excited but nervous about new Prius

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dulcimer @ Jul 8 2006, 09:22 PM) [snapback]283155[/snapback]</div>

Although it is a lot of fun reading all the "tricks" that people use here the most important thing is to drive the car as you have driven every other car you have owned. It feels and acts just like any other car, only a lot quieter. The"tricks" can come later but you will get great mileage just driving it normally.

My '04 came with Roadside Assistance but I don't know if that is still available. The one time I needed help I called the number on the window decal and someone was there in 40 minutes. And this was way out in the country far from home.

If you don't have roadside assistance maybe you have a AAA membership or some auto club. It is very UNLIKELY that you will need it though.

Just enjoy the car!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjam @ Jul 8 2006, 06:30 PM) [snapback]283161[/snapback]</div>

Agreed! Just drive and enjoy. My wife was so elated when she first drove the Prius as she thought it was the smoothest car she has ever driven.

 

JUST DRIVE IT!

That slogan came about years ago from those of us that simply aren't interested in squeezing out highest efficiency.

For me, that meant only averaging 51.9 MPG last month. Kind of a bummer to be that "low", but sometimes I need to use the fast highway and carry a kayak or two and use the A/C.

The things you can easily do is make sure the oil doesn't ever get overfilled, use synthetic oil, and keep the tires close to the maximum pressure.

 

I'm a little younger than you - 58 - but I've learned 'driving the Prius'. I keep my MFD display on the 'consumption' screen, and the yellow 'instantaneous MPG' bar on the right hand side has 'trained' me to do more coasting to stop signs and lights, and anticipate the lights on the roads I drive frequently. My first tank was 43 MPG, and the second and subsequent ones have been 48-49, which is what I'm told is good for my 5 mile commute to and from work, with infrequent trips of 10-12 miles. Don't worry about it - it will come naturally <g>. I know a lot of people recommend watching the 'energy' screen to learn 'pulse and glide', but in 2.5 months of owning my Prius, I haven't really been tempted to watch that screen at all - I find it takes too much concentration for me.

 

Since you haven't got the car yet and, presumably haven't paid for it, take some time now to consider whether or not you are going to get the extended warranty. Be familiar with the offering on this site so you can wisely make a decision when the financial officer at the dealership offers you his package, probably at twice the price for considerably less coverage. I wish I had done that and saved myself the grief of cancelling my warranty purchase and getting my money back from the dealer. I did so, but should have avoided the whole adventure. (Buying the car was OK, though! )

 

You should be excited. But nervous? Ok, the fear of the unknown maybe but as soon as you get into your Prius all that will fade away quickly. Just put your foot on the brake, hit the Power Button and drive it. It really is that simple. Forget all the talk about mileage. Don't even peek at the display. Let the Prius do all that work for you. It really is a pretty smart car.

What I suggest is to replace your nervousness with pure glee. Because that really is what you are going to feel. We have a term coined here at PriusChat.....PAS.......Prius Anticipation Syndrome. We all felt like the day wouldn't ever come until we got our Prius. And when the day finally did we all felt absolutely fantastic.

I don't want to make it sound like you are not deserving of your feelings and thoughts. I just had to share with you what I felt and by the way people talk around here it is pretty common. So have those butterflies but know that they will no doubt fly away soon after you get your Prius.

Enjoy it by just driving it.

Cheers

 

I was nervous when I picked up my Prius. I am considerably older than you and had no problems.
The main thing to learn before leaving the Toyota yard is how to turn it on and how to park it when you get home. If you find the explanation given a bit daunting, write it down on a piece of paper and leave it on the passenger's seat.
Read the manual and after each section go out and try what was written. It took me about 6 weeks to get everything squared away, so I thought, but last week I had to take the car into Toyota because I could not get the vanity lights to work - my fault, I did not open the vanity mirrors.
Take your time and learn one thing at a time.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dulcimer @ Jul 8 2006, 09:22 PM) [snapback]283155[/snapback]</div>

I know the feeling. I was very nervous also. That lasted about 5 min. of driving and the rest was all fun. I am 591/2 yrs. old. Now I won't let anyone else drive. I just love driving my car!!! Relax and just enjoy. You will do fine. What color and package did you get?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dulcimer @ Jul 8 2006, 09:22 PM) [snapback]283155[/snapback]</div>

Welcome to the club. Good to see another Indiana Prius! I have had mine for 3 weeks now. All I can say is that I just drive like I normally have and get 47 - 51 MPG! I guess I could do some of the tricks discussed in the forums, but I don't really want to spend all of my time concentrating on whether I should be pulsing or gliding! I just enjoy my 2 hour round trip commute.

