#8 v. #7 and #7 v. #6

[bgbc]

I've just started the search for a new Prius (my first car ever!) and really, really want to get it soon but also am thinking of going for a package #8, which I'm guessing may mean a longer wait.

Is the #8 worth it?

I'm looking at the leather b/c the bisque I saw looks great (haven't seen the grey color) and also b/c someone also told me that the fabric wears easily and can be difficult to clean kid spills and mess from. This guy said he wished he'd gotten the leather instead. But 7 out of 8 packages have fabric so it can't be that bad, right?

Also, is the navigation system that great? I kinda like my Thomas guide and usually know where I'm going... Anyone get package #7 or #8 and wish they'd gone for the #6 instead?

And then I have to figure out what color to get! Looks like being flexible is going to get me the car sooner. Are some colors harder to get than others? I'm in San Francisco but will travel around the greater Bay Area to get a car sooner!

Thanks!

[rufaro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bgbc @ Jul 13 2006, 02:08 PM) [snapback]285808[/snapback]</div>

I've just started the search for a new Prius (my first car ever!) and really, really want to get it soon but also am thinking of going for a package #8, which I'm guessing may mean a longer wait.

Is the #8 worth it?

I'm looking at the leather b/c the bisque I saw looks great (haven't seen the grey color) and also b/c someone also told me that the fabric wears easily and can be difficult to clean kid spills and mess from. This guy said he wished he'd gotten the leather instead. But 7 out of 8 packages have fabric so it can't be that bad, right?

Also, is the navigation system that great? I kinda like my Thomas guide and usually know where I'm going... Anyone get package #7 or #8 and wish they'd gone for the #6 instead?

And then I have to figure out what color to get! Looks like being flexible is going to get me the car sooner. Are some colors harder to get than others? I'm in San Francisco but will travel around the greater Bay Area to get a car sooner!

Thanks!
[/b]

I can't answer MOST of your questions...I have a package 3, with which I am very happy (I bought an inexpensive little gps...although some of the voice commands sound pretty neat with the NAV), and I have never liked leather seats. I DO wish I had gotten the darker fabric, but I found some ArmorAll wipes (they come in a plastic bottle like baby wipes). I can't remember the EXACT title (there are several for all different components). Anyway, this one has a purple top and is for cleaning the plastic and fabric bits in the car--and they work great. At least one poster said they do, in fact, remove oil stains from the (fabric)upholstery. I got my car within about four days of deciding I wanted one by calling around the Bay Area and then some (I had been told that Stockton virtually always had some Prii on the lot--not that week!). I ended up being referred up to Freeman Toyota in Santa Rosa through Costco's auto buyer's program. I may or may not have ended up with a hundred bucks off, but the paperwork charges and stuff make it kinda hard to see a hundred measly bucks. At any rate, the dealerhip has been great, and they get LOTS of Prii through, so it might be worth your while to check in with them...especially if you're a Costco member!

Good luck!

[Alnilam]

Well, I wound up with an 8 by default. I had wanted a 7 but I drove into a local dealer one night and they just happened to have an 8 up for grabs. I figured this isn't the car to be too picky with if I ever wanted to have one. The leather is nice but I'd heard the Toyota fabric was near the top of industry standards and I would have been happy with it. I'm a retired airline pilot and like gadgets. The 8 is full of them. I figured good gas mileage would be nice but not an enduring excitement.

The Nav system could be better but it works about as well as my previous plug-in Garmin and has voice commands to boot. It gets me there. I like the JBL sound system: mp3 playback and an aux input plug were necessities for me. Hanging around jets all those years hasn't made my hearing ultra-critical and some folks seem to be a little disappointed in the JBL sound but I'm OK with it. I added the XM radio, another of my base requirements. I love the smart key system, garage door opener, and Bluetooth telephone recognition. The headilghts are crisp and sharp. So for me, the extra items, though not cheap, give me a lot of enjoyment. I was also able to easily put a trailer hitch on the back to carry my bikes around, something I couldn't do on my old Mercedes that cost a lot more than the Prius. But this is possible with any package.

