durability and long term service costs

Mechanically, the Prius is simpler than most other cars. The Prius has no timing belt. It has no starter solenoid or motor. It has a simple shiftless transmission (just one planetary gearset, no clutch, no belts or pulleys). Oil change every 5000 miles, tranny fluid change at 60,000 miles recommended by the high-mileage owners on this board, no brake jobs necessary until after 100,000 miles (due to the use of regenerative braking). Simpler mechanicals mean lower maintenance and higher reliability.

It's the electronics in the car that is complex-- That's what works the magic to seamlessly integrate and control the gasoline and electric power plants in the Hybrid Synergy Drive. I only have my Prius for a few weeks so I can't speak for the durability of the electronics, though I suspect those would be just as dependable as the electronics in any other modern car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ecos @ Oct 1 2007, 01:59 PM) [snapback]519877[/snapback]</div>

Welcome to PC. No there isn't more ito it than that unless you keep your tire pressure too low and wear out the sidewalls. One poster here has (as of this past Sat.) 322,700 miles on his 2002 Prius Gen I (Classic) original battery.

That is the best part of the Prius - the mechanics are the simple part - no belts or brushes to wear out. And because it often shuts off when not needed, the ICE is only running half as much as a normal gas vehicle.

We have 2 Prii as you can see from my sig. No issues for us (our '03 will be 5 yrs old in Nov 07).

Search the sticky threads at the top of each forum and you will have days of reading material. But my two cents is go for the Prius if you want reliability along with fuel economy. You just can't beat the Synergy Drive IMHO. Best Wishes,

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ecos @ Oct 1 2007, 01:59 PM) [snapback]519877[/snapback]</div>

Yes, it's more complicated than that. You should also rotate your tires and change your wiper blades once in a while. Seriously, that's about it. The hybrid system on the Prius was complicated to design, but is very simple mechanically. There is much less to go wrong than on a normal car. Essentially, Toyota has traded the normal mechanical complexity for more computers, which are inherently more reliable once you get the bugs out of the code (which they have).

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JustLurkin @ Oct 1 2007, 02:02 PM) [snapback]519879[/snapback]</div>

Some have reported that rust develops on the front break discs because they are rarely used due to the regenerative braking. I don't know how many Prius owners have experienced this though. There have been a few reports of the main touchscreen display failing but the extended warranty that can be purchased for less than $1k through this site will cover most of these. My impression is that while Prius is in general cheaper to own, if electronics fail they requires a bit more $ than a non-hybrid car. Mind you the hybrid components warranty is for 8 years. The scheduled maintenance is probably the lowest than any other compact/mid-class car around its price.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ecos @ Oct 1 2007, 10:59 AM) [snapback]519877[/snapback]</div>

There is a search function on this board that can be useful in matters such as this. It is not really user frendly but I was able to locate this thread that may be of interest to you on this subject.

http://priuschat.com/2004-Prii-owners-with...ems-t28232.html

 

Oil and filter changes is pretty much it. You don't have to ask for anecdotes: Consumer Reports surveys show the current version of the Prius (2004 - 2008) to be very reliable. Compare that with their reports on the Mirage. There are no belts in the Prius except for the one running the water pump. The engine does not run full-time and it is started in a very gentle fashion. The regenerative (electric energy recovery) braking means that the brake pads get used relatively little.

 

In many respects, the Prius is mechanically simpler than other vehicles. However, Electronically, it is far more complex than other vehicles. We'll just have to wait a couple more years to see the overall long-term vehicle reliability.

Keith

 

Routine oil changes, filters. All I've had to do beyond that so far is get new tires at around 30,000 miles. I'm at 40,000 miles, and it's time for new wiper blades. Really boring. The thing just works.

The Prius repairman is the Maytag repairman's roommate.

 

Isn't that the case with anything that hasn't broken yet?