anyone else decided to buy prius II?

I am in the 2 with zero options. Maybe the paint protector for rocks. If it is anything like my Accord that long low hood was a rock magnet. Aftermarket mats is the way to go. Just grab it before the dollar keeps tanking in value and they are forced to try and raise the price especially with gas prices going back up because of the debasing of the value of the dollar.

 

The camera is a nic option but Pep Boys sells a couple dirt cheap with a wider field of range and you don't have to buy a nav to get it.

 

I'm getting the Prius II because that's all I can afford. It has all the basics (from rumors about Prius I, it seems like a huge upgrade from that), and the basic hybrid engine is the same. The only prob I have is that the best my dealer can get for me has port-installed bluetooth, which I really don't need for that price ($299). Still better than +$1000 on the Prius III...

My labmate suggested that I really should get solar panels since I'm doing solar cell research, but alas, the grad student salary is much too low for such luxuries. That would be at least +$4000 from the Prius II...

 

yes the 2005 and on models of pri II are much better than the first Gen. The first Gen isn't bad at all, but compared with Gen II it's a huge stepping stone.

The Gen II prices are coming way down on autotrader. It's a shame dealers here are pimping 2007(yr) prices for for them though...your mileage will vary depending on location of course.

 

Best of luck on your research. I'm hoping my next Prius will be entirely solar-powered!

 

I use bluetooth and hands free in my current car through my Garmin 660. I have the sound going through the stereo system through the aux. Sound is crystal clear even at highway speeds. So that's another $1K I won't need to spend to get the same function in the Prius.

 

I think the Package III is a good deal unless you plan to not use a cell phone while driving.
By the time you pay $300 for the port installed bluetooth, it's only $700 difference.
For $700 more you get better integrated bluetooth with steering wheel controls and caller ID on the radio screen, a much better sounding stereo system and XM radio.
If you buy a Prius II and get dealer installed bluetooth and XM, the cost makes it make no sense and you still have the low fidielity radio.

You can use bluetooth through a GPS, but it isn't as convenient. I use bluetooth through a GPS now and I would prefer to have it built into the car so I would only need to pull the GPS out when I needed directions from the GPS (rarely) instead of having to pull it out every time I drive the car.

 

We are very happy with the II package. But, we don't have/use any bluetooth and being retired, we do have to watch our pennies. Of course I could dig playing with any of the technology but I figure since the basic running gear is the same on all models our II is just as good as any. We were planning on a III for the up-graded sound system but when that got sold out from under us we went in search, that same weekend, for a Prius within about a 100 mile radius and found our current car. If available I would have paid for the pwr lumbar seat but that's not an option at this level. The cars are kinda flying off the lots at this point so we were happy to find one that we really liked, and had we not bought it, there was literally a customer right behind us who would have.

 

I bought the 2010 Prius II and I think it has more than enough toys for my use. Sadly I have to sell it, but it's a great car. I never use bluetooth so that's a waste and the stock radio is ok for the amount I use it.
If you want more toys go for the IV or V models.

 

A IV is just a III with leather seats. Any extra "toys" beyond the JBL,Bluetooth,XM you get in the III are additional options.

 

Right, but you can't get those options in the II and III models. You have the ablity to order them in the IV and V models.
I think the II should be able to get a few options as well like 3 door SKS at least and maybe the LED headlights and the Sunroof as well as the water repellant windows.
Oh well....

 

Your decision to get a Prius II is a smart one for economic reasons. You get all the necessities without any of the fluff. The convenience of bluetooth and Navigation is available for much less cost with after market products that works equal or better than Toyota's stock units.

The other expense you have to factor in is if your car has the higher tech options, you will also have to pay more to insure and to maintain it. They only come with a 3 year warranty, so if your onboard NAV breaks on year 4, you will have to spend a few hundred or a thousand dollars to replace it. I don't even want to think how much it will cost to replace the Advanced Technology package if it needs repair. I almost went for the Prius V with ATP, but I have a friend who told me if you need a car to keep you straight in lane or to park for you, you shouldn't be allowed on the road.

