Toyota Prius

yerth10 · September 2003

Hi Wayne

Thats the spirit.
I am happy that you are accepting the fact that Prius-2004 outscores Corolla/Civic atleast in city driving.

It is surprising that Corolla sells for 15K with features like ABS, I guess its because of the Korean competition. If Hyundai/Kia starts selling hybrid vehicles, then the price of Prius will also come around that range.

Anyway taking the bigger size, new design and the 5th door, we can pay atleast 1k extra for Prius.

If you are doing a lot of highway driving with just 1/2 persons, then Insight-manual is a best bet. I am sure, Honda must be able to sell a new Insight for 16-17 K given the competition from Prius-2004.

All the best.

Regards

mrvadeboncoeur · September 2003

My husband and I are each only children, so no brothers/sisters to convince.
We had quite a fun time showing off my mother's Prius to all my cousins over Labor Day weekend, so maybe...

One of my husband's college roommates did buy a 2002 Prius (on his own - he didn't know we had one at the time he placed his order). But that doesn't fill out the set.

A family friend would love to get a minivan with a Prius-like hybrid system. If only Toyota sold their hybrid Estima in the US! (Toyota also sells the Alphard as a hybrid in Japan now...) he's just waiting for the release of the (2005?) hybrid Sienna in the US.

mrvadeboncoeur · September 2003

Here are a couple of news sites stating that US pre-launch preorders are at 10,000 for the 2004 Prius:

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030924/law039_1.html
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2003-09-23-hybrid_x.htm
http://news.statesmanjournal.com/article.cfm?i=68207

xcel · September 2003

Hi All:

___My original post from this morning was deleted ... Here it is again.

___I just picked up the EPA city estimates via a Toyota E-Mail as well. The city mileage is absolutely astounding!

Most of the Toyota E-Mail contents:

The numbers are in--the all-new 2004 Toyota Prius recently received its EPA-estimated ratings of 60 mpg city and 51 mpg highway. That's a combined city/highway average of 55 mpg--the highest fuel economy of any mid-size car*. With mileage like that, think about all the money you'll save on gas.

The 2004 Prius will also help you save the planet, thanks to new technology called Hybrid Synergy Drive®, which delivers all the power of a conventional car with almost 90% fewer smog-forming emissions.

The all-new 2004 Prius arrives at your local Toyota dealer October 17. Until then, learn more at http://www.toyota.com/newprius.

___With the final EPA City/Hwy actuals in hand, lets redo some calcs not including battery replacement for a mostly city type driver ... Lets say 15,000 miles a year over 10 years which although high for exclusive city driving, should be a good comparison ... An average Corolla LE/Civic LX are only rated for 29 in the city and cost ~ $15K although the Toyota is better equipped (ABS/EBD/15 wheels/larger overall) vs. the Civic at that price.

___The Honda Civic/Toyota Corolla contingent would use 5,172 gallons of fuel over a 150,000 mile/10 year lifespan. With that, the Prius would use just 2,500 gallons of fuel. At $1.75 per gallon, thats a difference of $4,676.00 in favor of the Prius. I am using a rather average high (all time high actually) price for fuel which is probably incorrect over a 10 year life span ... Advantage Prius.

___If you were able to receive an 04 Prius before the tax year ends, you will receive an ~ $560.00 tax savings ($2,000 deduction X an average 28% tax bracket). Advantage Prius.

___Initial pricing of the Civic/Corolla contingent will be ~ $15,000 (estimates depending on how many more additional options you were to include ...) vs. the Prius initial $20,500 + taxes on the difference (depends on your local state tax structure?) give an advantage of ~ $5,800 in favor of the Civic/Corolla. There is a lost potential for the 5.8K as well as a cost for financing that extra amount but let it go as just another car payment for some and a paying cash for others.

___As for resale, most automobiles with 150,000 miles of all-city type driving are shot. It would be better to give any of the 3 vehicles away at that mileage than to keep them running from what I have seen of older automobiles in the City of Chicago proper ... The Prius battery replacement wont make any difference in that environment at that many miles.

___After all is said and done, the Prius costs just $564.00 more. There are a few costs which would not favor the Prius missing as explained above but a pure city driver should definitely consider the new Prius at the top of his list just for the ability to own a PZEV/SULEV with the few extra features the Prius has.

