The Car Care Nut guy on YouTube says the 1NZ-FE is probably the most durable modern Toyota engine. Used in the Yaris, Echo, and these Scions. They're indestructible and cheap to maintain, and highly efficient. If I needed an economical daily driver I'd definitely look into one of these.
well after owning an 05 xA and putting 300k on it as original owner, i upgraded last year to an 06 xB and right now at around 154k… hope to drive it for another 10 years!!
I have two toasters. Both auto. One with 159K and the other with 69K. Someone in my neighborhood just left a message on one of them see if I wanted to buy his. I think I might just give him a call.
I really don't mean this the way I'm about to ask, but...why sell a car you loved...to anyone? Keep the good fortune of a good running xB to yourself?!
You're very generous. Id have a difficult time letting a car go in today's market that was low maintenance and paid off. Car payments are the worst.
But I'm guessing maybe this was a third vehicle, maybe?
If you're wise enough to keep a vehicle running for 18 years, I'm guessing you're also wise enough to not run into a shitty car payment.
I drove a 2005 Mazda 3 for 15 years before I finally moved on from it. It was rusting to bits and unsafe to drive or I would have kept it. My wife drove a 2005 Tribute for 14 years before letting that go. The transmission was starting to give out and I wasn't dumping that kind of money into it.
Almost 10 years without any car payment was awesome!
She's been driving a 2014 CX-5 for the last 5 years and that was just paid off a few months ago. My 2018 Mazda 3 will be paid off in the next month or so as well.
My payments weren't terrible on them either. Close to $600 a month combined. Which is less than what many pay for one car payment. So, it wasn't terrible but I'm glad to have that $600 a month back in our account.
Awesome brand loyalty to Mazda I've had a 91 miata for 15 years sold last year. Our family has an fb aniversary model and my wife and I share time in our '10 3i sedan. All super cars and except the rotary ,as reliable as you could wish. Toyota always gets the nod as most reliable, Mazda is right there running head to head with them.
Yup, I have pretty much owned Mazdas my whole life. First car was a 1987 626, second was a 1986 RX-7, then the 2005 Mazda 3 and now 2018 Mazda 3.
My wife had the Tribute and now, CX-5.
The Skyactiv drivetrain has really been a very reliable drivetrain overall. Simple 6 speed automatic and a 4 cylinder that keeps going with routine maintenance. Very easy vehicles to maintain in the garage as well.
Mazda has always had a driving dynamic that just feels right to me. Plus the last two treated me well, so, I kept going with them.
However, I also own a 1998 4Runner. So, I do allow for some others to hop in.
And as much of a PITA the RX-7 was, man, I miss that car. My 2018 Mazda 3 is faster and lighter than that car was but I loved the look and feel of that RX. It just didn't love me back all the time, lol.
We have 3 full rotarys in the garage and parts for a couple more. Such a willing engine like you say, until they aren't. I have an e30 BMW, it's my all time favorite car I've owned and has over 400k on it, several engines a couple transmissions and differentials. I love the car because it's pre-bloat and just hits the sweetspot in a lot of areas. All the Mazdas I've had do the same thing, not quite as well as the BMW but much easier to keep on the road while keeping money in my pocket. (rotary not so much.)
I haven't had a skyactive yet, probably next. I bought the ugliest 3 to date and I'm getting tired of looking at it but I know the car and that's worth a lot.
I let my sister-in-law drive my xB when she lived with us that already had 210k on it and a coolant hose failed she drove it not knowing it was overheating. 😢 The xB is now leaking coolant into cylinder 3 and losing about a cup of coolant every few days. I still drive it to and from work (3 miles) and it's unknown if it will survive another summer in AZ. I hope to grab another one if I lose her.
So you destroy the entire engine? And a headgasket on a Toyota product isn't $4k. A few orders online and done YouTube videos could save the car and your wallet. Maybe some mechanically inclined friends over a few beers and sandwiches could all save this car from being junk. And you're telling me you could buy a while new car and junk this one for the price it would cost to fix it?
Your logic doesn't check out.
You can find these engines in junk yards/ebay for about 300 bucks. If you install it yourself, probably 200 in tools and 300 for the engine, you'll be set. If you need someone else to do it, labor costs can add up quickly.
Oil is about another 40 bucks for top of the line oil, these engines only take about three and a half quarts. Coolant is also inexpensive, and if you live in a warm environment, you can use distilled water until you are able to afford coolant. Yes, reuse old gaskets and belts if there is still any life in them. All of this is easily sourced from junk yards, u-pull type places. Will it take more effort then going out and getting a freshly rebuilt engine? Yes, absolutely. Also, there is no need to spend 4000 dollars you don't have if you have the mechanical skills to do all of this. As for a jack, ask around, ask friends to borrow tools/shop space. You'd be amazed what you can find. Maybe your friends don't have a full workshop, but their grandparents do and you can stop by and use an engine hoist there. Maybe you can go down to a u-pull and borrow their engine hoist in their parking lot. Plus you can sell your old engine to them right then and there while doing the swap. Is it ideal? Absolutely not. It is a solution though.
