Do NOT put eyeglasses in overhead bin!

Well, you've done it now. Kim Jong CalPrius II detonates a "C" word (cheesy).

There will be a knock at the door shortly with some people looking to "speak" with you. Probably from the Cool Chicks in a Black Prius club.

It's okay. You are entitled to an opinion. In a post I once called the Prius a glorius (not glorified, glorius) Corolla. I was beaten many, many times. It happens. Every car has it's quirks and passionate defenders.

At least you woke up a recently sedate forum.

 

Like many of the others I have not had a problem with sunglasses in the bin, either, but then again come to think of it, when they are stored there, I put them in a eye glass case - easier to transport them to my road bike that way.
I also didn't send a letter to Klein complaining when my bike got a flat on my second ride (and I even had to fix it myself.) :lol:

 

You actually wrote to Toyota because you got a flat tire and a chipped windshield? There goes your credibility.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 12:43 AM) [snapback]334313[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 07:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

Keep in mind, 17 people is an extremely small sample size. Especially considering the numbre of people who have posted here that they have no problem - it's more than your sample size!

Simply put, it can happen in pretty much any vehicle with such a compartment. They're all made of plastic, they're all in the roof, and they all get rather hot. If you're driving around, bouncing through potholes and over speed bumps, things do tend to move around a little bit, and despite how smooth a surface may be, constant rubbing like that can cause scratches. the only way to really avoid it is if the compartment was covered in a soft carpet with a microfiber surface over that - but then again, this isn't a luxury car, so how much can you really expect?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 07:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

Well, there doesn't always have to be a nail in the tire for it to go flat. For example, in my last car one of my rims got slightly bent from running into a curb, creating a slow leak. The funny thing is, it would leak out to a certain point, then the leak would stop (i'm guessing with the reduced pressure the tire was a little more moldable to the shape of the bent rim). Anyways, various mechanics looked at it several times and couldn't find the problem, which ended up going away on its own (we didn't figure it out until the tire was replaced and someone said "hey, this looks a little bent"). The point here is that tires go flat for a huge number or reasons, some of which can appear to fix themselves.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 07:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

By all means, have your opinion, but i think me (and many others here) are wondering exactly what this opinion is based on. Flats happen, chipped windshields happen. There are many more here who have been just fine without either happening to their Prius. Lady luck simply turned her back on you a few times.

Every company has crappy dealers, and frankly there isn't really much Toyota can do about it. I mean, what are they gonna do, say "i won't let you sell my car because people complain about you"? That just makes less oprotunities for them to make money (and they do have an obligation to their shareholders to think of...).

So, in what aspects do you see this car as cheesy? I've found the car to handle decently well (like i said, it's not a luxury or sports car), the interior is roomy, the trim is appropriate, and it has a unique body shape. And of course it gets better mileage and helps the environment with lower emissions.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Oct 18 2006, 02:38 PM) [snapback]334664[/snapback]</div>

I keep my cheap sunglasses in it. No problems. However if it wasn't for the bin being too small, I woudl keep my bridge toll transponder in it as I do in my Chrylser.

My Prius doesn't hurt my sunglasses. But it has ruined a couple of pairs of pants. But like my sunglasses, they were cheap. B) I joke that my car is snobby and prefers wool on my butt instead of polyester. :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 08:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

Not trying to pile on, but if I were you I'd sell it. If you don't like the car, and you live in a part of the country where they're going like hotcakes, just sell. The car doesn't depreciate, and that way you can get a car that doesn't get flats, rock chips, or scratch glasses. I'd recommend a Chevy Malibu.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Oct 18 2006, 03:38 PM) [snapback]334664[/snapback]</div>

My pass to get in my gated community. It's like a card that you use to raise the gate. I am not a fan of the card.

And I have noticed it (the card), is slightly warped due to the heat from the compartment.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 08:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

I noticed nobody has suggested that climate and weather may have something to do with it. Do you live in a very hot area where the car interior would get VERY hot? This may be a factor...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 08:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, but the general consensus seems to be that the Prius is very well built for it's price range, as are most Toyotas. What "other cars" are you comparing it to?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 08:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

I doubt there is any problem with the windshield, and the high 'rakedness' :lol: of the windshield should theoretically only reduce the chance of a chip, though a physics major I am not.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 08:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

Could it have been leaking from the valve stem?

Getting a flat in a new tire definitely sucks, and I sympathize because it happened to me as well 2 weeks after I got my Prius. I heard the 'tick, tick, tick' of the nail going round and spotted it and quickly got it to the dealer to patch it up for $20. Worst case, this is one reason why Toyota added the TPMS system; by knowing of low pressure you can remedy the situation before serious damage is done (i.e. driving on a flat).

Regarding the dealer, if they were unable to pinpoint the leak with water, perhaps it is worth finding another dealer. <_<

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 08:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Sorry to hear you have had crummy luck with your car, but in fairness most of your problems do not seem a problem of the car itself, but rather bad luck or service surrounding it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 08:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

Did you happen to ask them if they ever drove anything besides Toyotas or Hondas? That might influence where their glasses are damaged, but not necessarily why.

When conducting studies it's very important to control variables and know your sample statistics completely.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusRos @ Oct 18 2006, 02:56 PM) [snapback]334752[/snapback]</div>

New on this planet – is PRIUS your master? - What is blue tooth DK?
:lol: :lol:

 

I had a much different experience.