___Now if they could only get them in the Toyota dealerships in quantity so as to knock some off that MSRP off for others that will be interested ...

___Given my high mileage all-Hwy use, the 04 Prius wont be in my drive anytime soon but it may just knock another grand or two off a used Honda Insight 5-speeds resale which is what I am looking at right now. I have to hand it to Toyota; they did a great job on the 04 Prius drive train capability in terms of city fuel economy this time around ...

___Good Luck to you all.

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

ontheroadagain · September 2003

Just to reiterate, my local NY/CT metro area dealers say mid to late October will be when I can test drive one.

eandlcubed · September 2003

my local dealer said if i ordered one today, i would expect to see it mid november. price would be msrp.

revka · September 2003

To paul34b, jeep2jetta, mrvadeboncoeur and dupie -

Thanks for responding to my question about 2004 Prius purchases. It will be fun hearing about your upcoming delivery experiences!

To xcel - Thanks for re-posting. ;-)

To everyone - On the subject of the 2004 Prius vs Honda Insight or other cars, this topic seems to keep coming up a lot here. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to start up a new discussion on the subject. That way, people here can focus more on the subject of the 2004 Prius. What do you think? Send me an email (revka@edmunds.com) if you like the idea, and I'll get started on it.

And now, back to the subject of the 2004 Toyota Prius. Happy motoring!

Revka
Host of Hatchbacks & Wagons

jchan2 · September 2003

Why would you buy an Insight except for bragging rights of the first hybrid on the road? A Civic Hybrid would be more comfortable, but harder to spot in a parking lot, I guess.
Does anybody know if Hyundai/Kia have any plans for a hybrid car? Hybrids on the cheap!!!!!!!

xcel · September 2003

Hi Jchan2:

___The only reason someone should even consider an Insight (only a used one at that) is that the 2000  2003 5 Speed Insights have the capability of 90 + mpg on the hwy and can be obtained for a price between 9K and 13K with less then 25,000 miles. Looking for new, there is absolutely no way to justify it. Thats the boat I am in. With a 180 mile commute, mileage means absolutely everything with a TCO being affected most by the initial purchase price because I am going to drive it into the ground anyway. Everything else when comparing the two vehicles should dissuade anyone from even looking at an Insight let alone considering one given the much smaller size (2 seater with human(s) and cargo weight limits of < 400 #s to meet specs), lower city EPA estimates with the CVT, lesser performance no matter the transmission, far fewer amenities (no cruise on an Insight!), and to make John happy, much higher emissions (ULEV for the 5 Speed, SULEV for the CVT).

___As for the Honda Civic Hybrid, they are in deep trouble as well. In fact, I would say the Civic EX and Accord LX/EX may lose a few customers to the 04 Prius. High Priced Taurus, Impalas, and Camrys will lose some share to the Prius also. I cant think of any car manufacture that wont lose a small amount of customers to the Prius given Americas appetite for new tech but in my case, the Initial and TCO just dont work out unfortunately.

___As far as what America needs vs. what it wants, the lower income American needs an affordable Hybrid with 60 mpg city/51 Hwy and the lower emissions. Selling 30 to 50,000 04 Prius wont fix the smog problem in the cities nor reduce our oil dependence a significant amount. Adding to this, a $20,000 + Hybrid is too much money for the lower income folks IMHO.

___Anyway, at least the 01/02 Insight 5 speeds should drop a bit more in price once the 04 Prius is released which can only help me looking for a super high mileage car for an even less expensive initial cost.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

john1701a · September 2003

> Selling 30 to 50,000 04 Prius wont fix the smog
> problem in the cities nor reduce our oil dependence
> a significant amount.

Wanna bet!

With the reputation this next generation hybrid builds, sales will skyrocket. That will in fact make a huge difference... in the long-term, and Prius will be given the credit for doing that.

Remember, Toyota has to establish credibility for HSD somehow. Prius is the vehicle they chose to do that.

JOHN

xcel · September 2003

Hi John:

___Yes, I will take that bet!

___As I mentioned above, 30 - 50,000 Prius wont make a dent in the smog problem nor will they make a dent in our dependence on foreign oil. What needs to be happen is 500,000 to 1,000,000 new Hybrids or more in Joe Qs hands on a year over year basis. Until a very large percentage of the vehicles bought and sold in America and the planet are Hybrids with the capability of the 04 Prius, you arent going to see a significant decrease in either of the 2 factors listed above. The Ford F150s ULEV certification/design saved the planet from emissions far more than all the Prius sold to date as just one example of what I am talking about.

