few years and if they don't become the next PT cruiser, then I'd love to keep the lava until my son needs a car. That's 12 years away. I have no idea if they'll be really cool or really hated by then.. but if they are rel. rare I'm guessing cool. I've had most of my cars for aout 10 years (maybe not ME but the age).. 87 nova's until 1999, 95 contour until this summer. The only one I dumped kinda quick was the safari, but that was just so I could get the Lava.

I think since the xB looks so old/retro anyway that they have little risk of looking anything but classic.. unless the other auto manf. are going to ruin it for us.

 

I expect to keep the xB for as long as it remains economical to run. However, my daughters might get the idea to take it to college with them!