Beware Buyers

check out: the one and only prius plug in FAQ thread

 

Next time, do your own research first so that you know what you are buying. Do not, I repeat, do not rely on the salesmen. Ultimately, you are responsible for your purchases. There are a ton of threads here which explains what causes the ICE to fire up. Most can be avoided, some can not. I suggest you look for those thread and learn more about the car you just bought.

 

The most important part of any fuel mileage report ever is "Your Mileage May Vary".

That said, Fuelly reports very good Prius PHV mileages from most owners.

2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in MPG Reports | Fuelly

 

You should do your own research before making a $30k+ purchase. As far as I know, Toyota never called the Prius Plug-in an electric vehicle. It's a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. EV and PHEV are two different things. Yes, it's disappointing that the car uses gas in EV mode. Obviously, all of us would prefer it didn't. But it clearly says in the manual as well as the brochures that EV mode is limited.

You could've gotten a Chevy Volt so that you don't use gas in EV mode. If that was important to you, again, you should've done your own research.

 

It's too bad often salesmen and even dealerships as a whole can actually be ignorant as to how the vehicle works. So I agree as a purchaser, the onus is on the buyer to investigate and be knowledgeable as to the product.

In Toyota's defense....it's sold, advertised and presented always as a Prius Plug In HYBRID.

Even if it doesn't operate in the manner you were expecting, I would take a lot of solace...and actual enjoyment from the fact that you still have one of the most fuel efficient vehicles you can buy.

 

There are way to burn no gas. You have to decide if it is worth altering your driving style (acceleration and speed) as well as your cabin comfort (heater, etc) to get that.

 

welcome to priuschat and the pip club! who told you the ev mode would use no gas? liars! that being said, there are ways, and there are ways.

 

You guys are a little hard on the OP. Not everyone reads PC before they buy. The literature and all of the reviews--and there are many commonly say that "you can go from 10-13 mils on all electric". Had the OP bought the car in the summer, we would not have this thread. But I agree with the general sentiment--if it is overall efficiency you are looking for, you made a good purchase. For many who mix long (100+) and short trips and take an occasional road trip, the Prius can't be beat. If you just stay within a 20 mile radius and EV is paramount, then VOLT is the one. I found it too limiting for my needs. Love my prius.

 

it's NC, it is summer!

 

I am sorry you got mis-information from the sales guy. However, the EPA sticker right on the car window lists 6 miles all electric range. This is as far as the EPA testers got before the engine briefly turned on.
The Prius is a wonderful bit of engineering. However, if your goal is to not use gas, the Volt (depending upon your driving pattern) or BEV (again depending upon your driving pattern) would have been a better choice.

Also remember, dealers are not Toyota. You may want to contact Toyota directly. If you received any emails or written documentation stating that the PiP would not use any gas in the 11-13 mile range, that will go a long ways.

 

bingo.. I think many folks here have realized that, generally speaking, the sales person has no clue how the PiP works. In contrast to what you were told, others were told the PiP is "no different from a regular Prius" as well.. although I suppose that is closer to the truth.

 

Not being hard on the OP.

Salesmen should be knowledgeable and forthcoming about the operation of the product they are selling. But don't we all know that often times there is a gap between the "ideal" and the "real"? You'd hope a salesman wasn't so anxious to make a sale and/or ignorant about the how the product actually performs that they either accidentally through ignorance or purposely in a desire to make a sale, misrepresent the product, but in either case it happens.

Therefore, I don't think there is anything else to tell the OP. Whether you are buying a box of crackers or a Plug In Prius, ultimately it's up to the purchaser to be aware of what they are purchasing.

The FANTASTIC thing about living in this time period? And obviously having access to a computer, is I believe Prius Chat or otherwise, there is no excuse for any automobile purchaser, of any automobile, to not be very well versed on the details of the automobile they are purchasing.

Today it's not like not so long ago, where informational resources outside of a dealership were actually pretty scarce. Today, websites like Prius Chat....or just an internet google search, will bring you more information than people were able to get in the past. Takes less than an hour, to become a pretty well versed in any vehicle.

Personally, I wouldn't make ANY new vehicle purchase without at least visiting a few sites. MSN, Edmonds, Yahoo....all have tons of "expert" and owner reviews. In this day and age? If you can afford a new vehicle? There really is no excuse for not "knowing" about that vehicle before you purchase it.

I'm not meaning to be hard on the OP, but I'm thinking there really isn't anything wrong with the Plug In-Hybrid they purchased.

The post title is Buyers Beware....okay..but also...Buyers make yourself Aware....you really can't count on a salesman that perhaps isn't understanding your question, or simply really is unaware of the capabilities, or might have his or her interests above the purchasers.

 

What's your commute like? Distance, speed, charging pattern (at home and work?), etc.

With tips, perhaps you can adjust a few things to make PiP work for you.

 

Yeah, just trying to be a little empathetic. I've made my share of buying mistakes and when you feel like you have been snookered you alternately feel embarrassed and mad at the same time. I agree that he is venting in the wrong direction. Toyota has clean hands unless you believe that they have a responsibility to require dealer and sales person training before selling a product. This is a site to and for researchers. Not everyone shares the same passions. Still those who made the point about 32K investment are right. Yet, that does nothing to make one feel better, only worse. Truth of the matter is that he still made an excellent choice even if he is negatively surprised by this reality. He will also find many positive surprises as I did-- and I read PC beforehand!!

 

Well, as an interested bystander to this thread, I have to ask;
If I buy a PIP and I want it to stay in EV only mode all the way to work (6 miles) what do I need to do (say winter driving)? Or, is this not possible?

 

It will, but only if you don't do certain things (as others have pointed out)...such as use the heat, front defroster, hard acceleration.

I drive many days in a row with no gas at all.

I think it is generally widely known that car salesman aren't always the best source of honest information. But you may have also tended to hear what you wanted to hear because you didn't know the "exact" right questions to ask.

Mike

 

You can use the electric heater in the seats without worrying about ICE triggering.

The battery power threshold in HV mode is about 11 kW (15hp) before ICE triggering. That's how a regular Prius operates.

Prius PHV EV mode (default) has up to 40 kW (54hp) when fully charged to about 35 kW (47hp) before entering HV mode. EV driving power is about four times (3.64) more.

 

There are still salesmen out there selling the traditional Prius on the basis that you can travel upto 30 mph on electric only using no fuel. Sure you can, in a very limited number of ideal circumstances for a very short distance.

Do your homework and take a test drive. Buyer beware, but I appreciate your feeling mislead. Car salesmen seem to have a certain reputation the world over. Isn't it a case of 30% horse ****, 30% bull **** and 40% truth?