forgive me if this has already been answered before, however I tired searching here and Google but couldn't get a direct answer. I recently got a Prius and love it. However, as I'm paying attention to the differences between how my old car behaves vs the Hybrid, I'm getting a bit concerned about frequencies of Prius's Internal Combustion Engine turns it self on and off over just one trip. I get stuck in mindset from the old adage of not turning on and off the engine, especially cold starts is bad over all for the longevity of it. I realize that Prius and other Hybrids are designed to do this, and it's all a part of the plan. Nevertheless, I would feel more comfortable gain a better understanding on how the design and working of Prius over comes this uneasiness I feel when ever the engineer starts then less a couple of minutes later shuts off, then in a few seconds in turns on again. (I drive a lot in the cities with many stop signs and traffic lights). So if anyone here could explain or point me towards some articles explaining this, I would be much appreciated! Thank you!
no prolemo, there's only one cold start per trip, and prius turns engine over to pre oil before firing. it is also designed a little differently with valve timing for mpg's instead of power. these engines last for many hunerts of thousands of miles when properly looked after. and one goes early, there are son many salvage available for cheap because they are hardly necessary.
I have never seen a post about an engine failure. A few traction batteries yes, even the odd inverter (mostly related to the recall of last year). Most Prius that die do so from a collision. The rest just clog up the highways of California. And that would be "no problemo". (couldn't figure out what bisco was saying at first )
The Prius engine start/stop is one of most gentle in terms of life cycle.. The engine is spun up until oil pressure is present and only then is fuel and ignition applied. The Atkinson cycle engine with independent valve timing makes for a pretty good compression release when first spun, minimizing vibration (and bearing loads) at start. These functions eliminate the typical engine shaking at start, and are also great attributes for long engine life.. Few other engines (typically large industrial engines) enjoy these niceties to extend engine life. The practice with many large marine, industrial and EMD locomotive engines are to initially spin them with the individual compression release valves open. This is more of a protection against possible hydro-lock damage (from a leaking cylinder head gasket permitting water (or diesel fuel accumulation from a leaking injector) entering a cylinder. And many of these engines will have auxiliary oil pumps apply oil pressure before the engine is spun. Before the days of fuel injection, engines operating with carburetors (with their crude mixture control, especially at start up, typically had more cold start up wear due to excessive gasoline going into the cylinders washing the very thin film of oil off the cylinder walls left by the oil control ring. This led to cylinder wall wear and more crankcase oil contamination, not good for the bottom end of the engine.. Fuel injection alone has contributed to longer engine life.
Also, don't forget the pistons are lighter weight and the crankshaft offset to make starting even less straining.
In many ways the Prius is pinnacle of car engineering. With good maintenance they will last a long, long time. Perhaps longer than you want
Prior to getting my Auris hybrid (identical drivetrain as a 3rd gen prius) I consulted with a friend in the states that owns a 1st gen prius. He said the only thing he had to replace was something in the brakes, I don't recall, maybe disks, that was caused by the underuse because of regen braking. There was no other issue! He recommended proceeding with the purchase. Mental note, occasionally lean on the brakes harder than regen can handle, so the disks stretch their muscles a bit
Back when the Gen 2 was new, someone else asked that I recall that the MG1 spins the engine to 1,000rpm (vs. 100rpm for a regular car's alternator) which means it's less stressful on the engine when starting up. If the engine is cold, the Prius will idle to bring it up to operating temperature and ensure that the catalytic converter is warm to minimise emissions.
There are many owners who have 300K+ miles. Prius taxis can have 500K or more miles on them. These cars are extremely well engineered and will last a VERY long time.
If you are 40 year old, your heart has beat ~ 4,608,000 times. Depending on how you have taken care of yourself, you may be approaching the junk yard, or still have decades to go.
A prius taxi with 500k miles is not equivalent to a healthy 40 year old, more like a 25 year old prostitute that's been driven quite heavily. And I don't wish to be in one of those either.
Besides the Prius engine (which is probably a very reliable engine), there are many things that can break on the Prius. The body, paint, interior, suspension, electronics and other parts will be really worn. I actually don't think there are many Prius taxi's that exceed 400k miles, they would retire right around that time.
If you are worried about the car's suspension before you even get in, I recommend a diet and a gym pass. As for the body and paint, I don't think you have to worry too much about your image based on how the taxi looks. And lucky you, the electronics are not MS Windows. The POINT, if it has been forgotten, is that it is best to judge a car (or person) on merit and not age or odometer. But then you are some sort of salesperson and I am not, so we have different perspectives.
A prius taxi with 500k miles is not equivalent to a healthy 40 year old, more like a 25 year old prostitute that's been driven quite heavily. And I don't wish to be in one of those either. TOO funny - I'm still considering whether that IS a good comparison or not...............
