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

First impressions

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by A Prime Factor, Jan 21, 2008.

  1. A Prime Factor

    A Prime Factor Formerly "I want my PHEV"

    Joined:
    May 23, 2007
    340
    171
    8
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    I've had My Spaceship almost 2 weeks, so I think it's about time to report how it I like it.

    I absolutely love the smart key feature. Not having to get my key out all the time is good for me because I'm a dropper.

    I also love all the great storage compartments. It seems like infinite storage, because I keep coming up with more efficient ways to store those little things you like to have with you in the car.

    I'm sold on the push-button start. Never really liked having to turn a key to start a car.

    The biggest thing I don't like is the joystick shifter. I am having trouble getting it to go into the gear and stay there. One time I thought I had it in reverse, but when I took my foot off the brake, the car lurched forward into a snow bank. Since then, I've noticed that I can't seem to get it shifted properly a lot of the time.

    Another thing that bugs me is every time I hit the 'info' button on the steering wheel, the voice says, "voice activiation mode has been canceled." This is apparently a result of my wearing gloves while driving, and hitting two buttons at once. It has been cold, and I don't warm up the car before going somewhere, so the gloves stay on.

    Before this, I drove an old Corolla, and I'm still getting used to not being able to see the whole hood, so I don't know where the front of the car ends. Also, the visibility out the back leaves a lot to be desired, as I knew it would. The backup camera is (so far) not turning out to be as useful as one might expect.

    Other random thoughts:

    I like having a CD player in the car. I've never had one before, and never thought I needed one, but as long as I have one, it is rather nice!

    Too soon to know how the gas mileage is going to go. It looks like it will be much better than the Corolla, anyway.

    I have not managed to get the Homelink button programmed to open my garage door. Due to the weather, I don't know when my next attempt will be. It's a fairly useless feature anyway, since I have a remote, and I just keep it in the cupholder for easy access.

    I blocked the grill today! That was very easy. Anybody thinking of doing it and putting it off thinking it would be a hassle should know that it is a snap.
     
    #1 A Prime Factor, Jan 21, 2008
  2. Shieldsy

    Shieldsy Prius Fruitcake

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    32
    0
    0
    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Hello and welcome to PC. I don't know if this is your problem, however, when I get into a car, I just want to get going and so I tend to rush. You cannot rush the startup of this car though. It refuses to select the gear you have selected until the computer says "YES".

    I quite often select reverse on start up before the "READY" indication and go to back up and nothing happens. This frustrated me until I slowed down just that 2 seconds and waited.

    The other issue might be that reverse is UP-FWD on the lever (a bit backward in feel).

    Both these just take a week to get used to.
     
    #2 Shieldsy, Jan 21, 2008
  3. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    G'day,
    Good to see the things you love outweigh those you don't.

    You know I wonder what vehicle people drove before that had better vision to the rear, I don't have a reversing camera and I think rear vision is excellent. I bet looking in the mirror you could reverse up to an obstacle before losing sight of it closer in the Prius than in a Corolla or almost any car. Oh well, there are always the 2 side mirrors. Maybe it's just me, I had a Camry wagon before, the cars I drive for work are high in the rear and I just spent the weekend in a Nissan Patrol. Please don't think I am having a go at you over this, many people speak of the poor rear vision but I just don't see it. Pardon the pun.

    Make sure you foot is firmly on the brake when selecting drive or reverse and did you disable the reverse beeper? Mine makes a beeping noise and the square around the R flashes on the dash so I know it is in reverse.

    Enjoy your Prius, I know you will, let us know how you get on with it please.
     
    #3 patsparks, Jan 21, 2008
  4. okiebutnotfrommuskogee

    okiebutnotfrommuskogee Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2007
    1,813
    15
    0
    Location:
    Tulsa, OK
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Be sure to follow the suggestions about being sure that your foot is firmly on the brake when you shift into either forward or reverse.

    I love that little shifter it is one of my favorite features on the car. It is so easy to use. The over and up for reverse translates back to the "three on the tree" column shifter that we used to have on our standard shift cars which some younger Prius drivers have probably never driven. On them it was pull and up for reverse and pull and down for first gear.

