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Cracked plastic under the front end

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by PriusNeckBeard, Oct 19, 2016.

  1. Paul Schenck

    Paul Schenck Active Member

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    Backing in to parking space reduces the likelihood of accidents by 30% and you get the help of the rear camera and you will never hang your front end up on the curb.


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  2. PriusNeckBeard

    PriusNeckBeard Active Member

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    Man, that's economical!
    $18 + your Labor, plus cost of fire extinguisher (should already own) + blocks to drive up on to. Good job.

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  3. PriusNeckBeard

    PriusNeckBeard Active Member

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    Just curious. How much did the procedure cost , and how often do you do it?
    For gen 3, 3 mpg saves $50/ year in fuel costs.


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  4. ILuvMyPriusToo

    ILuvMyPriusToo Senior Member

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    Paul clearly puts on more miles than you (or I) do, so he could save over twice that. (y)

    YMMV
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The big issue with that front piece: it's tapers down, front to rear, then has an abrupt lip at the trailing edge. If you run it just an inch or two onto a concrete wheel stop, that's bad enough, will put some abrasive gouges in it.

    But go further, enough that the whole piece has passed over the concrete wheel stopL when you reverse and back out, that trailing edge lip often snags on the concrete corner, gets pulled down, torn. A better design perhaps would bevel that trailing edge.
     
    #25 Mendel Leisk, Oct 23, 2016
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2016
  6. Paul Schenck

    Paul Schenck Active Member

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    First time I paid $65 do steam clean of engine and undercarriage. Second time I put the driver side up on jack stands and did my own using a hose from water heater.
    $65. @ 3 mpg $3.50/gallon =34,000 miles
    Every time you change your tires you should pay for a under carriage treatment


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  7. PriusNeckBeard

    PriusNeckBeard Active Member

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    Fwiw, that all makes sense except that last part.

    Fwiw, I get:

    (15,000 mi. / 45 mg) x $2.50 = $833/yr.

    ( 15,000 / 48 mpg) x $2.50 = $781/yr.

    The difference is $52 /yr.

    Would a cleaning last a year?
    If so, the savings would be, we hope, $52.
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Don't want to step on toes, but I can't underbody cleaning doing anything for mpg. For starters, if I look at the underside, mostly smooth plastic panels, it's all quite clean, without any special attention.
     
  9. ILuvMyPriusToo

    ILuvMyPriusToo Senior Member

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    Any wildlife hung up under there really breaks wind. :eek:
     
  10. Paul Schenck

    Paul Schenck Active Member

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    Back in!


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