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

My feelings about the backup beeper and turning it off

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by Bskija, Feb 22, 2015.

  1. Bskija

    Bskija Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2015
    19
    10
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    If the British don't allow it then for now on I'm only going to eat my dinner with a fork, no knife.

    That's it for the British, from now on I am only going to eat my dinner with a fork, no knife!

    I found out on my Prius that the beep is only on the inside of my car. I personally believe it would be more useful if it is on the back not inside. In the spring I might buy a 2015 Prius that has a camera for the back as standard. The reverse beep never bothered me and if I had my choice I would prefer the beep over the camera for no other reason than the price at the bottom line would be lower. When I said the neighbors were complaining that was not true. (Although when I thought the beep was coming from the back I thought it did) There are minibuses and trucks that beep and it doesn't bother me or my neighbors. I purchased a device on my pickup truck years ago that you would take out the bulb in the back and replace it with this device. The device worked flawlessly until I sold the vehicle. The only thing you had to do was remove the original bulb and replace it with a similar bulb that beeps.
     
    #81 Bskija, Feb 25, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2015
    Mendel Leisk and Britprius like this.
  2. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    GM was Government Motors only a short time, starting in December 2008.

    GM exited bankruptcy the following July, then repaid the loan portion of the bailout in April 2010. The new GM went IPO that November, and the government finished selling off its shares in December 2013, apparently for a significant profit.

    Do the Gen1 and Gen2 Prii also have this inside backup beeper? They were designed and marketed long before this GM episode.
     
  3. Bskija

    Bskija Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2015
    19
    10
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    In my opinion the reason that General Motors went bankrupt is because they ran the assembly line too fast. The blue color workers out of necessity devise a method to address the too fast assembly line. They would screw the bolt for the negative battery cable to the side of the engine with one or two turns instead of the ten turns required to make a good electrical contact. It would work fine for a few months , but eventually the arching would cause a poor connection. There were many ways to compensate for the too fast assembly line and I am sure the assembly line workers did what was necessary. What I don't understand is how can you force a company to install something because it is a safety device and yet have people legally circumvent it?

    Gen one is only for fleets.
     
  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    When we 'disable' the reverse beeper, it isn't fully shut off. It still beeps once, which should fulfill any purported legal requirement.
    Nope, we have forums here for Gen1 owners, some of whom bought the cars new.

    I think you are confusing Gen1 (model years 2000-2003 in the U.S.) with Gen3 (model years 2010+) Trim level One / I / 1 (depending on year).
     
  5. Bskija

    Bskija Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2015
    19
    10
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I believe you are correct on Gen3. I thought the beeps where for alerting the people in the back of your car. When I discovered it was addressed for the driver I was shocked. Even if it was for the driver the beeps never bother me. I do think that reverse beeps, spoilers, heated mirrors and cabin air filters are nice, but I got along without them for 59 years. I would rather if I was younger spend the money for the baby's new shoes. With me the last time I borrowed money to buy anything was in 1962. Since then I have never paid any interest to anybody. I amuse myself by requesting my credit report. The credit rating agencies think that this guy came from Mars. (He has no credit history) My type is classified by a credit agency as a dead beat because I never borrow any money from the loan sharks.
     
    #85 Bskija, Feb 25, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2015
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Deadbeat is what they call folks who pay off their credit card balance every month, too. ;)
     
  7. Bskija

    Bskija Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2015
    19
    10
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    John I have a 2011 Prius and I know how to disable it. I would never disable it because it is a minor thing and I feel it is neither a hazard nor a important safety factor. Why people are so annoyed with it, I can not grasp the reason.

    Where they make their money is on late charges. If the loan sharks charge 12% in six years the amount doubles.

    When I came to Pennsylvania despite my record with NJ electric power company of always paying on time PPL would not give me electric unless I put up $300 security. I didn't get any interest on the $300. After a year the $300 was prorated off my electric bill.
     
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    They make money everywhere -- interest charges, late charges, and merchant fees. The customers who are 'deadbeats' on the first two items are still contributing plenty on the third.

    At one time, they were also making money on the advertising and marketing inserts stuffed in the monthly statements, but that revenue stream seems to have thinned considerably.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yeah, every time you pull out a credit card for a purchase, you've cost the merchant 2~4%.
     
  10. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2005
    27,067
    15,372
    0
    Location:
    Huntsville AL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    Sometimes you can negotiate a 'cash' discount.

    Bob Wilson
     
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    it amazes me that we can still get credit cards with no annual fee, and pay them off every month, and earn points! does life get any better?:love:
     
  12. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    But it still isn't a free lunch. Merchants have to mark up prices enough to cover these benefits, paid through the 'merchant fee'. But that markup does spread part of those costs around to other customers who are not benefiting.
     
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    One computer store we used: their prices were cash only (actual cash or debit). If you wanted to use a credit card they charged something like 3% premium. They gave it up though.
     
  14. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Until fairly recently, such markups violated their service agreements with the card companies. But I believe those rules have been somewhat relaxed.
     
  15. Bskija

    Bskija Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2015
    19
    10
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Since 1970 I have not paid any interest to anybody. Although, I have collected thousands of dollars of interest for myself. Lately, with the low interest rates I have only collected a jar of pennies. I understand that people that use credit makes the economic world go round. This is why I am considered as a dead beat. People that say they don't use credit are saying stop the economic world I want to get off.
     
    #95 Bskija, Feb 26, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2015
  16. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2010
    5,194
    1,910
    0
    Location:
    Herefordshire England
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    So you by your own definition are saying stop the economic world I want to get off.

    John (Britprius)
     
  17. Bskija

    Bskija Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2015
    19
    10
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Believe or not I thought that the US government was still the proprietor of General Motors.

     
    #97 Bskija, Feb 26, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2015
  18. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2010
    5,194
    1,910
    0
    Location:
    Herefordshire England
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I must admit I to never use credit. I am fare from rich but I do have a lifetimes modest savings that I now feel would have been better spent.

    John (Britprius)
     
  19. Bskija

    Bskija Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2015
    19
    10
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I feel parallel with you. This is why much of the stuff manufacturers put into a car are nice, but I think our money could be better spent, especially when you use credit. Another point of view is that vehicles are so complicated that it will take a mechanic with an IQ of 180 to repair our vehicles properly. How many people with an IQ of 180 will pursue that type of work?

    In the old days stores usually had a sign that stated we trust in god, all others pay cash!

    I was talking to a merchant about the merchant fee. What he said about it I could not type. This is a family web page.
     
  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    even though stores have to pay a merchant fee, they still have to compete on price unless they have an exclusive. so you can still shop around, as we do here on priuschat for parts and supplies. in the end, it's a bout convenience. i can't even imagine traveling as my parents did with cash and american express cheques.