You'll really enjoy this car.

Tom

 

oh, by the way.....Im 59 years old. I thought a couple of people might like to know that. hehe

 

1. The 2006 does NOT come with 3 years of free roadside assistance - I figure it is because people no longer need the extra 'emotional' security to trust the car is OK to buy just like the 2004s didn't come with free service for (3?) years like the 2001-2003s. If you had AAA before, stick with it.
2. DO NOT get the Extended warranty, it is little more than a money maker for the dealer. You can buy it later if you like, any time before the standard warranty expires. And as was noted, for a lot less than your local dealer will ask when you buy the car. You can buy it from any dealer and all Toyota dealers must honor it. Note that all parts of the hybrid system are warranted for 8 years 100,000 miles (longer in CA.)
3. Skip the fabric and paint protection stuff too. Another money maker for the dealer.
4. If the offer rust proofing TURN THAT DOWN TOO!
5. Pretty much EVERYTHING they will try to sell you is big profit for them, little use to you. They have already made plenty of money off you selling the car at MSRP (I hope they didn't make you pay over sticker). In my opinion of course.
6. If you are worried about being overwhelmed, you might want to turn off the display for the first few days. It will come on every time you start the car. Push the Display button on the upper left side of the screen and then push display off ON the screen. No distractions about what is going on 'over there'. Pushing any button on the wheel or beside the display that would change screens if the display was turned on will turn it back on. Unless your prior vehicle was a Toyota, and even more different, a non Japanese car, you'll be learning more about where the headlight, cruise, etc. controls are than you will about the hybrid components. The Prius specific differences:
   • There is no key, push the fob into the slot (I think you don't have the Smart Key System). Push it again to pop it out.
   • The transmission control will ALWAYS return to its 'home' location. Imagine a lower case 'h'. Home is the upper right corner. Reverse is ALWAYS left and up. Drive is ALWAYS left and down. You can see what gear it is in by looking at the left side of the 'instrument cluster' nicely located just under the windshield where it is easy to see, not behind the steering wheel and less vertical distance to drop your eyes.
   • Push the Power button to turn the car on. Push it to turn the car off. It will put the transmission in Park when you turn it off, no need to push the Park button first.
   • Use the parking brake to keep pressure off the transmission. You don't HAVE to do this, but is is generally a good idea.

Enjoy your new car - we like the Prius so much we have 2.

 

you will like your new car...just watch out for the henry co drivers...just drive it and have fun...and welcome...nice to see another hoosier...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dulcimer @ Jul 8 2006, 06:22 PM) [snapback]283155[/snapback]</div>

All your "fears" should be the same regardless of any new car you buy. I have found my Prius, more user friendly and reliable than almost any other car I've had in the last 40 years. Just drive and enjoy. Don't obsess on MPG, it will work out fine, surely much better than any other 4 wheeled vehicle you have probably owned before.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dulcimer @ Jul 8 2006, 08:22 PM) [snapback]283155[/snapback]</div>

Don't worry too much; keep an open mind and accute senses and just sort of let the car "teach" you how to drive it.

Think of the power button as the ignition key. You press the brake and then turn the key...here, you press the brake and then push the button.

I'm 44 and this is my first hybrid. The thing that threw me most initially was the different routine of "setting the brake, putting the car in park, and turning it off" only because the controls are arranged in a somewhat different manner than I was used to. So once or twice I left the car in Drive with the brake set and couldn't figure out what that warning sound was for...

The only other basic "gotcha" that people seem to report is the gas gauge. It can go from two bars to one bar to one flashing bar to no more gas in the tank in a matter of a few miles.

Or it may not...

My humble suggestion, especially on a long distance trip over unfamiliar terrain, is to consider refueling immediately when you get down to three bars, and find the *next station possible* when you're down to two (even if you only add a gallon or two if it's not your brand or whatever)!! Sometimes the tank won't fill up entirely and it can catch you off guard if you're not careful...also, I've read that the car doesn't take kindly to being run all the way down to an empty tank.

One more thing: there are also tales about valet parking people who aren't familiar with the Prius...I do recall someone having a Prius valet parked at the airport...and getting back three weeks later only to find that the car had been left powered up! Perhaps not so much of a problem here in San Francisco, where these cars are everywhere, though, and it does come with these little valet guides, too (like anyone will actually take the time to read one, but still...)

Being stranded far from a Prius-savvy mechanic seems to me the biggest potential problem...but the cars are reputed to be reliable, and I don't feel any more vulnerable in mine than in my last car, an expensive German two-door.