Is Toyota Prius for older people

dazleeds1978

Mankysteve wrote: »

They don't even get good millage. Plenty of regular petrol that will beat it. Also at 8 years the batteries will be toast by now unless they've been replaced recently.

I consider myself an environmentalist and I believe in human caused climate change, but I'm also a rationist and know that you have to look at the entire life cycle of car.

After this thread for sure i am not going to buy Prius :-) i am already looking for Toyota Yaris SR 1.4 Auto Diesel Hopefully it will be big enough for us.

victor2

We've had a 2006 Prius for over 2 years now. It has averaged 48mpg with mostly short town journeys. Toyota gave an 8 year 100,000 mile warranty on the Hybrid system, including its battery. So although that will end soon, I have yet to find an example of the high voltage battery needing replacement through normal use.
So, the economy is not exceptional, the road tax is excellent, servicing is done by my local independent, who tells me it's just a standard 1.5 litre Toyota engine as far as maintenance goes. It'll never fail the MOT on its catalytic converter, as they can't check it in the normal way and it's excluded from the test. The 12V battery did need replacing this year, but it was the original so can't complain at that. No other non-routine maintenance items required. It has done over 90K miles now.
If you are looking at the T-Spirit, it has the reversing camera built in, which is excellent. The self parking is just a gimmick, but you don't have to use it.
All in all, a very comfortable, spacious and easy to drive car - once you get used to the engine stopping when you do!

gilbert_and_sullivan

The Prius is a proper car, the transmission is state of the art silky smooth and when the engine fires up its almost impossible to feel or hear it.

Reliability has proved superb as has durability.

Batteries can be bought for approx £1500 if and when the need arises, however if you can find anyone in the country that has needed to buy a set you'll be doing well and some of these cars have now done well over 250k miles.

Returns better fuel consumption in town than on the open road...the clue is in the drive system, completely opposite to all normal cars the consumtions of which drop through the floor in town.

I love these negative posts from people who have never driven one, then try to compare running costs against a little shoe box with a 900cc petrol buzzer or a 1.4 Diesel tractor engine.

These are comfortable real cars with the smoothest auto transmission you will ever find, Toyotas servicing costs are among the cheapest you will find.

A comparable Diesel if its manual will have a DMF and most likely a DPF, when either of these go as they will if subjected to excess town use then that £1500 bill for Prius' batteries will just about cover the DMF, if the Diesel tractor engine alternative has an automated manual or DSG style auto box kiss goodbye to £3/4k plus fitting when it fails which it will and few outside the dealerships will touch them.

My BiL was quoted £4.5k for a rebuild on his Multichronic Audi Diesel autobox.

The point of Toyotas Hybrids sails over many peoples heads, if other peoples opinions bother you then it might not be the right car for you, personally if my own choice winds the fashionistas up so much the better.

gilbert_and_sullivan

dazleeds1978 wrote: »

After this thread for sure i am not going to buy Prius :-) i am already looking for Toyota Yaris SR 1.4 Auto Diesel Hopefully it will be big enough for us.

Hope its the current model or you're buying a MMT automated manual gearbox...sooner you than me.

victor2

One possible negative point... Toyota deliberately reduced the power available in reverse, otherwise it would be capable of going just as fast backwards as forwards, thanks to its cunning drive system! So it can just refuse to go backwards if you are trying to reverse up a steep slope or over something like a raised kerb.

gilbert_and_sullivan

victor2 wrote: »

One possible negative point... Toyota deliberately reduced the power available in reverse, otherwise it would be capable of going just as fast backwards as forwards, thanks to its cunning drive system! So it can just refuse to go backwards if you are trying to reverse up a steep slope or over something like a raised kerb.

I used to deliver Toyotas and have reversed these up far steeper angles on the transporters than most people will ever encounter, never found that to happen, indeed the power delivery was controllable to the nth degree...but it can be a problem for other makes underpowered cars fitted with automated manual boxes which sometimes needed 'coaxing' to play.

flyingscotno1

I've got a hybrid Auris, traded in my diesel for it. I have to say I really enjoy it, nice and quiet, smooth auto gearbox, comfortable and excellent when in traffic (well as good as being in a jam is!).

Economy is good I did 460 miles off my last 34L of petrol. Only problem is a small boot but I knew that when I bought it.

I didn't notice a price premium, it was the same price as a Hyundai i30 diesel I was considering, but it was bought used 1 year old, last owner was the factory in Derby. I have to say that Pruis sounds quite dear.

A lot of the hybrid myths are down to the Dust to Dust report about the hybrid and Hummers which was debunked quiet a bit.

Toyota warranties the batteries for 8 years and 100K, however nearly all go well beyond that from the info I've seen on the web. I've seen £1K quoted for refurbished battery packs, however that is the chance you take. I guess it also avoids the duel mass flywheels, DPF and many other things that cause hassle on diesels.

Yolina

flyingscotno1 wrote: »

I've got a hybrid Auris, traded in my diesel for it. I have to say I really enjoy it, nice and quiet, smooth auto gearbox, comfortable and excellent when in traffic (well as good as being in a jam is!).

Economy is good I did 460 miles off my last 34L of petrol. Only problem is a small boot but I knew that when I bought it.

I have a Yaris hybrid, enjoying the "smooth and quiet" too I think what impresses me the most is how seamless the transition from electric engine to ICE and vice versa is.
Currently getting 73mpg (calculated by me) from a tankful without even trying, so like you I certainly have no complaints there.

I guess it also avoids the duel mass flywheels, DPF and many other things that cause hassle on diesels.

Add no starter motor, no alternator, no cambelt.

Granted, hybrids certainly won't suit everybody, but it just adds another choice. When I took one for a test drive last year, I honestly didn't expect to like it as much as I did!

Edit: I did spend a fair bit of time looking into how the Toyota hybrid system works and how everything interacts - I'm just curious like that and frankly I found it really interesting.

facade

If you like the look of the prius, and are happy with the way it drives, buy it! :beer:
You will get cheaper road tax, if it is a plug-in hybrid you can drive round and round London all day without paying the congestion charge, better mpg than comparable sized cars in stop start city driving, and the belief that you are saving the planet.

Ignore the arguments about it causing more pollution when built because

1) the pollution landed on someone else's head, not yours (I'm all right Jack - just don't holiday in Norilsk for example)
2) the "landed" part, it has already been built, so any damage is done, and you are to be applauded for recycling a vehicle rather than getting a new one built:T. (But all the children of the families working in the new car supply chain will starve :eek:)

Mankysteve

Yolina wrote: »

Add no starter motor, no alternator, no cambelt.

QUOTE]

Hybrids do have a starter motor, an alternator and a cambelt/chain. Instead of dmf and dpf you now have at least one motor to drive the wheels, the battery, the nice complicated control electronics and drive parts.