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Toyota Prius

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Comments

  • djasonwdjasonw Member Posts: 624
    I just received my Jan issue of Motor Trend. I was pleasantly surprised to see the breaking specs on the Prius. 60-0 in 125 feet is excellent. They were upset that the Acura TSX could only do it in 141 feet.
  • gscheil1gscheil1 Member Posts: 72
    Yesterday I went on my highway trip. It was on I-29, north out of Kansas City, which has really long hills. After returning home, I clicked on "Consumption" and it said 41.2 for 329 miles.I am satisfied with that because of the hills which are big and long. My prius only had about 400 miles on ODO at the beginning of trip. Does anyone know how to use "Bluetooth" I haven't tried it yet. My cell phone has bluetooth and I have activated it and put in a holder on the dash. I presume that if I receive a call, I should press the button that has the phone off the cradle and to end the call, press the button that has the phone on the cradle.My cell phone manual is of no help and dealer personnel is also unaware of how to use it. Would appreciate any advice of someone who has used it. I-29 has a 70 mph speed limit and I drove at about 65-68 mph.Not bad at all and I was pleased at the comfort and economy.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    I am cross-shopping the Prius with several entry level luxury sedans including
    Acura TSX
    Audi A4
    Infiniti I35
    Lexus ES330
    Saab 9-3
    Volvo S40
    Volvo S60
    Also, I am cross-shopping Prius with the following family sedans:
    Honda Accord EX
    Toyota Camry LE
    on the build a Toyota, it says that the fully loaded Package Combination #3 is limited, Package Combination #2 is Limited, and Package Combo #1 (nothing) is Limited too.
  • leeearleeear Member Posts: 5
    For those who are interested to find out how Prius compares with other environmental friendly cars, please check the following message:

    http://www.challengebibendum.com/cm/servlet/servletViewBlob?objId- =515&name=ACT_PDF&artId=101&lanId=2

    Although Prius got the award under production vehicle category, it is interesting to note that the noise level of Prius got a C rating (Camry PZEV got an A) which is contrary to what I learnt from this forum about the beauty of Prius' stealth.
  • SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
    OK folks, let's stop the sniping.

    If you want to do a comparison discussion, start one. How about "Toyota Prius v. Corolla - which is more economical?"

    Let's keep this discussion mainly on track of the Prius (sure you can have a few comparisons, but let's not veer too far off).
  • texassalsa04texassalsa04 Member Posts: 34
    Ok, now that I have had a week with my Salsa AG (4), I can sit down and type in some info. I placed my order on Sept. 17 (non-pioneer). I took delivery on Nov. 24. I saw in early October that a lot of people were getting package 9 and was worried about my package 4 order. To my surprise package 4 is very common in the Gulf State Region. So, this actually worked out in my favor. Total price was $21,829. I had specifically asked for the top sales person at the dealer and from the get go, I made sure that everything was done professionally. I also specifically mentioned to the sales rep that I did not want any other extras on the car other than floor mats. He did a wonderful job at keeping all the other add-ons off my vehicle. I would go back to this sales rep again if I had to. Since I had an approved loan from my credit union, the total sales process was fairly fast. It took a little over two hours to drive away from the lot. I am thinking about getting the 7/100/0 warranty. Good luck to all those still waiting for their Prius. Tony.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    ...check out the 2004+ Prius User-Guide

    It's a document containing a summary of all the contributions other owners have shared, stuff y'all here have asked about.

    VOICE-RECOGNITION commands are all listed. I was surprised to see all the location/destination commands that were available. There's a whole bunch of navigation commands too. Then of course, the climate-control and audio system have some too.

    INCREASING MPG is an obvious popular topic, one that will very likely stir some discussion here.

    SS/SE is a new topic. Please share comments about that. It's very much a learning process right now, discovering new abilities as you use it.

    TIRE CARE is something to address too. We learns lots about them from the classic Prius. So I'm curious what owners of the 2004 will do with that knowledge.

    GLOSSARY will definitely help with discussions here. (We tend to use abbreviations a little too much.)

