New To Sfbay Group? Say Hello Here!

Hi folks,
I've been registered here at Prius Chat for ages now (year+), but I finally moved to the States (from Europe) and bought my dream car. Now the proud owner of a 3-week Barcelona Red Prius '06 (light interior), with everything except leather and nav (I'm starting to regret the lack of leather a bit, but this one had only a 2 week wait time, and that was far more important - not having a car and all...).
I'm through 650 miles now, with an average of only 44.5 mpg, I expect the reason being the large number of very short trips (mostly 4 mile drives to work and back).

 

Just bought my used '04 Prius with HOV stickers. No wait for me to get in the carpool. I was already getting 45mpg, access to the carpool lane and no smog requirments in my BMW, but a car is much safer than a motorcycle. I commute 85 from South San Jose to Palo Alto. SUVs really hate it when I sit in the carpool lane with cruise control set to 72mph.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Haynes @ Jul 14 2006, 11:49 AM) [snapback]286327[/snapback]</div>

Well, I actually got my Prius about a month ago. Nice red one with the package 7. Everything but leather.

 

[
hey there
I have a strange question, that I am sure you not used to getting. I am a Casting Director in San Francisco looking for Prius drivers , or soon to be Prius drivers that love their cars and are concerned about our global environment.We are looking for all ages/ all people/all walks of life.

We are shooting a short film about the Prius and environmental concerns in the bay area and was wondering if you are this person, or if you know of someone that is.
We have a great crew that will be sure to make this film outstanding, something that you would be very proud of, I promise.

There would be an audition next tues. 10/31, and if chosen would shoot one day the week of Nov. 6.

Please email if you know someone or have any ideas of where ishould go.

Is there a way to email SF members? What steps would I have to go through?

Thank you so much for your time
Kristen
[email protected]






quote name='V8Cobrakid' date='Aug 26 2004, 02:32 PM' post='35318']
Welcome to anyone new to our group. Feel free to say a quick hello so we know you're here. Some of us advertise this board. It would be nice to know if any of our efforts pay off. Have fun in your Prius. Keep up on the forums to get info on prius meets. :mrgreen:
( SF Bay Area Members Only )
[/quote]

 

Greetings All,

Bought my Silver'07 w/ a package 5 last weekend. Just about through my first tank at about 45 mpg. Loving every mile! Having difficulty getting a straight answer from my dealer on availability of XM Radio. And my bluethooth phone is refusing to talk to the Prius.

Will check the forums.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

We are here in Vacaville, got our Prius on 8.6.06 from SF Toyota. We "settled" on a silver #6 as our leased truck was due in Boise ID. the following weekend. Fantastic car. Averaging over 50mpg, best is 53+. Commuting from here to Martinez - 75 miles round trip.

I've ben trying to get the extended warranty from "Danny" since early (?) October. I'm not getting any response from him. Anyone else had problems or can anyone recommend another discount dealer? Any info would be appreciated.

motor on - Dennis

 

Hi there,

I'm Adam... in San Francisco, and I just my first new car ever (my previous ones had been a hand-me-down and a used one).

My Frankie is a 2007 Prius with package #5, in Silver Pine Mica (okay, basically tastefully light green)... my first choice! Of equal coolness, I got her for more than $2,000 under MSRP ($25.8K).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ThatAdamGuy @ Dec 24 2006, 03:40 AM) [snapback]366231[/snapback]</div>

Hey Adam!
Welcome to PC and congrats on your new Prius! I'm impressed you were able to get it for $2K under MSRP! See ya on the dance floor!
~Lisa (GrrLead, swingkitty...)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dancekat59 @ Dec 24 2006, 10:05 AM) [snapback]366316[/snapback]</div>

Ah, Lisa! I'm discovering more and more people I know have Prii! Oh, and I'm actually seeing the Frankie my car is named after... just next week (SONW). Hope he's honored

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dennis2 @ Nov 12 2006, 07:54 PM) [snapback]347980[/snapback]</div>

Hi Adam,
Sounds like you got a deal on the car, great.

I was able to get the Platinum extended warranty from "Danny" at half what my local dealer was quoting. From the other owners I've been talking to, you may want to do the same. Insurance on new technology.

Enjoy the car.
Dennis

 

Hi All,

Last Thursday, 1/11/2007, I bought my beautiful new Prius! It's a 2007, non-touring, package #5, light blue (Seaside Pearl), and I love it!

