NEED INFO

[Em]

I am seriously considering buying a prius. I have questions!!!! What is city mileage/highway mileage based on personal experiences? What is the capacity of the gas tank? What are pros/cons of ownership of vehicle? Were you able to test drive it or had to buy it sight unseen because of waiting lists? How roomy is trunk? Can 5 adults truly ride comfortable longer than a couple of blocks? Do the fold down seats lie completely flat or is there an incline? Would a large dog fit comfortably in back? Does anyone know of any changes that might happen on the 2006 models? How smooth does the engine run at high speeds? Does it have a strong pickup for passing and changing lanes? How high a maintenance risk? How much does maintenance cost monthly/yearly? Do you like your prius and would you recommend the purchase of said vehicle? Do you think with proper upkeep that this vehicle would last for 5yrs/10 yrs/ more? So folks please send feedback on the Prius.

[galaxee]

Holy cow. Lots of questions.

Overall mileage for me is about 49. varies by individual, traffic, terrain, driving style..... etc etc etc

Capacity is supposed to be 11.9 gal

Pros: great mileage, reasonable price, good cargo room, nice ride, i could go on.
Cons: I get mad when someone cuts me off and makes me use the brakes.

I didn't test drive, but my husband did. I took his word, absolutely love it! Now there are a few Prii on lots around here.

Trunk is great. We can fit $150 worth of groceries (and I'm a thrifty spender) in the back without any trouble. All sorts of boxes and such when I helped a friend move, so overall I'll say no trouble there.

5 adults? I dunno about 5. I took myself and 3 others for a long ride and it was fine. Someone else could probably answer that one.

Nearly flat seats when folded down. The incline isn't much.

Large dog? I'd say yes. With the seats folded down our 2 large trail bikes fit comfortable in the back.

Changes are pretty much introduced constantly.

At first engine is a little rough at start and stop. After a few thousand miles very, very smooth.

I've never had a problem passing/changing lanes on busy highways around Raleigh/Durham

Maintenance is super cheap. Oil changes and tire rotations for the most part. Battery and associated systems are warranted 7yr/100K. There are a few exceptions, of course, as always, but for the most part people don't have trouble.

In 4 months we've paid about $11, for oil. We switched to synthetic at 1000 miles. Otherwise we would have paid nothing yet. My husband does all the work, he works for a Toyota dealer. Like I said, it's mostly oil changes and tire rotations.

Would absolutely recommend! I love my car. It's exactly what I wanted out of a car, and it's great on the environment and pocketbook.

I expect to get about 150K miles before trading my car in. There are people who are at that mark already, and some are beyond.

Do some searching around the forums here. The answers to almost all your questions and any others you may have are around here. Just look around, there's a ton of info here.

[Tideland Prius]

Goodness that's a lotta questions

Let's see
[list]

[BobA]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Em\";p=\"109875)</div>

I am seriously considering buying a prius.  I have questions!!!!  What is city mileage/highway mileage based on personal experiences?  What is the capacity of the gas tank? What are pros/cons of ownership of vehicle?  Were you able to test drive it or had to buy it sight unseen because of waiting lists?  How roomy is trunk?  Can 5 adults truly ride comfortable longer than a couple of blocks?  Do the fold down seats lie completely flat or is there an incline?  Would a large dog fit comfortably in back?  Does anyone know of any changes that might happen on the 2006 models?  How smooth does the engine run at high speeds?  Does it have a strong pickup for passing and changing lanes?  How high a maintenance risk?  How much does maintenance cost monthly/yearly?  Do you like your prius and would you recommend the purchase of said vehicle?  Do you think with proper upkeep that this vehicle would last for 5yrs/10 yrs/ more?  So folks please send feedback on the Prius.[/b]

I think most of your questions have been answered...but

My mileage has been about 42-45mpg..with only 3000 miles on the car and short trips.. that said we took a round trip to Ca from Co and averaged 53.4 mpg, driving at the speed limit or better.. think it needed to be broken in..

Sherry and I did take a test ride in a used 04 Prius at a VW dealer.. two salesmen went with us as they had just gotten the car on the lot and they wanted to see it... there was enough room in the back for another person.. we also drove one at the dealer who we bought the car from... we bought ours on the internet, using Toyota.com and building the car.. recomend doing that... less hassle than playing the head games with a lot salesman... ours is an 04 and we did wait 59 days... don't think anyone is doing that today..

I don't think there are big changes for 06..

Bob Andersen

[TonyPSchaefer]

I always try to put things into perspecitve. I do this because I seem to draw the nay-sayers and the critics. When I say that my average mileage is 47MPG the critics reply "well that's less than the 55MPG they advertised."

