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Looking to get a 2011 Scion TC tomorrow, may not after seeing this..

10K views 43 replies 19 participants last post by  easyrider 
#1 ·
2008 Scion tC Consumer Reviews

I've test driven the car 4 times this week, and love it to be honest, really love it. I've done a lot of research though, and it seems there is potential for hidden problems down the road with this car.

If you search through that edmunds link there is some really bad reviews talking about people's Scion TC's all of a sudden burning oil like nothing, motor problems and noise problems. I have been having a killer time deciding between a TC and a Mazda 3 Sport and that almost seals the deal. HOWEVER, it seems all those reviews are 2008 Scion TCs, and I haven't read much about the 2011 Scion TC..

Browsing through the forum tonight I can see the owners here are all happy campers. But what say you about the negative reviews that are out there? I would LOVE to get this car, but I sure as hell don't want to regret it in a year. The Mazda 3 Sport while it is not quite as cool as the TC is looking like a lot safer of an investment after the scattered reviews claiming major problems with TCs I've found.

Any input is welcome, I will be making a decision tomorrow and am heading out to test drive one again tomorrow morning :)
 
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#2 ·
My tc is an '05 with 135000 miles on it. 80,000+ of those were done by me and my family. All I've had to do is replace a clutch (its a manual) and do general maintenance. Its a very reliable car
 
#3 ·
Basically the way I see reviews on things when it comes to online; if someone likes their product they're rarely going to go back and rave about it. If someone has a bad experience they're more apt to feel the need to let off steam somewhere (ie: bad reviews).

Regardless, these cars are Toyota built. They're great cars. Keep up with your routine maintenance and you'll be fine. I'm at 82k with nothing but oil changes, brakes, and tires (while making sure everything else is good). They rattle sometimes. But that's a common theme with hatchbacks.
 
#4 ·
All the bad reviews are like. "I hit a trash can and the mirror fell off. Stupid car". Wtf you hit a trash can that's you not the car.

I have 69k miles on my car and the only thing that has gone wrong with it is the clock spring blew. But that's cause I took my steering wheel off lol I won't be like the, and blame the car for that.
 
#5 ·
so. let me get this straight..

you link to a list of reviews, that shows the "average consumer rating" of 4.7 stars, and you are concerned about one or two degenerates who are incapable of taking care of a mechanical object to a point that it starts falling apart on them?

wow..
 
#7 ·
For the most part yes, I was looking through those with my fiancee going "jeeze, 97% of these are GREAT reviews, but.."

It's those few really bad reviews that put me on edge about it. For the most part caution has erred me so far, I almost got one earlier in the week but held back because looking at it down the road I am not so sure.

Also, I live in a place where the weather is not ideal. It rains a ton, and it does snow sometimes (a few weeks out of the year). I seen comments around about the Scion TC being very difficult to use in the snow, some saying it was unusable. There is also a fair amount of mixed reviews involving the oil consumption and gas consumption of the car (again, some say theirs great - others say theirs was terrible).

Like I said before, I LOVE this car. But when it comes to the point of sale I am looking for the reasons that would tell me not to buy it, as those are the ones that are going to hit down the road when it's too late.

I'm also noticing a lot of the guys on here who love theirs, and have had 0 problems - live in places where it is for the most part dry and sunny almost year round. I'm just trying to do my research and gather as many facts as possible before pulling the trigger, and while a few of those reviews on that edmunds site are by potential idiots (one for sure), there are some others which make me shake my head.
 
#6 ·
Right. This is the worst "review" of the car on there:

I've owned this car for more than 2 years and there always an issue. The original tires made the car lower than my previous car. So when I park head on, the high curb started pulling out the undercover. Next thing you know, my entire bumper is messed up because its attached to the undercover. A few months down the road, I had to replace all 4 tires after 35K miles. So when I finally fixed that, I hit a garbage bin which knock off my passenger side mirror. Then a couple months, the car wash "professional" managed to break off the rear hatchback garnish/handle when he cleaning the back. Next thing you know I hit a gutter/driveway and my undercover is bent. This car has been a headache.
I'd hate to see this person review a Porsche or something...
 
#13 ·
Right. This is the worst "review" of the car on there:



I'd hate to see this person review a Porsche or something...
That reminds me of that idiot that came on here complaining about how the rims on this car are so fragile, because of how they got all curbed up when he was parking :lol: Some people are just ... well .... too stupid to be allowed to post stuff on the internet!

for the most part these cars have been great. Some had small issues, a few had larger ones, and out of those some of those were 100% driver caused. Same as most cars.
 
#8 ·
I think you have bigger problems than worrying about the car if a 5% negative scares you from a mechanical object.. :|

Many of us here live is states that are filled with.. everything, rain, snow, wind, crappy roads, stupid drivers. etc etc.
I know a few drivers in Alaska as well as Canada, and a few European countries. none of them have had a problem outside of standard ones - hatch latch, rattles and tires; even those are rare.

Oh, and as far as MZ3..
they also have issues, look through their forums.. resale value is also worse.. (since you're talking of an "investment").. though, there isn't such thing as a good investment when it comes down to a car, really.
 
