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Prius newbie and "(happy) reluctant convert!

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Samuel Williams Jr, Jun 5, 2019.

  1. Samuel Williams Jr

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Dayton NV
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Well I am a hardcore "Toyota" more HP is better kinda guy! And as such ... you could not "give me a Prius??" But hey ... crap happens?? And sigh in an accident my wife "destroyed our uh well, brutally gas sucking Denali. :(

    I luv'd that beast it had power to spar and if you can "wheel??" LOL with ABS and Traction Control ... it could surprise many a modded WRX, in corners!! But at 5000 pounds and a LS 3, there is price to be pay! And it could literally pass everything cept a "gas station" (and still keep your license! ) And we live ... exactly a half a block away from a gas station! So it was, well put gas in now ... or before you get home from work ... if you want to get to work in the morning?? So yeah kinda "brutal" to say the least??

    But I am a Toyota and Porsche guy also. My crazy little, modded 92 Tercel, is my favorite corner carver!! And that is in comparison to a 1989 Porsche 944 (951) Turbo S full Koni, coil over double adjustable shocks, camber plates, M030, suspension, up rate dspring etc, etc ... Modded motor as in uh "crazy fast!" From a 90 mph roll on ... it can take off like it was launched from an air carrier!! Yeah ... that happened. It was beat down time to some "pick up truck driving tool!?? " because you know what was he thinking???

    But ...if it's raining and you know roads are slick?? Yeah I leave "crazy behind" and would choose my uh well "crazy modded suspension," 92 Terecl!" I luv that car but it's down at the moment. It has 300,000 miles on well the frame, I suppose and it has been thru two 3ee ... oil burning POC motors and one engine swap 5efe, JDM motor. Put in by a shop as I did not have to do it my freaking self!!


    I blame the shop for that engine fail! They f'ed it up out the gate!! I had to finish it ,and it lasted a week. I had to change it from DIS to a Distributor (which was uh kinda stupid??) New wiring harness custom made and change it from a returnless fuel syatem to a return line. I had them do the timing belt and water pump and that was a mistake!! I found it was "Wrong! When I doubled checked!!! They cost me that motor!!!

    Sigh ... modded Toyota number two is down for a while but .. it will live again and better than before! Shooting for 300 hp this time from 1.5 liters and a turbo! :)

    Toyota number one for me was my mini truck ... and of course modded suspension! Corner carver (of course) and a modded 22 r motor In Ca it had no chance of passing smog but I was a Smog tech ... so yeah ... Well I blew that one up uh also??

    And to this day ... that was awhile ago. I have no idea what went wrong but even with the number 2 rod journal weld to the crank, I changed them out ( the rod bearings) and it ran!! Rod knock till it warms up and then that stops. But yeah not something you'd want to drive with on a daily basis!

    And then comes the "Prius??" A car that I would have sworn ... you could not give me!! Well as it turns out after we lost our Denali, We were in a bind and "give me a Prius" is exactly what happened!! My fiances,BIL, had an extra Prius! 175000 miles and it had a new battery pack installed by the dealer because the original battery pack failed at just shy of 150,000 miles and 10 years. So that was a score!!

    Well I found it to be a very odd little car?? I had trouble starting the freaking thing and uh Turing it off, at times??? It was ...kinda quirky and a bit weird?? And there was a crap load about it I did not understand??? But what I quickly understood and what most likely works to my benefit, the ICE is well pretty much mod resistant?? So you know ... I'll just leave it alone.

    I've spent a lot of time on here reading and learning stuff! We only had one real issue with it ... the "Triangle of Death" happened going to work one day??? Battery Pack would not charge and it would not respond to the gas pedal. 35 mph is good enough as the battery pack was flat?? Drive by wire I'm sure. I pulled over and parked and called the wife for a tow home.

