Toyota Prius

ceric · January 2005

WOW $1b in R & D on the hybrid system? That seems high. Any links that you can point us to that show that data??

Sorry for the late reply.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041029/news_lz1d29hybri- d.html

paragraph #8... Enjoy.

bjrich · January 2005

timber104;

thank you for the help but still have not been able to make a connect.

I have also contacted toyota dealers.com but cannot make the connection there either.

The forum leader has deleted my email as it is against the rules.

This forum has really been great and very interesting...thank you.

Sylvia · January 2005

Could you please give the name of the Toyota Dealer in Cherry Hill, NJ? No names of salespeople, but the dealership name would help bjrich out.

bjrich - you can also use the dealer locator tool on Edmunds.com to email dealers in your area. Click on the "Get a Free Price Quote on a Toyota Prius" link at the top of the page.

bjrich · January 2005

thank you very much, both of you and I will continue to try..

We still have to sell our other car,and just started to try to do that this past week. We do have a car on order but they continue to tell us close to a year.

Thank you both again very much.

timber104 · January 2005

bjrich & sylvia

I have sent bjrich some information about where to look, but have found it takes time too look and try to find someone & you may get lucky in the end (I feel I did). I feel the internet is a great place, but what you & I think should be easy & simple to locate some one, it is a lot harder.

One place to look is www.dealerrater.com where you can rate your dealer, but a lot of dealers across the county area there.

I am very happy with the place I found, they have shipped cars & trucks across the county, to every state. Mostly through internet sales.

Cherry Hill Toyota

www.cherryhilltoyota.com

50 Haddonfield Road

New Jersey, 08002

Hope his helps, if not you have my E-mail address, I will attempt to get you more information.

I did not like going on line to get a price quote from dealers. I got several dealers contacting me asking me to come in and meet with them and said they all had a prius, but when I got into what it had in it and price, it got a little foggy for them & it turn out they did not have one, they were just attempting to get people in & they all stated in there E-mail & phone calls I could test drive one, but when I showed up, even hours later they did not have any in stock for sale or test drive, and they did not have one for the past weeks on end, so they lied out there [non-permissible content removed] just to get people in.

devonmax123 · January 2005

Bought 2005 Toyota Prius yesterday 1/15/05, just walk into local dealer and bought it $500 below MSRP.

Tideland Pearl color with Option 5, paid $23,500 which basically base with option 5 and carpet and dealer installed stripes (total 278$).

The dealer's only car, in their lot for about ten days, the dealer was thinking about putting it on E-Bay. It is located in Albany, Georgia. There has been waiting list but this is the first month there is no one on waiting list and no immediate buyers.

The car has 5 miles on its odometer.

Sylvia · January 2005

Congrats! We look forward to hearing all about your driving & ownership experiences in the Toyota Prius Owners Club and in the Hybrid Vehicles message board.

dkahl · January 2005

I am emailing back and forth with a dealer today who has an 05 Prius, package 3, and wants $24,766. He even told me it was $2k over MSRP! Should I try to haggle, or just be patient, considering the earlier post that they paid $500 UNDER MSRP? I haven't asked about a wait list, but since it is readily available, I assume there isn't one.

Also, he has an 04 with 17.5K on it. Any guesses what the price should be? I don't know what package yet (he's working on it).

Thanks for the help, everyone!

larsb · January 2005

I have seen an increase recently in the numbers of Hybrids available for sale in the classified ads. Check your local paper......Get a slightly used one and save yourself a couple thousand dollars.....

All the hybrid haters say in Unison now: (SEE, HYBRIDS ARE LOSING VALUE AND THE "FAD" IS FADING !!!)

Sorry, but the appeal of a "CLEAN" 50+ MPG will NEVER fade..:)

gagrice · January 2005

Sorry, but the appeal of a "CLEAN" 50+ MPG will NEVER fade..:)

I totally agree. So far only 3 cars fit that category and no more are planned.

dkahl · January 2005

To follow up, I did get a price on the used Prius he had...$22686 for package 4. Sure, this is a starting price for the used car, which gives you more room to haggle, but for the mileage I kind of expected a lower starting point! The good news for you current owners is that the car seems to be holding its value!

gagrice · January 2005

used Prius he had...$22686 for package 4.

