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Toyota Prius (First Generation)
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Comments
My guess is that the nav system will be able to be retrofitted in the 2001 cars. Again, this is only speculation and should be taken as such. I think the people who take your calls at Toyota may not be asking the Japanese the question in the right manner to get the correct response.
He said Blue colors are not available now.
Only problem was the dealer put the center little hubcap on badly, so that it rattled. They fixed it this afternoon.
Car behaves wonderfully. Wish it had a fuel cell instead of gas motor!
[Hi Steve,
[Here in California, we've been told the cruise [control and the GPS will be
[available to order in about 2 months. Of course [the delivery would be in
[April or May. Any Prius ordered now will NOT be [able to retrofit a cruise
[control.
[Wes Chormicle
[Internet Sales Manager
[Sierra Toyota
[Lancaster, CA
["carsales" <<A HREF="http://carsales@sierratoyota.com">carsales@sierratoyota.com>
This was from a 9/12/00 messasge.
I'm thinking now that maybe he's talking about options available then for the '01.
Sorry for the slight inaccuracy, folks, but I still would like to know the anticipated price.
and follow the thread for details. He's also posted some pictures. The downside is the cost, since he had to buy a whole new steering wheel. He says his dealer is interested in doing the modification for customers; it sounds like any dealer could do it.
My question is how much trade in value from my 01 prius can I expect if I decide to go for an '02 later? Thanks, Dave Kane (Silver Spring)
(I posted this before but it semed to vanish-apologies if it shows up twice)
My question is how much trade in value from my 01 prius can I expect if I decide to go for an '02 later? Thanks, Dave Kane (Silver Spring)
(I posted this before but it semed to vanish-apologies if it shows up twice)
All I am saying is that people should understand the risk(s) before they embark on a "journey" that could be pleasant or disappointing.
I currently drive a Toyota Land Cruiser and a Ford LTD, both elderly. I am planning on replacing the Ford as my vehicle for in-town driving and trips. The Land Cruiser will remain a field trip vehicle for work. I have been looking at Prius (& a wide variety of other sedans). Prius is impressive but provides me with one serious problem. If anyone has any advice, I would appreciate it. To explain:
I first tried Echo in lieu of Prius, which was unavailable for a test drive on my first visit. Leg room was fine in it, and the vehicles are listed as having the same leg room. When I tried Prius, I discovered that its parking brake sits right above the left leg, sharply limiting the room to stretch that leg. I have a crippled left leg that needs to be stretched often, but the Toyota Dealership salesman I rode who whose leg is not damaged also found himself bumping that brake pedal with his shin. He considered the problem and ended up taking me and the Prius to a licensed handicap vehicle modification business, where we discussed possibilities of getting the brake repositioned (costs of cutting the shaft and putting in a hand or foot operated lever more out of the way (it's well to the left on an LTD) would run in the hundreds and costs of removing the brake and replacing it with the hand-operated button paraplegics use would be $2000). Even if my leg didn’t get uncomfortable if I can’t stretch it out and back often, getting my knee between the steering wheel and the side of the car when I need to set the Prius brake is also a nuisance. Circulation in that leg is poor, so even a tiny wound would be big trouble, so I am also afraid of the sharp pedal hitting may leg in a crash, or just hitting it when I move the leg. The dealership assures me that if the modification is done at the professional outfit they suggest, it will be DOT approved and will not affect warranties except on the parking brake. Is there any better solution?
IIHS rates Toyota Avalon and Volkswagen New Beetle (which is about the size and weight as a Prius) as best picks. When will they crash a Prius? The Japanese tests rate Prius "B" for head injury. I wonder if their "B" is equivalent to a US four or one star or what? The side view of a crashed Prius looks as if parts of the dashboard are detached, probably from hitting the dummies' legs, and the feet on the dummies look sharply bent upwards. Deformation of the car floor is mentioned. I wonder if the cars sold in the US will have some features which might improve their performance in maintaining shape of the passenger compartment? I don't want to be smashed anywhere, but a hard blow which didn't break bones would still be a disaster on my crippled leg.
Also, will the Prius get side airbags sometime? I didn't like the view of the dummy's head exploding the window in the Japanese side crash test.
I have also looked at the Pontiac Aztek. Its North Star system is attractive. Supposedly, if an airbag deploys, the system asks if the driver is OK, and sends help if it doesn't get on answer. Also, it can locate the car if stolen or carjacked. Will the Prius navagation system have these features? If it is mainly for location on a map, it doesn't seem a big deal to me. I can read regular maps and stay pretty well up on where I am.
