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Toyota was doing too much business and was now in competition with the govt, so they used every dirty trick in the book to try to handicap them.
I didn't closely follow the incidents where Priuses allegedly ran away but seem to recall the investigations pretty well exonerated Toyota (floor mats jamming accelerators or some driver error have been blamed officially.)
Nonetheless the govt levied massive fines etc.
IMHO predatory lawyers and the govt. are far more worthy targets of blame than Toyota for the advent of this "safety feature"....even if my facts aren't 100% on the mark.
At any rate, I vowed to buy a Toyota as my next car, and I did. Last week I bought a 2011 Prius IV right off the truck.
Go Toyota!
Anyway, I have now acquired a 2010 Prius with mileage of 45K for what I think was a very fair price ($15,400 plus tax and $399 dealer fee), and I am hoping that the increase in gas mileage and the stellar reliability reputation of the Prius will make me a happy customer when combined with the various small creature comforts that the Prius offers over the Yaris (SmartKey entry system, steering wheel controls, a conventional cupholder, a real center armrest, a hatchback for easily hauling various flea market items, and a more firmly planted, quieter ride, IMHO). My Yaris is a wonderful utilitarian vehicle, and I damn near bought another one, but the very good price I paid for this Prius convinced me to take the hybrid leap.
However I never would have purchased a new Prius; the cost of a new Prius seems so high that it seemingly would take a decade of driving to realize any petrol saving, unless you do a LOT of driving. Furthermore, the argument for the Prius over the Yaris has more to do with the overall comfort of the driving/ride experience rather than the comparative operating costs, because the Yaris is relatively inexpensive, extremely fuel efficent, and so darn reliable.
So far, after just 1/2 a tank, my car seems to be averaging only 47mpg according to Prius trip computer )which means I am probably getting just 45 mpg). I placed more air in the tires and am learning from all of you how to goose more mpg from the beast. Janaury is a horrible time to set the bar for this car, so perhaps with warm weather and a few tankfuls I will see something over 50 mpg. The problem is my city commute is only 8 miles one one, and the car is barely warmed up by the time I get to work or to home.
On the freeway I easily acheived a mpg over 50 mpg . . .which i find a little odd given the EPA estimates--but I realize athose estimates are based on paritial usage of the EV mode in the city, something that can't be accomplished on the freeway.
Anyway, I am a total computer/mileage geek, and so I am completely in love with the "geek-ou" experience offered by the Prius computer readouts and such. It truly is an engineering marvel :-)
So far, it's a mostly good report. We love the car, it's amazingly smooth riding for such a small car -- heck, it's a better ride than the 2005 Odyssey we traded in on it, which was a far better ride than the Cadillac I had before that. I am very impressed with the quiet cabin and the aerodynamics of the moon roof, which is the quietest (when open, of course) of any car I ever owned.
The cockpit layout is well done, especially the shifter which is perfectly located for using the "braking" function for speed adjustments on the road or braking assist when slowing/stopping. I can see we'll get a LOT of miles out of the brake pads as I hardly ever use the brakes. Instrumentation is superb.
My only cockpit complaint is the instrument light dimmer which is unlighted and difficult to operate. This makes it impossible in the dark. Maybe it's just me but I feel the ergonimics folks at Toyota dropped the ball here.
Cruise control is great in function and operation but is slow to react when adjusting speed in one MPH increments. Operation is a bit awkward sometimes when I forget that the control stalk turns with the steering wheel -- I occasionally find myself operating the wipers when trying to operate the cruise control.
We got the remote a/c and solar roof package but I wish now I'd known about the Advanced Technology package as I feel it would have benefited me to a greater degree on the highway and my wife in parking. The solar roof will be of more apparent benefit in the warmer months, but I don't think it'll really be worth the money, even here in Georgia....we'll see.
Right after we got the car I found oncoming drivers flashing their lights at me at night, indicating that they thought my high beams were on. They weren't. So left my garage door down, pulled up to it, and looked at where the lights hit it. I was disappointed to see that after Toyota did so much right with this car they sent it out of the factory in Japan with the left headlight aimed egregiously high.
