1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Gear-Head Guy Buys A Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Beauregard, Apr 3, 2010.

  1. Beauregard

    Beauregard Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2010
    89
    25
    0
    Location:
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius c
    Model:
    N/A
    Good evening all.

    My wife and I just purchased our first Prius and also our first Toyota.

    We been long time lurkers, having first become interested in 2007 with the 2nd Gen model. Finally the March Madness of 2010 was too much to resisit, and we made the move into a Blizzard Pearl Prius II.

    We mucked through the hype and hysteria and made our decision to try the Prius based on common sense. The Toyota bashing made for some great deals.

    This will be our fourth vehicle in our current fleet. The vehicle sold to make room for the Prius was a wonderful 1985 Mercedes 300 turbo diesel with 320k miles. Hopefully the Prius will have the grit and heart of the mighty Mercedes diesel.

    I am a gear head DIY'er and die hard car guy. When Toyota starts selling Prius' to guys like me, they know they have something special.
    Our other vehicles are a V8 SUV, a hot rod Hemi powered pickup and a V8 two seat roadster. Clearly we needed something that got over 15 mpg and was somewhat more socially responsible.

    The Prius is all that and much more! On the road or around town the Prius has been the vehicle driven. We love it's unique looks and technology. Instead of roaring away from a light listening to Hemi powered headers, I gently push forward trying to keep the gauge in economy! What a hoot. This is a whole new world for me.

    Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself and meet some other Priusphilles.

    Bo
     
  2. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2009
    7,543
    1,558
    0
    Location:
    Alaska
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Welcome aboard! There are many here just like you! :)

    Enjoy the ride!
    p.s. great choice in color and model.
     
  3. Codyroo

    Codyroo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2007
    1,826
    515
    6
    Location:
    Pleasanton, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Hear Hear! Welcome to the boards (after a nice long lurk)! You better be careful though, I think the Prius can be more dangerous than the Hemi hotrods. Seriously, especially as a gearhead, I'm willing to bet that you are cycling through the displays and are often glancing over their way to see what the car is doing, where you are in the powerband, what you battery state of charge is, and how you've done in the last 5 minutes of driving.

    Sure is fun isn't it?

    :welcome:
     
  4. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    As a gear head, lets start you here:
    A simulation of Prius's Planetary Gear
    28% of the engine's torque goes to the sun gear and MG1 (which may power MG2 electrically and the wheels)
    72% of the engine's torque goes to the ring gear, MG2, and the wheels mechanically.
    Since torque * RPM / 5252 = HP by varying the RPM of MG1, you can direct the HP in any ratio you want.
     
    1 person likes this.
  5. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2008
    8,245
    1,202
    0
    Location:
    NorCal
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Congrats! The 2010 Prius is an exceptional car. What else can do what it does and be like fueling up a 500cc motorcycle?

    mmmm ... nothing else.

    I have owned 8 motorcycles from 600cc to 1000cc and only one, a YZF600R could do 50 MPG's at the pump.

    This 2010 Pri rental is indicating 55.x MPG's at 100 miles on this tank.
     
  6. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Beauregard, welcome aboard!
    Did anyone tell you before you bought your first Toyota that there is no turning back? It's a powerful addiction!

    Enjoy!
     
    1 person likes this.
  7. spinkao

    spinkao New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2009
    316
    76
    0
    Location:
    Czech Republic, EU
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    :welcome: and congrats to your new car. I'm sure you'll like it, especially in the city. Wish you many happy miles!
     
  8. whitedogone

    whitedogone New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2010
    50
    5
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    II
    Time to start modding that II. A good start would be a Kenwood DNX6960 with all the goodies. That's where I plan to start with ours when we get it.
     
  9. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2005
    27,394
    15,518
    0
    Location:
    Huntsville AL
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    The next thing is to get the shop manuals. They are a little pricy but well worth it when you get interested in what is under the metal shell.

    Start with the second volume since it has more 'how to' stuff. Volume I should be diagnostics and without a good scanner, not very helpful.

    Bob Wilson
     
  10. Much More Better

    Much More Better Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2009
    655
    163
    0
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Welcome to PriusChat! I discovered the same irony as you, that contrary to conventional tastes, going slow can actually be fun and addictive. Who would have thought!!!?!?
     
    1 person likes this.
  11. KenzoTH

    KenzoTH Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2010
    70
    38
    0
    Location:
    Rhode Island
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Welcome, and congratulations. I took my first longer hwy trip (also a II blizzard pearl), and it IS a solid, well handling, no rattles (for me), 50mpg vehicle. I love mine.
     
    1 person likes this.
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,928
    16,147
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Hello and :welcome: aboard!
     
  13. Surfdolfin

    Surfdolfin Surfin the Blizzard Pearl

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2010
    72
    8
    0
    Location:
    Irvine, California Other Car
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Prius + Gear-Head = 2010 ........

    I read an on-line car site blog a few weeks back that was critical to Prius on several fronts. A car guy (who had owned 160 vehicles in his life, including a Ferrari) responded saying that the Prius "was the most influential car in advancing technology of the automobile". He currently owned a Prius and knows how its growing use is changing the landscape of the automobile industry.

    Of note, Prius is Toyota's #1 car in Japan, and often the #1 seller of all vehicles there.

    When our gas goes back to $4.00 (mine yesterday was $3.13) there will be even more converts. Personally, I really like the idea of sending less of my money to the Middle East and Venezuela.

    Bart in SoCAL
    :cool:
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,828
    49,443
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    nice to have you here, bo! i hope you enjoy the technical discussions and can help enlighten us "non techie" types with freat advice and perspective. good luck with your new ride!
     
  15. hsiaolc

    hsiaolc New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2009
    617
    46
    9
    Location:
    UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Congrats and welcom to the club. Well actually you've been here longer than I have by far.

    I am a big GAS gassler car guy but I've switched to this. Hmm I am getting a bit restless sometimes. All this driving like a grandad thing is hmm sometimes getting on my nerves.

    Evertime a turbo charged Audi quttro go pass me I look at it with envy. I still want the speed and hopefully I can get the speed and the MPG too. As for now I will settle with the Prius.