When i went to pick up my prius from the dealership I managed to spot and park next to a green colored Hycam, this was my first time actually getting close to one of these that wasn't moving (I let one merge ahead of me the other day and was squeeling in delight). So of course, I'm there with my dad peering into the windows when the dealer comes over and asks if we wanted to see it. I somehow think these people are as misinformed about the SKS in the hycam as they are in the prius. There was NO key slot in the dash at all. I had to ask the question about how much that wears down the battery life in the key. Dealer said it didn't at all. I said well thats strange, in my prius it tells me in the manual if I don't put the key in the engine, or if I'm sitting there without the car running it will drain the battery in my key slightly. The other thing I noticed, being a two prius family, is the inside of my door handles are black upfront and I have sks, my dad doesn't so his are normal colored. The Hycam with sks has normal colored door handles. Thats just spiffy! I'm intriguied by the idea of the floor shifter making it more like a "normal" car over the prius where it homes back to a spot. That idea scared my bf who was driving it while I gave him directions on what to do. His immediate reaction was "did I break it!?" I should mention our dealership has already expressed that they are NOT keeping a hycam on the lot for testdrive/showroom purposes. How do you expect to sell them if you aren't able to show them off?! (yet they have TWO unsold FJ cruisers) The one that was there was MFR plated. 'tis ashame, it was gone in less than 30 seconds after we turned our backs on it. I don't think they liked two prius people pouring over the car, but what do you expect when you want to see one and haven't? I wanted to look into the trunk, but after seeing the battery vent in the back seat, I didn't need to. that thing is HUGE and right behind the passengers heads. I'm really glad they put the Prius battery on the side after seeing what a monster it could be in the back.
Yes, the keyless entry/smart key/power button is standard in the Camry Hybrid, from my understanding. Again, I believe Toyota is the industry leader with this technology. A friend of ours has a 2006 BMW 330i w/keyless entry/start button, but you STILL HAVE TO INSERT THE KEYFOB INTO THE DASH SLOT BEFORE YOU PRESS START! Doesn't make any sense!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jclay1965 @ Jun 3 2006, 08:19 AM) [snapback]265145[/snapback]</div> That is not true about my friend's 330i which I drove. It worked just as the SKS works in my Prius. Perhaps your friend does not know how to use the keyless system in his or her BMW.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(parrot_lady @ Jun 3 2006, 09:41 AM) [snapback]265132[/snapback]</div> You mean "traditional". Or stated more accurately, "still holding onto the past". <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(parrot_lady @ Jun 3 2006, 09:41 AM) [snapback]265132[/snapback]</div> That was never a problem when Prius was brand new, despite the fact that there were a ton of misconceptions about hybrids way back then. Now, we are well past that. Demand is dramatically higher. Camry-Hybrid will be flying off delivery trucks straight to new owners faster than you could ever imagine. So having one to show off would end up getting the dealer accused of bait & switch, since there will be only a very limited quantity actually available for immediate purchase. In other words, the expectation is to sell them so fast that there is no need to show them off. Also, keep in mind how much salespeople absolutely hate getting nagged about delivery status. So the last thing they want to do is make that situation even worse.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jclay1965 @ Jun 3 2006, 10:19 AM) [snapback]265145[/snapback]</div> The SKS was made by a company (TOKAI-RIKAI) in Japan. They even made watch and door that utilize the SKS. http://www.tokai-rika.co.jp/en/products/vehicle/ss.html#ss02 I don't think the SKS in BMW is any inferior technically. If anyone would like to know how SKS works in general, I can dig out an article on EETimes.com for you. It is just a matter of design difference between Toyota and BMW.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Jun 3 2006, 01:57 PM) [snapback]265175[/snapback]</div> Jan of '04 when they had a high demand for the NEW generation of prius... our dealer kept one on the lot. If we didn't get to see it, see how big it was, and just how much room was in it my dad wouldn't have considered it. But I guess its something else to consider, they still have that one there that he testdrove. when we went in to pick our first one up in June of '04 our neighbor saw it, and offered them $2k ABOVE MSRP for the one out there on the lot, and he got shot down. It would have been nice to see it, but I guess you're right John. People want 'em that bad.
