Not what I asked for...should I take it?

I would take the car. It's the color you like, and there is not a big difference if any between the 04 and 05. The nav is actauly really good. I've seen people with really nice aftermarkets in BMWs and other cars. This nav outperforms theirs. You may feel you'll never use it. I felt the same way. BUT.. i use it all the time now. It all still comes down to personal opinion. Do you feel bad driving the car you currently have? if so.. buy the prius. If you're confortable with your car, skip it. The way i see it. Owning a prius is currently a privilage. To skip owning one is a loss. :mrgreen:

 

The '05 will be no different from the '04, except possibly for a reduction in the number of option packages available (the current set of 9 packages is a bit bewildering, and only three of them are commonly available anyway!)

 

I agree, but it. Everything indicates that there will be no distinctions between the 2004 and 2005, and after several years a one year difference is not going to make difference in the car's resale value.

 

One thing to say about complaints - for every complaint you read on here, you need to realize most of those who enjoy a feature, or feel it's up to par most likely won't start a thread about it. However, if a problem occurs, that warrants discussion - it goes with any and every product in existance. However, if you're not comfortable taking it, I would talk to the dealer, make sure you'll still be at the top of the list, and find out when the next few batches are coming in - but you may lose your color preference if you're open to different colors. (I personally can't live without the NAV, and love it dispite it's occasional quirks)

-m.

 

This just came up on one of the Prius mailing lists as well. This is an enthusiast's forum, so you will often see people posting about things they like and things that go right. But human nature is that people are far more likely to speak up when things go wrong!

 

Well - true, this board is an exception to many boards that exist out there today - very friendly, well informed, helpful, very little (if at all) arguments, and on and on.

-m.

 

Buy the car! You won't regret it. It is also possible that the price will go up on the 2005's. You might even come to like the navigation system. I didn't think I would use it, buy now I think it is fantastic. Of course, my wife and I both have a terrible sense of direction, so it really helps.

Let us know what you decide to do.

Jeff

 

I wanted a #9 and was offered a #7 and so far I declined. Unless you trade in often I would go for what you want. I would add that I drive cares into the ground. I have sent the last 5 cars I have owned into the junk yard. If you are going to keep it for a year or two then go ahead with your second choice.

 

Dianne has said, on this board, that there will be no changes to the 2005. I have not seen anything definite about the price, but I'm going to guess that the price will go up for inflation.

Consider the price difference between the #7 and the #9 (several thousand, I think???). Then decide if it's worth it to get options you don't want, at a high price, but to have the car now.

I'd have taken a #9, just to get the car sooner, even though I did not want NAV or Bluetooth, but I can afford it. (I got lucky and got the blue #7 I wanted.) For a while I kind of wished I'd gotten all the goodies, but in the end I was glad I didn't. I do not talk on the phone while driving, so Bluetooth is worthless to me. I live in an apartment, so I need to take my garage-door opener into the house with me, and in Fargo, NAV is overkill.

So consider: How badly do you want the car? Can you wait, or do you want it now?

Can you afford the extra cost, in order to get your car right away, assuming that's important to you? What might you have to give up to make the larger payments?

Are you really set against NAV & Bluetooth, or might you use them occasionally, and so get some value out of them? There appear to be some glitches with the NAV, and someone reported that the NAV in the Lexus is better, but most of the folks that have it seem happy with it overall.

 

I really don't mean to "bash" on someone.. but i have two things to say.

One... people say they are happy without the extra options. of course, that's a given. I would be happy with a base mode, if i had a base model. I would be happy with any car.. if i had any car. It doesn't make a whole of cense to give advice and say, "i'm happy without it" when you don't know what it's like with it.

Two... please don't insult something that you don't own. Hearing glitches is one thing.. seeing glitches is another. Of course you're going to hear about glitches.. this is a chat network. We complain and every once and a while we say yay... but we complain more.

Personaly i think the nav is awesome. Sometimes it's for stupid little things i use it.. sometimes i use it just incase something happens and i need to get somewhere in a hurry.. and sometimes i just use it for entertainment.