When I took it back to my dealer I was pleased with their prompt attention to the matter but again disappointed that: #1 - they aimed the low beams so low that now I can hardly see more than what I estimate to be 100' in front of the car, and #2 - that the service advisor indicated that the techs made the adjustment without knowing where the lights SHOULD be aimed (No headlight adjustment specs and/or equipment???) I'll be going back for another adjustment and to ask the obvious questions.
Now, for the trip computer and speedometer. I was pleased to see mileage calculated in the 50 MPG range on the trip computer. However, in our town we have several radar equipped traffic signs that flash your speed when you approach them. It was disappointing to see that my speedometer indicates (after numerous passes) exactly two MPH faster than the radar sign indicates. This is a great lawyer buffer to help Toyota avoid frivilous lawsuits by idiots who simply look for anyone to sue over anything, but appears to me that it will lead to erroneous mileage indications which likely will cause owners to over maintain the car for mileage based service procedures.
Erroneous speed indications also give a false sense of fuel economy in the form of inflated MPG figures. That also disappoints me. Additionally, I am in the habit of calculating my mileage based on gallons pumped and miles driven at each fillup. Sorry Toyota, I am consistently calculating about 2-4 MPG LESS than the trip computer shows. Combine this with the fact that the odometer is likely about 2 MPH fast and you have a potential for a rather large difference between TRUE MPG and INDICATED MPG. Maybe some of the math geniuses on the forum could figure out what's going on. If I'm wrong, I'll be the first to apologize to Toyota...oh yeah, I know about the differences in fuel pumps etc but most of my fillups have been at the same pump.
Don't misunderstand, I'm happy as a clam about the mileage I get, but would be a lot happier if the instrumentation were more accurate. Technology this seemingly perfect deserves to have these speed/mileage/mpg indications to be closer to perfect. I can deal with a couple of MPH on the speedo but the MPG off, on a Prius????
In summation, I absolutely love the car overall and still look forward to driving it each day. We've tested it on local roads in Georgia, South and North Carolina Interstates, as well as the winding, steep secondary roads of western North Carolina and have been pleasantly surprised at the acceleration and, especially road hugging handling. Aw, heck, I might as well admit that a Miata driver who was trying to shake me on a nice curvy road near my house couldn't do it. Now, I must admit that I have no idea how accomplished a driver he was but my Prius was not even near its limits of lateral traction. Maybe this is nothing to crow about, I suspect not, but I was impressed that this little "turtle car" had so much spirit.
Would I buy a Prius again? You bet I would, in a heartbeat....even though some of my Conservative friends are calling me a Democrat and shaking their heads at me when I ghost by in EV mode.
And for the previous poster, it's hard to compare a Yaris to a Prius, since their different classes of vehicle. The Prius is about the same inside as a Camry and has more cargo space than a Camry. I'd say most folks buying a Prius aren't in the market for a car the size of a Yaris, otherwise they'd be better off comparing the Yaris to the Honda Fit, or some other similarly sized car.
I think "old school" from the time when odometers and speedometers were mechanically connected so that an error in one would definitely mean an error in the other. I had not even considered that they might be separate electronic components. But I must admit that I was puzzled by the disparaties between electronically calculated vs. old fashioned "miles driven/gallons added=mpg" methods I've experienced with the Prius. I just figured to stay at it till it all made sense (maybe with enough calculations.)
I do wish the Prius had as much soft plastics in the cabin as the Camry does, but other than that, you are right-- the cockpit experience is much more comparable to a Camry than a Yaris.
However, I JUST this minute came back from a quick trip to the grocery store. When I started the car it did the metallic banging thing as soon as the engine started (not after the customary delay when starting the car cold.) THAT is disturbing as we bought it new on Nov 22, 2011.
Will be visiting the dealer tomorrow for sure.
I installed a front upper tower brace, small mud flaps and also the premium Lexus/Camry horns. Installations were a little involved, but accomplished without incident. The car handles very well with the Bridgestone tires and 17" rims and the horn is excellent rather than the wimpy OEM junk.
