Both cars will get great mileage, but if it's utility you're after, the Prius hatch with its large cargo space is the sure winner, but if you want good looks, the new Civic Hybrid kills the Prius. I'm still having trouble making the choice between the two.
The new '06's will have slightly different content but there will still be the same general pckges 2-4-6 plus a #7 w/ leather. I'm guessing that all pckges will be higher in 06 than 05... but as stated above.. if you dont wait too long in '06 you might be able to get 5 times the tax benefit as you would have in 05.
I am very concerned with the POOR side impact rating for them
You better check the NHTSA report on the Prius again. The Elantra scored better than the Prius. The Elantra got a 5 star side impact while the Prius got only 4 star. Too bad Toyota does not make the side impact airbags standard equipment like most companies do.
You are WRONG. The site I received the information from is IIHS.ORG and the Elantra did POORLY. They have NOT done the Prius yet. Elantra does well on frontal impact. Prius did EXTREMELY well in the European tests. Too bad GMC does not make side impact standard as well. But that's another story.
NOTE: 2001 MY. Not sure when they changed it. You get what ya pay for. Nice to sww how well the Prius structure held up. Those Toyota engineers are really good at what they do.
The site I received the information from is IIHS.ORG and the Elantra did POORLY
The NHTSA crash tests rate the Elantra better than the Prius. If when the Prius is tested by the IIHS, it were to get a poor rating, would you still buy one?
The Prius built for the EU is superior in more ways than just having side airbags standard. They also have rear disk brakes. I guess the US drivers are not as discriminating on braking and handling as the Europeans.
I am not sure why you feel the need to slam every other vehicle besides the Prius. If it is as good as you believe it should stand on it's own merits. It is smart to compare vehicles when you are shopping cars. Not everyone has the same taste or needs.
The Prius received a 5star safety rating. What's your point? The Prius will do VERY well once the IIHS tests it. I believe THAT test is more reality than head on. Would I still buy it if it rated poorly? Probably not. If the tests come out after I buy it and it's bad news, Prius gets sold..end of story. I'll take the gamble. BTW.. NOT trashing the Elantra. Read the thread and you'll know why it's mentioned. One more thing, I owned a 1999 Elantra and it was GREAT basic transportation. That's all it is.
gag.. you are really trying to grasp for something on this one: NHTSB ....... Prius ....... Elantra Front Dr........ 5 stars ...... 5 stars Front Pass.... 4 stars ...... 4 stars Side Dr......... 4 stars ...... 5 stars Side Pass.... 4 stars ...... 4 stars Much safer..Wow.. However you might think further:
The NHTSB board is not the primary reference point for crash test worthiness. If you ask any insurance agent or company it's the IIHS. The IIHS tests are more difficult and do in fact effect the market. When you see someone on Good Morning America or on Dateline its the IIHS trying to educate the US consumer.
The IIHS is funded by the insurance companies themselves who actually pay claims for loss and for death. The want the public to drive in the safest vehicles so that they don't have to pay claims. It's based on the IIHS data that insurance companies will give a lower premium to a Camry than to a Cavalier all other thing being equal.
The IIHS has not tested the Prius as yet. But the Prius has been test in Europe with the same test as the IIHS which is more difficult than the NHTSB. The Prius w/ S+C/AB also comes with VSC. Does the Elantra, NO!. Again refer to the IIHS about VSC. It's prolly just as critical as AB just in a different way.
Also according to Edmunds you cant get Curtain A/B on an Elantra!!!.. If so this is a MAJOR omission.. it's the Curtain A/B that save lives. again refer to the IIHS.
Based on that I'd remove the Elantra from my thinking.. hell you can get Curtain A/B on a Corolla.
Good post which certainly clears the air. The IIHS is really the tests that are tough for some manufacturers to beat. I am quite certain the Prius will come out on top once its tested. I've also viewed side and offset tests in videos (I'll post links when I find them). Those are quite impressive as well. The Prius truly is an amazing vehicle in every respect.