The MSRP for a 2005 package # 4 is $23,490. I think he will have a hard time getting near that price for a used one. Also ask if the battery warranty is transferable to a new owner.

mtransue1 · January 2005

I am negotiating for a RED 2005 Prius in NC. I have a summer home there and the car tax is 3 %.

The dealer wants $ 26.000 for a combo package,from 3 4 and 5... I think this is a bit high as I am not getting a lot of bells and whistles like GSP or 5 disc changer.

Anyone else clue me in as to what they paid and am I in the ball park.

timber104 · January 2005

Hello All,

What kind of person is buying the Prius?

I am a family man, who lives in New York where regular gas prices are $2.35 per gallon. I am someone who normally travels 9 miles each way to work and once a month goes on a long trip of 500 miles with a wife & kids. Insurance for the Prius will be $17.00 per year more than my 4Runner, so that's not cheaper.

But the Prius has to be one of the best selling cars right now. I have never had to wait for a car to be built then sent on a ship over several months to get one. So who else is buying them? Is it family people or single? Is it people who travel short trips or long ones? Is it for the gas mileage or the enviorment? Is it people like me, who hate to pay over $2.35 per gallon of gas? Is there an area of the country that does better in selling them over another? Is it what parents are buying there kids for there first car or for collage to help save money? It is a girls car over a guy's car?

Please let me know.

gagrice · January 2005

What kind of person is buying the Prius?

From reading this forum a long time. I would say the Prius is bought mostly by white collar males. They are generally college educated, mostly engineering & computer sciences. As a group they know more about the Prius when they go to the dealership than the sales people. I think they like the gas savings. The over riding force for these buyers is the high tech gadgets and the environment.

railroadjames · January 2005

I too am curious as to who is buying this techno car of the future and in my opinion it seems to be a diverse group...young & old, high income & low, and even blue collar to white collar. Once when I was visiting with my salesman while getting an oil change we were discussing the who's who of this unique market. He said that it came as somewhat of a surprise that they (the dearlership personal) were baffled by the wide range of people who bought Prius. One thing seems evident...Pius owners are Proud, Loyal, and Adventurous, leading the way that they believe others will follow soon enough. As I drive mine I feel a since of "I'm Cool and I'm Green", Why aren't You?

Culliganman (the grass is definitly getting GREENER)

Sylvia · January 2005

The posts about "What kind of person buys a Prius" have been moved to the main Prius discussion. Thanks!

larsb · January 2005

I saw two used 2004 Prius cars sitting on the lot at Scott Toyota in Scottsdale AZ this morning.

Anyone in central AZ looking for a Prius might want to go see them.

FYI..........

birger · January 2005

Hi,

The Prius might become my wife's next car - it's good-looking, meets her needs, and we both quite like the hybrid philosophy (we test drove the Lexus RX400h last weekend and I might very well replace my current Mercedes M-Class with that instead of the new W164 M-Class).

One small problem, though: We're in Europe, and contrary to the US, the Xenon headlights are not offered as an option. Does anyone know if it is possible to retrofit the original Xenon headlights to a non-Xenon Prius?? Please note that I'm not talking about the various aftermarket bulb switches - this is not what we'd want.

I've done this on my current Mercedes, and it's a five-minute operation - and although the cost is a little high, it's clearly worth it.

TIA for your responses,

Birger

mtransue1 · January 2005

I just ordered a 2005 Prius which I will get in May. I am selling a Honda Civic 2002 with just seven thousand miles on the engine. It gets 33 mpg.

However, I am 74 and I would like to drive a car that is an environment ally and I too hate to pay the high gas prices remembering one time when gas was 25 cents a gallon..

Hope I like the car. I plan to keep it for a long long time. I also have a Subaru as an auxiliary car.

mlsp

scottl · January 2005

Has anyone ever bought a 2005 Prius in Colorado for MSRP? I actually saw a classified a few weeks ago asking $30K for a used 2005!

I see that in other parts of the country people are buying them at sticker right off the lot.

Obviously, someone thinks they can scam a few grand from impatients. They might be right, since this was the Boulder paper.

scottl · January 2005

Wow. I had no idea.

