Prius a remarkably fragile car?

Crsgardner · 04-03-2007, 09:49 AM

Now, let me preface this by saying long time reader, first time poster. I love my Prius and think hybrids are the way to go into the future. It's a fun car to drive. That said...

Has anyone noticed that the Prius is a fragile car?

For years I owned a conventional sedan. I bought a 2007 Prius as my first new car in February (I always drove used cars up through and after college).

I've enjoyed the car, but in the past month and a half I've gotten into a couple minor incidents that should have resulted in scrapes but ended up in body work.

* One week after I bought it, it was snowing heavily. About a 4-6 inch snowpile was on the side of the road. I swerved to avoid it but clipped it. Totally crushed in a part of the front bumper. Engine cover ripped off. $1000 repair.
* Two weeks later, again snowing. Making a K-turn and, while backing up, the brakes don't stop me and the back bumps lightly into a wall. This one was almost totally driver error. Surprisingly there was less damage than the first accident but still $400 repair for the rear bumper.
* This morning I came out of my driveway. The driveway edge is about 2 inches higher than the incline. Came out of the driveway maybe about an inch off to the side, drove over it and heard a slight scrape. Thought "oh crap", but it couldn't be too much damage right? Get the car to the garage and look underneath. All scratched up and the bumper has a 2-inch crack up the side. Engine cover popped off the bolt. Unbelievable.

Now, granted, driver error has a huge part to do with these. Weather does too. I admit I'm not the greatest driver in the world or anything. But I could drive over a 4-inch snowpile or go an inch off my driveway in my old sedan without damaged bumpers.

At this point I'm sick to my stomach about these all these incidents but I'm running out of money and the boss is getting tired of me missing work/being late. I think I'm just going to buy 2 bumper covers and call it a day.

But does anyone else feel that the Prius is somewhat of a fragile car? The front riding so low has something to do with it, I guess, but the car should be able to handle a small amount of snow (I live in the NYC area, not upstate NY) or drive over a small bump without issue.

Or am I just a lousy driver and let's leave it at that? lol

ScottY · 04-03-2007, 10:01 AM

I live on Long Island and drive to NYC and Jersey A LOT, since most of my friends live in those areas. I've never damage my Prius in almost 2 yrs of ownership (crossing fingers). Just like many new cars, the bumpers are made with plastic. So they are easy to crack. Your incidents sound more like driver error more than anything else. :P

Just be careful next time you drive your Prius.

David Beale · 04-03-2007, 10:39 AM

No, it's not the Prius being "fragile". It's a combination of two factors:
1. The Prius has low ground clearance. ANY vehicle with low ground clearance will suffer that kind of damage and costs if extreme care is not taken. My RX-7 (below) is one of those. Even driveway entries can damage it.
2. Most modern cars no longer have "bumpers" that can bump. They are painted "bumper covers". Even just touching another object will scratch them enough to require replacement. Happened to the anti-Prius below, twice! Touched side of garage backing out. Couldn't even feel it happen, but it damaged the bumper cover!

Try adding "curb feelers", long spring devices that attach to the frame. They make noise when they touch something, warning you to "STOP NOW!"

There isn't much you can do about the low ground clearance. It's needed to improve fuel economy. Just be aware of it and avoid snow piles, and deep potholes/road discontinuities. Especially be careful entering driveways/parking lots. If the entry looks steep, try to straddle it when entering and leaving.

iaowings · 04-03-2007, 10:55 AM

I have had cars with low ground clearance since I can remember. Well maybe my first car in high school didn’t. You have to be careful when going over bumps and stuff like that. If you have a steep driveway you may need to be careful pulling out of it. When the weather is bad maybe you should slow down. To me this is what your post sounds like.

“* One week after I bought it, it was snowing heavily. About a 4-6 inch snowpile was on the side of the road. I swerved to avoid it but clipped it. Totally crushed in a part of the front bumper. Engine cover ripped off. $1000 repair.
• Two weeks later, again snowing. Making a K-turn and, while backing up, the brakes don't stop me and the back bumps lightly into a wall. This one was almost totally driver error. Surprisingly there was less damage than the first accident but still $400 repair for the rear bumper.”

Hey its snowing slow down and realize the car is not going to stop on ice or snow. Slow down. Or just realize that snow and ice make things slippery. Slippery means things slide and do not stop on a dime.

I had a Mini and it snowed here the car was not handling like it should (first time driving on snow) I didn’t blame the car I down shifted and drove slower.

