Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Toyota Prius

14546485051138

Comments

  • jnfrjnfr Member Posts: 5
    So, we filled up the tank today for the first time. We are low-mileage users as noted above, and the console was quoting 32.7 MPG for our first tank. The fillup would only take 6.5 gal, even with repeated tries. I've read the stuff upstream about the bladder in the tank, so I wasn't dismayed (52 degrees out at filling time, by the way). Calculated mileage was closer to 35 MPG, so I figure I'll just split the difference unless it starts showing more extreme differences.

    I figure we'll do much better on this second tank, as we're still learning how to drive it efficiently, and it will get better still as warm weather comes on. But we're never going to be in the top MPG bracket, I'm afraid. Most of our trips are still under 10 minutes.

    MPG isn't everything! We love driving our little Zippy, and are happy to not be adding more fumes to the air around Denver.
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    It's nice that it has very low emissions, but it plain to see that 32-35 MPG is outrageous when people are expecting at least 50MPG.
    There are plenty of other options available for people satisfied with 32 MPG.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    > There are plenty of other options available for people
    > satisfied with 32 MPG.

    Not at sub-zero temperatures!

    Most traditional vehicles dream of achieving 20 MPG during the warm-up phase when it's that cold.

    Remember, the minimum EPA testing temperature is 68 F. That isn't even remotely close to what you actually experience during the winter.

     
    > when people are expecting at least 50MPG.

    In the warmer states, owners are currently reporting MPG in the upper 50's. So that expectation is quite valid.

    JOHN
  • maliboomaliboo Member Posts: 1
    driving on pch in malibu and saw a beautiful new prius with a bike rack on top of the car with two large racing bikes attached. i didn't think that a prius could carry bikes, great! at my office today i spoke to a woman sitting in a 2004 prius and asked her how she liked it. she said it was just a rental while her car was being fixed! i am on one of those waiting lists to buy one and she gets to drive one "accidentally". she said it was a great car.
  • m4ethm4eth Member Posts: 101
    John,

    On the 04 Prius...what do you think plays a major factor in getting optimium gas mileage???...I've read you tips on your sight (excellant)...however...how do you drive to achieve better than 45 MPG regardless of temperature?

    Thanks,

    Mike
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    > what do you think plays a major factor in getting
    > optimium gas mileage???

    Cold air is more dense, making it harder to push through, which lowers efficiency.

    Winter-Formula gas holds less energy, so it is naturally less efficient.

    Warm-up takes longer, that process consumes a lot of gas. Outside temperature has a significant influence on this efficiency loss.

    - - - - - - -

    Anywho, those 3 factors above are totally out of your control. But unfortunately, they all exist throughout the entire cold season. So getting above 45 MPG is quite difficult.

    It's speeds above 65 MPH and heavy Stop & Slow traffic that you do actually have control over. And in the summer, you'll find those are the major efficiency killer, since air-density & winter-formula no longer apply and warm-up time is significantly reduce. So you can achieve close to 50 MPG with very little effort.

    To achieve optimum performance, that's 55 MPG or better, the majority of your driving needs to fall within the "Suburb" type. The ideal is 35 to 50 MPH cruising for at least 20 minutes with only minimal stop signs/lights.

    JOHN
  • drscientificdrscientific Member Posts: 23
    "If you have to please reread what the person with a Ph.D. in chemistry says about it and what can be done about it: http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/blbattery.htm

    The information in that article is simply incorrect. I have a Ph.D. in electroanalytical chemistry. The reason that cold temperature affects batteries is the Nernst equation, which simply states that as the temperature goes down, the VOLTAGE goes down. Typical currents from batteries are not limited by reaction rates.

    Lower voltage means more current for the same power. An inverter takes DC to AC. 500 volts allows lighter wiring (less current for same power so smaller power) and a smaller motor for same torque or more torque from same size motor.
  • drscientificdrscientific Member Posts: 23
    I've got over 11,000 miles on my Prius now including long periods at 80 mph and days at temperatures near zero although I live in SoCal.

    The top bar on the gauge clearly indicates more gallons than any other bar. Odd, but not a problem.

    The last bar begins blinking when a fill-up takes about 7-8 gallons.

    The real question is not how the gauge works, but how much gas really is in the tank. I read one post about driving the Prius until the ICE quit because of no gas. The fill-up required about 9 gallons.

    I expect a reserve (when bar blinking) of 1-1.5 gals. There seems to be two gallons missing. Is this on purpose or is it a 10-gallon tank?