    BLUETOOTH phone connections to the 2004 Prius are very new as well. We know of only a handful of phones that work so far. (I'm going to getting one of them soon myself, so I'll be contributing my findings about that here.)

    Anywho, you get the idea. There's a bunch of ideas in the documents that we can discuss here... which have nothing to do with the OFF TOPIC content we've had to deal with lately.

    JOHN
  • xcelxcel Member Posts: 1,025
    Hi Djasonw:

    ___You should really use your down button more often so I wouldn’t be subjected to your OT non-sense as well but since I know you will read this and you have the latest MT, what was the 0 to 60 mph stats on the 04 Prius as tested? I have read about 10 seconds before the Prius was released, 10.5 seconds now that it has been released, John1701a has said his does the dash in 9.9 seconds w/ maximum pressed up tires, and someone said it will do something else? Great news about the 04’s braking distance. Those are world class numbers by any stretch.

    ___As for the SP III, why haven’t you graduated to the Pocket PC and any number of higher quality SW NAVI solutions including Mapopolis? Not only is it much less expensive, reroutes are completed in seconds, you gain adjustability of hundreds of features, your contacts and the addresses of those contacts are imported from Outlook, has Navtech based maps and POI’s that are not outdated (May of 03 in my case), it can hold your mileage or other excel spreadsheets, is a nice E-Book/MP3/Divx player when you are away from home, and can be updated with the click of a little button on a device called a mouse … I guess you spent more money then needed on a NAVI device without knowing the facts. For those not purchasing package #9 in your 04 Prius, a Pocket PC based NAVI solution works excellent. I use a Panavise mount, an HP iPAQ 2215, Mapopolis, and an i.Trek mouse based receiver all hidden with the actual receiver opposite the rain sensor in the MDX. In the Corolla, I use a Casseopia w/ an i.Trek CF based GPS receiver. It will get you to where you want to go with voice guidance far better then any Atlas or local map as anyone that has used a HQ OEM based NAVI solution will attest. I highly recommend one to all Prius owners even as a safety device because on a trip, you really don’t want to get lost in a shadier side of town if you know what I mean.

    ___Leeear, the 01-03 Prius had some rather high dB output in comparison to the Camry/Corolla contingent irregardless of stealth at hwy speeds (almost twice as loud). Today’s Toyota engines aren’t audible when driving down the road except under heavy acceleration and with the new 04, I would have to say they improved upon this shortcoming. The Camry’s 68 dB at hwy cruise is really a breath of fresh air compared to my 70 dB and the older Prius’ 73 dB anyway.

    ___John1701a, you brought up acceleration of the Matrix and then said no one wanted to speak of it? So you asked, I provided what I could and then you tell us it’s OT?

    ___Good Luck

    ___Wayne R. Gerdes
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    No one will drive their Prius from a stand still to 60 in < 11 seconds anyway given it isn&#146;t needed?

    I agree, that kind of acceleration is rarely needed--but since you took a lot of trouble to collect all the 0-60 data, I thought maybe it was important to you.

    As long as we're discussing 0-60 times, let's give the Prius its due. Two different drivers have reported here sub-10 second 0-60 times on brand-new Priuses. I'm sure they didn't use the same techniques the folks at, say, C/D use to get maximum acceleration out of test cars, as those are pretty hard on cars (e.g., rev the engines with the brakes on and then squeal away). So it will be interesting to see what those pros can squeeze out of a Prius, but not as interesting to me as what real-world drivers can get with less aggressive techniques. The Consumer Reports times will be interesting too, since they aren't as aggressive on their acceleration tests as the car mags are.

    As for posting the Corvette times, I did that for two reasons: first because someone was actually thinking about moving from a Corvette to a Prius, and second to point out that there's lots of cars that are way quicker than the Prius. But as you pointed out very well, that kind of acceleration isn't needed in the real world--yet I think some people "feel the need for speed." They won't be impressed by the Prius.

    I was really more interested in the braking performance that djasonw reported from MT. (BTW djasonw, you might want to use your scroll down key if you haven't already, this goes on awhile longer ;-) ) The MT test corroborates the short emergency braking distance I experienced first-hand the other night. To me, excellent stopping ability is more important in the real world than blistering 0-60 times.

