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Advise before I buy my first Hybrid

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by KimPrius3, May 22, 2016.

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  1. KimPrius3

    KimPrius3 Member

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    I think the White paint has the same features as the red because these two colors cost extra.
     
    #101 KimPrius3, Jun 3, 2016
  2. PriUncut

    PriUncut Active Member

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    You're correct. All the colors look great (and much different) in person. I thought I wanted Blizzard Pearl... then in person the Magnetic Grey Metallic caught my eye!
     
    #102 PriUncut, Jun 3, 2016
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    It'd be interesting to see the response if a few non-metallic colours were offered. Just for comparison, anyone had their eye caught by those "jelly bean" Fiats? Nice glossy solid-colours.
     
    #103 Mendel Leisk, Jun 3, 2016
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  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Wouldn't a "glossy solid" be a pearl or pearlescent finish? like blizzard pearl?
     
    #104 Tideland Prius, Jun 4, 2016
  5. vince22

    vince22 Active Member

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    There's plenty of red color at my local dealer.... Screenshot_2016-06-05-06-43-17.png
     
    #105 vince22, Jun 5, 2016
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  6. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),24 Venza Limit,B52-D,G,F,H

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    pakitt and Kim, ever get your car/buy yet?

    Was thinking of buying a gallon of the Prius Hypersonic Red and painting my lawnmower and a few other items. Noticed a motorized wheel chair at my sisters house. Ummmmm.
     
    #106 ETP, Jun 5, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2016
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  7. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    Your dealer should send a couple here on the other side of the pond...We aren't getting any...
    They sold last year 542 Prius in Germany. The new one comes out, I have been waiting 3 months already and I am not only not getting a delivery date, but I know that the dealers are simply not getting any. My dealer has 5 in order and received only 1 in white 3 weeks ago... How they want it to be any success in Germany/EU it is beyond me...
     
    #107 pakitt, Jun 6, 2016
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  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Just solid paint, no metal flake, no clear coat?
     
    #108 Mendel Leisk, Jun 6, 2016
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  9. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Same here - there has been a trickle of "plain" white, I think 5 across the 9 cities near me, none in my actual city - and one red just arrived in a dealership over 2hrs drive away (and I'd drive past at least 20 dealers to get there). I have spoken to sales staff at my local dealership - they have no idea "a few weeks, I understand" is what they keep saying. They have almost no information on the car either, other than a brief brochure.
     
    #109 alanclarkeau, Jun 6, 2016
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  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Ahh I see. Hmm, it should be clearcoated, even solid colours nowadays.

    That's gotta be frustrating.
     
    #110 Tideland Prius, Jun 6, 2016
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  11. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),24 Venza Limit,B52-D,G,F,H

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    Just buy one eh!:LOL::ROFLMAO: Test drive it for 4 years and trade.
     
    #111 ETP, Jun 7, 2016
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  12. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    Way worse than here in EU/Germany it seems.
    In 2 weeks I reach the 3 months ordering time. Then I will call and demand to know where is my car - on the ship, at the dockyards in Japan, somewhere in EU. Because if he has no clue where it is, 3 weeks before "mid-July" delivery (as prospected delivery date not written anywhere, just told on the phone back in March), then for sure I am not getting it at all for mid-July, and not even August...
    Then I will for sure add another 1.000-2.000 km on my Gen3 and I will still get what they quoted me back in March.
     
    #112 pakitt, Jun 7, 2016
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  13. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Where do we stand Kim? Still thinking one more new Prius in Virginia?
     
    #113 wjtracy, Jun 7, 2016
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  14. KimPrius3

    KimPrius3 Member

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    I'm still thinking, however the Camry is posted for sale on fb. No offers so far. Still would like to know, 1) Which is better 15 inch or 17 inch tires? and 2) How late in the year can you order a Prius? :confused:
     
    #114 KimPrius3, Jun 7, 2016
  15. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Better in what sense?

    ride comfort? handling? noise? fuel economy? cost? Arguments can be made both ways.
     
    #115 Tideland Prius, Jun 7, 2016
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  16. KimPrius3

    KimPrius3 Member

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    Even though arguments can be made both ways, there has to be a scientifically correct answer to various questions about the tire size. Which tire gives better ride comfort? Which is less noisy? Which handles better? Best fuel economy? I know 17 would cost more.
    I'm torn between the Three with Advanced Tech Package(ATP) and the Three Touring. The Touring does not come with the ATP, and I really want the Heads Up Display. I think I might like the leather seats of the Touring, have never had leather seats before. Do leather seats retain more heat than the cloth? Touring has 17 inch tires, non-touring 15 inch. Can the non-touring have 17 inch tires put on? I think I might also like the moon roof that only comes on the non-touring. Still saving for the down payment and wondering how late in the year I can order the one I want if not in stock    . I'm on page 100 in the Owners Manual I downloaded. Learning a lot.
     
