New Prius owner here...

2 comments...first off, I think that there's a lot of value in driving a low-emissions car that you won't get back at the pump. It's knowing that you're contributing less to air pollution than you were (or would be in a non-hybrid, unless it you had an electric car, of course, and generating the electricity for that most likely caused some pollution as well). And there's the fact that your decision to use less gas helps the US depend less on oil from the Middle East.

Also, I find the Prius is one of the peppier cars I've driven. Of course, the 1990 Honda Civic the Prius replaced wasn't exactly a burner. The added low-end torque from the electric motor really seems to help.

Anyways, you can tell I'm enthused for more reasons than just gas money.

-Roger

 

Congrats on your new Prius!! Have you read the manual for the break in period? You should take it very easy for the first 600 miles. Don't punch it. Easy stops, etc.. It's supposed to help your mileage for the long run. I just had my first fill up and got over 50 mpg by just taking it easy. I also have not gone over 55mph. I'm sure you can find some threads on PC about the break in period that will know alot more than I do. Good Luck.

 

Congrats on the purchase! As for the slow issue, yeah, the car is slow compared to everything else I've owned... but after a while you get used to it and don't realize it.

As for MPG, I've had my car about 7 weeks, 3700 miles and I think the best tank I've ever had is 42mpg in warm SoCal... so I haven't seen the increase in mpg that others have experienced.

Regardless, it's a great car, people love it and stop me all the time to ask questions.. One of my clients insisted upon driving while I was showing him houses because he thought it was so cool... that never happened with my benzes, bmws, audis etc. So have fun and don't worry about the cost.

 

I agree with Tideland, I'm only getting 40 (see my signature) in South Orange County, but we southern Californians are all too familiar with leaving a gallon of gas at the on-ramp just to get up to speed

Everyone will scream about the warranty, but my concern is this: $995 for SIRIUS???? ARE YOU KIDDING???? Toyota of Rancho Santa Margarita installed it FOR FREE, and gave me 9 months FOR FREE..... spend some of your valuable time, as I'm sure it will be a pain, but go BACK to the dealership, and RAISE CAIN.

Cancel the warranty, fight about the Sirius costs, and then make a scene.

The protectant coating, if I'm guessing right, is "Simonizing" or "Ming". It's basically a hand applied teflon based wax on the exterior of the car, and something similar to scotchguard applied to the interior carpets and cloth (leather gets a different treatment). I actually purchased this, but paid only $499 for this treatment. It comes with a three year warranty against stains on the interior and damage on the exterior...

The point is, you got a great car that gets great mileage... think about how much gas you could buy with the money they took from you....

 

Wow, I got ripped off on the warranty too. Do you think I can still cancel after having the car a month? (1200 miles)

 

No harm in trying, have not used it.

 

You have 36K miles and 3 years before the extended warranty kicks in, so go cancel your expensive dealer-additional-profit and buy a warranty here. One of the benefits of buying here is that PriusChat gets a small contribution for support of the costs of running it.

No pop-up ads? No pop-under windows? Free PriusChat? Thank the sponsors who help support PriusChat and save yourself some cash!

You may not mind giving your dealer an additional $500, 240sxer, which is fine, just be sure you know you're doing it.

BTW, I have no financial interest in the extended warranty sold on PriusChat or in any of the sponsors in the PriusChat Offers box on the left. I just like this site and saving money.

 

Congrats!

Let me put it to you this way:

Yes, compared to most other cars, it does lack a bit of punch, but consider this:

I am a car affectionado. I've owned some pretty cool cars in my time. Recently, I had pretty much a blank check to buy any car/truck/suv I wanted. I shopped around, went to a bunch of dealerships, test drove many trucks (trucks=personal favorite).

Know what?

I just couldn't do it. To think, the Prius won out over (and here are the two best examples) a Cadillac Escalade pick up, a Cadillac CTS, and a GMC 1500 crew cab with all the toys.

Again, congrats, this car WILL grow on you!

 

I wrote to my salesman and he seems intent on getting me a sizeable credit toward the $1895 I spent on the extended warrantee when I sent him the link to the PC offer.

However, the dealer had included in that free unlimited oil changes for the lifetime of the car, something he states is a $390 value.

I've agreed to keep that in mind because it sounds like a pretty good deal, and have asked for the difference then between 1505 ($1895-390) and $900. What do people think about the oil deal?

 

How much does your dealer charge for oil changes? $29.95? I see coupons floating around where you can get a Jiffy Lube oil change (or whatever) for $21.95. I change my own for $8. What shall we use as a standard?

Use the $30 and give him the benefit of the doubt. $390 will buy you 13 changes @ 5K mi. between changes. So that's good for 65K miles. Think you'll keep the car that long? The "lifetime" of the car might be 150-200K mi. Will they change your oil at that price for that long (no time limit)? If so, say you keep it until 130K mi., thus getting twice as many oil changes, thus cutting the price per change in half to $15. Now that's a better deal, especially if we're talking 5 years and the cost of the oil (and filters) goes up.

When he says "sizeable credit", are we talking cash refund---or an actual "credit" toward something in the future, such as your 30,000 mi. maintenance (probably a few hundred dollars at his rate)?

 

We paid $2495 for the extended warranty. Went back to the dealer today and had it canceled, the money will go toward our loan. They seemed surprised, saying they thought it was a good deal. I didn't mention the PC deal, sseres, because if you read the post it asks us not to , to keep the price low. I plan to get the warranty through PC since it helps this site- I've learned so much here!

 

Apologies if I did not read other pertinent info but from this post:

I think the dealer tried to screw you with an over-priced warranty, and if it was me, I would remember that when the time came to put money in their pockets

Remember that the oil changes do not cost the dealership $30, so they are *still* at it. What happens if you move ? The dealer changes ownership ? Your car is totaled ?

Unless the "offer" nets you savings greater than simply buying through PC, I would not be inclined *at all* to increase their profit. Also consider that some of the $985 goes to PC. What happens if you pass the period you are allowed to return the warranty, before your dealer has 'had the chance to make things right' ?

Seems like an easy choice to me just based on $$ considerations, even excluding my personal animosity towards salespeople that first try to screw me, and then make things all better by matching another offer given upfront without any BS.

Cancel the warranty, buy though PC. Tell your dealer to suck an egg.

 

I drove home my 2006 Barcelona Red #8 on the 11th, 10 days ago. Last night, driving home from work, my average got up to 46.9. I'm still on the first tank of gas from the dealer. Lots better than the 24 or so I was getting in my Camry. My husband says I'm a better driver now. No jack-rabbit starts and slam-on-the-brakes stops! I drive with one eye on the monitor and I LOVE it when I see 99.9.

 

My dealer (the internet manager who sold me the car) is the one who turned me on to PC in the first place. I apologize if I messed everything up with my post.