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Is there a downside to upgrading from a Gen II?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by hkmb, May 1, 2013.

  1. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    I have a Gen II (2008) Prius.

    In Australia, there isn't this 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 trim level thing that you have in the US. There's a "Prius", and a "Prius i-Tech". My current car is a "Prius" - I think that's about equivalent to a Prius 2 in the US. An i-Tech is like a Prius 5, I think.

    I'm considering upgrading to a Gen III Prius i-Tech. If I sell my current car privately and buy my new one at auction, the price differential would only be a few thousand dollars.

    My Gen II is still lovely. But there are a couple of things that I'd like that I don't have:

    • I'd like a bit more power. Not loads, but a bit.
    • I'd like a built-in sat nav.
    • I'd like leather seats.
    • I'd like either a USB interface or an aux input or both.
    • I'd like radar cruise control. As long as it works.
    • I'd like a car with a left rear door that hasn't been scratched by some hit-and-run idiot who can't park his Honda CRV properly.

    My understanding is that I'd get all of these things on a Gen III i-Tech. And the solar panel fan thingy would be good, as cars do get very hot here if they're parked outside in summer. The head-up-display sounds useful too.

    I'd also like a slightly-less-eager stability control (cutting the engine's power when a big truck is hurtling towards me because one wheel spun slightly on wet leaves is frightening), and a bit less understeer, but I don't know whether a Gen III will give me this.

    The only potential disadvantage I can immediately see concerns colour: cream interiors don't seem to be available on Gen III Priuses in Australia, and the choice of external paint colours isn't as nice as for Gen II.

    Has anyone upgraded from an Gen II to a Gen III?

    Would I get the advantages I'm hoping for if I were to upgrade? Is there anything else you love about your Gen III that you didn't have in your Gen II?

    And is there anything that you don't like about your Gen III in comparison to your Gen II? Is there anything that makes you regret upgrading?
     
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  2. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    Oh, sorry. One more thing.

    A while ago, I had a 2011 Corolla hatch as a rental. It had a floating centre console which looks a bit like the one in the Gen III Prius. And I found it really encroached on the driver's knee-hole: it tended to rub uncomfortably against my knee on long drives (it is worth bearing in mind that I am not especially thin). Does anyone have a problem with this in the Gen III?
     
  3. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    I don't mind the center console. Power is nice, comparable to non-hybrid cars or even more (low speed acceleration). But, I'm being told by many people that gen 2 was better built/more reliable. Not sure myself.

    BTW, built-in Nav is overrated IMHO. Portable GPS are more user friendly/cheaper and you can transfer from car to car. Aux input can be added DIY.
     
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  4. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    The "extra power" is barely noticeable. But it's there.

    You loose storage space. The rear tray is a bit smaller, the "hidden" tray is gone, the eyeglass holder is gone.

    Radar cruise does work, though you have to figure out how to set the thing, otherwise it's going to make you mad. The car won't close up to doodlers, and even when you change lanes to get around them it takes a few seconds before it will start to speed up again. If you let it default to the standard following distance people will cut in constantly (unless you have no idiots on the road - doubtful eh!). It will also detect trucks (lorries where you are?) in the next lane from time to time.

    I suspect the solar powered fan won't help a lot for you as it gets so hot down there. It works well on not so hot days here, but on hot days it's still hot in the car.

    The -biggest- thing I notice is how much easier it is to get good mileage, and the mileage generally is better.

    Pearl (GII) was smarter than I am. Pearl S (GIII) is WAY smarter than I.
     
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  5. SalixIncendium

    SalixIncendium Tree Hugging Environmentalist Wacko

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    I'd have to look to see if this is a solar roof thing, but my G3 (without the solar roof) has a sunglass holder.
     
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  6. SalixIncendium

    SalixIncendium Tree Hugging Environmentalist Wacko

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    I went from an '11 Corolla to my Prius and the position of the center console on the Corolla was much lower and bothered my knee as well. This is not the case with the G3 Prius.
     
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  7. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Knee rubbing against console isn't a problem for me in 2011 Pri. If I had to scoot any further forward, it might be a problem.
     
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  8. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    Thanks. I hadn't heard about the difference in reliability so far. My Gen II is at 80,000km, and nothing has ever gone wrong.

    The good thing about built-in Nav is that you can't leave it in the garage and then forget where you put it. I've just found mine again after three months.
     
  9. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    That sounds good. I'm not looking for lots more power: just a little bit that would mean it doesn't sound so horrible going up steep hills at speed.

    Right. I'd miss the hidden tray.

    Thanks - I was wondering what it would be like. Our trucks (I'm still learning Strayan - they usually say truck, and then there are roadtrains too. But I'd have said lorries, being British.) are pretty wide, and our lanes are often narrow, so that could be an issue.