At 10,500 miles I got a flat on the tollway and as I pulled off the side, I noticed this truck pulling off with me. Turned out it was a tire changing crew from Toyota corporate. I had 4 new tires and was back on the road inside of 6 minutes. Very good service.

A month later, I thought I heard a rock chip hit the window. After about a half hour I noticed a tiny fleck of glass missing off to the one corner and thought.. Wow, was I lucky that wasn't worse or in my field of view. It just happened to be a day when I needed gas on my way home so I stopped in at the Shell. While I was fueling up, this same crew from Toyota Corporate pulled up along side and swapped out my front window. They also checked the air pressure in the new tires just to make sure it was all still at factory specs.

So, I'm not quite sure why your experience was so bad. Toyota Corporate has really done above and beyond for me... at least in my opinnion.

On the sunglasses note, mine are so scratched up, they may be doing damage to the compartment. I should check that out.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ Oct 20 2006, 10:13 AM) [snapback]335512[/snapback]</div>

Wow! Do you regularly travel with your own private Toyota service crew? :lol:

 

I think the problem is the sunglasses were cheaply made not the car. I've kept mine in there since day 1 and I have 30,000 miles on my '05. Meanwhile, I also had a flat within the first 10K miles. I was going through a construction zone, my bad...luck. I have an 80 miles round trip highway commute. I can't count the number of rocks that have hit my windshield and harmlessly bounced off. So I guess I'm 1 for 3 in bad news department...

 

:blink: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Oct 20 2006, 03:29 PM) [snapback]335745[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, I realize it's very unlikely, but perhaps theoretically possible. I've left my sunglasses in the bin all this summer as well when Toronto had some record heat waves (38C not including humidity!) and no problems whatsoever, except from the occasional scald on the sides of my head when I put them on too soon! B) :mellow:

 

To the OP:

I haven't had a problem with storing my sunglasses in the overhead bin and, as to the manual saying not to keep glasses there, I do think it's strange that they would include something that looks just the right shape and size to hold glasses and then tell you not to put your glasses in it. The door closing mechanism is really too light to hold anything much heavier than glasses, so what's it good for?

I have received a small chip on the windshield already but I don't think that's particularly unusual. I've had windshields replaced on just about every car I've owned in the past (usually due to a chip becoming a big crack). However, what I have found is an unusually high number of small nicks and paint chips on the front and rear bumpers as well as a couple on the hood. My last car, a pearl white Infiniti I30, was 10 years old (I had bought it used when it was about 4 years old and had probably been repainted) and it only had a few more (albeit larger) nicks in it when I sold it than my Prius, which is only four months old. My previous cars were both Mitsubishi Galants, one black and the other dark grey -- and I don't remember seeing these blemishes appearing so soon.

Now, to be fair, we recently took it on a long drive out to the Midwest, and on a couple of occasions found ourselves behind trucks kicking up lots of dirt and gravel. However, I still feel that the paint finish on this car seems less durable than on others. I had even polished it several times with Zaino before we left on the trip, making it really smooth and hoping it would also help deflect the small flying road hazards.

 

It really seems that the heat destroyed the AR coat that was on the eyeglasses. Sunglasses, by contrast, have no need for an anti-reflective coating, so most of us do not have this coating on their mentioned glasses. I live in southwest Florida, I leave my sunglasses in the bin all the time without a case. I have not had a problem. Putting a pair of eyeglasses with Crizal, Zeiss, or any other AR coating is not advised.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 07:29 PM) [snapback]334848[/snapback]</div>

Okay, now I'm curious about The Pebble Incident. You saw it coming towards you with enough advance time to weigh your options and determine whether or not best course of action would be to take evasive action, or whether is would be safest to stay the course.

I can think of three possibilities:

1. this was one of those time-slows-down moments like they show in the Matrix movies,
-or-
2. this pebble was the size of a tennis ball (which would explain the damage),
-or-
3. I simply MUST get myself a pair of those amazing prescription glasses of which you write! As for me, I usually don't see airborne pebbles until they're somewhere around 5-10 feet away -- which is far too late to do anything about it (reaction time at 30mph is approx. 25-35 feet). Must be my glasses.

 

I've have pebbles flying at me before, but luckily, none have caused any windshield damage (yet!).. Unless the stone is really big, I really think it's more a matter of luck whether it causes windshield damage or not.. I've had some pretty large stones hit me and cause no damage at all, not even a nick in the glass, but once I was with my brother in his car and we both saw this tiny little pebble come flying in and put a bullet in the glass- it just happen to hit at the right speed and the right angle..

In terms of seeing the rock or pebble or whatever, if the object is coming right at your face, you tend to be able to see it from a greater distance, but, given human self-preservation instinct, all you have time to do is flinch and duck a bit because you see this thing coming towards your face before you hear it whack your windshield.. On the other hand, if the object is coming off-axis, you generally don't see it until it's much closer, but this is one of those situations where you sometimes get the slow-mo effect- your brain plays tricks on you and you *think* you have lots of time to avoid it, but in reality, it's already too late- it's like one of those times when you suddenly see some road debris and swerve to avoid it and end up hitting it anyways..