    As for the noise level of the Camry vs. Prius, I can see how the Camry would be rated quieter overall, especially if the Camry was a V6 (I tried the link but it came up as a blank page for me). The Prius is silent while on electric power and quiet when cruising on the highway, but the little 1.5L four is pretty raucous when going all-out. So if the noise test looked at maximum decibels and not some sort of average, it makes a lot of sense that the Camry is rated quieter. When I get my Prius, I'll try not to floor it in residential areas. ;-)

    P.S. The Autosite page xcel referenced has a typo (even the pros make mistakes sometimes). I looked at the original article in MT and it says on p. 76 the ECHO they tested has a 4-speed automatic and went from 0-60 in 10.0 seconds.
  • little_pogilittle_pogi Member Posts: 149
    features is really cool, if you can make it to work. To turn on the "bluetooth" feature on the Prius, go to your Navigation System Owner's Manual (page 110) and follow the instructions. I do have the 2 Sony Ericsson T616 with different numbers and both did work. The system recognizes the phone even though it is still in someone's else pocket sitting at the back.

    The system is not full duplex. Both you and the other party cannot talk at the same time like your regular speakerphone. Audio quality is very good if your in a good reception location. The touch screen deal pads is temporarily disabled if the car is moving. Once you stop, say in a traffic red light, you can use the dial pad. You can receive phone calls even when the car is running by pressing the "lift handset" button on your steering wheel.

    Take note that the "bluetooth" feature on the phone uses more battery juice. Your stand by minutes may be shorten.
  • xcelxcel Member Posts: 1,025
    Hi Backy:

    ___Thanks for the refreshing post … I tried to come up with all the 0 to 60 times for a number of Toyota&#146;s because as mentioned above, John1701a said that the Matrix not only accelerated slower but that no one was comparing it to the 04 Prius. I only wish I could have found the XR w/ Auto&#146;s times. I am glad you went back to the Echo&#146;s performance data linked from Autosite. The 0 to 60 run matched what I posted. I only wish they didn&#146;t typo the CVT/ECT item. You used to own an Echo, didn&#146;t you?

    ___As for the car magazines 0 to 60 times, this is the only way a comparison can be done. I believe MT, C&D, R&T etc. will have little to no variance in their 0 to 60 blasts from vehicle to vehicle and year to year whereas many here that have never done 0 to 60 blasts without scrutiny will have numbers all over the map as has been shown in this thread alone. Who do you believe? Someone that received 9.9 seconds with 44 #&#146;s in the tires to 60 under whatever conditions with a stop watch in one hand possibly or Autosite&#146;s car magazine gathering data capability across a range of Toyota&#146;s from a range of professional car magazines over any number of recent years? The one item I don&#146;t trust from the professional car magazines is there fuel economy data. They never come close to the EPA estimates in the Economy cars and Hybrid&#146;s in particular. It appears that they just don&#146;t know how to drive them to maximize fuel economy is all.
    It more then likely shows they are beating the H311 out of their test vehicles during their tests which is unfortunate given no one will drive an economy car or any car for that matter like that.

    ___Good Luck

    ___Wayne R. Gerdes
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Prius doesn't feel underpowered, that's what is important. Torque is strong from idle, with 295 lb-ft from the motor alone.

    At low rpm, it feels stronger then any other 4-banger Toyota. At high rpm, only the Matrix XRS carries a significant advantage.

    And then ask yourself, how much time do you spend above 4000 rpm in normal driving? Probably not much.

    For daily driving, low revs, Prius compares favorably to any of those cars.

    -juice
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    And then ask yourself, how much time do you spend above 4000 rpm in normal driving? Probably not much.

    As little as possible! Actually, I usually keep the revs on my Elantra under 3000, which is possible because the torque is strong. If I did 4000 rpms in my minivan, it would probably say, "Hey, cut it out!"

    Yes, safe performance is what I'm looking for in a family car, and I believe the Prius delivers that. If it were too slow to get out of its own way, that would be another thing.

