Considering a Prius - a few questions

1) The driver's seat can be a real bear, especially if you don't opt for the power-adjustable Softex seats. The standard seats don't allow much adjustment, especially in the lumbar area and even with the power option, they might still not adjust to your liking, mostly the tilt of the very front of the seat cushion. I have no problem with mine and I've driven over 15,000 miles on 2 trips since July. On the last trip, I drove for over 13 hours without fatigue, but I did adjust almost all parts of the seat several times.

2) I don't buy Used, been burned once too often, but the Prius has a very good track record, so if I were going to buy Used, it would be with a Prius.

3) I haven't looked at the 2015, but I didn't think the HUD was standard on the Four. I primarily bought a 2014 Four for the Softex seats and the JBL audio. The Nav was secondary, but I'm still quite pleased with it even with it's serious failings. I've had a HUD before and while it's nice, it's generally not worth the added cost unless it's part of a package you want. I would not buy any model without the Softex seats, but that's just me.

4) I too wish there were more color options, but I'm not sure what colors would have kept me from opting for the Blizzard Pearl. In Arizona, white is a plus, not just for the perception of being cooler, but for not showing all the dust.

5) The dealer still makes a lot of money off a TrueCar price because of the kickback.

6) You do have more negotiating power buying a car from stock than having them order one. They may trade for a car from a different dealer like they did with us to get the car with the options you want if one is available.

 

DoubleDAZ is right, the Four's power seat is a better option because you can also change the TILT of the seat bottom cushion and adjust lumbar in and out. With the manually adjustable 6-way driver's seat, you are stuck with whatever TILT in bottom cushion (and btw, the tilt does change through the height range: Less tilt with seat raised fully up, most tilt with seat lowered full down).

Other's have said (and it is true) that seat fit is very personal, ,and what one person likes another might not. But, I firmly believe that some driver's seats are far better for many people than others.

In Prius liftback, my opinion is the taller a person is (over about 6ft), the more problems they may encounter due to small driver's seat cushion, steering wheel telescope towards driver is pretty scant in this car, lack of tilt or lumbar adjust in base seat.

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Reverse chronological of my driver's seat accessories, attempts to fix on 2011 Prius Three -

March '15 - Added custom cut wedge cushion between driver's seat and my Exact Fit Seat Covers - GTCovers.com leather seat cover. Purpose - to compensate for the excess tilt in seat bottom cushion (forward part of thighs forced up too much, uncomfortable), Fabrication method - cardboard templates made to match seat contour, foam cut by local foam factory, side angles cut at home with 'meat carver' electric knife. Result - First drive yesterday good,

January '15 - Had small wedge cushion made at foam factory to go over top of seat cover (foam is minimal cost $10 or so). Patterned after store bought cushion. Not shaped to go between seat and a cover like above. Result - wedge compensates for excess tilt, but over time didn't like sitting on a cushion on top of seat in new car.

Dec. '15 - Legrest box made at home, bungeed in front of seat to support legs further up towards knees (long legs hang way over front edge of seat)

June '14 - Foam pad strapped onto headrest to fill in gap between back of head and seat headrest

Mar '14 - Inch or so neoprene pad added onto center armrest
Feb '14 GT leather seat covers added

Dec '13 - 2 inches neoprene pad placed onto door armrest, held in place by 3M Command strips.

July '13 - Clip on center console board made to rest right leg on (used for year and a half, then shelved)

So, yeah, I've been through a few ringers on this car based on my prior lack of knowledge on correctly evaluating seat fit.

About car color. My opinion, pick the color(s) that appeals to YOU the most, the color you're going to like to look at day in and out. I picked Silver because it was light and absorbs less heat and I liked it better than White or Sand color. I don't actually like neutral colors all that much. Dark Blue and Red more appealing to me.

Far as keeping you car looking good, I say parking it out a ways in busy lots, walking little farther goes a long way to avoiding door dings. I have NO door dings after 3 1/2 years ownership. Knock on wood.

Automatic car washes with the huge bristle brushes: AVOID THEM! Ever drive by a car on freeway and see what appears to be very clean, newish car, then you see all the spider webs at certain angles in the sun? That's micro marring of the CLEAR COAT finish of the car. That's what results from those brushes at the car wash. How do avoid marring?

I only hand wash mine. 3 buckets. One with soap, 2 buckets with rinse water. I used bright colored mitts from Griots Garage that SHOW DIRT and soon as it's caught into the mitt while washing, I like mitts because I can turn them around my hand to reveal a clean area to continue wiping the car. Then I rinse in 2 buckets. You DO NOT want to wipe a dirty mitt or sponge over your car when washing. So, DO NOT use only one bucket, K? btw, my buckets are 5 gallons each with grit guards, the 3rd bucket is smaller.