Again.. i would recommend a 9 to you. If you don't like it.. it's a 9.. sell it for 30+k like everyone else and make some cash to get a 7. up to you. :mrgreen:

 

As scarce as these car's are, and if you can afford the extra bucks in the payment dept. I'd buy it and drive it, if you find your not particualarly enthused with the extra option load, sell it for probably a profit. Yes, probably a small profit but one non the less. I'm sure though once you try it you'll fall in love with the car. Most do, the first time it goes into stealth and keeps moving. That's when it hits you that all other cars are dinosaurs. The option cost is probably all of three payments when you add it all up.

 

I guess that what I am saying, is that you should get what you want unless you can afford it. I have several friend who can't and are waiting. I want a #9 and can afford it, particularly because I keep cars a long time and I think I will be able to thanks to all of you on this board and others. I have learned after buying several cars that you need to get you what you think you need and want. If you can do the #9 do it other wise go for the #7. I would ask any one that thought they could not get side air bags and the other safety options to consider another car. For my part safety comes first, but that’s my hang up.

 

i think V8 cobra hit it on the head.

sure you will hear some people bashing something on the car, but lets face it, for every complaint i be willing to bet there are 10 totally satisfied people.

sure you will hear problems here but what you are seeing is the collective conscious of several hundred cars and millions of miles of first hand experience.

with that in mind, NOTHING be it a car, house, or career can stand up to that level of scrutiny without exposing some cracks.

if you want my advice, i would take the car as soon as possible. why, hell with options, the car itself is worth it. i know of a few people that got options several thousand more than they wanted and groused a bit about the extra money. well ALL that noise stopped instantly as they fell in love with their Prius. i am willing to bet you will be the same way.

what you need to figure out is what is experiencing the joy of driving the cutting edge in automotive technology worth to you? to many, its priceless. Yes the car is that much fun.

now if you have to spend any kind of time in your car, the need becomes a logical one. i must admit, my need is purely emotional. i dont need my car. i have two already. i work less than 10 miles down the street. But the fact is... i LOVE my car. and i have the least to love. my car cost $22,573.47 out the door, tax, lincense and delivery charge included. i have option #1. i wish i could have gotten SS/SE (especially since i got to drive one with it a few times) but after 5 ½ months, i was simply not willing to wait any longer and took the first available car in my color. in fact i didnt care about the color either, just lucky to have my 1st choice available. I also had a choice of white too.)

 

I wanted the tidelands pearl #9. I love the color; the #9 sound system is excellent; the nav system, from what I saw of it was better than others I've seen; and from past experience, the homelink and auto-dimming mirrors are really nice to have.

That said, I accepted a salsa pearl #7, simply because I'd have probably had to wait a rather long time to get exactly what I wanted. It does have the 'must' items that the #9 has such as the VSC and front/back side/head airbags. Also, both have the HID headlights that I've grown to greatly appreciate.

If I were in your shoes I'd jump at the opportunity to get the tidelands #9. As for the 2004 vs. 2005, most car manufacturers just fix bugs that show up in the first year model when the next year's model comes out. I haven't seen any bugs in the 2004s.

As for creature comfort improvements, I had a new model 2002 Audi A4. When the 2003 came out the people on the A4 forum who bought the 2003s complained that it didn't have some of the nice features found on the 2002s (Audi did, though, fix the ignition coil bug that was so prevalent on the 2002)s.

On the other hand, if you're a patient individual and are in no rush to get it, you may want to wait 'til later in the year for the '05 model. Come trade-in time it will probably have better resale value.

 

Get what you want.

Don't spend an extra 2K to get something you don't need. I turned down a #9 and waited for the #7 I ordered, and am very happy with it. I know the majority here recommend jumping, but you also might like 2K in the bank and you will love the # 7 also. I have driven many cars with NAV and I own a GPS. I don't really need it that often, in fact, it can be quite distracting while driving. I will admit it is cool, but pricy!

 

Don't make a compromise...just go with what you wanted the first time around. I want a black Prius with gray interior, for example, and I refuse to have anything else. :mrgreen: