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Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Stan Wilson, Feb 23, 2004.

  1. Stan Wilson

    Stan Wilson New Member

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    Ordered my Prius from Toyota of Durham on November 2nd. Was 24th on list...am now #9. Is this car really worth the wait...great buys available on VW TDI Jetta (diesel) and even some traditional American gas eaters.

    Is this model going to be in the shop every other month and is it really vanity to own, with an acceptance of technological problems?

    I think I need some great reassurance and I believe I am within a month of getting a Prius.
     
    #1 Stan Wilson, Feb 23, 2004
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    This is a pretty personal issue. No, you probably won't have any more mechanical issues with this car than any other. I've had mine since Oct. 21st, one of the first off the boat, and it's been in for the SSC-40a upgrade and an oil change--that's it. I got 50.2 MPG calculated on my last tank of gas with temps averaging in the 40s and lots of short commute type of trips. I'm not polluting the environment (much). I LOVE the technology and supporting the heroic commitment Toyota made to this technology. It's a great practical vehicle for my current needs. I was due for a new car as my Expedition had 130K miles and was burning way to much gas and 75% of the time I was the only passenger on paved city roads.

    You gave no clues as to your situation. The TDI is a neat car and pretty practical for a lot of folks. If you were in a hurry I'd say snap one up. If you're not in a hurry, however, I think you will feel that the Prius was worth the wait.
     
    #2 efusco, Feb 23, 2004
  3. plusaf

    plusaf plusaf

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    #3 plusaf, Feb 26, 2004
  4. Stan Wilson

    Stan Wilson New Member

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    I ordered a basic silver...no package. I am intrigued by the Prius and its technology but have reservations about how much shop time this car will need. I was recently reassured somewhat by seeing an '01 Prius for sale with 98K on the odometer.

    My second choice would be a VW Jetta TDI; some have suggested to me that this be my first choice.

    I like the dealership (Toyota of Durham) but believe Toyota North America has set their dealerships back a few years by not rolling this car out in an appropriate manner. I don't think people are being childish in being impatient...you put money down and expect some action...one has to sell their cars, arrange insurance etc and the lack of being able to plan for a car is unattractive to many.

    I am not a techno person...I need reassurance that this will be a fun to drive, economical, reliable car that I will 5 years from now still be enjoying.
     
    #4 Stan Wilson, Feb 26, 2004
  5. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    Stan -

    I don't think there's any question that this car will be reliable and just as enjoyable to drive 10 years from now as it will be the day you pick yours up. The first year of a new model/redesign always has a few quirks, but I think one awesome thing about the Prius is that most of the things that could go wrong with it can be updated and fixed via software updates!! How awesome is that?!?

    When you buy a Toyota, you are buying a 200k mile car, easy. Even their trucks are holding up to the test of time - ask any good ole T100 owner to sell theirs or take a look at how much 10 year old 4Runners sell nowadays.
     
    #5 Danny, Feb 26, 2004
  6. Bob Allen

    Bob Allen Captainbaba

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    My partner has a 2002 Jetta diesel wagon and we love it. Only drawback is the lack of legroom in the back seat. The car handles extremely precisely, which is what you'd expect from the Germans. It was my second choice if a Prius did not emerge.
    I pick my Prius up on Saturday and after that, we'll be comparing overall advantages and disadvantages of both. Right off, though, I know I won't get nearly as much gear, etc, into the Prius as we can in the Jetta. If you'd be interested in more info about the Jetta, contatct me off line and I'll give you my partner's email address. He's running his car on bio diesel which he is making in our garage. Nice environmental statement, I think.
    He has an automatic: gets about 35 in town, 45 or so on the freeway; stick gets better mileage.
    Bob
     
    #6 Bob Allen, Feb 26, 2004
  7. niferbee

    niferbee New Member

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    I've had the same dilemma...

    Wait or get a different car.

    I've come to the conclusion my next car is one I'm going to have for 5+ years.

    So, I'm stuck waiting for my Prius. I don't want anything else. I'd rather be ahead of the game technologically wise - since who knows what the car market will look like 5 years down the road - and with a Prius, I'll be ahead of the game for awhile!
     
    #7 niferbee, Feb 26, 2004
  8. priitis

    priitis New Member

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    Have you been able to test drive a Prius? Maybe that would help to answer some of your concerns. I know they are hard to find even to test drive! however, I felt that was important to test drive one & I'm glad I was able to do that -- since once one of these comes available you generally have to be ready to snap it up in less than 24 hours. I would check around & try to drive one even if it's already been sold; that might give you more info. I don't know much about diesel, I just went by the recommendations on sites like greenercars.com, edmunds.com & what I had heard about the Prius. So far everything is in order on mine (knock on wood!) although, granted, I've only had it for about a week! Toyota does offer a great warranty, & the company does have a great reputation on quality/longterm use; hopefully that will hold true for the Prius as well.
     
    #8 priitis, Feb 26, 2004
  9. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    Your main concern, you say, is reliability. Will the car be in the shop a lot? I've had mine for a month and a half. There seems to be an issue with the check-engine light: the exhaust-system coating sets it off if you drive too gently at the beginning. They turn the light off for you, or you ignore it and it goes away.

    Toyota and Honda are the two most reliable makes of cars. You could get unlucky and get a lemon, but statistically, if you want reliability you can do no better than a Toyota or a Honda. And Prius is pure Toyota. The biggest unknown is the battery pack, but some Classic Prius have gone over 200K miles with no battery issues, and the warranty on hybrid components is 8 years or 100,000 miles.

    Diesels are much more polluting. If this matters to you, the choice is easy. The Jetta may be your choice if you are in a big hurry and the super-extra-clean rating (SULEV and AT-PEZ) of the Prius does not interest you.

    Toyota mis-calculated the demand for this superb car. But a month is not long to wait unless you need a car immediately. My advise is wait for the Prius. Unless you get extraordinarily unlucky, it will never see the service garage except for routine maintenance.
     
    #9 daniel, Feb 27, 2004
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