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I'm probably buying a prius. What are the best and worst parts of ownership?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by haramassive, Dec 18, 2016.

  1. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    If I had to pick a singular aspect of Prius Ownership I enjoyed the most it was the phenomenal MPG on long highway road trips.

    It was nice to get such fantastic gas mileage that nearly any road trip was simply a matter of having the time and desire to make it. There was really no cheaper way from a fuel cost perspective to get from point A to point B.

    Plus since I never had any trouble with the Prius Seats, I also found the vehicle comfortable and quiet on long trips.
    Best road trip vehicle I ever owned.
     
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    your turn o/p!:p
     
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  3. bat4255

    bat4255 2017 Prius v #2 and 2008 Gen II #2

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    Best
    Reliability: we have an '08 and still trust it @ 140K, and that's after it was used as a rural mail rout carrier for 7 years.
    Mpgs: Obvious
    Quiet

    Worst
    Power: it's not a hot rod.
    Ride is not luxurious

    Weird opinion:
    If you like to utilize the max power in a vehicle and drive legal you will like it.
    The '16 v is a vast improvement over the gen 2 reg. prius as to comfort, and the '13 Outback I traded for it..
     
    #43 bat4255, Dec 31, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2016
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  4. Moving Right Along

    Moving Right Along Senior Member

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    It's interesting that there are complaints about the seats. I just got my 2009 (Gen 2) Prius a couple weeks ago, and for me the drivers seat is noticeably more comfortable than the seat in my previous car, a 2007 Corolla (rest in pieces, poor thing got totaled).

    Best parts for me so far are miles per gallon, comfort, smart key system, auxiliary port, backup camera, and the surprising amount of room in the vehicle.

    I've had to get used to having a park button (instead of on gear shift), having the display further away from the steering wheel than on most cars, weaker headlights than other vehicles I've had, and reaching back further to get the seat belt
     
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  5. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    This.... ;)

    threads.jpg
     
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  6. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    What are you trying to say here??
    It looks like you tried to quote this thread within the thread & quote an off-topic thread about PC website issues not Prius ownership experience. Toyota permits you to own a Prius without being a PriusChat user, for some reason.
     
  7. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    It's a joke....The "worst" being the temperamental nature of Prius Chat.
     
  8. Roger T

    Roger T Member

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    Best part: Quiet driving, excellent fuel efficiency, ample cargo space.
    Worst part: People hate it when they drive by. Seat can be more comfortable.
     
  9. Lightning Racer

    Lightning Racer Active Member

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    Interesting all the comments on the seat. I have no complaints about mine, and I did three 3000+ mile cross-country drives, each in a week in the past year. Maybe it's because of my secret seat positioning. I like leaning back probably more than most and kind of slouching, which I think is a more natural, relaxed position. I have the IV, so maybe the seats are different than the IIs and IIIs from some of the comments? My seat has the lumbar adjustment, but I have it fully retracted so I can slouch comfortably.
     
  10. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    I have a 2017 Two liftback and my son has a 2015 Prius v 5. We had some debates about which vehicle had the worst seats for log distance driving. They are likely about equal, at least for shorter people. Since the Gen 4 seats are supposed to be improved, the Softex ones on Gen 4 might be more comfortable.
     
  11. kgorczyn

    kgorczyn Junior Member

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    Not really advice, just commenting.... I haven't read the thread, but I just saw your OP where want to go from a C-Max to a Prius... I have both. I have a 2013 C-Max ENERGI and a 2011 Prius 3 w/Solar Package. The C-max is leaps and bounds 'better' than a Prius to drive (In my opinion.) I just dont like the way it looks.

    C-Max is faster, I get much better MPG (due to plug in capability, strictly on gas I get about 42mpg on Highway @ 70mph - Prius gets 47-48). It is far more luxurious inside. It has more options/features. It is much cheaper to purchase. I paid 10k in April 2016 for my C-Max, it had 69k miles. I now have 87k miles and have had zero problems, minus a bad 12V battery. Easy fix. Hoping it lasts.

    I still have the Prius too, S.O. drives that one. 88k miles, only problem was the 12V battery as well.
     
  12. I'mJp

    I'mJp Senior Member

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    Two differences I noticed going from ford to prius.

    The rear view sucks. You will need all 3 mirrors. I found that adding the 2 inch round mirror to the drivers external mirror helped. Giant blind spots.

    Tire / road noise. The car is overall quieter, so may be tire/ road noise is all that left, and makes it seam louder.
     
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  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah. Actually every new car I've experience is worse than the previous. Our 3rd gen is bad enough, I believe with the 2016 the trend continues, with side window sills sloping up aggresively, from front to rear. Not sure why they do that.

    I find flipping the rear head rests forward/down helps a bit. Flipping the whole back seat down (if practical) helps too, but I usually don't do that: seems weird somehow, and more difficult to keep the hatch area free from prying eyes.

    A few years back someone speculated that they got better mpg with the rear seat flipped down. Even they were tongue-in-cheek about it ; there is some twisted logic to it, maybe placebo effect. :)
     
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  14. RyanM

    RyanM Member

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    With my 2010 I have 235k on, my biggest complaint is that there are a lot of rattles, especially on bumpy roads.

    Even with the cold temps that we have been having here I can still pull off 40mpg with mixed driving.

    Can easily get 45mpg+ in summer.
     
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  15. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    I didn't know my Prius came with a cloaking device, but many other drivers never saw me, I must have been invisible.
     
  16. Bay Stater

    Bay Stater Senior Member

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    A great car if gas mileage is a high priority. The driver's seat is decent if it has power lumbar support.

    Likes:
    Very roomy
    HUD
    Sunroof
    Heated seats
    My 6' 4" son can sit in the back seat
    Decent ride
    Hatchback versatility
    Traction control
    Auto climate control

    Dislikes:
    Monochrome display
    Low gas indicator non-discript (wife ran out of gas)
    Road noise (snow tires make it sound like a truck)
     
  17. BethPet

    BethPet Junior Member

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    Live in the snow belt of Northeast Ohio... Don't mind driving in the snow, ever! Michelin Premiers, with 43k on the set. Car is a tank in the snow!! And I've enjoyed all 86k miles that I've put on my '14 since purchasing it almost 3 years ago.

    Pixel XL ?
     
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  18. BethPet

    BethPet Junior Member

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    We remodeled our bathroom... Our liftback has hauled a linen cabinet, new toilet in the box, tile saw, and countless other purchases over the three years we have had the car. Even our 80lb lab doesn't mind the hatch. He has to duck his head a bit, but he travels on vacation with us and does just fine... We had luggage, running stroller, his crate and the dog creatively packed. And our daughter was still in a car seat... Everyone and thing had its place and we were all comfortable heading up to the UP Michigan! Love the Prius!!

    Pixel XL ?
     
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  19. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Sounds like your next car should be a Prius v.
    My son started with a Gen 2 Prius and upgraded to a 2015 Prius v since he travels with his 4 dogs to dog shows for confirmation & agility.
     
  20. BethPet

    BethPet Junior Member

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    Na... Done with the remodels!!! And the v is just a bit to reserved looking IMO. At least my liftback has a bit of sporty look to it...

    Pixel XL ?