#9 ·
Yep, nothing is perfect and especially not at this price point in a car.

I've been driving myself crazy with all the research and STILL divided on which way to go. Lots of love for the TC, and lots of sound and reasonable owners out there who love it and have no problems with it.

Not sure what I'll do at this point, it may well fall down to total cost in the end as a deciding factor at this point. I'm looking at $60 less a month for the Scion TC, not to mention the insurance may be another $20 less as well than the 2012 M3S Skyactiv.

For the record, I'm aware of M3S issues online, but I also know 3 people who have one here locally and they have nothing but praise for it. Whereas I know no one with a TC, and thinking of it I can't even recall seeing anyone with them, but a lot of XBs!

Anyways, thanks for the inputs so far, everything helps :)
 
#11 ·
Yeah after seeing 2011 is the first year they made it up here for the TC, it makes a little more sense :p

Getting back from the insurance center there is 0 difference between the two or even what I'm paying now. Very surprised (Scion around $114-$149/mo - Mazda came in at $130-$150)

I guess it comes down to where I see myself taking this car in a few years. 2012 I will be in the city, but after that I'm moving to Victoria and will be taking this car on long highway trips and out to the broken islands. One thing I've read a lot of even from people who like/love this car - is the stock tires suck and they usually wear down after 30,000km, meaning that it's almost for sure that one should put better tires on the car. Not a huge thing, but adds a potential $2k at some point.

After that, the only REAL common gripe I read a lot of is the paint is cheap and fades/wears faster than it should, which is pretty sad to read because the nightshade purple is one of the big reasons I love this car. Very unique :)

Despite the negatives, I'm still trying to push myself to take this car. Very attractive ride, but the practical side of myself tells me not to. Sorry for all the banter fellas!
 
#12 ·
as Master Yoda said, do or don't, don't try..

If you ought to push yourself.. perhaps, this car isn't for you. Get a Yaris. awesome highway mileage.. :D

any tires wear down.. so I do not see this as a relevant concern at all. and 2K? What the hell kind of tires are you looking at? Mine ran me 2400 for the track performance, custom width/height tires... but not on a tC..

Besides, I traded my tC with stock tires being in an semi-ok shape, at 67K miles. did they suck in rain? hell yes. snow? even worse.. did they take me through all that yack? sure did.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Went for the Mazda :p

Took the Scion out for another rip this morning and overall wasn't as impressed as I was the other day taking one out. Suspension doesn't compare to the Mazda, and I didn't expect it to either but the Mazda for long drives will definitely be a lot easier. I sometimes take 10-14 hour road trips, and that choice is going to benefit me for sure.

Secondly, the sound system - I brought my own CD for the first time and wasn't very happy with it. Really boomy with a somewhat unimpressive mid-range. That was a huge feature for me, and at this point it wasn't redeeming.

In the end I seen myself having a lot more fun in the Scion, but in the long haul likely wishing I went with the Mazda. Smokin deal on the scion though, $150 a month with $5k down over 60 months (Canada mind you!). I also shopped around dealers and found one with a brand new, sitting in the glass case since it's delivery night shade purple 2011 Scion TC which was almost too good to be true if I had went for it :)

Anyways, a great car without doubt. Thanks again to everyone here, all sound advice that had me in the end making a decision based purely on what I wanted - as opposed to what I was afraid of getting.

Thanks fellas and enjoy your rides! :)
 
#15 ·
Well as long as you are happy! I've heard mixed reviews about the sound system. I own an '08 tC, and personally think the factory Pioneer system is great, though I read reviews when purchasing the car that the system was unimpressive. I test drove the car and loved how it sounded, granted I'll probably upgrade it in a year or two, but for being stock, its great. Would I or did I make my purchasing decision based on it? Hell friggen no. I could buy a pair of amazing sounding components and an aftermarket sub, and amp both of them for $500 bucks. Even less if I didn't bother touching the sub.

To your aspect of the suspension not being up to par for you, I guess that's just preference? I know Mazda totes their car as being 'zoom-zoom' fun no matter what model, but my impression was the skyactiv model was very eco oriented and non-sporty? I guess it makes sense the suspension would be sorta plush and not stiff at all.

By the way, we don't have the tC in a purple color here. That's unique to you guys! But hey, enjoy your car! It is yours, after all.
 
#23 ·
To your aspect of the suspension not being up to par for you, I guess that's just preference? I know Mazda totes their car as being 'zoom-zoom' fun no matter what model, but my impression was the skyactiv model was very eco oriented and non-sporty? I guess it makes sense the suspension would be sorta plush and not stiff at all.
Skyactiv tries to blend economy with driving pleasure. The engine is direct injected and the pistons are shaped funny so you can run very lean at high compression and still have a controlled explosion(no knock) getting great gas mileage. The reduced weight of most internal components and lower friction accessories also reduce load and increase gas mileage. By the same token you also get more power when you give it a boot full. It produces the same power as the larger and thirstier engine in the tC1. Couple this with the new manual or even the automatic(which shifts faster and locks the torque converter to provide a direct connection) and you get a fun and economical powertrain.