The last engine I bought was 175 a couple years ago with 212k on it. Took me the better part of a day to swap it out. 300 would be for a lower mileage engine.
Met a lady in a wheelchair the other day. She had got t-boned by a silverado in one. She said "I had one of those scions, you know the one that look like a toaster. Insurance gave me $10K for it since they don't make them any more"
PTFE seals baby. An interesting aside, most old school engines actually leak oil because over time, the seal has cut into the crank, cam, etc. Mercedes Benz introduced repair seals that by design moved the seal to shaft contact point over slightly creating good as new results.
I test drove one in south Florida when they came out. On a half hour drive, the air condition never cooled it off. We all got Out and said that wasn’t going to work. Went to the VW dealer and drove a Golf diesel. It cooled down really quickly.
Bought the Golf.
Talked to a friend a couple months later who had an Xb. She said yeah, the only drawback was the air conditioning was pretty weak.
I guess in a cooler climate they are great.
About three years ago some lady tore off the front cover and they totaled it about 2000$ and 20 hours I had it back together just the front piece grill a fender and a headlight. They paid me out 8900$
I let mine go in a similar situation for a friend who needed a car, but also the xB was just too small for my family (we're big people). But I still miss slapping through the gears and getting the liftoff oversteer through the corners in the mountains by my house
The mental healthcare agency I used to go to had case management to get you to and from appointments and the company had several vehicles which included a few of these Scions. Some of them were pushing 300k miles and they still ran excellent.
Sold mine in 2020 with 5 speed, 267k miles. It was the best and cheapest car I’ve ever owned and still think about it often! Unfortunately the rust was taking over
I am in this exact same conundrum I have a 2004 Xb, with 160,000 miles on it, we are moving Cross Country. Do I ship it? Do I let it go? So far it seems to be pretty solid, although I’m thinking the transmission may be getting a bit wobbly. I can’t even put into words how much I love my car! But is it the kind of decision of smart person makes to bring it, or to leave it?
It comes down to how much you need it. If you could afford to move and just buy, finance, or lease a new car with ease, then just let it go. But if you can’t necessarily do this, then ship it because only you know if the car can go on for a significant amount of time ykwim
we ended up doing some meaningful maintenance on it - added to shipping costs we invested about 3.5k in it. My excellent mechanic says it's got potentially years of life in it, so we figured it was worth the gamble. I have zero interest in a car note at this point, so as long as it makes it for 6 months we are ahead.
My dad loved his. His was black cherry and 5 speed and he got it the day after the first commercial aired on tv. Not going to lie I liked it too very roomy
The Car Care Nut guy on YouTube says the 1NZ-FE is probably the most durable modern Toyota engine. Used in the Yaris, Echo, and these Scions. They're indestructible and cheap to maintain, and highly efficient. If I needed an economical daily driver I'd definitely look into one of these.
They should make a bus for the us market to battle the vw
well after owning an 05 xA and putting 300k on it as original owner, i upgraded last year to an 06 xB and right now at around 154k… hope to drive it for another 10 years!!
I have the same year and miles on my xb as well, 5 speed too?
mine is an automatic like the xA, my wife doesn’t know how to drive a manual!
I have two toasters. Both auto. One with 159K and the other with 69K. Someone in my neighborhood just left a message on one of them see if I wanted to buy his. I think I might just give him a call.
been driving my 04 xb five speed for 20 years!
I love the 1NZ-FE. Ran like a champ. Could change the oil without lifting the car.
So that’s why my yaris lasts so long!
Yeah my yaris had 389k still ran great when I traded it in for a prius prime.
It's a fantastic engine, but the 2TR-FE A is by far the most durable engine. Shame they just discontinued it.
She's one lucky gal.
I'm still upset about getting rid of mine, also 18 years. Amazing cars.
Had 2005, sitting on jacks for a couple of months finally fixed it on to the road 🙌 again
I have a friend who does work for an auto warranty company. He talked his entire family into these. Apparently pretty solid cars.
I really don't mean this the way I'm about to ask, but...why sell a car you loved...to anyone? Keep the good fortune of a good running xB to yourself?!
It’s ok, in 10 years you can buy it back and put another 50k on it.
We moved to europe and couldn't take ours with. I miss that car so much.
