Just picked up my 2006 -- a few questions

Congrats Dude!

I can't help you with the HOV thing, we don't have those in NM.....well we don't have a lot of things here.....

I believe it should have the alarm though. Someone will jump in soon on that I'm sure.

Any pics would be cool if ya got the time.

Again, congrats and enjoy!

Aaron

 

I'm in OC too, Newport Beach, and I'm impatiently waiting for package 8 as well. I prefer Seaside but with the gray leather but I'm not that picky about colors either. I would love however to see what the tan leather looks like so if you don't mind snapping a pic of that I would appreciate it. For someone who didn't care about color I think you lucked out and got the best one!

The times they are a changin.

Rob

 

The alarm on a 2006 package 6 should have come already activated. Want to try it out? Roll down your driver's side window, shut the doors, lock the car, put your FOB a distance from the car, and wait at least 30 seconds. Then go back (without your FOB!) and open the door from the INSIDE by reaching through the open window. Okay, now RUN back to your FOB, and press the UNLOCK button, because your car should be alarming!

BTW, I'll take half of that $675 fee...

 

I suggest you don't send the HOV application in yet. Here's the situation:

The dealer has several days (up to either 20 or 30, I think) to send the paperwork to DMV. They must validate information such as any lienholder before sending the paperwork in. Most large dealers have one or more DMV clerks who handle this. Once it is mailed to a DMV office, that office can take 7 to 10 work days to enter into the system. If that office is backed up, they can send to another office or Sacramento to enter the information, and that increases the time.

In a parallel path, when you send the HOV application in, it goes to the Special Processing Unit. I have been told it takes roughly 2 weeks for them to process your application. If they get to your application and your VIN is not already in the system, they will reject your application and send it back to you. If the VIN is already in the system, they will process it even though your application did not have a plate number written in.

The safest thing for you to do is first verify exactly when the dealer sends your paperwork into DMV, wait a few days and call DMV daily to see if the VIN is in the system. You will lose a bit of time this way, but otherwise, you are taking a chance that the application will be rejected.

The only other consideration that may cause you to gamble a bit is anticipating when the DMV will reach the 50,000 mark when they will stop and evaluate the HOV usage and decide if they will continue to the 75,000 limit.

 

You put a deposit down last month and you already got your car?! Wow that's lucky!

 

jsf, where did you see the 50k evaluation? My friend joked about this the other day...but he really was joking... Also, anyone have the Carpool lane count thread link handy?

Thanks

 

Tan leather?.. I don't see that on the prius site?.. all I see is a dark grey and beige they are calling "Bisque"?

I would definately like to see pics of the tan leather!

 

Tan leather was a big deal for me, as my girlfriend and I are both really averse to light grey leather, and the "bisque" leather appears to my eyes as grey on the website. However, my dealer says that all of his information from toyota says "tan" next to the bisque, and not to "believe" everything I see on the toyota website. I think I believe him....

Dave

 

I don't know if they have started the evaluation yet; in any event I have not seen any statistics of HOV usage. What I do know, and you can confirm it by calling DMV - may need to get transferred to someone who is familiar is this: when they get to 50,000 stickers, they will stop and evaluate the situation from CalTrans and I think air quality districts e.g. AQMD. Based on some criteria, that I do not know, they will decide to either continue to 75,000 or just keep it stopped at 50,000.

I was planning on waiting for an 06 and get the tax credit in January, but this 50,000 plus me being on vacation for a few weeks through the holidays led me to get the 05 and get all this out of the way. From what they told me, they have issued 36,000+ stickers and have applications pending that will put them around 40,000. Past few weeks they have received around 800 applications per week. I think if you get an 06 now and things move as planned you should be ok, but if you wait for January and don't get a vehicle very soon after Jan 1, and they do stop at 50,000, it will be doubtful that you will get the sticker.

 

Wayne's right.

Bob, there should be a sticker on the window that reads "... equipped with theft deterrent system."

Realize that the TDS does not sound if someone breaks a window -- only when they open the locked door without the keyfob. They could still reach in and grab your stuff without opening the door. TDS also doesn't go off when someone messes with the outside of the car, like stealing your tires.

BTW, if you leave someone in the car while you run into the bank (or wherever), make sure they know not to lock the door if they plan to step out for a stretch afterwards. That, or leave the keyfob with them.

 

I'd like to know where they came up with that $675 fee. Don't ALL packages come with the circuitry, requiring only a simple activation, which most dealers will do for $40 or so? Mine came activated, so I never had to research this. Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

Maybe I shouldn't mention this, after all I did make $337.50 on the deal. The check is in the mail, right Bob?

 

I think there is confusion between 3 things:

• engine immobilization - ALL Prii have this, even the base model 2004. The flashing key and car thing on the dash
• 'regular' alarm. I'm not sure which packages have it, but the high end does for sure. Want to hear it? Lock your kid in the car so they can't be stolen and then see what happens when they try to open the door!
• Glass breakage sensor/alarm - I think THIS is what they want to charge you $675 to install

Unless you like to leave your diamonds on the front seat for someone to do a quick window break and grab, I don't see a big need for the window breakage alarm.

 

Welcome and congrats! I'm in Los Alamitos...a fellow OCer.

I'd definitely like to see some pics. I have a 2006 Package 8 Black or Seaside Pearl (tan leather) on order and would definitely like to see some exterior and interior pics of a car that will quite possibly be the twin of mine, should the Seaside arrive at the dealer before the black. Thanks in advance!

 

Can you please post pictures of the leather seats.. on the website the look beige or white.

We need to know what "Bisque" looks like

 

Another OC resident here.

RSM Toyota tells me that they had one red 06 on the lot as of last Friday (probably gone already), and 8 of the incoming 10 are '06 models (the other 2 are the last 05's).

WOOHOO! I'm seriously considering blowing off the 1/1/06 tax credit to get into my car the second it shows (I'm #1 on the list)

The talk about the 50K review of HOV stickers, above, is on the money, and I can confirm the 36K and 800 a week numbers as well (called the DMV myself).

Here's some good news for all of us Californians, however...

The '06 Prius was just added to the approved HOV car list. It wasn't there when I checked recently, and I was worried that there would be problems.. not so!!

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm

PHEW!

 

My broker did some calling around.. Tan is actually an almond beige... same as last year, but name changed.

 

Nice!... if true, an almond tan "bisque" may look even better than beige with Barcelona Red!

 

Bob Dylan, congratulations on your new purchase! Glad to hear how much you are enjoying it. I think your alarm questions have been answered, I'd like to help with the HOV stickers (I live in NorCal by San Jose), and here's my story:

Bought the car on a Saturday Night (11/2/05). First you should know CA dealers are required to submit the paperwork to the DMV within 5 days or face a hefty fine, don't ask how I know. So, the following Tuesday (11/5/05) I drove up to San Francisco to get my Hybrid Fastrack (mandatory for NorCal, don't know about SoCal) then drove over to Sacramento (home of the Special DMV unit that handles the HOV stickers) and dropped the paperwork in the mail there. We got our stickers on Saturday the 19th (?). So I would just tell you to fill out the forms and send it in.

Just got our plates today (woo-hoo!)

Hope this helps.