For the three days before I bought, I spent pretty much all day doing research on-line about the Prius and accessories. Thanks to all the members of PriusChat for all the great information and opinions!

Right now, I'm in the middle of the HOV sticker process. I drove up to San Francisco Friday to get the FasTrak account set up in person, and I've been on the phone with people at the dealership (Palo Alto Toyota) to press them to get me my license plate number ASAP. I paid by check and they want to wait until the check clears before filing the DMV paperwork, unfortunately. I'm now weighing whether to go ahead and send the application to the DMV without the license plate number, since some have reported getting their stickers even without it, or taking the safer route and waiting for the license place number. I've also ordered vanity plates from the DMV (CO2 DOWN) and I've considered putting the vanity plate number on the HOV sticker application, but I'm afraid it needs to already be in their system matched up to my VIN. The vanity plates arrive in a number of weeks, and only after they arrive and I turn in my first set of plates (which of course haven't arrived yet either) will the vanity plates be matched to my vehicle in the DMV computers.

I've also been looking around for every accessory and modification that appeals to me. The big ones are just in the planning stages, and may or may not happen:

* iPod integration -- I'm leaning toward VAIS right now
* Sirius -- the Factory Interactive Sirius Prius package looks good
* Lock Pick 3
* CAN-View -- I have no practical use for this, it's just a fun thing to have. But unfortunately it won't work
with a 2007 MFD, and I don't want to mount another touchscreen. Now that Lock Pick 3 allows video into
the 2007 MFD, perhaps there can be a CAN-view that uses the Lock Pick 3 to work with the MFD in my
2007? Hopefully I can find out.
* ThinkPad dock -- After reading about the Mac Prius and various other Carputers, I'd really like to be able
to dock my ThinkPad T60 in my Prius. The ThinkPad has an HSDPA mobile broadband radio with
Cingular service, so I could surf the web while out in my Prius! One possibility is to mount the small
ThinkPad docking station somewhere out of sight or on top of the passenger side dash and route the
video through the Lock Pick 3 to the MFD. It may even be possible to get the touchscreen input into the
ThinkPad -- the Mac Prius gets touchscreen data out a serial port of the CAN View v3, though the v3 CAN
View doesn't work with a 2007. Another possibility is to simply mount the ThinkPad over the center
console so I can turn slightly to the right to access both the screen and keyboard of the laptop itself.
I've experimented with just resting it on top, and it's not too bad a position. But I would need something
to keep it from moving when the car is moving.
* Garmin Handheld GPS (GPSmap 60CSx) mount -- Why would I need a hand-held GPS mount when I have
the factory NAV system? There are several reasons. I would like to be able to have a log of my path on
trips and download it to my computer at home to save and print out. The factory NAV system doesn't
have that, but my handheld that I already own and carry in my coat pocket everywhere already does.
With a mount in the Prius, it could draw power from the car and not run down its own batteries. And if I
have both the GPS mount and the ThinkPad dock, then my laptop will know where I am and can
potentially combine that with web traffic data, map data, and satellite pictures to give more information
than the factory NAV display. The ThinkPad screen is also quite large and it can be useful to have such
a large display for map information.
* Cellular Amplifier -- There are amplifiers available that work both with the GSM phone and
HSDPA/GPRS/GSM radio in my laptop. They supposedly pick up the signal from inside the car and send
a more powerful version of that signal to the cell tower, and the same the other way. The one I'm
looking at is the Cascade In Vehicle Dual Band Wireless Amplifier.
* XM or Sirius Traffic Data -- I'd like to get traffic data in my Prius, but there doesn't seem to be any way to
do this short of installing a second complete nav system with its own touch screen and having the
satellite traffic info show up only in the second nav system. So I'll probably pass on this.

I'm going to wait on all the electronics until I've decided everything I'm going to do, so that I can plan it so nothing gets in the way of something else I want to do, and I don't have to take things apart any more times than necessary.