___Place the Hybrid drive train in a Corolla for $17,500 (as they should have all along) and you are talking mass market, not a 30,000  50,000 production run of > $20,000 04 Prius. I can only hope there will be demand for 200 - 250,000 Prius this year as there is with the Corolla today but given the discussion to date, I doubt Toyota can sell that many (the initial price is out of reach of the lower income American) and its an unfamiliar entity unlike the Corolla name plate ...

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

john1701a · September 2003

> Yes, I will take that bet!
> ...wont make a dent

Huh? There's no way you can even prove that Prius hasn't made a difference... ALREADY! So there's a 100% change I'll win a "Selling 30 to 50,000 04 Prius" will make a difference bet.

The HSD with the 04 Prius is scheduled to be installed in 2 Lexus vehicles and another Toyota... ALREADY! It is the solution to the smog & oil problem.

> What needs to be happen is 500,000 to 1,000,000 new Hybrids
> or more in Joe Qs hands on a year over year basis.

Step back and look at the long-term goals. 1,000,000 hybrids per year is no where near enough. Over 17,000,000 new vehicles are sold each year in just the United States alone, and almost 65,000,000 worldwide. So only selling inexpensive Corolla hybrids isn't that much either. Very well loaded vehicles, with a different hybrid configuration, like Prius will be needed too.

Prius will go down in history as the hybrid that started it all. Sales began in December 1997. That forced Honda to create a hybrid of its own to compete. The introduction of the next generation Prius in 2000 in the United States sparked a fire in Detroit. Now in 2003, another generation Prius is about to debut. Detroit at this point is very much aware of how real the demand is.

You didn't define what you meant by dent. But the way thinks look, Prius has made much more than a door-ding impact... ARLEADY!

JOHN

jonesie12a · September 2003

Does the 04 Prius come with power seats or are they available in a package?

revka · September 2003

Just released today: Toyota Reports Unprecedented Pre-Launch Response to Second-Generation Prius Hybrid.

Revka
Host of Hatchbacks & Wagons

john1701a · September 2003

Sorry, that option isn't available... yet.

JOHN

mrvadeboncoeur · September 2003

jchan2 said:
> Why would you buy an Insight except for bragging rights of the first hybrid on the road?

Actually, the Prius was the first production hybrid on the road. Released in 1997 (1998 model year) in Japan.

The Honda Insight was the first production hybrid on the road in the US. Released in 1999 (2000 model year) in the US.

The Toyota Prius was released in the US in 2000 (model year 2001).

nippononly · September 2003

the Michelin Bibendum Whatever visited Infineon Raceway yesterday, and will head to San Francisco today. This is the alt-fuel and hybrid challenge for environmentally friendly vehicles. In the news coverage, there were several shots of a burnt orange '04 Prius driving around - looked very good! Even though the wheels are not the ones they had on the show car earlier this year, they are big enough to fill the wheel wells and avert "tippy" looks that might come from such a tall-sided car.

jchan2 · September 2003

I think that Hyundai should make a hybrid Sonata or even a hybrid Elantra. They have the resources, and if they don't- well, just buy Toyota's old system and retitle it HHS. (Hyundai Hybrid System) Then we could have a hybrid car for $17,000!

rembelski · September 2003

any input on battery life for extreme heat locations-specificaly phoenix and what is the likelyhood the a/c will be better than average? i think toyota has agood rep on a/c

derekgdw · September 2003

Alright right now my next car choice is between a 2004 Prius and (if the Prius turns out not to be for me after a test drive) a 2004 Matrix.

I have a question that I'm hoping someone can answer.

I'm very used to having remote starters on my cars for the purpose of warming up the interior and windows (makes ice scraping easier) or cooling down the interior for a few minutes before I walk outside.

Can any such system be fitted on the Prius? If only to warm / cool the interior before reaching the car.

jchan2 · September 2003

that you can roll down the windows if you buy the Smart Start system. Correct me if I'm wrong.

mrvadeboncoeur · September 2003

talked with my dealer, my husband's 2004 Prius will be in the first allocation, mid to late October, along with the dealer's other Pioneer orders, and their TRAC vehicles.

happy happy!

