do you regret owning the Prius ?

The 3 series is one of the best driving cars made. Repairs are VERY expensive, so be aware after your warranty expires. I learned the hard way. The Prius is just about perfect for mileage and everyday use. I could even fit my roadbike in the back of my 2009 Prius. What you will miss is how great your BMW handles as compared to a Prius. You will not notice it much at first, but overtime you will. You can't go wrong with a Toyota, especially a Prius. But be aware that the driving experience is far different than your BMW.

 

I would not call it complaining. This is a forum and we can exchange experiences. Yes, I love the Prius v for its low fuel consumption and its technology but I have a few problems. I believe that Toyota is cutting costs by compromising on quality at least in the interior. I did not drive a BMW before, just two Town & Countries for 12 years. Their mileage was dreadful but I never once had a similar problem. The price tag was quite similar, so I came to expect a certain level of quality. We have been driving it since last October. My experience is likely because it is a new car they still do not stock spare parts for it. Every time something breaks I have to wait for weeks. First, the recall of that exhaust actuator. Then the seat panel of the passenger seat came off. They did not even have that clip. A few weeks later it could be repaired. Today I leaned on the panel of the drivers door and something inside broke. Now that is loose. I can just see another visit to the dealership and they may again not have the part it in stock. I am beginning to seriously consider getting an extended warranty. So again, don't get me wrong. I agree with everybody that there is no alternative to this car when it comes to space and fuel consumption but my Chryslers never had anything come off like this. So no real regrets but just puzzled.

 

I defected from European makes a few years ago because I didn't have the energy or resources to keep up with pricey repairs once out of warranty. (DIY maintenance and apartment living didn't mix well.) There is definitely a trade-off between luxury/performance and reliability/fuel economy/cost, and I knew that on my way through the door.

About once a year I feel the itch to trade back "up" to something like a 3-series or another Volvo like I used to own. Then I do the math and look hard at what I would be giving up. My '07 has been a ridiculously dependable and versatile car. I take great care of it and it still drives like when it was new. Even if I factor in something big like a new HV battery in the 8-12 year time frame, I still come out well ahead on total cost of ownership. I think I will still be ahead on frustration, too.

If my priorities placed driving experience and image on top then I would be singing a different tune. My old [money pit] S70 had the best ergonomics I have ever experienced, and still miss having three pedals to play with. The Prius is more appliance-like, and next time I will be more careful about buying a car that suits my tall frame. (I don't think that would be as much of an issue in the V.) But no, I definitely don't regret buying it.

 

Perhaps this will put your mind at ease.

 

Here's the deal...you are buying a cheaper car (PRIUS) so what do you expect? BMW makes a beautiful car and is a luxury car. The Prius is not a luxury car. Look at the price difference and quality between the two. The Prius is only good for one thing...getting your nice person to your destination and back home without spending a small fortune on gas. That is the only reason why I bought the Prius! When you are feeling bad about buying the Prius just take a look at your total gas purchases for the month, it will put a "SMUG" smile on your face!!! HAHA

 

If you can afford to (space wise/money wise), keep the BMW for a while.

We kept our '96 Cherokee because of it's 4WD and nice roof rack. I'm keeping the '90 Acura Integra (for now) because it gets great gas mileage (32 mpg last tank/ 30 mpg previous tank) and is in great shape and has relatively low miles (154K - not bad for a 90). Besides, I wouldn't get much for it anyway. Even though its no BMW, the Acura is fun to drive.

So, I say use the Prius for the daily commutes and save the 325i for the weekend or anytime you want a little more fun.

 

I really like the new Prius V5 that we got this week. No problems.