Since people seem to be fixated on the Elantra here on this Prius discussion, a couple of things:
* The Elantra was tweaked for the '04 MY. It got a Good score on the IIHS frontal offset crash test, vs. Poor for the '01 MY. The European crash tests refereced earlier were on the '01 MY. The '04 Elantra did get a Poor score on the IIHS side impact tests, as did all but two other cars in its class (Corolla and Cobalt)--both of which were equipped with optional side curtains. So the side curtains do help. It does show that a good score on the NHTSA tests is no guarantee of a good score on the IIHS tests.
* The '07 Elantra will be a total redesign and will have ABS, side bags and side curtains standard, as does every new Hyundai starting with the '05 Tucson.
* The '07 Elantra will be a total redesign and will have ABS, side bags and side curtains standard, as does every new Hyundai starting with the '05 Tucson.
As indicated in the Fusion,Accord,Camry,Sonata thread the Koreans are coming on and others should be concerned. If as backy says all the above is standard on the '07's and later models that is a big step forward at that time.
It's actually with all new designs, starting with the '05 Tucson as I said. So that includes the Tucson, '06 Sonata, '06 Accent, '06 Azera, and next year the new Santa Fe and Elantra. Of particular interest to Prius/hybrid fans, next fall Hyundai will offer its first hybrid, the Accent. Will be interesting to see how that hybrid compares to the Prius--may not be a 5-door.
I grew up and drove for 30 yrs in the NE. VSC is the best advancement since front A/B's. In Europe now the Insurance group there recommends to buyers that only vehicles with Stability Control should be purchased in the future. Never buy a vehicle without it. The IIHS here is close to recommending the same here I believe.
For the NE the Prius is front wheel drive ( good already ) with ABS ( better ) but with Pkge 4 you get VSC and side/curtain A/B ( that seals it ). It will be the same or better than a top of the line 4c Camry or Accord.
The adversisted in the paper that they had a 2006 Prius for immediate delivery Fred Haas. They said we didn't avertise that ,but they couldn't produce the add in the paper; they had conviently thrown it away. The tried to tell me it said available for ordering; bull roar!
I went there they didn't have one, but a deal had fallen through on a 2005 Prius and I test drove it, Burgundy option package #5. It was very nice and I must say I was impressed. The acceleration was fine, JBL stero was nice, really liked the fit an finish and the hatchback utility, air conditioner was great even with the car stopped running off the battery. The dispaly panel provided a lot of information and it was better than I thought it would be. It had the Toyota Opotion C care package ( 3 years roadside assistance, etc) for $900 which is a waste of money. I could have bought the car that day, buton ly too problems: (1) my trade-in was valued about $2,000 less than I thought it should be and (2) they wanted $2,000 over MSRP. Before I left they dropped $1,000 but still not deal. I maight have to live with the lower trade-in vlaue.
Again , It was a very nice car. You will love your car. If I were to get one, which is still a possibilitiy, I would get the 2006 with option package #6, everything but NAV and leather.
Cheers,
MidCow
P.S.- Now I only drove it about 2 miles (it had 6 miles already on the odometer)and I accelerated to see what it would do. It didn't warm up and the battery wasn't fully charged. I didn't reset the fuel computer and it was starting to climb when I came back to the dealer, but the mpg displayed was only 24.1 Even in my short test I would have expected higher, oh well!
Falcone winter driving. You are right if you put snow tires on you do much better, And the other thing to remember especailly with a FWD car like a Prius, you also have to put them on all wheels, not just the drive wheels ( but with your A4 it was proabably Quartro).
No snow no more for me,
MidCow
P.S.- We did get a really wierd dusting of snow last Chirstmas eve :0
Thanks for the info. Didn't know the 06s were even out yet. I was told late Nov. Waiting for early Jan delivery. I've driven the car many, many times (sister owns one). Love it!
