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Scion tC

1K views 23 replies 11 participants last post by  Jabber 
#1 ·
I'm looking at getting a tC in the future and wanted to get some opinions. The car has been around for awhile now, so I'm sure someone has a brother, sister, or friend that has one and can give me some feedback. I looked at the new Si and some used RSX-S, but I just can't bring myself to buy a Honda when it comes down to it.

I know Liz has a nice looking tC, so I started doing some research and found out that the tC isn't as bad as a lot of people make it out to be. I myself used to be on the "tC's suck ass and are POS girl cars" bandwagon myself, but after seeing some nicely modified tC's and comparing the tC to other cars in its class, you really do get a lot of features for the money.

If I would get one I would load it out from the factory and not do any more to it, as I realized dicking with I/H/E on a 4 banger is a waste of time on my RS. I'm looking for something that looks good and has decent passing power (Hey the tC is faster than teh RS, heh) I would like to get the OEM ground effects, pedestal spoiler, TRD drop, and the optional 18" Enkei wheels installed when I get it. So it would look like this:







What do you guys think?
 
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#2 ·
I personally like them a lot, but I could never bring myself to do it because of how common they are.

About the only bad thing I have heard about them is a very sub-par interior, more rattles than your 3g could ever think of having. :lol:

For the price, it's a nice little car. I personally would opt for a Mazda 3 over the tc. Much better handling and much more potential if you were looking to upgrade in the performance area, IMO.

I do love the white with black tint, the one you posted is sweet!
 
#8 ·
the tC is a decent little car for the money. I had one as a demo for about 3k miles. The only advice I can give you is to make sure you ORDER the car with the ground effects and the lowering springs on the car. If/when you talk to them, say this, "I want the ground effects, the lowering springs, and 18" EMX wheels done at port." If you don't, the dealer is going to charge extra for installing those parts, making it will be much more expensive. I'll get the exact cost for port installed springs and body kit if you want.
 
#12 ·
Well I've read that the only dealer installed options that are worth getting are the ground effects and the spoiler, as all the other options can be had for less on the net.

Case in point is a site called trdsparks.com

They have the TRD Strut/Shocks, TRD Springs, and TRD rear sway for only $749 and the TRD exhaust for only $365. That is a lot less than what a dealer would charge for those options and I don't mind installing stuff myself, so I could save some money in install fees and in the parts as well.
 
#9 ·
The website is wrong on the springs. It says they only come in white. THe white has been discontinued and they are only available in red. It also says that they are a DIO (dealer installed option) and no PPO (Port Packaged Option) is available. The strange thing is that the xB can get the springs at port. I'll look into it further.

The ground effects are priced at 995 DIO painted, not installed. PPO price is 1083, painted and installed. You don't even want to know the price difference on the wheels.
 
#10 ·
I owned one for the last two years. I have to say that the only problem I had with it was bad wheel bearing at 44k miles, but it was replaced under warranty. Gas mileage is okay, it has torque and a good commuter car. The itnerior does not rattle as much as 3g did. Overall its a good car and great for the money. I paid $16200 loaded for it 2 years ago. They are not too popular up here, so I dont notice them around too much. I have a black one now, I wanted a white one, but they didnt have them. If I were you get the white one they look awesome in that color IMO.
 
#11 ·
I hate them. 98% of the tC owners around here are always trying to impress/race me. I thought the Honduh kiddies would be a constant headache, but I was wrong. I have yet to understand it either. Do the kiddies forget that they have over 100 less hp than my stock shitbox (not to mention they're not all that much lighter)?

Bleh. I'm convinced that owning a tC turns you into an idiot. don't buy one.
 
