Bought Prius 2010, questions

Responses to a few of your Qs:

5) B is the logical equivalent of shifting into low gear. You really don't need to use B unless you are descending a steep hill and your traction battery SOC gauge is full, or if you feel that you need help to control the downward speed of the car by increasing engine drag. Use of B will result in worsened mpg compared to D.

6) Don't worry about the traction battery SOC gauge readings, just drive the car. Typically you will not see the gauge read full unless you are descending a long mountain road. As your car ages you may see greater fluctuations in gauge readings as the battery capacity diminishes, thus it is easier to drain and charge the battery.

7) I would be skeptical of the benefit provided by aftermarket products applied on the paint, other than its effectiveness in draining your bank account.

Regarding warranty coverage, if you feel you need to purchase a Toyota extended warranty there are less costly alternatives that you can research on this forum. You are eligible to buy a Toyota extended warranty at any point prior to your 3 year / 36K mile warranty expiring, so what is the benefit to do that now?

Regarding a prepaid maintenance plan, $430 sounds like a lot to pay for four years of oil changes and a 30K mile inspection. I'd suggest you save that money.

 

grab your favorite beverage and some snacks, find a comfy chair and read the owners manual cover to cover. take copious notes and come back with unanswered questions. ignore everything the dealer/salesman told you. drive your new prius like any other car and enjoy the most unique car in the world.

 

1) The accelerator pedal could be due to what mode you are in. Eco mode makes the accelerator really soft. All the modes basically play with the sensitivity of the gas pedal and how hard the fan blows. From least sensitive up you have Eco, Normal, Power.

2) The prius should have no problem going up the hill, I think that one is just you. Trying pushing harder or changing the mode.

3) I personally have gotten used to staying on Eco mode no matter where I'm at. Its a matter of preference. How sensitive do you want the gas pedal? I would say play around with it and make that descision on your own.

4) I got the III as well. Was that price including Doc, Liscense, Destination? I got my III for 22750 with all that included a couple weeks ago.

5) That "B" mode is engine braking. That really is only for going down very steep hills. I personally dont mess with it. Its not as effecient as using the brakes.

6) Depends how you drive. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...max-mpg-driving-techniques-youtube-video.html

7) All that extra stuff from the dealer is questionable. You really dont need it. The prius gets oil change every 10000 so I dont know if $430 is worth it. The extended warranty is like buying insurance. Ill just say its a well built car.

 

SMIRV gave you all the correct answers, but to clarify.
1. ECO mode takes MORE pressure to push on the gas pedal, I guess the thinking is you won't push so hard, hence better mpg's.
2. You can put all the paint sealant, wax, whatever you want to call it but to really prevent rust you still gotta spray the underneath of the car with fresh water.

 

Yes you can switch between the diff. modes without damaging components. Also dont forget there is normal mode which is when no mode is selected.

Id say that is a good price, especially since they will be going up this summer when the gas does. If you go to www.kbb.com you can see what the prices are for that car and what consumers are paying. 22800 is almost invoice (minus the dealer holdback).

Just keep in mind all that extra stuff from the dealer makes the car more expensive and you probably wont get that money back out of it. It has a really good paint job and with proper maintence you really dont need the paint sealer.

 

Only use "B" when going down long slopes such as a really long hill or descending mountainous terrain. "B" is not good for normal braking to stops as it will not regen the batteries as much. The accessory mode is one tap of the power button without pressing on the brake. The light in the button should be orange. Congrats on a good purchase!
I stay in normal mode now as we need good AC here in Phoenix. I've read that ECO mode cuts back on fan performance. That's a trade-off I'm willing to make.
You will probably observe other drivers speeding around you as you try to achieve maximum MPG. This is also normal...I stay to the right as much as possible now.
Oh yes, one more tip: If they will fit and you don't need the back seats very often, set them flat with the headrests in their normal upright position (if they will fit). I found out that extending the headrests and tipping them down before laying the seats flat causes rattles back there. With the back seats down, you will get better visibility out of the rear windows.

 

Very few Priuses will need brake pads within 4 years, so this portion of the plan is worth very little.

It seems that the great majority of Priuses are getting 100k miles on the original pads, and many are going far beyond that. So those of us who can get about 100k miles on brake pads on non-hybrids are unlikely to ever need new Prius pads, unless the rotors get too rusty from lack of use.

 

im just gonna add a question here instead of creating my own since it's a simple one

how far can you drive turned-on prius without the key? i often leave my car on and walk to ATM, and prius bleeps for not detecting key. i wonder if someone hijacks it without key, how far will it go?

 

Congrats, and welcome to the club! You'll learn a lot here. The maintenance plan is definitely a rip-off, when you consider that Toyota now recommends oil changes at 10,000 mile intervals! Don't pay $400+ for 3 oil changes and a few basic inspections.

If you want the extended warranty, these warranties can be sold by any Toyota dealer, and there's at least one here who will quote you a much better price. I considered one, but I drive very gently and my cars rarely need repairs before 100,000 miles.

 

It will go until they shut it off. Once started the Prius with smart key doesn't need the key to be driven once running only to start. This is the way its designed because if your smart key battery died when you were driving down the freeway simulating a missing smart key fob and the car stopped instantly you would not be happy.

 

Welcome to the upgrade!

I notice your profile still says 2006, perhaps an edit is due? <GRINS>

Also, USA is a little broad. Perhaps a state or region to kinda give us an idea of your climate challenges.

As a suggestion, just run "normal" and it will behave pretty much as your 2006. But "PWR" is nice too. Your car, enjoy! <GRINS>

My only suggestion is to be 'soft' on the accelerator for the first 1/2 mile ... shifting to "N" is perfectly safe during the warm-up period. But once the engine stops by itself at a light or stop, just drive the car normal.

One slight suggestion, don't accelerate up a hill. Get your speed at the base and then hold it to the crest ... if you have any hills. Otherwise, this is an awesome car as you will no doubt soon discover.

Bob Wilson

 

I have no idea of what Prius you are driving..Just step on the gas and it will go you don't need a bumper sticker.

 

don't get the paint sealant


it's a total waste of money


they are probably selling you a "teflon" wax job.


i had it done from a dealer at a deep discount.

it just a wax job and doesn't really protect much.

it won't stop the the swirl marks and you have to still wax the car



total rip-off!!!!!