Rear visibility without the camera, good or bad?

[BoosPrius]

I bot my 2006 Super White Prius on March 28. Did a lot of research first, including reading user comments on sites like Edmunds.com and Carpoint.com. I hesitated a bit and thot about waiting for the 2007 model because soooo many people said rear visibility was terrible. I've now had my Prius 2 1/2 weeks. I don't have any problem with the rear visibility. It's a lot better than what I had on my SUV that I traded in. I have parallel parked 3 times so far, and found it pretty easy. I also find I have much less of a problem with a blind spot on my right.

So, for those who didn't buy one of the packages that includes the rear camera, what is you take on rear visibility? Do you find it to be better, worse, or the same as you encountered with your previous vehicle(s)? Thanx.

Gary
2006 Prius
Package 1

[Tideland Prius]

No different from my dad's 2002 Camry other than the split window. But then again, I tend to adapt easily to visibility problems.

[ltu1542hvy]

I find the visibility around the "A-pillar" and the rear visibility to be some of the weak points of the current Prius. It is definitely worse than my previous cars ('95 Integra, '87 Integra, '81 Olds 88 and '77 Cutlass). but there are cars and trucks out there with far worse visibility than the Prius and as others have mentioned you do get used to it and learn to adapt to it to the point where it's not really a problem any more.

[bernzx]

Gary,
I added a 8"x10" wide angle lens to the lower rear window and I can now back up looking in my rear view mirror. Cost was about $16.00 at a RV equipment store. Check out "cheap alternative to rear view camera" by Bob Allen. For color pics see "photos of wide angle rearview lens" by Bob Allen.
Bernie

[Stringer]

Get one of these and sleep well: Parking sensors

[jamarimutt]

Rear visibility is certainly not one of the Prius' strong points. It's certainly worst than in our Scion xB and Caravan. I removed the rear head rests in order to improve visibility a little bit, since the rear seats are never used.

[marjflowers]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jamarimutt @ Apr 16 2006, 05:36 AM) [snapback]240456[/snapback]</div>

Rear visibility is certainly not one of the Prius' strong points. It's certainly worst than in our Scion xB and Caravan. I removed the rear head rests in order to improve visibility a little bit, since the rear seats are never used.
[/b]

My dad did this on his Camry.

Peace --

[daniel]

I drive a 2004. No backup camera back then. Rear visibility with the Prius is MUCH worse than it was on my '89 Civic station wagon. Not only rear, but all the way around, the Civic had much better visbility. But I once rented some kind of Chevy, I think it was (not sure), and its visibility (rear and side-rear) was much worse than the Prius.

It took me a while, but I've learned to park the Prius okay. I've developed an adequate sense of where the vehicle limits are.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stringer @ Apr 16 2006, 01:20 AM) [snapback]240448[/snapback]</div>

Get one of these and sleep well: Parking sensors
[/b]

From their ad:

How does it work?

The system is automatically activated when you engage reverse gear. Small sensors are fixed to the rear of the vehicle, they send and receive ultrasonic radio waves which bounce off obstacles and alert you to their presence. There is an internal buzzer that gradually increases in frequency as you approach the object. A continuous tone denotes that you are within 0.35m (1ft) of the obstacle.[/b]

There is no such thing as "ultrasonic radio waves." Does it use radio (radar) or sound?

[marjflowers]

I just assumed that the back-up camera was to compensatefor the poor visibility.

Peace --

[Thomas Brock]

I have no problems with rear visibility...Heck, with the split window, I've got better visibility than with my '96 Sentra!