2012 nautical blue metallic scion tC, 220,000 miles, 2015 facelift rear bumper and tail lights installed by yours truly (facelift sun visor too cuz mine broke), aaand projector headlight and led fog light conversion
Unbeknownst to me, daughter bought a used Scion in 2015. Usually I am the keeper of vehicles, Utube mechanic and all. I encourage everyone to have a spare, vehicle. Her 2007 Nissan Versa shit the CVT. Versa was a boat anchor. Not worth the money for scrap. The Brand new Rav 4 was a 2024 version, on the Dealers parking lot for too many months. Driven 4 miles for the PDI, so she bought it. With cash. $7,000 off MSRP. NO financing. Cash. Yeah, I say she's smart enough.
I'm sorry but from a financial standpoint it is never a smart idea to drive a new car off the lot. With a backup vehicle already on hand and the itch for a new car a 2020 or something would have sufficed. Economy cars like Toyota were never sold at MSRP and especially not over MSRP pre covid, people love to throw money away now since they got used to it.
I definitely consider it to be the celica successor. With the celica going out in 03 and the tc dropping in 05 it definitely felt like an intentional move
I have a first generation xb bought New in 05. Best car I have owned. It's ok that they killed the brand but should have made the popular Scion models Toyota.
There are still people that don't consider scions true Toyota products believe it or not. I think the damage was done by the frs being a rebadged Subaru and the Yaris ia being a rebadged Mazda, but that stuff is normalized nowadays
Love that color, scion was always a trend setter with colors, doing them before everyone else, especially their cement grey color that's so popular nowadays
I actually test drove an FRS before buying this one, I had fun, but I didn't like how the gearing felt, I was in like 5th gear doing city driving lol. I'm also pretty scared of boxer engines, my girl has a Forester with an FA series engine and it's been nothing but reliable but I've heard so many fa20 horror stories with valves coming loose and rod bearings getting flung around in the block
I mean both the first and second gen twins are pretty reliable. The issues only start when you go FI, or with the second gen if you're doing a 1g, right hand turn at high rpm.
The gearing thing makes sense as both the auto and manual have rather short gearing. Regardless, you chose a more practical car, and one that's probably nicer to live with...
I was turned off by the backseat situation lol I actually got stuck back there playing around and my buddy had to help me get out lol , I still have a few kid siblings to cart around on occasion and the full size backseat in combination with the hatch utility made it a no-brainer for a fun reliable enthusiast type car. Something to be my daily but still turn a few heads in the opposing lane haha. I wish so much the frs had been more Corolla based, it kinda lost the econobox charm of the original 86, you could get sideways in a parking lot and go for a week's errand run afterwards, when I test drove mine I checked out the trunk, it's not as small as it looks in pictures, but definitely smaller than the trunk of my previous car (06 Corolla)
To be honest I'm perfectly able to go sideways in a parking lot and go for a week's errand run afterwards in my gr86. Just fold the rear seats down.
Issue is the corolla wasn't rwd, and hasn't been for a really long time. So the easiest solution is making a custom chassis (which they did), which turned it into a dedicated sports coupé.
I only wish the gr86 had a shooting brake option, but that undoubtedly would have increased the price across the board.
You know, I thought the same thing till the gr Corolla popped on the scene, then I was like okay so y'all can fit a driveshaft down there, same with the matrix AWD being a Corolla on stilts, I feel like they could have done a Corolla that was rwd but didn't for whatever reason. Im thinking they didn't wanna take the chance on one of their flagship models at the time and used Subaru as a crutch to split the risk 50/50
well tbh the gr corolla uses a bunch of bits, including the engine and awd system, from the gr yaris, itself only a homologation car. But it is on the Corolla chassis, etc, etc.
I never realized these were hatchback. I always liked the looks but hated that it was basically just a 2 door corolla. not that the corolla is a bad car or anything, just kinda basic. Now I want a tc. What's the bang for buck smog legal performance mods for this bad boy?
