What I don't like about my Prius

Me too.

 

If I ever pull the trigger on it.. this will be my prime motivation (along with some of the cool technology) as well..

 

I'll just say that I am extremely happy with the car overall, a 2010 III bought in Dec. 10 now with over 13k miles on it…. but my nitpicks are thus…

• Rattles, especially in winter
• Would love to have a feature on the fob that drops all the windows. My past cars have had this and it's great to be able to do as you approach a hot car.
• I'd like a few more cubbies on the "flying bridge" for coins, phone/iPod, etc
• The interior plastic scratches too easily.
• Front lip is really low, presenting challenges in my location during snow and mud seasons.

I do not have any of the visibility or parking issues that so many seem to have. I can see extremely well out of this car, the split rear window doesn't bother me, and it's a cinch to park (imo).

 

why not just remove it then, likely have to plug up a hole though. I don't use mine hardly ever, but it doesn't bug me.

2) maybe the rattles and scratched plastic are just for the current gen? I haven't had either and have a 2004 with 120k miles
3) must be new version too...
4) I have put vitamin water bottles in there and gatorade, but it does depend on size. Again, make it too big and it is going to look weird, possibly hit peoples calf and let smaller bottles roll all around.
5) really, I can't remember a car that lights that up. and other controls that you don't normally use. The idea I always thought was to reduce glare at night and reduce distractions. Even on the '86 911 I drive, it isn't lit up.
8) that is a new version thing too, earlier version if you had it, it was all 3 doors. But it is a choice thing, you spend more $$, you get more convenience.
9) all current cars are required to have DRLs, so not sure why you would not have them, but you can always just turn the lights on.
15) that is the whole purpose of ABS, to prevent your wheels locking up, so if you wheels are truely locking up, then you should get it checked out. And in 120,000 miles, I have had to stop quick more than a couple of times. The stock tires had horrible grip IMHO, so maybe that is part of it?

my spelling sucks too, don't worry about it

 

Not true, though I thought that was the way were were going a few years ago, DRL's were never made mandatory in the US.

My Prius III is my first car in a long time that doesn't have DRL's.

 

Hi SpikeVFR Now I understand the confusion! you have a Gen 2! I never owned that one but reading here people seems to be very happy with the build quality!!

When you have a chance over the weekend go the dealer and check the Gen 3 it's a nice design just some quality and designs issues and definitely a good option for you if you want to change yours in the future! !! just make sure you buy the 2013 and up!

Good luck and thanks!

 

Touch-tracer display. Really? Total gimmick. Why did I have to pay for this?

Same deal with that ionizer thing. Wth? It already has an interior filter.

No auto headlights, no sunvisor extensions, no fog lights, no remote start...to keep the price down, but I have a plasma-thingy and extra optics in the dashboard for no good reasons.

Classic cases of find a place to shove some technology...rather than use technology to solve a real problem.

Whoever put the seat heater buttons down underneath there should be summarily shot.

The engine knock issue....Toyota really blew it there. I can't understand how that got through development testing. And, they're refusing to acknowledge it. Very GM-ish. The fix is probably a new cam positioner servo and they don't want to pay for it.

Why does the hill hold time out? Why can't it stay until I press the gas? Then I can use it to hold in traffic, or on hills at a red light.

General cheapness...
1. Front seat leather cover, plastic snap in the front underneath...keeps coming off, and then the plastic fastener pokes me in the leg. Would a screw or pop rivet have been too much to ask..to hold it in place?
2. Oil change door fatigue. Plastic fatigues if bent past yield several times. We've known that since it was invented in the 1950's. Need hinges. But then you can't thermoform the underpanel...it has to be injection molded...extra $5.
3. Battery. Battery manufacturers (worldwide) have great standards they all follow. They cooperate nicely. Was there really no standard BCA size that would work? Their high failure rate also indicates a low-quality supplier. So much for keiretsu.
4. Brake calipers rattle. Really? We're been making disc brake calipers since the Tucker. Isn't there a standard test to make sure new designs don't rattle?

The solar panel should charge the hydrid battery. Period. Find the problem and fix it. If you need engineers to solve it, take some from the touch-tracer team. This thing is supposed to be an environmental technology showcase. I know there's not much power...but I did buy the panel. At least let's use it on cold days. How bout trickle charging the lo-rent 12V battery? Anything.

This car is all about form follows function. But, the interior seems to be all about form. Looks aesthetic, but is not practical.

Not enough storage. No proper cupholders. That thing in the console (that always comes out stuck to the cup) was an afterthought. The little flip-open thing needs to be bigger. This is America damit, the cupholders need to hold a big gulp...preferably 2.

The tray underneath is useless. Nowhere for sunglasses. Coin tray unreachable. No logical place for the cell phone to sit. But there's a spotlight on the oh-so-beautiful shift knob? What is this the Guggenheim?

There's that ocean of gray plastic in front of you. Would it have been so hard to mold in a shelf or tray to put stuff?..at least for the passenger?

 

I enjoyed your criticism, especially this line. :yo::usa2: Hahaha.

 

Good rant...

 

Really, could have sworn they made that a Federal law a while back...

Oh, I have checked out the new one. And lusted after its improvements. And the plan a couple of years ago was that I would buy a new car right about now (although I probly would have waited for the forthcoming plug-in. Unfortunately I now make about 1/3 of what I made in 2007, so I will have to hang on to it a little longer as mine is paid for.

I think the tracer display wasn't a forcing of where to put the tech, but trying to offer a way for people to take their eyes off the road for as little time as possible when they look for a piece of information.

Do you have the factory leather seats or the dealer installed leather seats?

2) maybe don't bend it past its fatigue point so much?

3) I'll give you that one, just ridiculous. I am no electrician, but I can't imagine there is a solid reason why we don't use one of the existing battery groups. When mine went out last year, after 6 years and 100k miles, I was shocked to find it was a special battery. Just had no idea. Wife picked it up from service, said "hey they want to replace the battery, it is $180". I was like "yeah right, tell them no". Went to Costco, no battery. Went online to Sears, Kragen, Autozone, etc. and no f'n battery availible?!?!

4) didn't Jaguar have them on a road car, even before the Tucker?

5) the juice from the solar panel just isn't enough to warrant adding it to the hybrid battery. The impact would be negligable. I am not against the idea, I am just saying. I think the thought was to be able to have a cooler interior both for comfort and so that the a/c wouldn't have to work so hard? Trickle charge the battery might be nice for when you leave it at the airport for a week or soemthing. But would it be worth the extra wiring?

I have never bought a big gulp, so wouldn't know, but there has to be a reasonable limit to the size. Otherwise you start interfering with other things, and the the car has to work in the rest of the world too, not just the U.S.

No where for sunglasses? on the 04 there is a sunglass storage thing on the header. Although it has a hard time with rounder styles.

The tray molded into the dash thing I have seen on other cars. and IMHO it just looks bad, tends to attract dust and dirt so it quickly looks like crap. If you use it often it gets scratched up quickly. And if you try to use it, and go around a corner, everything starts either flying into the steering wheel which is distracting/annoying, or lands on the passenger's lap, or if the window is down, possibly on the roadway.

 

Me too! I only looked it up after I realized my new Prius didn't have them, and every car I've had since the late 90's has.

 

The NHTSA study showed little benefit, or a detriment to safety from daytime running lights.

 

That study must be filled with crap, ride a bike without lights and you will see people running over you almost intermediate. I have proven that the lights help specially for aggressive drivers !!

 

Same here frodoz. Was only thinking of my pocketbook when I bought mine last month. I am a smug conservative
that likes to save money, lol.