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Anyone know anything about the Prius, besides it being a hybrid. Any thoughts? Issues? Etc??
Anyone know anything about the Prius, besides it being a hybrid. Any thoughts? Issues? Etc??
I've driven a "HSD" generation of Prius (2003 model year) on and off for about a month or two over a one year period (folk's car). Very interesting vehicle, but I prefer to stick with my "standard" cars for now. Was able to drive in over four seasons - so I got a pretty good fell for it. If anyone is buying a hybrid with the intent of super fuel economy or saving the environment - might be disappointed. As the dealer said - don't think of this as a hybrid - just think of it as a different class of vehicle - like compact, utility, sport, luxury, etc.
There both good and bad points of the car: Some good points are plenty of room, decent power, good fuel economy, looks kind of cool, reduced part count (drivetrain), and BIG tax break 
. Some of the bad points I've detailed below.
Biggest nit for me was the damn UI screen - you can get caught up trying to sqeeze as much juice from the batteries or maximizing your draft to push that instantaneous mileage up. Being a tech junkie - that stuff is like an illicit drug - a major distraction IMO. Couldn't be more distracting than having a game console tied to the dash.
Major blind spot in the rear - funky horizontally split rear window, ala Honda CRX in the late 80s early 90s. You get used to it - like I did with the Matrix.
Tires are the OEM low rolling resistance type - we changed them once over the first year (staying within our 50% wear rule) - immediately saw a drop from high 40s lower 50s to upper 30s to lower 40s in MPG - lost about 10MPG with that change. Gained a few back after a few thousands of miles of use and playing with tire pressures - but was never the same again. But the trade off was much more traction and stability in bad weather - a fair trade for us, but can be disheartening for some.
Winter driving is just about useless in this vehicle - traction control system can get confused and there have been times where the car will allow you to drive into an intersection and then just sit there, doesn't even budge. Tires still had plenty of tread and the roads were not that slippery (family member right behind me drove a 2WD truck without much difficulty on the same road - no sand in the bed, regular all-season tires, open differential -actually help push me across the intersection). From what I gather from lurking the Prius chat forums - has to do with the traction control logic - may be fixed with newer revisions.
Plus there is the situation of just plain being non-responsive. Drive car, come to a stoplight, hit the gas - NOTHING. Have to cycle the start sequence to get the car back up - kind of like rebooting the computer. Fortunately, doesn't happen often (never happened to me, but it did happen to other family members).
A good site about general pros and cons on hybrid vehicles - http://www.physorg.com/news10031.html - decent, unbaised article on them.
I would say unless gas prices start really skyrocketing (at least $4 per gallon), the gains in MPG and tax breaks just can't makeup for the significantly higher price tag hybrids have and possible extra maintenance you might need to carry with the hybrid system. Besides, the 45-50 MPG that the average Prius owner gets can easily be rivaled with a manual Corolla, which can top off at 41 MPG highway, or you can get a Yaris whichs gets about the same highway and a very impressive 34 MPG city.
That being said, for those of you who are looking at a Prius/hybrids, I strongly advise getting the best possible service warranty availible. Nevermind the extra $1000 it might cost. You dont want to get stuck 120k miles down the road having to foot the $3000 bill for a new battery once the old one dies, and yes it will die like any recharable battery.
I would say unless gas prices start really skyrocketing (at least $4 per gallon), the gains in MPG and tax breaks just can't makeup for the significantly higher price tag hybrids have and possible extra maintenance you might need to carry with the hybrid system. Besides, the 45-50 MPG that the average Prius owner gets can easily be rivaled with a manual Corolla, which can top off at 41 MPG highway, or you can get a Yaris whichs gets about the same highway and a very impressive 34 MPG city.That being said, for those of you who are looking at a Prius/hybrids, I strongly advise getting the best possible service warranty availible. Nevermind the extra $1000 it might cost. You dont want to get stuck 120k miles down the road having to foot the $3000 bill for a new battery once the old one dies, and yes it will die like any recharable battery.
I found the Prius to be an unsafe piece of overgadgeted junk.
No visibility. Distracting touch screen for even simple adjustments to radio & HVAC. Despicable tire life. Unintended accelleration and traction control problems reported on consumeraffairs.com.
IMHO, a waste of good money.
Just my opinion.
Thanks guys. Maybe I wait a year, as a new design should come out next year.