Sorry I wasn't clearer NO you are right the 2006s are not out yet. The one I drove was a 2005 , they just had some incorrect/misleading advertising saying they had 2006s in stock. I think the late November is closer to being correct for the 2006s.
Hey, don't give up. Last year I had the same problem with the toyota dealer in Poway CA. Only they had my 500 deposit for 6 months before they tried to put the screws to me on the price. They wanted 3000 over and I said forget it. I ended up a great place in Corona (also I have heard good things about the dealership in Carlsbad), they didn't want a cent over invoice and in fact my general complaining got me a 700 rebate from Toyota Corp. My wait was 10 months because of my bad choice on my first dealership. About the mileage, if you do short trips on a cold start it isn't as good as you expect. And not only that, your acceleration tests add to the lesser mileage. After 1 year of driving my Prius, I know that I can get 50+ mpg but I need to work at it by keeping below 70, and driving more conservatively in general.
About the mileage, if you do short trips on a cold start it isn't as good as you expect. And not only that, your acceleration tests add to the lesser mileage. After 1 year of driving my Prius, I know that I can get 50+ mpg but I need to work at it by keeping below 70, and driving more conservatively in general.
perfect description of why there is variation in reported milage ratings.
I also think that associated with what you said above actual milage driven is a major factor for the very reasons that you mentioned. If one drives very aware of driving techniques to lower consumption - by necessity.
After Katrina, we decided to get a Prius. After looking at different dealerships we decided to order a 2005 package 4 with leather from Courvelle Toyota (Opelousas Louisiana, just north of Lafayette, LA) -- they quoted $25,000 which we felt was very fair. They were not sure how long it would take but it arrived within five weeks. It is a fantastic car and we love the leather. I learned a lot from these discussions and I just wanted to share our experience.
I'm wondering if people out there have advice for me. I want to buy a 2006 Prius (for pickup after 01/01/06 to get the tax credit). I want a package #1 but would also like leather seats. I'm not interested in all the other bells and whistles (except maybe an upgraded sound system). I've been calling the local dealers here in Seattle and found some just sleazy. So far, I'm on the waiting list at Seattle Toyota (they don't charge a deposit and say they charge MSRP, no haggling). I liked the dealer in Burien, but they charge a thousand dollar (refundable) deposit. This makes me nervous. They say the package #1s are far and few between, so I'm feeling like being on several wait lists is a good idea. Who has experience dealing with the different dealerships around Seattle? Got an advice? Also, when oh when will we find out what in fact the MSRPs for 2006 will be?
Package 1's will be VERY hard to find. If you really want leather, you way want to be more flexible and get aftermarket leather and a more expensive package than #1. (Maybe 2 or 3?). I have no idea why you'd want leather. It's cold in the winter and way too hot and sticky in the summer. They couldn't even give me leather. That's just me. Good luck.
Actually, I'm considering aftermarket leather in both my Prius'. Each has the light interior and it does unfortunately get dirty rather easily. And it's not particularly easy to clean. I saw on post on here about aftermarket leather and the guy in my area said it cost $1,700 - don't know how that compares to what others have paid.
There is a place that sells leather (katzen) or something similar to that name. Maybe do a google search on aftermarket leather. I received a nice brochure from them with color samples and actual swatches. They will also tell you where they have professional installers in your area. You should NOT pay over 800-900 for everything. They even have two tone if that's what you fancy. It REALLY is nice, but I just don't like leather (love the smell though!). I think they even have an option for electric seat heaters too. Just be careful it's done properly. You don't want to have an issue with jeopardizing the integrity of the side airbag deployment.
remember also that the 2006's packages will change as well. There where 9 packages for 2004 and 6 for 2005. The more flexible you are on the packages the easier it will be to get a car. Classic Soft Trim is a better company than Katzskin, as well for leather, have used both over a ten year period and had better feed back and service from Classic
I agree about not liking leather. I would rather spend $500 on fitted sheepskins. They are warm in the winter and cooler in the summer. They keep your original upholstery like new.
