2 main pre-purchase decisions to make...

Welcome! Just to note, the GenIII has even more rear room than the II. Get white.

 

Welcome to PC.

1) The NAV includes the rear view backup camera, the Hands Free bluetooth phone interface, voice commands and the SAT radio, along with the GPS system. It is worth it to me to get the integrated system and not having to mount external systems. Others on here will disagree.

2) My college school colors are red and white. If I had seen the Barcelona Red before the Winter Gray, I would probably have gone for the Red. One of the few red colors that I have seen that I really liked.

Good luck

 

Blizzard be de color for me! Whatever the NAV shortcomings, as mentioned the Bluetooth etc is GREAT. very nice integrated feel, not a problem for me.

Gen III a great car all the way around, no excuses.

Good luck

Chris

 

Welcome aboard!!! :welcome:

I drove a GTI this weekend. Great car....and I like it in red. The build quality and 'fun to drive' factors are probably an order of magnitude better than the Prius. However (comma) three people I know that drive (or drove) them were hit with four-figure mechanical failures....so I have to give the Prius a greater reliability rating. Add to this the fact that the Prius is some 20% more fuel efficient, and diesel fuel is 10% more expensive.
Your call.

Before you pull the trigger on a G3, I'd drive one. Hertz rents them, along with some others. The Prius is a really great car, but there are some...shall we say...uh (*) items in the Prius driving experience that should be explored fully before you sign a purchase order.
A 10-minute test drive ain't gonna cut it....particularly if you were looking at a German car to begin with.
Again.....your call.

Some things to consider before you sign the purchase order:
1. Get them to disable that stoopid reverse beeep-beeeeep-beeeeep annunciator.
2. Make them throw in a third key fob.
3. Don't buy the extended warranty at the dealer---you can get the same coverage later, and much more cheaply through other folks, including (I'm told) people who frequent this forum.
4. Gap coverage: See item #3. Personally, I believe that if you 'need' gap coverage, you have no business buying a new car.....but that's your business. Again, you can get it cheaper through your auto insurance company, credit union, etc...
5. The 15" rims on the G3 have $25 plastic covers over alloy rims. While you're haggling over the car and getting them to throw in a third key fob-----get them to throw in four (4) metal center caps for the rims. While your looking at your perspective new car, reach down and yank off one of the $25 plastic covers. You'll see what everybody is talking about.
Good Luck!
Let us know what you decide!!!

 

As far as paint, I think it will hold up fine. From another thread I was reading (about waxing) cars have clearcoats on them, and this retards paint fading. I was convinced I wanted Blizzard Pearl, but when I saw it in daylight, it wasn't wowing me as much as I thought. I like the Barcelona Red and the Blue Ribbon Metallic. I got the red. It is a Beautiful color! If I did it all over again, I'd get the red.

The Nav is worth it. Backup camera is a big help, as you will want as much rear visibility as you can get when backing up. Also, the integrated Bluetooth is very very convenient. I haven't used the NAV too much, but it hasn't done me wrong yet.

I liked the feel of the leather wrapped steering wheel and thought the durability of the seats and armrest would be better with the IV (leather over cloth). The IV also has lumbar support, heated seats and 3 door SKS (Opening the passenger front door unlocks all the doors......you get to be a gentleman AND get to unlock all the doors at once.

 

Modern paints, even in red, are much more robust than they were many years ago, so I think you have little to worry about. Although Barcelona red has only been out since 2006, I trust that Toyota's R&D did plenty of accelerated stress-tests on the material.

If you take care of your paint, wash and wax it regularly, it will last a lot longer too.

 

Good advice from ETC(SS) and others--especially to rent one, drive it extensively for a day, and over roads you are familiar with (the requisite test-drive with the salesdroid interrupting you constantly to point out all the features and how swell they are is worse than useless). *Especially* pay attention to the seat and your overall comfort and ergonomics--this is what bumped me from a II or III to a IV, and I'm very glad I spent the extra $ (non-nav, no sunroof--though I do wish they'd offer a conventional sunroof for conventional prices).

AFA paint goes, I've heard people mention that Toyota paint seems more prone to chipping than some others, but I'm not aware of specific issues related to colors. I own a black one, and honestly I've been surprised how nice the white looks. Few reds out there (around here anyway), but they look nice, too. As does the blue. The only one I personally don't care for all that much is the sandy beach metallic, but that's just me, and I haven't seen many up close and personal.

btw I'm with you on VWs--they are *great* cars to drive. But, my experience and that of others I know is that they are very frustrating cars to *own*. Always some niggling little (often electrical) problem, hard to diagnose, and the big-time mechanical failures are all too common. OTOH, for the last few years, CR has given them high marks--I keep hoping they've turned the corner. Time will tell, I guess. And yes, the Prius has much more back seat and cargo room than a Golf/GTi. If you want a comparable VW, check out the Jetta Sportwagen TDi.

