Should I buy a Prius??

yes!!!

 

Yes,yes,yes

 

Does he live in a cave? I frequently pass through Worcester MA and there are tons of Prii scurrying around there. Does he seriously think that if there were problems with Prius traction batteries that so many would be on the roads??

Even if it did fail (apparently very few do) there is an exchange program thru Toyota or it can be rebuilt by third party suppliers.

 

I like how Prius owners just say buy a Prius and don't say, I don't know, answer your questions... They can only say yes.


If you're looking to "Save the baby seals," then an Aston Martin DBS does less to the environment in it's lifetime than a Prius because of all of the parts from all over the world a Prius requires (and nickel mining, holy crap... They want to HELP reduce pollution?)
My truck will do less to the environment than a Prius over 300,000 miles (plus) and will last much longer.

1. It's front wheel drive, so that's good for snow, but has skinny tires, which are bad. So it's probably averageish in snow.

2. My friend has one with 75,000 miles on it and it's in the shop half the time.

3. Probably faulty wiring/batteries, check under carpets to see if it's been crashed, etc.

4. ?

5. Probably not considering all parts are identical per generation.

6. Yes, most cars burn some oil. Considering a Prius is a 1.5 liter, it does a lot of work (explains why it's 0-60 time is slower than a dishwasher) so it probably burns some oil. Over time engine will start burning more and more oil.

7. It's pretty roomy to be honest. Just look at it.

 

Try looking at a Civic. Or a Fiesta.

With a Fiesta: over 40MPG and no extra batteries.
Cheaper.
Cheaper to own.
Lower insurance.
a little faster

 

Looks like we have ourselves a troll folks! Please don't feed it, but feel free to slap it around a bit.

 

oh all right.

1) excellent with the right tires

2)zero, my daughters 04 has 85,000 and never been in the shop except oil changes.

3)have it inspected by a certified prius mechanic, check carfax, etc. due diligence.

4)check with the dealer on a used transfer. i believe 100K or 8 years on hybrid system.

5) not really

6) no, although it may be true that some people have reported it.

7) it's not a sedan, it's a hatchback and it has a TON of space for a car this size,

8) ignore minicog, she's a flame throwing ford employee.

p.s., i just gave you 5 minutes of my life.

 

You sir are a fool.



To the OP:

1) Yes it is FWD. Mine crosses the Colorado Rockies in white out blizzards just fine.

2) Mine has more than that and has NEVER been in the shop for anything. I think you will find most have never been touched by a repair man. At 100K miles, you should have the fluids changed and the brakes checked. Most brakes last twice that, but it is good to know about how much life is left.

3) Take it to a Toyota Dealership and have them perform a check. Make sure the orange HV cable by the inverter has no cracks or missing pieces of insulation which is a tell-tale sign of an accident.

4) CARB states you get 150K miles, 10 years I believe. Everyone else is 100K miles/ 8 years. But really, if the battery hasn't died yet, it wont die until well past the warranty. And when it does, just buy a rebuilt one for $1500K. Think of it this way... There is no transmission or alternator or starter to fail. If you are one of the unlucky few who has a HV battery failure, it is no different then being one of the few who get a transmission failure in some other car, and less expensive too.

5) Yes and no. 2004-2005 have worse traction control (more aggressive, bad for heavy snow), better HID headlights (D2R instead of D4R), a "cheaper" feel interior, and no hybrid badges. The 2006 has improved traction control, the D4R bulbs that burn out faster according to some but are Hg free, a softer plastic interior, and less aggressive TC. Mine is an 06, and the TC is acceptable under most conditions. The chicken dance to disable it is sometimes useful.

6) No. I don't know anyone who's Prius burns oil.

7) I can fit everything including a bathtub, 10ft lumber, cement board, 600lbs of slate tile, and the list goes on. The only thing that will not fit is 4x8 sheets of whatever (plywood/sheetrock that sort of thing). But that wont fit in any other sedan either.


The idiot above claiming it is worse for the environment than a DB9 (Hummer is usually the comparison) is just plain wrong. That was debunked 5-6 years ago. This has to be one of the stupidest things you can say.

I suggest you read on the taxi service people who have gone 300,000 miles or more on the original battery and with minimal to no service. The "study" suggested that all Prii will die at 100K because that is when the warranty expires in non-CARB states. That is like saying you must replace your engine at 60K because that is when the warranty expires. Like I said, this has been debunked before.

 

40MPG on the highway with a tailwind vs. 50mpg without even trying anywhere... That 40mpg drops to 28-30mpg in the city, the Prius stands firm.

Cheaper and cheaper to own have also been debunked.

Lower insurance? Seriously? I get a 20% discount on my entire insurance policy because of 1 hybrid vehicle. So all the cars, and a house, 20% discount. Does a fiesta do that?

Nobody buys a Prius for speed, but because of the electric motors, there is 0 transmission lag and instant power. It is more than enough to merge onto the interstate at speed, pass in the left lane, and drive 100mph+ through noman's land.

 

wonder what the average mileage of a fiesta is when it's decommisioned?

 

No, but the Fiesta commercial features an attractive African American female age 21-30. What do I get with the Prius? Babies in flowers. :rant:

 

To answer your questions:

1) I'd call it fair to middling in snow. The traction control can be a bit over sensitive which can make it difficult to get the car moving if you're stopped on a sheet of ice. From my own experience I haven't had any major issues driving on plowed roads.