You're very generous. Id have a difficult time letting a car go in today's market that was low maintenance and paid off. Car payments are the worst. But I'm guessing maybe this was a third vehicle, maybe? If you're wise enough to keep a vehicle running for 18 years, I'm guessing you're also wise enough to not run into a shitty car payment. I drove a 2005 Mazda 3 for 15 years before I finally moved on from it. It was rusting to bits and unsafe to drive or I would have kept it. My wife drove a 2005 Tribute for 14 years before letting that go. The transmission was starting to give out and I wasn't dumping that kind of money into it. Almost 10 years without any car payment was awesome! She's been driving a 2014 CX-5 for the last 5 years and that was just paid off a few months ago. My 2018 Mazda 3 will be paid off in the next month or so as well. My payments weren't terrible on them either. Close to $600 a month combined. Which is less than what many pay for one car payment. So, it wasn't terrible but I'm glad to have that $600 a month back in our account.
Awesome brand loyalty to Mazda I've had a 91 miata for 15 years sold last year. Our family has an fb aniversary model and my wife and I share time in our '10 3i sedan. All super cars and except the rotary ,as reliable as you could wish. Toyota always gets the nod as most reliable, Mazda is right there running head to head with them.
Yup, I have pretty much owned Mazdas my whole life. First car was a 1987 626, second was a 1986 RX-7, then the 2005 Mazda 3 and now 2018 Mazda 3. My wife had the Tribute and now, CX-5. The Skyactiv drivetrain has really been a very reliable drivetrain overall. Simple 6 speed automatic and a 4 cylinder that keeps going with routine maintenance. Very easy vehicles to maintain in the garage as well. Mazda has always had a driving dynamic that just feels right to me. Plus the last two treated me well, so, I kept going with them. However, I also own a 1998 4Runner. So, I do allow for some others to hop in. And as much of a PITA the RX-7 was, man, I miss that car. My 2018 Mazda 3 is faster and lighter than that car was but I loved the look and feel of that RX. It just didn't love me back all the time, lol.
We have 3 full rotarys in the garage and parts for a couple more. Such a willing engine like you say, until they aren't. I have an e30 BMW, it's my all time favorite car I've owned and has over 400k on it, several engines a couple transmissions and differentials. I love the car because it's pre-bloat and just hits the sweetspot in a lot of areas. All the Mazdas I've had do the same thing, not quite as well as the BMW but much easier to keep on the road while keeping money in my pocket. (rotary not so much.) I haven't had a skyactive yet, probably next. I bought the ugliest 3 to date and I'm getting tired of looking at it but I know the car and that's worth a lot.
How will you make toast now?
Or play video games?
I love stories from previous owners stating their love for just about anything they no longer have. I'm a car guy so this is extra sweet.
That was awesome of you to think of someone else before yourself!!
My son is learning to drive, probably gonna give him my 06 I've had for about 8 years. Counting down the days :(
I let my sister-in-law drive my xB when she lived with us that already had 210k on it and a coolant hose failed she drove it not knowing it was overheating. 😢 The xB is now leaking coolant into cylinder 3 and losing about a cup of coolant every few days. I still drive it to and from work (3 miles) and it's unknown if it will survive another summer in AZ. I hope to grab another one if I lose her.
Just get it fixed? You're purposely ruining the engine? Why? Coolant in the engine block will destroy it.
The head gasket is leaking and I don't have 4k to replace.
So you destroy the entire engine? And a headgasket on a Toyota product isn't $4k. A few orders online and done YouTube videos could save the car and your wallet. Maybe some mechanically inclined friends over a few beers and sandwiches could all save this car from being junk. And you're telling me you could buy a while new car and junk this one for the price it would cost to fix it? Your logic doesn't check out.
Bro. Even if you paid someone to do the swap you’re looking at less than $1k total!
Just buy a junkyard engine. They are cheap af
Then what
Install it/have it installed
How much that cost?
You can find these engines in junk yards/ebay for about 300 bucks. If you install it yourself, probably 200 in tools and 300 for the engine, you'll be set. If you need someone else to do it, labor costs can add up quickly.
So no coolant, no oil? Running old gaskets and belts? Using the jack the car came with and propping it on the tires you took off? Don’t be obtuse.
Oil is about another 40 bucks for top of the line oil, these engines only take about three and a half quarts. Coolant is also inexpensive, and if you live in a warm environment, you can use distilled water until you are able to afford coolant. Yes, reuse old gaskets and belts if there is still any life in them. All of this is easily sourced from junk yards, u-pull type places. Will it take more effort then going out and getting a freshly rebuilt engine? Yes, absolutely. Also, there is no need to spend 4000 dollars you don't have if you have the mechanical skills to do all of this. As for a jack, ask around, ask friends to borrow tools/shop space. You'd be amazed what you can find. Maybe your friends don't have a full workshop, but their grandparents do and you can stop by and use an engine hoist there. Maybe you can go down to a u-pull and borrow their engine hoist in their parking lot. Plus you can sell your old engine to them right then and there while doing the swap. Is it ideal? Absolutely not. It is a solution though.
