3 FREE ways to improve your Prius

Tigerops · 12-09-2005, 06:14 PM

1. Start by taking off your wheel covers. The plastic ones. Simply place all fingers around two spots on the inside of each cover and gently pull until metal ring comes off. Make sure to place your fingers far inside the plastic cover and then you won't break the plastic. The wheels look really good compared to the techno-geek-environ covers making our cars look like something out of the future. Here are two pictures of what the wheels look like:

[attachmentid=1353]

[attachmentid=1354]

2. This next trick I saw on another post that I can't seem to find. So this is someone else's idea, not mine. The inside front of our armrests has a little ledge inside that seems to allude me. If you take your coin/junk tray from inside the armrest and place it inside this ledge and lower the armrest, it raises the armrest up at a very comfortable angle. I'm 6'2" and if you lean your seat back even a little, this trick will make your ride much more comfortable. TRY IT out for a day and if you don't like it you can go back to normal. I highly doubt that you'll break the armrest in this manner unless you lean on it or put too much weight on it. Just DON'T do that and you'll be okay. Here are some pictures showing you how to set it up:

[attachmentid=1355]

[attachmentid=1356]

3. Last, this isn't really a huge improvement, but it's still funny. I got bored with my stock buttons and decided to add an EJECT button inside the cockpit. Again, I am using this idea from another member here on Prius Chat, so thank you for the idea and kudos to you! If you want to take off the parking button I would highly recommend taking apart the whole dash and disconnecting the cable from the back of it to make it easier to work with. It took me about 2 hours to do everything. Just be careful pulling off the button from the housing. I should have used printable sticker paper but instead used regular paper and then used clear tape to tape it on. I highly recommend buying some sticky paper and going that route so you don't have to take off any parts. It's a LOT less stressful. :-) Here are the pictures:

[attachmentid=1357]

[attachmentid=1358]

tumbleweed · 12-09-2005, 06:20 PM

I had already done my wheels and I agree they look a lot better without the goofy plastic things. I'll try the armrest trick too. thanks

catsbox · 12-09-2005, 06:30 PM

Did you take an MPG hit by removing the covers? I was under the impression that the Prius wheels were aerodynamically designed to maximize MPG.

slortz · 12-09-2005, 06:43 PM

Good job with the eject button!

I love playing James Bond theme music while driving in my Prius.

Jack 06 · 12-09-2005, 07:37 PM

I think Toyota got a killer deal on those trim rings from Big Lots. :P

Tigerops · 12-09-2005, 10:04 PM

I haven't noticed a MPG hit yet, but it's only been half a day. :-) I doubt I'm going to notice it though because my MPG varies from 47 to 49 MPG after each tank. I doubt it's going to drop the MPG any more than 1. Plus, you can sell your plastic rims on ebay and that will make up for any lost money from 1 MPG. :-)

Wayne · 12-09-2005, 10:11 PM

That eject button is way cool!

How does it work out with valets?

12-09-2005, 06:14 PM	#1
Tigerops Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 84 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	1. Start by taking off your wheel covers. The plastic ones. Simply place all fingers around two spots on the inside of each cover and gently pull until metal ring comes off. Make sure to place your fingers far inside the plastic cover and then you won't break the plastic. The wheels look really good compared to the techno-geek-environ covers making our cars look like something out of the future. Here are two pictures of what the wheels look like: [attachmentid=1353] [attachmentid=1354] 2. This next trick I saw on another post that I can't seem to find. So this is someone else's idea, not mine. The inside front of our armrests has a little ledge inside that seems to allude me. If you take your coin/junk tray from inside the armrest and place it inside this ledge and lower the armrest, it raises the armrest up at a very comfortable angle. I'm 6'2" and if you lean your seat back even a little, this trick will make your ride much more comfortable. TRY IT out for a day and if you don't like it you can go back to normal. I highly doubt that you'll break the armrest in this manner unless you lean on it or put too much weight on it. Just DON'T do that and you'll be okay. Here are some pictures showing you how to set it up: [attachmentid=1355] [attachmentid=1356] 3. Last, this isn't really a huge improvement, but it's still funny. I got bored with my stock buttons and decided to add an EJECT button inside the cockpit. Again, I am using this idea from another member here on Prius Chat, so thank you for the idea and kudos to you! If you want to take off the parking button I would highly recommend taking apart the whole dash and disconnecting the cable from the back of it to make it easier to work with. It took me about 2 hours to do everything. Just be careful pulling off the button from the housing. I should have used printable sticker paper but instead used regular paper and then used clear tape to tape it on. I highly recommend buying some sticky paper and going that route so you don't have to take off any parts. It's a LOT less stressful. :-) Here are the pictures: [attachmentid=1357] [attachmentid=1358] Attached Thumbnails __________________

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12-09-2005, 06:20 PM	#2
tumbleweed Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Eastern Oregon Posts: 1,005 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I had already done my wheels and I agree they look a lot better without the goofy plastic things. I'll try the armrest trick too. thanks

12-09-2005, 06:30 PM	#3
catsbox Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 239 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Did you take an MPG hit by removing the covers? I was under the impression that the Prius wheels were aerodynamically designed to maximize MPG.

12-09-2005, 06:43 PM	#4
slortz Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 316 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Good job with the eject button! I love playing James Bond theme music while driving in my Prius.

12-09-2005, 07:37 PM	#5
Jack 06 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Winters, CA: Prius capital of US. 30 miles W of Sacramento Posts: 2,567 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I think Toyota got a killer deal on those trim rings from Big Lots. :P

12-09-2005, 10:04 PM	#6
Tigerops Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 84 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I haven't noticed a MPG hit yet, but it's only been half a day. :-) I doubt I'm going to notice it though because my MPG varies from 47 to 49 MPG after each tank. I doubt it's going to drop the MPG any more than 1. Plus, you can sell your plastic rims on ebay and that will make up for any lost money from 1 MPG. :-)

12-09-2005, 10:11 PM	#7
Wayne Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 665 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	That eject button is way cool! How does it work out with valets?