    As for the auto mags driving the h*ll out of cars--well sure, that's what we pay them to do for us, so we can all live vicariously from their experience! And I don't think they give a hoot about maximizing fuel economy. But it's interesting I think that even the testers at CR don't seem to know how to drive a car to maximize fuel economy, at least not in city and mixed driving. Their highway numbers are usually pretty good, but nowhere close to what I can get on the same cars in city/mixed driving.

    And no, I never owned an ECHO. It's a good little car but a little small for my needs right now, and IMO not a good value loaded up with popular options.
  • gscheil1gscheil1 Member Posts: 72
    Michael, I would like to correspond directly with you about Bluetooth. You can get my address in my profile. Thanks!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Just got my January Car & Driver (even though it's not quite December) and see that C/D named the Prius one of its 10Best for 2004. One quote:

    There's more to automotive enthusiasm than drag-strip performance and race-track times. Although most of the cars on our 10Best list reward and encourage spirited acceleration and handling, this one makes a game out of fuel efficiency. And--surprise!--the game is fun.

    The brief article also mentions a 0-60 time of 11.3 seconds. C'mon, C/D--you can do better than that! Or maybe they were too busy watching the screen, trying to see who could get the best mpg. ;-)
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    And--surprise!--the game is fun.

    Those posting on the "up to the chore" topic would be furious by that quote. To them, acceleration & handling is all that matters... and they've used C&D in their defensive many times. Now the tables have turned!

    I told them that someday "enthusiast" would also apply to fuel efficiency. Ha!

    JOHN
  • djasonwdjasonw Member Posts: 624
    Who the heck cares? I have nearly 2000 miles of real world driving and have never had a situation where I felt underpowered. The car always seems like it is has instantaneous torque when I need it. Braking performance is MUCH more important to me than 0-60 times. Sorry folks... my scroll key is getting worn scrolling past the mindless posts of Corolla lover. Oh... in case anyone is interested, someone over on Yahoo did some 0-60 times with a g-tech and consistently got between 9.6-10.1. FYI... my second car a Jeep Liberty goes 0-60 in low 10's and does not have anywhere close to the feeling of torque when passing at 40-70. This is exciting since this is just the beginning of what we can expect from hybrids.
  • footiefootie Member Posts: 636
    Like how often is 0 - 60 relevant to anything in modern traffic? How many miles do you travel in the 0 - 60, "gotta get there quick" mode. My guess would be about .01% of the total miles you travel. Duh? (I'm sure I'll get the emergency performance argument from someone about the oncoming train.)

    0 to 35 or 30 to 55 --- there's a couple of numbers that real people driving real streets in the real world can relate to.. and there torque matters.

    There's much more to the hybrid story than the green aspects and I think it scares the heck out of the horsepower crowd.

    Imagine a car with econocar busting gas mileage, outstanding traffic performance, great equipment and options, good handling and safety and rock solid reliability.

    I think we're there now.
  • xcelxcel Member Posts: 1,025
    Hi John1701a:

    > Those posting on the "up to the chore" topic would be furious by that quote.

    ___I don&#146;t think that at all but I know a few that will ;) The Game Gauge in the MDX and the FCD in the Insight are a heck of a lot more fun then 0 to 60 but you should never disregard 0 to 60. With the 0 to 60 numbers out, I saw Consumer Guide tested their 04 Prius at 10.5 seconds in their 0 to 60 measured run Pre/Post-release so the 04 Prius is still the slowest to 60 of the Echo, Corolla, and Camry. As a counter point, who cares … I was very happy to hear of the 114 ft. - 60 to 0 with the GoodYear Integrity&#146;s that Backy provided however.

