Toyota Prius (First Generation)

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  • davidfsdavidfs Member Posts: 12
    I put down my deposit on a Prius a month ago here in Albuquerque, NM and am anxiously awaiting the cars arrival. I have been so hungry for information on this car and have been unable to get answers on a few questions.

    1. Will cruise control be available on the Prius? Most of the info. says it is not standard but will be available. Can it be added later if not purchased with the vehicle? I realize this car is designed mainly for the city but cruise would be nice for the occasional trip.
    2. Will there be a passthrough to the back seats from the trunk on the us version?
    3. Will GPS ever be an option that we can add to this first batch of Prius'?
    4. Is the LCD display a touch screen and is it in color on the us version or B/W?
    -Thanks for your help with these questions.
    -David
  • wenyuewenyue Member Posts: 558
    According to www.autosite.com

    the prius has 40/60 split folding rear seat.

    Also they discribed the instruments as: "Digital Screen Multi-Information Display Mounted In Center Of Instrument Panel Displays Speedometer, Trip Meter, Odometer and Power Systems In Operation [ALL]
    Warning Lights For Airbag, Battery, Oil, Seatbelt Disconnect, Service Engine, Coolant Temperature and Doors Ajar Displayed In Multi-Information Display Mounted In Center Of Instrument Panel [ALL]
    5.8-Inch Wide Touch Panel Display Monitor Located Below The Instrument Cluster Displays The Condition and Energy Flow Of The Hybrid Drive System"

    The last one said it's a touch screen.

    hope that helps. I don't know about the other ones.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Cruise control will be an option but not on the first batch. Toyota cruise control units didn't used to be dealer adds but they are now for certain models. I don't know if they will be on this car or not.

    As for the GPS, that is another one that I just don't know the answer to. My guess is that we will be able to add it later since it uses the existing screen but I have no information on this.

    The touch screen is color.
  • davidfsdavidfs Member Posts: 12
    Thanks for the good info. I am glad to hear the screen is in color because all product literature shows it in Black and White. I really think that the Prius will NOT have a 60/40 passthrough from the trunk. None of the info. from toyota seems to acknowledge this and I think the battery pack prohibits the arrangement.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    I forgot to mention that one. You are correct that the battery pack prevents this.
  • dgoodvindgoodvin Member Posts: 6
    wow! don't hold anything back or try for politeness .

    Your echo description ("The Echo
    feels like a cheap, greasy little transportation appliance to me") was nasty and inaccurate.

    thanks
  • gckorngckorn Member Posts: 45
    The Prius ordering system seems to work well. Having expressed interest via the Prius website, I received an email from Toyota and entered my order late on June 29th. The dealer took my (non-refundable) $1,000 deposit on the 30th. I'm now waiting for delivey, which they say will be in late July or early August.

    As for options, I do hope that the nav system, cruise control and other goodies can be added later. Will have to ask the dealer that question.

    Everyone I tell about this car is enthusiastic and wants to drive it when it comes in.
  • davidfsdavidfs Member Posts: 12
    Every one I talk to also is amazed and asks me to drive by and show them the car when it comes in. I think we have only seen the tip of the ice berg when it comes to how much demand there will be for the Prius. I think it will change the way we think about what cars are and can be like. I also had a similar experience in ordering my Prius as you did except I had to put $2000 down. Which color options did you have to choose from, which did you choose and why?
  • gckorngckorn Member Posts: 45
    David,

    I chose white, aqua ice and electric green mica (these 3, plus a grayish color, were the only options available online). We live in Tucson and white is always a safe color here. Dark is the least preferred color.

    When I placed the order, I was actually thinking of perhaps painting the car an environmental, electric yellow color. (I like the wild color options on the Honda Insight, but Toyota is clearly just trying to blend right in with its Prius.)

