My Concerns with the New Prius

Sorry, but what kind of gold plated tires did you put on that thing? First, if one tire goes flat, check to see if it can be repaired. Maybe $50 depending on the shop. If it can't be fixed and the tires are fairly new(<25% wear), just replace the one tire. If the tires are >25% wear, call around to find a matching used tire with approximately the same wear. If you still had factory tires on the Sienna, I bet there was a comparable used tire within a hundred miles of you; well worth the trouble instead of buying 4 new tires. And even if you went with all new tires, how the heck did you get to $2k? I just looked up your size(225/60R17) on a major website and could pick up a set of premium all-weathers(Mich CC2) for barely $750 after rebate w/o install. Full price range was $500(discount)-$1000(run flat). You're either exaggerating or got seriously fleeced.

I believe in using genuine Toyota parts almost everywhere, but NEVER* buy tires from a dealership.


*Okay, hardly ever. If you are constantly traveling around the country, being able to have your tires replaced at any Toyota dealership while they're still under warranty can be helpful. But other than that particular case...


edit: Ok, the follow up info makes more sense.

 

2005 Sienna AWD. It came with then still very new and rare run-flat tires because the AWD mechanism prevented mounting the compact spare on the bottom rear of the van. There was a class action lawsuit on the run-flat tires that came with this year's model Sienna AWD. Eventually, Toyota settled out of court by extending the warranty on the tires. They gave a free set of tires for someone who needed premature replacement of tires. In my case, one tire got flat less than 20K, and the van could not run flat. It had to be towed to a dealership. They gave us a set of the same "defective" tires for free. The free set of tires did not last any better. Less than 20K miles, again one tire got flat, and all 4 had to be replaced, but this time not for free but rather for ~$1,200 (edited) if I wanted to keep run-flat tires on. I opted out of the run-flat tires and purchased 4 new conventional tires for much less. I never had to buy another set of tires again until I decommissioned the car 7 years/60kmiles later. However, since the car did not have spare tires and I was driving without run-flat tires, I did buy a set of used wheels with used tires on them some years later thinking of using them for winter tires or maybe for a full-size spare. I never bought winter tires, and I never used the wheel and tire as a full-size spare. I sold the set of wheels and tires after junking the minivan.

 

See the comment above. Yep, that was a hard lesson learned for the very first very expensive new car I ever purchased.

EDIT: correction to my original comment. I exaggerated the number a bit. Apparently, it wasn't $2,000. It was $1,200 back then 17 years ago. Well, with the inflation rate as high as it has been, it probably is about $2,000 in today $$$. LOL.

Toyota Sienna Run-Flat Tire Class Action - The Center for Auto Safety
17. The replacement run-flat Dunlop tires retail for about $300 per tire. When one tire must be replaced all four tires must be replaced at a cost of about $1,200.

 

Yes. And that was the very first generation of run-flat tires that required special equipment to mount/dismount. Then there weren't too many tire shops that would be able to work with them, such that my only option was to take it back to a dealer. I have read that the newer generations of run-flat tires are better and can be installed in regular tire shops now. Would I have known what I know now 17 years ago, I probably have kept leasing a new mini-van from Chrysler. Or at the least, I would have opted for a non-AWD Sienna mini-van. The van might have been still running today 17 years later if it did not have AWD because the reason I had to get rid of it with only 100K miles was the rusted rear differential. Non-AWD Sienna would not have this part.

 

This doesn't take away from your complaint, but the press release on Toyota's US site has 17" as the standard size on the LE. It's the XLE & Limited that get the 19" standard. For the Prime the SE is listed as 17" as the standard and the XSE & XSE Premium come with 19" standard.

The heated & ventilated seats would be nice in the higher trim levels, as would a rear-dimming mirror, but SofTex & the 19" wheels would be negatives unless they really improved SofTex.

 

I think the Ioniq is gonna kill the Tesla.

 

My Bestie has a C, she bought it on my recommendation. It sure is cheap to drive, and she's 5'3" and weighs about 105, so it's perfect for her. There are quite a few around here, nice looking cars. I almost bought one, spouse said no, too small and low.

 

Adding an auto-dimming rearview mirror to the LE and SE should be really easy. I recently added the auto-dimming version of the new frameless rearview mirror that's available as an option on the current 2022 Priuses(and other Toyotas) to my old 2010 Prius 2 and was able to easily make it look completely stock. I was tired of manually flipping the mirror and not having Homelink buttons. Roughly $300 with compass and $250 w/o. Drops to around $200 if you don't mind the framed look. Most every car manufacturer buys their mirrors from the same company(Gentex), so upgrading is simple.

Got no help for you on the H&V seats though.


edit: BTW, the digital rearview mirror that's part of the tech package on the Limited and XSE Premium trims is around $850 to buy all on its own(includes a camera you mount on the inside-top of your rear window).

 

Wait…is it a sure thing the interiors will be black and grey only?? I had my heart set on beige fabric like my current prius. Will beige not be available??

 

Is the premium fuel recommendation only for the higher trims or all trims/hps?

 

The mention of higher octane gas is in a disclaimer with the claim about horsepower increase, that the increase is with use of high octane, ethanol-free fuel. And this is a very preliminary time in the release; nothing's really certain till the North American specs and brochures are released. I'm sceptical, but who knows.

 

I wonder if they did anything with the catalytic converter to reduce theft.

 

I doubt it. It is a US specific issue - only here they can steal and resell parts like nothing. I haven’t heard of this issue anywhere else on the planet.
Same goes with Kia/Hyundai getting stolen because they use 1980 style locks and engine starter key mechanism. I haven’t heard or read anything about it elsewhere around the planet.

 

london has been horrendous as well

 

I stand corrected.

 

Says you who's been drooling over Mach-E.

 

I had bought a guardian gray Prius Prime in my dream last night and parked it at my place.

All are nonissues for me.

They have "regular" gas only in the US. Elsewhere, it's high-octane and only high-octane. I don't mind paying 3% more for gas if it gives me 5% better fuel ⛽ economy.

The new tires are great! Innovation is a good thing.

The outgoing model didn't have cloud updates. It would cost you ~ $1,000 to get an update. It's great that the new model has. It has wireless Apple Car and Android Auto in any case, which even the luxury cars don't have.

In my opinion, the new Prius Prime leaves every car out there in the dust.

 

Wouldn't be in the market for the first year release of Gen 5 Prime and the only reservation I have is about the 13.x Kw pack and the 38 40 and double EV miles being discussed in ad nauseum.

 

Yes, one utuber was very thorough and put the car on a lift. There is a steel guard covering half the catalytic convertor.