Just got my new(used) 2010 Prius, advice needed

Congrats--enjoy.

 

Congratulations. I like the wheels -- I mean the literal wheels!

 

Yeah, nice wheels/rims.

Yes, the window visors are attached using double stick tape, but they use the heavier duty industrial strength one that have the red backing tape and the foam is gray, not the general purpose white foam with green/white backing tape. There are window visors that are mounted in the window channel, but it doesn't sound like that is the type you have now.

 

For DIY projects, go read the Mods and Maintenance forums for Gen III.

I'd say a lot of the mods require "sweat investment" to minimize the costs - for example, getting auto headlights/dash lights enabled can be a relatively cheap mod if you don't buy a new turn signal/headlight lever & use a switch on the dash, but it requires taking the top of the dashboard off and some wiring on your part.

 

I believe WalMart and other auto parts stores sell the mounting tape as auto moulding mounting tape or something like that.

Here is a link to an amazon item so you can see what the procuct looks like:

3M Company 1/2X5 Molding Tape 03609Na Automotive Tape : Amazon.com : Automotive

 

3 m heavy duty double sided tape can be found at most auto parts stores or Lowes and Home Depot carry it. The heavy duty has the blue peel off with black or gray center foam.

A couple of the easy DIY are swap out the interior lights for LED, I found a kit on EBay for 41.00, shark fin antenna is a quick change out.

I like your wheels, with the 17" a set of Eibach or TRD lowering springs look good and only drop the car about1" and improve the handling, they are a pretty easy install about 3 hours and can be found for about $200

 

• I'd do the foglights;

• Not the shark-fin antenna (as it will probably result in somewhat poorer radio reception though it looks cool) (I'm an RF systems guy);

• The springs (Red Tanabe NF-210's are virtually identical to the white TRD/Prius Plus springs from pictures), and;

• The rear anti-sway bar (Either get the Prius Plus one in white or the 2008 Scion xB one in red that also fits. Make sure to get the model with the end-links included).

Also, if you do the springs, and you have to take the front struts off, go get the Tanabe strut tower bar and install that at the same time. Saves having to take the wiper tray/wiper assembly and the strut tower bolts off again.

You'll end up with a really nice handling Prius!

 

Go with the PC kit. The Yaris kit on e-bay is just a starting point, as you'll also have to buy the Prius mounting brackets. Everything comes in the PC kit.

 

Greetings - yes, lots of DIY mods around here, though not as clearly chunked together in "Sticky" threads as they have been for a couple of my previous cars... That said, the PC community is top notch and knows EVERYTHING about these cars, so the sky is the limit.

I'll echo the suggestion about the sway bar - a big step up in handling for a relatively low cost. (Though I've not swapped to TRD springs, simply because I fear the ride will suffer.)

I also chose to add a couple additional SKS keyfobs and "laser-cut" keys for peace of mind. (Both are horrendously expensive through the dealer, but can be done reasonably through PC.) I'm not sure where you are located, but I also added the oem Toyota remote starter - it has limitations, but it integrates nicely with the car and the DIY install isn't too bad - no cutting or wire tapping necessary.

And, of course, there's the best mod: Disabling the reverse beep! (And the seatbelt beep as well...)

 

Used SKS keys average about $50-60 on eBay, but need to be programmed with a seed reset in Techstream - the proprietary Toyota diagnostic software that works via a very expensive cable. Some high-end locksmiths have it, as do some PC members. For someone who knows what they're doing and has the gear, it takes about half an hour.

As for the mechanical key, there is a member here on PC called "h00ktern" who purchased a key cutter and has the means to duplicate the Prius mechanical keys. He's brilliant and great to work with, and he cut several keys for me as he was learning, and this thread chronicles the experience:

Laser cut key cutter - Options? | PriusChat

(FWIW: I put "laser-cut keys" in quotes because lasers have nothing to do with it! They're simply milled down like a CNC machine...) I'm not sure what he charges, but the going rate at dealers for the blank + cutting is well over $100/key...

Some dealers will do it for free if the car is in for service anyway - it can't hurt to ask. It literally takes about 5 minutes with Techstream. It can also be done DIY with an OBD II usb cable (ELM 327 - they run ~$14) using the directions buried in this thread: (you'll have to dig a bit, but there are several posts in the middle which describe the software and code necessary, but the direct links aren't working. Yes - this should be cleaned up and made a sticky in a dedicated DIY section.)

http://priuschat.com/threads/2010-help-disabling-reverse-beep.62494/