PIP reliability concerns over regular Prius

Reliability:
Asked and answered.

"....and it's priced fairly well"
At a dealership???
Yeah.
Right.
Make them give you detailed service records (they're on line), and have someone in this forum look at what has been done in the past.
Sometimes you can detect some interesting non-scheduled activity that indicates a latent problem or abuse.
If they try to up-sell you on a certified pre-owned program see if it's the "real" factory CPO plan or some fly-by-night "coverage" that only certifies that the car is pre-owned.
Besides.....with your commutes you're going to pop positive for "high mileage car" before you're likely to net any benefit from even a real CPO program.

Remember.
A pip is just a regular Prius with a larger battery and a smaller gas tank, so almost all of the "I'm buying a used Prius" threads will apply.
Read through 100 of them and look for commonalities.....
(EGR loop, oil, CVT maintenance, etc....)

If I had to become a 120 mile a day commuter, a pip would be on MY short list.....but then I always do my own maintenance and I check my oil level religiously about every other fill up.

Good Luck!
Let us know what you decide!

 

Thank you! I am surprised that the early on doesn’t do much for cooling the car faster. I have the same method of rolling down windows air off recirculated etc.

 

@MSantos used to preach: start with the AC temp set really high, high enough that the fan doesn't race. Then as the cabin starts to cool, lower the temp, again, just enough that the fan doesn't race. Aim to stabilize around maybe 74~75F.

 

Why does he preach this method? The fan running cause what? I’m in SoCal (inland empire) and summers are brutal. We don’t have Florida humidity but it’s hot!!! Forecast is 103* today

 

anyone with experience with EV Gear Charger for faster charging time?

 

I was surprised, too. And rather disappointed.

I suppose it would work if I was willing to go out to the car when it was all charged up, but 20 minutes before leaving, and close the windows, make sure the A/C is set to max cool, and then run the thing twice, and then hope I didn't have to wait for it to replace any charge level it may have lost while running the A/C and get the car all hot again.

For me, the old school, common sense way is just a lot easier. Others in different climates may have different experience. I like the concept, but for me it doesn't work out in real life. I gather that it's much better in the Prime.

 

prime stays on for 10 mins and had a bigger battery so you can afford to lose a few miles i would think. man jumping to a prime is getting more and more tempting. especially when 2012 is going to cost 16K with 80k miles

 

couldn't agree more, except for the lost hatch space and 4 seats.

would love the 25 miles and heat pump.

 

DITTO!

 

So the pip doesn't ha e a spare tire? That's risky for me!

 

It doesn't come with one. Mine has one, though. It's not pretty, but it has one.

 

I have 170k on my 2012. No issues at all!

 

Not having a spare should be a non-issue. I found a donut spare on eBay and keep it in the back. I did a 7500 mi X-country road trip (including across SD, WY, ID where the fuel stations may be 50 miles away) in my '13 PiP---it made me feel much better knowing I had the "spare" with me. (Averaged 50 MPG on that trip with 4 people, luggage,speeds up to 85 MPH, climbing the Rockies and Sierra!)

When I bought my PiP it was less expensive than an equivalent regular Prius, despite the PiP having better options included. It was a "no brainer" to get that. They were cheap a couple of years ago and were easy to find. Now they have become HARD to find and the value (KBB) is still almost what I paid. Have to take everything into consideration.

 

all the best in your search!

 

Wow, that's a lot more than I would have thought. At least they hold their value as opposed to a lol Dodge Dart or a Chrysler 200 lol

As for the donut spare. Has anyone bought a full-size spare for the PIP/Prime? @Wolfie52 You wouldn't happen to have a link to the one you got? I do think I would too rather have a donut.

While I have not had a blow out (knock on wood), a tire pump is completely useless should one happen. Doesn't tire sealant ruin the TPMS sensor anyway?

 

There's a guy nearby who specialized in hybrids and BEVs. I bought four Prii from him so far. When I asked about buying one of the used full size wheels and tires he has laying around, he picked out his best looking one and gave it to me. I keep it strapped in the back. When we go on long trips, I take it out and strap in my wife's donut spare to save room and space. They are Gen 2 spares, but would work well enough in a pinch.

 

I just went on eBay and watched until one came up that I was willing to pay. I paid $80 for a brand new donut. I'm sure others have found them cheaper, but I had a road trip and needed one for piece of mind. Of course, I didn't need it, which is just fine with me.

 

All you need is a wheel with the same bolt pattern, you could get one from a scrap yard or whatever. I got a steel wheel from an old Avensis - OK, that's not a model sold in the US, but I'm sure Corollas and other Toyotas use the same bolt pattern.

 

I also kept my Gen 2 spare for my PiP when I sold it to my mechanic for parts. It generally stays in the garage except for road trips where I throw it in the back, sacrificing a bit of trunk space, but not usually a concern. Thankfully have never had to actually use it, last time I had to use a spare was about 15 years ago, and I happened to notice the puncture before leaving home. The importance of a spares really is overrated, IMO. But I am not trying to restart that debate, I digress... lol.