So I'm trading in the TC

4864 Views 53 Replies 29 Participants Last post by Bee24, Aug 9, 2005

MilTownSHO

Discussion Starter · Jun 20, 2005

Only have put 2500 miles on it and after a 8 hour road trip this weekend I decided it's not for me.

-It's to slow

-Hatch rattling

-Engine RPM is REALLY high and annoying if your speeding down the highway,

-The biggest killer for the car for me was the seats, they don't hold you at all and they KILL my back, I just cannot get them comfortable.

I bought an 05 Ion Redline instead, only $10 more a month.

Not flaming the TC, I think its a cool car, hell I bought one, just not for me.

Take care guys!

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21 - 40 of 54 Posts

lo bux racer

· #21 · Jun 22, 2005

ZX's have gearbox issues, but they are really cheap to replace (~$1600 vs. $5500 for the Getrag in the Supra) and they are fun cars. ZX's have a high cost to mod, the first thing you have to do is fuel, so they're not inexpensive to bump the power. Good luck with the FD, I'm first to admit they are a great platform, I'd just be looking for a different powerplant...

dmxsoulja3

· #22 · Jun 22, 2005

hahaha a Saturn... good luck

delgro&&o

· #23 · Jun 22, 2005

My buddy has a ZX i agree they are very pricey to upgrade
He ended up paying something over 700 for an exhaust from Stillen. Very fast but too small inside for my liking

MilTownSHO

Discussion Starter · #24 · Jun 23, 2005

Originally posted by lo bux racer@Jun 21 2005, 10:27 AM
The second is surprising performance for the dollar spent.

Last but not least, you could only be saying the car doesn't perform because you are still on the stock rubber. You have no idea what the car will really do, trust me.

Expect to have a significantly higher total cost of ownership with whatever you purchase. Hope you like the Saturn, my experience with them has been mixed, but far too many failures of common parts (like a TSB for fuel pumps) keeps me away from them.

The Ion Redline is alot more performance for the dollar spent. With the GM employee discount they are cheap right now, about a grand over what my tC was.

I'm not complaining about handling, tires have no effect on my decision to stray away from the tC. I just cannot for the life of me get comfortable at all in this car.

Saying I will have a significant total cost of ownership is not a fair statement, depends who you know. Every car breaks, the tC is a brand new model so we shall see how that holds up anyhow. I also REALLY like panels that don't rust and don't ding.

Nothing is for sure yet, but I am heavily considering it, there is one marked sold for me at the dealership, but we will see, I may just keep the tC for now.

Like someone else stated for the money I could have a new car that will outperform the tC in handling, speed, and comfort any day of the week.

zeromotorsports

· #25 · Jun 23, 2005

hey lance what did you think of that supra-7 that SP Engineering built? that must've been right up your alley...an FD RX7 with the 2JZ-GTE stuffed in there.
http://www.turbomagazine.com/features/0112tur_supra/

basilisk4

· #26 · Jun 23, 2005

If you want to get a Saturn, be my guest...but don't use the reasoning that "every car breaks" to support your purchase. The tC has already won the award in its class for initial quality from JD Power, and Toyota consistently ranks near the top in reliability and quality ratings as a model line.

Also, your experience with the comfort of the tC -- well, lack thereof -- is not typical of what I've heard (and felt).

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MilTownSHO

Discussion Starter · #27 · Jun 24, 2005

3

Originally posted by basilisk4@Jun 23 2005, 12:24 PM
If you want to get a Saturn, be my guest...but don't use the reasoning that "every car breaks" to support your purchase. The tC has already won the award in its class for initial quality from JD Power, and Toyota consistently ranks near the top in reliability and quality ratings as a model line.

Not using the reasoning of that at all, I was just contesting the grossly unfair statement made.

Just because it won an award doesn't mean anything...

I've decided to keep the tC for now, I really wish I would have waited a month and got what I really wanted, but to late now.