2)You shouldn't expect any failures if the car has been properly maintained. The 100K service would be: oil change, tire rotation, and coolant drain and refill. The car's 12 volt auxiliary battery will absolutely need to be replaced if it hasn't already.

3)Nothing you wouldn't look for in any other used car. Check for any signs that it's been in an accident. Check the tires to see what kind of shape they're in. Get the carfax if it's available.

4)If you're in a carb state the hybrid battery will carry a 150K/10 year warranty.

5)The changes from year to year are all very minor for the Gen II's, but common sense dictates that the new the better because you'll have more years left on the warranty.

6)All cars burn oil, but to cotradict the myth posted above, the Prius' internal combustion engine should burn less oil than a typical car simply because it doesn't run as often. I am completely unaware of any widespread issues with the car burning oil.

7)No trunk at all, the hatch area is a little smaller than a tyical hatchback due to the hybrid battery's size. But it's still pretty decent, especially with the rear seats folded down.

And no, the car is not "junk" when the traction battery dies. If the car is still under warranty then the replacement cost for the pack is $0. If not, then there are alternatives: Replacing with a fresh pack (very expensive and IMO not worth it for a high mileage car), or replacing with a rebuilt pack (not too bad). However, all you have to do is search these boards and you'll see that traction battery failure is pretty rare. There are many, many cars with well over 150K miles still running on thier origional packs, and some with 200K plus.

Best of luck in your decision making!

 

I didn't get either. No babies or flowers. I am going to the dealership to demand my free baby!

 

You're better off w/o.

 

I figure get 'em while they're young and make a textile sweat shop run out of the hatch area. That way when my battery dies at 100k miles and I have to junk the whole car I can afford a new Lambo.

 

The Prius is a great car and will likely fit your needs. There are a lot of rumors about the Prius that have been proven false for anyone who has been paying attention. Stuff about how an Aston Martin, Hummer, or truck are better for the environment than the Prius is ridiculous.

Now on to your questions:

1) I have VSC (vehicle stability control), ABS (anti-lock brakes), TRAC (traction control), and I live in Chicago. I have never once had any concern driving in the snow even during this past year's blizzards. Because TRAC keeps the wheels from slipping in the snow, some people have complained that they cannot make it up steep hills on ice or unplowed snow or accelerate quickly from a stop. Apparently the older Gen 2 models had more aggressive/sensitive TRAC settings. I have never had this problem. If you search Prius Chat you'll find that there are people who complain about it and there are people who have never had a problem. I can't say for sure how it will be for you.

2) I am quickly approaching 95,000 and have had only one failure. According to the dealership a wire between the Brake ECU and the main ECU "broke" (I suspect a mouse got in there and bit it, but I don't know). It was a $9.00 part but $400.00 in labor. I probably could have gotten it fixed cheaper at an independent mechanic instead of the dealership. Normal maintenance has meant oil changes, tire replacement, and transmission fluid replacement. That is all so far. It has been the most reliable car I have ever owned. I can't speak personally for 100,000+ miles yet, but based on discussions I've seen here on Prius Chat, I expect minimal maintenance and high reliability until at least 250,000 miles.

3) I'd have it professionally inspected, but your main concerns are probably going to be accident and flood history. It would be good if the seller can provide proof of regular maintenance. Failing to change transmission fluid or oil on time can degrade moving parts and lead to expensive repairs in the future. There was a recall on a water pump for some of the Gen 2 models. There were also some manufacturing issues with some of the HID headlights and Toyota compensated the cost of replacement. I don't remember which model years, but you'll want to be sure that if the model you are considering is affected by either issue, the parts have been replaced.

4) In CARB states the hybrid battery pack in a 2004-2009 Prius is covered under the CA emissions warranty for 10 years/150,000 miles

5) I'd suggest that the 2007-2009 years had some software improvements. There may be some other improvements in the later years as well. Definitely find out what recalls or service alerts were active for whatever year you consider and make sure that any related parts have been replaced.

6) I am not aware of any burning oil issues. The Atkinson Cycle runs with less power than the traditional Otto Cycle, and since the Prius doesn't have a traditional starter motor, it is able to spin the engine up to higher RPM before initiating spark. This should increase pre-ignition lubrication and significantly reduce wear on the engine moving parts. The engine is also frequently shut off while the car is moving and/or idling thereby significantly reducing the total hours of engine wear as compared to a non-hybrid vehicle. There is a thermos that stores the hot engine coolant when the car is turned off. This hot coolant is then used to warm up the engine before ignition by circulating it back through the engine. Starting with a warmer engine should also reduce wear. I have not seen reports of burning oil here on Prius Chat.

7) It is a hatchback. The trunk is quite large, and you can fold down the back seats when they are not needed for even more space.

Tell your mechanical engineer friend that since the battery has a 150,000 mile warranty, and you are considering a Prius with 80,000 miles, if the battery dies during the next 70,000 miles it will be replaced for free. After that the vehicle is not "junk", the battery can be replaced. At the dealership it would be a bit under $2,600 for the battery plus labor cost to install it. Used or through a third party you can find replacement batteries for less than $2,000.

 

+3 here. I love mine!

This is a Prius forum. Would you seriously expect a bunch of people to say No???

 

Well...when people have asked before, sometimes I said no. Sometimes it just isn't a good time for them, financially or whatever. In this case, however, the OP is just confused by a few misconceptions. So it's a yes.