1) Yes, the Camry Hybrid has SKS standard 2) yes, they don't have the black strips.. pretty cool 3) yes there isn't a slot. Neither is there one for the IS/ES/GS Lexus models. There also isn't an SKS-OFF button. I'm told that if the battery goes low, it'll say FOB BATT LOW on the dashboard or IP information screen. Unlike the Prius, if your battery is dead on those cars, you're stuck.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jun 4 2006, 03:36 AM) [snapback]265514[/snapback]</div> Yes, there's no slot, but page 35 of HyCam manual says the car can still be started by depressing the brake, touching the Toyota logo side of the fob to the start/power switch, and then hitting the power switch within 5 seconds after the green indicator light comes on and a buzzer sounds. It also says that to prevent battery drain, SKS will automatically deactivate if (1) the fob is left outside the car but within the 2 meter (7ft) smart entry area, or (2) SKS is not used to either lock or unlock the doors for more than 2 weeks. You can also have the dealer deactivate SKS, presumably using their scan tool (for those with pacemakers, etc.).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ggood @ Jun 4 2006, 05:44 AM) [snapback]265535[/snapback]</div> oooh... now they've really gone high-tech lol
Oh, okay, then that means they just put the proximity reader right under the surface of the power switch instead of buried inside a spring-loaded slot thingie. Same mechanism, but more like the access cards in corporate buildings. That clears up what I was wondering about a bit myself... . _H*
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(parrot_lady @ Jun 3 2006, 10:41 AM) [snapback]265132[/snapback]</div> Hey there...as I just got a '07 one, I have to say, that compared to my '05 Prius, there is a lot more 'normal' touches then you would think...like the MPG/Tach like thing. It's not really a tach, but it looks like one. How about the analog looking speedo? And some things, the Prius has the Camry does not. Like, no lights above the visors. Or the fact that the auto feature on the drivers side window only works going down, not up. One thing that my Camry has, though, is the ability to override the system, so I can not only type in address and the like while moving, I can also use the phone pad to make calls. Not bad. [attachmentid=3831]
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ceric @ Jun 3 2006, 11:00 AM) [snapback]265196[/snapback]</div> But when will we be able to get them HERE, and will they make a watch small enough for someone who is, say, 5' tall and um, small-boned, mostly...?
Too bad about the stick/shifter on the floor. My mother is going to hate that. And my Dad will hate the small truck space. Wonder if the battery thing will be addressed in the next Cambrid redesign. Maybe it will drive them to a Prius. But....probably they'll buy a Lexus non-hybrid. But I just love that dark blue color.
I just don't know why they couldn't put the battery under the floor like the Prius. Is it because they want it to be easily accessible? What about the HiHy/RX400h?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Jun 4 2006, 06:25 PM) [snapback]265719[/snapback]</div> That's interesting how they incorporated the reader into the power switch. I can only think of a few reasons (and none of them are very good) as to why the 'old' Prius-style might be better. If the new power switch/proximity reader ever malfunctions (and that's a big if), it 'might' be more expensive to replace/repair the single unit rather than the old Prius-style where the reader and switch are two separate mechanisms. Other possible reasons to prefer the old system is someone just flat dislikes having to carry their car keys in their pocket/purse, or that using the slot to hold the key might somehow 'recharge' the key (this is actually how the standard, non-SKS BMW remote/key unit works - it doesn't have a battery but uses a capacitor to store energy when it's in the ignition key slot). Frankly, though, I would like the new, non-slot system simply because it's a more efficient design and would free up that 'real estate' on the dash otherwise taken up by the slot for some other purpose.
well, how often would you ever use the slot anyway? Also, non-SKS cars have an ignition keyhole while non-SKS Priuses still use the remote hence the slot.
The mental picture of you squeeling in traffic, I must say would have been an intresting sight.. Yes they come standard with keyless start. The shifter has 4 gear #'s and then B - D, Drives nice & smooth.. I like the center console cup holders ect. the pruis has a center console too its a place to rest your knee if your 6'3".... The dealers hear have them in most colors and on the lot except the 50'th thats a special order. The trunk has a lot of room, I was surprised I've heard the stories that the batteries take up alot of room. Like 1/2 the trunk (this is just not the case) the battery area takes about as much space as a speaker box behind the seat.. Mine has plenty of room, Im not going to be hauling large items with it, I have a truck for that anyways. The trunk will hold 3 suit cases and other misc items. I will post some pics of mine soon...