    Over time, though, I've come to accept the Prius styling as it stands, so I'm unlikely to have it painted.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    I'm a bit shocked that dealers are requiring non-refundable deposits for a car that you can't even sit in yet. I'm taking $500 refundable deposits. I figure if somebody backs out, I'll have the only on in inventory to sell to somebody else who can't wait for an order.
  • gckorngckorn Member Posts: 45
    I was surprised as well when told that the deposit was non-refundable. First time that ever happened to me at a car dealer, and I've put deposits down on some hot automobiles in the past (the first '97 Vette, the first Mercedes SLK, etc.)
  • jetson2jetson2 Member Posts: 5
    I can tell you right now there is no way I will leave a non-refundable deposit on a car that I have not seen nor test driven with a drive system that I have never experienced. What arrogance to ask for or expect one.
    PS. my dealer did not know what to do with the "order" I put in, say wait 2 weeks until they get pricing.
  • davidfsdavidfs Member Posts: 12
    All great things require a willingness to take a bit of a risk. This car truly is shifting the way I think about a lot of things.
  • wenyuewenyue Member Posts: 558
    They should not require a non-refundable deposit, especially for a car that the buyer hasn't tested first hand.

    I think in this case a refundable deposit is within reason to demonstrate the seriousness of the buyer (since the dealer has to order the car). But non-refuddable deposit is unreasonable, and since it appears that some dealers charge them, some don't, people should find one who doesn't.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    If your dealer doesn't know what to do with the order, you need to find another dealer quickly. There are only 2700 in the initial order and if the dealer does not process the order now, you may not get one for quite some time.

    It is an easy deal on our part. The price is $20450 plus any extras. When we get an inquiry, we just log into our private dealer area and confirm the order. Once we do that, the car WILL come. Its that simple. Any dealer who doesn't know how to do this shouldn't be selling them (and many aren't).
  • davidfsdavidfs Member Posts: 12
    Cliffy, what extras are available? I did not know you could order any extras at the time of order.
    Thanks.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    The only options you can get right now are wheel locks, floor mats and a CD player. These are what are called "port accessories" since they are added at the port rather than at the factory. I don't know the pricing nor the procedure for adding these. I have a guess that once the car is actually allocated to us, we will do the normal things we need to do to add port options. Normally, this involves a few key strokes on our TDN computer.
  • gckorngckorn Member Posts: 45
    The non-refundable deposit didn't particularly trouble me. I've done my research and am comfortable, indeed delighted, that I'm in the queue. So, it was a cost of doing business.

    Will I "remember" that this dealer imposed non-refundable terms? You betcha! And what goes around, comes around.
  • gckorngckorn Member Posts: 45
    Alas, upon submitting an internet order for a Prius, and selecting a dealer name, Toyota assigns you to that dealer for keeps. If you don't like the dealer (after having submitted the electronic order), you can't simply submit another order to another dealer. Unless you lie about your name/address, the system "knows" that you've already entered one order, and it won't let you enter another one.
  • no1trust1no1trust1 Member Posts: 17
    Are leather seats, temperature control (automatic), what kind of music system, keyless remote available
    either at extra cost or standard? Is the 5 yr/60 k warranty bumper to bumper (not including the hybrid tech), cliffy1?
  • scott142scott142 Member Posts: 9
    Just put the deposit down for the Prius, but now am getting a run around on price even though I was told there was no bargaining.

    Anyone encounter the same?
  • scott142scott142 Member Posts: 9
    Just put the deposit down for the Prius, but now am getting a run around on price even though I was told there was no bargaining.

    Anyone encounter the same?
  • gckorngckorn Member Posts: 45
    Scott,

    I was told $20,450, which is the MSRP. No upward or downward revisions allowed.
  • brightnessbrightness Member Posts: 40
    Does the gasoline engine get fired up when you start the car? My driving pattern consists of two 2mile trips each day, then a pair of 5 mile trips on weekends for shopping. Obviously, my currently regular car ends up generating far more pollution than EPA estimates for regular driving due to all those short trips. How realistic am I to expect that I can make those 2mile trips without firing up the gasoline engine at all in the Prius?

    From what I read, the battery is Ni-Hidryde, not Lithium. In my experience with phones and notebook computers, Ni-Hidryde batteries do not last long for heavy duty cycles.

    Jim
  • aimanaiman Member Posts: 61
    To those who are planning to buy the Prius, do you know that you are going to own the WORLD'S FIRST hybrid production vehicle model??? If the trend in the auto industry eventually shifts toward hybrid, the Prius can be quite a collector item. I wish you guys keep your Prius forever. Who knows, it might worth a lot by the time you retire :)
  • wenyuewenyue Member Posts: 558
    While at idle and under 15 mph, the car runs on battery. So unless you can drive that 2 miles entirely at under 15 mph, the gasoline engine will kick in at some point. :) The good news is that short trip and city driving is what Prius excels at. It actually has a higher city gas milage than highway's. The car meets super ultra low emission standard, so it should be very clean.