Michelle in MA

jeep2jetta · September 2003

...Since October 17 is just right around the corner and several people on this board will be taking deliveries of their Prius, can you create a new section call "First Impressions: Living with the '04 Prius" or something like that so those folks can tell the rest of us about their experiences and driving impressions?

dupie · September 2003

javascript:popWindow('http://townhall.edmunds.com/TH/townhall/vpr- ofile?user=mrvadeboncoeur');
On what date did you place the order for you 04 Prius?
I placed an order on August 26th and the dealer said delivery will be some time between late October to late November. Keep us all posted with your delivery date.
dupie61

john1701a · September 2003

I checked with my dealer last night. My order was their first and it was placed on July 2. He said me and a few of my pioneer-order-method friends will get our Prius right away, the rest should expect to wait a few weeks.

Since you placed your order the end of August, I'd expect your wait to be even longer. (Sorry.)

But at least you can have the opportunity to take a 2004 for a drive in the meantime. TRAC models will be delivered in the first batch and will be available for rental right away.

And yes, I'm still planning a gathering right away so people will have an opportunity to check out my 2004.

JOHN

mrvadeboncoeur · September 2003

I had a Pioneer pre-order. (first cars off the
boat go to Pioneer orders, which was offered to
people that went through the internet ordering
process for their 2001 or 2002 Prius.)

IIRC, we placed our order just after the July 4th
holiday/weekend.

My husband is 7th at his dealership. (it's his car
- I'm keeping my 2001 Prius.) The dealership is
getting ~12 in this first allocation, which includes
2 TRAC vehicles.

The dealership already has the TRAC vehicles "sold"
for when they come off of the program. There's also
a long line of people that have signed up to rent
them already.

My dealer was mentioning that he was thinking of
calling all of his pre-order people to tell them
the day that the truck of all the Prius arrive, to
come on over and oogle at all of them.

jchan2 · September 2003

organize a Prius party! And have it at the Toyota dealer! (I'm sure they'll give you some space to celebrate- they might move an Echo or 2 in the process)

paul34b · September 2003

Whoahoo..I just received a a gift from Toyota headquarters. A 2004 Prius key chain. I feel confident now that I'm in the loop and my car is on its way!!!

ontheroadagain · September 2003

Wonderful news about your new key chain! ;-)

Just visited our local dealer. He says that he saw a Prius 04 in NJ at an auto show...this may be old news to you all.

Supposed to have one at the dealership on October 15th. I envy and admire all of you who've already ordered your cars. I just have to drive one first...but my interest is increasing.

Do any of you have any concerns that these cars will only be able to be serviced by a Toyota Prius Certified Dealership? I mean what if I'm out on the Outer Banks of North Carolina or ?

Tell me not to worry.

funpilot · September 2003

Come back up to Tidewater. There are at least 3 certified dealers here and it is a pleasant drive.

mrvadeboncoeur · September 2003

your usual stuff (tires, fluid changes, etc.) can be handled by any mechanic.

the Prius in the US still comes with 3years/36,000miles of Toyota Roadside Assistance, so if you have a major problem you can still be towed to a Prius-trained dealership.

more and more mechanics are learning about the Prius. especially since their numbers are growing, and Toyota plans to make so many more/different hybrids available in the upcoming years...

besides, how many other cars can you continue to drive (albiet a short distance) AFTER you've run out of gasoline? (not recommended to go far, it's not good for the car, but at least you can pull off to the side of the road in a safe place, or maybe even limp to a gas station!)

vanden · September 2003

Great discussion! Thanks especially for the analytic breakdown of how Prius will compare with Corolla/Civic in terms of overall costs. As a literal "Dutchman" I'm always thinking of value for the money.

Back in '86 I bought a Honda Civic CRX for $8000. It had the highest mileage at the time (about 45 mpg). I drove it 10 years and over 100,000 miles. And what a fun car to drive. For value and fun it couldn't be beat. But I had to graduate to a larger car and am currently impatiently waiting for it to hit 10 years old so I can buy a new car!

In the next two years I'm going to need a family car for the two little ones and am thinking of Prius. Although it's too early to know, anyone want to speculate on (1) cost of insurance (same as Camry/Corolla or more?) (2) noise level (can't stand road noise anymore) (3) performance on crash tests (as good as Camry?)

