Disadvantages of buying Prius?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Justin30519 @ May 9 2007, 10:38 PM) [snapback]438765[/snapback]</div>

you will get used to the back...actually it helps cut glare from headlights ,especially the idiots who dont dim when they come in behind you...

acceleration is not an issue...we have no problem moving into the fast lane off the ramp when needed...

last i looked batteries will last well into the 100000s of thousands of miles...ive heard of 250000 miles already...more than likely will out last the car...

we drove 16 straight hours in it heading to california from my location...im 6ft 2 in...

buy the extended warranty from priuschat warranty from troy...he is at a toyota dealership in mass. and will give you a better price than anyone for a toyota warranty...

 

I can agree to all of the above, except I don't have an extended warranty. I'm playing the odds of good design and low wear parts against the cost of the warranty; only time will tell.

Tom

 

Hello and welcome. I'll try to give my experiences with my Prius. My last car was a 1990 Ford Probe with over 193,000 miles (and before that were 2 Mercedes) which are the cars I have to compare the Prius with.

1. The split in the window never bothered me, maybe due to my height. The lights of the car behind me are blocked by the split.
2. No problems in and out of traffic, at least I haven't.
3. There are owners with over 200,000 miles on the original batteries. A lot of people are put off by the thought of having to spring about 2 grand for batteries somewhere down the like and ignore the fact that a transmission bill on a conventional car can go over that.
4. The Probe also had a hatchback, so it was easy to get used to it. The rear seats fold down (as did on the Probe), which gives you a lot of room to put things. You can even fold the front passenger's seat forward for long items.
5. I'm comfortable with the seats, but others are in pain after a very short drive. If you can rent one for a day or so, you can see what you'd experience. There are solutions, both cheap and expensive.
6. I'm in California, where the warranty for the battery is 150,000 miles. I did get the extended warranty, but it's really up to you. It's good for peace of mind. One thing to remember; if you decide to get a Prius, you don't have to get the extended warranty when you buy the car. You have until the 36,000 mile warranty is about up. And you can get it here probably for less than the dealer who sold you the car.

Hope this helps.

 

The first thing everybody will tell you is to go test drive it and make some decisions yourself, which is the best advice but you want some answers so here is what I can tell you...

- When I drive my Camry and look in the rearview mirror out the rear window, I see a solid sheet of glass. I test drove a Prius a while back. I saw a "line" in the middle of the rear window. This "line" is a break in the glass where you cannot see out. I believe this is caused by (is it called a spoiler) - the thing on the back above the hatchback door where there is a brake light. Do you ever get used to this? I think this would bother me.

It takes a little getting used to but it it not a big problem for me. I don't really even notice it honestly.

- How is the acceleration in passing other vehicles or merging onto the highway? I've heard that acceleration is pretty slow.

This was discussed in another thread recently. Do a search. Compared to a Lexus it is slow but compared to your Camry it is comparable. I have always had 4 cylinder cars and I think the Prius has better pickup than most. Again, not a problem. The electric motor does it's job in suplementing the ICE.

- I'm concerned about the battery. I heard if it goes out, it costs $2,000. Warranty is for 100,000? As you can see from the first paragraph, I keep cars for a long time. $2K is a lot of money. Are there any studies as to how long the batteries last?

I haven't seen a lot information regarding the true cost of replacing the batteries or how long they will last. I think this is because there are not many people who have actually had to replace them and I think many have gone well over 100k miles without replacing the batteries.

- How big does the hatchback space compare to the trunk of the Camry?

I don't know how old your Camry is or what the trunk size is like but in my experience, hatchbacks are FAR more versitile than trunks. Plus the rear seats fold flat to make for a very large cargo area. This was one of the biggest reasons for my choosing a Prius.

- How comfortable is it? If I were to drive the car across the country, would I get tired/restless from sitting in the seats or are they pretty comfortable?

Comfort is subjective. I find it comfortable but I know others have complained.

- Do you recommend buying the extended warranty? My main concern here is the battery.

Most people will recommend the extended warranty but I bet your batteries will last years longer than any warranty.

 

Hello from a former fellow Camry owner.

It's a bit of an annoyance but I did get used to it. After awhile you don't really notice it much. The tricky part (for me) is visibility when backing up. The rearview camera in my mind is a necessity.

I haven't found that to be the case at all. I have no problem accelerating and coming up to speed quickly.
The Prius certainly doesn't match the V6 Camry for pep but it does have smooth and quick acceleration.

I don't believe Toyota has replaced a hybrid battery in the US to date. I'm not sure about Japan or Europe. The cost I was quoted was actually $1000 to $1500. It's likely that the battery will outlast the Prius itself.

Others may disagree but I'd say they're about evenly matched on a strictly space wise comparison. Where the Prius shines is in versability. It has a split folding seats and that nearly doubles (or more) your cargo space. My prius brought home a Queen sized metal bed (headboard, footboard and rails) that I purchased off of craigslist. Plus the under floor storage space AND the little hidden nook on the left side.

