Insurance

I don't believe there's any difference.

My experience with the insurance is that the liability for property damage is higher than the Saturn SL it replaced. Might have something to do with body weight being almost 70% more than the Saturn. Otherwise, insurance is reasonably similar. There isn't a high demand for the car in the aftermarket parts arena (new model year) nor the steal and resell market (every part has a VIN on it somewhere and it would be like joyriding in an exotic import, just not enough of them to blend into the background.)

My insurer Geico, just gave me a quote.

- Ford Explorer V8 1997 $591

- Prius 2005 $712

Packat

That sounds about right. The explorer is older and worth less, but has a higher risk than a car. The Prius is brand new and thus has a higher replacement cost.

I love insurance; In the past 30 years I've been told my insurance was going up because;

o I was under 25 o I was male o I was single o I had a sports car o I had a 4x4 o I was under 32 o I had a teenager with a license o I had a brand new car o I had a car with only two seats o I had too many tickets.

My mom got a shock when she was told that her insurance was going up because she'd been driving more than 45 years (or was it 40???). That appears to be a loophole to avoid age discrimination suits. She pointed out that she did not get her license till the mid 60s. They had to admit that they guessed at how long she'd driven from her age.

The insurance for my brand new Prius (in 2002) was not much more than my

Hmm, not exactly comparing apples to apples, are we? :-). If you're talking about full coverage, comp and collision for the both of them, the difference can be accounted for by the fact that you have a $25K car vs an $8000 SUV.

KK

Nope. But they are the oly two I know. I am surprise, the insureance for Prius is not much higher because of the new technology. The cost to fix a damage engine must be sky high comparing to comparing conventional engine.

pac

sorry for all the pypo and repetition. I need breakfast!!! :-)

Liability insurance covers damage to other cars and property, so the technology of the Prius isn't relevant. Collision insurance could conceivably cover engine and/or friction battery replacement, but that would be a rare occurrence; in most collisions you would just need standard body shop repairs, which would be the same for the Prius as for conventional cars in the same size and price range.

When I insured my 2005 Prius the insurance company's computer didn't find the ABS and Anti-Theft discounts from looking at the VIN. Glad I caught this because they made quite a difference.

Got mine in October 2003. The VIN would not even take in their online "add a vehicle" option. They had to add it manually and for several weeks they had it mispelled in their computer (PREUS). I imagine these things happen anytime a manufacturer births a new product series.

KK

Now why would you think that? First, the engine is roughly the same cost as any other. Second, the power split unit is about the same ost as a trans-axle.

The Insurance company must be taking into account the fact that the Prius can't be hotwired, so theft is lower, or maybe that the car sustains less damage than others in minor collisions.?

Daniel

My insurance quote from Automobile Club So. CA (3-22-05): $1194 per year, full cov, w/ $500 deductible. Oddly, the Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi was $1200 yr. with same coverage. Prices are too similar and may be vehicle cost related?

Test drove the Prius. Not bad. Snappy accelleration, but it had a bad shimmy in front on trucker's lanes on freeway. Some say (Prius forum) it is due to front end mis-alignment which having done after-purchase may alleviate that. It surprised the salesman as well (like the infamous "I never saw one do that before" statement. Uh, huh!). Wind wasn't a problem that day, but some on the forum say the car may wander from side wind loads and turbulence due to the design. This seemed more like road related shimmy though.

However, when I asked the salesman about the "battery warranty" he said he didn't know and would ask when we got back. He marched up to the front "General's window and lookout post" and called me over to hear the general manager's spew. I asked, "If I show up here in two years with a dead battery, do I get another one free?" He thumbed through a clipboard of papers and replied, "You are covered by Toyota's warranty" which still left me with an answered question. "So is it free?" I asked again. His reply (verbatim), "You are covered by Toyota's warranty." Me again, "So is it free?" (for the third time). Then he ran off on some other issue still not answering me. His answers seem too scripted (and he was reading from one off a clipboard). Dunno. Might need to go to another dealer as this one seems set in avoiding giving a direct answer.

Lady there drove up in hers so I got to get some feedback. Her's was averaging 42 mpg and she was happy with that. Had her rear windows tinted and had some independent shop install leather seat covers and side panels that looked really good.

B~

Wow - good thing you found out how well the dealership would back you up before the time came!

I used to be the service manager for a general aviation avionics (airplane electronics) shop, and I became acutely aware of how much customers appreciated us going to bat with the manufacturers for them. The thing is that it wasn't hard at all. We already knew all the sales and warranty people by first name and anything that made sense to us made sense to them. That dealership sounds like a real clinker.

Mike

Indeed. Sounds like the dealership is a real piece of work. My understanding of the California Emission Standards states is that the battery is warranteed 10/120000km. Not positive on the exact term length, but it's a replace or repair at no cost. That is for the TRACTION BATTERY, not the auxillary battery, which will be subject to the 3/36K warrantee and likely prorated by the manufacturer after that.

KK

More likely having to do with your driving history (which is, of course spotless) or your location (probably lowest crime in america).

Most people learn in grade school what to do if you don't understand the answer or think the other doesn't understand the question. You rephrase it to enhance understanding. One way to rephrase the question would have been "So there is no pro-ration?"

Congrats on getting feedback from 1 person out of 150,000.

I just got back from a 1,200 mile round trip, most of it at 70MPH, but a few hours stuck in LA "rush hour" traffic and about 100 miles around the canyons of San Diego. Wind? No problem despite wind warnings on I-5. Milage? 47.4 mpg.

Now you have feedback from 2 people.

:)