In my head, I reply, "are you serious?! You mean 47 is less than 55?! When did that happen?"

But of course I don't. Instead I show them my spreadsheet. You see, Em, when you ask someone about their personal historic experience, you are getting their break-in mileage, their winter mileage, and their "I'm in a hurry and screw the mileage" mileage.

So, with that said. My average mileage is a little more than 47MPG. My last tank lasted 610 miles and required exactly 10 gallons to refill even though the display showed only 58MPG.

Depending on your location - which is blank - you might have light winters or heavy winters. The heavier the winters, the closer to 45MPG you will realize for the life of your Prius. However, the lighter your winters (think Phoenix/Texas/Georgia and the like) the closer to 55MPG you will realize. There are many other factors, but I just want you to keep in mind that all cars take a hit during the winter and the Prius is no different.

For my entire lifetime history mileage, please follow the link in my signature below.

[aaf709]

I suggest you go to
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm and enter the Prius (can't get a direct link). It has 96 cu ft for passenger and 16 cu ft for luggage. Of course you can fold the seats down for more room. (BTW, this site allows you to compare vehicles.)

I rented one for 2 weeks so I could really see what it was like without a sales rep behind me.

[tmorrowus]

I get about 39MPG commuting 6 miles to work every day and driving around town, including a trip up a 500 foot hill on the way home. On longer road trips I get about 45mpg. All cars get less than the EPA rated mileage, but hybrid buyers notice the difference more because they care. I'm perfetly happy with this mileage.

[Godiva]

>What is city mileage/highway mileage based on personal experiences?
That depends on how you drive and where you live. I live in San Diego and am now averaging about 50 mpg per tank. When I first got the car my first tank was 45 mpg. It's gone up on each tank. I expect after the first oil change and break in (5,000 miles) it will go up a little more.

>What is the capacity of the gas tank?
11.9 gallons. But it's a bladder and varies with temperature.

>What are pros/cons of ownership of vehicle?
Pros too numerous to mention. Compared to my 1996 Saturn coupe it is more powerful, tighter turning radius, quiter, more comfortable. I don't fill up as often. The shift is really smooth. I find it very relaxing to drive. For me the cons are pretty insignificant. My car insurance went up over the 1996 Saturn Coupe but that would have happened with any new car. And my registration will be higher with a new car.

>Were you able to test drive it or had to buy it sight unseen because of waiting lists?
Test drove it and then bought it. No waiting. You don't say where you are so it's difficult for people to advise as availability varies depending on where you are.

>How roomy is trunk?
Very compared to my 1996 Saturn Coupe.

>Can 5 adults truly ride comfortable longer than a couple of blocks?
I have no idea. I only carry my dog. I've carred two adults in the back to the mall and back. They said it was quite comfy.

>Do the fold down seats lie completely flat or is there an incline?
Flat.

>Would a large dog fit comfortably in back?
Yes.

>Does anyone know of any changes that might happen on the 2006 models?
Use the search to find that thread and read up. Not enough to wait and loose the tax rebate. A few color changes.

>How smooth does the engine run at high speeds?
Very compared to my 1996 Saturn Coupe. And at low speeds and stopped....it doesn't run at all.

>Does it have a strong pickup for passing and changing lanes?
Yes.

>How high a maintenance risk?
Less regular maintenance compared to other cars. I have an extended warranty purchased here so don't worry about the unexpected. Read up on that thread if you buy.

>How much does maintenance cost monthly/yearly?
Change oil every 5,000 miles. Other depends on what you have done and how often you wash and what doohickies you buy.

>Do you like your prius and would you recommend the purchase of said vehicle?
Yes and yes.

>Do you think with proper upkeep that this vehicle would last for 5yrs/10 yrs/ more?
I expect beyond 10 years. But I'll probably trade it in for a new Prius around 10 years. I usually buy a new car every 10 years. If they come out with a fantastic advancement in the Prius, I might trade it in sooner.

You really need to go test drive one. If you can't do that, see if you can rent one. If none are available, there may be a Priuschat member in your area who can give you a test drive.

[ChuX]

For the brief week that I drove the Prius, I was getting around 47 MPG mixed city and highway driving. I had 5 people in the car and everyone in the back was quite comfortable. The trunk is the biggest I've seen in a sedan thanks to its hatchback design. The power of the car will surprise you. It had plenty of power to pass and pickup is fast.

If it weren't so expensive, I would've bought one. Instead, I purchased a Scion tC, which I love. But in a few years, I'll purchase a used 04/05 Prius. Hopefully, by then, the price would be reasonable.