Hello all, Will be traveling to NJ next week to pick up new 2017 Prius prime from dealership. I am new to hybrids/plugin cars, any tips on what to watch out for? I guess I have to make sure to take the electric charging cable. Anything else I need to look for? Thanks in advance. I am hoping that the drive back to TX will be fun.Excited to join the Prius family
Congrats, welcome and great choice. I'd make sure all the bells and whistles work; charge scheduler, Safety Connect (if u have it), and all the other systems and switches. On a long trip from NJ to TX, running the tire pressure up to 42 front/40 rear is a technique many hyper-milers use to squeeze more mpg out. It's a stiffer ride, but it helps. Perhaps overlooked, go have a conversastion with service manager at your home dealer and make sure they have a master tech who is able to repair and work on the Prime; not all Toyota dealer service depts are created equal. You may have to find another dealer who has a good shop.
Congratulations on your purchase! It shouldn't be an issue with a new car, but be sure to get two key fobs before leaving the dealership, and make sure they both work.
Call ahead and make sure they have the car with a full charge ready for you. (There are a couple threads on this topic somewhere here.)
Charge cable....check Ask the salesman to make sure the traction battery is charged,as mentioned.....check As mentioned, air pressure @40....check Watch the financial guy, he makes money on any extras you buy, service or warrantee....check Before driving at night, familiarize yourself with the location of the lights, where the door handle is,etc...check
You can ask them to turn off the backup warning beeping. It will still beep when you first put it in reverse but that's much better than the default which is constant beeping the entire time that you are backing up, which most people find to be annoying and distracting. You could have it done later when you get home but your local dealer might charge you to change the setting unless you were in foir some other service. If you want to experience what the default is just be sure to backup during the test drive and I think you will probably decide to ask them to turn it off
And also the seatbelt warning beeps. I had Toyota turn off both the backup warning and the seatbelt audio warning a few free service checks ago.
yeah, when I bought my 2014, they told me they couldn't turn off the beep at the point of sale, but could do it at the 5K service.
1--Review your contract. Know what you bought, and look to be sure you got it. 2--Do your own inspection. As noted above, check the tire inflation pressure or watch them do it in front of you. The recommended inflation pressure is on the sticker on the driver's door jam. Trust only your own eyes. You get what in inspect, not what you expect. Check the fluid levels in the two cooling systems and the windshield wash tank. Be sure you got the massive owner's manual package. 3--Understand that there is no spare tire. Find the jack and the air compressor with the jar of sealant. In case of a flat (or anything else) the ToyotaCare plan will get you towed to the nearest dealership, or your own insurance tow coverage (if you bought it) will tow you to any nearby repair facility--maybe a necessity on nights & weekends when dealership service is closed. 4--Do a drive-around before you sign the papers for delivery. It should be no problem for the salesman. Check that everything is what you expect and adjusted to fit you. 5--What paperwork do you need for the long drive in the new car? What temporary license is needed? Phone your insurance agent before you drive off and give them the make, model, and VIN. Carry insurance papers from your previous car so you have something to show Officer Friendly.
if your car has locking lug nuts make sure you get the original lug nuts. I hate the damn things. No one is going to steal your damn tires unless you happen to live in Detroit, and even then the rims and tires on a prius are high end. For me, locking lug nuts are just one thing to lose and if you happen to lose one you're pretty darn screwed (unless you also happen to have kept the id from the bag, and then you can reorder a replacement from the manufacturer... but you can't get your tire off until you do). If you ever lose one you have to cut the old one off (or cut a slot into it and hope you can work it out). Not an easy thing to do, and likely to damage the bearing assembly while trying to remove it.
There may not be "original nuts", ie: 4 extra regular nuts. But extra nuts are readily available on Amazon, look and function identical. I got these: Gorilla Automotive 73137TB Chrome Toyota Mag Style Lug Nut-Bag of 4 (12mm X 1.50 Thread Size) Yes. Yes. Yes, stock pressure will do for now. PT Guy makes a lot of other good points too. All the others, turning off various warning beeps, having it fully charged: meh. The beeps are specific pet peeves, and not something to hassle and out-of-state dealership over. Personally I like the reverse beep, and definitely would NOT want seat belt warning turned off. Ditto for the full charge: that will not make much of a dent in the drive to Texas, lol. Just get the car in good working order, look it over carefully for scratches/dings, and be on your way.
Check the paint on the very edge tips of the front bumper where they meet the body under the headlight near the front wheel well. There's a thread on this in the maintenance section - it looks like it tends to peel (I had to have mine repainted). I've seen quite a few new Primes with peeling paint. Paint Peeling on New Car (<2 month old) | PriusChat
Toyota has a 2 page new delivery inspection sheet. Ask for it. All the other suggestions are good too. Pair your phone before departing, set home on Nav, tire pressure may still be at 50psi from the roll off ship, mine were, and very important check oil level for a long trip home. Mine was low. Be happy Toyota in Japan has 6 sigma quality, wish the stealerships here in the US were.
Not sure why out-of-state would make a difference. This is the dealer who's making the profit on the sale, not your local dealer. Unless you are feeling sorry for them because of the great deal that you are getting!