Help Us Mod Our Used Prius

The only mod's I would recommend is Mobil 1 (Synthetic). You will definitely see a increase in MPG. I still change it as per Toyota Spec. (5000 miles, or six months whichever comes first)

93 Octane is a waste of money and really is not good for the ICE. The Prius is designed to run on 87 Octane.

A good wash and wax is always a good idea. If you can afford a sealant, it wont hurt anything.

I like the OEM floor mats, but there are others who prefer the all weather type. It really boils down to how well you keep you car clean as well as the surfaces where one will be walking before they enter the Prius. About every six months, I pull our mats out and clean them with a carpet shampoo machine. When I am done they look brand new.

Same thing on the clear bra. They won't hurt anything and should help. It boils down to your pocketbook.

One thing you did not mention is the tires. Figure out if you have LRR type tires. F8L posted a list of these here on Prius Chat. Tires do affect the Prius dramatically concerning handling, traction, and most importantly MPG. Look in my signature for the link to the list F8L posted.

Best of luck to you and enjoy your Prius.

Ron

 

Although not a regularly scheduled maintenance item, I would highly recommend, based on hundreds if not thousands of posts, that you have your transaxle oil changed. This will help prevent failure of one of the most expensive parts of your new vehicle! I changed mine at 5,000 and then every 30,000 miles thereafter!

 

1) Would you switch to synthetic oil on the next oil change? if it is in your means
2) Would you wash, wax, add sealant to the paint right away to preserve paint life? if the paint is in good condition
3) What floor mats do you advice we get that has great user reviews? Cargo mats? didn't the car have any mats? see if you can get the ones that will fit the two pins on the floor, otherwise when you go to Toyota for service, they will move them out for you because of the recall/problem - buy them from PriusChat
4) Would you advice we get seat covers? be careful with seat covers for the front because of the air bags are in the back part of the seats
5) If the car has been getting regular gas 87 octane, is it worth it to change to 93 octane? no
6) Do you think it's worth putting on a clear bra? no - someone will probably steal it.
7) Did I miss something you would do to your recently bought used Prius?you can put a bumper guard on the rear to prevent scratches to the top of the bumper

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FYI - A Clearbra can't be stolen unless a thief has a heat gun and can stand there and slowly heat the bra to 150 degrees and peel it off, therefore rendering it useless...

 

I would pump up the tires. I personally do the sidewall max of my tires, 51PSI. It seems that most people don't like the harsher ride, though, so somewhere around 40-44PSI might be more suitable to your tastes and still give you some more MPGs.

 

I don't recommend the clear bra. I have purchased several older used Prii that have the clear bra and they are yellow and cracked and look terrible. After I remove them with a heat gun the paint underneath is brighter and there is a noticeable color difference. I recommend just keep the front clean and get several coats of wax on there.

 

At 60,000 miles and every 60,000 miles I would change the ATF.
If you feel wandering passing semis on the freeway in the wind, I can recommend this:
g7 Prius plate | eBay

If you do not feel it, you do not need one.

 

Clearbras just destroy paint balance IMO. Here's my list of things for you to do...

1. Inflate tires about 3-5 PSI over recommended.

2. Forget using higher grade gasoling. Do try to use ethanol-free gasoline though, as it will deliver the best MPGs and best longevity of any ICE designed to run on it.

3. Give the outside a deep clean so you can get close with the car. Examine any scratches or dents you find so that you don't blame someone else for it in the future.

4. If there are any funky smells, drive with the windows down for a little while on your next trip to get them out. Don't add fresheners as they will smell disgusting after a couple months.

5. Don't remove essentials. I know that you probably want 60 MPG or something, but please don't remove your mirrors, spare tire, or emergency kit to achieve this. Safety FIRST, then MPG.

6. Inspect your coolant and fluids. If you have low coolant in summer, it's almost like you're dehydrating yourself.

7. Buy an AUX jack so you can play music from your phone/MP3.

8. Remember: Being cheap is expensive. Sometimes it's OK to spend a few extra dollars on things. Like synthetic oil, low-rolling-resistance tires, or a better maintenance job on your car. If you try to cheap-out too many things then you will probably get sub-par MPG's and sub-par longevity.

 

The only other thing I can recommend is that you buy some ArmorAll Fabric wipes if you bought one with cloth seats like me. I have some and they do the BEST job of getting little spots out of the seats. They come in a mini-can at Target for $2.99+tax.