 

In terms of value I purchased a 4 with moonroof & upgraded sound system, etc. Nice car, but if I did it again I'd get a 3. When you think about it the basic Prius that gives you the great gas mileage, and top notch safety features is common through the line, from cheapest to most expensive. You won't get any safer or better gas mileage buying a 5, 4, 3, or 2. Moonroof is nice, but where I live it's good about half the year.
As far as the seats are concerned the only car seat I ever sat in that was truly 100% comfortable was a Bentley Continental GT. I do have the powered Softex seats, and they're nice, but not sure they were worth the money for me. Unless you have back problems, or are truly picky about how you sit in a car I'd go with the regular seats. If you do a lot of road driving then the powered seat may be better over a long trip.

 

I don't agree with your advice about the power seat vs. manual seat IF the original poster or anyone else has an issue with the LACK OF TILT adjustment in the 6-way manual driver's seat. If they don't have an issue, fine. But, a problem with seat tilt may not be easily discerned and might be blamed on things like "steering wheel is too far away" (No, your seatback MIGHT be reclined too much BECAUSE the bottom cushion tilt (front edge) is too high.

I have NEVER seen a non-power, less than 10 way adjustable seat in any new luxury or near luxury car, People willing to spend a lot will generally not settle for basic 6-way adjustable driver's seats.

But, some manufacturers can do a 6-way adjustable seat VERY well. Namely VW. I'd be willing to bet very few complain about their Jetta driver's seats ( they are probably patterned after Recaro bucket seats). See any VW GTI for excellent driver's seats if you can deal with the aggresive bottom bolsters.

 

If your dealer didn't have the trim and color you want, they'd probably check what's coming in. Are you planning to pick out two or three dealers to compete for your business, if you have them nearby? Don't let them know you're going to buy from them no matter what.

Sometimes they do dealer transfers. I wouldn't sign ANYTHING before seeing a car in person first.

 

About seats, leather / leatherette / Softex seats are EASIER TO CLEAN than cloth seats. I don't at all get the notion of wiping cloth seats or spraying that nasty upholstery cleaner at auto parts stores to clean fabric seats. Do people wipe their clothes to get them clean? Can you put car seats in a washing machine?

I'm sure there's many people with White prius' who keep them looking immaculate. Some (many) don't know, care or have the time to keep their new car looking great.

Proper washing, waxing and yes, claying well before waxing helps. You know about particles that fall from anywhere and bond to the paint? And don't come off from washing? After washing take a plastic sandwich bag on your hand, feel for tiny bumps on paint, that's bonded crap. Claying is a very safe way to remove those before waxing. Some people, here on this forum get all scared about claying, Whatever, I've clayed many times. If I'm going to wax the car (which is at most twice a year) it gets clayed first. It's all time consuming though.

Polishing, I don't do. I don't think my car needs it.

Some people have 3M clear bra on front end. I don't bother for local commuting, but yes, front ends do get some small chips. I don't think it affects resale as most expect that from any used car.
If I wen't on a long road trip, I'd probably put a whole bra on front end just for the trip. Can be rough out there on unknown roads.

Practice keeping a safe distance on freeway (about 3 or 4 seconds) from cars ahead to avoid collisions and rock hits on your windshield.

I HAVE FOUND that large pickup trucks (with rear wheel drive) can be the worst for throwing a small rock into your windwhield. You don't want that, it sucks. I think front wheel drive cars in front are less likely to throw rocks into your car or windshield. I think.

 

Well, good points, but realistically I think you may be speaking to those who have back issues, spend many hours/miles driving, or need to have a seat that offers the closest to perfect spot. After reading your post on how you "fixed" your seat I get the impression that nothing short of a calibrated customized fit would suffice. I'm no car expert, but I doubt you would find many cars, outside of high enders like Bentley, etc. that can provide a perfect fit for every body. Unfortunately some of us are going to suffer.

 

ShinyToys...if you don't like the manual seats now, you will hate them later as many here do. Upgrade your option pkg wish list to power seats with lumbar support if you like them better.

