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Comments
It does. EPA's definitions of "City" and "Highway" don't translate to what people think. "Suburb" driving is the most efficient.
> The only truly annoying thing I have found on the Prius is the incessant "beeping"
So, turn it off.
JOHN
Actually, it did reset. The display only shows 4 digits. So after 9999, it rolls back to 0000.
The MPG continues, but it isn't accurate anyway. All vehicles showing MPG suffer from estimates & rounding, so they are off by a little. After 9999 miles, that margin-of-error becomes more pronounced that the actual value itself.
The margin-of-error for the Classic (01-03) Prius is about 2 MPG. And since most owner's data beyond 20,000 miles on the odometer doesn't fluctuate beyond just 1 MPG over the course of a year, what you see is clearly not accurate.
In other words, calculating on-paper would have revealed your actual value was around 42.6 MPG.
Fortunately, the margin-of-error for the HSD (04-06) Prius is less, about 1.4 MPG. But even so, it still suffers from that "flat line" effect. As shown by my data spanning between 34,842 and 23,317 on the odometer... 48.5, 48.4, 48.4, 48.4, 48.4, 48.4, 48.4, 48.4, 48.4, 48.4, 48.4, 48.3, 48.4, 48.4, 48.4, 48.5, 48.6, 48.6, 48.6, 48.7, 48.8, 48.9, 49.0, 49.1, 49.1, 49.2, 49.3, 49.4, 49.4, 49.5, 49.4, 49.4
JOHN
Did not get navigation system or multiple C.D. player.
Love the car. Salsa Red in Metallic... The above were out the door prices, tax,dealer charges etc.
What is VSC?
Thats all my questions
Thanks
It seemed no one answered your "VSC" question...
VSC is vehicel stability control. A vehicle with VSC usually comes with a yaw (rotational) sensor that could senses abrupt change in rotation of the vehicle and intervene by
-cutting engine output power
- selectively and quickly braking proper wheels independently to retard the yaw change in an effort to maintain a smoother transition in yaw (just a smooth turn, for example)
A vehicle with VSC usually also comes with traction control and ABS because VSC replies on them at a lower level. They basically all brakes wheels but have different levels of IQs, so to speak.
It's pretty cool. In fact, it works so well that if you might not even realize the computer interveened with your oversteering mistake if it wasn't for the 3 beeps that sound off when it engages.
JOHN
cruis'n in 6th,
MidCow
P.S.- Prius are now available in Houston on the lots at MSRP
Hey, he didn't say it was a late model civic. Maybe it had been in his garage for 5 years?
I just completed a 1400 mi round trip from San Francisco, Ca to Boise, Idaho. I learned several things on my trip. First lets get some questions answered.
John1701a informed you what VSC is. You'll find it'll kick in before YOU know something is amiss. Nice feature..good technology.
Back-up beeper - Look back on previous posts and in less than 2 mins you'll have that annoying little sound eliminated. I've read that the beeping only occurs "inside" the car and doesn't warn anyone else around. True?
The tankful odometer will reset everytime. I've carried a little "butcher book" (small notebook) in my console and have recorded every fill-up and miles per gallon entry since I bought my '04 Driftwood Pearl Pkg #9 Feb of last year. It can be a nuisance, but not that difficult to live with. I use my trip odo for total miles on a trip.
The TSB's (Toyota Technical Service Bulletins) advice dealers what problems has surfaced and what to do about them. I don't think the dealer is going to call you up and invite your car in for an update, but forums like this one alert everyone on what to be aware of. My car goes from 3 bars to a flashing last bar within 50 miles or so. I'll bring this to their attention.
A couple of weeks ago, someone backed into my left passenger door and rear panel and has to be replaced and some repainting done (the car, not the someone). I'll let you know how it went. My Toyota dealer doesn't have a body shop so I'm using the next door Chevrolet dealer body shop who I've had work done by before.
When I got out of California and into Nevada I experienced a difference in gasoline blends. California creates these exotic blends for pollution control and really cuts into mpg. (I thought it was my driving habits or terrain driven) I filled up in Nevada and throughout my stay in Boise, my mpg was over 51 compared to California's 47 mpg. My driving in Idaho was downtown and some freeway and still stayed above 51 mpg. Now here comes a surprise. I topped of in Winnemucca, Nevada and got 48 mpg with highway driving coming back from Idaho. From Winnemucca, Nv to my hometown in Calif is a distance of 360 miles. I filled up when I got home and it only took 5.6 gals to fill up!! That comes out to 64.28 mpg !! Driving back from Reno, Nv (I-80) there is a long 40 mi downgrade from the Sierra Nevada mountains to the Sacramento Valley (from Donner Summit elev 7,239 ft to Sacto valley ~100 ft elev). I "cruised" down the mountain at 60 miles per hour until I got down to 2,000 ft elev where I drove 65 mph the rest of the way. I can hardly believe my calculator. Does anyone else show mpg like this? My fuel gage shows full and I couldn't get more than 2 extra clicks of the fuel pump. Wow. My normal driving with the Calif blends usually only yields 45-47 mpg. Did someone add a couple of gallons while I was staying in Reno??? Hmm.........
Thanks,
Rich
"Hey, he didn't say it was a late model civic. Maybe it had been in his garage for 5 years?"
Original poster mtransu1 said it had 1,300 (Thirteen Hundred) miles on it. The post was wrong it should have said 13,000 miles It was a 2002 Civic. See Prius meet new members post #51
YMMV Throttle On,
MidCow
First, does anyone have any experience in Ohio, preferably somewhere near the route of Cleveland to Cincinnati?
Second, is there any benefit to trading in besides less work?
And my last question is what is the best way to search the dealerships for prices and all that?
