It’s been a little over four years since Toyota announced its decision to pull the plug on Scion. Are you the proud owner of a Scion? Then you may be wondering if Toyota’s decision will impact your ability to find Scion repair services. After all, the new vehicle limited warranty on the last models manufactured under that brand has come to an end.

The first thing you should know about Scion repair and maintenance is that Weatherspoon Automotive has you covered. There are, of course, mechanical issues and active recalls related to this former brand. Before we discuss these issues, let’s review a few interesting aspects of Scion. A brand that many drivers in Raleigh and across North Carolina will miss.

A Brief History of Scion

Automakers are known to be extremely secretive about their marketing efforts, and this was certainly the case when Toyota executives in Japan gathered to discuss Project Genesis, an effort to get more young drivers interested in their products. The Scion brand was the most ambitious aspect of Toyota’s strategy, which included the transition of the incredibly successful Tercel model into the Echo and later the Yaris.

The Scion brand was a Japanese-American concept that launched in California during the summer of 2003. Let’s think back to the zeitgeist of the time. The United States economy was on a prosperity streak fueled by national recovery from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Back then, the Millennial Generation was tentatively known as Generation Y. Toyota executives focused on enticing them with the Scion xA. This is because it was clear competitor to the Honda Fit. Things got boxier with the subsequent Scion xB model, and by the time the Scion tC hit the market in 2005, the brand was known for its fun and sporty models.

Scion marketing campaigns may not have been on the mark, but they were certainly fun and hip. The Scion Rock Fest heavy metal concert tours featured great bands and even a Scion tC decorated with Slayer imagery; sadly, this festival never made it to North Carolina before it folded in 2014, but the Scion marketing department came up with the Scion Aha iPhone app, which offered all the music from the Scion Rock Fest in addition to hip-hop, alternative, electronic, and other genres from really cool bands.

Is Scion the Same as Toyota?

The answer to this question explains why Scion is no longer around. Toyota executives noticed young car buyers, including former Scion drivers, gravitating towards Yaris, Prius, Corolla, and Camry models. To a certain extent, you could say “mission accomplished” because just about every Scion is a Toyota Corolla chassis with a Toyota engine, systems, and parts. The sportier Scion models were lighter and offered greater horsepower that appealed to the street racing crowd, but everyone else seems to have become interested in Toyota models after all.

Interestingly, you tend to hear more about Toyota repair than Scion repair, and this is not because the former is more popular than the latter. According to Consumer Reports, quite a few Scion models topped reliability ranking lists. The truth about Scion is that smart buyers paid less for models that were essentially Corollas with more punch and different styling.

Known Scion Repair Issues

Comparably, with similar makes and models, Scion isn’t a brand at the mechanic shop often. As previously mentioned, reliability ratings are high. This is mostly related to engine, performance, and mechanical systems. Regarding the interior and trim elements, Scion fell behind most other Toyota models, particularly the Corolla.

Reports about high oil consumption in a Scion with more than 100,000 miles is common. However, whether or not the Scion got regular routine maintenance and also the kind of driving the car receives over its lifetime, play a heavy role in this. Street racers who tune their own Scion tCs know that their spirited driving will eventually take a toll on their beloved models from 2007 and 2008. Despite aftermarket tuning these vehicles typically do maintain their value. Reports on of radiator clogs and cooling system issues are common for older Scions.  Similar radiator problems are also common for Toyota Corolla owners as well.

What Scion owners really need to keep an eye on are the various Toyota recall notices related to the faulty Takata airbag system. If you own a stylish 2013 Scion FR-S, you probably know about the valve spring recall from a few years ago; it did not affect that many cars, but it resulted in a lawsuit filed earlier this year. All in all, Scion owners who stick to the maintenance schedule recommended by Toyota should not worry too much about repairs. Should you have any questions about your Scion, please feel free to contact our shop.