Had to discourage...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mellowmike @ Sep 25 2007, 01:50 PM) [snapback]517464[/snapback]</div>

Too bad she didn't ask me. I have NEVER felt my Prius blowing around on the freeway!
But, anyway, welcome to Priuschat. Hope you like your new car otherwise.

 

1) Go buy higher quality tires.

2) Sell your old tires.

3) Profit. And stop complaining about pricing. Few cars come with sticky tires. The majority of people want long-lasting tires.

 

It's not necessarily the tires, and for you to 100% blame them is
giving misinformation to the public. It has much more to do with
alignment. I drove for quite a while on the stock Integrities
with no wandering problems, including in crosswinds and in the
right lane truck-ruts.
.
_H*

 

I'd have told her the opposite too. I think the Prius handles very well on the freeway and would say that any "squirrelly" feeling on the freeway initially was because I was used to a steering assembly that allowed a lot more play and was less responsive. After a few days I got used to it and haven't given it a second thought.

So I'd say it's a great car for someone without a lot of driving experience because you'll feel more in tune with it more quickly. Besides, there's no such thing as a "beginner car" that's easier to drive than others. You still drive the same speed, and you're still required not to run into other cars. Every make and model has its eccentricities.

 

I've driven FAR worse cars on the freeway. Too bad she asked the 1 person who feels this way. I don't think it feels squirrelly either and I think it is exceptional in cross winds compared to previous cars I've owned (including compacts). The only thing I will say is that it doesn't track well due to the DBW but unless I'm driving without my hands on the wheel it's not an issue. Poor information IMO.

Note: I'm answering this post with the benefit of the doubt that the OP is not a troll. A criticism like this for a first post does raise a red flag.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mellowmike @ Sep 25 2007, 01:50 PM) [snapback]517464[/snapback]</div>

and your very first, and only post . . .
So how was it that she just happened to be there, under the bridge with you?

 

The Prius that I drive handles just fine in the city and on the HWY. I do most of my driving on the HWY and after the initial getting used to stage it drives just fine thank you. I even tested it out by letting the steering wheel go and it kept on driving straight in my lane.

Gabe

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mellowmike @ Sep 25 2007, 10:50 AM) [snapback]517464[/snapback]</div>

I went on a 4000 mi road trip last month with the stock tires. No problems. No wandering around that I haven't dealt with before. And I was holding 85 for large parts of it (nothing like cutting an hour or two off a 900 mile drive).

So, maybe I'm too forgiving, but hey, I'm still alive, and I wasn't even scared.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Sep 25 2007, 02:32 PM) [snapback]517491[/snapback]</div>

Suspicious Minds

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Sep 25 2007, 02:32 PM) [snapback]517491[/snapback]</div>

I'm going to give the OP the benefit of the doubt...
Sometimes a first-time poster in doesn't remember where/how he/she posted or doesn't know how to get back to check for replies. Whenever I get a new toy or gadget and need an answer to a problem or just want to find out more about it, I search around for a forum to ask my question. Sometimes I can't figure out or am unaware of a way to be notified if somebody responds and I can't find my way back to check (or I can't remember the user name under which I registered). Then after a while I might forget that I posted. Also, it's only been a few hours since he/she first posted.

On the other hand, it does seem strange to make such a negative comment on the first and only post in a forum.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mellowmike @ Sep 25 2007, 12:50 PM) [snapback]517464[/snapback]</div>

On August 22 this year, I drove through four hours of storm on the way from Chicago to Kansas City. Blinding rain, massive gusts, semis blowing past me at 70. The storm flooded large parts of Iowa that day, and flooded parts of Chicago and downed trees the next.

Driving on un-overinflated stock tires.

The Prius handled it great.

You really should drive the car before you post about it.

 

I used to drive a 99' new body style jetta. It has similar large cross section design limitation. I've only had my prius for half a yr, but I've had no problems w/ handling on the freeway. I've driven from SD to Sac,CA and back on the 5 and 99 respectively and haven't noticed anything unusual. We've went through a few windy spells here in SD lately and i've also haven't been blown out of my lane (no conscious corrects to date.)

2 gripes though:
a. whoever thought the prius has luxury features obviously didn't drive a vw.
b. Wth is w/ the engine coming on in the morning when i'm creeping out of my neighborhood and staying on when i'm slowing to a stop. THATS HELPING REDUCE SMOG!? anyone know who i can complain to at toyota america and the california epa? (55mpg vs 70mpg by forcing the ICE off on a 15min drive)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mellowmike @ Sep 25 2007, 12:50 PM) [snapback]517464[/snapback]</div>

 

I also have a 2007 Pkg#2 like the OP, and I did not have any wandering problems.

