Featured Four-time Tesla owner opts for Prius Prime

The winter air here is also much cleaner now than when I arrived in the '80s.

Winter inversions frequently cause air pollution to build up at ground level. Major improvements in automobile and home wood-burning emissions, plus a major reduction in home wood burning at all, mean that there is much less toxic pollution available to contribute to that build up.

 

My sister and I rented a place in Ballard with a wood-burning chimney. Never used it. One, we didn't want to clean it out. Two, our heater worked fine. Third, it's just a lot of inefficient pollution.

 

I can confirm this as SouthEast Toyota Region had three in North Alabama. I tested the mid-range and went back the next day ... IT WAS SOLD! But they had the top-of-the line available.

A Google search found the one I bought in Rhode Island so I bought it and flew up to drive it 1,200 miles home. Previous Prius experience with SouthEastern Toyota Region had already convinced me they are anti-efficient cars even Toyotas along with loading cars with unwanted 'port options.'

Bob Wilson

 

Yea. I want a Prius Prime Advanced. Those are the best.

SM-N986U1 ?

 

Any car must meet your individual requirements. In my case:

1. Std Rng Plus Model 3 - has SuperCharger network and peak DC charging rate of 170 kW. Great power; AutoPilot; and plenty of interior space. The 220 mi EPA range means cross country via SuperCharger network is easy.
2. BMW i3-REx - the peak DC charging rate is 50 kW BUT the Range Extender engine gives 70 mph @39-40 MPG. Easy access to interior and short coupled wheelbase. At 3,000 lbs and ~183 HP, it is a pocket rocket with dynamic cruise control. With 72 mile EV range, it is a '10 stop' car in town and ~1 hr 15 min. gas segments.
3. Prius Prime - the 25 mi EV range means it is a '3 stop' car in town. With over 600 mi gas range, you can pass through high gasoline cost areas. Good internal volume but rear door access is less than the BMW. Driver assistance was just dynamic cruise control and a marginal lane departure alert ... more nanny than help.

We own or owned these three cars and each has proven reliable and efficient. All three can handle 700-750 mi segments in a 'double shift' drive. If needed, they can cover 1,000 miles in a 24 hour drive.

Bob Wilson

 

I don't think so. This area, at least, is practically choked with Prii (and Teslas, btw). Most times while waiting at a traffic light, I see several other Prii. The local Toyota dealer usually has about a dozen Prii on the lot at a time. But I only see maybe half a dozen Primes on the road in the course of a year. A few weeks ago I came out of the grocery store to see a Prius parked on either side of my Prime and a Tesla parked nose to nose with me. Birds of a feather, I guess.

 

If the Prime had a tiny bit more power and a wagon version, I would really have no major complaints about it. Love that it is small like a Corolla which makes it easy to park, is comfortable, has the typical Toyota layout that I'm used to, includes CarPlay, etc. It really only needs those two things mentioned above for me to be completely satisfied with it.

 

Ahh, the advantages of the dealer model.
And people wonder why Tesla has no dealers

Mike

 

Yeah, but it's not the dealer either. The dealer says they want to sell them. They can't get the distributor to provide them.

BTW, my red Prime just got another unsolicited compliment today.

 

In the beginning, Toyota wanted to export cars to the US and wanted nationwide coverage but didn't have enough money to set that up so they sold distributor rights to what we now call SET (Southeastin Florida) and GST (Gulf States in Houston) to private companies which are their own profit centers. They order cars from the factory for the dealers in their zone and do a lot of collective advertising and financing.

I have gone out of the SET zone twice because their dealers couldn't get the car I wanted in the time frame I wanted at the price I wanted. No problems with service once I got back home from a SET dealer.

 

Same here. I bought my Prime used, but they service it just as if they'd sold it. Although I don't give them much opportunity except alignments or brake service.

 

SET dealers where I live also have a supposedly “port installed” mandatory option called Toyoguard, overpriced paint and fabric protection and a couple of extra oil changes and tire rotations. Pure profit!

 

have to think you are right, never seen one personally