GDE Bay Area - Drive event impressions?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by lensovet, Sep 18, 2011.

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  1. lensovet

    lensovet former BP Brigade 207

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    Personally I was really happy that Toyota gave us the opportunity to test-drive the PHV. But I also love to complain, so allow me to complain.

    –There were two main Toyota people by the car in the hall: a white guy and a black woman. The white guy didn't know what the hell he was talking about (among other things, quoted a price of $36k for the advanced) and was condescending upon discovering that I knew more about the car than he did. Can Toyota really not do better than this? I'm sure they could find 2 (!) people knowledgable about the car from their own staff. To her credit, the black woman was very knowledgeable, so props for that.
    –The email, Facebook event, and PriusChat postings all promised an opportunity to cut the line with a printout. No such thing was happening. The supposed "reason" for this was because "over half the people in line had a printout". But this was not the case at all, in the afternoon. The claim was that they weren't going to "suddenly change the way the line works". Um, what?? Just because the line worked differently in the morning doesn't mean that it should continue working the same way in the afternoon. The best part was the guy who walked up and down the line to see who had a printout purely for "survey" purposes to see how effective the marketing campaign was. Seriously?
    –Yeah, the drive was too short. I'm actually not even complaining that much about the length as much as the MAS. There were entrance gates, stop signs, and low speed limits on the route. I could get up to 35–38 mph but I was really pushing it.

    I hope that the Prius Team takes these comments into account to make future events better. Cheers.
     
    #1 lensovet, Sep 18, 2011
  2. Going Greener

    Going Greener Junior Member

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    LOL, we had totally forgotten about our Priority Access to Drive printout from Toyota after registering for the test drive inside the pavillion. Maybe it was because when we asked the rep there, we got the not so warm response..."Oh..... show that outside and we'll see what we could do..." ??? I put it away and, truly, if we did remember, we wouldn't have pulled it out as we felt for the people who were waiting in front of us. The good thing about the short test drive was, if it was any longer, we defintiely wouldn't have had the patience to wait!

    I think because the Volt and Leaf have already been rolled out, test drive lines for those were very short in comparison. They might not have sent any promo info either. We tested the Volt before at another venue and we drove our Leaf to the Expo, so no need for us!

    Just grateful that we were able to see, touch and ride the UPCOMING vehicles. We're looking forward to seeing more ALL electrics from Toyota like the RAV4 displayed. We agree with Paradox from another post about liking the new front grill on the Pri. Seems like some, not all, of the interior plastics are changing. Two pet peeves...

    It was nice to see all the other vendors. We didn't make it to listen to all the speakers. I think this was just the 2nd Expo, so it has a small venue/intimate feel. Thanks to those for this event!

    Truly, kudos to you for being so young and promoting & following cars like the Prius! Keep up your constructive help to Toyota & others. Don't lose the faith... esp. if you ever bring a car in for service and you know more than the service people :eek:!
     
    #2 Going Greener, Sep 18, 2011
  3. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    There was a point where several of the Prius Experts (myself included, Tideland Prius, Paradox, TonyPSchaefer, and others) stepped in to answer questions on the show floor, as did one of the local dealer representatives. For a while, Erica and Doug were on the scene, but you're right, it did seem that it was somewhat "understaffed" for a bit.
     
    #3 HTMLSpinnr, Sep 19, 2011
  4. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    As for helping to field questions, imagine if we had all dressed like Tideland Prius. That guy looked like a Toyota employee! :)
     
    #4 F8L, Sep 19, 2011
  5. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    I didn't even know Tideland Prius was there.
     
    #5 cproaudio, Sep 19, 2011
  6. green4u

    green4u New Member

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    [​IMG]

    Didn't know Shia LaBeouf was there.
     
    #6 green4u, Sep 19, 2011
  7. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Ditto about being VERY happy and grateful to be able to test drive all these vehicles that they had either just announced or just made available for those the public to test drive. The PHV Prius isn't even available to the public until March 2012!
    I think I got the HyCam up to above 50 mph (so I was really speeding) but they seemed to let HyCam test drivers (or maybe it was just me) go on a longer route than all the other cars. On the drive of the v (IIRC), the guy said that I can feel free to punch it. I floored it and got above 40 some mph...