    This question is significant because when driving long distances, gas stations can be very far apart. The gauge and tank capacity must be known quantities to be efficient in driving and still not run out of gas.

    I hope someone has a definitive answer to this continuing question.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    I have to jump in here at this point - I've been following this discussion from the beginning, and have been frustrated by both "sides" - those who defend the Prius, no matter what, and those who criticize, no matter what. Here's my perspective:

    -EPA mileage vs the real world: EVERYONE who knows anything about the new Prius knows that the EPA estimates are mostly unachieveable in actual driving. Toyota says so; magazine testers say so; owners say so. Why does this continue to be such a big deal? No, you are not likely to get 50 mpg. For all of the seemingly endless variable reasons noted in this thread, your mileage will vary, and will vary on the lower end of the spectrum. Toyota has even asserted it would like to use a more realistic figure, but for a lot of legal reasons, feels constrained not to. Get over it.

    -Having said that, it is very difficult for me to find a realistic alternative to this car because of the COMBINATION of low fuel consumption, low emissions, and high utility. It is this latter point that seems to get lost in all of the comparisons to Echo, Corolla, ad nauseum. Look, we owned a new-gen Corolla - it's a fine car, but it is NOT a hatchback with near-Camry room inside. Name me another car in this price range [or any price range] that combines 35mpg real world fuel consumption with MID-SIZE room and station wagon utility. Certainly not an Echo, and not the Matrix/Vibe either, though they come closer. The Mazda3 hatch is not bad, but again its interior room will not really compare. The new diesel Passat, if offered here in wagon form, will be the ONLY real competitor. Everything else is smaller inside, with nowhere near the usable people and cargo space. And the TDI Passat will be at the high end of the emissions spectrum, at least until the 2006 fuel regulations finally get most of the sulfur out of the crap we call diesel fuel in this country.

    So IF you want a truly roomy car that achieves 30-40 mpg in the real world, I see only two choices: the Prius and the '04.5 Passat TDI. If you are a fanatic about emissions, then there may only be one choice. And I don't see how the difference between 30-35 mpg and 40-45 mpg changes this conclusion. What am I missing, besides the "outrage" of not getting what the EPA testing cycle spits out as a number?
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...I mean total emissions, including CO2. And I will not get drawn into another nit-picking debate with any member of this forum - it's what makes sifting through all the verbiage to find the real nuggets so frustrating.

    To John in Minnesota, thanks for your shared knowledge. Your enthusiasm sometimes carries you away, but I'll take that in exchange for the wealth of real-world experience.

    To Mid-Cow in particular, and some others in general: your point of view is well known. Repetition does not add to the level of knowledge.

    Our moderator has had to step in a couple of times to calm this down. Every post does not automatically require, as the French would say, a "reposte". Taking my own advice, I'll now fade back into the background and go back in listen-only mode...
  • 51jerryp51jerryp Member Posts: 6
  • prius4meusprius4meus Member Posts: 22
    Drscientific-

    "The top bar on the gauge clearly indicates more gallons than any other bar. Odd, but not a problem."

    I'm not sure what you mean here. All cars I have ever filled with gas have worked this way. It takes awhile before the arm leaves "full." Have you had different experiences?

    The big picture: It's not linear (see post 2139) but the lack of linearity matters little. As for the issue of tank range/capacity, this may be an important factor for some. Frankly, I love spending less than 10 dollars to fill up!

    Also, how have things progressed with your transaxle problem? Juliaj, if you are still following, what about yours? I am VERY interested since my VIN falls in between yours. So far, 3300 miles and no problems.
  • yerth10yerth10 Member Posts: 431
    Toyota has increased the target for Year - 2004 from 76,000 to 130,000.
    http://www.evworld.com/view.cfm?section=communique&newsid=492- 6

    This is more than the Prius sold between 1997-2003. Its really a takeoff year.
    Pretty soon, the extra cost needed to make a hybrid will come down drastically.
  • m4ethm4eth Member Posts: 101
    My Question to Tire Rack..." You cannot order a Tire for the 2004 Prius, why?

    Mike, I apologize for the error on the site, we are correcting and should have it fixed by the end of the coming week...every P-Metric Standard Load tire of the 185/65-15 tire size has a Load Index of 86 and carrying capacity of 1168 lbs at 35 PSI. Every Eurometric Standard Load tire of the 185/65-15 tire size has a Load Index 88 and a carrying capacity of 1250 llbs at 36 psi. P-Metric tires' Max Load is calculated at 35 psi, Eurometric tires' Max Load is calculated at 36 psi.
     
