My dads new car

[dario]

Hi Guys, I am a first time poster.

Here is the story so far.

My 85 year old father decided it was time to change to his (possibly) last car. He asked me to help him in this venture. (His last car was a Subaru Legacy with a 2.5 4 cylinder engine. all through the ownership period of this car he continued to complain about its fuel consumption (25mpg))

Asking my dad what he desired he said:
1. It must not be a small car!
2. It must seat 5 in comfort
3. It must be automatic transmission
4. Above all it must be fast to accelerate
5. Above fast in acceleration it must be economical.


So I set about finding the very car..... What did I decide he should have, yep you guessed it a Prius T Spirit. Brand new and gleaming.

After a difficult start with the car (poor sod forgetting about the starting procedure and that the engine wont always run when you move off) to a discharged battery when he left it a week or so without going out in the car.

Well after 2 months he has really bonded with the car, he loves the fuel consumption at near 50 mpg......BUT, and there always is a but. It has no heated rear view mirrors. I can’t believe it a car that cost the best part of £22,000 and no heated mirrors. Oh the ar$e ache he is giving me about this is incredible. I have spoken to the dealer in the UK and no can do. I have read in some threads that in the USA this is an option which is available.

I am asking if any kind sole on this forum can help me end my torment by as a minimum helping me with part numbers for the American spec heated mirror glasses or can advise me how to resolve this problem

Dario

[Allannde]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dadsgotone @ Nov 28 2006, 01:05 PM) [snapback]354932[/snapback]</div>

(snip)

I am asking if any kind sole on this forum can help me end my torment by as a minimum helping me with part numbers for the American spec heated mirror glasses or can advise me how to resolve this problem

Dario
[/b]

Hello Dario

Welcome to PriusChat!

It appears that heated outside mirrors are factory standard equipment on American Prii. Not only would you need to replace the complete mirrors but also the wiring and controllers which support the heating elements. They function automatically because there is no switch to operate them. Perhaps they are connected to the defrosting function. All the more complication if that is so.

I did a Google search and found nothing in the way of an after market accessory. I suspect you have tried that as well.

There is a member of PriusChat who goes by the screenname of galaxee. Her husband is a technician who works on the Prius in a Toyota dealership. Hopefully she or another who is as knowledgable will see your request and respond as it will take that level of understanding help you.

[hobbit]

Why must it be so fast? What kind of a guy is this?
.
_H*

[Tideland Prius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Nov 28 2006, 03:16 PM) [snapback]354989[/snapback]</div>

Why must it be so fast? What kind of a guy is this?
.
_H*
[/b]

I'm fairly sure 10 secs is fast in UK. Most diesels take longer than 10.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dadsgotone @ Nov 28 2006, 01:05 PM) [snapback]354932[/snapback]</div>

Hi Guys, I am a first time poster.

Here is the story so far.

My 85 year old father decided it was time to change to his (possibly) last car. He asked me to help him in this venture. (His last car was a Subaru Legacy with a 2.5 4 cylinder engine. all through the ownership period of this car he continued to complain about its fuel consumption (25mpg))

Asking my dad what he desired he said:
1. It must not be a small car!
2. It must seat 5 in comfort
3. It must be automatic transmission
4. Above all it must be fast to accelerate
5. Above fast in acceleration it must be economical.
So I set about finding the very car..... What did I decide he should have, yep you guessed it a Prius T Spirit. Brand new and gleaming.

After a difficult start with the car (poor sod forgetting about the starting procedure and that the engine wont always run when you move off) to a discharged battery when he left it a week or so without going out in the car.

Well after 2 months he has really bonded with the car, he loves the fuel consumption at near 50 mpg......BUT, and there always is a but. It has no heated rear view mirrors. I can’t believe it a car that cost the best part of £22,000 and no heated mirrors. Oh the ar$e ache he is giving me about this is incredible. I have spoken to the dealer in the UK and no can do. I have read in some threads that in the USA this is an option which is available.

I am asking if any kind sole on this forum can help me end my torment by as a minimum helping me with part numbers for the American spec heated mirror glasses or can advise me how to resolve this problem

Dario
[/b]

50mpg UK isn't too bad but urge him and squeeze more Aim for 60mpg! and then 65mpg!