    As I mentioned in another thread, I've had shorter test drives at other Toyota roadshows of non-PHV vehicles. I do agree it would've been nice to have longer test drives w/some slightly higher speed areas.

    At the Volt test drive event in Lynnwood, WA, (http://priuschat.com/forums/chevrol...test-drives-october-thru-november-2010-a.html) they had a surprisingly long (4.5 miles) test drive route. The people who went to the Tacoma Volt event I believe got screwed though. I hear they had two courses w/the longer of them being WAY shorter.

    My friend (who is a big Volt fan) posted his report at http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?5323-Volt-Unplugged-10-10-report and had a plot of the route at http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...d=117260643960726912388.0004924d872ee3bccf156
    I see. By the time I arrived, Doug I heard already had flown home. I unfortunately missed Erica but heard she was somewhere at the expo.
     
    #7 cwerdna, Sep 19, 2011
  8. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    My photos from the event:
    [ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/efusco/sets/72157627694110808/"]Green Drive Expo-Bay Area 2011 - a set on Flickr[/ame]
     
    #8 efusco, Sep 19, 2011
  9. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    He had to leave early. I think he may even have left before you got there. He was so official looking that you may have mistook him for a Toyota rep. lol
     
    #9 F8L, Sep 19, 2011
  10. pfile

    pfile Member

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    yeah, i was a bit disappointed in the staffing. the people running the test drive survey booth clearly did not actually work for toyota. people at the end of the line were asking them questions and getting "i don't know." even the guy that was manning the car i drove did not know if the charge plug was compatible with a LEAF EVSE, or what kind of connector the car has.

    but yeah, i went there to drive the car and i did, and i like it very much so mission accomplished for toyota, i suppose.
     
    #10 pfile, Sep 19, 2011
  11. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I was the guy with the white Prius cap and yes, as F8L said, dressed like the other Toyota folks on the floor with the blue PRIUS shirt. That just meant I got fielded a LOT of questions. Unless I was testing the Volt or the Leaf, I was pretty much at the floor all day. I left at 4pm.
     
    #11 Tideland Prius, Sep 19, 2011
  12. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Crap! I arrived a bit past 1 pm and left after closing. I missed the opportunity to say hi.
     
    #12 cwerdna, Sep 19, 2011
  13. coach81

    coach81 Active Member

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    So... tell us how the test drive went?? How was the PHV???
     
    #13 coach81, Sep 20, 2011
  14. lensovet

    lensovet former BP Brigade 207

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    #14 lensovet, Sep 21, 2011
    2 people like this.
  15. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    this is what usually happens... cool guys go and test the cars, and post NOTHING of their experience for us, thousands of miles away :p
     
    #15 spwolf, Sep 21, 2011
  16. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    * photo removed on request

    i should have hooked him up with some Toyota F1 shirts :)
     
    #16 spwolf, Sep 21, 2011
  17. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    I was there. I was the guy with a gripped Canon 60D shoulder sling taking pictures of everything. I saw you and thought you're one of the Toyota guys.
     
    #17 cproaudio, Sep 21, 2011
  18. lensovet

    lensovet former BP Brigade 207

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    well, i already posted photos, and my initial post was my own impressions.

    as far as the drive, if you floor it, will kick on the gas. this isn't a Tesla. it's still basically a Prius, just with a larger battery and therefore a higher threshold for kicking on the gas engine.

    here's what the test drive route was: Harbour Way S to The Craneway Pavilion - Google Maps. if google is to be believed, it was apparently exactly one mile. right around Scott Ave (on the left) were the entrance gates, necessitating a slowdown. after that, there stops signs at the intersection of Marina Way and Hall Ave in both directions and Hall Ave and Harbour Way in the returning direction. Speed limit was 30 on Harbour and 25 elsewhere.

    what other impressions were you looking for? oh, the HUD was actually very underwhelming for me personally.
     
    #18 lensovet, Sep 22, 2011
  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    #19 Tideland Prius, Sep 22, 2011
    3 people like this.
  20. coach81

    coach81 Active Member

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    Nice Pics, Tideland, thanks!
     
    #20 coach81, Sep 24, 2011
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