What do you guys think part trois

[ocnblu]

Scion ex D in Amazon Green, manual, with the 16" alloys, mats and short shifter. Kind of reminds me of a mid-teens antique Mack truck, with its coffin nose.

Motorweek's YouTube vid from when it came out in '08 says it'll turn a mid-16 second quarter, and it gave them 38+ mpg, which is well above the EPA estimate. Only thing, it said the manual gearchange is a bit long in throws, hence the short shifter.

Edited March 6, 2011 by ocnblu

[A Horse With No Name]

I have a problem with this....

I really hope that you find a really good guy some day blu...and an XD seems to me to be the ultimate way of inducing celibacy via what's sitting in the driveway...ughhh....

That being said, I am not an anti scion guy completely, I think the new TC is a huge upgrade, and my wife has had zero problems out of her 2005 xB, other than a clutch...but we've got almost 160,000 miles out of it and it still gets 35 plus miles to the gallon...

But the XD,,,just...no....

[ocnblu]

...even with rims and tint? The ex D looks so stubborn and bulldoggy style...

Edited March 6, 2011 by ocnblu

[Robert Hall]

...even with rims and tint? The ex D looks so stubborn and bulldoggy style...

You could also slap on GMC badges and have your own version of the Granite before GM puts theirs out..

[A Horse With No Name]

...even with rims and tint? The ex D looks so stubborn and bulldoggy style...

...the kids at my kids artsy prep high school for the arts wear their pants so their boxers show.

You might consider this if you buy the ex...dee....

[ocnblu]

Wouldn't work. Commando, baybee.

[A Horse With No Name]

I'll drop a quarter in that crack then...lol...

Seriously....ever considered a Miata?

[ocnblu]

Only as a second car. For that it'd be fantastic, but I am not near able to afford that. I need something with a bit of attitude or symbolism that can haul stuff once in a while, like camping gear or home project materials. Plus it has to be cheap to buy, run and insure.

Edited March 6, 2011 by ocnblu

[Intrepidation]

Transit Connect?

[ocnblu]

Our vinyl stripe guy traded his Express on one, a white XLT. He transferred his Harley-Davidson front plate. No manual trans, no factory alloys available. A bit TOO capacious, and prolly not atall fun.

[Cory Wolfe]

Don't be a traitor.

[ocnblu]

Say what, CRX driver?

Sonic ain't out until late fall. Aveo is junque. There is no GM car in this class. Fiesta is pretty expensive, the hatch starts at, what, $17k?

[William Maley]

Sonic ain't out until late fall. Aveo is junque. There is no GM car in this class. Fiesta is pretty expensive, the hatch starts at, what, $17k?[/b]

For an SES model, SE starts at $15,120...

[smk4565]

A Scion is a lame car, it's like buying a low end Toyota, minus the Toyota badge that at least gives the car resale value. Sort of like buying a Geo when the Chevy or Toyota model was the same, why buy the lesser badge. An HHR, used Mini, Fiesta, Honda Fit, even Honda Element are better options. Or Hyundai Veloster is coming.

[Robert Hall]

Maybe just buy a used Cobalt or Cavalier if you want something cheap and fuel efficient.

[Satty]

Maybe just buy a used Cobalt or Cavalier if you want something cheap and fuel efficient.

Like the one he traded off a few weeks ago? Check Craigslist, I bet Metros go cheap.

[A Horse With No Name]

Maybe just buy a used Cobalt or Cavalier if you want something cheap and fuel efficient.

Like the one he traded off a few weeks ago? Check Craigslist, I bet Metros go cheap.

Seriously...Miata dude.

You've got the truck for practical.

A decent used Miata is cheap...I know you don't like used...but find like a 2009 or 2010 with like 10K on it.

MUCH better than the ex dee....

And you are keeping the truck, right...

[ocnblu]

No way I can afford to keep both. Thing I like about the ex D is its trucky attitude, bulldog looks and relatively high seating position.