This could be a showstopper for me getting a Prius. Are you saying the traction control cuts the power so much on a slippery surface in reverse that the car won't move? My driveway is very steep, and I often back up the drive in the snow so that I am positioned to get out of the drive going forward. My driveway is 400 feet long, and backing down it in a blinding snow storm is not fun.

falconone · January 2005

The reverse only works with the traction battery. Engine power is NOT channeled to the power split device in reverse. If it is very steep and snowy, you will not be able to do it.

howdycuz · January 2005

Went to a local (Houston, TX) Toyota Dealer to inquire on a new '05 Prius and was told that in addition to an exaggerated "Base/ Package" price, there is a "Marketing Adjustment" of $5,000. (What I would call "Cost of Doing Business" expenses!) Anyone else run into this B.S.? I think this is an OUTRAGE!!

howdycuz · January 2005

Just an additional comment. Was told by Sales/ Management that the "$5,000. is because this Prius is "In Stock" and "So hard to come by" and "No Waiting"...

backy · January 2005

"So hard to come by" because of the dealer's tacked-on $5000 fee? And "No waiting" because the moment you hear about it, you turn around and run out the door to another dealer? ;-)

priluv · January 2005

I just purchased my '05 Prius a couple nights ago here in LA...no wait list, just bought it off the lot through the fleet mgr (pkg 6, $2000 above msrp); yea, i may have spent extra with the markup and all but i'm one of those impatient types.

rpgolfer · January 2005

scottl-

I was backing up a muddy driveway no more than 25 ft at the steepest part, probably 30 degs of incline. Like falconone stated the power for reverse comes only from the traction batt, it just gave up and.....nothing! I tried it in "Drive" and spun with no power loss. I finally got my Ford F-150 out, purchased 1100 lbs of gravel and spread it out so it's no problem now. After a good rain the gravel packed down so well I can easily back up that driveway.

Thanks for the info.

Rich

dmd1 · January 2005

I looked at the Prius about 8 months ago and with the long waits and MSRP+ prices I decided to wait. On Friday I walked into our local dealer (Charles Barker Toyota) in Virginia Beach. They said availability was a couple days to two weeks. I gave them a deposit for a #6 package in White. Two hours later I get a call saying they have one on the truck and I can pick it up tomorrow. Wow! I ended up trading my Lexus LX470 in for a decent price and did the deal. I couldn't be happier. Great car and great service from my dealer.

jrct9454 · January 2005

Yes, this confirms my impression that gradually, slowly, with some markets still lagging behind, supply and demand are finally getting within shouting distance of each other. Only the truly desperate and/or uninformed would be paying over MSRP now. Here in the Portland OR area, cars are starting to appear on the lots, though dealer markups are still common - until people stop paying it, the nonsense will continue, though my betting is not for very much longer.

rroyce10 · January 2005

....... Why would someone spend $1,000/$3,000 over MSRP, when your main thought was to save money/gas - and it will take you 7/8 years just to break even ...?

Terry.

backy · January 2005

I think we can answer that question if we can figure out why people spend $4000+ for stuff like fancy wheels or plastic appliances for their cars. In other words, not everyone expects to save money by buying a Prius.

fabrizio · January 2005

Hello,

I am thinking to buy a Toyota Prius, but I am a little worried about the possible cost of eventually broken parts and their replacement in the future.

Any information is very welcome.

Thank you in advance.

Fabrizio

larsb · January 2005

Buy the car, add the extended warranty to 100K miles, and then trade it in when it hits 80K miles.

No worries.....

gagrice · January 2005

I am thinking to buy a Toyota Prius, but I am a little worried about the possible cost of eventually broken parts

You may want to check this thread.

It lists the Prius battery @ $4920.39,

$5,153.24 for the hybrid electric motor/generator etc

crv16, "Hybrid Honda Accord 2005" #2246, 26 Jan 2005 10:23 am

backy · January 2005

Do you live in California or one of the other states covered by CA-type emissions regulations? If so, the hybrid components of the Prius, including the battery, are warranted for 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first.

fabrizio · January 2005

Thank you for your quick replies! Yes, I live in California. Actually the prices of those parts are extremely expensive, but how long they need to me changed? Is it part of the "NORMAL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE"?

Thank you again.

Fabrizio.

gagrice · January 2005

Is it part of the "NORMAL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE"?

