Surly.log

I admit I have a strange fascination with the Scion xB. Our 93 Pathfinder was on its way out and becoming expensive. Being New England born and bred it had long since gone past its prime in the body department, but I love the off roady feel it had with its huge throw in the stick. There are few reasons not to buy a Scion xB. We do a lot of highway miles here in Oklahoma and and we average about 32 mpg with the AC on (maybe a little less). The car feels a little strange to drive, but you get used to it and because we only drive manuals in my family (it’s a thing my wife has) it can go when it needs to. The xB is nice and roomy, and when the seats lay down it can haul a bunch of crap. Its a great eco friendly-ish choice for a family SUV.

A lot of people don’t like the Scion xB’s boxy look, but for those who appreciate the look it comes at a steep price. Due to its odd shape the windshield tends to be a magnet for rocks on the highway. Our first incident would have taken anyones windshield out. We were hit by only what could be called a huge freakin rock. Instant crack. Cough up money. Just 2 months later we see a crack develop when the Oklahoma weather kicks in and it goes from 70s to 30s. I assume due to its odd shape the windshield, especially considering the non-factory install, might be prone to stress cracks, but my prayers of warranty replacement went unanswered, as what could only be seen by looking very close was a rock chip; the technician lovingly circled it brightly for me like a little dagger in back. I did get it replaced for a little cheaper this time and the techs that were sent were great and did the work fast and took my $300.00 with a smile. According to them the odd glass shape makes it more prone to cracking when grazed by a rock 5mm wide.

To add more fun to my spending spree on glass our lawn service hurled a rock at the odd piece of glass on the on the rear door, adding a further $200.00 just 4 days prior. I can’t blame this on its boxy shape, but due to its factory tint and shape it is far from cheap based on the research I did amongst my peers.

We love the Scion xB and it is the next best thing to a hybrid SUV. We won’t be buying another car for a while and I trust in the rock solidness of the Scion. But if another windshield goes out we will be at a car dealer the next weekend.