UPDATE: stopped by and talked to the local Scion saleskid tonight after work. They have 4 ex Ds, all autotragic. They are going to pick a manual up (said they need them anyway) and email me when it comes in so I can drive it. The kid said I could get one in any combination within 3-4 days then if I decide to go through with this hare-brained scheme.

Edited March 8, 2011 by ocnblu

[Drew Dowdell]

Cool... let me know. I have my finger on the ban button.

[Intrepidation]

I would test drive a Fiesta after an , and see which is the better car.

[ocnblu]

The ex D is $16,915 with accessories... 16" alloys, mat kit, cargo net and short shifter.

[ocnblu]

Got an email from Scion saleskid today... he's trying to rope me in and he's changing his story. Says there is "one" green ex D within our trading area (yesterday he said it would be no problem to obtain any color within a couple of days), and, instead of getting a manual for stock "because they need them anyway", he's now saying the one they get in will be the one they get in for me. Homey don't play dat.

I told him I'll stop in tomorrow night for them to put a figure on my truck, and reminded him I only wanted to test drive the ex D, that I still need to drive a Mazda 2 (they also sell Mazda, but have no 2s in stock) and a Fiesta.

[NOS2006]

Scion? Really? oblu, you're disappointin' me..

If you have to get a small car, go with the Fiesta or wait for the Sonic. Or get a Sky or Solstice.

[frogger]

There is always leasing a Volt for $350 a month

[A Horse With No Name]

Great...we'll have two Scion owners on the board....

[GMTruckGuy74]

I always get the xB and exD confused...

exD:

xB:

I'd say stick with GM and look at a 2011 Chevy HHR. I will admit that the newer Scion xB has caught my eye, but I could never bring myself to buy a Toyota. The HHR is a great looking vehicle and has some "truck" in its design ('49 Suburban). Then again, I'd also wait it out and look at a GMC Granite, but who knows when that will be available in the market?

But if I were in your shoes, being single and no need for a 4-door vehicle, I'd seriouly consider a HHR Panel and customize it similar to this:

That would be one hell of a unique vehicle!!

Edited March 9, 2011 by GMTruckGuy74

[Robert Hall]

Saw 3 HHRs between yesterday and today..red regular, orange panel, and purple panel w/ flowershop livery...they certainly are a distinctive looking CUV/wagon/something. More stylish than the kiddie-oriented xB/XD IMO...and most importantly, it's not a Toyota..

The xB, XD and Matrix all seem to me to be different looking answers to the same question--compact 5dr hatchbacks.

Edited March 9, 2011 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[GMTruckGuy74]

Scion ex D in Amazon Green, manual, with the 16" alloys, mats and short shifter. Kind of reminds me of a mid-teens antique Mack truck, with its coffin nose.

Motorweek's YouTube vid from when it came out in '08 says it'll turn a mid-16 second quarter, and it gave them 38+ mpg, which is well above the EPA estimate. Only thing, it said the manual gearchange is a bit long in throws, hence the short shifter.

Dude, you're really comparing a Toyota product to this great piece of American machinery?

Please, just stab the knife directly into my heart!

[Drew Dowdell]

I'm actually going to go look at a new HHR this weekend. This thread inspired me to do so. Found a black 2LT with a 5-speed, leather, and roof where my friend Dominic works now.

[GMTruckGuy74]

I'm actually going to go look at a new HHR this weekend. This thread inspired me to do so. Found a black 2LT with a 5-speed, leather, and roof where my friend Dominic works now.

Cool! I have to admit, after posting the pic above I too searched out local HHR's... found a 2LT in Imperial Blue Metallic, loaded

Only problem is that the HHR is not really a good 5-seater for my family needs

[ocnblu]

Didn't go out there this evening. I am waiting until they have a 5-speed to drive, kid is saying toward the end of the week. Also, it is supposed to rain here something awful over the next couple of days, and it won't be fun doing this in bad weather.