#13 ·
Yep, I love my tC, however I would not load it up from the dealer as you'll be getting an ass raping. If the tC is truly what you want and if you have some time, find out where the local Scion club hangs out. Scion LOVES it's drivers and loves those that hook up their cars. What I'm trying to get at is, get in with the local Scion crowd now to see who has hookups for aftermarket parts at the dealer. Get your parts that way when you buy the car. Example, a ton of our club members around here work at the dealerships. I think we can get stuff for cost plus $10. So why pay full price on the kit, Enkei's, etc if you could save a few bucks by spending some time chillin' with these people first.

I forget... where are you located again? I can get you in touch with some people, I'm sure.

Overall though, I did the whole comparing all the cars in the same class as the tC and when it comes down to $$, the tC just has so many more standard features that others consider to be extras. Not only that, but it's nice to walk into a place and not have to haggle around with pricing.

Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions. :)
 
#14 ·
If you don't mind installing things like that, then go ahead. It will definitely be cheaper than buying them on the car. However, if you are financing it, you might be better off getting the stuff installed and finance that stuff rather than paying for it out of pocket (or on credit cards).

Either way, good luck with whatever you decide on buying. If you have any other questions about the whole scion process, either ask myself or froubaby.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for the help Jabber and froubaby.

I'm buying the car in full with cash, does that affect the whole Scion process? Meaning, can I get a better deal since I will have the money straight up instead of financing, or is the price on the tC's firm, no matter how I pay for it?

Another question I have is WTF is the "Vehicle Shield Protection"

On the "build your scion" thing on scion.com I noticed an option for the tC that cost $349 called "Vehicle Shield Protection" and it entails, "Lusterizing Sealant, Sound Shield and Sealant Cleaner, Rental Car Assistance"

Is that like a clear bra or what? And the most important question is, is it worth it? I plan on getting a clear bra along with tints the day I get it, so I would like to know. Thanks. :cool:
 
#18 ·
Yes, please ask!

I even started a thread about it on scionlife.com and no one seems to know exactly what it is either.

I didn't think cash would reduce the price either, due to the pure pricing bit, but atleast I won't have to worry about a monthly payment

All my friends keep wondering why I went from my nice 3G to driving my families' beater corolla for the past 5 months and they think I'm crazy for not buying a new car as soon as I sold the 3G, but I knew I didn't want to deal with payments and the parents offered to let me use the beater for as long as it took me to save for a new car, so I couldn't refuse that offer!
 
#19 ·
HAHA.. I am assuming the Vehicle Shield Protection is a dealer installed and sold item. It is not a Scion factory product. It is an absolute waste of money. All it is is a special wax. It supposedly has teflon molecules in it. Some people may know it as a paint shield. DO NOT BUY IT. It costs the dealership about 23 dollars. There is a Vehicle Security System. That is a glass breakage sensor.

Cash, finance, pints of blood, offers of sex with the supermodel of your choice, etc. will not get the price down even one dollar. Scion's rules. If I discount the car, and it happens to be a mystery shopper from scion, they can and will cut the number of scions I am allowed to order by over half. Second offense results in me losing the scion brand altogether.
 
#20 ·
HAHA.. I am assuming the Vehicle Shield Protection is a dealer installed and sold item. It is not a Scion factory product. It is an absolute waste of money. All it is is a special wax. It supposedly has teflon molecules in it. Some people may know it as a paint shield. DO NOT BUY IT. It costs the dealership about 23 dollars. There is a Vehicle Security System. That is a glass breakage sensor.
Thanks for the help Jabber. It's great to see an honest car salesman. If I remember correctly you made a post awhile back about the correct way to buy a car and how to approach dealerships. Maybe I'm thinking of someone else, but I could have swore it was you. I'll have to look at that.

Today I was looking at the inventory online of a huge local Scion dealer and almost every single tC had the "vehicle shield protection" listed under factory added options, making almost every tC in their inventory about $400 higher when compared to the ones without it. I just think it's a ploy to get some extra money out of you, since they can't take it off. Once it's on, it's on, so if you want that particular car, but no "vehicle shield protection" you're going to just have to suck it up and pay some extra benjamins and get it.
 
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