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Comments
1. Will cruise control be available on the Prius? Most of the info. says it is not standard but will be available. Can it be added later if not purchased with the vehicle? I realize this car is designed mainly for the city but cruise would be nice for the occasional trip.
2. Will there be a passthrough to the back seats from the trunk on the us version?
3. Will GPS ever be an option that we can add to this first batch of Prius'?
4. Is the LCD display a touch screen and is it in color on the us version or B/W?
-Thanks for your help with these questions.
-David
the prius has 40/60 split folding rear seat.
Also they discribed the instruments as: "Digital Screen Multi-Information Display Mounted In Center Of Instrument Panel Displays Speedometer, Trip Meter, Odometer and Power Systems In Operation [ALL]
Warning Lights For Airbag, Battery, Oil, Seatbelt Disconnect, Service Engine, Coolant Temperature and Doors Ajar Displayed In Multi-Information Display Mounted In Center Of Instrument Panel [ALL]
5.8-Inch Wide Touch Panel Display Monitor Located Below The Instrument Cluster Displays The Condition and Energy Flow Of The Hybrid Drive System"
The last one said it's a touch screen.
hope that helps. I don't know about the other ones.
As for the GPS, that is another one that I just don't know the answer to. My guess is that we will be able to add it later since it uses the existing screen but I have no information on this.
The touch screen is color.
Your echo description ("The Echo
feels like a cheap, greasy little transportation appliance to me") was nasty and inaccurate.
thanks
As for options, I do hope that the nav system, cruise control and other goodies can be added later. Will have to ask the dealer that question.
Everyone I tell about this car is enthusiastic and wants to drive it when it comes in.
I chose white, aqua ice and electric green mica (these 3, plus a grayish color, were the only options available online). We live in Tucson and white is always a safe color here. Dark is the least preferred color.
When I placed the order, I was actually thinking of perhaps painting the car an environmental, electric yellow color. (I like the wild color options on the Honda Insight, but Toyota is clearly just trying to blend right in with its Prius.)
Over time, though, I've come to accept the Prius styling as it stands, so I'm unlikely to have it painted.
PS. my dealer did not know what to do with the "order" I put in, say wait 2 weeks until they get pricing.
I think in this case a refundable deposit is within reason to demonstrate the seriousness of the buyer (since the dealer has to order the car). But non-refuddable deposit is unreasonable, and since it appears that some dealers charge them, some don't, people should find one who doesn't.
It is an easy deal on our part. The price is $20450 plus any extras. When we get an inquiry, we just log into our private dealer area and confirm the order. Once we do that, the car WILL come. Its that simple. Any dealer who doesn't know how to do this shouldn't be selling them (and many aren't).
Thanks.
Will I "remember" that this dealer imposed non-refundable terms? You betcha! And what goes around, comes around.
either at extra cost or standard? Is the 5 yr/60 k warranty bumper to bumper (not including the hybrid tech), cliffy1?
Anyone encounter the same?
Anyone encounter the same?
I was told $20,450, which is the MSRP. No upward or downward revisions allowed.
From what I read, the battery is Ni-Hidryde, not Lithium. In my experience with phones and notebook computers, Ni-Hidryde batteries do not last long for heavy duty cycles.
Jim
As for battery. There are 3 types of batteries currently in use: (1) Nickel-Cadmium batteries. (2) Nickel metal hydride batteries, and (3) Lithium ion batteries.
Nickel-Cadmium battery is the cheapest to manufacture, but also has the lowest energy storage capcity and tend to suffer from memory effect (battery's inability to hold full charge after some use). Nickel metal hydride battery offers 30% more energy storage capacity, and doesn't suffer memory effect, but it is more expensive. Lithium ion battery offers the highest engergy density and lowest self discharge rate, but it's also very expensive to make.
It would appear that Toyota decided to take the middle road and choose the metal hydride route. Be thankful that they didn't use the old Ni-Cd ones.
Anyway, people have been saying in this group that the $20,495 is not negotiable. What about (the few) add-ons? For example, I'll definitely want the CD player, which this site lists invoice $235, MSRP $335. That seems like a hefty profit. Is it possible to negotiate options' prices when the base MSRP is fixed?
