Straying from the fold

After what, 11 years or so, I'm loosing my way. Two friends have "gone Prius" by my lead. Now I'm trading in Pearl S and my FJ Cruiser for an Infiniti QX 50 (2019). Mostly because of the wonderful fit and finish but also partially because to get around easily an SUV is best here in winter and this car gets "not bad" mileage, so I can replace both of my current cars with it. Only one vehicle to maintain, insure and drive. I will miss the once a month fuel-up of the Prius, using cheap "regular" fuel. I considered the RAV4, but it's overweight, overstyled, and not very comfortable to sit in. The Infiniti beats the RAV4 on highway mileage but not city mileage. I was also impressed by the Infiniti "curb weight", at 2850 lbs, the lightest SUV I've seen for 50 years! Fully loaded up it can handle over 5000 lbs! That's quite an impressive carrying capacity. That thing is lighter than a Prius hatchback! Aluminum hood and doors and who knows what else.

Anyway, it's not going to finally happen for a few months I'm told (ordered but not delivered) so I'll still be hanging around here for a little while longer. Life gets interesting!

 

Nope, you're all wrong. The car they had for "demo" IS an American one, and reading the tag on the drivers side door jamb, it IS 2850 lbs. Not a typo on the web site. Unless they are going to issue a recall to change all the door jamb tags. Like all of you I am suspicious of the low number, but hoping it's correct.

The Canadian cars arrive next week, I'm told. The colour I wanted was already sold in the fully equipped model I ordered so they are saying September. Unlike my friend, who ordered his Prius hatchback in an unstocked interior colour (for Canada). Next day they were building it on the production line in Japan. It left by boat two days later. Three weeks after that it was "delivered".

Now, the Infiniti is assembled in Mexico. They (Infiniti Canada) decided to ship them by rail, hopefully before the wall goes up. I'm told half the order for Edmonton went to Calgary and half went to Vancouver. Woops! They are learning a new shipping method I guess.

I'm getting too excited to wait three months, and may change my colour choice today, if there are any left in the current shipment.

 

Yup. I'm letting my emotions rule.

I wouldn't buy next year's model Prime if Tideland is correct that they are going to reduce the fuel tank size. Strike one!
I won't buy a Prime unless I can actually see and drive one. None available in stock in Alberta. Strike two!
When you buy a Prius in Alberta you are forced to buy a useless 200W block heater at the inflated price of $400. Strike three!
Toyota's out!

And the first QX50s arrived today at the dealer. Saw them in the lot, still covered in shipping plastic.

Oh, and as for reliability, first year or not, the GIII Prius are having problems with parts that are NOT new, such as IPM modules, engine head gaskets, oil consumption. And in Canada they won't stand behind them, unless you mean standing behind as you leave the lot after being told "NO".

As I said above, Toyota's out. Just glad the news of the above failures are not widely known, and I'm getting reasonable trade in value.

I may be back if I'm still driving when I get tired of the QX50. I'm WAY past my "best before" date, and am enjoying the money I have saved up, some of it thanks to my Prius ownership. It has been a slice Toyota, I have enjoyed the technology. I'm about to enjoy some other new technology.

If Nissan figures out that combining the variable compression ratio engine with the HSD would yield a fuel economy winner, Toyota might be in trouble. After all, the most popular vehicles at this time are SUVs and PUs, and this possible combination -might- make them practical fuel mizers. Of course most are/should be horrified I'm going back to an SUV. Whatever.

 

Correction. Upon closer inspection the weight figures are not "curb weight". That is not given. They list the maximum weight and the maximum weight per "axle". This is funny, because the owners manual tells us to refer to the door sticker to get the curb weight, and of course it isn't there. Sigh. But even if the car weights 3600 to 3800 lbs that's still light for an SUV (yeah, I know, they call it a "Crossover", because, they tell me, it doesn't have a frame. But my 2001 Pathfinder didn't have a frame and it was called an SUV - more non-sense from car companies!).