I find it very comfortable (athough I haven't done any all day driving or extended trips). The longest I've driven in one stretch was 2 hours up to Sacramento and I had no complaints.


Obviously, go for a test drive, but if you can rent one for a week. That'll give you time to adjust to the "Prius environment", get used to all the little quirks and discover any possible deal breakers. I got my Prius rental from a local Toyota dealer.

Hope this helps! Good luck with your decision!

 

My wife has a '98 Camry, which she loves (she's already told me that on vacation this year, we're driving the Camry, not the Prius):

Here are some of the things I've noticed after a month with the Prius:

Yeah, that spoiler takes getting used to. At first, it was almost like looking at one of those TVs with an in-screen screen - partly because of the spoiler, partly because of the different tinting on the bottom. I've adjusted during the day, but at night, it's still annoying to see the headlights of the vehicle behind me bob up and down over and below the spoiler - it almost seems like there are two cars back there, not one. On the plus side, at least for me, much better views out the sides when getting ready to change lanes than in my previous car (a Focus).

The Camry seems to have a softer ride. I don't know if that's because ours is almost 9 years old, though. You'll feel higher up sitting in the Prius than in the Camry. No height adjustment in the Prius. I think the seats are fine, but as others have said, you really need to drive it to see if it suits you.

Acceleration in the Prius seems pretty zippy - if you floor it, the car will move, which is good a thing here in Massachusetts, where people will speed up in an attempt to keep you from moving into their lane.

Trunk space in the Prius seems decent, although to get the full effect, you'll need to fold up this platform thing that splits the trunk into two layers. One advantage over the Camry: Not only do the rear seats fold back, but you don't have to worry about the narrowing caused by the car's frame like you do in a Camry.

 

If you are looking for a car (not a truck) you can scarcely do better than a Prius. The acceleration is great where it counts (from a dead stop to merge into traffic). Hatchbacks with fold-down back seats are incredible cargo-haulers (learned that in college when I had an Escort). The seats are fine, by me. Don't worry about the split rearview, it's a useful "rangefinder," for me. Can't comment on battery longevity, having only 4K miles, but no one has voiced problems.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Justin30519 @ May 9 2007, 08:38 PM) [snapback]438765[/snapback]</div>

It's most noticeable while backing up, but a backup camera now comes standard with the vehicle. I actually like the backup camera even more than the rearview mirror because I have no depth perception and it's a lot easier to confidently move 6-12 inches away from an obsticle behind you with the camera.

I never notice the rear window when actually driving.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Justin30519 @ May 9 2007, 08:38 PM) [snapback]438765[/snapback]</div>

Edmunds.com got the Prius from 0-60 in about 10.9 seconds in a real world test: about 1.5 seconds faster than the Honda Civic Hybrid.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drive...45/pageId=67420

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Justin30519 @ May 9 2007, 08:38 PM) [snapback]438765[/snapback]</div>

Battery warranty is 8 years/100,000 miles, yes. Battery prices continue to drop, however, and I suspect they'll cost much less than $2000 in 8 years if yours fails for some reason.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Justin30519 @ May 9 2007, 08:38 PM) [snapback]438765[/snapback]</div>

Probably lots better. With the back seats folded, I fit a loveseat and footrest into my Prius the other day with room to spare.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Justin30519 @ May 9 2007, 08:38 PM) [snapback]438765[/snapback]</div>

I'm not the best person to answer as I've yet to take any long trips, but I can say I've never been uncomfortable in the Prius.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Justin30519 @ May 9 2007, 08:38 PM) [snapback]438765[/snapback]</div>

If you do, scour the internet instead of purchasing the warranty from your local dealer. Any dealer can sell a warranty and a few are willing to give a really good deal. I found a 100,000 warranty for $1000 vs. $2500 at my local dealer.

 

Welcome to PriusChat!

The spoiler is just something you'll get used to. I tinted my windows, so now the upper and lower rear glass looks the same. It really does help cut down on other drivers' headlights.

I've had zero acceleration issues. I normally only use half throttle getting onto the highway and find it to be totally sufficient.

The battery has a seriously long warranty (along with the rest of the HSD) and I doubt you'll ever need it. Toyota's pretty fanatic about their battery control to make it last as long as possible. Get the extended warranty if you want, but I suspect you won't need it.

Toyota tested the batteries prior to releasing the car and found them to have a useful life of 150,000 miles. I suspect if you refrain from rapidly discharging (by accelerating hard) and rapidly recharging (by braking hard) them they may last much longer. Remember, there's Prii in Canada being used for taxi cabs with over 200,000 miles.

I've never owned a Camry, but the Prius can swallow a lot of stuff!

My only gripe with the comfort is the lack of a tilt wheel. It's only telescopic. Otherwise I was fine on my 5200-mile roadtrip back in August of '05.

I won't be buying an extended warranty unless I have a problem in the next year. I'm pretty confident I won't need it.