    ___Djasonw, so you are a mindless jeep lover? It&#146;s too bad you never took a glance at the JD Power Initial Quality Survey&#146;s or the NHTSA/IIHS crash tests over the last few years. You might have made a more educated and safer automobile decision then to drive what you are driving currently. I don&#146;t love my Corolla as you love your Prius and seriously shopped the Civic LX, and Ford Focus but at least I weighed the facts before I purchased unlike when you purchased the 04 sight unseen with no repeatable performance or otherwise reviews/tests to verify anything. New and Used car salesmen/woman love it when an individual like yourself walks through their door because they don&#146;t have to do anything to steal your money. You mentioned the 30 to 50 type numbers as well. When looking over past performance numbers of all the Hybrid&#146;s including the 01-03 Prius, HCH, and Insight CVT and 5 Speed, they got trounced in that category as well. I can only hope the 04 Improved or it&#146;s not worth mentioning as a positive.

    > Imagine a car with econocar busting gas mileage, outstanding traffic performance, great equipment and options, good handling and safety and rock solid reliability.

    ___That sounds just like the Toyota Corolla LE for ~ $15,000 loaded up? You know, relatively quiet at hwy cruise, 43.5 mpg on the hwy with 20 to 50 degree temps, 5 star crash ratings, much less expensive compared to the Hybrid powered Prius loaded or otherwise. I just cannot fathom someone trading in a perfectly running 01 Prius for an 04 and paying $17,000 + the car? That is more then I paid for my car out the door including tax!

    ___Backy, did the 04 Prius review have any dB measurements at 50, 60, and 70 mph? I am interested in those numbers as well.

    ___Good Luck

    ___Wayne R. Gerdes
  • civicwcivicw Member Posts: 135
    I'm looking forward to reading more from Prius owners on what they like/dislike about their car, rather than debates about saving fractions of a second or the Corolla (I could fall asleep driving with its numb steering).

    Personally, I find the Prius styling to be a refreshing change among a sea of bloated Camcords and 300 hp SUVs. The Prius is the kind of car that I'd expect from Honda, unfortunately Honda must have their design center in Dullsville.
  • xcelxcel Member Posts: 1,025
    Hi Civicw:

    ___From the Consumer Guide 04 Prius review:

    Steering/Handling/Braking:

    &#147;Steady, predictable, but twisty-road hustling betrays early marked body lean and limited grip from skinny mpg-oriented tires. Tight turning circle a help in parking lots. Crosswind stability seems much improved over prior Prius. Electric steering feels a bit light and artificial. Stopping power okay, but brake-pedal feel heavy and dull.&#148;

    Quietness:

    &#147;Better isolated from all noise sources than previous Prius, and at least a match for Civic Hybrid. Toyota's engine still gruffer than Honda's, especially at full throttle, but revs smoothly.&#148;

    Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front):

    &#147;Head room adequate for lanky 6-footers, but maybe not rearward seat travel. Low dashtop, tallish windows lend spacious feel. Seats nothing special for shape or support. High tail, downsloped rear window impede driver vision behind, but not seriously.&#148;

    Room/Comfort (rear):

    &#147;Bench seat set low and is just economy-class comfortable, but leg space rivals that of Toyota's roomy Camry sedan. Sloped roofline leaves an inch or so of head clearance for 6-footers. No-strain entry/exit, as in front.&#148;

    Value within Class:

    &#147;The '04 Prius leapfrogs the rival Civic Hybrid for room and performance, and is competitive in fuel economy. But both are still high-tech alternatives to regular economy sedans, with higher initial cost that will take years to recoup in fuel savings. That's true even with the one-time $2000 federal tax deduction for buyers of hybrid vehicles. But full credit to Toyota for making its "green machine" a noticeably more mature, pleasant, and useful all-round family car without raising the price.&#148;

    ___Does that help?

    ___Good Luck

    ___Wayne R. Gerdes
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    You must be thinking of another post on the stopping distance--I didn't post any stopping numbers. I just talked about my own experience with stopping the car in a simulated "emergency stop" maneuver.

    The C/D 10Best article I saw today gave only a very short synopsis of each car and didn't cover things like interior noise levels.

    ... but at least I weighed the facts before I purchased unlike when you purchased the 04 sight unseen with no repeatable performance or otherwise reviews/tests to verify anything.

