A bunch of questions

I can't answer these questions since many of them 'depends.' What I can share is how I got my NHW11 03 Prius after losing my '91 Camry in an accident last September.

I looked at the Ford Escape and local Prius but neither was offered at any reasonable price. The local Toyota dealer was adding $4,500 to MSRP and putting everyone on a waiting list. Then two months later, they called me at work and said, "First one with $1,000 to our door gets the next Prius." I declined.

So I started looking at Ebay and in three weeks, bought a 2003 Prius, last year of that production run, with 49,300 miles. I paid $17,300 and flew out to Texas to pick it up. It now has over 64,000 miles and I'm getting a little over 51 MPG.

Toyota has shifted the allocation around from time to time and one California couple flew to Fairfax VA to buy a new Prius at MSRP and drive it back home. One thing for sure, Ebay opens your options, a lot.

There are two Prius warrantees, 3/36000 and 8/80000. My thinking is a Prius after the 3/36000 will have a lot of life left and give you years and years of good service. You won't get the tax credit but the reduced purchase price will make up for it.

GOOD LUCK!

Bob Wilson

Thanks. You're braver than I. I've bought things on eBay & had no problems, but somehow would be very leery of buying a big-ticket item - such as a car - via that route. And no matter how much I wanted one, I doubt I'd be willing to fly somewhere to pick it up. ;-)

No middle route of 5/50,000?

My thinking is a

Thank you - just doing groundwork, to eventually make up my mind...

Cathy

Depends where you are. Fortuitous circumstances/lucky timing allowed me to go to a Toyota dealership last month and drive away with the model I wanted. The color ("magnetic gray" / gray leather) would not have been my first choice, but it's OK. Passing it up would have meant getting on a list.

I didn't drive my Prius before I bought it. I had driven an older one, however.

I'm not certain that driving a Prius is entirely about the owner saving money. I think it's a political statement and a statement of where one stands on the environment, oil wars, UBL, and all that business. Then there's the act of being different from the hoi polloi, and, for many, just a touch of smugness about it all. My Prius replaces a 13/17 pickup truck .

I can't answer all of your questions. Detailed specifications for every model year are available on-line, however.

??

My '06 does, but it has "Package #8" @ $6890 list. You should go to toyota.com and select the "Build and Price Your Toyota" option. You will be able to view all of the standard and optional features.

I believe so.

My dealer knocked $1100 of the msrp. The discount would have been less with a lower-grade options package.

Don't know much -- too new. Handles well enough -- haven't skidded into anything yet. Not much snow in MD in July.

Inside. Too loud for me, and I'm hard of hearing. I'm 62-years-old. I have driven for many years (I was about 5-years-old when I soloed in a motor vehicle) without a beeper to tell me I'm in reverse, and without incident.

Davoud

I am Picky. Picky-picky. So would've passed unless the color was one I really wanted. ASAlong w/ one of the prob. two pkgs. I want/could dela with. I know I don't want a high end pkg. - has stuff I'm not interested in, & way too much $$.

Oh, if I'd already driven another Prius it wouldn't bother me to order one. But I hadn't even -seen- one in person at that point! Now, having test driven the '04 model 2 years ago, I'd feel confident enough to just put in an order should I decide to.

Oh, yes, I agree, re: the reasons for buying one. OTOH, it also would be cost-effective *if* a person's been driving a car that costs over $20K &/or gets crummy gas mileage. But in my case I've never spent over $17-ish for a car, and I get decent mileage, & the Corolla has decently low emissions. So buying one would be a splurge - a rather large treat for myself. Even though it would also be a bit of a subtle statement.

Okay. Although I realized I already know of one change. In '04 the basic cPrius didn't come with a rear window wiper! You had to order the next pkg. up to get one, which for a liftback was absurd. I know that the wiper is now standard equipment - as it should've been from day #1, IMO.

Well, you know how the '04 was distinctly different from the '03? It was a big redesign. And the other models get a makeover every 4 years - each one's a new generation - that's what I meant. Is there a big revision due out 4 years after the '04 model was introduced?

Ackkkk!

