Dissatisfied owner....

really? go get a floor jack and try to jack up the prius... check out the "jacking points" supplied... the metal is so thin and weak the car almost folds on itself. This is NOT from weight savings... it's from cheap materials.

 

I don't want to do that.

 

with comments like this, how could you possibly expect anyone to take you seriously?

 

Auto manufacturers are using high strength steel instead of mild steel to save weight by reducing thickness but maintaining the same physical strength.
The repair manual specifies that special welding procedures must be used to prevent weakening the steel during repair of structural members.

Just don't be fooled by its look.

 

afraid of the truth I C

 

I have jacked up my Prius many times... to change oil or to swap the rims many times. I've even been in the car while being jacked up. Your statement is absolutely wrong from my experience.

 

your lack of honesty with regards to this important issue is a diservice to this community

disappointed

 

fish_anthlers,

What kind of Jack do you use? Please take a picture of what you are talking about. We obviously have a huge disconnect.

 

I'm talking about the interior materials.

Yes the chassis materials are light...they're supposed to be light to save weight.

I've also jacked up our Prius, and to be honest I don't remember whether I found it cheap or not...which means I probably didn't.

 

YOU have no idea of what you're talking about. I too have used the jack points several times with no deformation whatsoever.

But why am I feeding a troll?

 

come on already... take a std hydraulic jack and lift up the car from the only points possible, then look at the rest of the car and the construction and materials used.

this is not rocket science

 

Wrong. The thin cheap material is a fin that that slips into a slot on the jack. The jack presses against the chassis along side the thin cheap fin material.

If you are using a hydraulic floor jack, do not use the designed jack points, they are designed only for the supplied jack. I place the cup of my floor jack about a foot 1/2 past the jack point, a little forward of the rear of the front door. I then am able to lift the entire side of the car and rotate both tires. I have done this 27 times with absolutely no deformation, damage or anything.

 

you still COMPLETELY miss the point...

I'm giving up.

 

So disagreeing with you is missing the point?

What IS your point?

 

Thank you!

Tom

 

nope.. ypu simply don't get it... along with everyone else who blindly believes this car is god's gift.. so i'm tired of trying to interview out the obvious... wonder what my point is - read my posts, already typed out for you - and it's not opinion - it's fact.

 

I assume then, that fish antlers can perform a visual finite element analysis. That is a very cool (and highly marketable) gift. You should notify the Toyota engineers that their analysis is faulty. I'm sure they would be eager to compare notes with you.

Mike

 

I think Fish Antlers didn't get his hug this morning :grouphug:

 

really? toyota engineers don't know they use crap materials and overcharge for their product? I bet they are well aware of this and their profit margin reflects this!!!

 

The only facts that I have seen, fish antlers, regarding jacking up the car come from those who say they HAVE used a floor jack to jack up their car with no ill effects. Granted one or two have said they don't use the jack points as per the manual. On that subject, I would like to point out that I used the jack points as advised by FORD on a non "econobox" vehicle, in fact it was a luxury FORD vehicle. Using the jack point as advised by FORD's own manual and on a flat, level surface resulted in the collapse of the material around the jack point and the total ruin of the jack because the vehicle fell when the material collapsed. That was in 2001 and was the last time I used the jack points as advised. I will use the most stable portion of the vehicle that I find, but will use the jack points as a reference.

MY point is that sometimes the jack points advised by the manufacturer is not the best place to put the jack that you are using unless you're using the jack supplied with the vehicle, and even then maybe not. MY point is that sometimes you have to use judgement. What is YOUR point regarding the jack points? It seems to be that the material is too weak to support a hydraulic floor jack if using the jack points. If that is your point, then there are several posts her that contradict your point. If that's not your point, then clearly state your point. Forget about being rude. You're just being coy and playing around here like a 16 year old girl who wants to get her boyfriend to take her to an expensive place to eat by letting him think he might get somewhere. I don't think you're afraid of being rude. I think you just want to stir the pot and argue about nothing.

So, state your point. Clearly and simply. I believe the Prius is made of the same sort of cheap materials that every other vehicle is being made with. Fiberglass and aluminum. I think there is less weight on the Prius to aid in the greater fuel economy. I think you will find the same cheap materials on a Mustang, Malibu, Explorer, and any other "American made" vehicle as you will find on the Prius. You'll just find more of it because they aren't concerned with the weight. I also think the Prius has some materials on it that you won't find. Toyota used some aluminum alloys that are lighter and just as strong as the standard steel alloys used in other vehicles.

In short, I think the Prius is comparable to any other vehicle in it's price range. I did the research on it and on the other vehicles. My point is that the Prius is NOT an econobox and is NOT made of cheap, ie. substandard, materials. Your point has been to argue through supposition, vagueness, and "hints". Prove me wrong.