There's a lot more performance mods for the first gen tc, even Toyota-made trd stuff but for the second gen it's mostly fly by ear and forum pots haha, alot of people turbo the second gen, if you can't do that, they make some real cool intake kits that sound great. And if you wanna go real nuts, the v6 2Gr engine fits like a glove, these are built on the Camry platform so just about anything that works on a Camry or RAV4 of a similar generation should work on the tc
I had the same predicament. I came to the realization that in the cheaper price range sometimes it’s better to enjoy what you have and look for a manual later if you want. Unless you make it a secondary project car of course!
Yeahhh besides the auto better suits my needs honestly. There's nothing like rowing through gears but I mostly just commute to work and back home these days, although if this engine blows, I've heard the Camry v6 fits perfectly in these cars 😏
I just sold my Scion xA this week! I had it since 2008, served me really well. Now I’m driving a Camry. TBH I miss how simple the Scion was. It was so reliable. I sold it with 206k miles on it but it probably has another 100k left on it!
I think the IQ would be a fun little thing to whip around, a little tiny Toyota micro machine. Somebody I saw recently put a Kawasaki engine in one and did a GR Yaris frontend conversion
I miss my Scion tc. It was purple/maroon and I named it Satchel.
I have a rav4 now, and it handles the snow much better, but I would buy another Scion if I could.
Well luckily you've still got the same platform as your tc if its any consolation. I love the maroon color on the tc's, really interesting and uncommon color. Was it a first gen (2005-10) or second gen (2011-16)? They aren't very expensive right now, I got mine for 2500 bucks, and it just needed tires and brakes done with a few small cosmetic defects (clear coat chipping and a few minor dents)
First gen, 2008. It was really a cool color, almost sparkly in the sunlight.
I didn’t realize it was the same platform! When I first test drove the rav I even said it drove like a car and that’s one reason I liked it.
Hmmm that’s not a bad price! From the pictures it looks in awesome condition. I’ll have to look around my area and see if there are any for sale. It would be great to get better gas mileage haha. Not that I drive a lot or very far; I technically could get away with one oil change a year 🤦🏻♀️
I change oil every 3k miles, just to be on the safe side, I had to drive a little ways to get this one (3 and a half hours) and I bought it from Facebook marketplace. A lot of people seem to be distrusting of marketplace, but as long as you use your brain and bring a friend you'll be just fine, I've gotten tons of stuff of there for much cheaper. I'd stay away from a dealer if you can, they're going to overcharge by a couple thousand, for some reason a lot of them charge 4k upwards for these. Just keep your fingers on the pulse and you'll find a good deal. And yeah! RAV4, Camry, TC, all pretty much the same car with some different parts
Same, I change the oil every 3k miles. FB marketplace is hit or miss for sure; I don’t know much about cars haha I would need to make my fiancé check things for me.
I just now googled random Scions for sale near me and yep, 15k for a for gen2 it looks like. I bought my 2008 in 2010 with 18k miles for a little less than 19k!!
Used prices are getting high and fast. 15k is higher than I've seen before, it'd have to be a 2016 and less than 30k miles for me to consider that to be good. Get with your fiance tho! Our community is really small but overwhelmingly positive, we'd love to have you back! There's not much mainstream aftermarket support for the tc and we definitely need it, so I'll take any chance I can to get more butts in tc seats
Prices are insane. I was looking at 2026 rav4s and it’s shocking. I’m gonna have to drive my car until stuff starts falling off.
Maybe one day Toyota will make a very similar Scion, I won’t lose hope. Just like I keep thinking Apple will make another iPhone mini haha.
Fingers crossed, I'd like another 2 door sporty hatchback, there's the GR Yaris but unfortunately we aren't allowed to have that in the USA for some reason
I dont have a guide, but all you have to do is take out the housing, and on the back is a big flat circle that looks like where a bulb would go. Snag a socket (with wiring) from a car from the junk yard (or you may have something laying around like I did), and cut a hole in that flat circle on the back of the housing, make it big enough for your bulb to fit. Then just put some RTV silicone around it to hold it in and weather seal it. Last step is to tap the wiring of your new bulb into the existing break light wiring and thats it. :)
I figured it would be something like that, I knew I wanted a functional extra brake light considering drivers in my area lol. I also just recently learned some tc's (mainly Canadian examples) came with a rear wiper and I really want to look into installing that as well
Toyota should’ve kept the Scion brand. I miss the simplicity and affordability.
