Toyota Prius

fndlyfmrflyr

The Nav unit in my MDX has never been "confused" and has always performed perfectly. The Prius and MDX are used on the same roads and have had the nave units used for many of the same locations. With the Prius, I need to know how to get there to make sure the nav unit does not take me 'off course.'

A nice feature of the Acura system is that it is very easy to see a text list of the route (like Mapquest and other online routing programs), so one has an idea of the route the system has selected.

To answer why I would buy a second one: My needs have changed and I no longer need seven seats. Fuel costs are about 1/3 of my MDX and the Prius is quieter, rides a little better, and is nearly as comfortable. Nav, stability control, xenon lights, anti lock, a full set of airbags, Bluetooth, and enough room in the back seat for normal size adults are musts. These are hard to find in a fuel efficient car. The Prius is the list.

The Prius is not perfect. A nicer interior would be nice (arm rests and door panels) and so would a power seat. It would also be nice if the gas tank was a little bigger, or at the least accept a full load of fuel. I wish Toyota would switch to Alpine for the nav system.

falconone

Nice post...Make sure your NAV disc is updated in the Prius. Anything greater than 4.2 I believe. Major improvement. There was a TSB or SCC regarding this issue.

falconone

http://tinyurl.com/7o7vc

fndlyfmrflyr

Thanks. Mine has 4.2. I'll check with the dealer.

davedabuilder

got my classic softtrim leather seats for $1300 today! It took 3 days for them to complete the job. The company is located in Hayward and main factory is in Commerce. They do a lot of after market leather seat for dealers e.g. Volkswagon, Ford... Quality is better than Katzskin...got a quote for Katzskin in San fransico for $1600 and they located next to SF HONDA...called an installer in Oklahoma b4 and they gave me a quote of $800 for Katzskin...I was surprised the price is double between Ok and SF...personally I would go for Classic soft trim

rono1

I have a dealer ready to deliver a 2005, package 6 at msrp. Should I wait for the 2006s. I am tempted to wait, but I am concerned about availability and raises in price. I do like the back up camera option though, although I am concerned that with the mad rush for 2006s I might have to pay more. I am in West Los Angeles. What are your thoughts?

kdhspyder

katzkin(sp) is the largest aftermarket supplier in the US. They have packages for nearly every vehicle made. I've put it on my own '04 Highlander plus about 100 other vehicles for customers. Top quality.

kdhspyder

see my post today in the 'Hybrids in the News' forum.

Personal preference only: new '06's will be essentially the same except for the additon of backup camera and MP3 capability

I agree that at least in the beginning no new '06's will be available. Get on a list now. Package 6 now ( BC ) will be Pckge 7 in '06 and there will be a Pckge #8 which is #7 + Leather.

I wouldnt be surprised if the new #7 is $1000 higher than the '05 #6.. but then you will have a larger tax benefit next year also.

midnightcowboy

A Champion Houston Toyota dealer advertised "hybdrid Priuses and Highlanders avaialble for immediate delivery, save thousands"

The "save thousands" was only $2,000 above MSRP. When asked they said the going rate around Houston was $4,000 over so they were thus saving you thousands.

They had didn't have any Priuses avaiable; well we print it on Thursday an inventories change.

YMMV,

MidCow

P.s.- Title = $100,000

P.S.S- 2006 Insight 5-speed w/AC $20250 do I do it or not ?

falconone

http://tinyurl.com/begwx

Considering the add'l content, the $450 price increase is not that bad.

rono1

Thanks for your response kd. I am thinking of going with the 2005 because I think there might already be waiting lists for the 2006s and by the time I get one, the tax credit might have runned out if you don't get in on the first 60m sold in 2006. Do you think that is crazy? The tax credit is a nice addition, but it might be and illusory saving. I also like the idea of a back up camera.

falconone

Buy a used Insight. Thew new price is pretty steep and not much content. Can't see how you'd benefit as you have a decent car now. You seem to get that 3 month "buy a new car" itch. Huh????

