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Toyota Prius (First Generation) - READ ONLY

1489 messages,  Last post on Oct 27, 2006 at 4:35 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Prius, Hybrid Cars

Messages Page 149 of 149

#1480 of 1489 Re: Toyota prius service 2003 [bigfrog] by mrvadeboncoeur

Sep 30, 2005 (10:38 am)

Replying to: bigfrog (May 09, 2004 7:58 pm)
2001-2003 US Prius had complementary (free) service at any Toyota dealer for the first 5 regularly scheduled maintenances (up to 30 months/37,500 miles). Yes, this does transfer when sold.
 
This plan was not carried over onto the 2004-? Prius.
 
Some individual dealers may throw in some form of free maintenance package. Or you can buy a Toyota Pre-Paid maintenance plan in increments up to 4 years/55,000 miles.
 
But I have not heard of a free service for life plan before.

#1481 of 1489 Re: Toyota prius service 2003 [mrvadeboncoeur] by stevewa

Oct 07, 2005 (12:29 am)

Replying to: mrvadeboncoeur (Sep 30, 2005 10:38 am)
Some dealers will sell you a "lifetime oil change certificate" for some trivial amount of money when you buy the car from them.
 
I'm sure they expect to recoup the cost with other repairs. They want you in the habit of visiting their service department...

#1482 of 1489 Do your own math and/or please correct mine: by jparziale

May 01, 2006 (1:15 am)

Replying to: nofeer (Dec 15, 2003 6:03 am)
I posted this a few weeks ago on another forum:
Why doesn't someone debunk the naysayers? They haven't done the simple spreadsheet math. I did - the day I decided to retire my 14 year old audi and buy a 4 year old 2001 prius. At CURRENT gas prices, my prius will pay for itself in 10 years: My audi 80 got 18MPG (premium) and the prius (in city only driving) gets 40MPG (regular). Now consider the person who drives 20,000 miles a year instead of my 12,500. It would only take 5 years to pay for itself in original stock form. Now consider the pay back point if we can squeeze another 20-30 MPG by pluggin in. And consider that gas may go back to recent highs of what was it? $3.25/gallon?
  
Note (as a computer tech) I drive for a living so my MPG is only 40. I did once get 70MPG on a 27 mile trip up then down Topanga Canyon Mountain! I love my prius. I haven't been this excited about a car of mine since I was 18. I have even started to commute and perform some of my service calls by bicycle now that I see how much gas I am using on the dash board. I will, of course, refrain from calculating that mile/calorie anomaly into the equation.

#1483 of 1489 Diesel? by jparziale

May 01, 2006 (2:36 am)

Replying to: nofeer (Dec 15, 2003 6:03 am)
Here's is my 2 cents. Though Daimler (benz) and Chrysler are making a hybrid diesel work-van this year, I just don't trust diesel long term. I calculate that we can do better. No diesel will come close to a Hybrid in the area that really matters: pollution. This is more important than wars and economies. In 1989 I wrote a thesis while in engineering school on what I considered the smartest energy plan for the future of the U.S.A., sub-focusing on automobiles. My main concerns were pollution and long term independance from oil, in that order. I felt that CNG (compressed natural gas) was a logical intermediate step to full electric cars. Very easy to install in a car for a few hundred dollars and virtually no pollution out. The only thing we would need is the infrastructure. Remember when you got stuck behind an old Diesel bus? Have you noticed how nice it is to be behind the new CNG type in your city? Well, I have here in Los Angeles. But I find few who even notice the diamond stickers on our new fleet. I also thought it was odd that natural gas prices doubled the month they annouced them.
 
Well, no one, including my friends who made an electric car back then, predicted hybrids, we just assumed batteries would evolve much faster I guess. But in 1994, while starting an enviromentally minded company in eastern Europe, I noticed how many cars in Western Europe had those small scuba tanks in the trunk. Everywhere you went in Holland, you could fill up with CNG. Now, consider a hybrid CNG/Electic. Now we are getting closer, If I can convert my car to CNG for a few hundred and there were refill stations everywhere, we would have something. One problem. I calculated that we could only run for a few decades on the reserves of Natural Gas known today. It is a stop gap solution, but until hydrogen is on every corner, it may be worth it. Especially because the same pump for CNG today could pump Hydrogen tomorrow. So how hard would it be to burn Hydrogen, the most explosive gas there is, in your existing engine? Especially if CNG is was so easily converted and tested overseas. What would it cost to convert a car from CNG to Hydrogen? $20? Shouldn’t it be the same cost to convert from Gasoline to Hydrogen? Anyone know?
 