Thanks

jchan2 · September 2003

Cost of insurance should be a little bit more than the Camry LE, but not much. The Prius is not commonly stolen because 1) theives believe it is low on power 2) It is easy to find a Prius if someone has stolen one. But parts should cost more when something breaks (not likely) and don't forget the battery. The Prius should be Super Quiet. Should do fine on crash testing. (As good as Camry)

john1701a · September 2003

How exactly would you steal a 2004 Prius?

There is no ignition.

The startup system is software based, so there's nothing that can be hot-wired.

JOHN

brwalter · September 2003

Hey, I'm glad to see someone else comparing the Camry and the Prius (a good sign for the Prius, but for me that is the comparison). Here's the pro/cons as best I can figure so far:

Handling--a wash as far as I can tell without driving a Prius. Road tests I've read suggest it does fine. Camry is good, although there's a little body roll as a tradeoff of the smooth ride, nothing serious though. Both cars are available with VSC, a very worthwhile safety feature.
Crash Test- very good on Camry, unknown on Prius. Could be fine. Both available with the super-important safety feature of head-curtain airbags, but with Prius it costs more (only avail as part of package).
Cost - slightly more for 2004 Prius than 2003 Camry bought right now, and financing better on Camry if I bought now.
Mileage - on the other hand, the Prius will burn half as much gas as a Camry, and a Camry V6 shd get premium gas; hard to know how Prius mileage will pay off, since it depends on OPEC etc. But it could count for a lot if oil prices go way up (unknowable).
Repairs - a lot more mechanics (independent ones) will be able to do good work on all the components of a Camry. Won't the Prius tie you to dealer for anything involving the transmission, AC, or engines? Repair will cost more, therefore? But if it's more reliable, which it may be with the CVT and dual engines, maybe you'll need less work done, so it will even out at least somewhat?
Power/acceleration - better on a Camry; might be safe to have that power-in-reserve in a tight spot. But could be acceptable for us non-speed-demons on a Prius.
Theft - Camry is most-stolen car; Prius is not likely to get stolen.
Comfort-- Camry isn't perfect (seats don't suit me well). Prius unknown, but could be just as good. Who knows, maybe even better?
Noise - Camry is very quiet - although you do notice the bad bumps, joins, etc. on highway. Somehow they sound louder than on Accord even if overall the Camry is quieter . Prius should be very quiet, I'd expect.
Features - great on both. Prius has cooler new technologies though-- CVT, start button, etc., but Camry has all I really need.

Bottom line: I'm more emotionally attracted to the cutting-edge technology of the Prius. If i were just being rational I would likely get a tried-and-true Camry. Anyone see it differently? (As you can guess, the heart will probably win out over the head and I'll get the Prius. But I'd appreciate it if anyone can convince me that it's also the more rational choice!)

mrvadeboncoeur · September 2003

since the 2004 Prius is sorta a new model, I'd
expect that the insurance companies would just
base their ratings on the purchase price of the car,
and then adjust as accident/repair/theft data
comes in later. (That's what they did on the
2001 Prius, and what I was quoted at the time for
the then-new Saturn L series vehicles.)

The only way I know of to steal a Prius:
1. take the keys/fob from the owner and drive off.
2. put the Prius on a tow truck

not an easy thing to steal, with the rolling-ID
coded ignition, and the starter-less engine!

jchan2 · September 2003

Should never be a target. First of all, you have that software based starter, and second of all, how many Camrys are on the road? How many Prius' are on the road? The answer for the Prius is not many. So, even if someone did manage to steal your keys and take your car, the authorities shouldn't have a hard time huntin' down your Prius.

bamacar · September 2003

I noticed in Automobile magazine, that they did not like the ride in the 2004 Prius at all. They said the structure did not feel Toyota-like meaning not rigid. They said that any road imperfections caused the interior materials to shake all over the place. Is this true of the earlier Prius models? Not what I expected out of the new model especially being larger and not being considered a sporty model in the handling department. I figured if anything reviewers would say the suspension was soft and not firm enough. Anybody got any take on this review.

john1701a · September 2003

> Anybody got any take on this review.

I'm just going to ignore it for now.

I'll have my 2004 to drive around all I want in about 3 weeks. Disproving questionable claims like that will be a snap then.

Anyway, a friend of mine took a pre-production model for a spin and said it was fantastic, very Toyota like. So I have my doubts about any shaking, especially since the classic Prius isn't that way.