The Prius with its front-wheel-drive was rock-steady compared to my old car, a '96 Jeep Cherokee with rear-wheel drive and part-time 4WD. When in regular 2WD mode, the rear wheel drive pushes the Cherokee all over the road if you aren't paying attention.

Maybe the OP was the victim of cut-corner dealer prep prior to delivery. The dealer where I bought my Prius from did a meticulous job prepping it for me. I drove my new Prius off the lot with perfect alignment, up-to-spec tire pressure in the stock Integras, and a full tank of gas, fresh out of the carwash.

 

I will add my $0.02, in case the OP wasn't trolling:

Have the alignment checked. My car was a bit weird on the freeway and in crosswinds until I corrected the rear toe-in. I posted my saga in this thread.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ACORNBLUES @ Sep 25 2007, 12:00 PM) [snapback]517505[/snapback]</div>

The catalytic converter does not function until it reaches a certain temperature. Also, the O2 sensor does not function until it reaches its operating temperature. So, the engine has to run until those components are at their proper operating temp to reduce emissions.

I'm pretty sure that CARB (Calif Air Resources Board) knows about this.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JustLurkin @ Sep 25 2007, 12:04 PM) [snapback]517507[/snapback]</div>

Alignment is not part of the Toyota official PDS (pre delivery service). They are supposed to check that the steering wheel is straight when the wheels are pointed straight ahead, but they do not have to put the car on the alignment rack.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mellowmike @ Sep 25 2007, 10:50 AM) [snapback]517464[/snapback]</div>

Handling is a relative judgement. Compared to my Porsche, the Prius is inferior when it comes to handling at high speeds. However, the Prius handles far better than my SUV on the freeway. Considering all the vehicles that I have driven over the years, the Prius is about average at freeway speeds.

Keith

 

Oh, if only you knew how many people choose their first post to start a flame war! Glad you're not one of them. As far as the highway, I would have told her to go test drive one. Mine wanders a little more than my previous cars, but they were fairly tightly sprung and damped with wider, stickier tires. That and they were probably spec'd for more toe-in than the Prius. I don't know what you are used to (probably something similar) but the Prius is still better than most of the domestic mid-size rentals I've had. (The '07 Mustang being the only exception.) Go find an older Malibu if you want to make a comparison, and bring your barf bag! I give it a 50/50 shot that she would have had a problem with the highway ride.

Of course, now she's going to go tell everybody she knows that a Prius owner told her first-hand that it sucks on the highway...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mellowmike @ Sep 25 2007, 02:11 PM) [snapback]517582[/snapback]</div>

If you take your car to the dealer for an alignment check, insist that they actually put it on the rack. The first time I took mine in, they didn't actually check it, but said they couldn't duplicate the problem. I had to take it to an independent shop first, then use that printout to get the dealer (Maita) to actually check it. You probably should try a different dealer if you were thinking about Maita.

Edit: P.S. If you find a good alignment shop in the Sacto area, please let me know. I'm still looking.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mellowmike @ Sep 25 2007, 02:50 PM) [snapback]517464[/snapback]</div>

Hi Mellowmike...

If you look at the older posts you will find that I have not had the most glowing comments regarding Prius in midwestern wind gust highway handling. I eventually put on a BT Tech plate, which cured the problem for the local enviorment. Prior to this, even in high wind conditions, I never had an issue with high speed trucks, however. The car moves, but its easily controled. The gusting conditions here can be at least four times stronger than a truck blowing by. In these extreme gusting conditions it was difficult to stay in a lane at 65 mph. If you are having troubles with high speed trucks passing you, I recommend you go get an alignment, and check the tire pressures. Be sure to have 2 PSI more in the front tires in the back.

Yea, the Prius does wander at highway speeds in steady high wind conditions. But, I doubt it practical to increase tire size and solve this problem. The car weighs the same as my old Saturn SL2, which had the same size tires, and the SL2 was the cross wind champ. 80 mph with SUVs dancing hippo-like due to the wind, was no problem in that car.

With the BT Tech plate, the car is very steady in gusting conditions, again with those same size tires. Once the chasis is stiffer, larger tires will probably improve things even more. But I think just putting on larger tires on the stock Prius, is analagous to putting a Steel I beam between points on hand set stone foundation.