    But I got bored waiting, so I fried it up and let it idle, to see what happened?? Well it recharged the battery pack to full?? And I was only 6 miles from home so you know what the heck??? Well six miles at 55 mph ... it made it home!! We had it towed to the dealer and 450 dollars and a few days later it was "good to go!!"

    And the "issue" ticked me off!! It was a bad O2 sensor!!! I could have found that out on my own and changed it myself. But all the Red Tangle of Death and the weirdness of the thing ... left me confused??

    I mean common if you have to struggle to start a freaking car and turn it off correctly?? Do you really want to be screwing with it??? :)

    So that over .. we have had it two years and we just change the oil add gas and drive. I have learned to freaking hate the "over aggressive traction control!!!" As from a dead stop ... you don't drop the hammer (such as it is) and pull out quickly in front of anybody and then accelerate ... "ever!" It freaking cuts everything and shuts down hard??? And then says "oh never mind. " You can turn if off "manually" TC,in theory, ... but you know good luck with that??

    It seems to be a Japanese Car "interpretation" of Traction Control however. My friends 2016, 370 Z, did the exact same thing! He sold it and bought a Bimmer. :)

    The Denali. and our (not mentioned but modded PT Crusier) with Traction control were cool and great fun it the rain!! The Prius not so much, it does normal quite well but doing kinda crazy ... not so much???

    But enough "moaning and groaning" what the Prius does well ...it does very well indeed! And that is gas mileage. Just driving it like a regular car it has saved us a small fortunate in gas! And typically we get low 40 to mid 40's easy! But now since I have been lurking here. Around here and I have been trying to figure out the "hyper mileage thing???" I'm not sure I quite understand it but ... I have been trying and ... as it sets right now, it's showing 57 mpg and it might have been sixty one for 18 miles steep hills and 55 to 60 miles an hour included. That's pretty cool in my book!

    So the goofy weird little thing has kinda won my heart! As it is kinda of a technology tour de force ... and these days every body is jumping on the hybrid band wagon. :)

    At any rate that's my story. :)
     
    will the engineer and bisco like this.
  2. Ronald Doles

    Ronald Doles Active Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    The Prius sounds like the opposite end of the spectrum from the other cars in your stable.

    My first car, out of high school, was a 66 Dodge Coronet 383 that was pretty quick and thirsty. I blueprinted engines, 302 Nova, 455 Olds, Boss 429 Mustang, for several of my friends that drag raced cars but I got away from performance cars. I try to keep up with the technology, one friend pictured below with his Hellcat, but I am not interested in owning one.

    For the most part, I have always driven small cars and struggled to find a quality one. VW bugs that in winter, you scrape the windshield with one hand and drive with the other, Chevette, Corvair, Pinto's which were decent cars for about 8 years and 100k miles, Dodge Colt whose shifter rusted out and fell through the floor thanks to Ohio winters, Escort and Plymouth Horizon which were tied for worst car that I have ever owned and then by chance I got a good deal on a 4 year old 85 Accord. It was refreshing. It had features that none of it's predecessors had. Power windows, mirrors, reclining seats etc. but most of all reliability for 261k miles.

    We have had 8 Honda's since that first one and currently have an 08 Odyssey which has been a great car. We just gave up a 97 Odyssey which was more like a small station wagon than the current generation's of Odyssey. I was inclined to look at a Nissan Leaf replacement as a daily driver to complement the Odyssey. Range wouldn't be a problem for us and used ones are pretty cheap.

    We went to the Nissan dealer and they didn't have a used Leaf but they did have a used 2015 Prius V. My wife asked to have it moved next to a new Leaf so we could compare them. Every interior dimension in the Prius was larger and the Prius seats were surprisingly comfortable. We frequently go with another couple to the movies on Friday's and so ease in getting in and out of the back seat was important. The back seat of the leaf was not intended for adults. The Prius is our first Toyota, our first hybrid and a whole new world for us.