    Bottom any tire with a Load Index of 86 or higher has sufficient carrying capacity.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    It was good for Tire Rack to admit their mistake and clear this Prius tire misunderstanding up. Lesser companies may not have admitted their mistake.

    Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to go look out the patio door at our bird/squirrel feeder--I think I just saw some crows eating heartily there.
  • petlpetl Member Posts: 610
    We are looking at trading our Matrix 4WD in for a Prius. Sat in one today. What a beautiful car. It was like sitting a luxury vehicle. Fit and finish was excellent (better than I expected). Can someone please explain the difference(s) between the Prius' traction control and the Matrix 4WD system. The 4WD has been beneficial in providing additionnal traction during the last few weeks (ice and snow covered roads have been the order of the day). I may be pursuaded to purchase a Prius if the traction control can be proven to be just as good under these types of conditions. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.
  • djasonwdjasonw Member Posts: 624
    I always thought it was a great advantage to have 4WD. I have had a few Audis and they've been wonderful snow cars with the right tires. One time I had my summer tires on my Audi A4 and EVEN with AWD it could NOT get out of its way! I put some good aftermarket tires on my '04 Prius and have not had ANY problems with traction. Only time you will is if you are ascending a very steep snowy hill. If you shod the car with Blizzaks in combination with traction control and stability control (assuming you opt for that package) you'll be quite pleased. We just had 12 inches here in Nassau County Long Island and I drove my Prius on fresh powder/slush (roads were not plowed!). I left the Jeep at home!
  • juliajjuliaj Member Posts: 8
    problems since the initial one in December and we've had a very wet, snowy winter in SW Michigan so far. I still make sure that I have my cell phone with me when I'm driving in wet weather. I'm not sure where the M5 connector is, much less the transaxle but does anyone know if it is easily accessible so that it could be dabbed with dielectric grease when I get oil changes?
      As far as traction control goes, I have VSC and this car is by far the best winter car that I've ever had for driving on snowy, icy roads. Much better handling on the ice than my 4WD RAV4.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    > It is good to know that the Prius can use standard
    > normal wear tires.

    With the debut so close to the cold season, I was worried that word wouldn't get out and those desiring snow-tires would be up-a-creek.

    Instead, the concern was put to rest rather quickly.

    Cool.

    JOHN
  • prius4meusprius4meus Member Posts: 22
    Juliaj- thanks for the update. I'll keep my fingers crossed!

    Judging by your VIN, the following may be of interest to you.

    I was searching the toyota tech site (techinfo.toyota.com) today and found a new "Special Service Campaign" Number 40A. The specified glitch is as follows: If the ECU detects a system error, the master warning light (or hybrid system warning light) may light up. Apparently, the vehicle then enters a "fail-safe" mode from which, if restarted, a secondary error may occur and cause the vehicle transmission to "not operate smoothly."

    Per Toyota, the owners of the affected vehicles will be notified in late January. Approximately 3500 2004 Prius' are involved. The affected vehicles are VDS KB20U with VIN range 40001009-40012242 and VDS KB22U 40001142-40012271. HOWEVER, "not all vehicles in the VIN ranges are involved in this SSC." The fix apparently takes 1 hour and, of course, is free.

    Anyone get a letter yet?
  • HCLEMOHCLEMO Member Posts: 19
    I have slogged through the last 1000 of the messages about the new Prius. I am seriously contemplating putting down a deposit to get on the waiting list (6 mos or more at a Fredericksburg VA dealer). This will be a daily commuter car for me between Richmond and Fredericksburg, VA--140 mi RT on I-95 at 75 mph (go slower and you get run over). I test drove the Prius at the Fredericksburg dealer and liked it and the salespeople. My questions:

    1. Is it reasonable to expect 4 - 5 years and 140,000 miles out of this vehicle?

    2. Do the Ni-metal hydride batteries loose a lot of power after say 100,000 miles? (that is the warranty on them)

    3. Does anyone have experience with the Bluetooth hands free cell phone feature?

    4. It appears that I can expect 40 - 45 mpg driving at 75 mph, worse in cold weather--is that a reasonable assumption?

    5. Does the vehicle stability control with the tires that come with the Prius give people reasonably good traction in the snowy-icy conditions that we are blessed with in central Virginia?

