Front end too low to the ground?

That would certainly explain why my highway fe is almost the same as my city fe.

 

Perhaps it's my imagination, but when I pumped up the front tires to 44 (from the dealer's 35) I felt like I scraped the bottom less often.

 

Interesting.... Someone should take a tape measure with them when they inflate their tires.... I might be more inclined to over-inflate if it gives me more clearance in addition to better gas mileage.

 

Had to remove black plastic trim on the front of 91 Honda Accord and 90 Acura Integra when I lived in AZ. Streets doubled as storm water channels. 4 foot by 30 degree slope from sidewalk to street. Also nobody parked on the street, alway up on the sidewalk to stay out of the water if and when it would rain. And now you know why I have a 92 Explorer.

 

I've scraped our 2010 several times now, in places I never scraped the 2006. So, yes, it seems to be lower. Haven't tried increasing tire pressure yet.

 

o9 September 2009, Wednesday
* I had my daughter put on Goodyear Assurance TripleTred
P 195/65/R~15 tires on her new 2010 Prius II because
of our experience with Goodyear's better
anti~hydroplaning performance. She reported that
this helped reduce the scratching of the low front~end.
I did not understand this if the Goodyear Tire was the
same dimensions as the OEM tires of the new Prius.
* Because of her experience, I am wondering whether a
P 195/70/R~15 or a P 195/75/R~15 would further
reduce the scratching of the low front~end. However,
I am concerned whether or not this would have
a minor or major affect on the handling and performance
of the 2010 Prius II.

 

My Trans am is way lower in the front than my wifes Prius.

You simply learn how to drive the car, thats all.

 

I have raced my prius at the track, autox, park on a 15 degree incline driveway. I have no scraps that I can see. Its amazing people want great gas mileage, yet they want it to be a suv

 

Our front in is low It measures 7 inches from the air dam to the ground, it is a 2010 III w/SR. A friend of mine 2010 IV w/SR measures 8.5 inches? 1.5 inches higher than mine.
Mine looks a lot better with the lower front end.

Mine has Yokohama tires his has Bridgestones

I don't know why the variation?

 

Our 1998 Camry is lower than our 2010 Prius, by about half an inch.

 

Yeah our model Ts have a lot more clearance.

I don't know how old your parents are but I am 61 and just traded an 2006 Mazda RX8 for my Prius. The front end dam was lower on the 8 than it is on the Prius. I like my Prius but I am going to miss spending a couple of weekends a month entering drifting events. A high number age does not mean you are old unless you want to be you young .

 

It use to happen when I was driving the 2007 Prius with the 15" wheels. Since I now own a 2010 Prius V with the 17" wheels, it does not happen now.

 

I guess, but I recall my Q45 being lower. It could also be the sagging springs and 15 years old shocks. At the end of the day, you just get used to it. If you think the car is too low, don't buy it?

Knock on wood, I still haven't scraped my RX-8 or my Prius. I still have parts of the Q45 bumper on my driveway

 

My wife has an '05 Prius. We can't even make it up the driveway to her parents' house without, what it seems, the exhaust pipe scraping. This also happens with her mom's 2000 Camry. When I owned an Accord and Lexus IS, both cars made it up the same driveway with no issues of belly scraping...
I'm not even going to try with my '10 Prius. I've already the scraped the bottom of the front end on two other driveways, one of which I never even thought twice about with my previous cars. Toyotas just seem to make low cars in general... either that or parts just hang lower...

 

No, I was measuring in the front, at the bottom of the "ram", for curb clearance. Could very well be saggy suspension, since the Camry is 11 years old.

For info, the official ground clearance numbers are: 1998 Camry -- 5.1", 2010 Prius -- 5.5".

 

The low stature, and my occasional "need" for a large back storage area and AWD are probably why I always will have a CRV too. Having another option, I don't even try to take the P certain places . When the current CRV comes off the 3 year lease next year, I am not going to buy it, but I am going to pick up a two year old lower end model without the leather seats (and sunroof which I don't use). In the past I have not bought used cars but since I have never owned a more reliable lower maint car (tires never seem to need air), and the knowledge I have picked up on this site about aftermarket leather (having checked around for the P), seems like a good way to go. If the CRV mileage had been higher (should be better for 4 cyl), never would have even test drove the P (is more fun to drive).

 

Could someone actually measure a Prius V from lowest part of front dam to the ground? This is probably at the back of it. Include front tire pressure, please. Still waiting for mine, and I may need additional training. Also, is there an issue with the rear when backing into a parking space?

On my 2001 Audi A4, that measurement is 6.75". The front cowl has to be removed for working on some of the engine, and is held in place by clips. Its upper part is painted, and goes up under the radiator opening and the headlights. Below that is a black plastic part similarly attached. Both wrap around to the front wheel wells.

When I got the car, I took the whole thing off (both parts) backing from parking bumpers until I figured out where the front end was. This wore out the clips, and my mechanic bolted the painted part on. Once after that, the top part stayed but the bottom plastic part came off. So I am reasonably well trained now to stay back from parking bumpers, or to back in to the space (no problems there).

Thanks for your help!