Giveaway for the new Prius Owner

I really hope this is all fake.

You should have gone for the extended warranty. I talked him down to $50/mo.

 

so the seatbelt and doors are full electric? like the tesla glovebox?

seems weird, Toyota likes adding mecanical backup switchs, saw in a review that the rear doors have one.

 

Most people say to never buy a extended warranty. If you are one that does it anyway? You have right to buy one up until the very day the original warranty ends. Go get your money back & wait! You'll find you have much better uses for it in the interim. If they don't give you ALL your money back - there are remedies for that issue as well.
As for seat belt cutters & combo side window hammer/bashers (for when you slide off that icy Bridge into the Chappaquiddick ah-la boom boom Ted Kennedy who left his secretary to drown) you can pick those devices up for cheap on amazon.
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Save everybody an hour: tell him you're not interested, first thing, walk out.

Yeah, 72 is when it all goes pear-shaped, lol.

 

Congrats on outlasting the jerk and refusing any add ons.

As “preflight checks” today I suggest you check the manual opening of doors and seat belt unbuckling. I’m hopeful both are possible without electric power. A seat belt cutter is not a bad thing to have in the event that the “unbuckle” mechanism is unreachable. However hanging it from the rear view mirror is an invitation to the medics to find it embedded in your head.

Never let these bastards get you down. At 71 we are smarter and wiser, if not as quick and greedy.

 

That works a tad better in a buyers market. Right now you have to keep your nice guy face on if you really want this car.

 

Yeah I was thinking that.... Screw it, do it anyways.

This is like those time-share talks, pure bs.

 

Extended warranties are basically insurance policies with high commissions and profits for those who sell them.

Just think; all those expensive nationwide commercials on TV and celebrity endorsements are paid through the premiums that the buyer pays.

There are many limitations on what is covered. Many "extends" the original warranty and excludes any repairs not made by an "authorized" dealer and also excludes a vehicle not maintained with prescribed service done with providers and proof with receipts. Cash is good for any repair with no exclusion clauses.

Basically, with an extended warranty, you pay in advance, even if you will never use it. With cash is savings, you pay nothing at all, unless you need a repair. Investing the same amount that you would pay for the extended warranty with an interest bearing account will result in a lump sum after the factory warranty would pay for most any repair after the 5 year or 60k factory warranty. You keep the commissions for yourself, the cost of the celebrity endorsement and the TV commercials for yourself. If you do not need a repair, the CASH is all yours with interest.

 

The gadget was from the dealership, not from Toyota. It has nothing to do with electric vs. hybrid vs. conventional. Having something to break the windows has been a smart thing ever since power windows became an option 60 years ago. What if the car becomes submerged and the window regulators short out? What if there's impact damage preventing the motor from operating? What if the battery cable is cut and the door loses power? Any and all of these questions don't care if you have a 2024 Tesla or a 1967 Lincoln; the answers are the same.

As for the seat belt cutter, the only time those were super necessary were during the fad in the 80s-90s with those cars with the motorized shoulder belts. If you lost power when those were engaged, it could be pretty tough to get free of them. Today, the seat belt cutter is helpful in a couple cases. First, it can sometimes be difficult to work the seat belt release immediately after an accident. Maybe your hands are injured, maybe adrenaline is rushing through your body, impairing fine motor control, maybe something is on fire and time is of the essence. Again, none of that is connected to EV or not. The other case is that during an accident, the seat belt auto-retracts to pin you in the seat during the crash. This is to prevent injury and is either standard on most cars or required on all. The mechanism is supposed to give you some slack after the crash in order to help you release the seat belt, but sometimes the tensioner stays locked, making it hard to release the belt. In those cases, having a seat belt cutter handy can be a big help.

The biggest problem with these tools is user error. People often toss them in a place were they sit/hang loose. In an accident, that means they often fly around and land wherever. Even if the tool doesn't hit you in the head while it's flying around, it often lands somewhere you can't reach it. Same goes if you put it in the glove box. If you can't easily reach it when you're locked in your seat by a tight seat belt, then it's absolutely useless in an emergency. You have to store it within easy reach but still secure it enough that it won't go flying in a rollover.

 

Don't you carry a Bowie knife?? Thought you might from your quote. And regardless, if you did you could have shortened the session with the finance manager, and also been ready to cut your way out of the car, if needed.
Always carry a Bowie knife, just in case.

I don't, by the way, but had a similar interaction with the finance manager trying to sell me the extended warranty at the end of my several hours to get financing. I just said no, and that seemed to work. Enjoy the new car, I think you will love it.

 

Seat belt cutter and glass breaker is a VERY smart tool to have nearby. There absolutely have been people who have drown in their cars because they couldn't break the window (which becomes damn near unbreakable underwater) to escape.

 

Being a Toyota/Lexus dealership finance manager must be one of the most boring jobs. Last time I saw one, he had no light in his eyes even before I told him to shut up and take my check before we waste any more time.

Also, it is not an electric car, and of course, it has mechanical door latches. Even a Tesla has these, at least for the front row passengers, whose lives are more valuable.

 

I mean this is basically any insurrance - but generally you want to insure against events that are much more expensive compared to what you pay in in the first place.

At least Toyota seems to be sure that their cars dont need crazy repairs given they started now to extend their 10 year relax warranty to 15 years (in some countries in europe) - the only price the customer has to pay here is a yearly (not that cheap) inspection at a dealer. Probably not even that is worth it but at the moment its not clear how expensive surprises with the bigger Prime battery get.

FYI: The old 10 years warranty: Everything you need to know about Toyota’s new 10-year warranty | carwow

 

Wonder if all dealerships are offering this little gizmo. Please post a picture so we know what it looks like. Thanks!

 

We spent north of $30K for windows one time; and the company gave us a very cool wine bottle opener, I guess as a thank-you gift. Every time I use it I think "the $30K bottle opener"...

 

We enjoy telling folks of our swag story too. An umbrella in 2017 & in 2018 - a black ceramic cup with red inside.







We'd say, "by a nice umbrella (or mug) & they'll give you a free car!)

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