    Many thanks for any information from the participants of this board.
  • jachipleyjachipley Member Posts: 1
    I am interested on hearing about leasing experiences anyone has had for the Prius.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I stopped by to see my Toyota sales rep and get an update on "The List". It appears The List isn't updated often; this one was dated Jan. 9 and shows I am #31 (bad) but really only 7 people ahead of me for the package (3) and colors I am looking for. So if the dealer keeps getting about 10 cars per month, and the current package mix hold up (currently 25% package 3), I will get my Prius before my minivan's lease runs out at the end of May--maybe as early as April. At least the temperature won't be -24 F then, like it was here this week, and I'll get a chance to learn how to get high mpg numbers before the cold sets in again.

    A few things I picked up talking with the sales rep: their January allocation dropped to 6 cars (usually 10) because the factory is ramping up production for the RX400h. Also, the January shipment was delayed because of delays in landing cars at the port. The package mix has changed from a couple of months ago. It was 55% package 3 and 25% package 9. Now it has flip-flopped, which will help people who ordered package 9s (but not me though!). The sales rep confirmed comments made on the Prius board about the reason for lack of a sunroof option: the roof design won't permit it. He offered that the reason the Classic Prius didn't offer a sunroof was because it would ruin the R-value of the roof, which had extra insulation due to the ICE-powered A/C. And he mentioned that people who order a Prius from his dealership right now are looking at August delivery--not quite into the 2005 model year, but getting close. Also, he told me that he has sold two Priuses with leather--dealer-added option of course. So it can be done. I didn't ask how much because I like cloth.
  • dicksieleedicksielee Member Posts: 2
    Can someone please refer me to a discussion about using a solar trickle charger with the '04 Prius. I have seen references to this but have not found a detailed discussion on whether this is of any value. Thank you.
  • texvegastexvegas Member Posts: 17
    I have SS/SE and have never inserted the fob into the dash to start my '04 Silver BI. If I ever have do, which way is "up" when you insert it into the dash? This is not a question about SS/SE...I already know how it works.Thanks, texvegas.
  • azstanazstan Member Posts: 74
    I have experimented both ways with the key fob, and...up or down...it really does not matter.
  • oldblondieoldblondie Member Posts: 2
    I am trying to call dealers throughout the country to just find one with a new silver Prius with the fully loaded luxury pkg, the 6CD changer, etc. I want to pay cash for it. I can't believe this is so hard to do. One dealer in the Seattle area told me I could get on his 6 month waiting list. Does anyone out there have any wise advice on how to get one in a month or two? I'd be happy to fly somewhere to pick it up. I just want to be sure I'm buying it from a legitimate dealer, not a private party, and I want to license it in the state of Washington.
  • oldblondieoldblondie Member Posts: 2
    I am trying to call dealers throughout the country to just find one with a new silver Prius with the fully loaded luxury pkg, the 6CD changer, etc. I want to pay cash for it. I can't believe this is so hard to do. One dealer in the Seattle area told me I could get on his 6 month waiting list. Does anyone out there have any wise advice on how to get one in a month or two? I'd be happy to fly somewhere to pick it up. I just want to be sure I'm buying it from a legitimate dealer, not a private party, and I want to license it in the state of Washington.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    There was some advice here awhile ago on this. Basically the idea is to call as many dealers as you can, talk to the sales managers, tell them you are ready to buy a Prius for cash NOW, and give them contact numbers where they can reach you 24 hours a day, seven days a week (e.g. cell phone or pager). Then when a dealer gets a Prius that is turned down by the buyer, they can call you and make an immediate sale.
  • jonalanjonalan Member Posts: 1
    Dude, just because you have cash, doesn't mean you get to jump ahead of everyone else ahead of you on a waiting list!

    There's a huge demand on these cars and most likely none available just sitting on a lot somewhere. Put a deposit down, order a car, and wait like everyone else.
  • little_pogilittle_pogi Member Posts: 149
    I'm beginning to see more 04 prius on dealer parking lots here in Southern California. Just the other day, I got a call from a salesman I placed my name of his list that one is available. The only thing, he was 2 months late. Paying cash may not get that Prius right away though. Paying $2000 over MSRP might just do the trick. An out-of-state buyer here in California will not have to pay sales tax and registration. If you fly down here, rent a car, and go to the over 2 dozen dealerships in the area, chances are high you can get one and drive it home to Washington state. Just remember, $2000 over MSRP, is the key phrase.
  • azstanazstan Member Posts: 74
    $2000 over MSRP, is the "key phrase". Sounds more like a "bribe".

