Damage due to low height

I have not had that issue but it is very hard to keep from having it. You just can not judge how close you are getting to the concrete barrier. I had a Prius and I could not judge it. I have a new Avalon and I can not judge it either. I have just been lucky. Other people with different makes of cars have the same problem. Rest assured it is not just you. Other makes of cars will not clear some of the barriers. I try to stop a little far back then I take a look and pull up a little if I need to. That works pretty well for me.

 

Ground clearance and how far the front of the Prius sticks out are the only big issues I have with the car. I wish the car had more clearance to drive through the snow rather than being a plow. The plastic under engine cover didn't last too long in the winters we get up here. I stopped counting how many times I have touched the front bumper to the curb when parking.

 

yeah, that makes my day & gives me hope - living in a rural area with no snow plow ever showing up...../
(& being lowered around 1")

 

take comfort, your in a very large majority. try pumping your tyres unto 42 psi, sometimes a few centimeters can make all the difference.

 

Wife mostly drives ours, and has scraped it big time on several occasions, including on parking markers. Already had to replace front bumper once, and it's showing wear already. Worst part about driving the Prius...

 

This car is so short, there's no need to pull "all the way in" to a parking space--until the tires hit the stop. Just plan on leaving the car well away from the front stop! Geez.

 

I have this problem as well. I hate the low clearance of the front bumper.

I have learned to pull into the spot short, shift into reverse, and check to see if the rear of the car has gone by the parking stripes. If so, I stay there.

 

One of the only reasons that I've had to leave my (work) Prius in the barn and take my truck is the Prius' diminutive ground clearance.
As long as it takes fuel to push air out of the way, then that's just part of the price of doing business in 'being green.'

Still....it's not been much of an issue so far in my 76,000 miles in type. I have to occasionally visit sites in some pretty rural areas involving non-paved roads and I've been pleasantly surprised by my car's ruggedness.
No.....it's not Rubicon rated and running up on a parking lot divider can ruin your day....but I've seen people trash their vehicles on those before Priuses came out.
You have to swerve to avoid some road debris that you can just center up in other vehicles, and some incidents will send Priuses to the fender and body shop more quickly because of its glass jaw.
BUT
This isn't a Prius-only problem.

Look on the bright side....
If you would have center punched the lower cowling in a low slung muscle car, then the repair would have been more expensive......

.....just like the Purchase Price, Insurance, and Operating costs.

 

<I have learned to pull into the spot short, shift into reverse, and check to see if the rear of the car has gone by the parking stripes. If so, I stay there.>

Forgot to say, using the back up camera.

 

It's a common problem, I've had it often

 

My wife has done this too, twice, cracking the black air dam in two! I told her it's a short car, there's really no reason to pull up all the way to a parking bumper.

We sort of jerry-rigged the air dam back together the 1st time. The 2nd time, I just unscrewed the broken pieces of the air dam from the bottom of the front bumper. Not sure the air dam is worth replacing. It was also always scraping when I exited my alleyway, just because of a very slight dip where it meets the street.

 

Well at least you know you're not alone.

Yes, it happens. Especially if you are coming to Prius, from a vehicle in which you could pull all the way in.

Just a learning curve. Hear that scraping sound a few times and you start to learn NOT to pull too far in.

 

My wife and daughter do it every time they drive the prius. Always in hurry and fail to learn too. I just shut up now for the sake of the marriage.

 

I stopped curbing the front tires 34 years ago when I discovered that the oil pan in my VW Rabbit would hit before the tires did.

 

For those with a back up camera, how many folks back into parking spaces? I always have as a habit (makes getting out much easier) and with this technology, the issue is resolved. I understand there are exceptions, i.e. angled spaces.....

 

I occasionally do it if it makes the car easier to load.

Most people I've seen do a terrible job in terms of centering and angle.

 

Suggested solutions:

1. If you have a steep driveway or a deep gutter before your driveway, approaching at a angle may give you a bit more clearance.
2. Yep, backing in rather than heading in usually works. One of the main problems I've seen is when the iron bar sticks above the concrete, even if it is 1/2". It can really do a number on your front. Suggestion #1 will always solve that problem.
3. Friendly_jacek and others with a similar situation, if your wife and daughter keep scraping or damaging the air dam, get them to pay for the repair. Paying by $ always expedite the learning process!

 

I back in 100% of the time (where possible). I do not us the back-up camera to back up (camera only to judge distance) - I use the outside mirrors. Using the mirrors I can easily position the vehicle wherever I want, centered, or offset to compensate for others parking. When I am alone I look for a space where I can back in close to the curb on the pass. side. This gives me extra room on the drivers side to exit & the next parking space is that much further away. Also, I don't mind walking an extra 50-100' to get away from the high-traffic areas.

 

Just be glad you don't have a "Volt"! .......3" min. G/C, (From what I've read).....