Jr's 10,000 mile impressions Prius review...

Well my fellow members, I have taken the Prius in for the 10K service and the following is exactly how I feel regarding the little car I got when my daily driver went tit's up in the driveway...


First some background... from my 2K post...

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/52328-jrs-impressions-post-prius-2k.html

And I stick by my remarks then.

Now I am certain there are folks that will disagree with me on some of the measures I will be divulging... they can be assured all of my points are factual; and, since I did not preselect this little car from a dealership that had prepared and handed the car over to me as an individual that enjoys a critique when it is due, you can rely on my observations as ones that have been experienced by someone quite used to making sure I think about what I am saying if it has to do with something I am doing... and I may as well admit that I am not afraid to declare my errors when they become apparent.

• First off I will say without reservation that the Prius we bought has been absolutely trouble free mechanically.

This is an important marker for the first 10,000 miles in my opinion. I have had vehicles that didn't pass this mark without something requiring the seller/dealership to have to take the car and fix it; not the Prius I bought. This IS an indicator of quality from Toyota, and I am one of many fortunate owners enjoying the quality automobile this forum has as it's icon. The car hasn't burned off any oil since I bought it, and hasn't needed to do anything but blow out the air filter... well besides put a little air in a couple of tires that is.

• Secondly, I get over 40 mpg average driving the car for a year the way that I drive a car.

Not to say that I am an animal behind the wheel, but let's just say that I am not afraid to jam the throttle to get up to speed to merge. And having merged with traffic daily as I commute from my home near Cal Expo to Rancho Cordova and back and from the bay area to Brookings, Oregon, and up the hill to Tahoe and back, I can say the little car can get in traffic as easily as any mid-sized 4 door should... all while averaging more than 40 mpg.

• Third, the often noted "ugly factor" (by members of other forums I am a member of) of the aerodynamic body outline is not a problem to me at all.

I know I know, some of ya may have a clue about what I like in a scooter car, but this isn't a car made for being a scooter car, nor did I buy it for that purpose... and, evidently it IS a body design that improves the range of the vehicle at designed speed on it's own right, by efficient and effective movement of the air over you at the speeds the car is specifically made to travel in. It is also being copied almost exactly by another manufacturer in Japan... which both my wife and I think is grounds for a lawsuit at a minimum. Soooo, the overall look of the car, which is dependent on drag reduction, is effectively adding to the range I have been getting out of the fuel I must buy... and to be honest folks... I really find that attractive.

• Fourth, and quite surprisingly, utility... I have hauled a lot of things and folks in the Prius.

I've hauled lumber, service dogs, folks with wheelchairs, food for a family of 8 for a half a month, art work, computers, furniture, weapons and ammunition out of sight, and often over a half a ton of people. The ability to create enough space within a space with some level of security was well designed and continues to impress friends of mine that weren't sold on the car for one reason or another.

• Fifth, the car isn't really designed for long cruises... but it does that well too.

I think the seats are fine for drives under 4 hours... they don't have the lateral support I have in other cars, but I don't drive it through the hills often enough for that to be a problem. On the two hour drives that I am often involved in with this Prius the seats are more than adequate, and the legroom is superior to my Corvette.

• Sixth, I got over 500 miles out of a fill-up when I paid attention to HOW I was driving.

Kept it under 60, pulsed it as I needed in town, cruise control on the freeway... 524 miles/9.3 gallons... same pump at my usual Shell station where I get my bi-weekly donation to the lottery filled. When I realized that the car had great potential for those who pay attention, I kinda stopped paying attention and let the car just get me there. I used to have a diesel Rabbit, a Nash, and a Datsun 1200 that got good mileage too, but they were noisy, and/or were in the shop too darn much to be remembered that fondly. This Toyota can get a lot of miles out of a small tank of gas... and in these times when my pay has been cut 15%, the savings on gas is a bonus I hadn't factored into the original purchase to the level it is contributing today.

• Seventh, I am very comfortable with the layout of driver's controls.

I think the placement of the cruise control is very good, but the materials kinda feel fragile. The shifter is in an OK spot now that I am used to it; in fact I seem to put my hand to that spot on a dashboard even when I'm not in the Prius... and the steering wheel controls are convenient and not really cluttered or cumbersome. I have finally learned to be patient for the car to come awake after I push the button... and to put my foot on the brake before I push anything.

• Eighth, the back-up camera allows me to back into a very tight parking spot.

What I really like is I can keep my car off of the sidewalk in front of the house... without a ground guide telling me I have a few inches before I hit the Jeep... the camera is in a good spot and shows the area to the rear wonderfully... however, I would prefer that the rear camera is able to be on while driving down the road forward.

• Ninth is easy, the Prius as a car is quiet.

And detached from the road in a way that leaves you able to enjoy the drive in easy conversation or with music loud because you choose to, not because you have to have it loud to hear the riff or catch the next change on a transition between talented musicians pumped out of the JBLs. I can honestly say that the sounds from the outside world are muffled well as I drive down the roadway... it's not the quietest car... but it certainly is one of them.

• Tenth and not last is the service folks at the Toyota dealership have done fast good work.

I have had the car in there three times now... appointments were made and kept and I was able to keep on schedule even though I had business 100 miles away. I'd like to think that they are treating me special... but there were other folks in when I was there at the service dept... and they were smiling folks too.


I still bump my knee on occasion... and the label is slowly peeling off of the premium carpet... and the waterspots on the windows from hard water and lawn sprinklers is really all I have as a complaint...

I think the Prius we bought is a good investment in personal transportation... and I'm glad I own one.

Bob Jr