    Goes to show you that money not only talks...it sings sweet melody.
  • azstanazstan Member Posts: 74
    I remember the proliferation of the VW Beetle back in the 60's and into the 70's. It was what people were looking for at that time...inexpensive and dependable.

    Is the Prius what people are looking for now? Fuel economy, very little pollution and new technology? In a couple of years will it proliferate like the VW Beetle did? Or will the other automobile companies wake up and try to get on the bandwagon?
  • bbridgewaterbbridgewater Member Posts: 9
    I am still waiting for my '04 Prius (since October)- was in Dallas this week and dropped into the Toyota of Dallas dealership to check it out - I was hoping to show my parents the Prius. I expected to be able to look at their TRAC Prius, but they told me they sold it last week! I didn't know the dealerships could sell their TRAC cars! In fact, they told me there were two people bidding for it right there at the dealership and it sold for $5,000 over MSRP....WOW!

    So, if you're willing to pay way over sticker and find a dealership willing to sell you their TRAC Prius, MAYBE you can buy one for cash now .... good luck!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    My Prius sales rep told me his dealership in Bloomington, MN is going to sell its TRAC car--a black package 3--in a week or two.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    42.3 was my average for the month, after driving a total of 1,948 miles. The average was actually 43.1 MPG though, until the ridiculously cold conditions last week where the temperature dipped all the way down to -18 F degrees. Dang!

    Oh well, it was still better than my Classic's January average of 40.9 MPG over the previous 3 Winters. That was really impressive, but the 2004 is even better. And if you look at Lifetime data, the 2004 really shines. Both values are 45.4 MPG, but the 2004 average only includes Winter months. So once things (finally) warm up, you'll really be impressed.

    JOHN
  • m4ethm4eth Member Posts: 101
    Can't wait to get a Prius I placed on order last month...may be 6-9 months??? The Prius is getting about 10MPG better than my ECHO at 32-37 max for Winter Driving....but the ECHO automatic has only achieved a Max of 41 in Spring-summer. Not Bad...but the Prius is a better ride.

    Mike
  • finestackfinestack Member Posts: 26
    I'm about ready to jump off the bandwagon after 1 year + of cheering, and 4 months of waiting (since deposit on Oct. 18) for results on getting a new Prius. My dealer has told me nothing after promising mid-January delivery and the news here on the board looks worse every day (MSRP x 2 soon?).

    My current '94 Mercury Battleship is about to die or kill me in the bad weather.

    Thinking about a FWD Vibe. Consumer Reports highly recommends, 5-speed gets 36 mpg on the highway (and I hear it's a TRUE 36), and best of all...I can get one anywhere right now for $5,000 less than the Prius.

    Any reactions to this new train of thought? Anyone compare these two vehicles before?? I realize the PZEV dream would be smoke with a Pontiac...but am I really giving anything else (important) up in the deal?
  • SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
    You may also want to ask in the Vibe and Matrix discussions to see if anyone cross-shopped their purchase against the Prius. Links below...

    Pontiac Vibe
    Toyota Matrix
  • sandhog2sandhog2 Member Posts: 22
    Go for the Vibe the wife has a AWD with auto that gets 30mpg.city you won't go wrong. For $5000 less you will never spend it on gas. If the figure's on this board are true it will only take 40 gallon's more to drive the average of 12000 mile's a year.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    If the Vibe meets your needs, you like how it sits, drives, looks, hauls etc., I'd go that way--especially since the $5000 difference seems more important to you than any non-financial benefits of the Prius. And it seems you need a car now. But if the Vibe meets your needs, you might check out the Focus ZX5 also--about the same cargo capacity as the Prius, and there are some great deals on these, e.g. I saw a new '03 model pretty well loaded for about $12,500 in the paper last weeked. Big rebates and discounts available.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If you go that way, check out the 2.3l PZEV Focus engine. More power and torque, less pollution, vs. the old Zetec engine.

    -juice
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    > If the figure's on this board are true

    People seem to forget the fact that it is common to have a daily commute where some highway driving includes stop & slow conditions, build up caused by merging & bridges. Traditional vehicles perform horribly when they encounter that. FULL hybrids like Prius shine.

    So the real-world data for traditional vehicles is grossly over-estimated, making them appear much more efficient than they really are sometimes. That means the payback on a hybrid is actually greater than thought.