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Zygote55

· #28 · Jun 24, 2005

Originally posted by ZEROmotorsports@Jun 21 2005, 09:28 PM
i have a pretty good idea of how it will handle with upgraded rubber... im pretty sure where it will improve and im sure that i will be happy with it.

however, i want something with significant more power. for the money im paying for the tc plus a turbo (which i will def do if i keep the car) i can get a real clean 95 mazda rx-7 tt...what im kinda lookin at

The stage 0 zpi kit is only $2,400.........

Also, have fun replacing the engine on that rx7 every 80k miles.

FrostbytetC

· #29 · Jun 24, 2005

I know you changed your mind, but I thought I'd give you my thoughts on the Ion Redline. I test drove a redline as one of my many cars I test drove while looking for a new car.... far before I feel upon the tC. I must say, the power is impressive, BUT I hated the gear box. I felt the shifting was very sloppy (as with all GM standard trannys, I work at a GM dealer so I drive GTOs, Vibe GTs and the like all day long). Another thing I found was the clutch is very touchy, its on or off... very unforgiving. Geared better than the tC in my opinion, but not my cup of tea. Also, as far as reliablility goes, lets face it, GM is in general financial ruin for a reason. Right now with GMS pricing for everyone is the time to buy GM and it ends July 5th, but all in all it just wasn't that impressive. Glad to hear you're keeping your tC for now, but there is no sense in keeping a car you're not comfortable in. Good luck with your choice, sad to see you let go of your TC though

basilisk4

· #30 · Jun 24, 2005

Originally posted by MilTownSHO@Jun 24 2005, 02:05 AM
I've decided to keep the tC for now, I really wish I would have waited a month and got what I really wanted, but to late now.

Unless you really hate it, that's probably wise. You would lose so much money by trading it this soon, that unless you just hate the car or it's falling apart day by day, it does not make sense financially to sell it this soon...

lo bux racer

· #31 · Jun 24, 2005

Originally posted by MilTownSHO@Jun 22 2005, 07:25 PM
The Ion Redline is alot more performance for the dollar spent. With the GM employee discount they are cheap right now, about a grand over what my tC was.

Saying I will have a significant total cost of ownership is not a fair statement, depends who you know. Every car breaks, the tC is a brand new model so we shall see how that holds up anyhow. I also REALLY like panels that don't rust and don't ding.

Like someone else stated for the money I could have a new car that will outperform the tC in handling, speed, and comfort any day of the week.

GM employee discounts are not on a level playing field. That's like me saying "what computer should I get, a Dell because they are a corporate sponsor, or something else that's going to cost me an additional 35%?"

TCO is TCO. It matters not who you know or what you know. Things are either reliable or they are not. My Toyotas have been supremely reliable. You would not believe how little I have put into my Supra with 140k miles on the odometer. It still has all the original factory light bulbs in it. I've had to replace clutch, brakes, radiator, BOV, and power steering pump (my fault for using an aftermarket belt that was a tad too short). That's pretty hard to beat. While it's true I have replaced other things, it wasn't because they were broken. That car has been driven very hard, and it just keeps going. The same was true of my Corollas, MR2s, and Celica.

I don't even want to talk about my Corsica. It was a true nightmare, and the only car I've ever owned that needed a new steering rack. Or my infamous Pontiac J2000, or my Ford LTD, or...I'm not talking out my ass about TCO, I've been there and done that, and my experiences were typical according to what I found in the junkyards looking for parts.

I can really appreciate panels that don't rust. I was born in eastern Iowa, and the Midwest is hard on cars. For those of us in Sacramento, corrosion is something others have to fight. My '93 Supra still looks like the day it came of the production line underneath. Score one for the Saturn being in salty roaded Wisconsin.

Excluding the employee discount, you won't find another car in this price range that will OUTperform it. The entire class is a driver's race after you put any of these cars on decent rubber.

Sorry the ergonomics don't work for you. I have to agree on that one, if I can't get comfortable in a car, it has to go. I did have a Toyota like that briefly, it was a GTS Corolla with a sunroof. I had to drive with my head cocked to one side. I kept it three days before I returned it and said forget it, let's try something else.

