Wear and tear over the life of a Prius, how does it hold up?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BethlehemPrius @ May 6 2007, 10:40 PM) [snapback]436621[/snapback]</div>

Probably depends where you drive, as to how many dings you get. Some of the Canadian cabs . . . with over 100K miles still look ok. $2.99 gas?!? . . . . that's practicly FREE

We're over $3.50 in south O.C. California.
After 56K miles we only have one ding on the rear driver side door. Plus a few chips around the grill and one cracked fog light (pretty common).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BethlehemPrius @ May 6 2007, 10:40 PM) [snapback]436621[/snapback]</div>

I have 105k miles on my 2005 package #4.

Body = some small chips and dings...the hood and front bumper have not survived the MI winter very well, so I will likely get them repainted and then see if Ventureshield works well on it for this coming winter. Other than that, it's all in wonderful condition.

Maintenance = the only things I have done are the oil and filter changes, and replaced the crappy econo tires for some GY tripletread assurance. Love the tires and I get about 75k out of them before needing replacement. I use synthetic oil 5w-20, change the filter every 7.5k miles, and change the oil every 15k miles. At 100k miles I took the car in for inspection and the dealer said there was more than 60% left on the brakes still, but I needed to replace the iridium spark plugs, and have the coolant drained and refilled (you can't flush the prius). There was no other needs apparent, and everything looks in excellent condition. I have replaced the cabin air filter and the engine air filter 3x's.

Interior = I use my car for a work vehicle and it shows, there are lots of little scuff marks on the glove boxes and doors. I chose to get the all-weather floor mats to help protect the carpet, and I would definitely recommend getting a tint to help control the interior temperatures. The seats are really quite terrible for lumbar support and have begun to get worse, I am sure that sometime in the next 50k I am going to replace the two front seats, probably with Ricaro (spelling). The cargo area was getting a little bit worn, so I purchased a cargo mat from Sigma Automotive to replace the original carpet mat that came with the prius.

ICE/Battery System = After about the first 10k miles I felt the car settle in...I love the way it drives and have not been too disappointed, though I would love for some changes (maybe they will come in the 2008 edition). The battery still seems to hold the charge, as evidenced by the ability to still do several miles a day in full EV mode and my FE averages are nearly static per seasonal changes.

Overall, I would say this little car is set to give me at least 350k without to many changes. Maybe a little paint, maybe some ding repair, and a few odds and ends, but I can't complain. I only wish I had purchased it sooner!!!!!

 

I've got 225,000 km on my 2001 Prius. Yes, I've got some dings in the door panels from careless and inconsiderate drivers parking beside me, the hood has millions of stone chips, and there are miscellaneous scratches here and there, but this is all just cosmetic- it affects the appearance of the car somewhat, but has no effect on the mechanical performance.. I'm not a big fan of the interior of the 2004 and later generation Prii with the painted plastic interior trim which looks cheap and is much more prone to damage than the pigmented plastics used in the original 2001 version of the car, but again, it's jsut cosmetics- the car will still function just fine no matter how scratched the paint may be, and really, it's no different than any other vehicle of recent manufacture- even high end luxury models now use painted interior plastics, so comparison-wise, the Prius is not at any disadvantage vs. other vehicles in this regard..

In terms of mechanicals, the car has been absolutely outstanding! I'm still on the original brake pads (and judging by the remaining material, I don't anticipate ever having to replace them.. The engine runs well, the only major mechanical work has been a front ball joint wearing out after 200,000 km.. This car has required *less* maintenance than any other vehicle I've ever driven..

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BethlehemPrius @ May 6 2007, 09:40 PM) [snapback]436621[/snapback]</div>

I highly recommend the bra for the Pruis, especially for long commutes. I also bought the custom body side mouldings and boy am I glad I did. I had an Acura MDX before the Prius and had previously spent quite a bit of money having 7 door dings removed. It happens no matter what type of car you have.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ May 6 2007, 09:52 PM) [snapback]436626[/snapback]</div>

We're not far behind at $3.44 here in WA state. Wish it were still "just" $2.99...

