New Prius Owner w/Questions

[RIZ]

Hello. I'm been reading many topics that have been posted and I want to thank all of you who recommended the California Duster. I purchased the large one for the outside of the car & the small one for the dash. They work great. Now I need some help with the following: I am a mobile veterinarian and sometimes transport pets (some too large for a crate) as well as, my own dog who travels with me daily. I'm looking for a seat cover that is 1) waterproof 2) machine washable 3) easy to put on and take off 4) sturdy and last, but not least, 5) comfortable. Any comments would be appreciated. The next thing I need advice on is maintenance. My Prius owner's manual says the first oil change is due at 5,000 miles but my dealership suggests it to be done at every 3,700 miles. If I don't follow the dealership's recommendation will it void the warranty? Thank you.

[prius04]

Welcome to the group and congrats on the car.

I can't help with the seat covers but you will find that most Prii owners change the oil at the Manufacturer's recomended 5000 miles.

Many years ago, changing the oil at 3000 miles became the rage for making an engine last forever. Over the last few years, this concept has become more controversial. Less and less professionals agree with this.

And dealers like the idea because customers changing the oil at 3k gives them more cash flow than at 5k.

Many who drive the Prius will also argue that our car is a different kind of ICE. It burns MUCH cleaner than a typical ICE. Plus, by shutting off at times, it has less engine mileage at any overall car mileage. For these 2 reasons, there is no reason to change the oil at anything but the 5k mileage.

This cannot affect your manufacturers warranty by adhering to the manufacturers recomendations.

If you don't know what the ICE is, move your cursor over the word.

[galaxee]

Welcome! Congrats on the new car, and you sure have found the right place to ask

First. Check out Wet Okole seat covers. (do a search on Priuschat for owner opinions) They have waterproof versions for a little extra price. I went with GT but I don't think they have a waterproof version.

Now. the warranty only requires oil changes at 5000. The 3700 mile interval is the dealer trying to make more money off of you. Wait till 5K, then go in and ask for an oil change and tire rotation. Don't mention anything like "5K service" or anything like that, because dealers tend to have their own definition of "5k service" that includes a ton of other things that are expensive and probably won't even apply to your Prius. Go by what the warranty book says and ignore the dealer.

[Bill Merchant]

[font=Comic Sans MS:5bdf262c14]Congratulations on your new Prius!

Where will your live cargo be riding? There are waterproof covers for the section behind the rear seats that are vinyl and wouldn't be hard on feet.

If you're going to use the back with the rear seats folded down, in addition to a waterproof cover for the carpet, you might want to consider a divider to keep wayward beasts from using the center console as a bridge into the front. That should also help with flying bodies in a forward moving collision. They are not too expensive and fasten by pressing on the seat-back top and the headliner. PetSmart, Foster & Smith, have them.

If you go to a big fabric store, you may find fabric backed vinyl in a variety of colors and patterns that you can cut to fit the back. It's soft and pliable, so the cushioning of the carpet is still there. The vinyl is fairly inexpensive, so when claws (or teeth) chew it up, it won't be too costly to replace.[/font:5bdf262c14]

[mehrenst]

FWIW...I cannot speak to this from personal knowledge but the following was posted on a Prius Yahoo Group:

"We recently got Coverking seat covers for our 05. Their website is
www.coverking.com. We put the "leatherette" (aka plastic) on the
front and the cordura plus on the back as we've two dog. They are
great! The leatherette is very comfortable. The cordura isn't, but
it's the best protection I've seen against our dogs."

Hope it helps.

--- Additional ---
I just went to the CoverKing website (or tried to) and didn't get anything. Maybe the publicity on the Yahoo Group was too much for their hosting company. In any case, the covers are sold through a dealer network. If you Google for Cover King Seat Covers you will get places where you can order.

[atomicar]

Has anybody else had experience with coverking (www.coverking.com)? They seem to have a wider selection of fabrics, but I'd like to hear somebody else's experiences with them first.