The Prius as I understand it does not come with a split back seat.
dealership in Upstate New York. I got my chance to drive the Prius the other day and
learn more "hands on". Your information has been right on, no smoke blowing. Anyone
that is fortunate enough to get this car in their driveway will be the envy of the
neighborhood.
As a side note: I had the notion that the Prius would be a dog (I love quick cars). Don't
get me wrong here it's not a race car but it has ample acceleration and is a blast to drive!
Do you have a complete list of port options?
Thanks in advance.
On the other hand, a 21 page "Toyota University" information pamphlet given to me by the dealer says: "Prius can operate on electric power only up to speeds of approximately 35 mph."
I don't have a complete list yet of options for the Prius. I know the floor mats and CD are available and I don't think there is anything else. Yes, there is mark up in these features but there isn't much mark up in the car. I just got an invoice on our TRAC car and it looks like there is only about $1100 mark up between invoice and MSRP so I wouldn't get too worked up over $100 on the CD. Keep in mind that to buy a Honda Insight, you are negotiating how much over the MSRP you can buy it for.
As to the AC, there is a bit of a quirk here. If you put it in the normal AC position, you will have problems. It wont cool the vehicle and the engine will keep clicking on and off. If you put the AC button to "max", the engine stays on and you will cool the car just fine but you will hurt your gas mileage.
Call me ingrate, but I'm not grateful to any car maker when I have so many cars from different mfr's to chooose from. In my experience, NiMH battery has a pretty bad case of memory effect; the one in my notebook computer died after only a year of service.
Just my couple cents,
Jim
But you'll have to plug it in to recharge, of course.
Just a thought.
The new technology is cool, but at this point it doesn't seem to provide something that is superior to (or even matches) the existing alternatives, from a consumer's perspective. Am I missing something?
The new technology is cool, but at this point it doesn't seem to provide something that is superior to (or even matches) the existing alternatives, from a consumer's perspective. Am I missing something?
The car is not for everybody. I would never argue that it is. In fact, Toyota does not want me selling this to people who will not benefit from it and will even call prospective customers to make sure they understand what this car is about.
Let's not turn this forum into a "my car is better than your." You are entitled to your opinion but perhaps something a bit more constructive would be in order here.
How long will the servicing, value, and engine hold out on cars like Jetta/VW products? Resale?
Do you realize how infinite the Prius's lifespan really is? Amazing. The car simply amazes me.
--Dianne
Power in the Prius is actually comparable to the Turbo in some power bands. Drive this car and give it a fair chance to impress you. It's a blast when you're going down the road at 55 then hit the pedal and just GO-O-O with no kick down or head cranking jerk. As far as size it is very close to the Jetta. I really think you'll find the Prius a fun car to drive .
As for the TDI's, personally I'm not a believer in diesels. Personally I don't think CO2 is the problem, but the carcigenous gases and particulates in high traffic area and cities are; diesel engines are a terrible answer in that regard. Fuel economy is really irrelevent in my driving pattern (3000 miles or less per year), but I am concerned with reducing my share of pollution generation; that, and the pollution generated by the manufacturing process, therefore drive train longevity is important too, especially in those frequent short-trip applications.
Jim
TJ
TJ
I do agree that very low emissions are a huge upside for the Prius, and something that should be considered by anyone looking to purchase an efficient vehicle. I am concerned however about the longevity of the bank of batteries. What is the life expectancy of the batteries? If it's not any longer than, for instance, a laptop then that seems like an awful lot of toxic waste to generate at regular intervals. Also, are the batteries expected to maintain peak efficiency throughout their life? What is the expected cost for replacement, and will Toyota handle disposal/recycling? I would be interested in knowing the predicted usable lifespan of the vehicle and it's various components.
I know that this thread isn't about VW, but I want to address the concerns about the value and longevity of the TDI... The TDI is initially a very good value, and has incredible resale (though not many people choose to sell them). A TDI has a much longer life expectancy than conventional gasoline engines, and should continue running strong for many hundreds of thousands of miles. There are no issues that I'm aware of with VW servicing, and it comes with a 10 year/100,000 mile drivetrain warranty. Some people seem to be misinformed about the TDI engine and VW in general. The TDI was a technological breakthrough in the '90s, so it is by no means antiquated.
- Gary
batteries were specifically designed to drain and be recharged many thousand times. The
individual batteries in the battery case are also replaceable individually, so that if one
goes bad it can be replaced without wasting the balance.