You should go to

I've done that before, but I still don't remember seeing it listed. Maybe because it doesn't kick in until the high end pkgs?? I hope not, because it's one amenity/detail I'd find really difficult to give up... No more accidentally leaving the lights on, no more forgetting to turn them on at night in lit parking lots & then driving down the city streets sans headlights...

Is it in plain, normal, non-taxese English?? ;-P

Okay, thanks. So maybe a little wiggle room. Better than paying over sticker, at least!

Okay, will have to look into this more if it becomes a reality. I wish one could order tires the way other options are available...

You have me beat out - I'm 56 & have been driving since 16, but also tend to know when I'm in reverse. ;-) I can understand the beeper on the outside, esp. for parking lots, or if one has little kids - or maybe even pets, as a warning in the driveway. But I really think I'd rather silence the thing! And I have a long driveway - I'd guess my neighbors would rather it'd be silenced, too. Beep, beep, beep, beep.... arghhh.

Thanks for replying.

Cathy

I turned of my backup beep when I arrived home from the dealership and haven't missed it a bit. I have an '05 and don't know if it is as easy to turn off in the '06. I'm 65 and find the Prius comfortable and agile. It's a pleasure to drive compared to my Explorer. Comparing mileage figures and using, as I recall, $2.68/gallon, my Prius will use about $14,000 less fuel in 100,000 miles. That's one hell of a lot of hydrocarbon emissions eliminated too. Remember, Cathy, if everyone got 50 mpg gas would be a lot cheaper.

It also has a *lot* of leg room in the back seat. When I test drove one, I first pushed the driver's seat all the way back (how I drive - I'm fairly tall & have long legs), & then sat in the back seat behind the driver's seat. My knees still didn't even touch the back of the drivers' seat - had a couple of inches to spare, in fact. The engineers/designers did a good job of making a car which is small on the outside manage to have plenty of room on the inside. I also liked the storage room: the double glove box, & the extra storage drawer at the bottom front of the center console. And the general fact that it's a liftback. My first Corolla - an '84, was a liftback & I loved it - could fit a whole Xmas tree back there, but then they discontinued that version.... :-(

Cathy

. It's

Davoud:

Cathy F

Hmmmm. Not certain. My truck cost nearly $40k and got poor gas mileage. But I paid cash for it, so that's not an issue. The issue is that I didn't get my $40k worth of use out of it before selling it. I don't expect the Prius's economy -- perhaps four times better city mileage -- to compensate for the lost use of the truck /and/ the additional cost of the Prius. But, again, for me it wasn't so much about saving money personally. I happen to know Arabic, and I lived or traveled extensively in the Middle East from 1976 - 1993, and it seems I have a better understanding of events there than anyone in the Bush administration -- or at least better than anyone who has spoken publicly about the grave errors we are making there. I'm sorry if that seems political; given my aforesaid experience, to me it is not at all political, but a simple statement of reality.

A personal treat is also a valid reason for getting a Prius!

Are you serious? You can forget to turn your headlights on /at/ /night/ !?

Yes, but I wouldn't exactly call it wiggle room. That was the price, take-it-or-leave-it.

I forgot to mention that they also have a backup camera that displays a color image on the navigation/control display. It's in all option packages, which probably means it's in all Prius's, because you are unlikely to find a Prius with no option package. It isn't meant to guide you in backing up, but to show you at a glance if there are any yard rats or puppies behind you.

Davoud

Do you own a home or condo, or do you rent? mark_

. . .

It was a one-owner car and the price and age were right. I bought it from a Toyota dealer so risk was minimal. I wouldn't have done it with an individual.

I understand in some states it is 10/100000.

Bob Wilson

wow, either you are zero emisions or you arn't, the back up beep can be turned off, I have an 06, the 07 will have an updated nav software package, distronic parking, height adjustment for the front seats, 16 " wheels but no one knows when, it's already in circulation in the eu, australia, etc. it's more fun to drive than my A4 avant with sport package, get's twice the mpg, has understeer, which means on a dirt road when you turn for a corner the front end turns in, it's great, most cars have oversteer, you turn and they don't, handels very well, has lots of pep and is going up in value every day.

I find this false impression that with automatic headlights you don't have to do anything at all with the light switch. I have run into people who proudly proclaim they NEVER touch their headlight switch anymore being so stupid as not to realize that headlights & taillights help YOU to been seen also in foul weather such as rain, snow, and fog. I also don't understand how you can drive down the street (without the auto lights) and don't realize that you don't have your headlights on. Oh the dumbing down of American is complete!

