i am a clueless mommy

I would think just reading the owners manual would be a really terrific place to start!!!

I will give you a hint..REGULAR GAS!!!

 

1. Regular gas

2. Read the thread My favorite detailing products

3. Regarding the alarm, you really only need one if you are concerned with someone breaking in your car to steal something out of it. As long as you do not leave the key in the car, it cannot be stolen unless someone picks it up on a tow truck. It cannot be "hot-wired" or the like. There is not an alarm that comes standard with the car.

Enjoy your new Prius! And I concur, start with the manual, it is an amazing machine and you will learn a lot!

 

Regular, from a company you have heard of.

Do not park under birds.

 

A bit harsh, Jimbo - some of us don't have a choice!

Read the referenced detailing thread. Keeping the paint well waxed is the best protection from environmental pollutants (including bird droppings). Also, keeping it washed is good - not every day just because you get one poop, but don't let it go for weeks. If you enjoy doing your own waxing, have a ball! If you don't, check around - I have a great detail shop here where I get a full wash, wheel and tire treatment, interior clean and hand wax for about $50 (depending on the specials they are running - sometimes as low as $37.95). I do this at least 4 times a year - come to think of it, it's due since we just had equanox (my waxing is a Druid thing, timed to the equanoxes and solstaces ).

Enjoy your Prius, and welcome to the board! As Obiwan said, "You've just taken your first step into a bigger world!"

 

There are men with weapons forcing you to park under birds? Tell me more about the lack of choices. I am not buying it. What about moving to Antarctica, the birds don't fly?

 

Jimbo, have you ever noticed that most birds can fly, giving them an inherent ability to place themselves over your car even if they weren't there when you parked?

 

If you don't wash and wax the car yourself and you feel the pro's charge way to much at least every 2 weeks go to a drive thru car wash. The wax applied is not the greatest or last the longest but appling it every 2 week will keep the car looking pretty good and the paint will be protected.

 

:welcome:
Bird and sap droppings can permanently ruin a paint job if left on the car, especially in heat or direct sun. After getting or doing a thorough waxing, use a wet sponge (auto soap on it if you have a "real" mess) wipe and rinse, dry, then touch up the affected area with name brand spray on "wax". Tree sap or birds that have eaten blueberries can really ruin paint quickly.
Blueberries are a real health food for birds and people. Eating them gives strength in many ways
I guess you can tell I've been exposed...

 

From the information I've gathered in this forum, automobile theft worries in regards to a Prius are minimal to non-existent, given proper protocal, like leaving vehicle locked and shut off.

It's not so much for theft of the vehicle that I would pursue an alarm, as it is in preventing damage or break in with intention of stealing other items. I've had an alarm on my vehicle(s) for the past decade or longer, and it's impossible to know if it has been passed by as a potential theft because of the alarm. I do however know that on at least one occasion I was alerted to a driver that had driven by, and clipped my bumper. He "might" of been honest and stayed and offered his insurance information BUT had the alarm not sounded? He also might of just driven away. For that one incident alone, it paid for the alarm.

 

3. The best alarm solution is to *never* leave anything of value in the car. An alarm won't stop a smash-and-grab thief, and the car itself is too hard to steal.

 

Do not worry be happy you drive a Prius. Have you consider the use of a ultra-sound device to repulse those flying guys with bad education ?

 

I respectfully disagree. First of all in the course of ownership over years, for most people, it is likely that from time to time things of value will be left in the car. Christmas shopping, or just life in general means that it's near to impossible to say there will never be anything of value in your car.

2ndly, with an alarm that sounds with entry or impact/breakage, you don't really know how many times it may of detered a theft. It's one of those it never happened so you never know scenarios. But I tend to think if a thief is casing automobiles for potential smash-and-grab and there is a choice of an automobile with no visible alarm system and an automobile with an alarm system, there might be a high percentage of criminals that would go with the unalarmed vehicle over the alarmed vehicle.

Sure, if you have something a seasoned professional auto thief wants bad enough, they are going to find a way to get it but I think an alarm can be useful.

It wasn't a Prius with smart key and an engine immobilizer but way back I owned a small pick-up, one day I awoke to find someone had popped the lock and very professionally removed the stereo. It was so slick, that at least the replacement was easy. Whomever did it, knew what they were doing. Except for a small dent and the missing stereo the removal was almost Stereo Shop professional. After re-installing another stereo I simultaneously had an alarm system that sounded if the doors were opened or glass was broke installed. I never had a problem again. Plus it alerted me to a fender bender that was taking place while my truck was parked.

So anyway, despite a proliferation of car alarms, and the fact that many people simply ignore the sound, for the cost, which is usually very minimal, I think an audible alarm system can be of value. Just my personal experience and opinion.

 

I am a newb also - Just got my Prius III /w sunroof pkg last week. Got a killer deal on it! I mean, I feel a bit confused too - it's a new breed of car, but come on WOMAN. Just kidding.. haha I haven't touched my instruction manual, I tend not to. But I DID read the quick start guide. So all is good.

What kind of gas?!
SPECIAL HYPRID GAS!! duhh