Dario, Sigma Automotive has a solution but it isn't heated mirrors. It's this photocatalytic mirrors that have that blue tint that European cars have (mostly BMW and MB I believe) that supposedly has a "self-cleaning" feature. You may want to ask Edward at Sigma Automotive to clarify that

Here's the link

[dario]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Nov 28 2006, 11:16 PM) [snapback]354989[/snapback]</div>

Why must it be so fast? What kind of a guy is this?
.
_H*
[/b]

I dony know hottit, thats just the way he is. afterall would you argue with a guy his age....

he is unlike me i am sedate in my driving style.


these are my toys

Radical SR3 track use only


BMW Z4 - weekend car


Dario







<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Nov 28 2006, 11:24 PM) [snapback]354993[/snapback]</div>

I'm fairly sure 10 secs is fast in UK. Most diesels take longer than 10.
50mpg UK isn't too bad but urge him and squeeze more Aim for 60mpg! and then 65mpg!

Dario, Sigma Automotive has a solution but it isn't heated mirrors. It's this photocatalytic mirrors that have that blue tint that European cars have (mostly BMW and MB I believe) that supposedly has a "self-cleaning" feature. You may want to ask Edward at Sigma Automotive to clarify that

Here's the link
[/b]

Thanks Tideland Prius, i will give it a go.

dario

[Tideland Prius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dadsgotone @ Nov 28 2006, 03:31 PM) [snapback]354999[/snapback]</div>

I dony know hottit, thats just the way he is. afterall would you argue with a guy his age....

he is unlike me i am sedate in my driving style.
these are my toys

Radical SR3 track use only


BMW Z4 - weekend car


Dario
Thanks Tideland Prius, i will give it a go.

dario
[/b]

om goodness. That Radical is a dang fast car (saw it on Top Gear). Can't argue with linearage either lol.

[Charles Suitt]

<_< Seems some folks are inclined to "Look a gift horse in the mouth." There simply is no perfection in this world. I can't imagine that Ice-ing is an issue in the U.K. - perhaps its condensing moisture on the cool mirrors due to high humidity.

I wonder if Rain-X would help in this case? I don't use Rain-X but it is designed to help glass surfaces deal with moisture. You might want to "Google 'Rain-X'" to see whether it might help. The suggested "photocatalytic mirrors" are designed to reduce glare particularly from following vehicles' headlights rather than moisture or ice. I have the photocatalytic mirror on my internal rear view mirror and it works quite well for its design purpose. It responds to glare from the headlights of cars behind you at night and changes the reflective characteristics of the mirror. This rear view mirror works rather like the sunglasses which reduce glare when you move fron inside to a bright, sunny outside - you've probebly seen their commercials.

[Dj Mastergrind]

Here in Sweden the heated mirrors are standard and they comes on when activating the rear window defroster. And because the U.K is a part of the E.U you maybe could buy what you need from Sweden and you don´t need to pay VAT and maybe some taxes (or what you call it) for bringing it in from abroad.

[Tideland Prius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Nov 28 2006, 03:48 PM) [snapback]355014[/snapback]</div>

<_< Seems some folks are inclined to "Look a gift horse in the mouth." There simply is no perfection in this world. I can't imagine that Ice-ing is an issue in the U.K. - perhaps its condensing moisture on the cool mirrors due to high humidity.

I wonder if Rain-X would help in this case? I don't use Rain-X but it is designed to help glass surfaces deal with moisture. You might want to "Google 'Rain-X'" to see whether it might help. The suggested "photocatalytic mirrors" are designed to reduce glare particularly from following vehicles' headlights rather than moisture or ice. I have the photocatalytic mirror on my internal rear view mirror and it works quite well for its design purpose. It responds to glare from the headlights of cars behind you at night and changes the reflective characteristics of the mirror. This rear view mirror works rather like the sunglasses which reduce glare when you move fron inside to a bright, sunny outside - you've probebly seen their commercials.
[/b]

Charles, the rearview mirror is electrochromatic not photocatalytic.

[Charles Suitt]

Thanks for the correction, Tideland...

Actually I KNEW that it was the incorrect term but copied the term from a previous post to keep the thread consistent if in error. I don't have a clue where that term originated.