It is not likely they would go bad. No one really knows what heat and age will do to the electrical of the hybrid. I would get an itemized listing of what is covered by the PZEV 10 year 150k mile warranty. One poster from CA with less than 100k miles on her 2002 Prius has already replaced a sensor at $600 and is in need of a $2100 catalytic convertor. I would have thought those should be covered?

greenmoongirl, "Toyota Prius Owners: Problems & Solutions" #91, 1 Dec 2004 1:32 am

backy · January 2005

The '04 and later Prius has the AT-PZEV designation and thus is covered by the 10 year, 150,000 mile warranty for parts related to emissions in CA etc. I am not sure the earlier Priuses were AT-PZEV? It makes sense that a catalytic converter would affect emissions and thus would be covered under the AT-PZEV warranty, for the '04+ Prius.

BTW, it was a '01 Prius with 92k miles--I've had catalytic converters on cars I've owned fail before that many miles. It has nothing to do with the car being a hybrid.

gagrice · January 2005

I've had catalytic converters on cars I've owned fail before that many miles. It has nothing to do with the car being a hybrid.

Did it cost you $2100? That seems horribly high to me.

backy · January 2005

The last one that failed, in the late 80s, was $800 on a Honda. That's about $2000 in today's dollars. Hey, they're made of platinum, right? :-]

mtransue1 · February 2005

Would you mind sharing with us what you paid. I have one on order.. Pkg.4... in red with tan interior.. $23.400 with tax and preparation.

I think this is a good deal. I only give up navagation system and disc player that takes more than one disc.

I have not driven the car at all and I hope that I like it. I am worried about the batteries as having read problems on Prius cars this seems to be the biggest problem.

mtransue1

dmd1 · February 2005

I paid MSRP for mine. I also got standard wholesale trade-in for my Lexus so it was a pretty clean deal (although it's been a long time since I paid MSRP for a car).

rroyce10 · February 2005

..... Good point .. I guess they can use it to carry the soccer team, tow their 18ft ski boat or to pick up palm tree's at Home Depot .........

Terry.

midnightcowboy · February 2005

For those of you that want one now Millenium Silver and Tidewater Pearl

backy · February 2005

Huh?

mrjjgittes · February 2005

Warranteed for 10 yrs or 150k miles is good. I wonder what one will be worth at nine years old, though? But then, again, what is any car worth at nine years old these days. Basically a charity donation, I guess, at that point. Chalk one up for the Prius.

bblaha · February 2005

I've had my 05 Prius for nearly two months. Overall I like it.

However.

1) Can anybody tell me how to turn off the "beep beep" every time the vehicle is put in reverse? Beeping outside a vehicle is useful to those nearby who may be unaware the vehicle is in motion. I already know I'm moving and in which direction ...

2) The legalese page whenever you switch to the navigation? How do you turn that off so it never begs to be read again? The first 20 times or so was cute. But having to reach over and touch the screen every time since is really starting to get annoying.

ceric · February 2005

1) Can anybody tell me how to turn off the "beep beep" every time the vehicle is put in reverse? Beeping outside a vehicle is useful to those nearby who may be unaware the vehicle is in motion. I already know I'm moving and in which direction ...

This one is easy. Go to google.com, type in "Prius beep chat". Goto the #3 site and search from there. I am not allowed to post the link directly because it violates a tons of rules here.

2) The legalese page whenever you switch to the navigation? How do you turn that off so it never begs to be read again? The first 20 times or so was cute. But having to reach over and touch the screen every time since is really starting to get annoying

No, can't be done. Not that I know of. If you do, please let me know. You need to hack into software binary to do that. Not an easy one.

tempusvn · February 2005

2) The legalese page whenever you switch to the navigation? How do you turn that off so it never begs to be read again? The first 20 times or so was cute. But having to reach over and touch the screen every time since is really starting to get annoying

No, can't be done. Not that I know of. If you do, please let me know. You need to hack into software binary to do that. Not an easy one.

There is a way to do it, but it's a kludge. You interrupt the Speed Sensor with a momentary switch so the car thinks you are sitting still while it's actually moving.

This has the added drawback of throwing off mileage calculations in the MFD and causing your position on the NAV to freeze until you reconnect the sensor.

Toyota Prius

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