Prius-my opinion- My feelings after 4-5k miles (negative) sorry.

They wouldn't have checked alignment unless you reported a problem or asked them to check alignment, then they would have told you the results.

At 4-5k miles you could have an alignment problem that significantly effected stability without any obvious tire wear problems.

 

Sell your Prius you don't deserve it

I came from a Mercedes E320 to my Prius IV and the Prius wins hands down for me.

 

Unless you got the results of a 4-wheel alignment, they didn't check it.

 

Most owners think the car is very good at high speeds due to its low drag. You should get your alignment checked. Alignment is usually an automated system that prints the results.

 

Hi Just,

I still have my Lexus GX470 truck (Mercedes C300 end of lease, hence the Prius) and I test drove the Lexus HS prior to making my decision on the Prius. You didn't say which build you picked up but I chose the IV with the leather interior and it feels much much more better to me than the fabric and plastic steering wheel. I had the SAME feeling of plastic/plastic everywhere when I sat in the II or III but not so on the IV?

I believe there is a TBD on the bump/acceleration issue, I would bring it back into the shop to have them look at it. I know people on the forum say this is normal but on my 2010 IV I didin't feel this at all and we have quite a few potholes here in NY, along with various speed bumps. Non issue here...

Smell? New car smell? Hmmm, all cars have that smell and eventually it does go away, but glad you got rid of it with the air freshner...

Bottom line, I love my gas mileage and the handling is fine, I'm no Mario Andretti but I haul as* on the highway doing between 75~85 when needed (available) and I don't have any issues with handling coming from C300 or GX470. bit I'm sorry that you feel this way... If it really bothers you this much, you should simply sell the car and pick up something else? 4~5K you should still command a pretty good price on the car... IMHO, this is the simplest and best solution to the problens/issues you are facing becuase no amount of wood dash trim, interior upgrades will be able to change the way the car handles and ULTIMATELY this is primary gripe...

Please do let us know what car you traded up to and good luck with your sale!

 

When gas hits five or six dollars a gallon then some of the gripes of the initial poster will more than likely fade away. I purchased a third generation Prius in June of 09 and currently have 16000 miles on it. The car has had rattles in the suspension since I bought it (mechanic at Toyota dealership can hear them but can't figure out how to fix it) , it is the worst handling car I have ever driven, the brakes (even with fix applied) are horrendous, and the interior is cheap to say the least. I don't know how Toyota can build a car that is shaped like a bullet that handles like a brick but they nailed it. I LOVE the gas mileage but that is the ONLY redeeming quality this car has. My previous car was a Matrix so I am certainly not coming out of a high end luxury car either. This is a car that if you are considering buying I would recommend seeing if the dealer will let you have it for a weekend before you buy it. If they did I bet these things would be cluttering lots more than they are now.

 

Hi Hibank,

Just out of curiosity, if you feel this strongly about the vehicle, why don't you simply sell it? Sure you'll love a few dollars but by all rights it should be better than fuming about the car every time you start the car?!??

I say this to both you and Just (OP) becuase honestly if I were either of your shoes, I'd be selling my Prius. I don't want to be stuck with something I couldn't live with or complaining about...

Just (OP) is definately in a much better position in terms of SELLING his car @ 4~5K miles on it but even with 16K it shouldn't be that difficult to sell/trade up...?

ALL dealers are hurting for sales right now and no better time than the present to trade in... Good luck to both you and Just (OP)...!

 

Then why does the car have such high initial quality and customer loyalty ratings? The car is extremely popular.

I'm not a "Prius person", but the responses you get from Prius owners are overwhelmingly positive compared to negative...

And every car I have ever bought (save the Prius in '04 when they were REALLY hot) I have driven for two full days before I bought it. Never had a dealer give me a problem about it.

 

I strongly believe that post #1 and post #106 should have been made
in the http://priuschat.com/forums/freds-house-pancakes/76273-official-rants-trolls-thread.html

Fellas, we are all very sorry that you bought the wrong car.

There is nothing that we an do about it. What are we supposed to do,
say, "Poor baby! Here, let's put some Windex on the hurty. Everything
is going to turn out OK.?"

Heck, we all know that the Prius -- just like every other car -- is not
perfect. But some how we soldier on enjoying the many positive things
about the car that we either knew about when we bought it or have
learned about here. We also learn about the not-so-good things and
how their impact can be minimized, over come or worked around.

You need to talk to the guy who didn't do enough research, or didn't
take a second or long enough test drive, or didn't look for this website
early enough in the process. It's been here all along, and you could
have lurked yourself into a better understanding of what the Prius is
and isn't. You'll find the guy you need to talk to in the mirror when you
shave.

All this niggling, carping, and nit picking is getting you nowhere.
Sell the car or make the best of the very good thing you've got.

 

OP you have 2 choices.
1. Sell the car.
2. Live with it.
In either case just go away.

 

Justaguy says he has a II. Funny awhile back he was telling everyone that he was getting a IV. He complains about the Prius' handling and drives a Range Rover?

 

At this point I simply cannot afford to dump this vehicle for the vehicle I want to trade it for. Until I can I will not let my wife drive this vehicle. Other than the gas mileage I challenge anyone on this forum to tell how a 23 thousand dollar Prius is any better vehicle than a 17 thousand dollar Corolla. Same lousy interior, same bad handling, and from the latest recalls same mediocre build quality. I won't even try and justify how someone paying 30,000 for one of these bricks on wheels justifies it over a comparable 30,000 gas powered vehicle that will stomp it into the ground in everything other than gas mileage. There are plenty of Prius owners that will sugar coat this thing and tell you to "settle" for its flaws. As long as you line up and continue to drink that Kool Aid Toyota will continue to build this crap and as we have seen in the past year will build some big time junk until people start wrapping them around trees. I have owned numerous Toyotas and was hoping the third generation Prius was going to be a continuation of the quality I had had previously. Maybe when gas hits five bucks a gallon this thing will be more appealing but if not this is a joke. Oh well, winter is on the way and I won't have to hear the rattles with the windows up and the heater on.

 

the simple fact is, you made a mistake. a serious mistake, unless you can afford to lose a few thou on an early trade in. your opinion of the car is not gospel, it's your opinion. why do you keep trying to justify it? you want your cake and eat it too. you can't have it. there is no technology available today that will give you 50-60 mpg and drive/ride like your luxury car of choice. first, any equipment you add to try and make it that way is going to drop your mileage. second, it's going to up the cost. if you can't walk away from this car and stop trying to justify it, you need help. we like our cars, and we don't have unrealistic expectations. sorry you have no clue, hope you get some professional help soon!

 

This has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever read. So you buy a Toyota and are surprised to find out it handles "like a Toyota." What do you expect it to handle like? The handling characteristics of Toyota's are well known. You test drive a car to find out about it before you buy. And you have the nerve to now complain? I don't get it. Go buy a new car and stop beating this dead horse.

Tom

 

Since when is it an "unrealistic expectation" to have a car that 1. Stops quickly and smoothly when you apply the brakes.(on any surface) 2. Does not rattle the minute you drive it off the lot. 3. Has better road manners than a covered wagon from the 1890s. 4. Has interior finish somewhere near comparable to the amount of money you spent for it. If that is having "unrealistic expectations" we should still be driving the Pinto and the Corvair.

 

since when? since you test drove it. since you applied the brakes when you test drove it. since you listened for rattles when you test drove it. since you steered it thru city and highway streets when you test drove it. since you looked at, felt and SMELLED the interior when you test drove it. why on earth did you buy it? barnum said there's a sucker born every minute...