1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Undercarriage photo

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Rhino, Jan 12, 2010.

  1. Rhino

    Rhino New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2009
    460
    41
    0
    Location:
    U.S.A.
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Does anyone have a nice high resolution photo of what the underside of the Prius looks like? Just wondering. Also, so I can see what people are talking about with respect to various things under the car.

    Thanks.
     
  2. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2005
    29,110
    8,589
    201
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
  3. Tech_Guy

    Tech_Guy Class Clown

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2007
    868
    123
    0
    Location:
    Silicon Valley, CA --- Land of Fruits & Nuts
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The 2010 Prius is a thing of engineering beauty, no matter which side you view it from. Thanks for the pictures Paradox.....

    Keith
     
  4. Hy-Bird

    Hy-Bird Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2009
    69
    3
    1
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Thats a great picture. Thanks
     
  5. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2005
    4,067
    687
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Your wheels are all crooked, you need to get that fixed. :D
     
  6. Rhino

    Rhino New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2009
    460
    41
    0
    Location:
    U.S.A.
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I have no idea. It is so beautiful. Everything is covered up. Very streamlined.

    Are all cars like this or just the Prius. From my limited experience, I don't think all cars are this streamlined. Although I haven't looked at the undercarriage of cars for some time.
     
  7. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2005
    29,110
    8,589
    201
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five

    Sorry all, I put the link to the thread before the pics but the photos are courtesy of Lutece7 in the linked thread.


    As for other vehicles, while 'some' may have plastic added to the bottom for airflow the Prius has more than most. It is all added to help keep airflow moving smoothly under the car so it does not begin to get all turbulent under the car.
     
  8. mlbumiller

    mlbumiller Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 24, 2007
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    sage cali (near temecula)
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Does anyone have similar of Gen II ? The Gen III seems to be much more protected then the II. I need a reference I hit something on my dirt road and really dont know if something is missing.
     
    Woodstock74 likes this.
  9. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2009
    5,683
    952
    124
    Location:
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    There's a thread in the Gen II forum showing photos of a Gen II in accident flipped on its side, and the undercarriage is pretty similar but not as complete.
     
  10. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,073
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    That's why they drive funny on the highway.

    Tom
     
  11. dmvp

    dmvp Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2009
    364
    54
    9
    Location:
    Outskirts of Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I'd love to see a current shot of the undercarriage of that same car. I was dissappointed when I kneeled down the other day to look at the underside of mine. It was dirty and "rusty looking". I don't think it's actually rust, but I surely didn't expect to see so much discoloration on the "silver areas" in such a short amount of time. (purchased in June '09)
     
  12. sl7vk

    sl7vk Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2006
    518
    22
    0
    Location:
    Salt Lake City
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Consequence of living in the rust belt I suppose...
    In all seriousness though... They all get ugly pretty quickly. My wife's 06 Outback looks much terrible than my 06 prius on the belly.
     
  13. ajc

    ajc Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2009
    340
    38
    0
    Location:
    pa
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    It looks like the model cars I use to build when I was a kid. :D You would think the Prius would have a much quieter ride?
     
  14. eddyjohnson

    eddyjohnson New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2010
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Francisco, CA
    Vehicle:
    2002 Prius
    Model:
    V
    We own a 2002 prius that spend the first 6 years in PA. When we first got it I gave it a once over. The underside of the car was incredibly rusty for a car that was just 6 years old. I wound up spending a week underneath it with a wire wheel brush and black spray paint. I know Toyota has had some issues with rust for the past 10 years or so. My Tacoma was actually one of the worst. Luckily it had spend all of its life outside the snow belt so it is fine. But I've seen pictures from others who live in those areas and some of those frames were rusted through.
     
  15. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2009
    2,173
    1,311
    0
    Location:
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    My Prius 2010 was serviced for the 15.000km oil change last Sept after 1-year of usage and one snowy and cold german winter. Looked together with the technician the undercarriage and he asks "do you park your can in a garage, right?" - I smile and say - "No, on a road" - "It looks like you have kept it in a garage this past year - it is perfect".

    German Technicians see a lot of stuff in their lives and german winters and salt on the roads are not gentle; I trust his comment - he had no interest in saying what he said for any other purpose.
    I wash the undercarriage at least at the beginning and at the end of winter and after a long trip on the highway where they use salt.
     
  16. Canard

    Canard Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2010
    207
    34
    5
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks for the photos! After sticking my head under my new Gen3, I thought I was missing a bunch of panels - I guess it's not as covered-up as I was expecting. :) My '06 diesel smart, by comparison, is a complete solid plastic slab underneath.

    -Iain
     
  17. lenjack

    lenjack Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2006
    804
    114
    0
    Location:
    Pennsylvania USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    "Wheels not straight?" I'm guessing a very wideangle lens.
     
  18. woozlewrangler

    woozlewrangler Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2011
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    Las Vegas
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Crept over a parking lot curb and landed with a thud (long story). Wanted to compare my undercarriage with the standard to make sure the slight bends I noticed were part of the design. The bends I'm speaking of are in the (for lack of a better term) three-bolt L-brackets behind the front wheels (also just behind the forward lift points). The bend is where the L meets up with the footwell; more pronounced on the passenger's side. Judging from the images, this looks like an intentional design. But whereas the image shows an L-bracket, my 2011's bracket is closed; same size as the L-bracket, but with additional framing to connect the ends to make a closed triangle.

    Do any other 2011 owners have this triangular bracket versus the L? Do they also see the slight bend I'm talking about?