2012 Plug-in Prius - Ten questions, including about my Canadian 2012 Technology Package

Hi there. I have now joined the plug-in Prius herd, albeit in 2015. Well, not quite. Haven't taken delivery of my 2012 with Technology Package yet. That makes 3 Prius first models for me:

2001 Prius
2004 Prius
2012 Prius PHV

I have a few questions though. Hopefully somebody can answer.

1) Is the Canadian 2012 Prius PHV base model exactly the same as in the US?

2) Is the Canadian 2012 Prius PHV Technology Package exactly the same as the US's Advanced Package? I found the US 2012 Prius PHV brochure online, but I can't find the same for the Canadian model. The Canadian Prius family brochure doesn't have the PHV, because PHV came out after that brochure's release. The 2013 Prius family brochure does include it, but I can't remember if the 2013 is exactly the same as the 2012 or not. I do note that the Canadian 2013 brochure makes no mention of a power front passenger seat. However, I wonder if it is because it is a combined brochure, not a specific PHV one, that they've left stuff out for brevity. (I didn't check that feature when I was in the store.) BTW, for my user info, I've just left the model section blank, since technically I don't have the Advanced Package, and the Canadian categories don't show up.

3) My Prius PHV was a dealer demo, albeit 2.5 years old. Does that count as one of the 63 sold in Canada in 2012, or would I now be number 64 with a 2012 model?

4) I still have my 2004 Prius's alloy wheels sitting in my shed. Are the rims the exact same size? I think they are, but the tires are sized differently. Can I use those wheels on my 2012 PHV? If not, can I use those rims with new tires? If I can, then I'd use those for winter tires. It'd be nice to have alloy for both summer and winter.

5) Is it worth upgrading to the latest NAV software? It seems awfully expensive.

6) Is it worth it to shop around the Toyota dealers for fob programming? Or should I just head straight to the DIY route?

7) Is it correct to assume that basically all the interior accessories are exactly the same between the PHV and regular hybrid? eg. Cargo mat and floor mats. Seat covers for the rear. If so, where best to get them for Canada? I noticed that the Priuschat shop won't ship some of that stuff up here, and I won't use eBayers that utilize the Global Shipping Program.

8) Do you do anything to protect your charging cable outside? I don't have a garage. I'm kinda concerned about rain, and snow plus ice. I've read the cable is $1200 US. Ouch.

9) I declined the paint protection film. Was that a good decision? I note that the paint on my Prius 2004 hood's front edge started to flake off. It appeared that something got underneath through a chip or something and started to oxidize the aluminum underneath, causing the paint to bubble. Again, I don't have a garage, so the car is exposed to the elements 24/7.

10) I read the next-gen Prius plug-in won't go into production until Q4 2016, which presumably means a calendar 2017 release. Is that still the most accurate guesstimate? If so, I don't feel so bad jumping into this generation so late in the game.

Thanks in advance,

Eug

 

Thanks for the info guys. That's very helpful.

With regards to that demo, on my invoice it actually says "new" not used, but the dealer was treating it as a used sale (which makes more sense to me). And knowing that the cable can take that heavy abuse in the winter is reassuring. I have since read here about some issues with a defective gasket causing the charging handle not to fit easily, but also read that Toyota's advice is just to remove the gasket and that it works fine after that. That's reassuring too.

BTW, on the Toyota Certified used vehicle site, there is exactly one used Prius Plugin available for sale in all of Canada. I wish I had known that when I was negotiating**, but I was not aware of it when I made my offer with the dealer. Not sure if it just recently showed up or if I hadn't bothered to check availability in Quebec at the time. However, judging by their list price which I believe is for the base model, then I think I did pretty well for my Technology Package model negotiation... for a car I had absolutely no intention of buying in the first place.

** It's good to bring your laptop and a way to access the internet when you're negotiating for a used car. I had brought info with me on the Prius and Prius v, but ended up doing a deal on a car with a completely different pricing range, only because I was able to search the net right at that time. I didn't know about the Quebec one, and the Canadian Black Book didn't have any pricing info either, but I could compare against US pricing factoring in the exchange rate.

 

Thanks. It's a dealer demo that they got back when the Prius Plug-in was first launched, but have been using themselves since then. My guess is they've just been using it to ferry customers back and forth, since it only has just over 18000 miles on it. Clean carproof with Toyota certification. Excellent condition with the very nice Advanced-like Canadian Technology Package, and I like the chrome highlights not found in the other Priuses.

BTW, I just found out that plug-in hybrids and EVs in Ontario qualify for special green plates, and at least for the next few months are eligible for HOV lanes on the major highways. Bonus.



The HOV lane part will end this year, but the green colour alone is even better than a vanity plate.

 

Yeah, I kind of figured as much regarding the paint protection. BTW, I thought I read that the PiP gets upgraded paint. What does that actually mean? I note that if you choose Blizzard Pearl for the regular Prius, in Canada it costs $255 more than the other paint colours.

TOYOTA CANADA: Language

As for the undercoating, they said it's not recommended since there a colour coded wire or something that would be covered in black, making it hard to recognize.

P.S. I just found the dealership's ad online for the car, from a long time ago. I hadn't seen it before because it was listed as a base 2012 regular Prius. Of course that made no sense since their asking price for this 2012 was significantly higher than a brand new 2015 base Prius. Only when you read the description do you find out it is PiP with all the upgrades. There is no mention of either the PiP or the upgrades in the title. I wonder if it's because there is actually no option on this website for this model car, so they just put in the regular Prius category.

 

Oh, that's very good to know.

I also see now that the cargo mat is different, according to eBay product descriptions. Even if it were the same, it'd be nice to find a dedicated PiP cargo mat with a flap for the charger compartment, because it would be annoying having to lift up the cargo mat every time you want to use the charger, and do so again every time you want to put away the charger.

However, I haven't seen such a beast yet, just one-piece no-flap liners that are custom fit for the plug-in.

 

Finally got my car today. Yay!

My plate is GVAF xxx. The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario website says they've issued over 4000 of these plates so far. The "GREEN VEHICLE" wording is hidden by the ugly licence plate cover that the dealer installed though. I'll go buy some slim frames to have that shown.

My charging cable is too short. I'm told this is a no no but I'm going to have to get a short extension cord. I'll look for a 12 gauge cable. I only need an extra 6-12 feet though. Well, it's not too short, but it barely reaches as there is a big snowbank there so I can't pull right up.

BTW, for now, I don't need to get another key fob or winter floor mats. The car came with them. I might consider getting a cargo/seatback cover though. They even washed the engine. It looks brand spankin' new. I like this dealership.

 

Thanks.

P.S. I was thinking about that $1200 cable. It got me thinking about installing a Level 2 charger.

Well, not really, but it got me thinking. Preamble: One of the reasons I got the car cheap was because the dealer licensed the car for their company usage, so I'm not eligible to get the rebate. I assume they got the rebate. Not a surprise though, as I factored that into the negotiation. Technically, 2012s aren't supposed to be eligible anymore anyway, which isn't a surprise since that was 2.5 years ago.

However, what I didn't know is that I'm not eligible for the charger rebate either. They allow up to $1000 rebate - 50% of the charger cost up to $500 and 50% of the cost of the installation up to $500. It turns out only those who got the car rebate can get the charger rebate. Wth? You can't get the charger rebate even if you have proof you own a PHEV or EV.

 

Thanks. However, I'd rather have two level 1 cables (or else one level 1 and one level 2) than one level 2.