Getting 47.5 average mileage from day one with just over 2,000 total miles. Recently the mileage went up about 3mpg which is most likely due to engine break in.
I am very pleased with the car that I will use mainly for client calls within a 200 mile range. Also very pleased, and truthfully surprised, that the power is very adequate. This coming from an owner of a 1999 Ford Lightning truck with 440hp.
I am also finding the Prius very quiet compared to my Ford 500 which I drove for the past 6 years over some 95,000 miles.
I got every upgrade that is offered for the 5 series. The tires, handling and headlights are some of the best features. I find the hard plastic expanses rather cheap however. Wish they had put in more of the soft touch feeling stuff.
I find that handling and not power has saved my life on many occasions. Only once, in my lifetime did I need power, and that was because of my poor planning in keeping up with everyone in traffic. Now, I try to stay away from the pack. And that is the best way to be safe and to be able to find a way out. Never let yourself get boxed in. Drive Safely
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I'm not sure if I'm out here alone with this problem, but on my new (25 miles) 2010 Prius the brakes are slipping when it hits a bump. When I went to the dealer, Bayridge Toyota, Brooklyn, they acted like they didn't know what I was talking about and tried to charge me 189.00 to look at the car even though it is under warrantee. I asked them if they had a specialist to take care of this well known problem (It was in all the papers in 2011 with the recalls) and they said they had never heard of it.???? But it seems the only ones who hadn't heard about it was me and these Toyota Dealers - but the rest of the whole world had heard about it. My misfortune was to buy a floor model for a 2010 in 2011 and I trusted the dealers at Plaza Toyota.
This brake problem is very scary and I wonder why more people aren't complaining. Please write me if you have this problem. There is a class action suit against Toyota for it and I'm doing all I can to get mine properly fixed. I only found all this out after researching the issue. Now all the joy has gone out of my new car buy. Great Mileage or not bad brakes are a hazard and no fun at all. :mad: If anyone has advice let me know.
thank you to all for all your comments which helped me make my final decision on buying it!!
Beverly
It this is do largely to several trips back east i,am generally happy
With the car but i do have some complaints the first one being
Gas economy 51/49 i dont think so! my car does much better on the
Hwy then around town but where i live it is very hilly and i,am lucky
To get 40! i have talked to other owners where i live with a similar
Gripe! i would think for the estimates to be close to accurate you
Would have to be driving on a flat surface all the time and that,s not
Realistic! also you can never recover the miledge back going up a hill
And going down the other side it being equal of course.
I have a hill locally that takes 3.5/10,s of my meter but only puts
1/10 back on going down the other side.
Another gripe! NO REAR AIR CONDITIONING VENTS it get,s very hot
In the back seat this is something that needs to be addressed.
The reason the saving of weight through out the car including
Door panels in back less solid less weight!
Same with speed. In the southwest the MPH Limit is 75 or 80, meaning that you can legally drive 80-85mph without worrying about getting a ticket. But that will really cause small engine cars to lose a lot of MPG.
I do agree with the rear AC vents, so I ended up tinting the windows and that helped. Seemed like in the old days, no car outside of a minivan/SUV had rear AC vents, but then they probably had more powerful ACs.
I did take advice though and allow it to cruise (foot off of gas) when I'm up to speed on a city road. And I can only find gas with 10% ethanol, but the same gas has seen my MPG go higher and higher so that isn't much of a factor. I'm in NY and there are a lot of hills. My opinion is that it will break in after about 5 months - I only drive on ECO, except when I must enter a highway - this requires more horsepower.
So drive in ECO, the pickup is a bit slower, but I do 65 or more in it and I don't change it on a hill, only when I enter a highway. And give the car time to break in. I'm hopeful of getting that 50 or 55MPG like some others have reported, but doubt I'll every get much more than 65. Good luck
My lowest fuel economy is 43 MPG with all-season radials in winter. My best fuel economy has been driving down in Denver, only 5,000 feet, during the summer with the factory original tires, about 55 MPG. I am gentle on acceleration, coast into intersections, and try to drive under all posted speed limits.
