Hello - First Post - Contemplating The Prius

Ohio had/has a bill? in the works for another $3100?? credit for 2006. Last I heard it was still in the process of what ever they do to it. When I get back home I will see if I can digg it up.

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Never mind I found it http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=126_HB_0453

Its for $3000 and it still looks like its still "in progress"??? :angry:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(theforce @ May 8 2006, 01:00 PM) [snapback]251522[/snapback]</div>

http://lsc.state.oh.us/coderev/hou126.nsf/...53?OpenDocument
Looks like it probably died in committee.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pet Sounds 75 @ May 8 2006, 12:38 PM) [snapback]251505[/snapback]</div>

I recommend you go to the Toyota.com web site and look at the various Prius packages offered in your area. Not all pakages are offered in all areas - so use their build your own feature on the web site and it will tell you what can be had in your area of the country.

Come back and tell us which features ( which packages) you are considering and how important various features are to you. For example if side air bags is an important safety feature to you as an individual that will automatically eliminate certain packages.

Once you know what you must have, what you would like to have and things you could care less about it should narrow done to only one or two packages to consider. Once you have done this come back to the board if you need an explanation of any features you don't understand. For example SKS keyless entry is something I love about my new Prius and I am so glad was part of the package I bought - however I did not know what it was before I got the car home.

It is hard to ask the dealer appropriate questions when you don't know what questions to ask. So do your homework first.

One feature I am particularly glad someone recommended on this board were the HID headlights. They may not be a big deal for most people, but, having had years of difficulty driving at night I discovered that with the HID lights my ability to drive at night improved dramatically. The configuration that will work best for you may not be what I needed. So you really need to understand each feature and decide if it is something you need in your Prius.

Once you know what features you want/need then we can talk price. The dealer will probably want to sell you what they have in stock at MSRP. That is only a good deal if the car has the features you want/need. Depending upon location many of us have gotten the features we wanted and $500 - $1500 off of MSRP.

Springtime

 

I wish I would have found this site before the purchase of the Prius. Although I would have bought one still, it would have been nice to know more of the fun features and options! My sales creature didn't even know how to turn on the Prius, so you can imagine, as I left the dealer at 9:00 PM I was very confused as to how to get the thing home! After a few months I pretty much had the car figured out, and I just love it!

You can get the SKS (Smart Key System), and I think that is one of the greatest features. You will get spoiled by never having to dig your key out of your pocket, on top of the "show off" ability. You can show your friends that your car knows when you walk up to it and automatically unlocks, they will FLIP!
There are many many neat features, safety wise and fun wise, but for me the main reason for keeping my lil gem is the $$ I am saving. I drive about $40k miles a year- so my gas bill is a major factor.
Good luck with your search, you will find many helpful posts and I am sure you will be able to make a very educated decision! GOOD LUCK

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pet Sounds 75 @ May 8 2006, 09:38 AM) [snapback]251505[/snapback]</div>

When you try out the Prius. Forget it is a hybrid. See how you like it as a car. Note it's roominess, storage capacity, and rear legroom. If at all possible, tell the salesman to be quiet, that you want to "be one with the car". We had a real babbling salesman that almost turned us off to the car and mislead us about the "B" driving mode. So just put the car in "D" and try it out in all kinds of conditions. In your flat terrain, you will save on gas, less brake jobs (maybe never), possibly on insurance, and all the while have a fun to drive car that is cleaner than anything you've probably ever driven.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kiloran @ May 8 2006, 01:08 PM) [snapback]251531[/snapback]</div>

Man. Ohio really sucks! They put bush back into office (I sure as hell did not vote for him the first time which i did not vote at all or the second time which somehow i got registered to vote :angry: ) and they killed a great bill that would have helped me out. I want to move to a blue state or even better CANADA!

 

If possible, I recommend renting a Prius for a day or two (I rented one for two weeks). You won't have to worry about a salesperson breathing down your neck, plus you get to see what it's like during a normal commute. In addition, there are some who love the car, but are in pain because of the seats.

 

You might think about renting a Prius for a day or so to see how it does. (D'oh! aaf709 posted while I was typing!) We rented one from Don Joseph Toyota in Kent and drove it all over for a weekend to try it out. We drove it in the city, on the highway, and even all around Ashtabula County on a covered bridge tour. The rental was $100 or less for the weekend and completely worth it when making such a large financial decision.

BTW, I ordered a Prius from Don Joseph Toyota in Kent and had to put $1000 down and agree to pay MSRP. It's not in yet so I can't give you any opinions on how the deal was closed.

 

To pitch my two cents in here, i got my prius 2 months ago from the Bunswick automart just south of cleveland, and had a great experience. While the salesman didn't know an exhaust pipe from the steering wheel when it came to the hybrid features of the car, they were very willing to work with me to get me the car i wanted quickly.

I would agree with previous posts, try to get to drive it without a salesman breathing down your neck. One of my mothers co-workers has a classic, and let me drive it around a bit before i went to the dealer to get mine, and it answered a lot of the questions you're posing.

I was driving the other day back up here from columbus (53 MPG on that trip!) with my grandmother in the car, and she commented on how nice and smooth the ride was, comparing it to my father and aunt's lexus's.