    #116 KimPrius3, Jun 7, 2016
  17. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    As far as tires, my take would be 15-inch is my preference.
    17-inch I see as a sportier look but 15-inch the more practical.
     
    #117 wjtracy, Jun 7, 2016
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  18. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    In some cars (eg a Mazda 3 I drove recently), the difference between the base 16" and the upmarket models with 18" - the ride went from good to quite poor (and noisier). But I couldn't pick any better handling other than a slight increase in turning circle. Ford Focus was similar, but the wider tyres did improve the drive. But other cars, presumably with better suspension, I've not noticed much difference at all - I suspect they were there for the "looks".

    I've not driven the new Prius (none here), but all the road reports I've read in Australia have been with 17" tyres, and none have complained about the tyres affecting ride comfort. A report I read today said "This fourth-generation hybrid feels wonderfully grown up in its quick steering and nice ride comfort ...". And they got 72 US MPG with 17" wheels.

    17" probably means that you get no spare tyre though.

    When buying a car (or fridge ;) ), I end up jotting down what I want, what I won't go without, what is "optional", what I don't want, and what "feels nice"eliminating various cars and models. And 20 sheets of paper later - flip a coin, because it's.

    Oh, and 17" cost more to replace when worn.

    Take them both for a drive and then choose.
     
    #118 alanclarkeau, Jun 8, 2016
  19. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Hi KimPri, I had a Three Touring rental for a day (17" tires) and the ride is really nice. It was not harsh at all. The suspension tuning is very good.

    Have you looked into the DRCC? Dynamic Radar Cruise Control? In case not, it is very useful. Just set speed and your car will keep a set distance from car ahead. I find 'dumb' (non radar) cruise control rather worthless because traffic is always speeding up and slowing down on our busy freeways. I don't bother increasing / decreasing dumb CC speed constantly. ...
    But the DRCC does the work, take your foot off the gas pedal and just monitor how it's doing. To me, it's a must have option. It comes bundled in the Three Touring in TSSP 'safety sense' and other trims too, of course Four has it.

    Also, the 17" tires and wheels look sharper.

    One last thing, if you need a longer test drive and are willing to spend $50, you might be able to rent a 2016 Prius for a day through Toyota Rent a Car at certain Toyota dealers.
     
    #119 cycledrum, Jun 8, 2016
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  20. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Ahh ok now we're talking :).

    1. The 15" wheel option will give a more comfortable ride. The reason is that the sidewall height (the height of the rubber tire between the outer edge and the inner edge that meets the wheel) is taller. This allows for more cushion to absorb bumps and jolts.
    2. Noise is a bit more subjective, of course. It also depends on the type of tire that is equipped with the car. A tire with larger blocks will be noisier than one with smaller blocks in its tread. I think it's a wash in this case unless someone can take a sound meter and take both cars out on the same road.
    3. The 17" wheel option will handle slightly better. Looking at the wheel directly, the 17" tire has a shorter sidewall height. This means less flexing of the rubber as you take corner, allowing for more contact grip on the surface of the road. It is also wider than the 15" wheel option (215mm vs. 195mm). This means there's more rubber meeting the road to allow for more grip (all things being equal). In addition, the Touring models have "Touring spec" suspension. It just means the spring rate is a bit higher, allowing less body roll. The shock absorbers are tuned accordingly.
    4. For maximum fuel economy, the 15" tire option is the better choice. It is lighter and has less rotational mass (takes less energy to get it going and to stop it because it has less momentum). The smaller contact patch of the tire (195mm vs. 215mm width of the tire) means less friction between the tire and the road (all else being equal). This allows the car to roll down the road more freely than a car equipped with a wider tire. (This is why some PriusChatters bump the tire pressures higher, to reduce the contact patch slightly and decrease rolling resistance)

    1. The Touring comes with SofTex upholstery. It's an artificial fabric and it's not leather. It is supposedly more resistant to temperature changes (so not as cold in the winter as leather and not as hot in the summer as leather). It also supposedly breathes better. It should, in theory, last longer because it's synthetic and Toyota can make it last as long as it needs to
    2. You can add 17" rims to your car at any time after purchase. There have been a number of PCers that have added aftermarket wheels.
    3. The Touring does not come with ATP, yes, but it still has TSS-P as standard equipment.

    I've said it in another thread, but I think the Three w/ ATP is the sweet spot for the Prius. It's reasonably priced and well-equipped with desirable features. And it strikes the balance for those not looking for a fully decked out car but also wanting something a bit more special than what the Two offers.

    You can order your car at any time. It depends whether you want a 2016 or a 2017 (if you end up waiting "too late". It's in quotes cause there is no deadline as far as you are concerned).
     
    #120 Tideland Prius, Jun 8, 2016
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