    Yes... kind of like I did when I bought the redesigned '01 Elantra in October 2000, before there were any reviews/tests out on it. Stupid me! I bought it based solely on my opinion of the car, and based on research related to but not specific to the car. I've been very happy with it. But since you are obviously much smarter than I am, I won't bore you with further conversation. Goodbye, sir, and good luck to you.
  • xcelxcel Member Posts: 1,025
    Hi Backy:

    ___I did the same with a Pre-owned 85 Mekur XR4Ti almost 15 years ago … That was the last car I ever owned without doing some research …

    ___As for being smart, you are speaking with the wrong guy. Just an average Joe car enthusiast. Facts and figures are very dear to me as you can tell however.

    ___Djasnow, you mentioned 125 ft. 60 to 0 and footie mentioned the 30 to 50, sorry.

    ___Good Luck

    ___Wayne R. Gerdes
  • ramesh_meeraramesh_meera Member Posts: 1
    Is it true that there is a no-haggle pricing strategy on the Prius (similar to Saturn and Scion)? Our dealer in San Jose (C.T.) claims that nobody in the country is offering any discounts (whatsoever).

    Also, is there a way to track an order after we've placed a $500 deposit?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Good point, backy. I think many of the other Toyotas need revs because they lack torque on the low end, particularly the Matrix.

    Prius is sort of the opposite, more relaxed and very functional.

    These articles are overlooking some very, very important benefits of a hybrid:

    * range (not just mileage, range!)
    * HOV access (pass Vipers at rush hour)
    * total silence at "idle" is very luxurious
    * no sales tax, at least in MD, saves you 5% up front

    To me these are all significant, perhaps more so than pure fuel efficiency numbers.

    -juice
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I wish some other states--like Minnesota--were as "enlightened" about hybrids as Maryland is! HOV access and no sales tax--those are huge benefits! Then there's the states that have the tax credits for hybrids. I wonder how long those kind of benefits will stay around, however. I read an article in today's Star Tribune about all the hybrid models planned by Toyota, Ford, GM, DC, and Honda by 2008--many of them in the next year or two. That would be a lot of tax credits, sales tax relief, and cars and trucks on the HOV lanes!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Seriously, all these articles fixate on a $2000 tax deduction that will at most amount to $800.

    At $24k, you're saving $1200 in MD up front, no waiting for April 15th.

    Locally, they are considering closing off some roads, like Rock Creek Parkway, I wish they'd make them HOV or hybrid only instead.

    -juice
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Ah, the things some salespeople will say! It is absolutely not true that no one in the country is offering any discounts on the Prius. My experience is that very few dealers in my area (Twin Cities) are offering discounts, because they can sell all they want for MSRP and have order backlogs for several months. I did find two dealers in my area who offer, or offered discounts of $500 off MSRP. One dealer recently stopped that practice. The other continues to offer $500 off each Prius, a flat discount, as part of their "no negotiating" policy at the dealership. (That policy applies to all cars sold at the dealership, not just Priuses.) Guess where I ordered my Prius? ;-) There are also a few dealers around the country selling Priuses on eBay, and the starting prices for some of them are below MSRP. So in a way you could consider those dealers offering to sell the cars at a discount--whether the bids go above MSRP is another story.

    As for tracking orders, I don't know how to track them myself but my dealer has a tracking sheet and knows exactly where my order stands, and all I need to do is call or email my sales rep and ask him where I am, whenever I want. I'll probably do that once a month until the delivery date comes nearer.
  • djg1701djg1701 Member Posts: 2
    Where would I go online and what do I do to check the "online inventory" of a region? I am awaiting a Red Salsa BC in New England.
    Thanks.

    > Anyone shopping for a Prius in the SET zone should check online
    > inventory to get the lowdown on which cars have what. The last 4
    > digits of the VIN are given.
  • xcelxcel Member Posts: 1,025
    Hi All:

    ___For the Coloradoan&#146;s amongst us, the Prius is a steal … We are speaking of a $2,600 tax CREDIT against ones Colorado State Income tax + the Federal $2,000 deduction ($560 to $620 off for most).

    http://www.revenue.state.co.us/fyi/html/income09.html

    ___Good Luck

    ___Wayne R. Gerdes
  • footiefootie Member Posts: 636
    The bad news is that you can't check the regional inventory in New England...

