This will probably get me labeled as a troll, but ... Just got my Prius two days ago (a Barcelona red 2011 4), and immediately found these forums. The one thing that has surrounded me is the complete lack of research done by people. I'd say 90% of the questions people post here are answered in the manual. Does nobody read that thing? Before purchasing, I downloaded the complete manual and read it. Am I that unusual?
Haha..Yes, that does make you unusual...to download and read the COMPLETE manual BEFORE your purchase?
We try to get folks to read the manual, apparently they would rather ruin their new car. Toyota has it chopped up into chapters online, I often quote the exact page, I still get questions that tell me they did not read even the one page. - a 2007 article here Poll: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com in a year.
As you say most of the questions on here are either in the manual or have been discussed on here, ad-nauseum, but some people seem to think that their particular question or problem is in some way unique to anyone else's question or problem, even if they may have attempted to do a little research. As Jimbo said, a lot of people on here would rather wait until they have a problem with their car, or have damaged their car, before taking the time to read the manual or attempt any research. It is always nice to have someone point this out every now and then.
I read the manual, but I always read the manual. I can be somewhat forgiving if some people are intimidated by The Prius manual. It's got to be one of the largest, longest manuals I have ever read. Sometimes it's frustrating when somebody appears with a series of questions that are so basic that a quick trip to the manual would lead them to the answer, but then again? I also think we live in a time where people are more and more familiar with internet communication and the "idea" of simply posting and receiving answers. But to answer the question, I think a lot of people DO read the manual, or at least use the manual as a tool to find answers. Obviously this is a forum and you are going to find a lot more posts "asking questions" than posts created that say "I found the answer in the owners manual".
i read 350 pages on a flight to cali, but watched a movie on the way back. if everyone read the manual, i'm not sure there would be a priuschat!
Ha ha that's what I did, that way I could ask some hard questions when I test drove the hybrid and I learned a lot more that way ^_^
I have to admit I actually like reading manuals, but in my experience, car salesmen don't know 90% of car features. I just don't know why you'd make that big of a purchase and not read the document explaining how to properly use the car. As an aside, when my wife and I started dating, I read the manual of her car before driving it for the first time (she had it for about 5 years at that point). I taught her about at least two features of her car she didn't know about because I read the manual.
Guilty. Wish I had more time to read it. I credit Prius Chat for much that I do know regarding my Prius.
LOL! I read manuals. I don't think I read mine cover to cover, esp. the nav manual, but I did read a fair amount of the car manuals of my cars. Long ago, I recall one of my friends wanted to get/borrow/see a manual for some electronic device (TV? receiver?) he wasn't interested in at our local (to us, at the time) Magnolia Hi-Fi store. The workers laughed at him w/a reply that some folks won't even read manuals after they buy and he wants one before? I think he was able to see what he needed.
You could always try the "Cliff's Notes" version of the owners manual. Problem is, somethings get glossed over in the translation! I.E... Braking To stop car push brake pedal. To stop car quickly, push brake pedal more faster! The manual is a good read, you bought the car, it's the least you can do is learn what you bought!
5% of people think. 15% of people think they think. 80% of people would sooner die than think, and most do. Bertrand Russell, I think, but it sounds more like Oscar Wilde. Maybe I should do some research before I post... Anyway, I think that applies to Owner's Manuals, too!
I know it's hard for some people. There are too many pictures and not enough words - talk about dull! I always read the manual immediately after buying a car, but I am so in to it because of having a new car. Usually a couple of hours flipping through it, and if I come across something new to me, I stop and read it thoroughly. It is amazing how much time people take to review and read forums, searching for answers to their mostly simple questions, when all would have answered by just taking just a LITTLE bit of time to read.
I read the entire manual online, 3 times, while I was waiting for my new v to be shipped in. I didn't retain much, but at least I knew where to look for answers.