This was basically a poor-man’s Celica.
The tc was the successor to the celica in North America.
And if memory serves me right, it was a bit cheaper too. I might be wrong.
My daughter bought a brand new Rav4. She's keeping her paid off 2013 Scion and drives it in snow and when on gravel roads. She's smart.
No, your daughter is not smart to buy a brand new vehicle when they have a 2013 that is still fully functional lol.
Unbeknownst to me, daughter bought a used Scion in 2015. Usually I am the keeper of vehicles, Utube mechanic and all. I encourage everyone to have a spare, vehicle. Her 2007 Nissan Versa shit the CVT. Versa was a boat anchor. Not worth the money for scrap. The Brand new Rav 4 was a 2024 version, on the Dealers parking lot for too many months. Driven 4 miles for the PDI, so she bought it. With cash. $7,000 off MSRP. NO financing. Cash. Yeah, I say she's smart enough.
I'm sorry but from a financial standpoint it is never a smart idea to drive a new car off the lot. With a backup vehicle already on hand and the itch for a new car a 2020 or something would have sufficed. Economy cars like Toyota were never sold at MSRP and especially not over MSRP pre covid, people love to throw money away now since they got used to it.
I definitely consider it to be the celica successor. With the celica going out in 03 and the tc dropping in 05 it definitely felt like an intentional move
I have a first generation xb bought New in 05. Best car I have owned. It's ok that they killed the brand but should have made the popular Scion models Toyota.
A million percent. I miss my 2006 xB so much
I miss my old tc…
Why wouldn’t it be?
There are still people that don't consider scions true Toyota products believe it or not. I think the damage was done by the frs being a rebadged Subaru and the Yaris ia being a rebadged Mazda, but that stuff is normalized nowadays
Loved my Scion TC. Mine was Mica color! Reliable, spacious, and a decent MT too!
Love that color, scion was always a trend setter with colors, doing them before everyone else, especially their cement grey color that's so popular nowadays
IDK, but I post on r/Subaru about my Scion FR-S.
I actually test drove an FRS before buying this one, I had fun, but I didn't like how the gearing felt, I was in like 5th gear doing city driving lol. I'm also pretty scared of boxer engines, my girl has a Forester with an FA series engine and it's been nothing but reliable but I've heard so many fa20 horror stories with valves coming loose and rod bearings getting flung around in the block
I mean both the first and second gen twins are pretty reliable. The issues only start when you go FI, or with the second gen if you're doing a 1g, right hand turn at high rpm.
The gearing thing makes sense as both the auto and manual have rather short gearing. Regardless, you chose a more practical car, and one that's probably nicer to live with...
I was turned off by the backseat situation lol I actually got stuck back there playing around and my buddy had to help me get out lol , I still have a few kid siblings to cart around on occasion and the full size backseat in combination with the hatch utility made it a no-brainer for a fun reliable enthusiast type car. Something to be my daily but still turn a few heads in the opposing lane haha. I wish so much the frs had been more Corolla based, it kinda lost the econobox charm of the original 86, you could get sideways in a parking lot and go for a week's errand run afterwards, when I test drove mine I checked out the trunk, it's not as small as it looks in pictures, but definitely smaller than the trunk of my previous car (06 Corolla)
To be honest I'm perfectly able to go sideways in a parking lot and go for a week's errand run afterwards in my gr86. Just fold the rear seats down.
Issue is the corolla wasn't rwd, and hasn't been for a really long time. So the easiest solution is making a custom chassis (which they did), which turned it into a dedicated sports coupé.
I only wish the gr86 had a shooting brake option, but that undoubtedly would have increased the price across the board.