After all these negative questions, I still need to say that I love how the Prius drives. It is really comfortable (other than that parking brake), easy to get in and out of (I am short and fat), and fun to drive. I got around 48-50 mpg in town test driving. I have test driven lots of sedans ranging from Hyundai to Volvo to Cadillac, plus a Honda van, and my favorite to drive is the Prius. Honda Insight is like getting out of a too-low sofa. I read somewhere that Toyota expects most Prius buyers to be men, but I suspect women will also like it. Perhaps some warm colors like red or gold should be among future options.
I would appreciate any and all advice on the parking brake problem and any insight on Prius safety, for example, is it really significantly less safe than a New Beetle?
As a trade in, you may actually do better than selling it on your own due to this. We do get people all the time who are on the border but are turned off by the long delivery time but I don't know how those people would feel about buying a used one immediately.
The truth is, I just don't know.
I have an Electric Green '01 Prius that I'm thrilled with. I'd be even more thrilled if I could have gotten cruise and GPS. I haven't seen any solid info yet about options for '02 Prius.
Regarding accessibility--in Japan, Toyota sells a special "Welcab" version of Prius which apparently has some accessibility features. Unfortunately I can't read the Japanese web sight, perhaps a dealer in your area could connect you with someone at Toyota who could provide more info. The Japanese web site is http://www.toyota.co.jp/Showroom/All_toyota_lineup/Prius/menu/frame/welcab.html
It's not clear from the website if the Prius Welcab version is meant for passengers or if the driver's side also has accessible features. From what I saw from looking around the Japanese web site, Toyota sells other "Welcab" models also.
You could also try posting on two other prius sites if you haven't already:
http://www.egroups.com/group/toyota-prius
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/toyotaprius
For fun, I made my own web site www.priusenvy.com.
Good luck and let us know if you find anything out from Toyota about the interesting "Welcab" versions!
Works - sometimes, but not well... a dictionary translation - and a bad one at that. Oh - it's S l o w too!
Looks like the driver's seat swivels out (didn't a Chrysler or T-Bird do that a LONG time ago??) and that there is a motorized "crane" in the trunk. Don't see any mention of passenger access enhancements.
Bill Powell
Which is too bad; I borrowed a Prius for a day test drive from Cliffy's dealership. It is not a fast car, but it is fun and pretty comfortable. Except for the safety concerns, it is certainly a suitable car for the US.
Also, has anyone actually gotten an energy tax deduction or credit for the Prius even though it isn't all electric?
Other cars are not Hybrids (except Honda's Insight). The "break-in" is to settle the components in the drive train, including the two generator/motors.
Pennsylvania offers a 30% GRANT program for the incremental cost of the hybrid technology on any hybrid vehicle.
Peter Morrison
It is the opinion of my service department that this is a waste and is only there to keep the lawyers happy. The Prius break in is really no different than any other car.
Does anyone know what the insurance companies (AAA) are charging for covering this vehicle? Also, was told by dealer that $2500. tax credit forthcoming here in Calif. Also told that leather not available if side airbags installed by factory. If no airbags, leather available as dealer installed for $1100. extra. Dealer pushing leasing.All service free for 36mo lease period. But will sell as well as lease. Price is $20,800 MSRP in Culver City, CA. including single CD disc player. No mention of floor mats, cruise, or navigation system. DO YOU THINK THIS CAR WILL HAVE DECENT RE-SALE BEING SO NEW IN 3-10 YEARS? My "Z" is 17 years old and has a Kelly Blue Book of $2,150 (low) and $3,815 (High). Should I wait for Prius II to be sure all bugs removed, or go ahead? $1,000 non-refundable deposit required.
Dealer is marking up vehicle $1,000 due to short supply. Another dealer wants $3,000 markup over MSRP. I want to do something for the environment, but would like to keep this car until viable fuel cell available. Best estimate: 3-5 years. Please give me your comments. Thanks. E-mail me at edharker01@yahoo.com.
"Tax Credit for Fuel Efficient Hybrid Vehicles. A new tax credit would be available for the purchase of cars and light trucks (including minivans, sport utility vehicles, and pickups) that run alternately on a consumable fuel, such as gasoline, and a rechargeable energy storage system (such as an electric battery). These "hybrid" fuel vehicles, which are more economical -- fuel efficient -- than comparable vehicles in their class, would qualify for an income tax credit from $750 to $3,000 per vehicle, depending on two factors: 1) the proportion of the vehicle's power generated by the energy storage system (the higher the proportion, the greater the tax credit); and 2) whether the vehicle has a regenerative braking system (in which case the credit is greater depending upon how much energy is supplied by such a system). A qualifying hybrid vehicle would be a vehicle powered by onboard fuel, which uses regenerative braking and an energy storage system that will recover at least 60% of the energy in a typical 70-0 braking event. Such a qualifying vehicle would have to satisfy all emission requirements applicable to gasoline-powered automobiles. This credit would be available for vehicles purchased between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2006."
So from this it appears that we are still several years away from a tax credit. Are individual states dealing with their own credits? How can I find out more about it?