Wow, Edmunds let you say something bad about a dealer. I think you will find dealers tend to be very nice when the have a number of cars to sell you now and not so nice when there is a waiting list. The dealer you had a bad experience with was the opposite several months ago when he had 7 Prius cars on the lot, all available for immediate sale and delivery.
We have about 7500 miles on our 05. It runs fine, but the interior door side panels are not holding up well, the arm rests soil much too easily, and the nav system gets lost from time to time (on I-15 N near Poway and the nav system suddenly could not figure out the car was on I-15. Started giving instructions strange instructions, then said "stay on the road you are on." The whole time I was inching my way along in rush hour traffic, hardly moving. Nav confusion has happened a number of times and it frequently makes poor route choices. The nav unit is junk compared to the one in my Acura. The paint on the front bumper and hood is chip prone, but that seems to becoming more common with cars today. Still like the car enough to want a leather 06 in addition to my 05.
Still like the car enough to want a leather 06 in addition to my 05.
What do you like about the Prius that you would buy another one? Would you buy the new one with NAV? I remember when Poway Toyota had several Prii on the lot back in late June. I bought my GMC Sierra hybrid from the GMC dealer in Poway.
Thanks everyone for your ideas and opinions and the leather seats. I had thought of the seat cover idea as a money saver. Sheepskins are nice.
I know I need to be flexible regarding the package, so I'll let my dealer know I'd take a package 3 or even a 4 if I must, but I really can't fathom spending much more for technology I won't likely use. I checked the 2006 options and they have 8, maybe 9. No prices yet though.
Anyway, Anybody got feedback regarding who would be good to deal with in Seattle? What about Portland? Ebay? Thanks again
Where did you get the leather for $900? My 95 Prius is due to be delivered in a few days & I was quoted $1700 for leather at San Francisco Toyota, on Van Ness, in San Francisco. Incidentally, they also tell me we can get an aftermarket moonroof for about $1200, available around December.
My new 05 Prius should be ready to pick up in a week. The dealer is trying to sell me 3 extras- 1) Premium Prepaid maintenance for $995 2) Platinum Toyota Extra Care extended warranty, 7 years/75000 miles for $1645 3) XZILON exterior protection and interior fabric protector for $754, including tax.
Are any of these worth getting? My first inclination is that they are ripoffs but I'm not sure.
Depending on how long you want to keep the car, the warranty is a potential good thing, but not at that price. This ground has been covered here before. Do an internet search for the warranty, and you'll discover it can be had from some dealers for under $1000.
...when using sheepskins that the car, like most Toyotas, has the side airbags built into the front seats, no? This means you should only be covering the seating surfaces, not the side of the seats. There are sheepskin products out there that do that, but most are full covers that, unmodified, would make the airbags useless.
Very true, but I think manufacturers are aware of this and are modifying their products to accomodate the side airbags. Same with aftermarket leather. Excellent point.
All that stuff is virtually PURE profit for the greedy dealer. You can get the Toyota extended warranty for $985 through an actual dealer. There are some Prius forums that will show you a link.
Never put a seat cover on a seat that has side airbags built in. I have not seen any seat covers that say they have been designed for side airbags. The leather packages are specially designed for side airbags.
Not EXACTLY... the VSA ( 'Extended Warranty' ) goes to Toyota mostly. Its an insurance policy pure and simple. Toyota is the Insurer like Allstate, which also offers one. The dealer is the insurance agent.
Prepaid Maintenance? We stopped offering this several years ago when we started oil/filters free-for-length-of-ownership. But compare the cost of the prepaid program with pay-as-you-go. Most Toyota's dont need much maintenance anyway.
The Protection Packages are an individual thing. I dont. Some customers demand it. I wont form a judgement.
