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First impressions of the C

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by mulu, Jul 10, 2015.

  1. mulu

    mulu New Member

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    I sprung for the 2015 Prius C one, which was on sale for less than $17k for the 4th of July. I've driven less than 100 miles so far but here's what I can report.

    First, I had grown accustomed with my previous vehicle (Tacoma) to getting some respect on the road ;-) In the C however I've had people nearly run into me twice in two days. I assume it's because the C is quite small. Either that or they're dangerously envious.

    The Tacoma's audio system was really very decent when properly calibrated, so I've been surprised that the C's speakers seem to be weaker. I'm going to do a proper test at some point but so far MP3 files from a CD sound muffled. Does anybody know if the speakers can be upgraded?

    The fuel efficiency has been fantastic. I was doing hypermiling with the Tacoma and maxing out at maybe 32 mpg (I got 40 once when I went 45 mph for hours on end). The Prius C reports amazing mpg with less effort on my part... but the way I drive, 60-64 is not hard to achieve--as reported by the Prius.

    Lastly, I'm "a beeper". I use the horn defensively when people are about to ram into me or into others. It seems nowadays everyone is texting while driving etc. I wonder though, has anyone found a way to put a louder horn into the C? An aggressive horn can also really help to get coagulated traffic flowing.
     
  2. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Most people don't know or care what you are driving. A car is a car is a car to the majority of folks on the road and usually you are in their way of getting somewhere slightly faster than ever possible. It is mostly psychological, just like after you buy a new car you start to see all these other people with the same new car. They copied you! No, it's your brain being weird and human.

    Of course they can. As far as I know, the Prius speakers are not easy to find direct bolt in replacements and since it involved ripping apart some trim pieces and putting it back together, I am not usually a fan of that on a brand new car. You bought the base with the base audio system, you might just have to live with it. Otherwise you might get a decade of trim popping out because the monkeys that upgraded your crappy speakers to slightly less crappy speakers bent or broke some of the finicky plastic tabs that are meant to be single use at the factory when the car was built. Do you feel lucky?

    Yup, go Prius. The C gets about the same MPG and my big GenII on the highway, better in the city. Exactly what it was designed to do, amazing...

    I disagree with you on horn usage. If I hear an idiot blowing their horn for no reason, just stuck in traffic like everyone else, I am usually more aggressive to keep that idiot away from me and I try hard to keep them from ever getting infront of me where the accident they cause will be in my path.

    But if you want a louder horn, you can buy some really good small minicompressor air horns. I have one in my GenII Prius. I have used it maybe twice, and the horn on my car maybe less than 10 times total. But it sounds like a semi truck, real big air horn. It is shaped like a snail and has a built in compressor and everything. Now it takes a few seconds to charge up but for me where the duty cycles is essentially 0% it is already ready for the blip. If you are constantly honking away, you might need something with an external air tank and a bigger beefier air compressor. I believe mine was just under $300 and I used some auto relays I have lying around to wire it to the existing horn circuitry by the radiator.
     
  3. ftl

    ftl Explicator

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    Quite a few of us have upgraded the horns on the Prius c, as well as most other models, and there are lots of useful posts. Here's one thread:
    carfart horn | PriusChat
     
  4. RGEYER0

    RGEYER0 Junior Member

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    I just replaced all 4 speakers in my C, not hard... 3 screws per door and some clips, I used some plastic door panel tools from auto zone. Installed Alpine 6.5 speakers and it sounds really good.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i like a horn that goes, neep...neep...
     
  6. ftl

    ftl Explicator

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    Remember this song?

     
    bisco and rjdriver like this.
  7. mulu

    mulu New Member

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    You must be living in some kind of paradise without hugely reckless or inconsiderate drivers. Where I am, everyone texts while driving, talks on the phone while driving, etc. It's all illegal of course, but they don't care--they choose to be inconsiderate.
     
  8. mulu

    mulu New Member

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    Esthetically I'd agree, but when a soccer mom / trophy wife in a 5000-pound Range Rover is about to crush you because her kid is late for private school, it's nice to have a bigger horn ;-)
     
    bisco likes this.
  9. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

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    Be careful C side mirrors are very small and live a huge blind spot if set up traditionally to see back door. Also B-pillars limit view at intersections, and rear window limits view if seat high enough.

    With respect to OEM speakers I had put mine on '14 C2 through audio tests and after ~40-60hr of burn in they are passable... meaning the limiting factor is FM broadcast not speakers. The best set up for flat response is to put Bass and Treble on +1. BTW One does not have rear door speakers, only front door, and the tweeters and mid-range are separated. From what I can say from tests the X-over is the biggest issue them, there is a noticeable drop in frequency sweep test.

    Here is the link to tests: The Ultimate Headphones Test
     
    #9 cyclopathic, Jul 12, 2015
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2015
  10. The Mouth

    The Mouth Junior Member

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    For sound upgrade check out OEM AUDIO PLUS. Speak with Daniel. They are in Anaheim , Ca. Just got my system done by them and it sounds amazing!!! I put a post in the audio section if you would like to see my review. Enjoy your C!!!!