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Bottom of car way too low

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by nudriver, Aug 9, 2018.

  1. nudriver

    nudriver Member

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    One of the biggest flaws of the Prius's design is the fact that they made the car too low. There is one curb cut in particular that I can't avoid and when I drive over it I literally get stuck. People have to get out of the car for me to continue forward! I used to try to avoid dips but now I just run over them at whatever speed I happen to be traveling. The bottom of the car must be beaten up pretty good by now. What kind of protection is under there?
     
    #1 nudriver, Aug 9, 2018
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    there's a full aero cover, or, whatever is left of it.:p
     
    #2 bisco, Aug 9, 2018
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  3. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Ah the wonderful sound protection of plastic:eek:.

    Have you tried taking the jump at an angle?

    Be glad you don’t have a gen4 as I believe they are even an inch lower:cool:.
     
    #3 Raytheeagle, Aug 9, 2018
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  4. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Never scraped the underbody yet, in fact be better if it was lower.
     
    #4 Grit, Aug 9, 2018
  5. James Powers

    James Powers Senior Member

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    You must have some high terrain you roll over. Mine is lowered and I dont scrape the under body at all. Bump the front lip I added from time to time but not the under body.
     
    #5 James Powers, Aug 10, 2018
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  6. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    I would contact the municipality that the problem is located in and let them know that your prius with 5.9” of Clearance is getting damaged, chances are they will make the curb less dangerous vs possible legal ramifications.

    I would avoid the curb location in the meantime.
     
    #6 Lucifer, Aug 10, 2018
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  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The Gen 3 Prius is only slightly below average for ground clearance for compact cars so other compact cars must be scraping too. (average is about 5.5" I believe)

    Also, why are you driving over curbs? Unless you're talking about a speed bump? If so, there's a flaw in the speed bump design.

    The problem is that the Gen 4/Prime is/are lower :( (4.8")

    The Gen 3 has a 5.1" ground clearance, not 5.9".
     
    #7 Tideland Prius, Aug 11, 2018
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  8. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    Here ya go...

     
    #8 frodoz737, Aug 11, 2018
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  9. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I agree that the Prius is not particularly low. In fact, lots of people lower them, although I think that's unwise.

    There are lots of poorly executed driveways and speed bumps around here, too and even if you don't bottom out on them, you don't dare take them at the posted speed limit. That's a road engineering defect, not a car defect. We should not need off-road ground clearance if we're not going off-road.
     
    #9 jerrymildred, Aug 11, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2018
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  10. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Side Rant.
    I know my relevancy to youth is rapidly fading.

    But I think most new cars/sedan/hatchbacks...are too low from the factory.

    My Honda Fit is low to the ground. I'd like more height and clearance. But the astonishing thing to me, is especially with the younger set, lowering the vehicle even MORE is something they like to do.
    There are countless cooperative posts at the Honda Fit site, about modifying the Fit to be even lower to the ground. There are aftermarket suspension kits sold to specifically do this very thing.

    I suppose it's mostly just harmless, except for when you hear that scraping sound. BUT...I admit I don't get it. If anything today? I wish vehicles were coming from the factory a little bit higher, I certainly do not want to lower them.
     
    #10 The Electric Me, Aug 11, 2018
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  11. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    They should standardize curb height at no more than 4", but I know that's never gonna happen...
     
    #11 RRxing, Aug 11, 2018
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  12. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    No worries, mate. They make a Prius for everyone. :)


    IMG_0279.JPG
     
    #12 Starship16, Aug 11, 2018
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  13. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Nice pic;).

    Is that why your road noise is so bad with your tires:whistle:?
     
    #13 Raytheeagle, Aug 11, 2018
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  14. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    The parking "blocks." Those are the danger. I always try to avoid a space that has parking blocks. The front fascia might scrape on some, or mash right into it. And I keep scraping the fascia on certain driveways, even at an angle just crawling.

    I bottomed out the underbody of the car just once. A hidden dip between two sets of railroad tracks. SLAM! BAM! I was only doing 30 mph. I'm afraid to look under the car. :eek:

    The front doesn't look too low in this photo. But beware.

    IMG_0283.JPG
     
    #14 Starship16, Aug 11, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2018
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  15. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The last gen Camry's ground clearance was 5.9". The current generation (2018+) is 5.7".
    2018 Avalon: 5.5"
    2018 Corolla: 6.7"
    2018 Corolla iM: 5.5"
    2018 Yaris/Yaris iA: 5.5"
    2018 Prius c: 5.5"
    2018 RAV4 Hybrid (except SE): 7.0"
    2018 RAV4 Hybrid SE: 7.4"
    2018 RAV4: 6.1"
    2018 RAV4 Adventure: 6.5"
     
    #15 Tideland Prius, Aug 11, 2018
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  16. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    On the lighter side...for those really deep curb cutouts.

    4x4Prius_99929_image.jpeg
     
    #16 frodoz737, Aug 11, 2018
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  17. nudriver

    nudriver Member

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    Thanks for all the feedback boys. All I can say is that I have never had a car that bumped and scraped the underside of the front and bottom as much as my 2012. I assume that's a Gen 3.
     
    #17 nudriver, Aug 11, 2018
  18. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    You are NOT alone out there... :ROFLMAO:
     
    #18 Starship16, Aug 12, 2018
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