Stupid things about a great car

Re: Stupid things about a great car - Intermittent wipers

My 2005 was the same way. Living in SD I haven't needed the wipers yet so it will be something to get used to.

 

Re: Stupid things about a great car - Intermittent wipers

I kept turning on the wipers, when meaning to turn on my blinkers... LOL I've had my 2010 for 5 weeks now, and I still have a hard time getting used to the wipers. I almost always turn the auto wash on when meaning to turn the wipers on.

 

On the earlier models the headlights would switch off when the driver exited by the driver's door (only the driver's door!). Did you get out of the car in your test?

This was separate from the Auto feature that was available in Canada that would turn the lights ON when needed as well.

kevin

 

I agree with you Fred. Humans don't need: 1) an engine tach with the hybrid system, and 2) an engine temp gauge.

However, it is almost a crime against nature for an Engineer (which are not necessarily human at times) to live without these instruments.

Keith

 

Stupid things about a great car?
I love my new Prius, but keep wondering why they didn't do a few very basic things a little better.

Hard to read displays (non-Nav.) for the radio and and air-conditioning data. With so many cars having beautiful high contrast displays why are these like something from 1990 or earlier?

No map pockets in the front doors. Under console just ends up being a catch-all for everything.

Not having a back-up camera (a safety item) available without buying the navigation unit.

Maybe one just can't have perfection?

 

I agree with most of your posting, except for this.

It's certainly quicker and easier to reach than anything that requires opening. Yet, it's not sitting open to the sun. I think it's actually a great use of space, and I use it to store CD cases, the garage door opener, etc.

 

I had the dealer change mine so they shut off as soon as the door opens like on our old Prius. They turn back on when you start the car.

 

Our dealer, Spartan Toyota of Lansing MI, gives us $19.99 oil changes on our 2010 Prius IV for the life of the car.

 

I thought I read somewhere is you didn't have nav but had the JBL 8 speaker system the rearview camera projected a small image in the rear view mirror. I have the nav so I don't know this for a fact but I did read it somewhere on the Net.

 

I do a lot of driving on the interstate and I wish Toyota had equipped the US model with turn signals on the mirrors. Or at least a fender mounted side marker to indicate your intentions, as it is, the turn signals can only be seen by someone directly in front or directly behind you. I installed sidemarkers where the 'HYBRID' side badges were in the front fenders on mine.

Also, I noticed the lights turned off if left on after parking and exiting the car, and that would be a possible solution to the 'no auto headlights' problem. But during the day I figure this dims the MID to the point it makes it difficult to read. Does it? I'd rather have real auto-headlights, even if I have to install it myself.

 

$75 oild change! Wow, I just had to pay $200 to have the oil changed in my Mercedes ML. My Prius is really going to save me $$'s. :cheer2:

 

My wife has a new Tacoma with the rear view camera screen in the rear-view mirror. It's a nice display and looks like magic when it comes on. I think this is the same system that is in the non-navi Prius.

 

It's an option, but it is available although I have not seen one, nor the installed price.

 

Looking at the Toyota site and the features, specs, accessories, etc. I've never seen a rearview mirror backup camera option for the 2010 Prius. And I just scoured it again, no mention of it.

 

Another engineering quirk: If you have the seats folded down you can't open the center consol storage space. Solution is to remove the middle headrest...2 mm space would have fixed this....

 

Stupid quirks:
Backup beep.
Rear window wiper only wipes a small area.
Black floor mats only with beige interior.
Auto-climate system won't auto switch to non-recirculating air or floor vents.
Bluetooth functionality limited and difficult, and won't handle both music and phone duties.
No way to default to off position the Hybrid displays. It can be turned off, but turns back on when you start the car. Some people buy Prius 'cos it's a good car, and aren't interested in the many varieties of constant feedback on fuel economy.
Plastic wheelcovers on a car with allow wheels!

These complaints aside, Prius is the smartest car on the road. Fast enough, big enough, luxurious enough. Safe, comfortable, noticeable. Only fun and sexy in a nerdy, alternative way. My wife asked if I "felt like an old man" in the car. I don't feel like I'm in an old man's car, but that I've entered a different values realm, where new, hot, and sexy are replaced by environment-friendly, high value, and sensible. Something's lost, something's gained. Overall for me, a good tradeoff.

 

No iPod interface!!! (I thought this whole hybrid thing was supposed to be a sign of current technology and staying with the times...)

I know, I know... the iPod interface is coming...
The fact is that it could and should have been there from the start.

 

I'm going by what's described on p 231 of the manual, shows NAV and rear view mirror systems. Agreed it's not on the list of accessories where I have looked, but it is a Toyota item on other lines so I expect it will come along sometime. But you may be right that it is not an accessory. It requires a new mirror, obviously, so the cost tradeoff on a IV or V may be pretty steep given that we already "paid" for the self dimming and HomeLink.

 

The "in the mirror" rear view monitor system is described on page 231 of my owners manual. It shows "With navigation system" and "Without navigation system" it does not say "If equipped" like it does elsewhere when describing option features. That makes me think it is a standard feature. I have the NAV so I don't know for sure.

 

If it's in the manual it's probably one of those "if so equipped" scenarios since the manual seems to be written "globally" and the cars are sold regionally, like DRLs in Canada but not in the US.

EDIT: Interesting that, as John-W describes, it doesn't use "if so equipped" in the manual. Oh well, I have the NAV, so I really have no dog in this hunt.