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lo bux racer

· #32 · Jun 24, 2005

Originally posted by basilisk4@Jun 24 2005, 06:52 AM
Unless you really hate it, that's probably wise. You would lose so much money by trading it this soon, that unless you just hate the car or it's falling apart day by day, it does not make sense financially to sell it this soon...

Or if it hurts (literally) to drive it. I've given back used cars that didn't fit me.^^^

basilisk4

· #33 · Jun 24, 2005

^^^ Good point. Some things are more important than money.

MilTownSHO

Discussion Starter · #34 · Jun 27, 2005

2

This forum is awesome, everyone here while sad I'm abandoning the tC is still nice enough to give thier opinion and not flame me.

I found an 04 SRT-4 brand new leftover at a Dodge Dealership that I may go with today since they want to dump it so cheap. My real concern with that car is longgevity though, I just don't see it lasting past 80k without major problems. I know the TC will run longer without problems, but I figure it if I take care of the care I can at lease hope for the best!

The thing is a BLAST to drive though, minus the gearbox is a tad annoying in placement. They did offer me alot of money for my tradein and when all is said and done I only end up losing a few hundred bucks from the tC.

I don't know, we shall see, I took my 91 SHO on a 600 mile road trip this weekend and my back didn't hurt a bit, so that TC really has to go.

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Obike

· #35 · Jun 27, 2005

Friend of mine owns a SRT-4... has had to replace the boost gauge (under warranty) over 5 times already, it's been in the shop for weeks at a time, and has occasional problems with boost leak (which a 1 week drop-off at the dealer fixes for a month or two). The fact that it is under warranty and already has these problems is what scared me away from a SRT-4.

MilTownSHO

Discussion Starter · #36 · Jun 28, 2005

I had a KILLER and I mean KILLER deal set up on the SRT-4 but I backed out after the new car sales manager treated me like I was unimportant. So I've decided to just keep the tC, but its gonna need a supercharger, turbo, or something soon!

Plissken

· #37 · Jun 28, 2005

You know you can buy a new seat if you hate it that much. I can;t understand how you are not getting comfortable but that doesn't mean i'm doubting that you are having trouble. There seem to be about 3 turbos in the works whcih will of course void the warranty and it finally appears the supercharger from TRD is coming out late summer. With enought time and money your tC can be very fast.

MilTownSHO

Discussion Starter · #38 · Jun 28, 2005

Originally posted by Plissken@Jun 27 2005, 07:41 PM
You know you can buy a new seat if you hate it that much. I can;t understand how you are not getting comfortable but that doesn't mean i'm doubting that you are having trouble. There seem to be about 3 turbos in the works whcih will of course void the warranty and it finally appears the supercharger from TRD is coming out late summer. With enought time and money your tC can be very fast.

I know, but I bought the RS because I wanted the color matched interior, I've been eyeing some racing seats on Ebay but I doubt those will be any more comfy.

I'm not impressed by what I know of the S/C so far and I'm not willing to void warranty, thats a minor reason I started looking around. Comfort is the biggest thing, I dont know what it is, I'm really starting to think I have a defective seat or something.

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nY1018

· #39 · Jun 28, 2005

the TRD supercharger will be covered under the warranty. and about the seats, if you want the red color matched, you can get Rekaro racing seats in red.

chubz

· #40 · Jul 1, 2005

Originally posted by Obike@Jun 27 2005, 08:30 AM
Friend of mine owns a SRT-4... has had to replace the boost gauge (under warranty) over 5 times already, it's been in the shop for weeks at a time, and has occasional problems with boost leak (which a 1 week drop-off at the dealer fixes for a month or two). The fact that it is under warranty and already has these problems is what scared me away from a SRT-4.

The boost gauge is made by Auto-Meter and happens to be the cheapest crappiest one they make...gotta do something to save some money.

Does your friend have any mods? Turbo cars are prone to leaks especially around rubber hoses (intercooler pipeing).

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