 

Yes, I have some regrets, but I don't know of anything better for the cargo space I need and the gas mileage I want. Here are some of my complaints (in no particular order) after 2000 miles and 6 weeks of driving:

1. Rattles in the driver's door (top air bag area) and passenger door (unknown location).
2. Uncomfortable driver's seat. Also, insufficient room for my feet, especially my left foot.
3. GPS with extremely expensive dealer updates. (A year from now I plan to switch to my portable GPS which cost what one Prius map update would cost but which has lifetime updates and traffic info.) Also, the Prius GPS seems to get confused (bad directions, locking onto streets parallel to the one I'm driving on, etc.) more often than any other GPS I've owned.
4. Entune, which added to the cost of the car but for which I have no use except for the blue tooth connectivity to my non-smart cell phone. I suspect the majority of owners won't make full use of Entune, especially when you consider how expensive the "rental" fees are for it and the apps.
5. The whole anti-DIY attitude by the manufacturer. A floor jack and jack stands can't be used without using homemade wooden blocks (with notch cut into them) to avoid damage to the pinch weld. That might work for rotating tires (I haven't tried it yet) but you wouldn't want to crawl under the car to change oil with homemade wooden blocks on the jack stands. That means buying ramps for oil changes.
6. Related to the anti-DIY attitude of #5, the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) can only be reset by the dealer when a sensor is replaced., a different set of tires are put on, etc. They charge outrageous prices for that servic.
7. A non-standard low-capacity 12-volt battery that is currently very expensive to replace.
8. An unknown and possibly short life. The high-voltage battery costs $2400 plus installation according to my dealer, so a failure after the 8-year warranty might mean the car is "totalled." My dealer's shop told me a new engine costs $10,000 plus installation, so engine problems could easily "total" the car. I typically drive 7500 miles per year, so I'm interested in a long-life car (my last one lasted 17 years). I doubt my Prius V will last very long.
9. The "baby dump truck" noise the car makes when it's in reverse. The dealer promised to take care of the problem for no charge when I take the car in for its 6-month checkup, but I wish I didn't have to put up with the noise for so long.
10. The speedometer is in the center of the dash, no where near the driver's line of sight. Also, I wish the GPS would display speed so that I could check the accuracy of the car's speedometer. (I used my portable GPS and the car's speedometer reads 1 mph high.)
11. High levels of road noise on all but the smoothest road.
12. Manufacturer's attitude towards two-way radio installation. The owner's manual says to check with the dealer before such installation but the dealer didn't know anything about it. The regional tech rep then said such an installation was forbidden because of poor shielding of the car's electronics. I never got a believable answer from them.

Those are some of my complaints that come to mind. If I had it to do over agin, I'd probably delay buying a new car for a couple of years as my 11-year old, 12 mpg, pickup is adequate transportation.

 

wow.

 

Don't go anywhere near a dealership if you're just dealing with tires. Independent tire shops will be able to do it for much less. It's just part of the process.

$3,500 for 60,000 miles is $0.058 cents per mile.
40mpg @ $3.5/gal is 8.75 cents per mile.
24mpg @ $3.5/gal is 14.58 cents per mile.
Note that the battery will probably last more miles than that.

So, it's not a bad hedge, even though I wouldn't recommend a hybrid to a low mileage driver.

The battery is an expensive part. But the good news is that when it fails, even if you don't take the cheaper option of getting it repaired or buying a salvage replacement when you get a new battery your car goes back to running efficiently. Now add to that the extremely solid reliability of power split hybrids and you should be able to get at least another 8 years out of it.

My big problem with this complaint (that I read frequently) is that the speedometer is below the rear view mirror. In fact it's on the left side of it. Nobody ever complains that the rear view mirror isn't in the line of sight and you have to check it frequently.

Central positioning isn't ideal, but it's something I only think about when people bring it to my attention.

12mpg @ $3.5/gal = $0.29/mile
Even if you have a short-lived battery you're halving "fuel" costs.

Of course, being pessimistic it only saves $1,087.50 per year in fuel and battery, so you're right that it would have been cheaper to keep running your old pick-up.

 

Prius Taxis get ridiculous miles and years out of their Prii, 3-400k in many cases! You're worried about replacing the engine after 60k? Seriously?!?

 

The 12 volt hasn't gotten any cheaper to replace. It's always been a pricey item for the 2nd and 3rd gen Priuses. I replaced mine w/an Optima Yellow Top (doesn't save any $ over the OEM battery). Look to replace it at the 4-6 year mark.

