thinking about getting a III or IV

First post...
have a 07 highlander hybrid 2wd that is getting around 27mpg all day long city driving and maybe 28 and change on longer trips. Also have a 07 mazda rx8 auto which gets only 18mpg.

Both are nice; like the hihy for the 80 cubic feet of storage and enjoy the golf cart mode driving (battery only). Really like the look of the rx8 lines and sports car handling.

So...
drive only 8,000 miles a year and work only 3 miles from home. Toss in one or two 1,200 mile road trips (600 miles each way) to GA from FL and that rounds out my driving pattern. Well that plus have a motorcycle when it is not flroida too darn hot out to ride it to work or around.

Been looking at the Gen III, maybe a III or IV model. Not interested in 17" wheels since I feel it makes the ride too noisey.

Questions -
1. Are Dash rattles and Brake noises still an issue on the gen III line (guess they are if one has them though did not know if both have been resolved as yet)?
2. Factory window tinting. Someone posted that the prius is a glass house due to the large amount of glass. At the port in Jacksville (assuming that is the port) they are putting window flim on some of the cars (as opposed to in-glass tint). Cost is $399 but worry if it might be too dark for night time driving. Anyone in FL purchase it with factory tint and if so how is it for driving at night?

Would like the sunroof but guess I could live without that expense. A lot depends on trade-in values though I would miss a few things such as:
Power of my v6 in the hyhi
Stoarge space the hyhi offers
The way the rx8 handels

Still, one car payment and one insurance payment would be nice. It is sad what BP has done in the name of making/saving money which lead to this problem. Maybe their name should be Blind Profit instead. A small part of me does consider that and thus, in part, makes me consider what Foot Print I have in the way of oil consumption. Only 8k on the rx8 in about 2.5 years and only 20k on the hihy purchased back on 070707 so not much miles driven each year.

Thanks for any input...sorry for any soap box grand standing about BP. I do realize we need oil just wish they did screw it all up in the process of trying to get it.

 

Not a clue with type of tint the port is putting on thus was hoping someone in florida already purchased one that way and could report
though guess I could ask if the dealer knows (doubtful for sure). Have a vstrom 1000 at the moment but too hot to ride now days.

Yes sunroof seems like a nice feature though leather...with a 30lb doggie would be helpful as well. Did notice and like the light gray leather since the side door panel inserts and center arm rest (adjustable) were in alternate black color so that gray/black combo looked very nice I thought compared to all tan leather and plastic. but blue outside and tan inside is sharp too. maybe a smoke gray color or the white blizzard if I do get one.

 

Interesting thought...
still owe around 24k on both cars so I should unload one of them at least. Though not exciting the highlander is a very nice overall even though it is the older body style which is actually sort of nice 90% of the time compared to the newer 08 models highlander hybrids which is larger then what I need really.

Thanks for the tip on the full size cargo mat. At some point a I model gen III will be on the market. Will take some time to sort it all out.

 

Thanks for the Battle of the Batteries link. Indeed 3 miles in nothing to drive, heck some at work bicycle there and back. Though if my only car then of course I would ride it other places as day in day out normal stuff thus more miles for sure. Just read about the smart two car will do a battery only model. Such cool rides coming down the road. Very nice future we have to look forward to everyone

May go get some numbers this weekend on trade-in values and sort it out from there.

 

Actually just a bicycle with out batteries should do the tirck if I could just get off my butt and do it LOL

Nice a/c with protection from rain though, plus older age, makes me want to enjoy a car instead

 

Had not used the 'reply' button yet thu see it included a message quote so will run with that.

Update
looking at a used camry hybrid. down side is it was a smokers car but they say they just put a machine on it ozone? to remove the odor so will check it out tomorrow. truck space is something like 10.6 as in 'small'. still, I did find the ride in the 4cyc very nice and a lot of space when in the drivers seat. know it should not be different but it sure does feel different with the dash layout between my 07 highlander hybrid and this used 09 camry hybrid I'm looking at. one is just more suv box feel/layout and the other sedan dash layout...which might sound weird to some but it gives me that feeling.

the camry could be a single car solution save for the trunk space, or lack of it. I would probably have to keep the hyhi highlander so I could fit this/that in it when needed and would think the camry would ride nicer on out of state trips to GA from FL though could be wrong on that point. know for sure with the v-6 power of the hyhi it would due better in the baby mountains of north GA then the 4cyc camry would. then again the camry could get maybe up to 40mpg on a trip up and back and the hihy would only do around 27mpg. plus this used camry has the nav, leather and sunroof and I miss not having a sunroof and the one on the camry seems very large and open to me. decisions decisions...

would drive the camry around town a lot/most of the time if I got it and would trade in my mazda rx8 (they will stop making it in 2011 so figure values will start to drop fast after that).

don't know that I have ruled out a prius but uncertain it could be a one car solution since storage is too small I would feel though indeed better then a camry. should the deal out the door but too good to pass up I might end up doing the camry in the end since, uncertain as to why, it seems a used camry hybrid can be had for less money then a used prius at times. maybe camry hybirds are under rated so far as mpg value goes compared to a prius...though of course prius rules for mpg.

could do a used 08 highlander hybrid as well but that might be too big plus the awd feature of that suv is not useful I feel compared to really awd. plus mpg might not be as good as my older 07 hyhi.

 

Was not planning on it but drove home a used 2010 IV yesterday. Had driven to look at a 08 highlander hybrid but it did not have a sunroof (nor does the prius). Has around 12 small paint rock chips in the hood but nice red and tan leather interior. Has dark tint on the windows so not 100% thrilled about that at night. Probably paid too much all things considered with zero rates and two year service included on new ones but such is life at times.

Was tried from the ride home (over 100 miles) and got in very late but did notice two things:
1. The side windows don't seem to have water attached/flowing over them. Must be part of that side window feature on the IV/V.

2. Maybe just me but the driver seat felt very uncomfortable on the drive home. Very flat, hard and lumbar support felt all wrong...too high and no lower back support down low.

I'm hoping the seat does not become a make or break issue. Will drive it around 500 miles at end of this week for a weekend road trip and that should tell me for sure. Indeed the driver seat is no where as good as my old 07 highlander is...at least to my old body.