Dumped the 07 Prius after 5 weeks

It's apparent that the Prius is a car more built for city driving rather than highway. I have definately noticed a bit of 'swing' in the Prius on the freeway. I'm glad I saw this post, I thought it was all in my mind.

Seems like it takes a little bit of strength to hold onto the steering wheel to keep the car stable and straight on in your own lane, compared to other cars I've driven. I assume this might have to do with many factors but the main one probably being it's size .. ? My last car was a Mazda 626 4-door sedan, which was long, wide, and low to the ground. Since I've changed to the Prius I can definately notice that the Mazda was alot more stable on the freeway, also the steering felt more secure and "anchored" -- slight movements of the steering wheel didn't seem to affect it's course, the same way it does on the Prius. The Prius' steering almost reminds me of a small pickup truck I used to have.

Still, despite this issue, I'm kind of getting used to it. AND I think my forearms might look like Popeye's here pretty soon!! (due to the effort it takes to maintain steering on long distance drives, which I do ALOT)

However, this is yet another issue I hope will change with the next generation Prius. Judging by the new pictures I've seen, the car is supposedly going to be wider. That might help..

 

I guess all my other cars and motorhomes have been crappy such as ex-jeep,p/u's,station wagons, corvair, vega, pinto, impala,crown vic. sunbird, grand marquis.etc...can't forget the hippie vans 1965 chevy with painted mural on sides

I think the prius is a very good road hugging car compared to the big boats I have had, the worst of my vehicles was a 67 pontiac bonneville convertable it floated on the highway even side to side.

I feel a lot of wind shift in the prius but nothing that you would have to work out for to control it. I did drive an M151A1 jeep for quit a while it was a squirrley damn thing. So maybe just used to that sort of feel. :0

So I guess I have a Great Prius, now our motorhome in the wind is a whole different story but I think it's time for new bilsteins in front.

 

After reading some of the horror stories here about the Prius jumping lanes, being dangerous to drive with cross winds or when passing trucks, or requiring great arm strength, I wonder if I somehow ended up with an abnormal Prius. My Prius is an unmodified standard version with the original Integrity tires inflated to 37/35 front/rear. Last week I got my first chance to experience severe cross winds and high speed driving while sharing the road with three-trailer semis. My trip was about 250 miles round trip between St. George, Utah and Las Vegas. I-15 runs right through the center of both places and the speed limit is 75 mph most of the way.

On the trip to Vegas there was no appreciable wind and, driving around 75 to 80 mph, I noticed no perturbations at all when passing large trucks. I don't know what the effect would have been if any of these behemoths had passsed me because none did.

On the return trip there were very high cross winds. I have no way of directly measuring the actual wind speeds I drove through but tumbleweeds were not tumbling -- they were sailing across the road airborne, along with lots of debris that was also staying airborne across the entire road width. Weather reports on local stations later reported gusts in excess of 70 mph in the area. Along with the wind, it was raining and the road surface was wet. While the gusts could certainly be felt, there was absolutely no difficulty keeping in my lane and no need to make any unusual steering corrections -- and, at age 73, I don't think I have unusual arm strength.

Either I'm very lucky in getting a superior Prius or there is something wrong with the cars that exhibit poor stability -- or maybe some folks just love to complain.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RedRockPrius @ May 8 2007, 11:15 AM) [snapback]437535[/snapback]</div>

I'm with you on this. I drive 65 mph open prairie highway every day, and when there's wind, I don't feel it any more than with any other car I have driven. I certainly haven't felt even CLOSE to out of control. I can't figure out what accounts for all the complaints about road handling. But like you said, maybe I'm either lucky, have a better Prius than most, or just know how to handle it better.

 

After reading this thread I have to say that maybe I got one of the better prius on the road today.

I have done NOTHING to the car... bone stock and to me it does not exhibit any of problems in windy conditions or snowing conditions..

I have seen slight buffering .. but that is because the body has a bit of lean in it..

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tyrin @ May 8 2007, 09:36 AM) [snapback]437547[/snapback]</div>

Me too. My driving is 95% freeway, up to 80 mph in the windy LA area. I don't see what the big deal is. I run about 40/38, and have a BT brace, but only because I also do auto-x (in my Subaru), and wanted to improve the handling, though for most of my driving it was OK as is. All new cars require a period of adjustment of the nut behind the wheel, more often than of the car itself. All in all very satisfied in all areas.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CheapChic @ Apr 7 2007, 09:03 AM) [snapback]419353[/snapback]</div>

5 weeks isn't enough to get to know *any* new car. You gave up far too soon. It always takes me nearly 6 months until I really feel I'm in a groove with a car. We bought our 07 last October, and just recently I'm beginning to feel super comfortable in it. I wouldn't want a Camry for *any* price!! I got into a new one recently at the dealer and it felt really clausterphobic. And the cheap plastic knobs for the climate controls really turned me off as well as the door handle. My parents 1997 Camry XLE is much nicer inside.

Sure, the car gets thrown around in the wind, but it's not windy here too often.

If you want to experience a car getting thrown around in the wind, try driving a VW bus!!

