Low Clearance Issues?

[cpatch]

After some of what I read here I thought I was going to have problems with a few friends' driveways but so far, so good. As for not pulling too far forward in parking spots I still think the front of the car is about a foot longer than it is so that's not a problem!

[creativeguy]

How about the rear clearance? I saw a 2nd gen prius with 2 people in the back and the rear was sagging a lot. Is the 2010 any better or worse in this area? Anyone experience dragging on driveways with a full load?

[wammo]

Originally Posted by beavertonprius

My brother, who drives a Mini Cooper, brought up a good point to me tonight and that is my driveway, while flat, has a short, steep incline the first three feet or so. He can't drive the Mini onto the driveway without scraping. I may demo a Prius to my driveway to see if it is the same although I don't know that it would impact my buying decision.

There is the same problem at my daughter's and with my previous car I could only get on/off the driveway by entering it at an angle, no passengers in the car. I expect the same type of problem with the Prius, which is .5 inch lower, it probably will mean street parking.
Question, a long time ago I remember seeing small metal sticks with a spring on bumper corners of vehicles, specifically to let a driver know how close curbs were. Anyone else remember something like that? They looked like tentacles.

[tumbleweed]

Originally Posted by wammo

There is the same problem at my daughter's and with my previous car I could only get on/off the driveway by entering it at an angle, no passengers in the car. I expect the same type of problem with the Prius, which is .5 inch lower, it probably will mean street parking.
Question, a long time ago I remember seeing small metal sticks with a spring on bumper corners of vehicles, specifically to let a driver know how close curbs were. Anyone else remember something like that? They looked like tentacles.

I remember them, but I'm an old guy. They called them curb feelers, haven't seen them around for a long time but they did work pretty well I think.

[windstrings]

When I had 4 certain persons in my car, I would center drag going out of my driveway with my GenII.... I don't do that with the GenIII.

I attribute it to better firmer suspension.

[Geistemite]

The only clearance issue I've had was with a rock in the middle of my lane (mountain road and no time or room to avoid it). Crunch!!! But no problems, phew. What a scare. There is a small scrape in the front center, underneath but the front air dam is fine. I thought it would have been very damaged, with the sound of the hit.

[rrolff]

I see it on driveways with a slope - you learn quickly to avoid them, and drive very slowly...