Any one would save on gas dropping down in size from an Explorer to mid-size car. A co-worker dropped from her Explorer to a 4 Cylinder Escape and her mileage went from 10 to 20 mpg.

Note that the Prius tends to hold its value much better than a conventional car... (For a while used Prius were selling for more than new!)

EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS The Prius receives updated front headlamps and rear taillamps, and a new front spoiler. A chrome finish is applied to the front grille�~@~Ys center bar, and freshened rear combination lamp is added to enhance its appearance.

In addition, four new exterior colors update the color palette: �~@� Classic Silver Metallic �~@� Barcelona Red Metallic �~@� Silver Pine Mica �~@� Magnetic Gray (available May 2006)

INTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS On the inside, the instrument panel receives a new black organic textured grain in place of the burgundy or brown colors available last year. The rear seat bottom cushion has been lowered slightly for better head clearance and enhanced riding comfort. Also new for 2006 are the luxurious options of Leather-trimmed seats and steering wheel, available in both Gray and Bisque, and a Rear Backup Camera to help the driver see objects behind the vehicle when in reverse.

The standard audio system is AM/FM CD with 6 speakers. An optional mid-grade audio also includes MP3/WMA playback capability and an auxiliary audio input miniplug. The optional JBL audio features several updates for 2006: �~@� JBL AM/FM 6-disc CD changer with 9 speakers in 7 locations (cassette deck is no longer available) �~@� MP3/WMA playback capability and an auxiliary audio input miniplug in the center console �~@� Hands-free phone capability via Bluetooth wireless connectivity

The optional voice-activated DVD GPS (Global Positioning System) Navigation system is the most sophisticated yet. It offers increased map quality, over 32,000 colors, an ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) display, a route tracer function, voice recognition street address search functions that allow you to enter a destination while driving, and can now be set to operate in English, French, or Spanish languages.

SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS In addition to standard ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), and Traction Control (TRAC), several safety features are now standard equipment: �~@� A Tire Pressure Monitoring System directly measures the pressure of each tire with a sensor and signals the driver in the event of a drop in tire pressure �~@� Standard Driver and Front Passenger Advanced Airbags (SRS) now feature a passenger occupant classification sensor that determines not only whether the seat is occupied, but also whether an occupant meets the weight requirement for airbag deployment. The passenger front airbags are deployed only when the sensor detects an adult passenger in the front seat.

ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE The complimentary roadside assistance program has been discontinued for the 2006 Prius.

Toyota's not saying. (The last time they did that (announce the 2004 redesigned Prius in spring of 2003), people stopped buying the older

Prius in North America have auto-off headlights. Turn on your headlights. as long as you shut your car off AND open the driver's door, the headlights automatically go out. Start the car again and the headlights come back on.

The Prius has been in monthly allotments since late 2002. That doesn't mean that there dealer trades haven't been done, even with the long wait times - you just need to find a dealer (or more specifically a salesperson) that is willing to do the work to get you the car that you want. (My dealer would trade with another dealership based on the allotment off of the boat, before it was loaded onto the truck.)

Depending on your flexibility and the color/option package that you want, and the dealer you choose, you could walk off the lot with a car, or you could be waiting a few months.

Check the archives for the monthly sales figures. Prius sales are still down compared to last year, since production is down thanks to parts being diverted for the hybrid Camry production (and not because of waning interest!). Prius is now being built in 2 plants in Japan.

Well, I haven't heard as many people complaining about the "market availability" premium/markup of $1000 - $5000 that some dealers were putting on the Prius because it's in such demand. I do still hear of dealers forcing accessory packages and dealer profit items (like "fabric treatment/paint protection" or "upgraded wheels") onto buyers. There's little wiggle room down from MSRP.

Currently in the US the Prius comes with: Goodyear Integrity (Standard Load) P185/65 R15

My husband thought that they were fine for their first MA winter, but the 2nd winter was brutal. 3rd winter we switched to Nokian A.W.P.2 WR tires (the only all-season tire that is also rated as a snow tire (snowflake on mountain symbol on it)). We'll be switching to them full-time shortly, as the Integritys are about worn.

