... But I am very close to "pulling the trigger" on the car. I am trying to decide if the Advanced Technology Package is worth what they are asking for it ($5650 MSRP.) I really like the moonroof, but am not certain that the rest of the package justifies the price in my mind. Are there any owners out there who can shed some light on this for me? Thank you!
Here is a whole thread of owners shedding and sharing: v Five Advanced Technology package: why or why not? | PriusChat It will always come back to what you can afford and how much you want it, and the balance between the two that works for you (and yours).
Its a collection of features you can't get otherwise. No single one is worth anything close to the $5K price of admission. I really like the 7" screen and nifty robotic CD loading, I like the JBL system, I like the choice of cruise control functions and Collision Avoidance System. The moon roof is probably the single most valuable part of the package, and is maybe worth 1/2 the total cost. The SafetyConnect system is certainly worth something as well, adding both GPS and cell phone technology in the car. So its a pretty substantial collection of stuff, but its only worth what its worth to you. It does add quite a bit to the car's resale value.
Thank you all! I appreciate the quick responses - especially the link to the previous thread. Like many others, I wish I could pick and choose the features instead of just having them all lumped into one package. I love the moonroof, and the dynamic cruise control and collision avoidance functions also sound worthwhile. I am generally not keen on subscription-based features; I feel that, for the cost of the vehicle and ATP, they should remain free. Ok, maybe not the XM radio, but definitely the Toyota Entune stuff... I am still a bit on the fence, but am leaning toward getting the ATP. It's just typical of me to analyze, ask others' opinions, and ponder decisions like this.
You are buying something expensive that you are going to live with for hopefully many many years. Lets say you keep it 5 years, then spending an extra $6K now is like spending less than $3.30 a day. You won't really get any of that money back in resale unless you resell in the next 1 or 2 years. So don't do it for a higher value 5-10 years from now. Do it because you want it. Why spend $30K and not get what you want? You will be kicking yourself everytime you get in the car that you should have got it but didn't.
That is pretty much my thinking on the subject. I tend to own cars for a long time, so resale value is irrelevant to me. This minor angst is just a result of being value-conscious - that, and justifying the extra cost to my wife
My wife gave me some grief over getting a v with the ATP, that ended on a road trip. The collision avoidance system kicked in and she felt the seat belts do their thing, etc. Fortunately, and quite likely due to the system, no accident or injuries occurred.
The main reason we bought the Prius v wagon was the Pre-Collision System (PCS) included in the Advanced Technology Package - seems like a perfect feature for an older driver. Secondary reasons were that my wife liked the somewhat higher seating position, that it is fairly compact and that it would be more maneuverable than the 98 Camry she had been driving for 14 years. I liked the idea that we might be able to carry fairly large items but have since found that the hatch opening is not wide and tall enough to be very useful. The larger navigation screen isn't particularly useful and my wife doesn't care about Entune. We will drop the SOS feature when the trial period expires - the renewal price we were offered seemed ridiculously high for something that hasn't been used a single time in 10 months of ownership. We let the XM subscription expire although it continues to work. The renewal price we were offered for XM was bizarrely high - that company is completely out of touch with the reality and trend of streaming audio from the Internet. In hindsight I think my wife would have been better off with a Lexus CT200h which is also available with PCS, has power memory seats and which, unlike the Prius v, comes standard with DRL and side turn signals. I've added DRL (WebElectric kit) and side turn signal mirror covers (Scion IQ) to her Prius but it was a pain to do and I'm too old to find doing that stuff to be fun anymore. Based on the amount of damage her Prius has suffered, my wife has found it much more difficult to maneuver than her Camry. As we found out last week, the radar sensor alone is about $2,000 as a replacement part - yes, we knew that PCS does not function below about 15 mph. An almost unnoticeable dent in the hood caused by barely touching the spare tire on a Jeep is costing $5,500 to fix. We should be getting the Prius back from the body shop on Tuesday. Wife says she likes the car. We normally keep cars a long, long time but I'm thinking that we should dump the Prius and take the loss on depreciation.
Watch this video. If you ever speak with anyone who has and serious injury from a car accident this upgrade makes complete sense.
$5500 for an almost unnoticeable dent? And 2 grand of that is for the radar sensor? Wow-crazy. Glad I did not get the ATP if that is the cost of a minor repair.
Our insurer is paying for the repair and the body shop is owned by the company that owns the dealerships where we have bought Lexus and Toyota vehicles. It is an authorized repair facility for our insurer and our insurer is coordinating the repair and likely influencing if not dictating the repair cost. Something to note is that the Prius v hood is aluminum and is not seen to be repairable when dented. OK, the dent may be a little more severe than I let on with the hood being pushed ever so slightly to one side and just overriding the driver size fender but the damage was still barely noticeable. Besides the damaged radar sensor, the impact also bent hood and radar sensor brackets. Part of the repair cost is to replace the protective film on the hood and the painting cost may be a little higher than normal due to the metallic Blizzard Pearl color. I suspect the driver side fender will require painting due to the hood overriding it. If you are going to hit another vehicle, I recommend hitting one that doesn't have its spare tire on its tailgate. And I won't even touch the subject of "spouse acquisition".
This is my wife's first claim in over 10 years so it does not effect her rates since she gets one "free" at-fault claim every 10 years. We've paid out of pocket for the other damage she's done to her Prius in the past 10 months with me fixing some of it myself: one tire, four mud flaps, one rocker panel, and one exterior mirror due to concrete curbs and pillars not wanting to get out of her way! I have gone 39 years with the same insurer without an at-fault claim so by rights I "should" be on the brink of getting four at-fault claims without affecting my rates.
The Prius v was planned to be her last vehicle. I'm planning on one final vehicle for myself to be purchased no later than 2015. I would prefer a Panamera (wife would want me to get the hybrid version) as my final vehicle but my wife says Highlander Hybrid. The choice might change if Tesla were to come out with a version of its Model S sedan that could reliably go 400 miles at 70 mph on one charge.
Your last car best to pick one that will not be a financial burden to repair and service . My parents purchased a Avalon it is big and safe but comfortable and reliable.