JOHN

bamacar · September 2003

John,

I can't wait to get your take on it, since your analysis of the present model has been so extensive. I was just so surprised to see that analysis of the ride from anyone.

paul34b · September 2003

John you mention no ignition but I was under the impression that if someone did not ordered the Smart Entry and Start then they simply placed a "key-like" device ( part of the fob) into a key slot near the dash. Can you explain?

john1701a · September 2003

If you don't get Smart-Start, the way you start the Prius is to insert the fob. Think of it as inserting a credit-card into a machine.

Data is exchanged for starting. There are no moving parts (except the clamp that locks the fob in place). So it can't really be thought of as an ignition.

And if you do get Smart-Start, there isn't any physical contact ever. The data is exchanged wirelessly (and securely, of course).

JOHN

brwalter · September 2003

Bamacar, I was wondering what issue of Automobile is that in? I didn't find it at their Web site (but I definitely want to go out and read it). Thanks.

bamacar · September 2003

It is in the October edition.

nrdc · September 2003

I drove the '04 at Challenge Bibendum (see my post on the "Is it time to buy a hybrid" section). These were preproduction vehicles, and felt pretty solid. Certainly no comparison to the rattle coming off the GM Hy Wire prototype whenever the door closed. We did not have a change to take the Prius on rough roads, however.

The Automobile review is a little unclear on what they didn't like. They gave high marks for handling, but said the ride could be jarring. That might be too MUCH rigidity.

oldfox · September 2003

I am a new poster. Ordered (at least I think I did - $500 deposit but no real paperwork yet) a 2004 Prius Salsa Red Pearl. The dealer said I could choose options once the Southeast Distributor has the cars. Apparently he has a large plant and can add on any option.
I have a Ford Explorer and like the keyless entry. Does the Prius have this? I know you can order the "Smart Entry System" Is this the Keyless entry? The dealer said all Prius"s come with keyless entry and the Smart system is additional. Say What!
Also would like Side Air Bags so looks like package #6 BI is what I want but... also would like Fog lamps but only see this on the most expensive package.
Also what do they mean by painted door handles with antenna? Do you not get a radio antenna or painted door handles unless you order a pkg? Surely not.
Any advice would be appreciated.

john1701a · September 2003

"Keyless" entry is standard on Prius. The remote works exactly like the option you'd get on any other vehicle offering keyless entry.

"Smart-Entry" introduces a whole new level of convenience. You don't even have to touch the transmitter. You just leave it in your pocket or purse and the car automatically senses it as you approach. Then when you lift the door-handle to get in or push the button on the door to unlock the other doors. For me in Minnesota during the winter, not having to take the gloves off or lift my heavy jacket to dig for keys is a very welcome improvement.

"Smart-Start" works just like Smart-Entry. The car talks to the transmitter for you automatically. You just sit down in the driver's seat and push the power button on the dashboard. That's it! No key. No digging for the transmitter. It just detects it in your pocket or purse.

JOHN

vanden · September 2003

From what I've read so far, the Prius looks like it can satisfy both head and heart, provided you're willing to spend 20K anyway.

What I'm waiting for is an actual test drive. Back in '96 when I was shopping for my last car, I was totally into the Saturn wave--loved their approach. But when I test drove the Saturn, Civic, and Grand Am back to back, I ended up getting the Grand Am. I just felt the most comfortable in its cockpit. From the reviews, I'm worried that I won't like the seats/seating position on the Prius, but we'll have to see. I had trouble finding a good seating position when I test drove the Matrix. Hope it's not the same case here.

vanden · September 2003

Say, I haven't seen any response to the news that Toyota has already presold 10,000 Prius. And they're only going to produce 36,000???

What does this mean?

1. Put your order in now, because you won't be able to touch one for anywhere near MSRP in the next few months to year? (Bid-ups ala Odyssey...)

2. Or wait a year or two, when demand is so high that they finally produce enough cars to meet it.

I worry because I watched all the pre-hype about the '04 Sienna (am still considering that too), then saw it get accolades, then saw lots of people having trouble getting it.

So: get Prius now, before too many people know about it, or get Prius later, when many people know about it, and Toyota makes a heck of a lot more of them?

Just wondering.

adp3 · September 2003

wait and get one later

the recession isn't over

(and I havent' decided to buy mine yet, and I don't want you in line before me)

:-D

Toyota Prius

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