YES, wow that coffin-nosed Mack is more inspirational to the ex D than I remembered. Looking at the ex D in full frontal, it does have coffin-nose elements. Thanks for the pic, GMTG.

Edmunds review of the ex D is rather tepid, painting it as competent but not overly fun. Quick for the class, but not overly engaging to drive. They mention the average-for-class MPG ratings, but Motorweek bested them, with 38 MPG on their test loop. That sounds damn good to me right now.

Forte 5-door starts at $16.8k, and is very well-equipped with no options, but local dealer has none, so I can't even kick a tire on that one. Nifty flat load floor on that, but MPG ratings are a match for the ex D, not sure what real-world would be.

If this were a horse race, Fiesta would be nosing toward the front due to its universally-praised driving characteristics, smooth engine and surprisingly good price, if equipped smartly. Not sure if back seat folds flat with headrests out though. Also, it is American, definite props there.

Drew, that HHR you describe sounds really sharp. Let us know how you feel about the visibility over your shoulder, and please snap a photo, even if you don't bring it home. HHR has been off my radar due to my perceived real-world MPG. My Cobalt returned mid-20s avg MPG, my goal is to average closer to or over 30 mpg. 5-speeds are sooo hard to find these days, even in tiny cars that, in my opinion, need them to keep from feeling sluggish.

I really need to find a few manual-trans vehicles to test... can't tell a thing about what's important to me driving an automatic.

[ocnblu]

Rode through the Scion lot this morning to check for different ex Ds before heading further north on the same road to the Ford dealer. Saw nothing different, so I didn't stop.

Had an excellent experience at the Ford dealer regarding the Fiesta.

On my way back, I stopped in and asked my saleskid status on getting a manual ex D. (First he said within 3 days for ANY combo, then it was by the end of the week... today is Saturday...) No manual ex D yet... and the sales manager says he refuses to get one in unless there is a deposit given by me, because it won't sell as fast as an automatic. So the different stories are getting tiring, for another example, they told me any color is available, then they said ONE green one was available, now today there are suddenly FOUR green ones out there, sheesh! PLUS, and this made me angry... they pulled that old-school trick of holding my truck keys while they went behind closed doors to hash out my trade value and approximate payments. Ford guy gave me my keys immediately after his test ride.

I let him talk me into driving an automatic. Besides a bit of driveline lash because of the automatic (feels like a u-joint getting ready to fail) at low speed on and off throttle, it drove well. Peppy feeling engine. Quiet, with good ride and a very solid feeling. Excellent Pioneer stereo v. my truck's old style GM unit. Not a tick from the interior plastics at any point in the mixed test drive loop, tight as a drum. Nice high seating position, good visibility except for a wide rear pillar. Lower rear headrests than the Fiesta. I'd take out the rear headrests in the Ford immediately so I can see something out the back. Load area level with the bumper, Ford is deeper and bigger overall with seats up. Scion has a level load area with seats down though, I like that.

Dropping the hood closed on the Ford, you are rewarded with a solid "thunk". On the Scion, it sounded very tinny when dropped, with an extra "twang" noise. I do like the clearcoated underhood structure in the Scion, not just single stage, dull paint on the shock towers.

Bottom line: saleskid is still working to get me a manual to test (they have one coming for general inventory) by Monday at some point. But they only offered me $20,000 for my trade, and with the no-haggle pricing of the Scion, the payment would be around $230 with the same down payment and 72 month note.

Their behaviour was very different, and more predatory by a good measure, from the Ford dealer, which, incidentally, is in business 90 years run by the same family.

Honestly, the ex D has good points: high driving position, great stereo, good pep, first two maintenance services free through Scion and brick solid structure (doors/hatch closing, lack of body quiver and rattles), but the sales behaviour leaves too much to be desired.

Edited March 12, 2011 by ocnblu

[vonVeezelsnider]

I think that your experiences from dealer to dealer do a good job of killing the oft held opinions that manufacturers have had in the past vis-a-vis the product selling itself.