Some people hate the Integrity model so badly that they don't leave the dealership without new tires put on it...

The reverse beeper is only heard on the INSIDE. Even with windows open, you pretty much have to be right at the car window to hear it. It is there to remind the driver that you are in reverse (gear shift joystick returns to a central position), along with the blinking box around the "R" on the PRNDB display. Yes, it'd be far too noisy, and ineffective (small children may go towards the beep, animals and objects and often most inattentive people will just ignore it), if the beep was on the outside. On North American Prius there is a procedure that you can do to disable the reverse beep if you don't like it. Outside of North America the procedure doesn't work (a wire to cut has been identified to get rid of the beep, but no one has been daring enough to try it).

Huh? The only 8/80000 I can think of is the hybrid warranty on the Hondas. The federal emissions warranty is 80,000 miles, but I think only 7 years.

There are many more than "two" Prius warranties. basic, powertrain, hybrid, federal emissions, CA emissions, accessories, and IIRC separate ones for safety restraints and the early alignment.

1. What is the warranty for Prius?

Toyota has extreme faith in our hybrid technology, so Prius comes standard with the following coverage:

Basic: 36 months/36,000 miles (all components other than normal wear and maintenance items).

Hybrid-Related Component Coverage: Hybrid-related components, including the HV battery, battery control module, hybrid control module and inverter with converter, are covered for 8 years/100,000 miles. The HV battery may have longer coverage under emissions warranty. Refer to applicable Owner's Warranty Information booklet for details.

Powertrain: 60 months/60,000 miles (engine, transmission/transaxle, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, seatbelts and airbags).

Rust-Through: 60 months/unlimited miles (corrosion perforation of sheet metal).

Emissions: Coverages vary under Federal and California regulations. Refer to applicable Owner's Warranty Information booklet for details.

Accessories: For accessories purchased at the time of the new vehicle purchase, the Toyota Accessory Warranty coverage is in effect for 36 months/36,000 miles from the vehicle's in-service date, which is the same coverage as the Toyota New Vehicle Limited Warranty. For accessories purchased after the new vehicle purchase the coverage is 12 months, regardless of mileage, from the date the accessory was installed on the vehicle, or the remainder of any applicable new vehicle warranty, whichever provides greater coverage, with the exception of car covers. Car covers are warranted for 12 months from the date of purchase and do not assume any coverage under the Toyota New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

You may be eligible for transportation assistance if it's necessary that your vehicle be kept overnight for repairs covered under warranty. Please see your authorized Toyota dealership for further details.

For complete details about Toyota's warranties, please visit

Be warned that not all regions order all packages. If there's a specific option package that you want, be sure to use the "build and price your Prius" option off of

yeah, forgot about that. the rear wiper wasn't standard in 2004, was standard in 2005. but unless you special-ordered the 2004, nearly all regions offered the 2004 with at least package 1 RW with the rear wiper as their "base Prius." About the only 2004s without the rear wiper that I've heard of are ones that were purchased used from a car rental fleet.

ALL North American Prius (2001-current) have the auto-off headlights.

the 2006 already has an updated display and nav software, there'll be another update?

the 2004-current Prius has always had 16" wheels outside of North America, while the North American version has had 15" wheels. The Prius outside of North America have always had 4 wheel disc brakes, but that's never made it to the North American model either. Then again, outside of North America they've never gotten our bladder fuel tank or the CHHS from the current Prius (thermos for coolant)...

The only guess I could make is that perhaps the IPA (Integrated Parking Assist) may eventually make it to North America. It was an option on the 2004 Prius in Japan, and has just been made available as an option on the 2006 Prius in Europe/UK...

The dumbing-down of America was completed last November.

Right, and I applaud everyone who makes such a move, but when doing so, one should carefully consider going from 10 to 50 mpg instead. We tend to consider how cleanly a car can burn a gallon of gas. Even if a car burns a gallon as cleanly as the Prius, hydrocarbon emissions depend on how many gallons are burned.

Two problems though. One, the older trade-in isn't scrapped out, and two, if one cannot afford it it's one thing but if they can but don't then all they're concerned about is their sorry little ass.