I know it's been posted on the board many times, but since you're new... When you do eventually decide to purchase your new car(whatever it may be), the dealer is gonna throw tons of options at you (such as underbody coating, paint and fabric protectant, etc). these are all pretty much pure dealer profit and not worth purchasing.

 

I think there was a thread on here about some good questions to ask a sales rep and Prius tech but I'm unable to find it. They were some really good ones to. Maybe someone has a link to that thread?

 

My impression after three months is that it is a great car for all (city, highway, suburban) conditions, comfortable ride, handles decently, and (in my limited experience at the end of winter) does OK in the snow. I find the power and acceleration just fine for my needs.
For sure, you want to spend some time behind the wheel- that's true of any car. You can buy the greatest car in the world, but if the seat hurts your back after half an hour you'll always regret it (BTW, the seats in the Prius are very comfortable, to me anyway.)
Also- and this may sound heretical to some folks here- make sure you also consider the alternatives. The closest would be the Honda Civic Hybrid. It's an excellent car, and one that I gave a lot of consideration to, but the space and practicality (and, I suppose, the iconoclastic styling) of the Prius won me over.

 

Renting one will convince you. I just bought a black plg # 8, I'm a on day 3 of ownership and having a blast. After I sold my 2001 Yukon to get a car, I went out rented all kinds of cars to try them out. After a few I rented a 2005 Prius Pkg#1 fairly beat up, stained and smokey rental from Fox Rent A Car. I was skeptical about the Prius. When I used to look down on the Prius from my perch in the Yukon I had the perception that they were frail, slow and whimpy. Try this, first thing after you rent it, head out to the expressway (freeway) and hit the accerator you'll find that the Prius really takes off and handles well, thats what sold me. Of course trying burn rubber is not what a Prius is about, but it is good to know you have that spark. Best of Luck !

 

To echo others: rent one for a day or two (one if you can drive it a lot, say, 250 miles; two if you can only drive it 100 miles a day or less). Ask your critter if that dealership has a "TRAC" Prius. TRACs are cars the dealership BUYS (before re-selling as used a few months later). They use them as demos, rent them, let staff drive them as perks. You may be able to rent one from THEM.

Just for the hell of it, ask what kind of gas mileage you can REALLY expect. Tell 'em you've heard all kinds of things, from high 30's (MPG) to high 50's.

How big a person are you? The #1 consensus complaint about the car is its driver's seat comfort and lack of adjustability. I'm 5' 9", 160 and I'm OK with the seats, though they're not plush. They lack lower back support, too, if you have a bad back.

Good luck.

 

I've had my Prius for 19 days now and I love it! Several people have suggested renting one - that's a good idea if you can find one to rent - many Toyota dealers rent cars as well as selling them, so you might try there.

I was originally attracted to the Prius by the concept of the hybrid engine and the great gas mileage long before I ever saw one 'in real life'. I finally test drove one a little over 3 weeks ago, and immediately noticed:

- The inside of this car is HUGE! Plenty of room for passengers in the rear without their knees touching the backs of the front seats. And it even feels wide to me! I had a '98 Chevy Cavalier that was totalled, and I hit my head on the side window - still have the bump and some bruise marks after nearly 4 weeks. In my Prius, my head couldn't hit the side window - it's too far away from my neck. (Assuming wearing seat belts, which I was wearing in the Cavalier's demise).

- The view is terrific! I feel like I'm driving a car with a glass-bubble for a top - no trouble seeing all around me when I need to merge into traffic.

- The car rides smoothly, accelerates nicely, and brakes nicely. My old car had ABS, but I felt like I had to stand on the brakes to get the car to stop in time. Not a problem at all with my Prius.

- The interior is well organized so that it's easy for me to keep my car 'tidy'. I used to joke that the reason I had a convertible was so that I could just turn it over and shake out all the junk. I'm a messy person by nature, but my Prius isn't going to be like my other cars have been (even though it beeps like a garbage truck while it's backing up!)


Some other thoughts:

- Side air bags are a MUST.

- As someone else said, the 'Smart Key System' is a great convenience.

- I got the 'skid control' safety feature (available in packages 5 and up), and I've read that it's considered a great safety advance. I really detest skidding, so it was worth it to me.

- Mine came with the 'blue tooth' option for a phone. I don't yet have a blue tooth phone - will be eligible for an upgrade to my cell phone in 3 months, so I'm pretty sure I can get one then for at most $30. From what I've read here on the forum, the sound through the blue-tooth connection is excellent. (Since I was in a hurry for a car after my accident, I was willing to buy a package that was more than my 'minimum needs' - wouldn't have wanted to pay for the blue tooth option, but it came in my pkg 5 that had the skid control)

- It's fun to drive - I'm still learning how to maximize my gas mileage, and I haven't even started on some of the tips and tricks I've found here, like increasing the tire pressure.

- Whatever you do, do NOT let a salesman talk you into buying the dealer's extended warranty or pre-paid maintenance plan - you can purchase them at a much better price through this forum if you decide you want either or both of them.

Have fun shopping and then have fun owning a Prius!