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Prime has a Aluminum Hood

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by bb4srv, Feb 26, 2019.

  1. bb4srv

    bb4srv Active Member

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    I was pleasantly surprised that the Prius Prime hood is made out of aluminum. I tried to magnet a work light and it won't stick, then it was like wow it's aluminum. Either that or is made out of wood!

    Aluminum hood, carbon fiber trunk........sweetness
     
    EyePrime likes this.
  2. bamike

    bamike Junior Member

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    Lol until you’re involved in an accident and realize the carbon fiber rear will cost 4K to fix.
     
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  3. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    Particle board.
     
  4. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Is it only a hood? How about the rest of body parts?
     
  5. bb4srv

    bb4srv Active Member

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    I got a third party insurer that would insure my purchase value for 5 years.
     
  6. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    May I ask which insurance company? Purchase value for 5 years is great. Usually they only insure up to fair market replacement value. Oh, wait. You are in Canada. The plan like that probably does not exist in the US.
     
  7. bb4srv

    bb4srv Active Member

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    Did some searching, appears only the Hood is aluminum.

    Yes, I'm in Canada and for any Canadians interested my additional third party insurance is Optiom. 6 years purchase price insurance (in the event of a repair value exceeding car value) and 5 years OEM replacement parts (repairs using OEM parts) for $1680 CDN.
     
    Salamander_King likes this.
  8. bb4srv

    bb4srv Active Member

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    Did some searching, appears only the Hood is aluminum.

    Yes, I'm in Canada and for any Canadians interested my additional third party insurance is Optiom. 6 years purchase price insurance (in the event of a repair value exceeding car value) and 5 years OEM replacement parts (repairs using OEM parts) for $1680 CDN.
     
  9. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The hood and hatch have been aluminum from at least the gen2 Prius. Those are the only big body parts I know of, but high strength steel is now commonly used in the body to save weight.

    Too heavy.
     
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Small Hatch dent cost me $850. 10 years ago because it is not repairable.
     
  11. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The growing pains of new technology. Aluminum and high strength steel require different tools and techniques to fix than the steel cars have used for decades. In the beginning of their use, few body shops will have the ability to fix them. Which means high cost for a repair, or replacing the entire part because of the lack of expertise locally.
     
  12. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    I’m pretty sure that’s the case for our 2009 Prius (Gen-2) as well.

    I’m teaching my wife to drive, so we got some magnetic “Please be Patient; Student Driver” signs for it, and ... let’s just say it was pretty challenging to find any place where they would stick! Under the spoiler? Glass! Bumper? Plastic! Hood? Aluminum!

    Finally got some adhesive stickers for the rear bumper, and put the magnetic ones on the front doors!
     
    #12 mr88cet, Feb 26, 2019
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2019
    jerrymildred likes this.
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i should stick one of those on the back of my car
     
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  14. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    Aluminum hood has been around for a long time. Most new cars have aluminum hoods.
     
  15. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The Prius' has had an aluminium hood since Gen 2.

    The front brake calipers and hatch (except the Prime) have also historically been aluminium.

    Interestingly, there's been no mention of bio-plastics for the Gen 4/Prime which was touted for Gen 3 and the CT200h.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  16. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    For me, the bumper sticker would read, “Please be Patient, Unlike You, I Drive Carefully” (“you” referring to the readers of the sticker, not the readers of this message).
     
  17. krushmoto

    krushmoto Member

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    Hopefully it's a total loss and have enough equity so you're not in the hole.
    Honestly beyond a certain point I wouldn't want the car back.

    moto z3 ?
     
  18. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    Aluminum is such an exotic material to use anymore, my 1989 Lincoln Town Car has an aluminum hood I believe.

    I heard one of the Audi's went from using aluminum back to steel. I would have to look to find which model.
     
  19. triggerhappy007

    triggerhappy007 Active Member

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    Check out Traveler's: New Car Replacement | Travelers Insurance

    That's what I have, it was a little more than Geico but worth it for more coverage.
     
  20. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Aluminum costs more than steel, and is not as easy to work with. That is what makes it an 'exotic' material for cars. Hoods are regularly seen made out of it because it's a part that can easily be made out of the metal.

    Range Rover went back to using aluminum for their bodies not to long ago. Then that Audi may not have gone back to steel, but moved on to high strength steel. Mazda's SkyActiv suite makes large use of hs steel to lower weight