a prius problem I've noticed

Don't have any visibility problems with the "thing" It actually makes a very nice buffer for the idiots out here who always drive with their high beams on

Don't know of any for sale though sorry

 

I'll sell you mine for the price of a similarly equipped brand new one!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(1newyorkguy @ Jun 20 2007, 12:10 AM) [snapback]465105[/snapback]</div>

Sorry, I couldn't find an emoticon for hysterical laughter!

 

The poor visibility out the back and the back quarters is, in my opinion, one of the weak points of the Prius. You learn to live with it though, and I once was in a rental car that was even worse. My old '89 Civic wagon had excellent visibility in all directions, as does my Xebra SD.

The rear visibility in the Prius is (I believe) due to the highly aerodynamic shape, which imposes such an extreme slant to the rear window.

 

The value of the HOV stickers is estimated at $4 to 5K on top of the price of the car. I think this is not even close... I commute from La Verne to Irvine in the carpool lane every day with mine, 35 miles each way, worth their weight in Gold. Have a friend at church that purchase an 04 with stickers Pkg 3 for $25k, Carmax usually has a few.

As for the visibility issues, I don't really have any, after about a week you don't even notice the seperation of the rear windows, except when someone gets close enough for their headlights to be in the lower one only.

Al...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(h2photo @ Jun 20 2007, 01:18 AM) [snapback]465082[/snapback]</div>

I agree.

 

After the first 40 or 50 miles, you get the idea... "There's a SUV about 8 inches behind me and one slip up and I'm toast".

After you get that through your head, you can stop looking in the rear view mirror and keep your mind focused on prayer. :lol:

 

I heard, a few weeks back, a story on NPR about reselling hybrid cars, specifically the Prius, in California and what the addition of the HOV lane sticker did to the price.

They also reported it as 4 to 5 thousand dollars more. Mostly because there are no more new ones.


As far as the stickers are concerned, in Arizona, where I used to live, you get a nice blue sky with clouds license plate if you have an alternative fuel vehicle. This allows you to drive in the HOV lane.

In Florida (also lived there), the stickers are hideous. They are about 8 inches wide by 5 inches tall and they are this god-awful day glow green color with an even worse day glow orange logo in the middle. Either they are either too big or perhaps it is required, but most I have seen are on the hatchback. Truly an ugly thing.
Not sure that, if I was still there, that I would get one for that reason alone. Plus, I was living in Miami, where drivers consider the exit lanes to be short term passing lanes. Respect for the HOV lanes is nonexistent, so getting the sticker would not get you much.

 

Rear view split doesn't bother me at all. I initially had problems with lane changing to the right, because I couldn't see the vehicles on the right side lane. So I added blind spot mirrors. Now it is all good.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(1newyorkguy @ Jun 20 2007, 12:42 AM) [snapback]465068[/snapback]</div>

Rear-view split is no problem for me. I do, however, have a problem with the wide A pillars. Being aware of the front blind spots makes me a more cautious driver.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mcbrunnhilde @ Jun 20 2007, 02:30 AM) [snapback]465113[/snapback]</div>

i can help:

 

I don't find rear-vision any issue in the Prius either. It's a matter of adjusting, both yourself as the driver so you get used to it, and your mirrors so you can see what you need to. Considering that there are a huge number of vehicles with no rear window at all, it's clearly not a hazard to good driving.

I also don't find the A pillars any problem, but then having traded my Element for the Prius, I'm used to A pillars that really DO get in the way!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jeffgb @ Jun 20 2007, 07:33 AM) [snapback]465188[/snapback]</div>

Yes, the plate is AWESOME! But they limited them to 10,000 & now they are down to the last 1,000, I'm damn happy my car came in today so I can still get one. It's really nice because we don't have to stick anything to the car, it just comes on the plate!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(h2photo @ Jun 20 2007, 11:39 AM) [snapback]465273[/snapback]</div>

Really? I did not know that those plates were limited. I wonder if they will be reauthorized once they run out. I lived in Goodyear (that's "East LA" for those in Chandler) until last year. Once my daughter finishes high school next year, I would like to go back. Be a shame if I couldn't get the plates for my Prius. That is a LOOOOONNGG trip from Goodyear to downtown during rush hour. HOV lane would make it a lot faster.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jeffgb @ Jun 20 2007, 10:39 AM) [snapback]465316[/snapback]</div>

Yea, I'm not sure if they will be or not either. I have to think of my personal plate so I can keep the HOV Plate, because once they are out,Ive been told it's not certain if they will make more. So even if you have one & then decide to go personal, you cant get one. Its stupid. But yes, goodyear is BFE & a hell-of-a-trip in rush hour!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(1newyorkguy @ Jun 19 2007, 09:42 PM) [snapback]465068[/snapback]</div>

Think of it as "two windows" for the price of one. I don't have any issues with it after over a year and 36,000 miles. It does block the SUV's infernal DRLs in the back window. My previous Subaru has a rear wing that looks about the same from inside, so I guess I'm used to it. You will be too, if you give it a try. No big deal.