Buy the Prius!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Justin30519 @ May 9 2007, 10:38 PM) [snapback]438765[/snapback]</div>

You do get used to this. The car has a lot of weird blind spots, I've gotten used to all of them even driving it pretty infrequently.

Its okay, not great but its powerful enough to be safe

Warranty is for 100k. Think about it this way. What does it cost to rebuild a transmission? Plenty of things on a old car that can go wrong and cost you $2k. By the time the car gets that old, the batteries will be very old and cheap technology, and aftermarket and used alternatives will be everywhere. I wouldn't worry.

Much more versatility and space than the Camry

I find the car pretty uncomfortable. I wouldn't want to drive it anywhere over 3 hours or so. The seats have a disgraceful lack of adjustability. Thats just me though, my fiance finds it fine as to people here.

We decided not to buy it, but you have until the original warranty is up (3 years, 36k miles) to decide. The extended warranty won't help with the battery since the HSD warranty is longer than the extended warranty anyways.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boxster...WRX...Prius? @ May 10 2007, 01:25 AM) [snapback]438865[/snapback]</div>

Unless your Prius is different from all the rest of them it has a tilt wheel and does not have a telescopic wheel at all...

 

Another verification on rear view - that was by far my biggest gripe when I first got mine, but now I really don't notice anymore.

Also, I wouldn't have gotten the extended warranty if I couldn't get the group discount from PriusChat, but I could so I did.

 

Ditto all those positive remarks above. Acceleration is more than adequate, in part because there is no shift lag. Just stomp and go.

For best rear visibility use the "Cartalk/Car Guys" method of adjusting all three rear view mirrors.

The way to profit from an extended warranty is to take the $1000 and use it to buy a certificate of deposit at something more than 5%. *On average*, warranties make a profit for the seller, not for the buyer.

 

Hello Justin30519,
I have had a Prius for one month. I am 6’7†and last week I had to get rid of the car. I loved everything about the car except for the fact that I was too tall and on longer trips (over 20 minutes) my HIPS and BACK started to hurt significantly. Other than that I loved the car. Great MPG / ROOMY (for PASSENGERS) / CARGO ROOM.

I am still a chat member just because I liked the car so much. I am now a 2007 Nissan Sentra owner. Lots of leg room.

 

I figured Darlldd would have said this ..... it uses gasoline and it does not plug in that's it's downfall for now

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bobby @ May 10 2007, 09:09 AM) [snapback]439093[/snapback]</div>

You know, my friend who is 6'4" and drives an SUV said the same thing. I'm 6'4", too, however, and thought the Prius was as comfortable as my old Subaru Legacy wagon, but felt more roomy because of the open interior design.

Then again, I lived out of my Legacy for a time, used to take 3 1/2 hour road trips every weekend during college and don't get easily bothered with sitting in a car for an extended period of time.

 

i will say that best thing to do is rent one for a week, take a trip. you will get a lot of info on personal user experiences of OTHER people. most are unmeasurable value statements.

rare is a complaint about the rear view, the front side view around the "A" frame is what most voice concerns over.

acceleration??, you obviously have not test driven one.

as far as seats goes and comfort, million different people, a million different opinions. take heart, many who were initially less than thrilled with their seats, have discovered ways to help them be more comfortable.

the battery being your main concern?? pretty much unfounded. Very few companies would provide a warranty that pushes the limits of the expected lifetime of the product and Toyota is not one of them. at 100,000 for the general population and 150,000 for a few select states, i think you will be ok for several hundred thousand miles

 

I had a problem with my rear view on first day I drove my Prius. But I got used to it really fast, and now I don't even notice it anymore. Like someone said, it actually help at night.

Acceleration, I am actually have surprise how fast my car is. I had Audi TT and Mini Cooper S, however my Prius isn't fast as my other cars I used to have but I never felt my car is slow. If I want to go fast, this car can move. However, I don't do that anymore since I am trying my best to get the best MPG atm. So far I am getting 54MPG, it's mostly on highway drive. I only owned my car for 3 weeks and I put 100 miles per day. It's very comfortable and it's great looking car.

Goodluck.

 

The Prius is a good solid car and it very well built. I have driven quite a few Prius models, the Camry hybrid, The Civic Hybrid, and the Altima Hybrid. You will either like the Prius or not depending on your personal taste. I think it rides better in rough surfaces than the other models I have mentioned and its interior is nice, the hatchback is great for carrying stuff, and you will use the spoiler line in the rear to deflect headlights at night and to avoid hazardous backing situations where you back up against something that overhangs. The shifter is cool and the keyless start is wonderful. The car has enough power to get you where you weant to go and to be safe but it does not have any extra.

In comparison to the the Camry Hybrid, the Prius does not corner as well, does not have the pickup from a dead start, and is not as plush. However the gas mileage is better and the Pris is a fine car. It really comes down to preference on your part. The Prius is a fine choice of vehicle but what you ant, and how you use it will ultimately determine your level of satisfaction with your purchase.