Welcome to PC, good luck, and let us know how it pans out!
~T

 

Forget the moonroof, it's just another way of leaking water into the car.It also lowers the headroom. If it's protection from outside heat then the AC does a much better job.

The navigator is in itself nice, but it bundles a nice bluetooth handsfree and a reverse camera. Some may find this useful.

As for paint color, yes i usually want paint, but i don't care what color.

 

I thought I was too. I had a Barcelona Red RAV4 that I liked, and was going to get a Barcelona Red Prius as well. Until my daughter told me it looked like a girl's car (not that I agree with that) and that it would be even more obvious that it was a Prius. I thought about that.

First ... the red DOES look better on an SUV.

Second ... I didn't buy the Prius to be green .... I bought it to save big money on fuel (which I'm doing), and would really prefer that people not immediately know what it is. I ended up going with Winter Gray, a much more subdued color, and very rich looking. It looks just like any other small car on the road and doesn't scream PRIUS !!!! Which I'm not really that crazy about screaming LOL.

I love the Prius for what it IS .... NOT for what it supposedly stands for .... which I don't necessarily agree with. I think a big part of the reason that some hate the Prius is because it's so closely tied to the environuts ... even Toyota advertises it that way. I think they should go more mainstream with their approach to the public and get away from the hippie, whacko, green approach. They should advertise it as a futuristic, high-tech car, not some car floating through a field of daisies with butterflies flitting all around it.

I don't mean to offend anyone .... JMO.

Anybody else feel like this ??

REV

 

Yes and No.

Paint color is highly subjective. The self-appointed "auto fashion experts" will tell you that some colors look better on some vehicles. I prefer lighter colors on the exterior and darker ones for the interior---the lighter paint will make chips and scratches less obvious, and the darker interiors will hide wear and stains...etc....
So say the "experts."

An "ex" is a has-been, and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure.

If I ever graduate from "Prius driver" to "Prius owner", I will do so because it's the best car for me. I don't really care what other people think about the kind of car that I drive, and I'm not interested in cars as a political or fashion statement.

We get a lot of fog here on the coast. The Prius isn't exactly a big car, nor does it enjoy a 5* crash test rating. What would be my perfect color?

International Orange!

 

You just nailed EXACTLY the way that I feel about it as well, ETC !

REV

 

I am not sure why we need to justify to anyone..a car is a car..we all bought it for saving fuel for long commutes. Where I am in Northern CA, Prius is as common as a corolla. No one pre-judges anyone on Prius. Personally I believe hybrid /electric is the forward thinking technology..and that's why I bought it.

 

The navigation includes the bluetooth phone integration and back up camera (which is a must - I think). I like red too but husband wanted something that is more generic (blizzard pearl is what we got).

 

Agree on the insurance, but I am ok with the reverse beep. Maybe I am the only one It just helps me to be more cautious. I wish I could have them throw in another FOB. About driving it, I am almost a month into driving mine and I am getting more and more used to it and driving it like any other car, briskly as needed, and still getting my 48-50 MPG (mostly local city short driving).

 

Good luck! I think, in the end, the interior color is almost more important than the exterior color (honestly, when you are driving the car, the color you see is the interior. The only hint of the exterior color comes from the side mirrors!

Heh!

Do try a IV. See if you like the "sandpaper" feel of the steering wheel (I really didn't like it).

Happy days!

 

Welcome to Priuschat and good luck researching your options and choices. Get the Barcelona Red. It's the only logical color choice.

BTW, I have a III with no packages. I've had sunroofs on previous cars, but don't miss it on the Prius.

Happy Motoring,

Tom

 

...love the Prius for what it IS .... NOT for what it supposedly stands for .... which I don't necessarily agree with. I think a big part of the reason that some hate the Prius is because it's so closely tied to the environuts ... even Toyota advertises it that way. I think they should go more mainstream with their approach to the public and get away from the hippie, whacko, green approach. They should advertise it as a futuristic, high-tech car, not some car floating through a field of daisies with butterflies flitting all around it.


Prius appeals to a very wide range of markets. As you noted, from environuts to technology to hippie to mainstream. And with all that appeal you get a spectacular car for $20k-something. A person doesn't have to buy a high-end Lexus to enjoy some great technology, fun driving experience and a little comfort!

Happy Motoring,

Tom