    Even a little bit of help would be something. The hottest day we had this summer was 46C (114F), but it's usually in the low 30s C / around 90F in summer.

    That's interesting. I'm getting about 5.3l/100km (44mpg) at the moment on mainly urban driving: I'd heard that the Gen III was a little better.
     
  10. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    Ahha. That's perfect. Thank you.
     
  11. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    As for reliability, Pearl lost the mechanical water pump after two years. Then a year later they recalled her to replace the inverter coolant pump. So I suppose that's not very reliable for a GII.
    So far Pearl S hasn't had any problems, but I've only put on 5000 km so far and she is nearly a year old.

    After re-reading my first post, I suppose it could be taken as not very enthusiastic for the GIII. I really like Pearl S.
    Pearl was fine as well. This year I should be able to put more km on Pearl S.

    As for the eyeglass holder, I was told by an optical shop I shouldn't leave plastic glasses in the car at all, and especially not in the sun or up high. The heat can delaminate the lenses. So it's not really a big loss. And yes, it's probably because of the "sunroof", though I haven't looked closely at a non-sunroof car. Pearl S is a Canadian "technology package" unit. Sunroof, solar panel, radar cruise, PCS - pre-collision system (which I leave off!), Sat. radio, and nav., the 6 1/2 inch screen nav. - very nice.
     
  12. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    Are you talking about the overhead push-open sunglasses holder? That would be too bad if they got rid of it in the gen 3 Prius.

    Another thing I heard is that some ECUs and the associated bundles of fine wires have been moved from inside the dash in gen 2 to under the hood in gen 3. It would be interesting to see how well they hold up. Maybe the manufacturer just doesn't expect us to keep the car for a long time. Sigh.
     
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Models with the Solar Panel Moonroof do not have the sunglass holder.

    Also, the gloveboxes are hard plastic (not lined with felt like it is in the Gen 2). In addition, you lose the tray in the upper glovebox.

    There are a lot of improvements in the Gen 3. I guess one thing is that it's a little harder to glide in the Gen 3 than it is in the Gen 2 but all of the improvements you mentioned are there. I like the DRCC and with our straight expressways, it's nice to have the DRCC take over. I usually set it to the middle setting (of 3 available distance settings). I would use the longest distance setting for slower speeds (e.g. 50km/h).


    David, I hope you realise the PCS-OFF button is only for the PCS Braking (which is probably what you wanted anyway). PCS seatbelts and PCS brake will still be activated.
     
  14. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    It's there in the non-solar roof gen 3. The solar roof gen 3 replaced that compartment with a different front dome light setup, and the sunroof toggle.
     
  15. ewxlt66

    ewxlt66 Active Member

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    I like my genIII much better.

    Better handling, mpgs and looks.
     
  16. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    There shouldn't be.....
    Otherwise you wouldn't have said "UPgrading".... :)

    If your G2 is still in good shape....wait for 2016. By then the G4's may be out and you'll get a better deal on your G3. :)
     
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  17. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    The G4 would likely be out sooner than that.
     
  18. DumbMike

    DumbMike Active Member

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    My opthamologist said the same. I'm also told that there isn't much damage to the lens itself, but the extra laminations/protections to the lens start to separate. There were "bubbles" in both my regular glasses and sunglasses. Had to get new ones.

    Mike
     
  19. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    How long did you leave your glasses in there while car was in direct sunlight? Within what duration of time before you noticed the issues?

    I left my sunglasses in my compartment while car was in direct sunlight for about 6-8 hours/day. This was for a year straight in Socal weather with an avg of 70 year round, and as hot as 110F in summers. Same sunglasses. They're fine. Don't know how much longer they would've lasted, but I usually replace my sunglasses around a year or sooner anyways due to losing them or accidentally breaking them.
     
  20. DumbMike

    DumbMike Active Member

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    It sounds like yours are over-the-counter sunglasses. I think factory laminations are pretty good or might not have any lamination in the first place. Mine are prescription sunglasses, which I think delaminate faster. However, I'm told that the current laminations are much better than the old ones.

    My sunglasses were always in the glasses compartment in the roof area in my Prius, not in direct sunlight. I think most of my problems were due to being in Las Vegas a few times a year during the summer months, where it consistently gets above 110 degree F. I don't think the Los Angeles weather is anywhere near as bad. All of this happened from mid-2010 (when I bought my Prius) to the end of 2012 (when I bought new glasses). I wasn't having this problem in my Explorer before that, but there might not be any cause and effect. That's because my glasses were newer in late 2009-2010, and might have degerated just the same in either car.

    Mike