I've also been shopping for non-electronic accessories. I've walked though several auto parts stores looking through everything they have and I've been through the PriusChat on-line store too. I've bought or ordered the following:

* Body Side Mouldings -- Anyone know a good place in the SF Bay to have them installed?
* Window Sun Shades -- I bought a cheap windshield sun shade at a Kragen, but it doesn't fit well, so I'm
going to return it and I've ordered a set from the PriusChat store.
* Glass Breakage Sensor
* Cargo Net -- The Toyota OEM one.
* Mudguards -- Again, the Toyota OEM ones.
* Floor/Cargo Mats -- I have ordered both heavier and lighter duty cargo and floor mats, to swap in and out
depending on what I'm doing.
* Snow Chains -- I ordered the Super Z6 SZ123 set from Amazon.
* Air Compressor -- I bought a portable unit that plugs into the 12V plug to fill up a tire with a slow leak. It
fits under the cargo floor.
* Tool Set -- I bought a generic kit with various tools for auto repair, small enough to fit under the cargo
floor.
* Emergency Flares
* Tire Pressure Guage
* Personal Locator Beacon -- This is a hand-held unit that I already owned for hiking. It sends a distress
signal to call for search and rescue to an Air Force satellite system. It has an internal GPS system so it
can send one's exact location, plus a unique identity code that allows authorities to look up who owns
the system and call up the person to eliminate most false alarms before sending the helicopters out.
When I'm not out hiking with it, it lives in my Prius, so if I drive off a road or get stuck and get into real
danger, I can always call for help.
* Hiking boots, day pack, first aid kit, bottled water, food, headlamp, Swiss army knife, coat, etc. -- I use
all these for hiking, but since I keep them in the Prius now, they could come in handy in any emergency
with the car.
* Driver Side Blindspot Mirror -- This is one of those little convex mirrors that sticks to the corner of the
driver side mirror to give an additional clue if someone's in that blind spot. I'll try it out and remove it if
I don't like it.

Also, I want but have not yet ordered:

* A 3M Clear Car Bra -- I need to find a good Bay Area shop to install this.
* Fuel/Milage Log Book
* Jumper Cables -- I haven't investigated these for the Prius yet, but I like to keep a set around, both in
case I need a jump and in case I happen upon someone else who needs one.

I'm looking forward to a lot of good years with this car!

 

Hi everyone,

I'm currently living in Sonny Socal, but am moving up to North Oakland or Emryville this summer and going to work in Downtown SF. I was wondering if any of you guys commute from Oakland to SF everyday for work, if so, how is the drive? Is it really packed on the bridge, or going to the bridge? I'm gonna be new to the area, so any words of wisdom (advice) would be great!

Thanks and I hope to see some of you guys on the road soon!

 

Hello-

I am actually in Santa Cruz, so I'm not technically in the SF Bay area, but I commute there.

I just got a 2007 Touring edition.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V8Cobrakid @ Mar 4 2007, 07:38 PM) [snapback]400125[/snapback]</div>

I grew up in Palo Alto and have spent at least half my adult life there as well. I basically learned to drive going over hwy 17 so it's not the barrier for me that it is to some people.

 

When are we gonna have the next SF Bay area meet?

 

Greetings SF Bay Prius Owners!!!

I'm newer (6 months) to PriusChat and I too recently joined the club and purchased a used 2005 (Millenium Silver). I totally dig it and it has changed the way I drive and think about driving and the environment.

I live in South San Jose and commute to South San Francisco (104 miles round trip each day) via HWY 85 and 280. The big bonus for me is that my Prius had the HOV Diamond Lane stickers on it, which transferred when I bought it and it has completely changed the nature (and duration) of my long commute.

Was pretty stock when I purchased, so with the help of Prius Chat forums and all the posts from folks like you, I've modded to include things like mudflaps, dash mat, tinted windows, shark fin antenna, steering wheel cover, all-weather mats, removal of wheel rim trim rings and exteior body-side door panel mouldings (MUCH better looking now IMHO)!

Future possible upgrades being deliberated (pending time, money, and install confidence) include the BT Tech Stiffening Plate and JDM Side Body Marker Turn Signals (this should be standard in U.S. IMHO) and perhaps a couple other items TBD!

Would be great to gather with fellow Prius owners in the SF Bay Area, compare notes, check out installs, and meet and greet. I'm in!

Thanks again to all. See you on the boards!

 

Hello Franciscans—

I just celebrated my 3rd Prius anniversary -- and I'm still thrilled with it.

I'd like to repost a question since I got no response in the Electronics Forum:

I recently moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco. In Los Angeles, my '04 Nav could zoom in close enough that you could see one city block at a time and building shapes. In San Francisco, the view is further back which jams all of the icons together. Do others experience this too? If San Francisco doesn't allow for the closest view, how many major cities do?

Thanks,

Mitchell

 

just another bay area guy checkin in here!

i have an '03 camry, but mom as a prius.

black '05 w/ #8 package i believe.

 

Hi! I just picked up my 2007 black Prius Touring with package #6. I'm very excited!