Buy now or wait for '15?

Out of curiosity, has anyone found any info concerning the engine for the '15? Is it still 1.8 with the plastic intake manifold? Meaning it will still probably have the cold weather, rough start engine problem?

 

I just had this problem on Thursday this past wk; it happened to my wife's 2011 this past winter. To answer your question- I don't know.

 

Just by the info vacuum that exists- it doesn't seem likely that the 15's will be the new Gen IV platform.
We always get "spy photos", test drive leaks, etc... before the new models come out, especially with the new model year being only half a year away now. Right now we have squat from Toyota, so my guess is 15's will still be Gen III.

I'm also with the guys who advise against buying first year production runs of a 100% new line. If you think of the 2014's that are being made now- they've got every update and hardware mod that's been incorporated into Gen III since 2010!

 

Well, to be completely honest, Toyota deleted the plastic tray underneath the center console on 2012+. Can't really fathom why.



iPhone ?

 

I like the tray on my 2010. You can still buy it and have it installed in the newer models, though, right?

 

Well, one thing we can take from the OP is that he tends to keep vehicles he likes and that perform well for a long period of time.

I guess I'd lean then towards recommending just making the best deal you can on a Prius you want now. If in 2015, 2016 model years, Toyota releases a Gen 4 Prius, you can always sit back, read the reviews, listen to the posts, and let the bugs get ironed out. Then if you've taken good care of your Prius, you've always got a good trade in value on any upgrade you might want to make. In the meantime, you're driving a Prius, enjoying the Hybrid advantage.

*And I also would say, I personally do shy away from getting a 1st model year. As hard as any auto manufacturer tries there always are a few bugs that get discovered and need to be ironed out. And usually there are improvements by the 1st refresh.

When the time comes, I'll look at the Gen 4. And I'm going to be very interested in getting one if it has significant improvement. BUT...I don't feel I want to be in that first wave, or need to be in the first wave.

I'm also a little disappointed in Toyota Customer Care, so in the next decade, I'll be looking at what other competitors are offering.

* Of course I waited until 2013 to get my Prius, and within the 1st year it is involved in the huge software recall...so so much for waiting for the bugs to be ironed out...ya never know.

 

I would buy a gently used 2010 NOW, wait for the new gen to come out, say in 2016, wait an year or two for *any* significant issues to be ironed out and then decide on a used 2016 or a new 2017. Considering the Prii hold their values very well, whatever you lose when you sell your used 2010 might be made up by the fuel savings you get from it.

Also, not sure if you have considered the Volt and the new Accord Hybrid, but they seem to be worthy contenders to the Prius.

 

Has Honda sorted out their hybrid battery life problems?

 

Good question...

 

Honda switched to lithium battery packs now, but I am not sure if that means that they are any more reliable. My IMA battery was showing signs of death at 38k miles and I was stuck driving with a near useless battery until it finally threw a code at 79k miles. It was a lot better after that but 3k miles more I traded it in for my Prius. I was annoyed that Honda refused to acknowledge my battery problems until the light came on because the recall they did purposely made it almost impossible for the IMA light to get tripped. The battery in the Prius charges faster and holds a charge much longer than my Civic ever did, even with a fresh battery. There is no comparison and I doubt I will ever give Honda another chance. My Civic hybrid was my first and most likely last Honda I will ever own

 

Can you provide a link to the tray? I'm curious now, and might be interested to purchase it. Thanks!

 

Software upgrade is not a bug, its an improvement. If you had no problem with the car, its not a bug. Prius C first year came out was 2012, its one of the most reliable rated cars out, so cant say all new cars have bugs to work out. Buying a Toyota is buying insurance that more than likely there are no bugs.

 

From the expanded view, the tray looks sort of insignificant. Can you comment on what purpose it might serve?

 

The Prius c, has been pretty great as far as any reported 1st year problems. But I would warn, sometimes problems take some time to manifest.

But I'll stick by my opinion that there is an amount of risk in buying any new 1st year model. Most of the time, the bugs are minor. But usually, a popular model improves over the years. I think the refresh with the Gen 3, was an improved product compared to the original release.

And I also would say, this "Software Upgrade"...IS A VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL. It's optimistic and nice, to call it anything else...update, reflash...whatever. But basically all owners of Gen 3 Prius are being asked to go have their software "changed". I think that fair to call the whole discovery of a problem with the Power Management ECU and overheating transistors and the ensuing software reflash...at least a "bug"....that is now being ironed out.

Yes, Toyota, and Prius, have great reputations for reliability and quality. Speaking for myself, I would not of purchased a hybrid from a manufacturer that did NOT have this reputation.

But as we have seen these past few years, Toyota is not invulnerable to recalls or problems in manufacture.
I wouldn't say I would never buy a new model, or a 1st year model. But I'd have to be pretty "in love" with the product. Otherwise, I stick with my opinion that it's usually better just to wait, give a model a year or two for bugs to be discovered.....minor or major.

For example. Would you of made a mistake buying the 2010 Gen 3, right out of the gates? No...you got a great Prius. BUT...you did not get the MFD screen added later. If you were in the first wave of purchasers, you would of been involved in the brake software update, and there was a minor problem with hooks in the hatch area that pulled inward when a cargo net was attached. ---all these things improved with time. I think the mid-cycle refresh, was a improvement to the line.

No automaker wants problems. They do work hard to release products that are ready. But minor or major, usually the arc is that a popular vehicle improves over the course of time and manufacture.

 

I would be more concern that the 2016 models might be built domestically, though unlikely the factory will be ready so it might be the 2016 instead. Get a japan assembled car while you can. The build quality has proven better - look at the grievances of US built Camrys.

 

Even a brand new 2014?

 

No...
They put a "stop sale" on any Prius on the lots, the minute the recall was announced, and those being produced at the time already have the different software. So if you've bought recently, you're more than likely OK.

I'd still log in to the Toyota Owners Website and make sure, and you should get a letter. But my guess if you have a 2014 you are probably OK.

I should of worded it more precisely...virtually all owners of almost all Gen 3's are affected.

 

I bought my 2010 in June of 2009. VIN number under 1400. So it's possible that Toyota will introduce the 2016 model some time in 2015.