Dave

 

Just had to reply to this one. Have had a Tercel, then 3 Corollas before my Prius I got in Feb. (07 Touring). I bought my DH a '03 Classic Pruis for Christmas in '02 (but I wanted it really). His is a little difficult to keep in the middle of the lane for me due to oversteer I think. But my touring is no different that my 03' Corolla LE was in handling. And I have not yet done any mods to it yet. I wish I had found this site when we got the first Prius. I never heard of pulse & glide before and my DH has a heavy foot on both the gas & brake - hence his complaints of not getting the expected mileage. It is a shame that this poster gave up on the car so soon when as you say it could have been an alignment problem. Then maybe I'm biased - I just love these cars. The only thing I would like more would be an EV or hybrid vehicle with the body of a 65 Mustang. That was the only car until getting a Prius that really got me enthused. Thanks for all your input - I learn something new here every day. Question though: Where is the OBD located that the CAN-View goes into? Haven't found that answer yet. I need to learn about the innards of this car. Sorry to ramble.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveLeePrius @ May 8 2007, 12:41 PM) [snapback]437601[/snapback]</div>

Oh yeah, the VW bus, I've had a few of those (63, 65 and 66) not at all friendly in the wind.

It sometimes gets real windy up here, the wind screams off Lake Erie and I did not like my Prius in those condiions either. A set 215 17" tire and wheels as well as a BT stiffening plate fixed it right up. The car feels a lot more "German", more like a Audi A4 or Jetta.

 

My prius does move in the wind but then again so did my last car a Jeep Cherokee. Both cars when looked at from the side have a lot of surface area for wind to catch, however obviously the prius is much more aerodynamic from the front.

I have done a bit of highway driving and semis have passed by from all angles and although the car wavers it doesn't move any more than my jeep.

I wouldn't have even thought about it had it not been for posts like these complaining of swaying.

 

I'm a new Prius owner, purchased on 5/4/07, and I must say this post really surprises me. I drove my Prius over 700 miles the first weekend from central Illinois to central Indiana with most of the time being on Interstates 74, 65 and 465. It was quite windy all weekend and I had semis blowing by constantly and never experienced a problem. If fact I have been driving Chrysler vans for the past 20 plus years and the prius was much more stable in the wind than the van was. A number of folks mentioned the addition of a "BT". What is that?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CheapChic @ Apr 10 2007, 08:51 PM) [snapback]420737[/snapback]</div>

Hi CC: You may not get this far in the forum to read this, but I'd like to thank you for your original post and I hope you appreciate the discussion your post engendered and that you'll ignore the negative comments.

I have a request that you not abandon Priuschat, but instead keep us appraised about the CamryHybrid and your continuing experience with it. I think a lot of us would be interested in real life data about Toyota's "other hybrid".

Thanks

 

BT stand for BT Tech Chassis Stiffening Plate.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(New Guy @ May 8 2007, 02:09 PM) [snapback]437622[/snapback]</div>

 

I have always driven German Cars by choice, as I like a firm steering, and like to feel like I am driving the car, not the car driving me. Even my 85 Honda Accord had nice tight steering.

I have owned 75 firebird, 93 Mercedes E, 95 Mercedes 600 V-12 and a VW New Beetle Convertible.

I think the toyoto Prius does just fine. I drove it home on a toll road and was going 78 miles per hour before I knew it.

Granted, most of my cars have been Heavy Cars, but I have to wonder about alignment. I think my alignment might be slightly off on the Prius, and will have it checked.


I hate cushy steering cars like old Lincolns and Cadillacs, that float all over the road.


I wonder if this is like the guy whose Prius was made out west???

Only an Idiot would trade in a 5 week old car that is in high demand, especially with all those mods.

Why not post for sale on this sight????? Someone would have been glad to buy it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tyrin @ May 8 2007, 12:36 PM) [snapback]437547[/snapback]</div>

I agree, you can definately feel crosswinds more than in other sedans, but its nowhere near as active in winds as normal everyday SUVs people drive and don't complain about.

 

I love my Prius and it can do no wrong, but I have to confess that it is extremely annoying to fight the wind on windy days on the Interstate. I've got better things to do than pay attention to driving in a straight line!

I was in a hurry yesterday and drove a whole lot faster. The acceleration seemed to give me much more control over the car, which makes sense when you consider that I was constantly asking for forward motion instead of trying to maximize mpg. The Prius acted normal. Like a real car.

So, in wind I will speed up! (Plus it will get me off the road faster.)

Haven't noticed much problem with big trucks, which surprises me. Had more trouble with trucks in my Passat (RIP) and Jetta (RIP). And really had trouble with trucks in my Suburban while pulling horse trailer. (Will get anti-sway bars one day; until then, it's back roads....)

Maybe I should also have my alignment checked. Didn't somebody say that we get one alignment check for free?

 

I live in the Texas Panhandle and yesterday we had sustained winds in the 40 mph range and gusts up to the mid 60s and have never had any handling problems with my 06 Prius. I also drive a 60 mi. r/t every weekend and the car handles great. Guess it just depends on what you've driven before, etc.

 

The Prius IS twitchy, but that is NOT a bad thing in my eyes.

I can see the point of those who fear that the steering might be less forgiving but I personally like it.

If only the battery was more powerful...

 

Ya like a twitchy car?

 

Actually, I am glad people like the OP buy and then quickly sell their Prius, because it is exactly how I was able to get a 2006 Prius with just under 4,000 miles for about $4,000 under invoice.