I feel more like I'm back in the cockpit of my 767 than any other car I have been in. (The picture to the left, I know, isn't a 767. It's an L-1011 in which I spent most of my career but which isn't as advanced as the 767.) This fun is worth it to me. And it's made a better driver of me. I find myself trying to squeak out a few more mpg by judicious throttle useage. It's something I used to have to do in my airplane and I like the challenge. Driving is more interesting now. You'll spend some time learning the systems. It's the smartest car on the road. (Mine is in Mensa! )

Color seems to be a crap shoot. Dealers get what they get and I think you might have to wait forever to get the exact package and color you want. (Mine is white, and it was among the few colors I decided to accept. I like it for its easier care and temperature qualities.) You must consider the tax break you'll get if you purchase it before September versus waiting for the "perfect car."

I do spend a lot of time explaining my car, and its gadgets, to passersby who wander over my way to inquire. They seem to get a kick when I tell the climate system, by voice, to go to "Seventy degrees!" and a fan starts blowing. That's fun too.

[mike b]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alnilam @ Jul 13 2006, 05:51 PM) [snapback]285860[/snapback]</div>

Well, I wound up with an 8 by default. I had wanted a 7 but I drove into a local dealer one night and they just happened to have an 8 up for grabs. I figured this isn't the car to be too picky with if I ever wanted to have one. The leather is nice but I'd heard the Toyota fabric was near the top of industry standards and I would have been happy with it. I'm a retired airline pilot and like gadgets. The 8 is full of them. I figured good gas mileage would be nice but not an enduring excitement.

The Nav system could be better but it works about as well as my previous plug-in Garmin and has voice commands to boot. It gets me there. I like the JBL sound system: mp3 playback and an aux input plug were necessities for me. Hanging around jets all those years hasn't made my hearing ultra-critical and some folks seem to be a little disappointed in the JBL sound but I'm OK with it. I added the XM radio, another of my base requirements. I love the smart key system, garage door opener, and Bluetooth telephone recognition. The headilghts are crisp and sharp. So for me, the extra items, though not cheap, give me a lot of enjoyment. I was also able to easily put a trailer hitch on the back to carry my bikes around, something I couldn't do on my old Mercedes that cost a lot more than the Prius. But this is possible with any package.

I feel more like I'm back in the cockpit of my 767 than any other car I have been in. This fun is worth it to me. And it's made a better driver of me. I find myself trying to squeak out a few more mpg by judicious throttle useage. It's something I used to have to do in my airplane and I like the challenge. Driving is more interesting now. You'll spend some time learning the systems. It's the smartest car on the road. (Mine is in Mensa! )

I do spend a lot of time explaining my car, and its gadgets, to passersby who wander over my way to inquire. They seem to get a kick when I tell the climate system, by voice, to go to "Seventy degrees!" and a fan starts blowing. That's fun too.
[/b]

This is a perfect post and I can relate to it 100% (except for the pilot part). If you want leather, get an 8. The leather is not as nice as my last VW, but it's nice. If you want a NAV get a 7, if not, get a 6.

I took a 1000 mile road trip two weeks ago and that solidified my love of a NAV system.

MB

[Rancid13]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bgbc @ Jul 13 2006, 02:08 PM) [snapback]285808[/snapback]</div>

I've just started the search for a new Prius (my first car ever!) and really, really want to get it soon but also am thinking of going for a package #8, which I'm guessing may mean a longer wait.

Is the #8 worth it?

I'm looking at the leather b/c the bisque I saw looks great (haven't seen the grey color) and also b/c someone also told me that the fabric wears easily and can be difficult to clean kid spills and mess from. This guy said he wished he'd gotten the leather instead. But 7 out of 8 packages have fabric so it can't be that bad, right?

Also, is the navigation system that great? I kinda like my Thomas guide and usually know where I'm going... Anyone get package #7 or #8 and wish they'd gone for the #6 instead?

And then I have to figure out what color to get! Looks like being flexible is going to get me the car sooner. Are some colors harder to get than others? I'm in San Francisco but will travel around the greater Bay Area to get a car sooner!

Thanks!
[/b]

I have heard that the fabric is pretty easy to clean, but with a little one on the way I ultimately decided on leather because I know how easy it can be to simply wipe clean from spills, etc. I like how the leather seats feel, and it makes me feel even more like I'm driving a luxury car.