There is another thread on this forum with people worrying about destroying their onboard NAV LCD if they use Windex to clean it. So more tech means more things you can break and more expense to replace and repair. With a portable GPS unit, you can replace it yourself for $100 without any cost on labor or reinstallation. As for resale value, if you spend $5000 on extra options, you will never be able to get $5000 more on a resale price higher than the base model that is sold in the same market. So that is a guaranteed depreciation right there.

I personally decided to get a Prius II because I value my freedom to pick and choose my own radios, GPS, and bluetooth equipment. The Toyota GPS was just too sluggish for me, and I have used cheap $60 GPS that works better and responded faster, with easier upgrade paths for new maps each year.

The moonroof is nice and can be considered fun for some people, but it is hard to tell yourself you spend $3000 for somebody to put a hole on top of your car. As for the solar panel, if your car gets really hot, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to do something you can just as easily accomplished by rolling down your windows and wait 1 minute before driving. It is the more economically and environmentally friendly way to cool a car. Or do what everybody else with common sense has been doing for decades, crack your windows open while it is parked.

For people who find enjoyment on buying the higher end package, that's great for them too. But in the end, a car is supposed to just take you safely from point A to point B, and any of the Prius level packages can accomplish that. How much more convenience or distractions you want to travel with, and how much you can afford is all subjective matter.

So you can feel confident to buy a Prius II without worrying that you made some crucial sacrifice for not spending more money. And whatever thousands of dollars you are saving by not paying for higher options, I am sure you do not need anybody to tell you how to enjoy that money on other things in life.

 

I half way agree, but I think the III is the minimum for anyone who wants bluetooth regularly. Having the better stereo plus integrated bluetooth is much nicer. Replacing the base stereo and adding bluetooth isn't much cheaper.
$1800 nav isn't worth it for most people unless they are going to be using it daily and they find it a major hassle to keep mounting the portable.

If you don't plan on using bluetooth and don't listen to much music (just news and talk etc), then a II might be better.

 

It was easy for me to decide on the Prius II. I park in the garage at home and in a covered garage at work and at the Cherry Creek Mall in Denver, so I don't need the expensive moon roof to keep the car cool. Most of the time I'm driving to familiar places, and if I'm not I can get where I need to go with a Google Map (which costs a few cents for paper and ink). So I don't need the Nav. Most of the time I listen to NPR news, so I don't need the upgraded stereo. I reserved a metallic silver II that happened to already be ordered with the add-on Bluetooth, which is good enough for my occasional use. I haven't yet seen the cloth seats. If I like them, great. If not, I'll go for after-market leather seats which look amazing and match perfectly for way less money than a Prius IV. The Prius II is perfect for me!

 

Getting aftermarket leather seats is safety hazard and warranty issue with the side airbags.
Unless you always have someone with you to read your paper maps and help you navigate with them, using Google Maps is dangerous while driving. It's pretty difficult to change your plans or take a detour if you are relying on a printout of a fixed route.
You can always get a low-end portable nav for $99 to save money.

 

Are the side or curtain airbags in the seat? I thought they would be in the pillar or roof over the door? Thanks for heads up on any warranty or safety issues!

 

Does anyone besides me think that wearing that Bluetooth earpiece makes you look like a human being who has been absorbed into the Borg from Star Trek?

 

There are side airbags in the front seats and side curtain airbags in the body of the car. They are two different sets of airbags.
The aftermaket leather covers are "supposed to" still work with the seat airbags, but there is no one backing it up or giving a gaurantee.
Toyota isn't going to responsible for safety or warranty problems caused by aftermarket leather seat covers.

 

I've been through this entire matter firsthand trying to resolve my seat problems. According to the guy who does custom interiors they use a special thread to restitch the seats. This isn't something the average place has. I don't know how you'd verify that they used breakaway thread but if the airbag can't break through the stitching it could be a big problem in an accident.
Airbags are great but if they don't deply because of a modification your insurance might not cover you. As your insurance co. I did and mine pretty much told me that it could end up with them voiding a claim if a modification was done to safety equipment in the car.
So ask your ins co. before you do anything.
Toyotas main office is very clear about any modifications to safety equipment. It's a big NoNo.

 

Amen....

Barcelona Red II due to dealer this week....can't wait....