Bikeman982
Tell us how you really feel about it Bob.I would say unless gas prices start really skyrocketing (at least $4 per gallon), the gains in MPG and tax breaks just can't makeup for the significantly higher price tag hybrids have and possible extra maintenance you might need to carry with the hybrid system. Besides, the 45-50 MPG that the average Prius owner gets can easily be rivaled with a manual Corolla, which can top off at 41 MPG highway, or you can get a Yaris whichs gets about the same highway and a very impressive 34 MPG city.That being said, for those of you who are looking at a Prius/hybrids, I strongly advise getting the best possible service warranty availible. Nevermind the extra $1000 it might cost. You dont want to get stuck 120k miles down the road having to foot the $3000 bill for a new battery once the old one dies, and yes it will die like any recharable battery.
I found the Prius to be an unsafe piece of overgadgeted junk.
No visibility. Distracting touch screen for even simple adjustments to radio & HVAC. Despicable tire life. Unintended accelleration and traction control problems reported on consumeraffairs.com.
IMHO, a waste of good money.
Just my opinion.
Gas prices are predicted to hit $5.00 a gallon this winter - the Prius may be more desirable to some when that happens.
5 bucks a gallon. I doubt that. They said last summer it would hit 4 bucks a gallon. I'm gonna be hating life if it hit 4 bucks. As it looks like the wife is gonna get the geo prizm during our divorce. And I'm suck with the 2006 Ford Tarus which gets maybe 30mpg, and I travel 70+ miles a day for work.
I would say unless gas prices start really skyrocketing (at least $4 per gallon), the gains in MPG and tax breaks just can't makeup for the significantly higher price tag hybrids have and possible extra maintenance you might need to carry with the hybrid system. Besides, the 45-50 MPG that the average Prius owner gets can easily be rivaled with a manual Corolla, which can top off at 41 MPG highway, or you can get a Yaris whichs gets about the same highway and a very impressive 34 MPG city.That being said, for those of you who are looking at a Prius/hybrids, I strongly advise getting the best possible service warranty availible. Nevermind the extra $1000 it might cost. You dont want to get stuck 120k miles down the road having to foot the $3000 bill for a new battery once the old one dies, and yes it will die like any recharable battery.
Have you had a hybrid battery fail on you? The failure of the batteries is way more fear then actual failures. For the few people who have had problems, it is actually corroded connectors, not bad batteries. They will fail in time, but they have been tested to last a long time. Most people don't bother keeping a car past 100K miles now days.
I do believe that a good economical gasoline car can give a hybrid a run for it's money, too many bad things said about a hybrid is just repeated crap without any real basis. I wouldn't be surprised if oil companies started the bad press rumors.
Toyota gives a 8 year 100K miles warranty for the hybrid system. While I'm not going to the dealer for a hybrid any time soon, and maybe never, I think it is a step in the right direction for anyone wanting use less oil. I myself want to go for the WVO diesel engine, but that takes more time, work and dedication that most people aren't willing to do.
The Corolla 5sp can get 41MPG and more, it isn't a very realistic number for most owners. Most people aren't willing to drive that slow. I know I'm not. I averaged 43MPG once, but I drove 55MPH and about got ran over. Just about anyone could get more fuel economy if they just sped up slower, and didn't drive as fast. I often get blown off the road by both Corolla and Prius owners. I never feel sorry for Corolla or Prius owners that complain about bad fuel economy because I know they always leave the part out about their lead foot.
5 bucks a gallon. I doubt that. They said last summer it would hit 4 bucks a gallon. I'm gonna be hating life if it hit 4 bucks. As it looks like the wife is gonna get the geo prizm during our divorce. And I'm suck with the 2006 Ford Tarus which gets maybe 30mpg, and I travel 70+ miles a day for work.
Gas has been to 3.74 in our town, in Indiana. Gas has hit over $4 downtown Chicago too. I was driving through, saw it with my own eyes. I about cried.
Gas could go to $4 and more if the right situation came up. Right now oil is just shy of $100 a barrel and gas is 3.15 a gallon. If we had a hurricane right now, or if anything disrupted the flow of oil, or production, gas could very well go over $4 a gallon.
