I tested out the new 2010 Prius last Thursday and was thoroughly impressed. It's definitely the car for me, but I'll need to save more since I was going for a Corolla! A concern I have about the car though is about its reliability--yes, I've read about the high mileage Prius taxis in Vancouver, which sound almost too good to be true for me, but I want to know what everyone else's experiences have been so far. In any case, a friend of mine was talking to a Toyota engineer who said that a conventional car has sensors to monitor the different parts of the car. In the Prius, however, there are two tiers of sensors--the same ones we'd find in a conventional car, but also, sensors that monitor the first tier of sensors. To me, that sounds like a LOT of sensors! With this in mind and all the electronic gizmos in the Prius, what do you think the long-term reliability of the Gen 3 Prius will be, and why? Are you worried about its reliability and all of these gizmos "going wrong"? In the same line of thought, would buying the extended warranty from Toyota be a good idea?
The Prius is one of the most reliable cars on the road. Chances are that you will have very few problems. The maintenance requirements are also minimal. On the down side, the same automation and sophistication that make it reliable and easy to maintain can be expensive to repair or replace if you do have an out of warranty problem. Problems like this are not common, but they can be expensive if you are one of the unlucky few. Tom
Consumer Report predicts lower than average maintenance issues ... based on previous experience with older Prius. We all hope so. If you read some of the threads herein .... you may leave with a bit of concern. You will read concerns about sounds, dash readouts, rpm, temperature, battery charge, oil, fuel and etc. I have found my G3 IV, to be everything I had hoped it would be. It does require a bit of learning how to drive it economically, and it takes some getting use to the idea that the ICE stops and starts. We are all more familiar with how the "old" car worked ..... the Prius is really a remarkable example of engineering technology.
Going down your list: long-term reliability - I'm more concerned about the risk of an accident when a traditional vehicle and driver crashes into it all of these gizmos - high tech becomes more reliable and cheaper over time extended warranty - wasted money Bob Wilson
I was rear ended in my Lincoln Town Car by a dump truck. I survived but with serious back and knee injuries. 4 years later, my son had to stop short on a highway in MD due to a drunk driver cutting in front of him. My son was in his 2007 Toyota Corolla. He was then rear ended by a tractor trailer doing 50 mph who could not stop. When I received the phone call from the MD highway rescue, I was besides myself. I am in NYC and he was in MD. The officer gave me the hospital that my son was taken to and I called there. I was able to talk to my son in the ER. He said his car was really smashed but he was fine. Just a little sore. That incident taught me that there are times that a car is made well enough to protect the driver. Even if the car is small. I hope our Prius's are like my son's Corolla.
Wow, well I'm glad both you and your son are safe, and that you're here to tell this story. It amazes me that your Town Car, one of the largest cars out there, wouldn't have protected you more than the Corolla--I've often read that the simple laws of physics will make it so that the larger car always wins in a collision. That's why I'm currently considering the Camry or the Prius. The Camry is larger (i.e. thus safer?) than the Prius in the event of a collision, and the Camry happens to also be slightly cheaper, given that it's an older model than the new Prius. Still, the Prius is a nicer car, but I'm definitely concerned about safety as well.
Accidents are weird. Injuries are hard to pin down by car. My town car had only $1800 damage while my son's Corolla had $7,000. I think the size of the car matters when they collide with each other. The 2 rear end accidents that my son and I were in might have so many variables that the cars might have only played a part of what were or were not injuries. Age, physical condition, medical conditions play a factor also. I am sure you will be happy with either a Camry or Prius. Enjoy your choice.
Isn't that typical of North American vs. Import cars? NA cars tend to be less expensive in repairs it seems. I wonder, in the eventuality of an accident, how expensive the Prius would be as well, given that it's an import AND has the technological complexity of a space shuttle.
I suspect the difference may be due to the fact that the Town Car is one of the few remaining body-on-frame cars out there; unibody construction is more expensive to repair--or so I've been told. My guess is that the Prius would be more expensive in general to repair than a Corolla or similar non-hybrid, but not so much as a high-end Euro car. Again, just my hypothesis, but I don't think it's as much domestic vs. import as it used to be. Plus, the newer safety engineering in most cars these days includes design so the car crumples--it "gives its life, that you may carry on," so to speak. I had a bike helmet that did that for me once. Darn glad about it, too. Happy motoring T
I think it is all important to remember that modern cars are designed to crumble, (absorbing the energy) while protecting the passenger compartment. Race cars can be completely destroyed and the driver walk away. Repairs will be expensive, yes, but it is better to scrap a twisted, crumpled vehicle, and live to buy a replacement.
The City of Houston uses over 200 Generation II Prius models for its Public Works and Engineering Departments. Over 30% of these vehicles have over 200K miles on them. Several have over 400K miles on them. Toyota has been more than satisfied with the reliabilty of the earlier Prius modes and expects to Prius Gen III to do as well if not better.
From what I've read on this forum, the 04-09 Prius has been relatively reliable. Yes, you'll read about inverter coolant pump failures, some engine coolant pump failures, MFD screen failures and the occasional brake actuator problems, but for the most part, Prius reliability is equal to or better than most cars on the road. Of course, the battery is still a big maybe since most of the mass-produced Prius-es (by that, I am referring to the 2nd generation) are still relatively new and low mileage. However, as seen in a recent forum thread, one member had a battery failure on his '04 at about 170,000 miles and he was able to easily replace the battery himself with a junkyard one for about $400. Plus, the Toyota dealer gave him a $150 core credit when he turned in his old one, dropping his replacement cost to $250. So in his situation, the cost of battery replacement was so low that no one will basic mechanical ability should be fearful of expensive out-of-warranty battery replacement costs.
The following is from an AP article reporting on the Consumer Reports reliability data. Like last year, the Prius leads its class. Not bad! "Consumer Reports: Best and Worst in reliability By The Associated Press (AP) – 1 day ago Consumer Reports surveyed subscribers who own or lease 1.4 million vehicles to come up with its annual auto reliability rankings. The best and worst in each of the magazine's categories: Small cars Most reliable: Honda Insight hybrid Least reliable: Nissan Versa sedan Cars for families Most reliable: Toyota Prius hybrid Least reliable: Chrysler Sebring"
toyota trusts this engine so much, they put the identical technique into 3 vehicles here in the eu: prius auris hybrid lexus ct200h together with the 5 years warranty for the whole car, there was no reason to hesitate for me...
My 2010 Prius at 20,000 miles is PERFECT. Not a single problem. And if the car does have a problem, I have all the confidence that my local dealer will take care of it. I love this car!