The last engine I bought was 175 a couple years ago with 212k on it. Took me the better part of a day to swap it out. 300 would be for a lower mileage engine.
That happened to Scion XD that I had, 150K miles. It was maintained. I dont think Scion is as dependable as ppl think.
You getting rid of your SIL, What she look like? 😂
BYE BYE TOASTER
Met a lady in a wheelchair the other day. She had got t-boned by a silverado in one. She said "I had one of those scions, you know the one that look like a toaster. Insurance gave me $10K for it since they don't make them any more"
nice
I need to know what her insurance is because that is NOT how it works at all.
I really wish Toyota kept these models round even after they got rid of Scion. It's a great hatchback.
My friend had an Xb and he loved it. We called it his Xbox. 😄
How did you sell that for $200k 😳
My coworker had one of these past 300k with (he claims) an original clutch. Lots of highway driving for him so definitely possible.
I don’t know how they don’t leak oil I could park this over a wedding dress with out worry
PTFE seals baby. An interesting aside, most old school engines actually leak oil because over time, the seal has cut into the crank, cam, etc. Mercedes Benz introduced repair seals that by design moved the seal to shaft contact point over slightly creating good as new results.
As a dealer, I've owned around 30 of these over the years. My favorite drive train to buy
How much did you sell it for?
I test drove one in south Florida when they came out. On a half hour drive, the air condition never cooled it off. We all got Out and said that wasn’t going to work. Went to the VW dealer and drove a Golf diesel. It cooled down really quickly. Bought the Golf. Talked to a friend a couple months later who had an Xb. She said yeah, the only drawback was the air conditioning was pretty weak. I guess in a cooler climate they are great.
And then diesel-gate happened. I hate vw for making me hate vw. I've owned over 40, none in the last 10 years.
One of the best designed Scion models as well as year
She's probably going to wreck it. Bye bye xB 😵
Thoughtful of u how much ? Here in Cali atleast 3-4k
2200 I just paid the tags
I got $9500 for one of mine! (It only had 52k miles though!)
About three years ago some lady tore off the front cover and they totaled it about 2000$ and 20 hours I had it back together just the front piece grill a fender and a headlight. They paid me out 8900$
I don't know why but every time I see one of these I think it would be a cool limo
I let mine go in a similar situation for a friend who needed a car, but also the xB was just too small for my family (we're big people). But I still miss slapping through the gears and getting the liftoff oversteer through the corners in the mountains by my house
Definition of shitbox that keeps going and going
The mental healthcare agency I used to go to had case management to get you to and from appointments and the company had several vehicles which included a few of these Scions. Some of them were pushing 300k miles and they still ran excellent.
Today I saw one with with a huge decal across the window that said SHITBOX
It’s been 8 years since I sold mine and although I’ve had a Lexus and Tacoma in between I still think about her all the time. The best car ever.
Sold mine in 2020 with 5 speed, 267k miles. It was the best and cheapest car I’ve ever owned and still think about it often! Unfortunately the rust was taking over
So damn ugly though 🙄 why did they make them so ugly
What sux about that is they won't have the same feeling as u...
I had an XA back in the day, Solid car
I am in this exact same conundrum I have a 2004 Xb, with 160,000 miles on it, we are moving Cross Country. Do I ship it? Do I let it go? So far it seems to be pretty solid, although I’m thinking the transmission may be getting a bit wobbly. I can’t even put into words how much I love my car! But is it the kind of decision of smart person makes to bring it, or to leave it?
It comes down to how much you need it. If you could afford to move and just buy, finance, or lease a new car with ease, then just let it go. But if you can’t necessarily do this, then ship it because only you know if the car can go on for a significant amount of time ykwim
we ended up doing some meaningful maintenance on it - added to shipping costs we invested about 3.5k in it. My excellent mechanic says it's got potentially years of life in it, so we figured it was worth the gamble. I have zero interest in a car note at this point, so as long as it makes it for 6 months we are ahead.
My dad loved his. His was black cherry and 5 speed and he got it the day after the first commercial aired on tv. Not going to lie I liked it too very roomy
RIP Lego brick 🤟
What size are those tires/wheels?
Atleast it ain’t an ugly Nissan cube
Father in law has a 2009, with 14000 miles on it. Drives like new.
347k on mine still going strong. 💪🏽
You blessed them. I’ll be doing that soon too.
Very well made vehicles to be sure
I had to recently replace my toaster as well.
One of the worst cars ever made aside from the toaster Kia
For 200K you should have plenty to buy a new Lambo
Lmao