I would say unless gas prices start really skyrocketing (at least $4 per gallon), the gains in MPG and tax breaks just can't makeup for the significantly higher price tag hybrids have and possible extra maintenance you might need to carry with the hybrid system. Besides, the 45-50 MPG that the average Prius owner gets can easily be rivaled with a manual Corolla, which can top off at 41 MPG highway, or you can get a Yaris whichs gets about the same highway and a very impressive 34 MPG city.That being said, for those of you who are looking at a Prius/hybrids, I strongly advise getting the best possible service warranty availible. Nevermind the extra $1000 it might cost. You dont want to get stuck 120k miles down the road having to foot the $3000 bill for a new battery once the old one dies, and yes it will die like any recharable battery.
Have you had a hybrid battery fail on you? The failure of the batteries is way more fear then actual failures. For the few people who have had problems, it is actually corroded connectors, not bad batteries. They will fail in time, but they have been tested to last a long time. Most people don't bother keeping a car past 100K miles now days.
I do believe that a good economical gasoline car can give a hybrid a run for it's money, too many bad things said about a hybrid is just repeated crap without any real basis. I wouldn't be surprised if oil companies started the bad press rumors.
Toyota gives a 8 year 100K miles warranty for the hybrid system. While I'm not going to the dealer for a hybrid any time soon, and maybe never, I think it is a step in the right direction for anyone wanting use less oil. I myself want to go for the WVO diesel engine, but that takes more time, work and dedication that most people aren't willing to do.
The Corolla 5sp can get 41MPG and more, it isn't a very realistic number for most owners. Most people aren't willing to drive that slow. I know I'm not. I averaged 43MPG once, but I drove 55MPH and about got ran over. Just about anyone could get more fuel economy if they just sped up slower, and didn't drive as fast. I often get blown off the road by both Corolla and Prius owners. I never feel sorry for Corolla or Prius owners that complain about bad fuel economy because I know they always leave the part out about their lead foot.
A gas Corolla can go 200K so the battery replacement possibility after 100K could be a big hit to trade value once the special hybrid parts warranty expires. Supposedly, the battery pack runs $4K.
I would say unless gas prices start really skyrocketing (at least $4 per gallon), the gains in MPG and tax breaks just can't makeup for the significantly higher price tag hybrids have and possible extra maintenance you might need to carry with the hybrid system. Besides, the 45-50 MPG that the average Prius owner gets can easily be rivaled with a manual Corolla, which can top off at 41 MPG highway, or you can get a Yaris whichs gets about the same highway and a very impressive 34 MPG city.That being said, for those of you who are looking at a Prius/hybrids, I strongly advise getting the best possible service warranty availible. Nevermind the extra $1000 it might cost. You dont want to get stuck 120k miles down the road having to foot the $3000 bill for a new battery once the old one dies, and yes it will die like any recharable battery.
Have you had a hybrid battery fail on you? The failure of the batteries is way more fear then actual failures. For the few people who have had problems, it is actually corroded connectors, not bad batteries. They will fail in time, but they have been tested to last a long time. Most people don't bother keeping a car past 100K miles now days.
I do believe that a good economical gasoline car can give a hybrid a run for it's money, too many bad things said about a hybrid is just repeated crap without any real basis. I wouldn't be surprised if oil companies started the bad press rumors.
Toyota gives a 8 year 100K miles warranty for the hybrid system. While I'm not going to the dealer for a hybrid any time soon, and maybe never, I think it is a step in the right direction for anyone wanting use less oil. I myself want to go for the WVO diesel engine, but that takes more time, work and dedication that most people aren't willing to do.
The Corolla 5sp can get 41MPG and more, it isn't a very realistic number for most owners. Most people aren't willing to drive that slow. I know I'm not. I averaged 43MPG once, but I drove 55MPH and about got ran over. Just about anyone could get more fuel economy if they just sped up slower, and didn't drive as fast. I often get blown off the road by both Corolla and Prius owners. I never feel sorry for Corolla or Prius owners that complain about bad fuel economy because I know they always leave the part out about their lead foot.
A gas Corolla can go 200K so the battery replacement possibility after 100K could be a big hit to trade value once the special hybrid parts warranty expires. Supposedly, the battery pack runs $4K.
Well between 100K and 200K, a corolla could have something that can cost 4k too. Someone posted about a engine failure just after the power train warranty. It's rare, but it happened. Just because the battery can fail, doesn't mean that it will.
Toyota thinks that the battery can last the life of the car.