Why are you so concerned about the HV battery having "An unknown and possibly short life"? On Prius liftbacks, they're warranted for 10 years/150K miles in CA and CARB states. Same goes w/the engine. See Lifespan/Operating costs - Prius Wiki, in particular the Toyota hybrids that were taken to 160K miles and the Gen 3s that are past 150K (one's past 160K) and 2 fas 4 u's 09 Prius that has 465K miles while still on the original engine and HV battery. He traded in his for a v.

His v passed 50K miles last month (Prius v: 100,000 Mile Club | Page 2 | PriusChat). Haven't heard from him much lately...

As for HV battery alternatives, see Failed traction (HV) battery, what to do? - Prius Wiki.

 

I replaced the 12v on our Subaru after 4 years for $85 from Walmart. Works out to $1.77 a month
An Optima cost me $180, and will last about 5 years, for a $3/month cost.

So the Prius 12v is $1.23 a month more expensive.

Oh dear.

BTW, over 8 years of Prius G2 ownership my total out of pocket expenses on the car including repairs and maintenance is right about $15/month average.

 

Our first Prius, a used, 2003 sedan, now has just under 150,000 miles and I've put 90,000 miles on it. In 2009, I got a good deal on the 1.8L Prius and it has just reached 28,000 miles. I've never looked back but only forward to the joy of Prius driving.

Bob Wilson

 

My Gamin nuvi 2455 is about equally capable (or retarded) as Toyota's unit. The nuvi doesn't name the road you are on while Toyota's does. Both are missing POI & not the same ones. Toyota's doesn't have TD Bank branches. The nuvi can't find one in Secaucus & vicinity to save it's life.

Almost none of us have major problems to complain about so we complain about small stuff.

I have cables strung across the dash because the car doesn't have proper & full instrumentation.
The USB port is a PITA to reach.
The cover doesn't fully retract especially when cold.
Water drips onto the deck when the hatch is opened after it rains.
The interior plastic scuffs.

To add to the silliness:
I miss the gravity fed gas tank in the passenger seat.
I miss the push button shift that was standard in 1964.

Usually the biggest regret is not buying one sooner.

Is the Prius the "best" car in the world? Maybe not but you can have mine when you can pry it out of my cold dead hands.

 

9. The "baby dump truck" noise the car makes when it's in reverse. The dealer promised to take care of the problem for no charge when I take the car in for its 6-month checkup, but I wish I didn't have to put up with the noise for so long.

Not sure if anyone mentioned this but you can take your car to any Toyota dealership and have them fix the annoying backup and seatbelt alarm for free in most cases. With both of mine i forgot to mention it at Point of Sale... but my first oil change I had them fix it to one beep... I don't know how people can handle not adjusting it ASAP.

And yes the seats i feel are very uncomfortable for a commuter car (drive 120 miles each day atleast) the Prius V is a little better, especially the head rest.

 

You are really complaining about the BEEPS given from the Prius during reverse driving and when the seat belt is not worn while driving? Unbelievable. How long (distance and time) are you going in reverse? When I drive in reverse it only lasts for a few seconds so I do not know what the big deal is. Also all new vehicles have a beep installed when the seat belt is not engaged while the vehicle is moving. It is for the morons who believe that seats belts do not work if they become involved in a crash. And finally, have you heard the saying "you get what you paid for?" If you wanted a comfortable seat while driving long distances you should have bought a Mercedes, BMW, or Volvo. Quit crying!!!!

 

Whoa, how do you get 55 mpg out of your Prius?

 

... actually, it's quite believable.

 

I have oft complained about these and will continue to. The seat belt is less of a concern (I encounter it only while driving around the 'hood to grab the kids or something, but yes it is irritating). The reverse beep is epically annoying, has annoyed literally thousands of people, and is totally an unacceptable, bothersome feature to me and many others. It's like a fly buzzing around my face every time I'm in reverse or somebody gently poking me in the cheek. It just bugs the ever living hell out of me and that's the truth.