    I am a retired electrical engineer. I designed and built industrial controls for 30 years. I have designed installed, programmed and commissioned equipment in paint, stamping, weld, foundry and assembly in many automotive plants including Honda Marysville and East Liberty, Toyota Georgetown, Nissan Smyna, Ford Romeo, Mazda Flat Rock, Saturn Spring Hills, GM Bedford and Chrysler Twinsburg. I got a chance to see manufacturing philosophies, worker attitudes etc. from these companies first hand. Honda and Toyota are right at the top in quality.

    We are very satisfied with our Prius. Hats off to the engineers at Toyota that created and are improving this amazing drivetrain.

    I hope that you have the same satisfaction with your Prius.
     

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    will the engineer likes this.
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    congrats and welcome!

    all the best (y)
     
    Samuel Williams Jr likes this.
  4. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
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    Model:
    N/A
    BTDT.

    My Prius is a work car.....and almost 10 years ago I was.....literally....forced into the Prius community when my boss dropped off a brand-spanking-new 2010 and turned me loose with it.

    The honeymoon was a little rocky (both for myself and Priusdom!!) but we're about nine years into a unique relationship, and I have to admit that if I have to start hyper-commuting again, I'd have to put a G3 or a C-type on my short list of 'drive-to-work' cars.

    Best of Luck!
     
  5. Samuel Williams Jr

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Wait what?? You had a Boss 429??? Don't know how or why you let that one go, but that was a mistake. :)

    But hey back in the day when I was on the West coast my parents let my 67 Camaro RS convertible go so I know crap happens. I learned to despise convertibles in that thing!

    I see two Dodges in that photo. Nice cars. But Dodge ... LOL you have to wonder what they are thinking??? There answer to fuel cost and increasing prices thereof ...seems to the Dodge Hell Cat??? I think that one was 707 hp??

    But you know ... not good enough so ... Now there is the Challenger Demon ... 840 hp should be better! LOL Dodge no one does stupid excess better than them!!

    Most likely Leaf's are OK cars?? But I don't see many of them out here?? They are pretty much as rare as hen's teeth and not much to look at either so yeah ...

    The Prius is kinda of odd to I suppose??? Aside from being a bit of a challenge to start and remembering to turn off?? It's pretty much a roomy comfortable car?? Most likely the least stolen car in America ... because if you have never driven one ... they can be kinda tricky to start.

    And they are kinda fun in an odd way?? And while I do miss our Denali ... I don't miss going to the gas station several times a week. Prius's are a fun little car in there own way. I would not mind getting another one ... but I think I'll get another PT Cruiser a Turbo first. Yeah yet another Dodge stupid success story ... 23 mpg, if your lucky and keep your foot out of it???

    They have a 3.91 final drive in over gear so they turn about 3200 rpm at highway speed??? Not the best idea for fuel mileage?? And it "still" had the a version of the slap shift?? Put it in first gear and go! It will stay in third until you let of the gas and you couldn't feel it shift. Up shifted to OD at 105 on one occasion when I lifted. But to be fair it did not come that way "exactly??" You had to cut and splice two wires under the hood and there you go. Ours had a modded suspension. Full Eibach and it was a monster in corners and high speed sweepers!

    left stock up on hwy 80 at 80 to 90 mph in those high speed sweepers, it kinda sorta scared the crap out of me??? As in which way will it spin when/if it let's go??? That crap had to change! So I fixed it! Then later on I broke it. Stupid embarrassing stuff ...

    The downside to the Prius is Hwy 50 on the way to Tahoe ... it does not like that climb! 65 mph seems to be the best it can do in a constant climb and thinner air. So I keep it valley bound, normal hills and climbs at 4000 ft ... no big deal. Probably a Prius Prime even with a 200 lb weight penalty would do better hill climbing?? As you have two battery packs and not one, I don't know?? So Prius is not the best choice for the crazy perhaps, but fine within it's limits?? It does what it does quit well and I really like the little thing. :)

    And the Oddessy mini van's. LOL, if you put your foot in it and start dropping gears ... those things are fast!! Way back in the day in a high speed sweeper, in San Jose, I got skunked by one in my modded mini truck?? I did not see him coming and when I did ...he was gone, WTH??