That being said I just drove more than 400 miles on 8 gallons, my first 50mpg tank (even though the MFD lifetime milage is still 44.5mpg, I've never hit "reset")

Dave

 

My battery is just fine- there is obviously some minor aging, but everything is still within spec- cell voltage differences are within tolerance, internal resistance is OK (and both of these parameters can be read by the THHT tool that the dealer has, so it is very much possible to diagnose battery degradation before it "dies")..

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BethlehemPrius @ May 6 2007, 10:40 PM) [snapback]436621[/snapback]</div>

Hi Bethlehem,

One of the first things that I did with my Prius was to get the hood, front bumper and outside mirrors protected. I didn't want a visible bra, so I went with Venture Shield an inivisible film that is guaranteed for as long as I own the vehicle. I am sooo glad that I did too. I don't have any dings or marks from kicked up debris, plus bugs and such simply just wipe off. Considering the cut of the front of the car and its aerodynamic design, I think it is imperative to do something to protect the hood and bumper if you don't want to live with paint chips from flying debris.

 

Standard maintenance items of 'fluids and filters' are very well known. In addition, at some point the brake fluid will have absorbed more than 1% water and need changing. There are several testing devices that can tell you when. No surprise that this probably happens sooner in humid climates. The original Vancouver Prius taxi had several brake fluid changes. My Prius is getting towards 7 yr old and the original brake fluid is still below 1/2 % water. Mostly driven in dry places.

Where roads are salted in the winter, anticipate corrosion on the brake hardware. Ironically this seems to be a consequence of the low 'duty cycle' of the friction brakes. Underbody washes in the winter might postpone this (unsure).

Drain and refill of the transmission fluid is not officially recommended by Toyota in the US (but perhaps elsewhere?). Several of us suggest that this be done on 60k intervals or maybe even sooner.

Inspections of the brake steering and suspension systems are prudent, and essentially is the same as conventional front wheel drive vehicles. CV joint boots are 'mortal', and it would be much cheaper to replace them after a tear, than to wait until the shiny parts inside start to clunk. Eventually one will probably need new wheel bearings, struts, shocks, ball joints.

Follow these general steps, don't crash, and expect that your Prius will function well until fuel costs get to 'crazy'. Whatever that might be.

 

Like they said. My personal summation of body wear is since the car was designed for max MPG Toyota used aluminum to keep the weight down, and aluminum isn't as dent proof as steel. Naturally, YOU'LL keep your car as pristine as possible, but there is no accounting for OTHERS' treatment of your baby, especially in tight parking lots. Mechanically, the car is on par with any other Toyota I have owned.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveLeePrius @ May 6 2007, 09:06 PM) [snapback]436666[/snapback]</div>

Over here on the east side of the state, it's only $3.259, but rising rapidly. It's gone up over 15 cents in the last two weeks. It rose from $3.099 to 3.199 the Sunday before last and up to $3.259 last Sunday. It used to be that gas was cheaper on the west side. At least in certain locations.

Dave M.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MarinJohn @ May 7 2007, 09:05 AM) [snapback]436875[/snapback]</div>

One nice thing about the aluminum (which includes almost all of the car, except the frame, top and doors) is that with the paint chipped off, it still won't rust. I've got a dent with missing paint on the rear hatch that's still as shiny as when it first chipped last fall.

Dave M.

 

$3.39 today at Costco (LA). $2.99 would cause gas lines in LA!

I have the usual amount of rock chips (gravel trucks), and one windshield chip (small) in 33,000 miles. The biggest problem I have is the car's low ground clearance. I had over $1300 damage from one of the killer truck tire treads on the freeway. All my other cars have hit them with only a polish-out. This one definitely left its mark. The upholstery is holding up better than I would have expected (light beige), except for a wear spot on the left side of the center console near the seatbelt latch. Carpeting is holding up pretty well. All in all I'm happy. I spend over 10 hours a week in the car, sometimes eating and drinking, and also hauling my bike inside. 33,000 miles since Jan 06: I'm a happy guy!