    Also note that a FULL hybrid will last much longer under those conditions too, since a lot of that driving type will be exclusively powered by electric propulsion. Unlike a traditional vehicle, which will run the engine 100 percent of the time. And worse, coolant gets very hot since air circulation is almost non-existent in stop & slow driving.

    JOHN
  • finestackfinestack Member Posts: 26
    sylvia - thanks, i am scouring those boards for info.

    backy - my wife drives an '02 zx5 and we both love it. she is too conventional to own two of the same models, otherwise that would be a top choice. btw, the non-financial aspects of the prius appeal to me MUCH more than the cost efficiencies (which is why MC and i don't see eye to eye!) ... but the "Need" for new wheels is quickly beginning to outweigh the sincere "Desire" to drive cutting edge green technology. Not to mention Toyota is doing a horrible PR/customer relations job on the backlog issue IMHO.

    sandhog and john - i drive upwards of 25k miles a year (85% hwy) so your points are both well taken. the FULL hybrid system is appealing to me for the durability factor and for the compounded fuel savings. i'm not questioning the car here at all - i'm questioning the insanity of a 6+ plus month wait full of unmet dealer promises for someone who got in "early" relatively speaking.

    is the Prius THAT much better?
  • jnfrjnfr Member Posts: 5
    This past week I had a couple of chances to drive a bit beyond the stop-and-go, short trip to the bus stop driving we usually do. Once was down to Golden to have lunch with a friend, another was north to Boulder where I took the freeway back home. These are just short examples, mind you, but in both cases over the half hour of driving I averaged around 50 mpg for the trip. The Golden trip was a warm day (59 degrees) and I actually averaged over 50; the Boulder trip was through 32 degree weather.

    From this limited experience I've come to believe that the lower mileage I get normally really is due to the type of driving we do most of the time. And as John points out, even an ordinary car would show a large loss of mileage in that circumstance - it's not something about the Prius that makes this happen!

    Anyway, we still love the car, find it very zippy and comfortable, can haul our whole suburban Costco-type shopping, including bikes and computer equipment, etc. We're very happy with the purchase.
  • gscheil1gscheil1 Member Posts: 72
    When the Prius was first announced, I placed an order with my dealer, without a deposit, sight unseen. I have previously purchased about 18 or 19 cars from this dealere so I am well known. I placed the order with their sales manager who turned around and told his assistant, "Get the car, it's sold" I next wrote a letter to Toyota, telling them my buying experience. 2 sons with Toyota's(one has purchased about 12 from this dealer).

    When all the dealers got their first car, I went out to look at it, there were many lookers. The assistant who gets the schedules of cars coming in said "Yours will be here Monday" It was. I paid MSRP in cash and am very happy. It pays to be a regular customer.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    They used comments from me in this article today...

    http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-02-03-hybridmileage_x.ht- m

     
    Here's my rebuttal:

    I am well aware of the fact that even negative publicity is an excellent way to raise awareness. And when people research to find out was the facts actually are, they learn the truth.

    My cold temperature average for the new Prius is the same as the warm & cold temperature average combined for my classic. And since it delivered a 50 MPG average last summer, even higher will be possible with the new one. I have nothing to fear about bad PR.

    JOHN
  • hans000hans000 Member Posts: 19
    Mine is showing 60-75MPG going 35MPH over a flat road, with cruise control.
  • loconetterloconetter Member Posts: 7
    Here in Mass, some wrong thinking youth vandalized my '04 Salsa Red Pearl, by dropping a chunk of granite through the rear windshield, after the Patriots won the superbowl. The cargo cover was deployed and destroyed. The glass shop finished the repair today (ordered the glass from a local Toyota dealer, took 2 days). The rear windshiled retails at $709 (upper or main piece, with defogger heating wires). Thankfully, the police caught the culprits, and intend that I be reimbursed.

    I truly love the Prius. One thing to understand is that on the odd occasion when parts are needed, there may not any locally. I have never before needed to replace a rear windshield with defogger heating elements. Does anyone know if $709 is a routine price, or does that cost reflect the smaller Prius population?

    In any event, I am extremely pleased to have it back!!!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Condolences on the window damage--luckily it's easily fixed.

    I had to replace the windshield on my '99 Grand Caravan a couple of years ago. It has defroster elements in the lower few inches of the glass. It cost $1600 (paid by insurance, fortunately). It is a bigger piece of glass than the Prius' rear window, but comparing the two, the cost for the Prius' rear window doesn't seem that out of line.
Sign In or Register to comment.