    By the way, the Prius is not the first car to have a little lever sticking out of the dash for a gear selector. The 55 DeSoto had one. Look at the attached picture and see the gear selector lever just above and to the right of the steering wheel center
     

    Attached Files:

    • efl.jpg
      efl.jpg
      File size:
      57.7 KB
      Views:
      406
    #4 okiebutnotfrommuskogee, Jan 21, 2008
  5. The Root

    The Root Desert Dweller

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2007
    42
    0
    0
    Location:
    Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    You bring back memories of the 55 Plymouth I had back in 1964-65. I believe all Chrysler automatics were dash levers in 1955, then they went to push buttons on the dash in 1956. Mine was a flathead in line six with a 2 speed auto. Talk about SLOOOWW!
     
    #5 The Root, Jan 22, 2008
  6. Guy in WNY

    Guy in WNY Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2007
    83
    17
    0
    Location:
    Western New York
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium

    Okay, this is sort of funny, but about the shifter knob:
    Went to get the car washed at the nearest DeltaSonic. I've gone through it once before with the Prius. This time, however, just as I was moving the lever in to N the wash rack roller came along and bumped the car. My hand moved the lever right in to R! Not wanting to back up in to the car behind me, I jammed on the brake and pulled the knob back to the N...just it time to have the rack roller bump the car again, this time harder because my foot was on the brake. Yep, you guessed it - back in R again! Rinse and repeat about 3x before I finally got it in to N and started down the rack...
    Sort of funny, really. My wife sure got a kick out of it.
    The wash guy didn't, he started to yell at me.:mad:
    Guy in WNY
     
    #6 Guy in WNY, Jan 22, 2008
  7. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2004
    7,663
    1,038
    0
    Location:
    United States
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Don't block the radiator unless you have a way to monitor engine temperature (scangauge, etc.). Gaining a couple MPGs but burning the valves is a poor tradeoff.
     
    #7 richard schumacher, Jan 22, 2008
  8. Doc Willie

    Doc Willie Shuttlecraft Commander

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2007
    1,717
    142
    0
    Location:
    Out there, somewhere
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    You are pretty safe as long as it below 50 F outside.
     
    #8 Doc Willie, Jan 22, 2008
  9. A Prime Factor

    A Prime Factor Formerly "I want my PHEV"

    Joined:
    May 23, 2007
    340
    171
    8
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    I was driving a 1994 Corolla since, well, 1994. Even the view out the front was better, but I'm already used to the front view on the Prius. I think the problem with the back is largely due to the spoiler. I tend to look through the upper portion and think of that as my rear window, and it is pretty small. Also, due to the difference in size and shape of the car, it seems much farther to the rear window.

    The backup camera is only for when I'm going in reverse. I need to use the side mirrors to back out of my driveway on any car because it is very narrow.

    I tried pressing the brake more firmly when shifting, and I haven't had any problems. Thanks for the suggestion. I really didn't have the problem at first, so I probably started to ease up on my brake pressure as I have been getting a feel for the car and what kind of pressure is needed to stop it.

    Yes, I disabled the reverse beeper.
     
    #9 A Prime Factor, Jan 23, 2008
  10. A Prime Factor

    A Prime Factor Formerly "I want my PHEV"

    Joined:
    May 23, 2007
    340
    171
    8
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    It has been barely getting above 0 F this past week, so I think I'm okay. I do a lot of very short trips, too, so the engine doesn't get much of a chance to get hot. I did the top slots, and a couple of the lower ones. When temps get back to normal, I may take the lower insulation out.
     
    #10 A Prime Factor, Jan 23, 2008
  11. A Prime Factor

    A Prime Factor Formerly "I want my PHEV"

    Joined:
    May 23, 2007
    340
    171
    8
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Here (finally) is my first picture:

    Prius 1.jpg

    I finally got the garage door programmed. Yay for me!
     
    #11 A Prime Factor, Feb 1, 2008
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)