I am not trying to give you a hard time but it just sounds to me like it is more your fault (ie driver error) and not the car.

mywhitenoise · 04-03-2007, 10:59 AM

Go to driving school, haha.

daveleeprius · 04-03-2007, 11:05 AM

Wow, 4-6 inches of snow on the ground? Umm how about driving a 4WD Jeep or something? The Prius isn't designed to be a good snow car. The engine cover was ripped off, good job dude! Take better care of your car and you won't have trouble.

Dave

MegansPrius · 04-03-2007, 11:23 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Crsgardner @ Apr 3 2007, 10:49 AM) [snapback]416990[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

* One week after I bought it, it was snowing heavily. About a 4-6 inch snowpile was on the side of the road. I swerved to avoid it but clipped it. Totally crushed in a part of the front bumper. Engine cover ripped off. $1000 repair.[/b]

A 4-6 inch snowpile? And it hurt your car? I'm sorry, but I rammed our car in foot high/snow ice drifts this winter after snows to make our parking path*. How did you do $1000 damage on a 4-6 inch snowpile? Have any pics of the damage?

*and yes, I did get it stuck once, but it moved out after a two person push.

Crsgardner · 04-03-2007, 11:35 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MegansPrius @ Apr 3 2007, 12:23 PM) [snapback]417055[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

A 4-6 inch snowpile? And it hurt your car? I'm sorry, but I rammed our car in foot high/snow ice drifts this winter after snows to make our parking path*. How did you do $1000 damage on a 4-6 inch snowpile? Have any pics of the damage?
*and yes, I did get it stuck once, but it moved out after a two person push.
[/b]

Yes, I do actually.

Geico took these of the first accident. (The snow was actually packed in pretty hard). At the time I was driving less than 5 miles per hour.

And look, I know my driving skills aren't world-class caliber. However, I never ran into things like this (no pun intended) in my old car and taken this kind of damage. And my old car wasn't an SUV or anything -- it was a normal everyday sedan.

I just am a little irked that going over a 2-inch portion on the side of my driveway at maybe 2-3 MPH is enough to pop an engine cover and crack the bumper. If I do get it repaired, I'm seriously considering at least bumper covers to protect against damage.

adam1991 · 04-03-2007, 11:37 AM

Most of the damage is just plastic pieces--no big deal.

Maybe you could save up a few of these instances and get them all fixed at once, instead of fixing each individual instance.

Charles Suitt · 04-03-2007, 11:57 AM

***SIGH***

Like a previous post, I have driven two Prius {2004 and now 2007} for over 2½ years in Dallas TX without a scratch in all kinds of traffic, parking in garages and lots, etc.etc.etc. I do not, in any respect, consider my Prius to be 'fragile.' I do occasionally scrape a high curb with the "wind dam" beneath the front bumper cover but not enough to damage it. I suppose a "Texas Pickup Truck" or a Military Hummer would be the ideal vehicle for a driver who collides with things periodically.

04-03-2007, 10:39 AM	#3
David Beale Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 1,551 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	No, it's not the Prius being "fragile". It's a combination of two factors: 1. The Prius has low ground clearance. ANY vehicle with low ground clearance will suffer that kind of damage and costs if extreme care is not taken. My RX-7 (below) is one of those. Even driveway entries can damage it. 2. Most modern cars no longer have "bumpers" that can bump. They are painted "bumper covers". Even just touching another object will scratch them enough to require replacement. Happened to the anti-Prius below, twice! Touched side of garage backing out. Couldn't even feel it happen, but it damaged the bumper cover! Try adding "curb feelers", long spring devices that attach to the frame. They make noise when they touch something, warning you to "STOP NOW!" There isn't much you can do about the low ground clearance. It's needed to improve fuel economy. Just be aware of it and avoid snow piles, and deep potholes/road discontinuities. Especially be careful entering driveways/parking lots. If the entry looks steep, try to straddle it when entering and leaving. __________________ Edmonton Alberta "Pearl" is a 2007 Driftwood Pearl Prius.

