2010 Prius - NEW OWNER!!!

Welcome aboard! You will be amazed at the FE of the Prius and slightly more amazed once spring comes around.

Where are you located? Can you update your location info?

If you're in an area that gets frequent and lots of snow, I STRONGLY suggest you buy snow tires. Seems like most people complaining about poor traction/performance in snow don't have snow tires.

 

^^^
Since you live in NYC, you might want to read the hints about better heater usage at Why mileage gets worse in winter | PriusChat.

Your mileage may not seem so great right now since you'll be learning the car and the weather's cold. Oh... and NYC traffic and driving isn't real conducive to good FE.

 

Congrats--enjoy.

 

all the best!

 

welcome aboard! FE - Fuel Economy. How many miles?

 

That seems like a fair price. Glad the Prius is holding its value well! Enjoy the ride

 

Here in the SC area I've been looking at replacing my 2012 (was in an accident) and have found some 2011 - 2012 Prius in the 21k-22k range. Of course that isn't out the door, and the generations varied including the bells and whistles, but mileage on them was about 15k less.
What are the bells and whistles on a 2010 IV? I too am trying to find a reasonably priced Prius to get myself out of the one I'm currently in. I'm having a hard time finding one with GPS/Body Kit/17" Wheels/Eco-leather/ etc. like the one I have now.

 

Responding a bit late in the game. I live in NJ and have a 2010 Prius III. I've never really felt the need for snow tires around here; since I got the thing in December 2009, it's been through the 2010 and 2011 winters without a problem.

Trick: The Prius does regen braking for a (partial) living. Hence, unless one is down below 20 mph or so and/or really slamming the brakes, the rear wheels don't do much braking. For most cars that's rather a demerit and can lead to instability, flipping ends, and things like that.

For at least that reason (and probably others) the Prius has pretty blame aggressive vehicle stability control. I took this thing out when new back in a 5" snow fall and a large empty parking lot and attempted to get it to do a donut, or at least go sideways.

No luck. The best I could do, swerving the car, mashing the pedal, and turning the wheel hard, was to get the front end pointed about 30 degrees off the direction of travel. Let go of the wheel and the car straightened out very abruptly with no tail-wagging.

This was not, admittedly, on glare ice, which has its own peculiar characteristics. But non-stud snow tires wouldn't save one on that stuff anyway. And it doesn't stay snowy enough long enough for studded snow tires in these parts.

Now that I think about it: Coming south from Boston on I91 in Connecticut last winter, was part of a large bunch of cars in a snow storm. Snow was packed down tight and everybody was chugging along around 35-40 mph. About 100 yards in front, a car did an end-for end spin (guess the guy hit the brakes, older model American car). I very gently pointed the Prius about 20 feet to this guys left and went around him, not having any desire to find out how good the brakes/skidding performance of the cars behind me were. In the next five miles or so there were a dozen cars in the left or right ditches on the road. The Prius, going around 25-30, did not feel out of control, and that was with the all-weather Michelin-X's.

Back and forth on the GSP and local roads during snow and all that: Car works fine, goes where one points it, snow, slush, and melty ice. Still takes longer to stop, but you knew that anyway. Better than the Civic I used to drive; not as good as ye olde '71 VW Beetle, but one of those could climb trees, right up to when the body was on top of a foot of snow with the wheels free-wheeling.

So: If you're hanging out in the northern tier of NY and/or heading back and forth to ski country, sure, snow tires. In and around NYC? Not so much.

KBeck

 

The table at Toyota Vehicles : Toyota Announces Prices for 2010 Prius / Toyota might also help. Ignore the prices. They are way old.

 

that is a great price for that package and milage
.i have a prius 2 and it has illuminated entry.u set it on the overhead light switch then when u walk up it lights up interior

 

I'd wait on the body kit til spring unless you want to help shovel the streets

 

The 12 volt battery (in the passenger side hatch area, under a removable piece) is tiny and doesn't start the ICE (internal combustion engine). It's started by the big HV battery. You will NEVER have the symptoms of a starter motor turning slowly or unable to turnover the ICE to indicate a weak 12 volt. Weird stuff usually starts happening. (Prius also has no dedicated starter motor nor alternator. And, your Gen 3 has no belts either. Look under the hood at the pulley connected to nothing.)

Also, since the 12 volt is tiny, do not sit around in ACC (to run the stereo) or IG-ON mode (all dash lights on) for long. It will run down the 12 volt. Instead be in READY mode (READY light on). Make sure you also power OFF the car when leaving it. It will NOT turn off if you just leave it in READY. Well.. it will eventually, when it runs out of gas.

Also, if you swap drivers, make sure you give them the smart key. W/o it, they can drive away but when the power off the car, they won't be able to power it back on unless they have the key.