This is the reason I won't buy from an urban dealership. My dealership is in Scranton, PA (summer house in Poconos) and my family has been going there for years. NO BS. When my sister got her Prius there we had to ASK for the extended warranty (paid $985). I like their no pressure approach. When we walk in, and we want to take a test drive, they just give us the keys. I wish more dealers would be like this.
The Toyota nav unit has a bad habit of "forgetting" which road it guided you on to, and getting confused about the road you are actually on vs a parallel roadbed, frontage road, etc.
ALL navigation systems have that issue. My Garmin sometimes thinks I am on the Long Island Expressway, when in actuality, I am on the adjacent service road.
Hi gang, Just got my California HOV lane stickers (allowing single occupant to use speedo lanes). The stickers use the same adhesive as your annual renewal stickers do, which means you don't get a second chance if you don't put them on right. falconone- It is indeed refreshing to hear about a dealer who simply tosses you the keys for a test drive. Here in California (gas prices are dropping down to $2.60/gal from a high of over $3/gal) if you wish to take a test drive you must submit your driver's license for verification. They promptly photocopy it and by the time you return (with the salesman accompanying you) from your test drive, they've already pulled up a credit check on you and know how much you can afford !! I've recently started seeing 48-50 mpg using California gas by keeping the air pressures up to 42 front and 40 rear. Driving no more than 65 mph and avoiding short, cold trips. I have experienced the fabric coming loose on the console from where your fingers dig in to open the console. When I get my recall notice, I'll arrange to have that taken care of. It should be replaced because I've got less than 21k miles. Nav program- I know the Poway areas has a lot of hills and twisty roads and the GPS can get "confused". (By the way, Mt. Woodson is a terrific golf course to play, it's just tough to find) I always carry a coupla maps and an atlas at all times to be sure in strange areas. Thanks, Rich
Comments
What was it that you didnt want on Pckge 6?
The new '06's will have slightly different content but there will still be the same general pckges 2-4-6 plus a #7 w/ leather. I'm guessing that all pckges will be higher in 06 than 05... but as stated above.. if you dont wait too long in '06 you might be able to get 5 times the tax benefit as you would have in 05.
kdhspyder
You better check the NHTSA report on the Prius again. The Elantra scored better than the Prius. The Elantra got a 5 star side impact while the Prius got only 4 star. Too bad Toyota does not make the side impact airbags standard equipment like most companies do.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/index2.cfm?myYear=2005&myMake=Toyota&myModel=Pr- ius
http://www.euroncap.com/content/safety_ratings/details.php?id1=3&id2=193
Hyundai:
http://www.euroncap.com/content/safety_ratings/details.php?id1=3&id2=104
NOTE: 2001 MY. Not sure when they changed it. You get what ya pay for. Nice to sww how well the Prius structure held up. Those Toyota engineers are really good at what they do.
GO HYBRID!!!
The NHTSA crash tests rate the Elantra better than the Prius. If when the Prius is tested by the IIHS, it were to get a poor rating, would you still buy one?
The Prius built for the EU is superior in more ways than just having side airbags standard. They also have rear disk brakes. I guess the US drivers are not as discriminating on braking and handling as the Europeans.
I am not sure why you feel the need to slam every other vehicle besides the Prius. If it is as good as you believe it should stand on it's own merits. It is smart to compare vehicles when you are shopping cars. Not everyone has the same taste or needs.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/Index2.cfm
Just in case you were interested.
GO HYBRID!!
you are really trying to grasp for something on this one:
NHTSB ....... Prius ....... Elantra
Front Dr........ 5 stars ...... 5 stars
Front Pass.... 4 stars ...... 4 stars
Side Dr......... 4 stars ...... 5 stars
Side Pass.... 4 stars ...... 4 stars
Much safer..Wow.. However you might think further:
The NHTSB board is not the primary reference point for crash test worthiness. If you ask any insurance agent or company it's the IIHS. The IIHS tests are more difficult and do in fact effect the market. When you see someone on Good Morning America or on Dateline its the IIHS trying to educate the US consumer.