A quick refresher for the uninitiated: Electricity makes sense for two simple reasons: pollution and simple, unlimited power at any RPM. First, electricity can be produced very cleanly. Whether by putting a million dollar scrubber on a coal smoke stack, (instead of a $300 catalytic converter on each car). Or by putting up windmills or solar collectors. Now consider the parts a normal car could drop if it were electic: Radiator, Water pump, water: hoses, gaskets and reserviors, Oil pump, filter, pan, pistons, rods, cams, valves, injectors, distributors, polllution equipment up the ying yang: ecr valves, air cleaners, fuel systems: pumps, tanks, lines, filters. Mufflers and CATs. Alternator, starter and the solenoids thereof, condensors, spark plugs and wires. Transmissions, clutches and their fluids, (transmissions are only needed to overcome the inherent weaknes that most engines are only powerfull within a small range of RPM’s.) Wow, I never listed them all!! Ok, let’s say we all get electic cars next year. The only problem is that batteries currently take hours to refill vs. Minutes at the gasoline pump. So to remain free to move about the country, I see a Hybrid Hydrogen/electic as the ultimate goal. It could be done very easily. We could make our own H at home. All day long you could be separating water into Hydrogen and Oxygen using electrolosys via slow but steady electicity provided by solar panels on your roof. Your modern, asthetically pleasing solar panels would also keep your roof cooler and save you money in AC costs. Then you would pump it into your car. I don’t think Mobile will like the sound of that so they will encourage us to buy thier H at the local H-station. Think of a gas stove or a outdoor grill with it’s pressurized tank. This is safe and tested technology. Safer than gasoline in liquid form- if I am not mistaken.

#1484 of 1489 Re: Diesel? [jparziale] by gagrice

May 01, 2006 (5:38 am)

Replying to: jparziale (May 01, 2006 2:36 am)
Very easy to install in a car for a few hundred dollars and virtually no pollution out.
 
Welcome to the forum,
I agree with some of your post. The CNG conversion is a few thousand, not hundreds. The tank alone is a couple grand and has to be tested by a certified technician on a regular basis.
 
There is a forum here at Edmund's specifically for CNG. It is not all roses for the owners of CNG cars.

#1485 of 1489 Re: mileage after service and steering [mrvadeboncoeur] by pgunther

Aug 21, 2006 (12:15 pm)

Replying to: mrvadeboncoeur (Jul 22, 2003 7:19 am)
I recently needed to replace my Prius 2002 steering rack. I reported the shudder about a year ago and the Toyota Service couldn't find it. It got worse recently and Toyota dealership expressed surprise. I paid for it $1600.00 just a few weeks ago. Is there an official written announcement regarding the warranty? I read that it is good for 5 years unlimited. Does anyone have an idea what I should do now?
 
pgunther

#1486 of 1489 Re: mileage after service and steering [pgunther] by terry92270

Aug 21, 2006 (1:45 pm)

Replying to: pgunther (Aug 21, 2006 12:15 pm)
If you reported the problem, or at least the symptoms, only once, a year ago, and a year later it went out, you might be out of luck. If you can produce the paperwork from your original visit, you might have something. Better still would be that you re-visited service an additional time or two for the same problem, clearly showing you were trying to get them to recognize the problem.
 
Speak to the Service Manager only, and express your concerns....

#1487 of 1489 Re: mileage after service and steering [terry92270] by pgunther

Aug 21, 2006 (6:06 pm)

Replying to: terry92270 (Aug 21, 2006 1:45 pm)
Thank you for your reply. I have read that there is a warranty for five years and unlimited mileage out there somewhere. Since this is a 2002 Prius I seem to still be within the warranty. Where can I verify the existence of this warranty? Is there a site that will show me the actual warranty?
 
Thanks.
 
Perry

#1488 of 1489 Re: mileage after service and steering [pgunther] by terry92270

Aug 21, 2006 (9:45 pm)

Replying to: pgunther (Aug 21, 2006 6:06 pm)
You can try warrantydirect.com, thats who I use.

#1489 of 1489 Forums Reorganization by pf_flyer HOST

Oct 27, 2006 (4:35 am)

As you've probably noticed, new discussions have been appearing allover the forums. What's happening is that we are closing the very large, general discussions like this one and creating smaller discussions that focus on different aspects of the vehicles.
 
For example, here in the Toyota Prius Group you will now find:
 
Toyota Prius: MPG-Real World Numbers
Toyota Prius Tire/Wheel Questions
Toyota Prius: Accessories & Modifications
Prius Brake Issues
Toyota Prius Test Drive:What Do You Think?
Prius Safety & Crash Test Ratings
Toyota Prius Dash & Instrumentation Questions
Toyota Prius: Audio System Questions
Toyota Prius: Basic Care & Maintenance
Getting the Most Out of the Toyota Prius: Driving Tips
New Prius Owners - Give Us Your Report
to mention a few of the new discussions.
 
When you are ready to post, please check the discussion list at the main Toyota Prius Group page for the discussion that's appropriate for your question or comment. Should you have an issue that doesn't appear have a discussion that fits, please feel free to start a new one.
 
Thanks for your help in making this group a great source of information on the Prius!

Messages Page 149 of 149

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