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com...or-wear-cga.htm
I can't find the link now, but I thought Toyota tested it in a lab for over 200K miles.
Even with 08 fuel economy standards, the prius is still high. I believe that if driven right, it can get the EPA ratings. Too many people just try and race them down the road. If someone is interested in a prius, wants to use as less oil as they realistically can and still have a car, then a hybrid is a good answer. They shouldn't fear the battery. Besides, the point of a hybrid is to be less dependent on oil. If someone cares that much, they aren't going to really care about having to replace the battery. If it does need to be replaced, it would probably be a one time thing only.
The lifespan of the battery depends on how many full charges you go through (NiMH batteries last about 1000 charges), so for the Prius owners who drive with a lead foot and use the gas engine more, their batteries will last longer. Of course, that then defeats the purpose of buying a hybrid, since your fuel efficiency is going to dip to the 30s MPG or even less, which a Corolla can rival even under hard driving.
The point I was trying to make in my original post was that for the majority of people out there, a manual Corolla can more that do for them what they need/want. To own a Prius and take the full advantage of its design (incredible fuel efficiency 60+ MPG), you have to be a patient driver and try to use the battery as much as possible. Then if you can get the battery to die earlier under warranty, you'll get another one for free. The problem is most people who buy a Prius are ignorant environmentalist-wannabes. They buy the car to feel better about themselves, but they drive it like it were still a sports car, guzzling up gas on the engine, complaining about their poor MPG, and not using the battery enough so that it dies outside of the warranty. That's why the EPA had to change the MPG testing methods and why the Prius took a huge 12 MPG hit to its rating. Personally I liked the old testing methods much better, but thats another topic and I'll just leave it at that.
The lifespan of the battery depends on how many full charges you go through (NiMH batteries last about 1000 charges), so for the Prius owners who drive with a lead foot and use the gas engine more, their batteries will last longer. Of course, that then defeats the purpose of buying a hybrid, since your fuel efficiency is going to dip to the 30s MPG or even less, which a Corolla can rival even under hard driving.The point I was trying to make in my original post was that for the majority of people out there, a manual Corolla can more that do for them what they need/want. To own a Prius and take the full advantage of its design (incredible fuel efficiency 60+ MPG), you have to be a patient driver and try to use the battery as much as possible. Then if you can get the battery to die earlier under warranty, you'll get another one for free. The problem is most people who buy a Prius are ignorant environmentalist-wannabes. They buy the car to feel better about themselves, but they drive it like it were still a sports car, guzzling up gas on the engine, complaining about their poor MPG, and not using the battery enough so that it dies outside of the warranty. That's why the EPA had to change the MPG testing methods and why the Prius took a huge 12 MPG hit to its rating. Personally I liked the old testing methods much better, but thats another topic and I'll just leave it at that.
I agree that the Corolla is a good cheap answer to saving gas. So is the Yaris.
The yaris is rated at 10.7 barrels a year (5sp man).
The Corolla is rated at 11 barrels a year (5sp man).
The prius is rated at 7.4 barrels a year.
1 barrel = 42 gallons. Data is for 08 cars from fueleconomy.org
If you read that link, the prius is suppose to have a computer that keeps the battery from charging or discharging completely and it is suppose to greatly extend the life of the battery. I don't know if there is any data to show that a battery will last long or have a shorter life depending on how the car is driven.
I'm not trying to argue that a hybrid is better. I'm just trying to break some of the fear and propaganda that gets repeated over and over. If you do want a hybrid, don't fear the battery, technology, and repair cost. I mean, if you can't afford it, don't get it, but the worse case situation is having to replace the battery. If you hate that the cost of oil is almost $100 a barrel, or that gas is over $3 a gallon, I don't think the right buyer is going to care about the possibility of having to spend more on upkeep. Chances are, for most buyers, they will never see any cost out of their pocket for the hybrid system.
Mr. Ed
Before I make this comment - - - We don't live in a big city. So, my mpg is much higher than would be normally gotten under those "city" conditions. However, I never get less than 37 mpg "in (my) town" and can easily get over 40 mpg. On trips I get 45+ mpg. 50 mpg has been elusive, but I still keep trying. And this is just a simple 2004 Corolla with a 5 speed.
Topic List: Go to Toyota Corolla, Chevy Prizm (1998-2008)