 

I bought a 2013 model II brand new. 8,500 miles on it so far.
The seat can get a little uncomfortable on long drives (1-2 hours or more), but it doesn't really bother me that much. I'm 31 years old so I don't have a bad back or anything like that. It would be nice to have the upgraded Softex seats.
I wish I had the HUD, as I am constantly glancing at the energy monitor when driving. But it seems a little pricey.
The standard audio system is great. I would skip the navigation system and just use Waze on your phone.
I have a black exterior. Dark gray would probably hide dirt and scratches better. But I love black, I wash it every few weeks.
I think you'll like your Prius. It is practical, reliable, and fun to drive in my opinion. I enjoy the challenge of seeing how high I can push the MPG on each trip. Sometimes I can get 60-70 MPG which is awesome.

 

I can be uncomfortable in 10 seconds in ANY car where the seat bottom tilt is way off.
Also, long legs on short seat bottom cushions are a recipe for discomfort. My legs are longer than probably 95% + of the population, so most people will be fine with a 19" long seat bottom cushion found in Prius liftback, Camry, Corolla, etc.,,

Generally speaking, tall people in small cars can cause them problems. Auto sales people will recommend larger vehicles like an SUV or truck for bigger, taller people.

I've sat in BMW 3 series, a pretty small car, but with optional Sport seats with great adjustment, even extendable seat cushions and they are VERY comfortable.

 

some have rented a prius for a week of long drives to be sure about the seating. i have talked to people who drive across country with no problem, and others who have traded in their prius because of the back pain it was causing. i can only tell you that our camry seating is much better than prius, imo, and leather is firmer than cloth. all the best!

 

To ShinyToys,

I ended up purchasing, then being uncomfortable because i did not evaluate the car / seat properly before purchase.

What I do to evaluate comfort these days is nothing magic. I am 6'2" tall, so I always start by lowering the seat fully down. I adjust the seatback pretty upright, and importantly, I put both hands up on the steering wheel as if I was driving down a windy backroad needing lots of concentration. I DO NOT recline the seatback a little extra and put one hand down low on the steering wheel, assuming I an drive the car that way, I ask 'would I want to drive in this seat on a looonng trip like from SF Bay area to LA, or not?'

I personally do not like the Corolla, Prius or Camry driver's seats all that much whether power or manual adjust. I find the bottom bolsters a bit bulky and intruding and somehow the seat bottoms just don't feel so great to me.

You can rent a Prius for a day or two or three.

FWIW, I find the current Honda Accord (2013 or later model year, 2012 or earlier not so much) sedan driver's seat nice: Seat bottom is wide, flat and supportive, tilt range is good for me (goes from too little to too much and therefore can get right spot), seatback great, headrest great. I also find the current Civic seat better than any trim of Corolla. This is not because I have the hots to get a Honda, that's just what I've found.

I wouldn't let a headrest that may jut a little bit too much into back of head be a deal breaker. headrest is a seperate piece from the seat and I'm quite sure could be purchased seperately. You could have an upholsterer hollow out the headrest worst case to work better. I don't think that would be such a big pain.

Don't worry about having your car serviced at a dealer other than where you purchased. Any Toyota service department wants your business. I honestly don't think they care where the car was purchased. The sales department, that's a different story.

 

sometimes,a dealer will let you take one for a day or two. especially if you can find one with a bunch on the lot not selling.

 

It is true that the seats can be a problem. I'm 6' 3". I owned an '06 and '09 both with leather seats. They were not the most comfortable on longer trips for sure, . I waited for two options before upgrading, power adjusting drivers seat AND telescopic steering wheel. In my opinion both were necessary for a better fit. I got them in the 2013 prius four model although I will say the steering should come out further also the seats need to have a deeper seating area or at least a power option that adjusts out (like BMW). Hopefully they get it ironed out in later models. The seat allows me to drop down so I'm not so upright and I don't have the roof line blocking my sight line. The heating seat option is a plus also as I use it instead of the heater most mornings. I got the sunroof package also and am happy with that decision. It gives the cabin a more open feeling, not so closed in and I just enjoy seeing the sky from my seat. All in all I'm happy with the purchase and feel it was a good decision.

 

$90? That seems ridiculous. It's practically an economy car. You can rent a $40k Avalon for less than $40/day in my area.

 

What pushed me to the Three over the Two was the availability of the moonroof. I really want that. The SofTex is nice, and the power seat as well. Do you constantly drive for long periods of time? If not, would you reconsider how happy you are with yours if you had to drive long distances every day?[/QUOTE]

I take long drives maybe a couple times a month. If I had to drive long distances every day, I think I would put up with it because I am getting the best gas mileage and hybrid technology. It's just slightly uncomfortable, not terrible.
If I had a bigger budget, I would definitely have loved to get the moonroof. ( :