Potential Problems?

Please don't cross-post. It's considered rude in online communities.

A very limited number of people have experienced moderate to severe problems with their Prius. In all but a single anecdotal case, Toyota remedied the situation at no cost to the owner.

Bottom line is I can almost guarantee that you find this vehicle to be reliable and trouble-free. As with any vehicle, there is a chance that you'll fall into a statistically small bin of people who experience problems, but the odds of that happening are much smaller with the Prius than with, say, any vehicle from the BIG THREE.

 

I'm not one to bash the domestics because I have had good performance and enjoyment out of many products made by Ford. I'm not a huge fan of GM, and they are to blame for most of the bad feelings folks have for domestic autos.

Anyway, the Prius, for the moment, feels like it is going to be a very reliable vehicle. It dispenses with traditional engineering items, like transmissions, in favor of a new way of controlling ground speed. Using a power split device in conjunction with the 2 MGs and the ICE should be more reliable over the long haul than a typical auto transmission. That is just an example of one of the areas where the Prius is mechanically more simplistic than its automotive brethren.

Keep in mind that when you read posts at a bulletin board you are going to be exposed to a lot more problems than are really happening in the market of delivered vehicles. Lots of people post how much they like their Prii, however they don't post it every day, but people with issues, are persistent about posting and asking questions in order to get to a solution. So, "negative" posts are always going to outnumber "positive" posts because of the nature of a bulletin board.

 

Don't worry Claudia.

Trust your husband on this one.

I'm 50 and the Prius is the first car I've ever "loved". I feel safe, I'm confident in the workmanship and when I reach 60 and am ready to buy another car I'll be looking at the current Prius for 2015.

You could have a problem with any car you buy new. Because there is no such thing as a perfect car. It's always possible to buy one with something wrong. But with the Prius that is less likely, and if it should happen, Toyota will set more right with the Prius than if you bought another car from another manufacturer. It's in their best interest to make a car that is reliable, safe and trouble-free.

Go test drive one. Call all of your dealerships until you find one with a car on the lot you and your husband can drive. If you're not picky about color or option packages, you may just be able to buy one off the lot and not deal with "waiting lists".

Drive the car. I think you'll like it. You may even love it. I love driving my Prius because I am more relaxed now. I have less anxiety when I drive. It's a pleasure to drive.

And I'd be a little wary of some of the stuff I read on the internet about the Prius in the form of reviews and blogs. If they're not from owners...it may just be Hybrid bashing for whatever prejudices, fears or biased reasons. Some is simply mis-information. Some is intentional attacks against a very successful and threatening design. Yes, the big three are scared.

The Prius is great. If you're not quite ready....I understand a Camry Hybrid is in the works if that feels better for you. Next month the Toyota Highlander Hybrid comes out.

If you decide to go Hybrid, I recommend Toyota. Their technology is the most advanced and successful out there right now.

Go ahead.....drive the car.

 

There is alot of Prius bashing out there but I have read these forums for some time now and this car seems to be very reliable and well recieved. Consumer reports just reported that the Prius is the car most likely to be re-purchased by it's owners. 94% of the owners would buy the car again, beating out every other car, suv and truck made. I'm sure you will enjoy your car. After owning mine for a year, we bought a second one.

 

"Blue Screen of Death" With the Prius you should be thinking less Bill and more Steve. There are a lot of computers in the Prius and you will see people with problems on boards like this that are legitimate but remember that people with no problems don't complain so you don't hear from them. The n in the ratio of problems to OK is wrong. I would look at the recent Consumer Reports survey of owners where the Prius comes out on top. Data that speaks volumes. The Prius beat out ever other car in people who own one who will get another. My wife is talking about a Prius and her car is not a year old. I would love to find a way for my kids to be driving this car. They need the day to day savings on gas and repairs way more than me.

 

I've had a number of high end cars, 2 vipers, 2 hummer h1's, 2 audi's, about 7 toyota's, a vw tourage, 24 in total in my 33 years - my 2005 Prius, package 6, is the most comfortable, amazing, totally perfect and enviromentally sound car I have ever owned. I have never had that feeling of being completly safe and secure in any of my other cars and I have it now! I have never ran across anyone who has had any problems with theirs, except for the online posts here. But that is where they are supposed to go to get help. Buy this car and you will never want to buy another one again! Buy this car and you will feel good about your purchase.

Dawn

 

de-ja vu all over again .... didn't I just post somewhere else on this very question. Are we being had?

 

No problem, Claudia. All cleared up. So your husband does that to you.... now I'm having de-ja vu all over again 'cause my wife does the same to me. :lol:
Gary
PS Come back out of your corner .... we want to answer any other questions you may have or just chat ... that's what the forum is for.

 

Claudia,

Don't worry about cross posts. It really grates some folks, however it isn't a huge issue for most of us. What makes cross posting inefficient is that one or the other post will get more attention because it is located in a forum which is more heavily read than another. Then of course you may get a lot of double answers to the same question.