Break-in - Long Drive from Dealer

i agree, probably the only things you shouldn't be doing are using cruise control for long stretches over flat road, and driving fast.

 

I drove my prius home 1700 miles in 2 days when i first bought it. There were no problems with the long distance. Just don't use cruise for the first 600 miles and try to drive more gently (no hard stops, fast starts, etc.) Congrats on getting your car. This car is great for long distances. The NAV system (if you get it) is very helpful in unfamiliar places.

 

Remove those ridiculous wheel covers, exposing those lovely alloy rims you paid so dearly for. No tolls required; just use your fingertips to pop them loose and remove.

Put the wheel covers in a clean plastic bag, tape it shut and store them until you sell or trade the car.

1. Your wheels will be MUCH easier to clean and wax.
2. They will weigh less (every ounce adds to unspring weight).
3. They will balance out much smoother without those silly spring-loaded plastic discs rattling around on them.

Whether you do this or not, you are going to have a truly fun drive home.

Enjoy it!


Bob

 

Bring a quality tire pressure gauge along. Check pressures and adjust before leaving the dealership. Too many Toyotas are delivered with shipping pressures, ~50 psi, that make for twitchy handling and a harsh ride. Easy on the brakes for the first 200 miles. The inside rearview mirror is double jointed. Pivot it up at both the windshield and mirror base for improved visibility in both directions. Have fun!

 

I too will be driving soon to pick up my Salsa #9. Over 300 miles. This info is valuable. Thank you. Nobody has yet responded to my question about the factory mats. I have never seen them so I don't know whether they are worth the $180 or should I look at aftermarket mats?

 

Every dealer that I have visited had the floor mats already on the sticker

It was $184 which I thought was a bit steep.... until I realized:

It's a PRIUS and people want the car

 

The mats are a Dealer added option. You don't have to buy them. It just pisses me off when you ask for a quote on something and it includes customer add-ons that you didn't ask for. Like your not going to notice. I guess some people don't notice and that's why they do it. I guess Toyota is throwing the dealers a bone here.

 

Thanks for the link.... but if dealers have them on the sticker, and won't remove them we are basically stuck paying the $184, right?

 

the tip about buying a good tire pressure guage should be buy a good digital tire pressure guage. Most of them are very accurate, mine cost 9$ Canadian about 6$ US and it reads 1/2 pound low at 45. My wife's digital is exactly the same. A puematics engineer checked them. When I picked up my Prius I thought the ride was really good compared to the wife's 2k4 and when I checked sure enough 28 front 23 rear. Straight to a gas station and 42 front 40 rear's and then drove 1788Km in 2 days. I just set it on cruise and let the hills take care of not letting the ICE run at one steady rpm. Just drive it, it's a Toyota and nothing you can do will really hurt it. Just avoid really hard braking if you can for the first couple of hundred miles.

 

Be sure to regulate your speed. Every, like 10 or 15 min, go down 5 mph and then 10 or 15 min later go back up 5mph. That will let the engine get different speeds.

Brian

 

Actually, I've tried a variety of professional-grade digital and analog tire pressure gauges and always return to my favorite Longacre analog gauge. I've found the difference to be repeatability of a reliable reading. The digitals I've tried, including the best Longacre gauge, can produce a variation of +/- 2 psi between samples seconds apart.

That might not seem like much, but in a racing environment, it can be the difference between success and failure. In a street environment, it could mean a skewed FF/RR differential leading to undesirable handling and premature tire wear.

I know the gauge in my link is spendy, but it's the last you'll ever need, requires no batteries, is visible in the dark, has a built in bleeder valve for easy adjustment, and has an easy to read full scale deflection. OTOH, I've compared it favorably to a $4.99 NAPA pencil gauge that was more repeatable than any digital I tried, although they become unreliable after a year or so. My 2¢.

[Broken External Image]:http://www.longacreracing.com/images/products/tires/50402.jpg

 

Yeah, what Dr. Fusco said. Advice about varying your speed applies to old-style transmissions, not to this hybrid drive.

Toyota's Prius manual says exactly two things about break-in; paraphrasing:
1. Don't brake hard in the first 200 miles. (I surmise this is to polish the brake surfaces.)
2. Accelerate gently and don't go faster than 60 MPH for the first 600 miles. (Presumably to allow the engine's bearing surfaces to "wear into" each other.)

You may feel some frustration observing point #2 on your 400 mile (interstate highway?) drive home, but remember that a proper break-in can benefit the car forever.

You might examine, download and take with you the delivery checklists from http://www.vfaq.net/

Anything the dealer tries to sell you is negotiable. You don't *have* to buy floormats any more than you *have* to accept a dealer's "holdback adjustment" or anything else. Of course with a Prius you're doing well to get MSRP... It may encourage you to know that few weeks after signing my purchase agreement I called the dealer to order the floormats. They have "Prius" embroidered on them and they look nice!

 

On the other hand, the dealer does not have to sell you the car, unless you have a written contract. But a good dealer will accept your "No" on all the add-ons.

 

and of course my good ole motorcycle advice as always"drive it like you stoal it!"