Just brought my sparkly blue 2011 Prius home and have 2 questions for all you experienced folks: 1. The drive feels stuttery if that makes sense. Both the car we test drove and the one we purchased had a very subtle but noticeable feeling of stuttering when driven at stable speeds. Is it me or the car? 2. Has anyone found a water bottle, other than the ridiculously unenvironmentally friendly bottles of over priced tap water, that actually fit in the door bottle holders? It strikes me as a little hypocritical for Toyota to manufacture a car that stresses decreased fossil fuel use to drive, but increased fossil fuel to drink water whilst driving. BTW Love my Prius.
That's a good one! But unfortunately, I only found those arrowhead/krikland water bottles to fit on the door cup holders. Nothing else fits.
If you think something is wrong, go back to the dealership and have them check it out, like the bozo who sold you the car. There is very little use trying to get someone else to diagnose your problem from 1000 miles away.
I wasn't asking for a diagnosis. I was asking if the stuttering was a hybrid thing. It was present in 2 cars I drove. Thought maybe it was normal.
If you felt it on two, it's probably normal. It's hard to know what you mean by "stuttery," though. Maybe you're feeling the engine start and stop? It's usually not very noticeable, but if you pay attention you can feel it. And nobody says you have to throw out the bottle of overpriced tap water once the overpriced tap water is gone... Go to the grocery store, buy a single bottle of it (maybe with a nice squirt top, too), and once the water is gone, refill it with regular-priced tap water!
Bottles must be bigger in the US. I don't have problems with drink bottles in Australia. May be an imperial V Metric thing?
For water we use the kleenkanteen 16 oz which is a snug fit in the door pockets Klean Kanteen: Reusable, BPA-free, Stainless Steel Water Bottles
Thanks for all the input. I bet macman is right--I am feeling the engine and motor talking to each other. Seems to be getting less noticeable the more I drive it. And the bottle holder explanation from Feri is probably right on--imperial is what it is. Well, I will deal with it. Love my Prius!
I think as you drive you will get the hang of "feathering" the throttle so the engine doesn't come on as often. You will get better mileage and it should be smoother. Your other point is lost in your agenda. E-mail Al Gore for advice.
The door bins on the Gen 2 are cavernous in comparison, and there are four cup holders, but that's not what you asked. On short trips, I just grab the bicycle water bottle that's usually on my desk anyway. For longer trips, I use a hydration bladder with a bite valve, and keep it in a cooler on the floor behind me. The water stays cold regardless of the temperature, and I don't have to take my eyes off the road, or my hands off the wheel. Now, if I could just make the *other* bladder larger....
It gets less noticeable as the newness wears off and the engine gets run-in. Other things that cause the MG to ICE transition to be more noticeable are poor quality fuel and wrong oil grade.