The IIHS is funded by the insurance companies themselves who actually pay claims for loss and for death. The want the public to drive in the safest vehicles so that they don't have to pay claims. It's based on the IIHS data that insurance companies will give a lower premium to a Camry than to a Cavalier all other thing being equal.
The IIHS has not tested the Prius as yet. But the Prius has been test in Europe with the same test as the IIHS which is more difficult than the NHTSB. The Prius w/ S+C/AB also comes with VSC. Does the Elantra, NO!. Again refer to the IIHS about VSC. It's prolly just as critical as AB just in a different way.
Also according to Edmunds you cant get Curtain A/B on an Elantra!!!.. If so this is a MAJOR omission.. it's the Curtain A/B that save lives. again refer to the IIHS.
Based on that I'd remove the Elantra from my thinking.. hell you can get Curtain A/B on a Corolla.
kdhspyder
* The Elantra was tweaked for the '04 MY. It got a Good score on the IIHS frontal offset crash test, vs. Poor for the '01 MY. The European crash tests refereced earlier were on the '01 MY. The '04 Elantra did get a Poor score on the IIHS side impact tests, as did all but two other cars in its class (Corolla and Cobalt)--both of which were equipped with optional side curtains. So the side curtains do help. It does show that a good score on the NHTSA tests is no guarantee of a good score on the IIHS tests.
* The '07 Elantra will be a total redesign and will have ABS, side bags and side curtains standard, as does every new Hyundai starting with the '05 Tucson.
As indicated in the Fusion,Accord,Camry,Sonata thread the Koreans are coming on and others should be concerned. If as backy says all the above is standard on the '07's and later models that is a big step forward at that time.
I grew up and drove for 30 yrs in the NE. VSC is the best advancement since front A/B's. In Europe now the Insurance group there recommends to buyers that only vehicles with Stability Control should be purchased in the future. Never buy a vehicle without it. The IIHS here is close to recommending the same here I believe.
For the NE the Prius is front wheel drive ( good already ) with ABS ( better ) but with Pkge 4 you get VSC and side/curtain A/B ( that seals it ). It will be the same or better than a top of the line 4c Camry or Accord.
The adversisted in the paper that they had a 2006 Prius for immediate delivery Fred Haas. They said we didn't avertise that ,but they couldn't produce the add in the paper; they had conviently thrown it away. The tried to tell me it said available for ordering; bull roar!
I went there they didn't have one, but a deal had fallen through on a 2005 Prius and I test drove it, Burgundy option package #5. It was very nice and I must say I was impressed. The acceleration was fine, JBL stero was nice, really liked the fit an finish and the hatchback utility, air conditioner was great even with the car stopped running off the battery. The dispaly panel provided a lot of information and it was better than I thought it would be. It had the Toyota Opotion C care package ( 3 years roadside assistance, etc) for $900 which is a waste of money. I could have bought the car that day, buton ly too problems: (1) my trade-in was valued about $2,000 less than I thought it should be and (2) they wanted $2,000 over MSRP. Before I left they dropped $1,000 but still not deal. I maight have to live with the lower trade-in vlaue.
Again , It was a very nice car. You will love your car. If I were to get one, which is still a possibilitiy, I would get the 2006 with option package #6, everything but NAV and leather.
Cheers,
MidCow
P.S.- Now I only drove it about 2 miles (it had 6 miles already on the odometer)and I accelerated to see what it would do. It didn't warm up and the battery wasn't fully charged. I didn't reset the fuel computer and it was starting to climb when I came back to the dealer, but the mpg displayed was only 24.1 Even in my short test I would have expected higher, oh well!
No snow no more for me,
MidCow
P.S.- We did get a really wierd dusting of snow last Chirstmas eve :0
Sorry I wasn't clearer NO you are right the 2006s are not out yet. The one I drove was a 2005 , they just had some incorrect/misleading advertising saying they had 2006s in stock. I think the late November is closer to being correct for the 2006s.