    The good news is that that there's NO mammoth distributor in New England like there is in the Southeast and Gulf States. (That's good news because the market here is competitive on a dealership by dealership basis and the Toyotas don't come loaded with gimmicky 'port' options like they do in the SE.)

    The big distributors are the ones that put up the regional inventory and make it available through the individual dealerships.

    Here in New England, you need to develop a contact at a Toyota dealership. They can look up regional inventory and scheduled delivery on their computer system.

    You can also shop outside of New England. The Baltimore and Washington Toyota market is very competitive and not controlled by a family distributorship like the entire SouthEast.
  • johntprjohntpr Member Posts: 2
    I've been told by my dealer in NY that Toyota is only shipping option package # 6 and #9 equipped Prius' for the next couple of months. I was looking for a silver Prius with package # 7. Has anyone else heard this in this region, and can anyone recommend a dealer in this area that understands these cars. I live in Rockland County, NY. Has anyone been able to purchase a silver #7 in another region?
  • footiefootie Member Posts: 636
    Seeger Toyota in St. Louis has 1 pkg 7 Prius - Salsa Red - $22625.

    Fusz Toyota in St. Louis has 3 pkg 7 Prius - 2 Pearl and 1 Red.

    I didn't look beyond these two dealers, but if you look around in the midwest ( above TX and OK) perhaps you can find one in Silver.

    Good shopping.
  • alster2alster2 Member Posts: 12
    Just curious if anyone with the 04 or 03 Prius has used the new 100% synethic
    motor oils, in particular Mobil 1 (0-20). Also max tire pressure 44 psi to see
    if there is a substanial miles per gallon increase. I know with my 94 Honda Civic VX I
    picked up about 2 MPG by going to Mobil 1 (0-30) weight.

    Alster 2
  • eheadingeheading Member Posts: 26
    I too would be interested in the results of anyone using synthetic oil. I use Mobil 1 in all my vehicles (including a diesel motorhome) EXCEPT our '03 Prius. The only reason I haven't used it in that is that the Toyota dealer is paying for all the oil and filter changes, and they use regular oil. If there were some substantial fuel economy improvement I'd reconsider.

    By the way I recently calculated the overall fuel economy in my '03 Prius to date. At 5400 miles, I've averaged over the total, just about 48.5 mpg. I am very pleased!

    Ed Headington
  • xcelxcel Member Posts: 1,025
    Hi Alster2:

    ___John1701a did exactly that but he&#146;s driving right into the heart of late fall/early winter MN. temperatures with a vehicle that is not even close to broken in yet. He may not see much of an improvement until the automobile sees 5 to 20,000 miles and it warms up above 50 degrees or so. Running maximum pressures in higher mileage Toyota&#146;s has left their owners without a loss (actually a gain) in mileage through this cold period and I would suspect the same with a Prius after they have truly been broke in.

    ___Another small suggestion although I do not have any firm evidence that it is true or not … Listening to the banter over on Bobistheoilguy forums, many believe you should run the break in dino oil until at least the first oil change at the OEM recommended mileage. It will help with the break in process. According to many over there, Mobil1, Amsoil (uses Mobil1 base Stock), or Redline are actually too good to make sure the initial break in process has advanced to a point where Mobil1/Amsoil/Redline or whatever else will give you its great long life wear properties. Again, this is only commentary coming from the key boards of many automobile maintenance enthusiasts that hang around over at that site.