    Lot's of cool stuff out there these days in assuming forms. Oh hey I had a couple of Corvairs also, they were cool cars! :)
     
  6. Samuel Williams Jr

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Wow a new 2010 that's awesome! And LOL, well more than likely there are quite a few "forced" converts?? And not having to spend lot's of time getting gas is kinda cool! I have yet to be able to get 10 gallons of fuel in it however usual it's 7 to 8 and maybe 9 once?? But hey that's a nice problem to have. :)
     
  7. Samuel Williams Jr

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Dayton NV
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Thanks I do have headlight issues, so that is why I finally registered. I'll start ... yet another "headlight thread" later on. :)
     
    bisco likes this.
  8. stephensprius

    stephensprius Active Member

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  9. kenmce

    kenmce High Voltage Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
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    Limited
    You sound like a guy who likes to get his hair blown back regularly. My first thought was to suggest you trade it in on something, anything that has eight cylinders. The Priuses are designed to do only one thing and do it well - they are the king of the clean little economy cars. They pay a price for this, but that's cars.

    If you do want to keep it, there are things you can wrench to perk it up a bit or make it look spiffier. If you browse around, people here have a variety of stiffener plates (They didn't used to exist so people here started making and selling their own) and suspension mods. I understand they work.

    I don't really know any way to make it a zero-to-sixty monster, but if you just need something that will get you to work and run errands quietly and reliably I expect this will do it. If you need stuff at the speed shop you can always park around the corner... The Prius *will* help keep mileage and repairs lower on the other cars and you can always use that hatchback to haul parts when you are working on the fun cars...
     
  10. Samuel Williams Jr

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Dayton NV
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I gotta add an addendum here as my wife reminded me, at that time the Prius had a failing, 02 sensor! Which I should have/could have diagnosed and replaced myself! But with a total failure and the "Red Triangle of Death!??? I freaked out!

    I had to pull over as the Battery was flat also so with that and a flat battery pack the accelerator meant nothing.

    I pulled over and had my wife call for a two home. But since I had to wait anyway ... I felt what the hey and let it idle and a few minuets. And a short time later, the battery pack had a full charge! So what the hey it was about 8 miles to home on the Highway and she made it home at 60 mph without a hick up!!

    Now where it gets annoying and expensive ... is when we took it to the dealer! I wanted to take it Most shops ... won't even touch them (The Prius.)

    I wanted to take it here. :
    Sierra Nevada Hybrid - Hybrid Mechanic - Reno, Nevada

    As they are right down the road. But wife said it's our only "running car ... (a dig there. ) So off to Carson City Toyota it goes! And after they finished "guessing!" They drained the freaking gas tank!! They found the issue one week and $750 bucks later ... it was fine and I was "ticked off!!"

    I could have found and R&R a freaking O2 sensor myself!!! But you know the freak out factor when you lift the hood!! IE WTH, is this thing??? So we got skunked on that one! And to add insult to injury they had to order the freaking O2 sensor from Japan!!!

    But suspension mods and FWD cars?? Yeah that crap I got dialed in!! And I know it can be done with a Prius as seen here.:



    But ... my better have has not been to thrilled with what has happened with "Ride Quality!" With our other DD's. And if I go out there with Jack Stands and Boxes of parts ... there will be "issues" in the home front!!

    So it's gonna stay "Stock" and I'll let it do what it does best! I play around with the display screen to try and get the ice off at speed! I've got fairly good at it and I have gotten it off "briefly in the 60 to 70 mph range! "

    I got 61 mpg on one trip from town as opposed to the usual 42+ mpg or so. So that was pretty cool and certainly nothing are Denali would ever have seen So pretty cool. It is what it is and ironically enough ... I like it just fine, who knew?? :)
     
    bisco likes this.