Thanks!
www.egroups.com/group/toyota-prius
and
clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/toyotaprius
Each group has links and files relating to tax credit and tax deduction issues. I plan to buy my Prius on 11/7/00, and hope it will qualify me for $2K off my income taxes due 4/01. One IRS person emailed favorable comments about a Prius qualifying for this "electric vehicle credit" because the major electric motor is directly connected to the wheels and is required to initiate movement in both forward and reverse. This credit, if applicable, will still be available in 2001 but may be phased out over several years later--unless whoever is the new Prez changes the rules!
NO-ONE IN THE U.S. HAS YET GOTTEN A TAX CREDIT ON THE PRIUS BECAUSE NO PRIUS OWNERS HAVE FILED THEIR Y2000 RETURNS YET!
Enjoy your Prius!
--Eric in Enfield Maine, with 22 days to wait
Thanks for the info. I e-mailed the NCSE but have yet to receive a response. When I do I'll post it. Enjoy your Prius also -- it's hard to get too excited over it when it's months away!
Have a good day!
Curt in Sylvania, OH
I received a response to my inquiry on Prius safety to NHTSA.The Japanese crash tests would probably translate to a 3 rating for HIC and chest for the driver and 4 for the passenger. They are testing the Prius in NCAP 2001.
I certainly hate to see Prius offered with leather seats. Its big plus is that it is a 'green car", symbol of inconspicuous consumption. The meat industry is a major pollutor and a source of habitat destruction. 90% of the soybeans in the US are fed to anumals and the percentages of other grains are also startlingly high. If people cut down on use of meat and meat-related products like leather, more people could be fed on less land, costs of health care would decrease, people and animals would suffer less, and less marginal land would have to be farmed.
> an '84 Nissan 300ZX, and the Prius has as much
> get-up-and-go. Very smooth and extremely
> quiet.
> Could not even feel the changeover between
> electric and gas. Had more than enough power
> for steep hill and busy freeway entrance. Did
> not expect such good pick-up based on the
> specs. Question: Does anyone know what the
> insurance companies (AAA) are charging for
> covering this vehicle?
Mine, through AAA w/o any multi-vehicle or multi-insurance (other policies w/ AAA) discounts is ~1100, minus their year-end refund of 10%.
Note that I live smack dab in the middle of the Bay Area though ...
> Also, was told by dealer that $2500. tax credit
> forthcoming here in Calif. Also told that
> leather not available if side airbags installed
> by factory. If no airbags, leather available
> as dealer installed for $1100. extra. Dealer
> pushing
From what little I've read, I don't think side airbags and cruise are available on the 2001 MY, and I've *never* heard of leather before. As far as the credit goes, I imagine that's all up to you when filing taxes.
> leasing.All service free for 36mo lease period.
> But will sell as well as lease. Price is
> $20,800 MSRP in Culver City, CA. including
> single CD disc player. No mention of floor
> mats, cruise, or navigation system.
Mats should be in for that price. I think that's what they charged me (I got a phone call from the dealer when it arrived in port asking if I wanted mats and CD installed). No cruise or nav (yet).
The service is actually worded as "the first
5 services", which at 7500 miles apart, gives you about 15k miles a year for 3 years in a row. Note that you will then have to pay up for the 3-year mark service ...
> DO YOU THINK THIS CAR WILL HAVE
> DECENT RE-SALE BEING SO NEW IN 3-10 YEARS?
> My "Z" is 17 years old and has a Kelly Blue
> Book of $2,150 (low) and $3,815 (High). Should
> I wait for Prius II to be sure all bugs
> removed, or go ahead?
> $1,000 non-refundable deposit required.
Not sure about resale w/ the fast pace of technology. but unless production and development of new hybrids really takes off soon, I can see that people might still be eager to join the hybrid crowd in 3 years when they are more common.
I also think that a majority of the flaws have probably been worked out over the last two production years in Japan, leaving just the usual typical new car quirks.
> Dealer is marking up vehicle $1,000 due to
> short supply. Another dealer wants $3,000
> markup over MSRP. I want to do something for
> the environment, but would like to keep this
> car until viable fuel cell available. Best
> estimate: 3-5 years. Please give me your
> comments. Thanks. E-mail me at
> edharker01@yahoo.com.
According to cliffy1, and my own experiences, I don't think that the dealers are allowed to either discount or mark up the Prius. Try other dealers around, if possible, but be aware of long ordering
delays. Maybe they had a customer back out of ordering theirs and are now charging a high markup for a car that is available immediately?
-/\/
If your dealership is trying to sell this car over MSRP, find another one. Start calling or e-mailing as many stores as you can. Widen your search of dealers to the extreme of how far you are willing to drive when the car comes in. Find somebody who is honest and you have confidence will place the order properly.
