Just wanna vent here... WHY IS THE STRUT BAR SO EXPENSIVE FOR PRIUS? Looks like the only creditable brand out there is Tanabe, which runs around $110 and up. I installed one for RSX, and Corolla before, and they all run about $60~$70. Seriously~? Why cant I improve the handing on my Prius without breaking my piggy bank!! Geesh...
Welcome to the world of Prius Modding Addiction: My name is Sean & I have "PMA" & my wife hates me for it Wait untill u wanna add signal mirrors, Valenti tail lights etc. This can get very expensive.
After spending 10s of thousands of dollars on mods over the last 20yrs I have come to the conclusion that if the price bothers you then you can't afford it. That is not meant as a slam. It's just the truth. Don't waste your money if things are that tight. Do the mods that produce the best bang for your buck. A strut tower bar is not one of them.
Sure, vent away. That's why we are here As for me, I'm having trouble understanding why another $40 on top of a ~ $25,0000 car is causing you so much grief.
You're right FBL. I've developed a "front chassis" and a mid-chassis under brace that is much better than a strut bar. I don't like the idea of the strutt bar, because it takes extensive installation time and reduces access to critical components in the engine compartment. The struts move. The top mounting of the strut is the least affected part of the transmission that moves. The control arms is where most of the movement occurs. Chassis flex provides a "false" feedback of loss of control through the "feel" of the car. The "feel" makes the driver react to "regain" control, when it is NOT really necessary. That has been my finding with the Prius.
Thanks, guys. I guess I am not the only one who wants to make his Prius unique and one-of-a-kind. To me, I want comfy and good handling. Getting a Prius took care the first part (compared to a bumpy RSX), and hope a knockoff strut bar would complete me. (believe me, it was day and night difference when i put a strut bar on my Corolla). Yeah, Im keeping all my pennies for the HID kit (half way there), and then hopefully, one day, some other mods.