You know, I thought the same thing till the gr Corolla popped on the scene, then I was like okay so y'all can fit a driveshaft down there, same with the matrix AWD being a Corolla on stilts, I feel like they could have done a Corolla that was rwd but didn't for whatever reason. Im thinking they didn't wanna take the chance on one of their flagship models at the time and used Subaru as a crutch to split the risk 50/50
well tbh the gr corolla uses a bunch of bits, including the engine and awd system, from the gr yaris, itself only a homologation car. But it is on the Corolla chassis, etc, etc.
Oh yeah, I just carry a bag of extra valves and I gave uncle Rodney a key so he don’t have to knock.
I never realized these were hatchback. I always liked the looks but hated that it was basically just a 2 door corolla. not that the corolla is a bad car or anything, just kinda basic. Now I want a tc. What's the bang for buck smog legal performance mods for this bad boy?
Tc is basically the last generation of Celica
There's a lot more performance mods for the first gen tc, even Toyota-made trd stuff but for the second gen it's mostly fly by ear and forum pots haha, alot of people turbo the second gen, if you can't do that, they make some real cool intake kits that sound great. And if you wanna go real nuts, the v6 2Gr engine fits like a glove, these are built on the Camry platform so just about anything that works on a Camry or RAV4 of a similar generation should work on the tc
A scion is certainly a toyota
Some people do not see it that way lol, I'm constantly surprised by the amount of people that don't know that. Same with Lexus to a lesser degree
I like Scions. There is an Xa manual one being sold nearby me. I'm tempted to get it as a knockaround car.
The xa is a peeeeeeerfect shitbox, I'd like to cut up in an iQ one day
I had the chance to drive one back in highschool. These are slept on little riots to drive in manual.
I wanna do the manual swap so bad but I'm a little worried about the input shaft issues
I had the same predicament. I came to the realization that in the cheaper price range sometimes it’s better to enjoy what you have and look for a manual later if you want. Unless you make it a secondary project car of course!
Yeahhh besides the auto better suits my needs honestly. There's nothing like rowing through gears but I mostly just commute to work and back home these days, although if this engine blows, I've heard the Camry v6 fits perfectly in these cars 😏
It's sold as Toyota Zelas in Central America, China, Middle East, Africa, & South America.
Ive seen! I'd love to get my hands on the special bodykit they got for the pre-facelift zelas.
Yes
Yippee! This was an upgrade from my 06 Corolla ce
How I miss my old Scion Tc!!
Love mine so much, they may be considered slow but this is the fastest car I've owned so far. You got a celica now? Or just a fan
I have a Prius now!! Ha!! Talking about "slow"?? 😂 I drive a lot for work, so this is the perfect car for me
https://preview.redd.it/6burzx7s797g1.jpeg?width=2271&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=592cc0dc0ae685ff0d517b64c7d8cbc795021bd9
Nothing wrong with a Prius at all, they sound pretty hot with the cats off 😁
I just sold my Scion xA this week! I had it since 2008, served me really well. Now I’m driving a Camry. TBH I miss how simple the Scion was. It was so reliable. I sold it with 206k miles on it but it probably has another 100k left on it!
Xa is Definitely one that seems to fly under the radar, not as popular as the tc, xb, FRS, and iQ
Absolutely an underrated car. They only made them for 3 years, which is a shame.
I think the IQ would be a fun little thing to whip around, a little tiny Toyota micro machine. Somebody I saw recently put a Kawasaki engine in one and did a GR Yaris frontend conversion
I miss my Scion tc. It was purple/maroon and I named it Satchel.
I have a rav4 now, and it handles the snow much better, but I would buy another Scion if I could.