    ___Another 04 Prius - Full review … http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2310.shtml

    ___Good Luck

    ___Wayne R. Gerdes
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    I am thinking of getting one versus a Camry or Accord purchase. And my friend wants a Prius before Christmas. What is the fastest possible way to get a Prius? I have seen the listings on eBay and one of them has been bid out to $31K (too much $$) the other one is more reasonable, to sticker price, which is $22,765 and the third one doesn't tell me the equipment level but it is at $19,000, and if the equipment is good on that one, I may call my friend and tell him to bid on it. Or, should I tell him to just go down to the dealer and try to locate a Prius that will be on the lot before Christmas?
  • xcelxcel Member Posts: 1,025
    Hi Jcahn2:

    ___Have you viewed the Toyota Prius: Prices Paid and Buying Experience thread? The last few posts had some leads for new purchases in the lower Midwest if that helps …

    ___Good Luck

    ___Wayne R. Gerdes
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    a Prius that I can get before Christmas. What should I do? Go to eBay? Visit my local dealer and see what the incoming inventory is? I'm flexible with 4 colors and 4 option packages, giving a total of 16 possible combinations, which is a pretty good chance of locating one. And I want whatever discount I can get, alothough if I am offered a smaller discount in return for an earlier delivery date, then I'll pick the earlier delivery date and not the larger discount.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    A caution about posting your email address on these pages--it can be stripped off and used for spamming. It's safer to put your email address into your Town Hall profile, mark the address public, and then just refer people to that.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    One sure way to get a Prius before Christmas is to buy it on eBay for the "buy it now" price. That means you'll likely pay over MSRP. Another option is, do you live near a rural area? One theory is that Priuses are not as popular in rural areas as in cities, and you might find a dealer with a Prius they want to unload. I've heard that every Toyota dealer got at least one Prius. You could call all the small-town dealers around you--depends on how far you're willing to travel to get the car.

    As for discounts... given that you want a Prius in the next three weeks, I think you will be very lucky to pay just MSRP for it.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    There's no law about using one's spare time to contribute a lot to particular Town Hall boards. If you want to see some people with a lot of time on their hands, check out the Mazda3 board--or practically any Mazda board for that matter. Edumunds.com has to buy entire disk farms just for those folks. ;-)

    But of course, you can use the handy "page down" key to move through any posts that aren't worth your time.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    I bought a bluetooth enabled phone just yesterday (a Sony Ericsson T610). It isn't even activated yet. But once I get it up & running, I'll be able to help out.

    Here's the short & sweet instructions for that particular phone:

    1) Select "Add Phone" button in the "Settings" menu on the Multi-Display.

    2) Select "Connectivity", then "Bluetooth", then "My Devices", then "New Device" on the phone.

    3) Enter the passcode when prompted. (On T610, the default is "1212").

    4) Select "My Devices", then "Hands Free" on the phone.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    I've done that TWICE!

    Both with my 2001 Prius (44/42 PSI & 5W-30 Castrol Syntec) and with my 2004 Prius (44/42 PSI & 5W-30 Mobil 1).

    The gain of several MPG is pretty obvious. With the 2001, I maintained 50 MPG all throughout last summer. That was pretty sweet! And the tires weren't even LRR, they were just oridinary Goodyears.

    JOHN
  • djs2004djs2004 Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone have any suggestions/recommendations for reliable dealerships with inventory? I live in central VA but I'm willing to drive north if needed. Are all of the Prius colors and packages on back order? Any suggestions re. inventory, pricing and options would be appreciated. Thanks!
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    I did find a Tideland Pearl Prius on eBay apparently with no "Buy it Now" price. I'm considering..... But I better think fast as the auction ends in 2 days. I may just pass it and find a rural dealer maybe 40 miles away and try to locate a Prius.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    The Prius is probably going to go to my friend, who wants a Prius before Christmas, whereas I can wait it out till April or May when prices fall slightly.
  • SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
    ok folks - if you aren't fond of someone's posts, don't respond to them and just carry on. What may be worthless to you may be exactly the answer someone else is looking for.

    This is an extremely popular topic with many view points. Agree to disagree, be civil, etc.
  • funpilotfunpilot Member Posts: 66
    Now have over 2000 miles and my overall average mpg is 52.1, including many miles at 65 miles per hour. My high for a tank was 56, my low was about 48 ( all stop and go real city mileage.) You cannot drive this car like any other car and expect to get that mileage. You need to learn when to let the car coast, how to go up hills and not burn gas to the extreme, etc. It is already instinctive to me and I do not have to look at the bars for reinforcement.
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