Anyone think that the Touring will be worth more $$$ in the future

I suspect that very few buyers will appreciate the nuances of suspension tuning. Which kind of returns to the OPs question - would Touring editions command a price premium?

 

I agree. In the used car marketplace in the near future or in the collectibles marketplace 30 years from now, I don't think the Touring will recoup its initial price differential or command a price premium. E.g., my bet is that a 2007 Standard Prius Package #5 will sell for a higher percentage of its initial MSRP than a 2007 Touring Edition Package #5 will.

 

Especially if the owner has replaced the stock wheel covers with spinners!

 

Hey ... careful ... I resemble that!!!!

And, I bought a 2009 Touring, have my stiffening plate to install, am thinking of further stiffening for help in crosswinds, and can't take my eyes off a couple of sets of aftermarket wheels ...

 

Me too. I keep wanting to make the handling better.

You might consider getting a Strut Tower Brace. It single handedly made my Standard Prius fun to drive.

 

Did you do the top brace (it sounds like you did the top brace by your reference to strut tower)? Or, the bottom brace?

 

Nor have I. But that doesn't mean that somewhere an owner hasn't mounted a set of spinners on their Prius.

 

If any future Prius buyer has the oportunity to test drive both models, he will gladly pay a premium for the better handling and ride of the Touring.

 

I agree - this spring, I think I'll put the strut brace into the Prius.

By coincidence, I have one sitting patiently on the shelf waiting to be put into my Sebring Convertible (hibernating for the winter), which desperately needs it.

 

Yes, I got a top brace -- specifically the BT Tech Strut Tower Brace which is similar in design to the TOM'S Front Upper Stabilizer that you have. Here's a pic:



If I run into a little money, I'm going to upgrade the front and rear stabilizer/sway bars next. I'll probably just go with the Touring's front and rear stabilizer/sway bars which have an approximately 1mm thicker diameter than the Standard Prius' bars.

 

Looks quite similar to the TOMs strut tower brace. What is the saying - form follows function?

I don't know which is the better expenditure of $ - sway bars or suspension braces. My suspicion is that suspension braces are the better investment, which is based on my Touring edition being susceptible to buffeting from cross winds until I added the TOMs suspension braces front and rear. If I had to pick one brace that provided the most benefit, I would start with the rear lower brace. However, it could be that the entire package of braces (front upper, lower front and rear lower) was what did the trick. One thing is for sure, with all three braces and the wider wheels & tires, my Touring edition handles as if it were running on a slot car track. You can really see the effect when taking turns with another Prius ahead of you for comparison. Even Touring editions have more body roll in turns than my Touring edition has (which is why I tend to think the better investment is in the suspension braces). There have been times when I would be taking turns (going downhill) in my Touring edition where the lateral G force was causing passengers to ask me to back off, yet no tire noise or VSC lights.

 

Based on that metric, I didn't see anyone post that the Touring edition would significantly appreciate.

 

You expect a non-specialty car mass-produced in the hundreds of thousands to appreciate? Are you on crack? Something better than crack? Can I have some?