New Owner - Just got my Black 09 (#6) on Tues.

Hi all,

Just thought I'd say hi! I'm very new to this Prius thing, but I traded in my gas guzzler Land Rover for my new Prius this week and am loving it so far and saving lots of money on gas already! I felt a bit like I was in a fish bowl the first couple of days, so I've already have had the windows tinted fairly dark (SunTek Carbon25) and I love the privacy and the new look is very cool.

So far, I've figured out how to use most of the gadgets in the car (except B-mode...still looking for a good guide for how/when to use that...any help there would be appreciated). I am a little disappointed that there is no EV mode on the Prius. My wife and I rented a Highlander hybrid last summer (directly from Toyota) to travel across the country and I really liked playing around in EV mode when driving around town. I know there are kits out there (I like the look of Coastal Dave's kit), but I'm concerned about damage to both the battery and the warranty (I got the extended 7 year job and I'd sure hate to loose that!) Anyone have any comments regarding EV mods and possible damage to the batt/warranty?

Anyway, I'm lovin' the Prius and am here to learn!



Caine

From one newcomer to another: Welcome to the club! You're sure to learn a lot here.

What I have learned about B mode: don't use it unless you're going down an extended hill - kind of like low gear for trucks. It is a braking mode and is detrimental to getting the best mpg, but will help save your brakes on a long decline.

Ah, thanks BG! I live in Colorado, so maybe that might be useful for coming down from the mountains! Do you know if you still get the battery recharge effect in "B" mode?


Caine

:welcome: There is a discussion thread on this site about everything Prius, so get to know the search feature to find lots of answers to questions asked by everybody! A little research with help you get the most out out of our amazing cars.

Lee

Yes, I believe so, but I defer to the real experts on the board.

welcome!

I picked up my black 09 Prius (#2) today. So I know what you are feeling! That is quite a change, Land Rover to Prius! Has it taken long to feel comfortable lower in relation to other traffic? I went from a Neon to the Prius, so it feels like a larger car. I, too, am having fun trying all the gizmos!

Did you mention how much you had to pay them to take your Land Rover?
Just kidding--I think.

Caine, do you have a picture of your car with the tint? I was thinking of getting my Prius back windows tinted. I think it would look cool

Mine are tinted, and I like it alot. I'll post photos when I am allowed... (not enough posts yet...)