    As for battery. There are 3 types of batteries currently in use: (1) Nickel-Cadmium batteries. (2) Nickel metal hydride batteries, and (3) Lithium ion batteries.

    Nickel-Cadmium battery is the cheapest to manufacture, but also has the lowest energy storage capcity and tend to suffer from memory effect (battery's inability to hold full charge after some use). Nickel metal hydride battery offers 30% more energy storage capacity, and doesn't suffer memory effect, but it is more expensive. Lithium ion battery offers the highest engergy density and lowest self discharge rate, but it's also very expensive to make.

    It would appear that Toyota decided to take the middle road and choose the metal hydride route. Be thankful that they didn't use the old Ni-Cd ones.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Unless you live in the Southeast region, the only options will be floor mats and a CD and eventually, a navigation system and cruise control. The SE region adds lots of aftermarket stuff like leather and such. This is not Toyota equipment but port installed options.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Only when it needs to and there is no set rules for this. Generally, it may come on when you first start up but if you have full battery charge, it turns off immediately. It will kick in again if the batteries get low or if you hit highway speeds. If you really mash the "gas" pedal, it may also come on for the acceleration run. If driven lightly, you certainly could go 2 miles without any emissions.
  • tantra23tantra23 Member Posts: 1
    Have a Prius reserved. Dealer asked for a $1000 *refundable* deposit. This is going to be my first car, and there's no way I'd put a nonrefundable deposit down for a car I hadn't seen. I'm nervous enough as it is.

    Anyway, people have been saying in this group that the $20,495 is not negotiable. What about (the few) add-ons? For example, I'll definitely want the CD player, which this site lists invoice $235, MSRP $335. That seems like a hefty profit. Is it possible to negotiate options' prices when the base MSRP is fixed?
  • no1trust1no1trust1 Member Posts: 17
    Mojave Desert. What is available for the Prius as far as Toy options here? And how does the AC hold up to the Berthold rays of our summer? I've postponed my car purchase awaiting the Prius to come out.
  • scott142scott142 Member Posts: 9
    Thanks for the info on the Prius price of 20450 which includes destination charges??

    The Prius as I understand it does not come with a split back seat.
  • sircordiersircordier Member Posts: 3
    I just wanted to thank you for the information you have been sharing here. I am at
    dealership in Upstate New York. I got my chance to drive the Prius the other day and
    learn more "hands on". Your information has been right on, no smoke blowing. Anyone
    that is fortunate enough to get this car in their driveway will be the envy of the
    neighborhood.
    As a side note: I had the notion that the Prius would be a dog (I love quick cars). Don't
    get me wrong here it's not a race car but it has ample acceleration and is a blast to drive!
  • gckorngckorn Member Posts: 45
    Cliffy,

    Do you have a complete list of port options?

    Thanks in advance.
  • gckorngckorn Member Posts: 45
    According to an article I read today, the Prius will run on electric alone until 24 mph.

    On the other hand, a 21 page "Toyota University" information pamphlet given to me by the dealer says: "Prius can operate on electric power only up to speeds of approximately 35 mph."
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    This topic is heating up.

    I don't have a complete list yet of options for the Prius. I know the floor mats and CD are available and I don't think there is anything else. Yes, there is mark up in these features but there isn't much mark up in the car. I just got an invoice on our TRAC car and it looks like there is only about $1100 mark up between invoice and MSRP so I wouldn't get too worked up over $100 on the CD. Keep in mind that to buy a Honda Insight, you are negotiating how much over the MSRP you can buy it for.

    As to the AC, there is a bit of a quirk here. If you put it in the normal AC position, you will have problems. It wont cool the vehicle and the engine will keep clicking on and off. If you put the AC button to "max", the engine stays on and you will cool the car just fine but you will hurt your gas mileage.
  • brightnessbrightness Member Posts: 40
    That's what I was afraid of: the engine cranks over on start just for the heck of it. I guess I'm really looking for an electric golf cart with the built-in option to charge the battery when necessary. The initial crank over will certainly be very polluting (all the super-enriched fuel injection in a colk engine) and very damaging to the engine.

