Hi! I signed my paper this morning for a new 2011 Blue Prius II. I didn't do much research on the car (as normally I a data freak) but I did contact 66 dealers in Northern CA to get a good deal. My car is 10 years old with 164,000 on it and I figured at 16 MPG I should just pull the trigger. SO..... I paid MSRP, it didn't seem like I had a choice before the inventory dried up. Here are my questions: 1- I drive my cars to the end. I plan on keeping this one for 10 years. Do I get the 8 year extended warranty for an extra $2,300+? 2- I must have/need a roof rack 'and' a hatchback mounted bike rack. What are my options, or where can I find the best options to research? 3- Now the fun begins, where do I start reading to find the best way to get the best mileage with our city's hills. Thanks ALL in advance!!!!
1 Wait on the extended warranty (if at all). 3 Lots here. Search is available at the top of the page. Or just browse.
thanks. what's the rational on waiting? how long do you wait. do i consider it after the 2 years/25,000 maintantence warranty runs out? i guess i'm wondering, at what point do things start to fall apart? thanks again!
Take a look in the Gen II forum, 160-200k is not uncommon. I have 40k on my 2010. Roof rack and bike rack will hurt your econ so I wouldn't be too concerned about trying hard...just drive conservative, glide when you can and don't stoplight race and you will be in the high 40s sans racks and probably mid 40s with.
It's my understanding you have until the 3yr/36k factory warranty expires to buy an extended warranty. Also, A member here on PriusChat offers the same extended coverage for less than the dealer. I'm expecting my Prius to last the same as any other vehicle. They last as well as you treat them.
o congrats! yeah dont buy the extended warranty from the dealership...you get a special deal from a guy on here named Troy which offers the 7 year 100k warranty for like $1095 which i think would be good enough...the peace of mind for having your new purchase protected well protected after the standard 3 year 36k expires.
Agreed on the above regarding the racks. Be careful (from an efficiency POV) about driving "conservative". If you're not in stop/go traffic and need to accelerate w/nobody in front of you (or TONS of room in front of you), don't "baby it" by trying to keep it in electric only. That's not necessarily the most efficient way to drive. It's the so-called hybrid paradox. You have a battery, yet you should try to minimize its use. In other words, you actually want to (when possible) draw less out of the battery and also put less (via regen) into the battery. Don't sweat it to too much for the first few tanks. There is the potential for info overload, at first. :welcome:BTW...
Congratulations! And welcome! You've gotten answers to most of your questions. There is a section here devoted to mileage, so read up. I don't mean to scare you but with San Francisco's hills and with it being so small, don't be surprised if you don't get great mileage. The Prius needs to warm up to get optimum mileage, so it doesn't do as well on short trips. You'll far exceed the mileage you were getting on your previous car. I am originally from S. F. I miss it!
Hills are the mortal enemy of the Prius. Also the short trips within the City means the car will be running the ICE trying to get up to the best internal temperature. Figure somewhere between 43 and 46 mpg for in town driving.
"The end" for a new Prius would be about 17 years or 200,000 miles from now. Don't get an extended warranty; no car is less in need of one than a new Prius. It would be almost the same as giving the salesanimal a $2300 tip.
1) Although I do not own a Prius, I have maintained my friend's 2006 Prius for the past year. His Prius has just passed 85,000 miles and so far it has had numerous repairs which have far exceeded the cost of the discounted extended warranty offered by our forum sponsor. The repairs so far have included an axle seal ($300, which was covered by Toyota's CPO Powertrain Warranty) and the multi-function display ($1500+ through Toyota exchange program, high price due to his being the Nav w/JBL model). Both of those are common failure items for the Gen II and I fully expect the ICE water pump to fail as well before 100k. Luckily, I was able to source a lightly used MFD from a 2009 Prius through LKQ and only paid $465-- which is much better than the $1500+ the dealership wanted. So, IF one was to have the dealership perform all repairs and/or only use new or remanufactured parts, then an extended warranty would have definitely been worth it from my experience. Of course, that was my experience with the Gen II, and it is far too soon to comment specifically on the Gen III; however, as experience has shown, the Prius is not cheap to repair when it breaks. I would check with the forum sponsors on the extended warranty pricing because their 7/100k policy is about $1000 and the 8/125k policy is about $1500; both of those prices are substantially lower than what most dealerships ask. Also, with Toyota (unlike other brands), there is NO penalty to wait until the end of your 3/36 warranty period to purchase the extended warranty. 2) No idea. 3) Drive smoothly, but hilly terrain is going to cause a significant decline on your fuel economy. I know my friend averages about 35 here in Santa Cruz, and that's with fresh fluids, filters, correct alignment, and correct tire pressure. When the car is in less than perfect condition, I've seen it drop below 30 quite regularly.
I told the dealership that I could purchase the warranty here for 1095 for the 7 yr 100K 0 deductible or I could purchase it from them for the same amount. The dealership charged me 1100 for it. I picked up my 2011 III car last Wednesday
I'm an avid biker and put a 1.25" hitch on the back and bought a Saris Thelma 3 rack for it. You can fit a full sized road bike in the back with wheels on if you put the seats down.
There's a sticky thread somewhere. And yes, it's a Genuine Toyota ExtraCare policy so it is redeemable at any Toyota dealership.
Take a deep breath and ask yourself why you want to buy an extended warranty. Extended warranties are insurance policies priced to make a nice profit for the seller, not the buyer. For every person who makes money on one at least two people get back nothing at all. Put the $995 or the $2300 or whatever in a bank and let it work for you. The most likely outcome is that you will never need any of it for an uninsured car repair. People who come out ahead on an extended warranty are like people who win money in their first poker game or at a slot machine. They're hooked, and they draw in crowds of suckers.
