New NC 6-speed Driver

03MatrixXRS · Post by **03MatrixXRS** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 10:42 pm

Greetings. I bought my first manual about 3 weeks ago, and I cannot even explain the range of emotions I've gone through ("...I love this car," "what the f*ck was I thinking???" "I got it...oh sh*t, where is all that white smoke coming from????")
get the picture?
I can learn to drive a stick, I got a good deal on a manual, and my budget is important---that's the usual answer to folks like family who ask "why did you buy a car you can't even drive???"

Anyway, I do love my '03 Toyota Matrix XRS. I'm getting over being scared of it (I had no idea it was as fast as it is---my husband, a professional truck driver who has no problem with clutches at all loves to drive it).

Anyway, from what I've read on this board so far, my anxiety level has decreased even more (and no klonopin was even required

). Glad to have found this place!

Nychold · Post by **Nychold** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:10 pm

Welcome to SS! I didn't even know they made a Matrix XRS. Sounds like a fun ride.

Yeah, I went through the exact same thing when I bought my tC. I had absolutely no idea how to drive a stick, so I went looking for everything to help me out, and found this place.

In the two months I've been driving, I'm amazed how far I've come. In fact today, I was driving home from Lowe's, and didn't feel one shift...even the downshifts. It was an amazing feeling!

Good luck, and enjoy your new car!

acadien · Post by **acadien** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:15 pm

If I remember correctly, the Matrix XRS only has cosmetic upgrades when compared to the regular Matrix, nothing for the performance.

03MatrixXRS · Post by **03MatrixXRS** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:17 pm

Nychold wrote:Welcome to SS! I didn't even know they made a Matrix XRS. Sounds like a fun ride.

Yeah, I went through the exact same thing when I bought my tC. I had absolutely no idea how to drive a stick, so I went looking for everything to help me out, and found this place.

In the two months I've been driving, I'm amazed how far I've come. In fact today, I was driving home from Lowe's, and didn't feel one shift...even the downshifts. It was an amazing feeling!

Good luck, and enjoy your new car!

Thanks. From what I understand they don't make the XRS anymore, and when they did make it it was the only one with a "sports car/wagon" makeup.

mesaboogie18 · Post by **mesaboogie18** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:52 pm

North Carolina eh? Close enough, I'm from South Carolina myself. Welcome to the site Sista!

Oh and the XRS has the 170hp version of the 1.8L engine...same as a Celica GT-S but with 10 fewer ponies.

Post by **jomotopia** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:17 am

welcome to the site. my fiance has an 05 Matrix xR AT. nice car.

Nychold · Post by **Nychold** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:42 am

mesaboogie18 wrote:North Carolina eh? Close enough, I'm from South Carolina myself. Welcome to the site Sista!

Oh and the XRS has the 170hp version of the 1.8L engine...same as a Celica GT-S but with 10 fewer ponies.

Is that the same engine they put in the Corolla XRS too? I really did consider getting that instead of my tC, but it just didn't look that good on the outside.

mesaboogie18 · Post by **mesaboogie18** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:21 am

Yepsi, it sure is the same engine. It's the Celica GT-S's 1.8L DOHC VVT-LI engine with 170 hp and around 130 or so lb/ft torque. I like the corolla XRS, it's pretty neat, but again with the premium gas requirement.

Check out these Matrix Specs

violinandbass87 · Post by **violinandbass87** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:54 am

hey, welcome! nice to have another girl aboard

dklkse · Post by **dklkse** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:16 am

Welcome to the site! Glad you're enjoying your ride.

NC FTW!

03MatrixXRS · Post by **03MatrixXRS** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:17 pm

mesaboogie18 wrote:Yepsi, it sure is the same engine. It's the Celica GT-S's 1.8L DOHC VVT-LI engine with 170 hp and around 130 or so lb/ft torque. I like the corolla XRS, it's pretty neat, but again with the premium gas requirement.

Check out these Matrix Specs

Yeah, the premium gas was something I overlooked (unintentionally) while being so glad to have an import. I'm hoping the manual will make a difference in gas $$$?

03MatrixXRS · Post by **03MatrixXRS** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:18 pm

scion_xA_gf wrote:hey, welcome! nice to have another girl aboard

Hey, cool beans!

Post by **jomotopia** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:20 pm

03MatrixXRS wrote:Yeah, the premium gas was something I overlooked (unintentionally) while being so glad to have an import. I'm hoping the manual will make a difference in gas $$$?

a manual's fuel economy all depends on how you drive it. you can definitely eek out better mpg than an auto, but you could also burn a ton more gas if you rev it up a lot and cruise around at high rpms.

what kind of mileage does the xRS get? our xR gets good mileage but i'm not sure the numbers and it takes regular. just look at it this way though, at least you're spending less on gas than me.

i avg 18mpg, require premium, and like to run the gears up to redline at WOT.

dklkse · Post by **dklkse** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:22 pm

One cool thing about high-revving engines like the Toyota Celica/XRS engine is that you can choose to cruise around in low RPMs as a regular 4-banger, garnering decent MPG, I would imagine.

jory543 · Post by **jory543** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:28 pm

sweet ride, those are pretty nice cars. You can definately get better mileage out of a manual, but that requires shifting at low RPM's and taking it easy. When I shift at 2000-2500 RPM's and accelerate slowly the ride is much smoother and I get 25-30 MPG, and thats with a V6 so its not bad at all. When I drive spiritedly like accelerating crazy fast and shifting at 5-6k then I get about 18mpg. Your economy depends on how you drive it obviously.