If you want to maximize fuel economy, I suggest driving slowly, anticipate stop lights, empty the vehicle of luggage and other gear, drive on half-tanks of fuel, get on a weight-loss diet, and buy lightweight tires that will likely fail you on icy roads in winter.
From what I've read, if you can go 40 miles on a charge, then a full charge will cost about $1.50 depending on the price of electricity. So if a person fully charges a Volt 5 days a week for a year they'd pay $390 for 10,400 miles driven, or $0.0375 per mile.
So if I drove purely electric in the Volt, I'd pay $0.0325 less per mile as compared to a regular Prius. That would equal $325 for a 10,000 mile commute per year where I could drive the Volt purely in electric mode. A regular Prius will cost at least $5,000 less than a Volt, so it would take about 15 years for the Volt's increased price to be matched by the reduced price per mile driven. Another downside to the Volt is that it only has 10CuFt of cargo space as compared to 21CuFt in the Prius, and the Prius can carry 5 people as compared to 4 in the Volt.
Another factor to consider is the after the battery runs out, the Volt gets about 35MPG, so if you drive a few thousand miles a year on the gas engine for road trips, vacations, etc., you'll probably save $100 per year with the Prius, so this reduces the $325 saved in the above example down to $225 for the Volt, which also means the payback to the Volt over the Prius is about 22 years (and that's with the smaller trunk and less passenger capability).
Nothing against the Volt, but when it comes to comparing a regular to plug-in hybrid, if the plug-in is going to cost more than a few thousand as compared to a regular Prius, then it's probably not worth getting the plug-in unless gas gets above $5.00 per gallon, or you have really cheap electricity where you live and you don't drive too much between charges.
Now you're paying $30 per month in electricity as compared to $200, which is great; however, if you bought a regular Prius, at 50mpg $3.8/gal it would cost you $91 per month in gas, so you're saving $732 per year with the Volt over the Prius. I wonder how much you paid for the Volt as compared to a regular Prius...maybe $5,000? And what vehicle do you use for long road trips?
I think when regular hybrids and plug-ins become equal in price, then I'll buy one.
drive it will be 70 plus. The wife drove to work and back 9 miles all on electric. And SHE plugged it
back in when she got home!! The MPG on the tank we are working on shows 73. I'll post again
later but thought I'd add some real world experience on this "new" hybrid!
Of course it's hard to say how much of a charge you got from home. Was your battery totally drained, or only a little bit? It sounds like you drove 9 miles on electricity only, then plugged it in at home, so if your car was totally charged before the 9 miles driven, then you can estimate that the 9 miles was from the house charge.
Another way to calculate would be a cost per mile estimate, which will probably soon replace MPG as the standard as more electric and plug-in vehicles are on the roads. In this example, if you used 0.685 gallons of gas at $4/gal that would be $2.74/gal, plus let's say $0.50 in electricity, so that would be $3.24 for the 50 miles driven. If a person with a regular Prius getting 50mpg drove the 50 miles at $4/gallon they'd pay $4.00 for the 50 miles driven, thus you just saved $0.76 on the 50 miles driven or $0.0152 savings per mile.
Of course if you only paid $.025 for the electricity, tha would be $2.99 for the 50 miles or $1.01 savings for the 50 miles or $0.202 savings per mile.
The main thing for people to understand is that you can't just compare the computer MPG readout from a plug-in to a non-plug-in. And because with plug-ins when you actually "plug it in" the amount of house-electricity as compared with gas powered generated electricty from the car will vary depending on the amout of remaining charge in the battery when you plug it in your house, so that will add to the complexity of trying to calculate a cost per mile.
You make a good point about the MPG readout- the "MPG" gain from adding in the electric is not "free" there is some cost for sure. Also, real pleased with how the engine/hybrid/batteries seem to run in a seamless manner. The transition on our old Prius 2007 was much more noticeable than this one.