Need advice from current owners

*summons best John Wayne voice*

Howdy, Stranger!

1. You have 3 yr/36K mi to buy the extended warranty. They won't increase in price that much, and someone will PROBABLY still be selling them at a big discount. Just tell the dealer you'll wait on that.

2. If you have a little chutzpah, you may be able to get your salescritter to "throw in" a low-cost accessory of your choice. ("Uh, since you won't sell these things for less than MSRP, any chance you could throw a cargo net into the deal for me?") I'd go for the cargo net. B)

Some dealers routinely throw the mats in. You WANT mats. If not for yourself, for when you sell it. And you can't buy the Prius mats with the little leaf/car insignia aftermarket, except from a wreck.

3. For SoCal you want white, classic silver or silver pine mica, nothing darker (though if I still lived there, I MIGHT go as "dark" as seaside).

4. If you're finicky about your car's long-range paint finish, the decision you should make first is about a front-end "mask" ("bra"). The front bumper and lower hood WILL get beaten up with stone ships. I've always had the black vinyl ones on mine. Others have opted for the "clear-coat" add-on. But don't wait until you HAVE stone ships. Your cheapest source for an "official Toyota" (embossed with logo) vinyl bra is Metro Toyota in Kalamazoo, MI. About $112 + shipping. Don't know about clear-coat.

And you can get mud flaps from the site here. Also body side moldings, though I bought my own strips from Pep Boys and put 'em on myself. I think they add a lot to the car's "horizontality", as well as being a protectant.

 

I think the best price on the Toyota extended warranty is right here. Some people have decided to wait until their car is almost 3 years old to buy one.

The answers to some of your other questions depends on if you are going to get a 2005 or a 2006 because some of the colors and option packages have changed.

The only "extra" mine came with was the floor mats which I wanted anyway. If I bought another one I would tell the dealer that I didn't want any extras.

My advice:

take advantage of the tax credit for 2006 if you can use it
don't pay more than MSRP
don't give some dealer a deposit to be put on a waiting list
check out every dealer that's close enough for you to get to, you may find "your" car in stock somewhere
don't buy an extended waranty or any kind of service plan, or anything else like that from the dealer
wait for the color and option package that you want, don't take something that's not right for you.

 

The mats were included with my car, no extra charge. Remember that no accessory you can add will increase the car's resale or trade-in value, and some may actually decrease it.

 

I particularly love the look of the black ding bars on the side of my Prius. Aside from that, the only other mod I had the dealer install was the invisible bra... front and back. Having read many threads like this one, it figured to be a no-brainer.

 

Skip the platnum care-check!

What about "gap insurance"?

 

There is no gap is there?.. if you buy the warranty before 3 years/36K?
NOt sure I follow you?

And I would definately do that!.. It would not be fun being without it if you had problems later on such a high tech rig.

 

Gap Insurance will pay off your loan if the car is totaled.

It's my first "new" car so I have no Idea if this is worth it...

 

Silver exterior least likely to show scratches.

Get a gray interior.

Get the mats for both passenger area and cargo area. Also get a tonneau cover (cargo area).

Skip the extended warranty and buy it here from Troy.

Check out gap insurance with your lender. I got mine through my credit union with a loan Toyota couldn't beat. It's insurance. You buy it you'll never need it. You don't have it, your car will be totaled in a week.

I agree, get them to throw something in for free. Cargo net would be my choice. I got my salesman to get me the cargo tote (which I love so much I bought another) as I had already bought a cargo net through a third party.

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For things from someone OTHER than the dealer I have exactmats. Also seat covers, dash covers, wheelskins, the horizontal cargo net, and the trim guards on both sides. I also installed a beeper in my back taillight and bought a third fob.

BTW I'm in SoCal and my Prius is black. I don't find it a problem.

I'd skip the windowshades sold here and get the cheap fold away kind with the wire edges for the front. I haven't tined my windows yet but I will eventually. Do a search for tint here to read up on that.

I had an invisible bra installed as well and like it so much I'll be doing it to all future cars from now on. But you can also get either a regular bra or a hood shield from Canada.

I do recomment the mudguards. It has certainly contained the splashing up on the paint from driving through puddles.

 

Ah.. ok I remember..... Humm.. well on most cars I would say yes... but the prius demands full price... I just don't know how much kbb.com would value it at?....

I guess that ones up to you?


Have you figured what the difference would be between what the insurance would pay verses what it would cost to buy another?....

Something is wrong with our system when insurance values it less than the replacement cost..... thats a bunch of crapola!

Unless you pay more than MSRP... (and you shouldn't) you should'nt have that problem would you?
Unless you wrap other cost into your financing?

I"ve never had the stuff myself and never missed it or wished I had it either... but I usually buy my cars right....
I go through a broker.. did the same for the prius.... 500.00 below MSRP "as I have paid" should remove the need for gap insurance.

Ill buy my full warranty a bit later.

Even it means taking a flight and driving the car back... you don't have to pay above MSRP.

 

You know, I've wondered (seriously) about this for a long time. Anyone can stand in back of a white car next to a very dark car, touch both in the hot sun and feel that the dark one is VERY much hotter. But how much, if any, does that translate into interior temps?

Sometimes is seems getting into a white car that's been baking in the sun is just as bad as a dark car. But maybe not. (I always keep one window slightly cracked to let expanded hot air out, anyway.)

I'm sure someone, sometime, has done studies on this. Anyone know? (I know, search, search, and now I will!) I hate to repeatedly give people stupid advice.

 

Jack, as long as you are searching ..... I believe a white Prius looks larger than a black or dark Prius. If you run across anything that speaks to this point, I would love to hear.

 

You're RIGHT, I've noticed that, too. And wondered why.

And, having owned a white '01, I know it WASN'T true with Gen 1's.

So here's my theory: the CONTRAST between the white and the darkened glass in back is what does it. It doesn't look bigger when I view one just from the front. But when I do from the rear, it always does. See if you "notice" that.

 

I purchased the cargo net from my Toyota dealer as an add-on after I purchased the Prius.

If you buy it as an option with the car, the price is $49. Yet when you buy it from the parts dept. and install it yourself, the price is only $35.

I was just amazed that with a high-end car like the Prius that the cargo net was not standard equipment. :huh:

 

I lived in SoCal all my life. Silver was a first choice for a while (my cars have been blue, gray and silver), then shifted to Seaside. This will probably be a long term investment for you so you should be satisfied with the color. Remember, it isn't us, but YOU that will have to live with it. That being said, several owners got a color simply because the dealer had one in stock and they wanted to buy right away. Some like the color they ended up with, while others tolerate it.

Mine came with the cargo net, carpet and applique.

 

I would get none. Every thing can be had in the after market for less and is better.

 

I'm in SoCal, wanted a black one, ended up with tideland green, love it... The car is so inexpensive to start with compared to the competition, you might as well get everything on it. My chrome wheeels (oem) went on today and the tint goes on tuesday. Other than that, make sure you have a bluetooth phone.

 

Isn't that a standard equipment?