touring or not touring

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(setheriah @ Mar 9 2007, 10:54 PM) [snapback]403233[/snapback]</div>

Aren't your questions academic? You already bought the car... so, enjoy it.

 

I love my Touring. It just feels zippier, with a sportier ride.

My only disappointment is that they didn't put a "Touring" badge on it someplace to make it obvious that I'm not driving just-another-Prius. Of course to people in the know the larger wheels give it away, but still. Anyway, it was only a couple hundred bucks more than the standard car and I think it was worth it.

 

setheriah

"To-uring or not to-uring, that is the question. Whether is nobler..." {Apologies to William}

I drove a 2004 Prius for over 2 years, traded for a 2007 Touring Edition in November 2006. There are differences, but mostly subtle. As for the tires, with either the GoodYear Integreties on the standard or the Bridgestone Turanzas on the Touring, it will be MANY MILES before replacement is an issue unless you decide to change them out before wear requires. Differences in tire costs, when considered over the 30K or more miles until replacement, are not much. The Bridgestones do have a larger 'footprint' {more rubber on the road} which is a mixed blessing - better traction and brakeing vs. more rolling friction which means slightly better fuel economy on the Integreties.

Another thing, when I first got my 2007 Touring, I set the tire pressures at 40/38 psi {as I had run the Integreties on my 2004} but didn't like the 'feel' and 'ride' so I reduced the pressures to 37/35 psi which will also tend to reduce my MPG.

When I traded, the dealer was encouraging purchase of the Touring Edition. Seems the Package and Options I wanted were arriving more in the Touring than the standard, and the $270 difference was incidental, even vanished in the deal I was able to make. I would have been happy with the standard. Don't "Second Guess" your purchase decision... you have a great car.

***ENJOY YOUR PRIUS***

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(setheriah @ Mar 10 2007, 01:54 AM) [snapback]403233[/snapback]</div>

Sounds like you pretty much got everything you wanted, be happy. Tourings around here are tough to find. Maybe 10% of inventory. It would have been harder to find your color and trim in that model. Enjoy the car.

 

I love my touring. It actually takes turns pretty fast. Don't know about the ride, but the Prius itself is pretty solid without any rattles.

 

I can't remember how the base prius rode but I live my Touring! be happy! you have a great car

 

I test drove both the base and touring models extensively before deciding on the touring. Both were fairly similar in ride quality with the touring being slightly firmer & more responsive (as it should be with the larger tires and a tuned suspension).

I probably would have been happy with either model. However, in the end it was the larger rims (sportier look) and the fact that there just aren't as many touring editions out there (having something different than most people) that convinced me I had to have the touring.

 

I prefer the touring. I like the firmer ride and more responsive handling. The suspension is great. The suspension could easily handle some performance run flats (throw the spare in storage to save on weight and increase mpg) allowing you to take a few mountain curves and still get 45mpg while doing it.

Tourings were pretty rare out here, too. The stock Pree are not "piling up" on dealer lots around Austin. However, they are much more plentiful.

Tires? 16" tires don't cost that much--period. It's not like we're talking about high performance 19" run-flats.

Methinks you should try both the touring and the standard and see which one is right for you!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(setheriah @ Mar 10 2007, 01:54 AM) [snapback]403233[/snapback]</div>

You were right in your gut feeling, the touring suspension is tighter and more responsive than the base. So it shouldn't handle bumps as well, thus a bumpier ride. Like when I took my stock Audi A4 suspension (cushy) and put H&R sport springs and Bilstein shocks into it. It handled amazingly, but could be bone jarring if you hit the wrong bump.

That being said, I bought the non touring Prius. The reason being that just like the Audi, if I want to improve the ride, I'll do it myself with components I choose.

Hope that helps!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(setheriah @ Mar 11 2007, 04:31 PM) [snapback]403908[/snapback]</div>

That's exactly it. There is a tradeoff between comfort (soft) and performance (tight).

The touring suspension is "tuned", therefore it is tighter, more responsive, but the tradeoff is a harsher ride.

A Ferrari will dominate high speed turns on a track, but you take that same car to the worst pot-holed street in NYC, it will rattle your teeth right out of your head.