Cheers,
MidCow
http://tinyurl.com/bsu4o
perfect description of why there is variation in reported milage ratings.
I also think that associated with what you said above actual milage driven is a major factor for the very reasons that you mentioned. If one drives very aware of driving techniques to lower consumption - by necessity.
We have about 7500 miles on our 05. It runs fine, but the interior door side panels are not holding up well, the arm rests soil much too easily, and the nav system gets lost from time to time (on I-15 N near Poway and the nav system suddenly could not figure out the car was on I-15. Started giving instructions strange instructions, then said "stay on the road you are on." The whole time I was inching my way along in rush hour traffic, hardly moving. Nav confusion has happened a number of times and it frequently makes poor route choices. The nav unit is junk compared to the one in my Acura. The paint on the front bumper and hood is chip prone, but that seems to becoming more common with cars today. Still like the car enough to want a leather 06 in addition to my 05.
What do you like about the Prius that you would buy another one? Would you buy the new one with NAV? I remember when Poway Toyota had several Prii on the lot back in late June. I bought my GMC Sierra hybrid from the GMC dealer in Poway.
I know I need to be flexible regarding the package, so I'll let my dealer know I'd take a package 3 or even a 4 if I must, but I really can't fathom spending much more for technology I won't likely use. I checked the 2006 options and they have 8, maybe 9. No prices yet though.
Anyway, Anybody got feedback regarding who would be good to deal with in Seattle? What about Portland? Ebay? Thanks again
2005 Prius Base Model (U$ 5,000 more in Canada!, aaaaaaahhhhhh!):
Canada - C$ 30,730 (U$ 26,110)
USA - U$ 21,275
2005 Prius Full Options (U$ 6,000 more in Canada!, aaaaaaahhhhhh!):
Canada - C$ 38,145 (U$ 32,411)
USA - U$ 26,340
So, the Canadian base model is almost the same as the American full-option model!
Why so much difference? Any ideas?
1) Premium Prepaid maintenance for $995
2) Platinum Toyota Extra Care extended warranty, 7 years/75000 miles for $1645
3) XZILON exterior protection and interior fabric protector for $754, including tax.
Are any of these worth getting? My first inclination is that they are ripoffs but I'm not sure.
Skip the rest of it - pure baloney.
Prepaid Maintenance? We stopped offering this several years ago when we started oil/filters free-for-length-of-ownership. But compare the cost of the prepaid program with pay-as-you-go. Most Toyota's dont need much maintenance anyway.
The Protection Packages are an individual thing. I dont. Some customers demand it. I wont form a judgement.
Just got my California HOV lane stickers (allowing single occupant to use speedo lanes). The stickers use the same adhesive as your annual renewal stickers do, which means you don't get a second chance if you don't put them on right.
falconone- It is indeed refreshing to hear about a dealer who simply tosses you the keys for a test drive. Here in California (gas prices are dropping down to $2.60/gal from a high of over $3/gal) if you wish to take a test drive you must submit your driver's license for verification. They promptly photocopy it and by the time you return (with the salesman accompanying you) from your test drive, they've already pulled up a credit check on you and know how much you can afford !! I've recently started seeing 48-50 mpg using California gas by keeping the air pressures up to 42 front and 40 rear. Driving no more than 65 mph and avoiding short, cold trips. I have experienced the fabric coming loose on the console from where your fingers dig in to open the console. When I get my recall notice, I'll arrange to have that taken care of. It should be replaced because I've got less than 21k miles.
Nav program- I know the Poway areas has a lot of hills and twisty roads and the GPS can get "confused". (By the way, Mt. Woodson is a terrific golf course to play, it's just tough to find) I always carry a coupla maps and an atlas at all times to be sure in strange areas.
Thanks,
Rich