tagman

Maybe, I'm imagining things here, but hasn't it been proven long ago that the location of information on the dash is better in FRONT of the driver and not to the side? Isn't that what ERGONOMICS is all about . . .having vehicle information and controls at the fingertips and eye movement that keeps the driver's eyes in FRONT ON THE ROAD!! Unless I'm incorrect, it appears the Prius has most of this vital information in the CENTER of the dash and console and not in front of the driver where it belongs. Does a Prius driver actually have to look to the RIGHT for the display of vehicle information? What's the intelligent excuse for this?

falconone

Actually I find the Prius to be the best with respect to ergonomics. Every function has a redundancy on the steering wheel. Once you get used to it, you wonder how you did without it. The speedo is straight ahead too. NAV is in the middle like on 98% of most other cars. I love it that way!!

tedd

Hey falconone! Thanks for the update on the basic MSRP. If it is increasing 2.1%, will that same increase apply to a fully up-graded model over last year's model? Just wondering. I want leather, so that might increase the MSRP price even more. I have my 2006 Prius order in. Local Santa Rosa dealer says they should start receiving them sometime after the 15th of November. I don't want mine until after January 1.

kdhspyder

The increase seems very moderate considering the demand and the 2 new features.. backup camera and MP3. Just a SWAG but

new Pkge 7 ( was BC ) just under $28000
new Pkge 8 ( #7 + leather ) just over $29000

Make sure he holds your place if he gets an '06 and offers it to you in Dec. does that drop you down to the bottom of the list?

kdhspyder

We have 4 orders for the '06 which specify arrival after Jan 1. Now that the pricing is known I expect people to start putting down more firm orders beginning tomorrow. If you are willing to wait I dont think they will fillout their 60K quota in 1st qtr. To me it would be worth the wait to ge the bigger credit.

Your situation may be different.

gagrice

Make sure he holds your place if he gets an '06 and offers it to you in Dec.

How many dealers would hold a car for a month without being paid? They have to pay the flooring & possible taxes. If you pay before 1/1/06 will you be able to qualify for the tax credit? It would seem to me that if the dealer has a car ready to go and you want to have him hold it till the first of the year, he should get some kind of premium for that service. A bird in the hand.

falconone

If you put a decent deposit down, the dealer will hold the car for you. When you take possession is what determines your tax standing. I'd have no problem giving my dealer 3 grand to hold the car until Jan1st.

Looking forward to my ~3grand credit from UNCLE SAM!!!

Gotta love it!! They're PAYING ME to buy a car I wanted all along. Ain't this country great????

falconone

Base MSRP for the 2006 Prius will be $21,725, an increase of $450, or 2.1 percent.

#1 $650.00 = $22375
#2 $825.00 = $22550
#3 $1,475.00 = $23200
#4 $1,825.00 = $23500
#5 $3,205.00 = $24930
#6 $3,830.00 = $25555
#7 $5,730.00 = $27455 <<<-- Everything except leather
#8 $6,890.00 = $28615 <<<-- Fully loaded

**Add $540 for "destination charge" as well to all packages...not included in above totals.

kdhspyder

we do this all day every day..people give us a nomimal deposit to hold their place. never a problem

tagman

OK, so the speedo is straight ahead? You mention the NAV being off to the right on most cars. This is true, and they always display a WARNING regarding their use while driving. What I'm asking about is the more typical information such as fuel level, engine temp, oil pressure, speedo, tachometer, etc. Is all this over to the right, except for the speedo you mentioned? If so, I'm sure people can adapt to it, but that doesn't make it ideal. If being to the right was the best position, then most cars would have their gauges placed there (especially fanatics like volvo)! Cut me a little slack here. Surely you see the merit of this concern, albeit maybe not a major one. Still seems a bit odd.

tedd

Thanks, guys, for the update on pricing and putting a hold on delivery until after January 1.
Next question: Does Toyota automatically clear coat their autos before delivery, or do you need to request it at the dealership where you bought the car? My two Chrysler 300Ms were automatically clear-coated before delivery. :confuse:

rpgolfer

Hi gang,
I've got a quick question. What "number" on volume display do you play their radios? I set the volume to 28 and still get some road noise issues. How high can the volume be set without blowing out speakers? I would like to raise it, but not to a damaging level.
Thanks,
Rich

falconone

no tach. all lights easy to see. fuel straight ahead.

