my 2008 xB seems to be burning up a little oil between changes - is it safe to add a little synthetic in between changes?

what may be causing this? i have never had a new vehicle that burns oil.

there are no leakes or smoke?

Hi All,

I am considering offering a new line of Short Throw Shifters for the xB. Because I can private label these, I can be more aggressive in the performance, 50% reduction instead of 30%, and lower the price compared to factory parts.

Is any one interested or are there too many STS's on the market already???

I have been the authorized Short Throw Shifter designer and manufacturer for Toyota/TRD since 2006. The first short throw shifter was for the Matrix when TRD was a separate division located in Tustin, CA. After being absorbed by the parent US company Toyota Motor Sales about 2007 in Torrance, CA, I went on to design and manufacture STS's for the xA, xB, xD, Yaris, Corolla, Matrix, and the IS-250. I have supplied TMS/TRD with complete units that were prepackaged with the appropriate TRD labeling, logo and barcoding stickers ready to be sold off of Toyota Dealers Parts counters since Feb 2008. All my designs are the type that mount to the transmission and comprised of two pieces made of billet aluminum. I never had an STS returned because of any warranty issues ever. The 2008 xB STS will fit the TC's but because TMS/TRD had an original overstock of console mounted STS's from Japan, I never got a chance to offer the better performing and less expensive transmission based STS. I have already designed an STS for the 2010+ TC and I am ready to manufacture. TMS/TRD is now demanding that all suppliers carry $12million Product Liability Insurance. The yearly cost of this insurance that I will have to add now to the STS cost will drive an already too high price even higher. My only business is Short Throw Shifters which has included only Nissan and Toyota. Nissan carries the insurance to cover it's suppliers were as Toyota does not. Because of this, Toyota now is asking companies that provide other items to them, one being K&N and another is Magnuson, and who can umbrella the insurance costs from their other products to supply STS's to Toyota. At this time Toyota only wants me to design for them which I have agreed to do.

I also supply STS's directly to Nissan in TN and which include the Nissan Sentra, Spec V, Altima, Altima SER, Maxima, Z350 and G35. I also private label under the brand name Axxtion. Both of these have been doing business since 2002.

Thanx for your time and thanx to the Mods, you guys are great.

I may get a job in Honduras. I have the opportunity to ship my xB there as part of a relocation package. Should I do that, or sell the car and buy something there? Questions:

Were xB's ever sold in Central America or Honduras specifically?
Getting parts for an imported car in Honduras will be a headache. I read that the xB shares parts with the Echo and the Yaris. What parts? Engine? Suspension?
Were those cars sold in Honduras? Any other part exchanges?

I know this post is off the wall, but I need to start somewhere and I appreciate any help!

I'm not ready to sell the B, it's got 92k miles and I expect a lot more trouble free miles out of it. But waiting for parts to arrive from some other country, plus the duty and the 12% sales tax on imported parts, AND finding someone to fix can be a real nuisance.