I love the navigation system. I honestly don't know how I ever got by without one. It's even better than the one in my husband's 2004 Accord. I too have lived off the Thomas Guide for the last decade or so, but it's SO much easier to just plug an address into the navi and have the car tell me how to get there. Safer too while driving, than pulling out the TG to doublecheck whether you're turning right or left off an off ramp or at an upcoming light. Also, when I don't know where the nearest [specific restaurant or store] is, I can just type it into the navi and it will show the nearest location and how to get there.

It's all about a matter of personal decision and needs, though.

I was told by my dealer (back in Dec) that the black/bisque #8 is a very in-demand and thus hard-to-get combo. There were a couple of people ahead of me on the list at the dealer who had "ordered" the same exact car so I had to wait for them to get theirs before I could get mine. But then again, I was one of those who didn't mind the wait (about 5.5 months for me) because the vehicle I was driving while it was 10 years old with 180K miles on it, was still totally driveable. And I was able to put away more $ for my down payment in the meantime.

[Jeannie]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mike b @ Jul 13 2006, 06:57 PM) [snapback]285865[/snapback]</div>

This is a perfect post and I can relate to it 100% (except for the pilot part). If you want leather, get an 8. The leather is not as nice as my last VW, but it's nice. If you want a NAV get a 7, if not, get a 6.

I took a 1000 mile road trip two weeks ago and that solidified my love of a NAV system.

MB
[/b]

You can upgrade to leather after market. I did on my package 5 for $995 + tax; they used leather seat covers from WWW.KATZKIN.COM - see there web site for ideas about the leather colors and combinations. They also have a list of dealers. but it's not all-inclusive. My installer was the company my Toyota dealer uses and he's not on the Katzkin list.

And if you opt for 'after market', shop around for price - I got quotes as much as $1000 just for the LABOR!

[Cheap!]

Ok I have a silver #8. It hit the lot 2 hours before I test drove it. The thing about a #8 for me was I felt and still feel "It's too good for me." I honestly feel spoiled every day I get to drive it, and I'm just going to work. We did do a 1600 mile round trip. I now find the voice from the nav system a little much in town but on a long road she keeps to herself enough.
Did you know you could tell the car "I'm hungry" and the restaurants are displayed on the screen. How cool is that. “78 Degrees” and it is done for you. "Home" and directions, I'm never lost. "Radio" and I hear music. I do use the steering wheel controls more now but it is still a cool feature and if I need to sell her in a few years what do you think they will say when I tell the car “Call home.”

You could survive without it or buy a GPS, but have you ever noticed how a home with a built in pool sells faster then one with an above ground pool?

[withersea]

I originally wanted a pkg 6 but ended up getting a 7. I am so glad I did. The nav system is great. The voice commands are a blast to use ( "i'm hungry" will pop up restaurant icons on screen). Voice activated climate control is also good. I gave the dealer a choice of colors and option pkgs that I would accept. In the end I narrowed it down to a 7 or 8. Leather I could take or leave. The fabric looks nice. If you have small children, you may want to go with leather. Expanding your color options might shorten your wait. I moved ahead of two people (one would take red only and the other only wanted leather). I waited 5 weeks for delivery. Was told 4-6 weeks; so right on time.
Your dealer will probably not volunteer this, but they can do a dealer trade for the options that you are looking for. Call other dealers and find what you want. I ended up getting calls from two other dealers the week before delivery.

Good luck!

[Three60guy]

Consider resale value. #8 will go a long way to keep it high. I have #8 and like Alnilam love the technology. I find it very useful.

Another GPS example. You have a business phone number. The GPS has the option to enter that number and bam you are told how to get there. The stuff just keeps on amazing me. You only live once. This car the one you dont want to skimp on. Leather makes it easier to get in and out.

[Godiva]

The difference between 7 and 8 is leather. The 8 also has a leather steering wheel. I would get an 8 just for that as I loved the leather steering wheel in my last car. The wheelskins are OK but not the same.

I have cloth and it cleans great. I actually got tar off the back seat. I've read amazing stories from others.

I can't speak to whether the nav is worth it to you. But....you will find it easier to get a 7 or 8 than a 6. So if either of those are OK with you, you'll find a car faster. And if you don't care about color, faster yet. I personally would rather have a gray interior than an ivory one. My next Prius will have gray.

Good luck. Call a LOT Of dealers. Be willing to travel a bit and drive back. If you're as flexible on color and package as you say and are willing to do your own leg work, you'll find a car fast.