04-03-2007, 10:55 AM	#4
iaowings Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 450 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I have had cars with low ground clearance since I can remember. Well maybe my first car in high school didn’t. You have to be careful when going over bumps and stuff like that. If you have a steep driveway you may need to be careful pulling out of it. When the weather is bad maybe you should slow down. To me this is what your post sounds like. “* One week after I bought it, it was snowing heavily. About a 4-6 inch snowpile was on the side of the road. I swerved to avoid it but clipped it. Totally crushed in a part of the front bumper. Engine cover ripped off. $1000 repair. • Two weeks later, again snowing. Making a K-turn and, while backing up, the brakes don't stop me and the back bumps lightly into a wall. This one was almost totally driver error. Surprisingly there was less damage than the first accident but still $400 repair for the rear bumper.” Hey its snowing slow down and realize the car is not going to stop on ice or snow. Slow down. Or just realize that snow and ice make things slippery. Slippery means things slide and do not stop on a dime. I had a Mini and it snowed here the car was not handling like it should (first time driving on snow) I didn’t blame the car I down shifted and drove slower. I am not trying to give you a hard time but it just sounds to me like it is more your fault (ie driver error) and not the car. __________________ "If a man does his best, what else is there?" General George S. Patton "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." Hillary Clinton

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Bumper protection for fragile Prius bumpers	zang	CA - San Francisco Bay Area	2	10-05-2007 03:20 AM
Prius -- not a car for the fragile male ego	DougSlug	Prius Main Forum	106	06-22-2006 08:36 PM

04-03-2007, 09:49 AM	#1
Crsgardner Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 10 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Now, let me preface this by saying long time reader, first time poster. I love my Prius and think hybrids are the way to go into the future. It's a fun car to drive. That said... Has anyone noticed that the Prius is a fragile car? For years I owned a conventional sedan. I bought a 2007 Prius as my first new car in February (I always drove used cars up through and after college). I've enjoyed the car, but in the past month and a half I've gotten into a couple minor incidents that should have resulted in scrapes but ended up in body work. * One week after I bought it, it was snowing heavily. About a 4-6 inch snowpile was on the side of the road. I swerved to avoid it but clipped it. Totally crushed in a part of the front bumper. Engine cover ripped off. $1000 repair. * Two weeks later, again snowing. Making a K-turn and, while backing up, the brakes don't stop me and the back bumps lightly into a wall. This one was almost totally driver error. Surprisingly there was less damage than the first accident but still $400 repair for the rear bumper. * This morning I came out of my driveway. The driveway edge is about 2 inches higher than the incline. Came out of the driveway maybe about an inch off to the side, drove over it and heard a slight scrape. Thought "oh crap", but it couldn't be too much damage right? Get the car to the garage and look underneath. All scratched up and the bumper has a 2-inch crack up the side. Engine cover popped off the bolt. Unbelievable. Now, granted, driver error has a huge part to do with these. Weather does too. I admit I'm not the greatest driver in the world or anything. But I could drive over a 4-inch snowpile or go an inch off my driveway in my old sedan without damaged bumpers. At this point I'm sick to my stomach about these all these incidents but I'm running out of money and the boss is getting tired of me missing work/being late. I think I'm just going to buy 2 bumper covers and call it a day. But does anyone else feel that the Prius is somewhat of a fragile car? The front riding so low has something to do with it, I guess, but the car should be able to handle a small amount of snow (I live in the NYC area, not upstate NY) or drive over a small bump without issue. Or am I just a lousy driver and let's leave it at that? lol

04-03-2007, 10:01 AM	#2
ScottY Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,245 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I live on Long Island and drive to NYC and Jersey A LOT, since most of my friends live in those areas. I've never damage my Prius in almost 2 yrs of ownership (crossing fingers). Just like many new cars, the bumpers are made with plastic. So they are easy to crack. Your incidents sound more like driver error more than anything else. :P Just be careful next time you drive your Prius.

04-03-2007, 10:59 AM	#5
mywhitenoise Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 205 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Go to driving school, haha.

04-03-2007, 11:05 AM	#6
daveleeprius Heh heh heh you think so? Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 414 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: Base Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Wow, 4-6 inches of snow on the ground? Umm how about driving a 4WD Jeep or something? The Prius isn't designed to be a good snow car. The engine cover was ripped off, good job dude! Take better care of your car and you won't have trouble. Dave

04-03-2007, 11:37 AM	#9
adam1991 Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 220 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Most of the damage is just plastic pieces--no big deal. Maybe you could save up a few of these instances and get them all fixed at once, instead of fixing each individual instance.

04-03-2007, 11:57 AM	#10
Charles Suitt Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Dallas TX Posts: 1,622 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	*SIGH* Like a previous post, I have driven two Prius {2004 and now 2007} for over 2½ years in Dallas TX without a scratch in all kinds of traffic, parking in garages and lots, etc.etc.etc. I do not, in any respect, consider my Prius to be 'fragile.' I do occasionally scrape a high curb with the "wind dam" beneath the front bumper cover but not enough to damage it. I suppose a "Texas Pickup Truck" or a Military Hummer would be the ideal vehicle for a driver who collides with things periodically.