Check your trade in value at www.kellybluebook.com and see what the dealer says. Be warned, though, that the Blue book value will be several thousand less than you could get if you sold it yourself. In Minnesota, it's a big hassle to sell privately, so I swallowed the loss to avoid the hassle and inconvenience. I didn't have extra parking available for two cars, even temporarily, so that was the clincher for me.
My suggestion is to wait until you get the e-mail that your car is 1 to 2 weeks out (you will get this) and take the trade in then. Be prepared to leave the trade out of the deal. If you don't want to or are unwilling to sell the trade on your own, you must be prepared to settle for less than you expect. The other option is to sell the car to a place like CarMax who buys cars without trading them. They generally pay higher than most dealers (at least in my area) but less than you could get on your own.
It should come as a shock to nobody that dealers want to make more money. At MSRP, our "gross profit" is pretty low on the Prius and holding back a few hundred on a trade is one method we have for picking up a few bucks.
Now, having said that, let me also state that you still need to be careful about who you are dealing with. There are far too many dealerships that will try to pressure you and lie about things. You can be prepared for this by having alternative ways to dispose of your trade.
One last word here about trades. Be realistic going in. Kelly and Edmunds are good guides but they are just that, guides. They do not tell you the value of your car. They tell you what they think the value of your car is but the true value is what somebody else is willing to pay for it and this often is different than these services estimate. This is particularly true of high mileage cars and domestic minivans.
Thanks
You might get lucky but don't hold your breath. The more important thing to shop for on this car is the quality of the dealership, not the price. Find a store that offers to let you use their computers to place the order and will let you watch them confirm the order. Find a store with salesmen who can answer detailed questions about the car. Find a store that will let you talk to the master technician who works on them. Most of all, find a salesman who deserves and earns your money. You will be much happier with the car by doing this kind of research. I think some of the experiences posted here will bear the value of this out.
For a small fee, you can compare online any cars that interest you in "green" ratings.Prius ranks highest.
47.5 mpg. I have not yet had the car out
on the highway. I average about 35 mph during
my 10-mile trip to work each day.
Still, I have driven the car every day for more
than a month now, have logged more than 600 miles
on the car, and have had to put gas in the car
just once. Quite a change from when I was
driving my Caravan to work.
- G. Doyle
A local dealer says he can get a new one in the color I want in two weeks. Is he crazy? I read on the net about all the people that have waited months and months and still don't expect theirs for weeks yet He says that the boat is in and our area is allotted plenty.
Trac cars are coming available now. They are broken in, and probably offer protection from the total lemon that happens now and then with any brand-new car. On the other hand, this is a car that seems to respond a lot to driving style, and I am a bit inclined to break in mine myself. Yes, I'm a bit possessive-feeling, which is part of why I am settling on this vehicle. I am over fifty, have never bought a new car (always used, always field vehicles), and figure I might as well suit myself and get something to have fun with. Even though the idiot positioning of the parking brake causes me to bump my bad leg on it, I may go ahead. If wrapping my leg in a woolly comforter and duct-taping foam rubber on the brake doesn't work well enough, I'll get a local handicapped mod. business to cut the brake and move it.
The other contender for my money right now is a Volkswagen Passat, highly recommended by friends, chock full of airbags and clearly safer, especially for those friends in the back, as the Prius has no side airbags. It just isn't as fun to drive, at least for me. Anyone want to give me some Passat vs Prius comments? Passat is supposed to be Consumer Reports' car of the year, but I don't think they add in "green" ranking when they figure these awards.
Anyone want to comment on the trac car vs. new issue on a Prius? Our local dealers have tended to take their trac car as a run-around, and I figure they are rougher drivers than I am and may not have paid any attention to the break-in info.
Where can I get removable seat covers for a Prius? I would like to put washable covers on. I look at the seats in my 1982 Land Cruiser, which reflect some hard field work days as well as lots of regular use. Sweat. Duct-taped torn spots. Possibly I can keep the little car looking spiffy a while, although the only seat covers likely to get dirty faster than the fuzzy grey ones it comes with would be fuzzy white ones.
Has anyone had experience in plugging a phone in the Prius? Does it stay charged well enough to keep the phone working? I read that there is no charging when the car isn't running. I keep the phone in there for emergencies, and don't want to find it dead, if I have to call the special Prius help number.
Your local dealer is also wrong about delivery times. Your salesman obviously has never taken an order for a Prius yet. See if he'll put that in writing. It would be good for a laugh when he discovers the dealer has nothing to do with getting the cars.
For the difference, I'd rather have a new one, if I believed the "two weeks" promise, which was reiterated to me today. "Order by the 16th and have it in two weeks", they say. The dealership which has my top choice color trac car has sold one Prius, so ordering shouldn't be all new to them, but two weeks still seems fishy, as you say.
Bob F