I love mazda's focus on the driving experience. Communicative steering is mandatory in all of their models as is a stiff chassis and well balanced suspension(though not necessarily stiff). While the limit of grip may not be as high as the tc(wider tires) it is easier to find that limit in the mazda. You feel exactly what the chassis is doing in a corner and how much steering to give it(not that you can't in a tc1, but it's alot harder with the numb steering). To put it a different way, the tC1 will probably go [slightly] faster 'round a track but the mazda will be easier to drive fast. Add some sticky tires and see the results.

Mazda is the only company that makes every model a sports car(especially now that they've dropped the escape) and I respect them for it. It's a great choice in today's "sport compact on a budget" market.
 
#16 ·
^^ :thumbsup:
 
#18 ·
Whoever said the car sucks in the snow should be slapped. Mine got me around just fine for 4 years. And as to the "most people on here live in warm, dry places" thing... I sure as hell didn't, lol.

Enjoy your zoom-zoom.
 
#19 ·
This is the first winter with my tC and I can't get it sideways like I could my Mazda 6. No warm dry weather here now... In fact it's 4 degrees with the wind chill right now.

My '03 Mazda6 was a huge disappointment. 104K (I only put 30K on it the 3 years i owned it) on it and I couldn't drive it in the rain due to a torn air intake which lead to a plugged catalytic convertor and a cylinder 3 misfire ($1000). OH and the trans went out ($4000 just for the trans). Never will I own another Mazda. My 2 '01 Olds Alero's out lasted that stupid Mazda... But, good luck with it :)
 
#21 ·
I ran oem tires the first year I had the SW, then had the standard Proxes4 on the 5.0, never had a problem. It's a FWD econo-coupe. You can't expect it to handle like an AWD in the snow.
 
#26 ·
In the same way a miata is a sports car. They recognize that driving can be fun and make the most out of what you have. 352 horsepower and all wheel drive do not necessarily a sports car make. Look at the spec mazda2/mini/fit/etc...
 
#30 ·
Not at all trying to start a fight here, just honestly confused on your description of a sports car? The Miata is a RWD, lightweight, convertible roadster, aka sports car. The Mazda2 spec, mini, fit are all econo-box "peppy cars" that are FWD, cheap in build quality but good on reliability, space and versatility and have relatively small engines.

But looking at it that way, the mini isn't really in that category, considering it starts much higher in price then say a fit or mazda2 and comes with optional AWD.

I'd venture to say you consider the tC a sports car? But it is not
 
#29 ·
If it makes you feel better I have 116k on my stock clutch but there are too many factors to accurately predict clutch life. Some have gone out at as little as 60k.
 
#31 ·
Minis aren't all wheel drive and even if they were i wouldn't have it. It would make it to heavy and cut down on interior room. I consider a sports car to be something that is light, agile, and controllable. Communicative, quick, and direct steering is mandatory as is a stiff(but light) chassis; power is not. Front wheel drive is fine if the car is light enough but if there is power FWD won't put it down. So basically I consider anything designed to keep the driving experience pure and uncomplicated a sports car. In other words, design the car to make driving a sport for the driver as opposed to being a driving appliance. Keep the driver aware of exactly whats going on with the car through the chassis and steering even if it means that some people will find it uncomfortable. That said the tC doesn't qualify as a sports car. It's too heavy(for it's size) and the steering isn't communicative enough though the chassis is pretty stiff. Not that it can't be driven fast; it just isn't as easy as a Mazda or the [base] mini.
 
#32 ·
Not every base model Mazda is SUPER fun to drive. Ive had both a 3 and a 6 as rental cars before and they were anything other than "thrilling". And honestly, your argument seems very biased for some reason.

Appreciate the bash on my ride though. Even though I don't consider my car a "sports car". It's a machine built exactly the way I want it to do, when I want it to do it. I mean, if you think about it, is RallyX a sport?

Respect your arguememt, can't grasp the platform and bias however.
 
#33 ·
My argument is that a sports car requires good steering and a stiff chassis. It's more about the state of mind of the manufacturer. It's not about how fast or how high the traction limit is(you could get better tires); it's about how the car feels at the limit and how easy it is to get it there. It's not how fast the car is but how fast YOU can drive it.

Lets use an example:Mazda2 and Yaris(lets say both 2011). Both in the top trim have about the same options and about the same level of grip. However, the yaris is heavier, seating position is "OMG I'm in an SUV", the steering is light and doesn't seem to have any relation to what the wheels are doing(that is, it's like playing a video game), and the suspension/tires are very complaint. This is fine for an economical commuter but once you pass 7/10ths it's crap. The mazda on the other hand is the lightest car on the market, the steering feels connected, and it is fairly easy to drive at 10/10ths. I consider the Mazda a sports car because it is designed to be good at the limit even though it's underpowered.

If there is any bias here it's against "point and squirt" speed and the more money than skills crowd(I'm not saying you're guilty of it, m3 owners tend to be the worst offenders). Driving slow cars fast can as fun as having a shit load of power but it requires actual skill. I do consider rallyX(if it's run right) a sport but I wouldn't do it with a car worth more than a few grand.
 
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