Thanks a lot, I really appreciate any help. Corey
As to trading.....unless your unloading a lemon trading leaves you on the short end of trade value. How much? You ask. Well figure a minimum of $750.00 and as much as $2,000.00...all this depending on what the heck your trading. In my area we have about a 1/2 dozen avenues to sell your vehicle. I've found much success doing a little work to sell my cars and bikes. How much? Thousands.
Culliganman(be smart and do the homework)
Are you taking mostly short trips (5 miles, 15 minutes) from a cold start? Someone on another site explained that the Prius doesn't operate at maximum efficiency until the gasoline engine warms up fully to a "normal" temperature. There was a detailed explanation of what is changing as the engine warms up.
I took a longer trip yesterday over the same and similar roads, and, voila, just as predicted, my fuel economy was dramatically better.
As far as options you can read through this and get an idea of what is offered as options in different areas of the USA.
An easy way to find dealers in different areas is to get a zipcode and load it into Edmund's for a given car and several dealers will pop up.
You may want to read the article and search for the 2004 & 2005 Prius complaints on the NHTSA site. You can also check to see where your VW stands as far as troubles.
http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/01/Autos/toyota_prius/
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/ComplaintSearch.cfm
I sympathize with you on your problems with your Cabrio. I owned a 99 but never had any problems for 17,000 miles before I traded it. I found the seats terribly uncomfortable. The dealer service was awful, as most people will tell you, their network of dealers ranks at the bottom.
Toyota Prius Owners: Problems & Solutions
Toyota Prius Software Problems
(And no, I'm not expecting any body changes this early in the cycle)
ground about changes that Toyota USA is thinking about for the 2006 Prius.
News flown to me from Southern CA.
All info is preliminary, not etched in stone yet... The high-up Toyota
people are still deciding on what they want to offer, so things may still
change... Consider this a better than rumor, but can still change...
Do feel free to comment - maybe some of the Toyota folks may read these
groups and your thoughts may help them with their decisions...
New 2006 Prius will be out in November (not until sometime after Halloween)
exterior colors:
Super White (color code 040) stays same
Black (color code 202) stays same
Seaside Pearl (color code 8S2) stays same
Driftwood Pearl (color code 4S2) stays same
Millenium Silver Metallic (color code 1C0) is replaced:
changes to either Silver Millenium (like Highlanders) or Silver Streak
(like Tacomas)
Tideland Pearl (color code 6S9) is replaced:
changes to the new Avalon color known as Silver Pine (a lightish
silvery green)
Salsa Red (color code 3Q3) is replaced:
changes to a new red metallic... no idea on color
+Add a new gray metallic exterior color, probably Flint Mica (like the
Scion tC or the Rav4's)
add a leather option in ivory and grey in most models
no decision yet on any interior color/exterior color combination changes
Package content changes are certain, unknown what the changes are at the
moment...
Maybe a driver's power seat option
The front headlights, grille, foglamps area (fascia) changes, rear
taillights change.
The audio system will change for better sound.
May also change the wheel design... but a BIG maybe on that.
No decision yet on a special edition car in White Pearl (Arctic) with tan
leather...
They better not do that or PETA take back the award and boycott the Prius.
Actually, I saw a 2005 Prius over at my local Lexus lot this weekend (was in the used area - had 1500 miles on it) that had tan leather. I'm guessing it was aftermarket, but whoever did it, did a fantastic job. Really looked nice.
I'm still hopeful that there might be a "sportier" option. No, I don't mean hot-rod 0-60 in 5 seconds or something. Just a little stiffer suspension and disc brakes all around (similar to the specs they offer in Europe).
Anyway, thanks for passing that along!
I took the ten thousand trade in on it because I advertised it and could not sell the Civic. I thought that I would have a month to see it but the Prius came in and I had to move.. The Dealer later sold it for over $ 12.800 or so they told me.
Yes I am old enough to want a Prius NOW. At my age, who knows. It's like buying green bananas.. I don't..
Enjoy your purchase! Be sure and start up the car at least every other week to keep the secondary battery charged. It sounds like you don't drive it a lot.
Smart move. That probably saved you a lot of time with the finance man. I like to walk in give them a check for the pre-agreed on price. And drive off in my new car. Talking to a salesman and waiting for them to get approval from management is an archaic form of car dealing. Get the price via email and spend that wasted face time at home with your family.
I think your information is about 6 months out of date. Since Toyota has increased production, and many people are still wary of buying hybrids, the demand has gotten a lot less than before. I find many Prius listed at dealerships on the Internet here in LA; 6 months ago there were none listed. I think it is now possible to find them in stock.
Two stories: First, on the used Prius, a 2004 with 20K miles and from what a could gleam, a package 1...very scaled down. I looked at it and asked for the price. I'm told "about $25K!" I couldn't believe it! I told the "manager" that this was clearly a USED model which sold for $20K new! Who in their right mind would pay $5K over the original MSRP?! I offered him $15K (which he promptly said was way too low), and walked away from the ya-hoo.
As for the new ones, they had 4 package 6's and 1 package 3. I told him I was really interested in packages 4 or 5. I know package 5 isn't available in my area, but the sales manager didn't, so I thought I'd give it a go anyway.
About 3 hours after I get home, the salesman calls and says he talked to his manager. Since they didn't have a package 4 available, he is willing to give me a package 6 for the price of a package 4! Mind you, only hours earlier he was explaining to me how "demand is still strong and people on a list are paying a premium." This must be why he has 5 on his lot!! I'm going to pass, since I am not yet ready to buy, but I thought some of you may find this story useful in your negotiations. I'm sure he would have tried to make up the difference somewhere, but apparently, you can indeed negotiate at least $3000 below MSRP!
I'm thinking of getting this quote in writing. Maybe in a few months when I am ready to buy, I can use it to my advantage!