    Call me ingrate, but I'm not grateful to any car maker when I have so many cars from different mfr's to chooose from. In my experience, NiMH battery has a pretty bad case of memory effect; the one in my notebook computer died after only a year of service.

    Just my couple cents,
    Jim
  • dannygdannyg Member Posts: 131
    If you want "an electric golf cart", consider leasing a GM EV-1. This is a true electric car--no engine at all--and I understand it has newer batteries that give more range. If your trips are really in the 2-to-5 mile range, the EV-1 should be fine. See http://www.gmev.com/.

    But you'll have to plug it in to recharge, of course.

    Just a thought.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    This is because there is not a starter in the traditional sense. The generator is put into reverse which sends the power back to the engine. Since the generator is 5 times the size of a normal starter, there is absolutely no struggle to get it running.
  • ggrientsggrients Member Posts: 4
    I'm really having trouble figuring out why anyone would buy a Prius when they could get a VW Golf/Jetta/New Beetle TDI for less money. I calculated over 52 mpg at the last fillup (a/c running the whole time and about 40% city driving) for my 2000 Golf TDI, and it is amazingly fun to drive. It handles great, and 155 ft-lbs of torque at 1900 rpm really gets you going! The build and material quality are top notch, very similar to "luxury" brands such as Audi (with whom VW shares many parts), and it has a lot of nice touches that you won't find on a Honda or Toyota. So why pay more for a smaller sedan with less power that gets about the same mileage and has a smaller fuel tank and a barrage of batteries that will eventually lose effectiveness??

    The new technology is cool, but at this point it doesn't seem to provide something that is superior to (or even matches) the existing alternatives, from a consumer's perspective. Am I missing something?
  • ggrientsggrients Member Posts: 4
    I'm really having trouble figuring out why anyone would buy a Prius when they could get a VW Golf/Jetta/New Beetle TDI for less money. I calculated over 52 mpg at the last fillup (a/c running the whole time and about 40% city driving) for my 2000 Golf TDI, and it is amazingly fun to drive. It handles great, and 155 ft-lbs of torque at 1900 rpm really gets you going! The build and material quality are top notch, very similar to "luxury" brands such as Audi (with whom VW shares many parts), and it has a lot of nice touches that you won't find on a Honda or Toyota. So why pay more for a smaller sedan with less power that gets about the same mileage and has a smaller fuel tank and a barrage of batteries that will eventually lose effectiveness??

    The new technology is cool, but at this point it doesn't seem to provide something that is superior to (or even matches) the existing alternatives, from a consumer's perspective. Am I missing something?
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    I'm glad you are satisfied with your purchase decision but mileage isn't everything. If it was, you could just buy a CE Camry for $2500 less and spend the difference in gas for the next several years. The Prius is as close to a zero emissions vehicle as is possible. The electric motor generates 225 foot pounds of torque. It is a 4 door, 5 seater and employs just about every cutting edge technology currently available.

    The car is not for everybody. I would never argue that it is. In fact, Toyota does not want me selling this to people who will not benefit from it and will even call prospective customers to make sure they understand what this car is about.

    Let's not turn this forum into a "my car is better than your." You are entitled to your opinion but perhaps something a bit more constructive would be in order here.
  • dianne4toyotadianne4toyota Member Posts: 343
    I might like to add that I get 42 MPG regularly in my little commuter Echo that I drive back and forth to work (100 miles total a day, round trip) but that car doesn't compare to the technical advancements of Prius. Yes, it's cheaper. But, so's a 1990 Corolla one could pay $1500 cash for because it gets 20 mpg and you'd have to drive the Prius 15 years to make up for the gas savings vs. cost of the car and insurance.
    How long will the servicing, value, and engine hold out on cars like Jetta/VW products? Resale?
    Do you realize how infinite the Prius's lifespan really is? Amazing. The car simply amazes me.
    --Dianne
  • sircordiersircordier Member Posts: 3
    This is why this format works so well, different perspectives. Your right with the Turbo Diesel being fun to drive. Along with the Toyota's at my store I also sell VW....how lucky am I, two great QUALITY lines. Unfortunately in NEW YORK STATE we can't bring any more Volkswagen diesels because of emissions. According to NYS they run too dirty when cold. I'm assuming sulfur content before it warms up, but I haven't been able to verify this. These TDI's have a great following and people are pissed they can't get them.
    Power in the Prius is actually comparable to the Turbo in some power bands. Drive this car and give it a fair chance to impress you. It's a blast when you're going down the road at 55 then hit the pedal and just GO-O-O with no kick down or head cranking jerk. As far as size it is very close to the Jetta. I really think you'll find the Prius a fun car to drive .
  • brightnessbrightness Member Posts: 40
    EV1 is not offered in the Northeast, not to mention the convenience of gassing up vs. overnight charging.