Well luckily you've still got the same platform as your tc if its any consolation. I love the maroon color on the tc's, really interesting and uncommon color. Was it a first gen (2005-10) or second gen (2011-16)? They aren't very expensive right now, I got mine for 2500 bucks, and it just needed tires and brakes done with a few small cosmetic defects (clear coat chipping and a few minor dents)
First gen, 2008. It was really a cool color, almost sparkly in the sunlight. I didn’t realize it was the same platform! When I first test drove the rav I even said it drove like a car and that’s one reason I liked it. Hmmm that’s not a bad price! From the pictures it looks in awesome condition. I’ll have to look around my area and see if there are any for sale. It would be great to get better gas mileage haha. Not that I drive a lot or very far; I technically could get away with one oil change a year 🤦🏻♀️
I change oil every 3k miles, just to be on the safe side, I had to drive a little ways to get this one (3 and a half hours) and I bought it from Facebook marketplace. A lot of people seem to be distrusting of marketplace, but as long as you use your brain and bring a friend you'll be just fine, I've gotten tons of stuff of there for much cheaper. I'd stay away from a dealer if you can, they're going to overcharge by a couple thousand, for some reason a lot of them charge 4k upwards for these. Just keep your fingers on the pulse and you'll find a good deal. And yeah! RAV4, Camry, TC, all pretty much the same car with some different parts
Same, I change the oil every 3k miles. FB marketplace is hit or miss for sure; I don’t know much about cars haha I would need to make my fiancé check things for me. I just now googled random Scions for sale near me and yep, 15k for a for gen2 it looks like. I bought my 2008 in 2010 with 18k miles for a little less than 19k!!
Used prices are getting high and fast. 15k is higher than I've seen before, it'd have to be a 2016 and less than 30k miles for me to consider that to be good. Get with your fiance tho! Our community is really small but overwhelmingly positive, we'd love to have you back! There's not much mainstream aftermarket support for the tc and we definitely need it, so I'll take any chance I can to get more butts in tc seats
Prices are insane. I was looking at 2026 rav4s and it’s shocking. I’m gonna have to drive my car until stuff starts falling off. Maybe one day Toyota will make a very similar Scion, I won’t lose hope. Just like I keep thinking Apple will make another iPhone mini haha.
Fingers crossed, I'd like another 2 door sporty hatchback, there's the GR Yaris but unfortunately we aren't allowed to have that in the USA for some reason
Of course we aren’t 🤦🏻♀️
They just hate us idk :/
Really like these. For some reason they must not have sold well in my area because I never see any.
Yeah me too, there's only one other I see in my town, and they're even rare on interstate travels for me
You can add a bulb to the 4th break light housing FYI :)
https://preview.redd.it/ciunb8u5x97g1.jpeg?width=4656&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=acc3c31e7bb6dec35e1d9843983902ce654aa436
I was trying to look for info on doing it but I couldn't figure out!! Do you have a guide you made or anything? I'd love to know about the process!
I dont have a guide, but all you have to do is take out the housing, and on the back is a big flat circle that looks like where a bulb would go. Snag a socket (with wiring) from a car from the junk yard (or you may have something laying around like I did), and cut a hole in that flat circle on the back of the housing, make it big enough for your bulb to fit. Then just put some RTV silicone around it to hold it in and weather seal it. Last step is to tap the wiring of your new bulb into the existing break light wiring and thats it. :)
I figured it would be something like that, I knew I wanted a functional extra brake light considering drivers in my area lol. I also just recently learned some tc's (mainly Canadian examples) came with a rear wiper and I really want to look into installing that as well
Those who have the wiper want to do a delete, and those without want to add one :P
Certain years and packages came with one, others did not. There were so many refreshes and changes month to month with the tC
Just cut out the blank plastic filler :P
https://preview.redd.it/yh769scex97g1.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=9dbb7807688667ceff0bf6a3d7e0e96fc262ad04
Nice ride
https://preview.redd.it/5fu7vlwk6x7g1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2ad38d78dabe7023358aa34daf0dbe2213c7d63b
Love this old girl so much
We miss this car 🖤 bring back the tC!
Get in with some higher ups! Let's make it happen! If not a tc in namesake, we need another economical hatchback sport coupe
No, take a hike
:(
Your headlights are dangerous for other drivers.
It looks like he's got the brights on in that picture. Maybe they're not that bad in regular mode?
They aren't. Made sure they were aligned.
No they’re not
Yes, they are. It's the exact same as Lexus. Both are under the Toyota banner, and are trimmed-down, rebadged Toyota models
Y not
No it’s not allowed
Scions are toyotas