falconone

I had it as high as 36. Get better speakers. OEMs suck!!

lightnin3

Just a quick question ..Has anyone called the dealership for price on the batteries,if they were to go at some point?
how about replacement brakes,and rotors?? price ?

falconone

Batteries will run you about 6grand. Brakes seem to last a long time. They can be changed at any brake repair shop.

backy

Kind of a moot point for now, since the batteries are warranted for 8-10 years and up to 150,000 miles, depending on where you live. It could be awhile before any 2004+ Prius owners run out of battery warranty, let alone need a replacement. And it's likely battery costs will come down as the demand increases.

tagman

Please be more specific about the battery warranty. What location gets the 10-year/150,000 warranty? Also, what would happen to resale value later on, if the batteries are getting closer to needing replacement. Seems like the resale would take a big hit. So, if you have to pay a premium for the hybrid at purchase, it seems a shame you also lose value at trade-in or resale if the batteries are getting depleted. These differences seems to completely erase any advantage to fuel economy. In fact, if you do the math, a Toyota or Honda gas-only model that costs many thousands less, but still gets 30 - 40 mpg, has got to be better in the long run. A lot better!

falconone

Get a Corolla. You're better off.

canc

Perhaps, but a Prius is more practical, being a hatchback. There's also more cubic room in the Prius.

falconone

True...but for the budget minded and those that don't want to spend the money, they can get a Civic or Corolla. I am getting an 06 Prius, but my goal is not to save money. I just like the car.

backy

CA and other CAFE states have the 10-year, 150,000 mile warranty on all systems that affect emissions--and the battery is part of that. That being said, I have read there are no reports yet of any Prius--even taxis with over 250,000 miles--needing a battery replacement.

If you are that worried about battery replacement costs many years from now and the fact that you will never recover the cost of fuel savings compared to a compact car e.g. Corolla or Civic, then you probably want to steer towards one of those, as falconone suggested. The Matrix might be a good choice, for example, if you need a hatchback with about the same room as the Prius. Especially a used Matrix--hard to beat the math on that!

quasar4

Batteries will run you about 6grand.

--Just out of curiousity, will the entire battery likely have to be replaced? Or just bad cells as message #2617 suggests?

gagrice

are no reports yet of any Prius--even taxis with over 250,000 miles--needing a battery replacement.

Interesting article about the first Prius cab.

Grant -- a one-time car salesman who, when he's not driving, is studying to be an executive business coach -- is on his third Prius now. (Toyota, seizing a chance to evaluate the car's durability, took his original back after he'd driven it 200,000 miles in 25 months and exchanged it with a 2003 model, fully outfitted for fares.)

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8839690/

Kirstie_H

Using the Prius as a cab seems like a great idea - with gas prices as high as they are, I'm sure it's really eating into cab company profits, and there's only so many times they can hike up the "fuel surcharge" before business drops.

kdhspyder

See Toyota's website. There is a FAQ there about Hybrids including battery life and recycling. Their statement is that the batteries are built to last the expected life of the vehicle. Any Toyota can be expected to go for about 250000 mi or so. Thats 15 yrs at 15000/yr. I'd guess you will have traded it in and be on your 3rd different vehicle by then. Unless you drive mega-miles per year you will likely be looking for a new vehicle in 6-7 yrs or less. In the US avg ownership is 3.5 yrs or so.

The Prius first came here in 2001. WE have never replaced a battery in 5 yrs.

