Questions from a newbie ...

[PaPrius]

My thanks in advance to the active members of this forum. I've been enjoying the forum for a few months, and am very close to taking the plunge and ordering a Prius.

I have a few questions about packages and options. It was my goal to resolve all of them myself, but I've found it very difficult to locate Priuses to test drive, and thus haven't had a chance to examine all of the different options.

I'm leaning toward Option Combination B (also known as AM, I believe), over Option Combination C (also known as AF or BC, I believe). It seems as though the difference between the two packages is about $3,000 and the following bells and whistles: Security Alarm, Garage Door Opener, Voice Activated Navigation, 6 CD changer. Of all these options, the only one I'm hesitant to give up is the NAV, though I've never owned a car with NAV. All these things are personal preferences, but I thought I'd ask those with experience without NAV if you wish you had gotten it, or if you haven't missed it. Any thoughts on this?

Also, when it comes to accessories, I'm curious what people think about the following:

1. Auto-dimming Mirror with Homelink Garage Door Opener
2. Carpet floor mats & cargo mat
3. V.I.P - RS3200 Plus security system

The mirror seems nice, though I'm curious how much of a difference the auto-dimming feature is over the standard mirror.

I've seen several threads about floor mats, but don't recall any consensus about whether the Toyota ones are the way to go or whether other options are better.

The security system sounds like a good idea, especially for the many times when I drive into the city. Does this feature disable the car when set and the car is broken into?

I have taken two test drives in Priuses. The only concern I have after these drives is visibility when backing up. I'm not all that tall, and the visibility through the rear of the car does not seem all that great. Did any of you share the same concerns? If so, is it a problem that you have figured out how to overcome, or is it still a source of frustration for you?

Any and all responses to the above questions would be greatly appreciated. A Seaside Pearl or Salsa Red Pearl Prius order is pending my reaching a comfort level on the questions I raised.

[Dina]

I'm not an experienced Prius owner, but we have the auto-dimming mirror with Homelink on our Sienna, and I absolutely love it. We'll definitely get it again on any Toyota we ever buy. The mirror makes a big difference in my night driving comfort (to the point that I dislike driving anything else at night, now), and the Homelink is very handy, too.

I don't have strong preferences on Toyota vs. other floor mats, though I definitely would recommend a cargo mat. I'm wishing we had gotten one for the Sienna when we first bought it. It's just so much easier to replace a mat that gets dirty or worn than it is to do anything about the original carpeting, and as outstanding as Toyotas are in so many ways, I've never found their carpet particularly easy to keep looking nice.

[DanMan32]

I love the mirror too. The Homelink seems to put out a stronger signal than my original remote.

All Prius have the immobilizer. That comes with the territory of pushbutton power. Right now, it would be very difficult to crack the immobilizer unless they could emulate your fob. You can't hotwire it, in the traditional sense, as it takes the HV ECU to turn on the HV battery, then use MG1 to crank the engine and let the engine module to run the engine. The power ECM is also involved in the powerup process, as is the Transponder ECU, and SKS ECU if you have it. Someone with sophistication may get it going eventually, but not a joyrider.
The alarm adds nothing to the immobilizer other than make noise.

I will also let you in on a little secret: You already have the VIP RS3200 hardware (really part of the body ECU), but it is deactivated. Unfortunately, the Toyota scanner is needed to activate it. The VIP RS3200 option gets you a Glass Breakage Sensor, and the privilege and instructions for the dealer to activate both.

[RBW111]

I have only had my Prius for 2 weeks and love it. I don't have the NAV system and don't need it. I usually know where I'm going and how to get there. If I'm going on a trip in uncharted area, I do bring my portable GPS unit with mapping. If you WANT all the bells and whistles, go for it. But you don't NEED them to have a wonderful car thats loads of fun to drive.

[finman]

I've an AM 2004 package. I've added a compass/auto-dimming mirror (from a 2003 Camry, ebay purchase, installed myself), added the 6-disc changer to the basic radio (changer sits in the cubby/storage bin under the radio) and a rear-sensor backup alarm for the not-so-good rear visibility. Other options I've installed in my signature.
I can't see where the Nav/bluetooth/voice recognition is worth the extra $2000, but they'd be neat to play with. Also, get the VSC (vehicle stability control). It's one of the most amazing safety devices I've ever driven with. I also got side airbags with my package AM. All in all I'm as happy as can be with my set-up as is. Next Prius for my SO will be the silver #4. She's all over mine whenever she can drive it! Enjoy.

[PaPrius]

You folks didn't disappoint me. Thanks for the responses!

I think I'll place an order this week. I guess I'll have to search through the older threads to come up with techniques for getting the best price and not waiting too long for the car.

Thanks again,

Tom

[paprius4030]

PaPrius, r u from Pa.? Pocono's here, if you are where in Pa. r u?

[CraigCSJ]

I purchased the BC model about one year ago, thinking that the Nav wouldn't be of much use. I now wouldn't be without it. All the time I use it, for finding restaurants, businesses or anywhere I want to go. To each his own, but for me, the Nav is definitely worth the money.

CraigCSJ 04 Driftwood #9BC

[jtmhog]

Quick way to car shop is go to edmunds.com and take copy of best price email to dealer of choice and see if they match it. Availability of Prii is improving.

[CraigCSJ]

I want to add one additional benefit, at least for me, of the nav. Voice commands. While they don't always work, which can be frustrating, sometimes they are very helpful. A number of times I have found myself driving in traffic at night on a winding mountain road with the display on but too bright for conditions. Without moving my hands from the wheel, I can press the voice button on the wheel and say "screen off" and the display goes dark. The wheel buttons each are different, a bulge, a bump, a single dot, etc, so after awhile you can feel for the right one. Also helpful sometimes is the ability to turn the radio, sat radio, or CD either on or off with voice commands. This is not as helpful, because pressing and holding the button with the dot on the left side of the wheel also turns the audio on and off.

CraigCSJ 04 Driftwood #9 18,000miles/48.3mpg