    As for the TDI's, personally I'm not a believer in diesels. Personally I don't think CO2 is the problem, but the carcigenous gases and particulates in high traffic area and cities are; diesel engines are a terrible answer in that regard. Fuel economy is really irrelevent in my driving pattern (3000 miles or less per year), but I am concerned with reducing my share of pollution generation; that, and the pollution generated by the manufacturing process, therefore drive train longevity is important too, especially in those frequent short-trip applications.

    Jim
  • thumpasserythumpassery Member Posts: 4
    From what I have read the motor produces 40HP from 1040 to 5000rpm and 225 lb-ft of torque from 0 to 400 rpm. What is the HP from 0 to 1040 rpm, also does the torque drop off at higher rpm. I think it would, since the motor is limited by HP. Any idea what the torque would be when the Prius is going at 65 mph. The 225 lb-ft is comparable to the torque developed by a V6, except the V6 developes the torque at higher rpm. Seems to me the high torque from the motor will allow the Prius to accelerate from very low speeds quite nicely but acceleration at higher speeds would be anemic. Any comments.

    TJ
  • thumpasserythumpassery Member Posts: 4
    It seems the floor mats and the CD changer are the only options available at this time. Is the CD player a single CD player or a 6 CD changer?

    TJ
  • gckorngckorn Member Posts: 45
    There is a 6-disk in dash CD changer. I believe this is the model that consumes the CDs one at a time, without requiring a 6-pack CD holder.
  • ggrientsggrients Member Posts: 4
    Sorry if I was a little too enthusiastic about the TDI. :-) I really wasn't trying to start a "my car is better than your car" debate. I don't know enough about the Prius to do that. I'm genuinely interested in knowing what advantages the Prius might have over the existing alternatives. I don't like small sedans, so I wouldn't personally consider purchasing a Prius, but when another body style is available (perhaps a wagon?) I would like to be well informed.

    I do agree that very low emissions are a huge upside for the Prius, and something that should be considered by anyone looking to purchase an efficient vehicle. I am concerned however about the longevity of the bank of batteries. What is the life expectancy of the batteries? If it's not any longer than, for instance, a laptop then that seems like an awful lot of toxic waste to generate at regular intervals. Also, are the batteries expected to maintain peak efficiency throughout their life? What is the expected cost for replacement, and will Toyota handle disposal/recycling? I would be interested in knowing the predicted usable lifespan of the vehicle and it's various components.

    I know that this thread isn't about VW, but I want to address the concerns about the value and longevity of the TDI... The TDI is initially a very good value, and has incredible resale (though not many people choose to sell them). A TDI has a much longer life expectancy than conventional gasoline engines, and should continue running strong for many hundreds of thousands of miles. There are no issues that I'm aware of with VW servicing, and it comes with a 10 year/100,000 mile drivetrain warranty. Some people seem to be misinformed about the TDI engine and VW in general. The TDI was a technological breakthrough in the '90s, so it is by no means antiquated.


    - Gary
  • sircordiersircordier Member Posts: 3
    In regards to the battery life, Toyota is anticipating approximately 10 years. These
    batteries were specifically designed to drain and be recharged many thousand times. The
    individual batteries in the battery case are also replaceable individually, so that if one
    goes bad it can be replaced without wasting the balance.
  • thumpasserythumpassery Member Posts: 4
    What kind of gas will be used in the Prius? Is it Regular Unleaded or Premium.
This discussion has been closed.

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