Brakes actually can benefit by the design of the Prius. Now when you take your foot off the pedal of your vehicle the ICE is still pulling the vehicle forward albeit slowly and you have to fight this forward pull by pushing the brake pedal stongly to stop. In the Prius when you lift your foot off the pedal the entire drive system turns off temporarily and you actually are coasting to a stop with no forward pull. Actually the electric motor is transformed into a generator to recharge the batteries putting a drag on the drive system to help you slow. When you slow down normally you might actually only engage the friction brakes from 20 mph --> STOP. In panic stops the full force of the Brake Assist + EBD will help you stop quickly.

pjyoung

What I'm asking about is the more typical information such as fuel level, engine temp, oil pressure, speedo, tachometer, etc. Is all this over to the right, except for the speedo you mentioned?

There is no tach. Fuel gauge is straight ahead. Warning lights are in a panel along the front and center - very easy to glance at and see anything that might be lit up. The Nav screen DOES have a warning when you start the car - you have to press "I agree" to get it to go off. Radio and climate control info is on the touch screen, but it is also on steering wheel so you can change stations, turn the radio on or off, adjust the temp or turn the system off, and operate front and rear defrosters from the steering wheel. It takes a very short time to familiarize yourself with the location of these buttons and can operate them without taking your eyes off the road.

pjyoung

What do people usually pay to have the leather installed? I'm checking in Kansas City and am being quoted $1,600 from two different dealers...one for classic soft trim and one for katzkin.

falconone

You can deal with katzkin directly and practically pay half. Go to their site and type in your zip code for a list of installers. Keeps the dealer from reaping big bucks from you.
BTW... The OEM material is very resilient in the car. I would never put leather in. Too hot in the summer and COLD in the winter. I can think of a lot of things to do with $1000 bucks.

pjyoung

Resiliant it may be, but I have the light beige interior, and it shows dirt a bit too well. As far as katzkin, I went to their website and called their installer for my are...$1,599 plus tax.

falconone

Prices do vary. I was quoted $900. BTW... there is a PDF floating around on the care for the interior. My sister has the gray for two years. Looks brand new. Try some soap and water. Should clean it like new.

Sylvia

Hey folks - in case you haven't visited our new blogs yet, check out Karl on Cars (Karl Brauer our Editor in Chief) and see the entry about

Toyota Prius v. Honda Civic Hybrid
http://blogs.edmunds.com/.ee8c4a3

You can comment on it there - hey! another place for you to post...

note - if you have autologin/remember me you might have to put the URL in as for some reason clicking on it is giving a redirect to our main blog Straightline http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline

tagman

So, let me get this staight. First it was posted that the batteries might need to be replaced after 8 - 10 years or 150,000 miles at a cost of around 6 grand. But then, it was posted that they go perhaps as far as 250,000 miles (as proven in taxi cabs) and there's never been a Prius that has had to have its batteries replaced yet. I have to admit, I'm still a little confused about the actual life of the batteries, but if the batteries are not a concern, then the vehicle makes much more sense.

backy

Yes, you are confused. It was not posted that the batteries need to be replaced in 8-10 years or 150k miles. What was posted is, that is the duration of the warranty of the battery, not how long it lasts. Warranty duration is not the same as lifetime of the component. Otherwise we'd see lots of Toyota engines failing at 5 years or 60k miles!

falconone

The price of 6 grand is what's thrown around out there IF you actually had to buy a pack. Tantamount to ten grand if you needed to buy a new engine for a Mini Cooper. Same analogy. It's just a number.

kdhspyder

The naysayers fret over having to replace their batteries when the warranties expire somewhere over 150000 miles. See the FAQ on Toyota's website that addresses the battery questions. Their expectation is '..the lifetime of the vehicle.' It's well known that with proper care any Toyota will last well over 200K miles.

How many vehicles have you held for 200K miles? I usually unload mine between 175K and 200K because I'm tired of the interior.

I am fairly certain Toyota knows that since this technology has been on the road for 10 years - and in development for 10 years before that - that the expected life is in the 200K+ range. The Doubting Thomas' will say 'prove it, I'll believe it when I see a bunch of used Prius' with 200K+ miles.

But consider... at one point everyone knew that the world was flat. 'Flatworlders' may not yet have gone out of existence completely.

falconone

These are the same people that think we never landed on the moon. Coconut heads??? :sick: :confuse:

PF_Flyer

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