- #6851 of 7481
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Re: Just returned from road trip to Alaska (from Seattle) [nw_viking]
by gagrice
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Jun 17, 2006 (4:50 pm)
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Replying to: nw_viking (Jun 17, 2006 2:52 pm)
no navigation data for Alaska. I guess GPS satellite data can't be picked up very well that far north
GPS works fine all the way to the Arctic. I don't think the roads are up to date in the mapping software. Most hunting guides and bush pilots use GPS exclusively. They set their own map points. It is a great tool for not getting lost fishing and hunting. I get 4-5 birds in Prudhoe Bay with my cheapie antenna for my laptop. Our Garmin gets 5-7 most places.
Sounds like you had a nice trip. And it did not cost you an arm and a leg for gas.
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- #6852 of 7481
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Re: Just returned from road trip to Alaska (from Seattle) [gagrice]
by nw_viking
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Jun 17, 2006 (11:32 pm)
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Replying to: gagrice (Jun 17, 2006 4:50 pm)
A guy at the Toyota dealership in Fairbanks said there was no Alaska map data available for the Prius Nav system, or any other model. The same dealership also sells Honda, Subaru, and one other make. He said the reason was that the GPS satellites, due to their positon, didn't provide good coverage that far North. I did notice while driving in the Yukon that the Nav system would sometimes lose position, or show me driving in the river adjacent to the road. In Alaska, it just showed the car in the far west corner of the Yukon, with this big empty space to the right, but the car icon seemed to be pointing the right way most of the time.
Maybe Toyota, or the SW company providing the map data, just decideed to exclude Alaska. Poor GPS reception may just be their patent excuse.
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- #6853 of 7481
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Re: Just returned from road trip to Alaska (from Seattle) [nw_viking]
by gagrice
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Jun 18, 2006 (7:20 am)
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Replying to: nw_viking (Jun 17, 2006 11:32 pm)
I know the sats are there and work with the Garmin systems. We used them to locate & set our towers. They may not use great antennas in cars because they are not needed in the lower 48. I did turn my laptop on with the MS map program and it located me in Prudhoe Bay. No good road data.
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- #6854 of 7481
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Re: Just returned from road trip to Alaska (from Seattle) [nw_viking]
by pathstar1
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Jun 18, 2006 (4:42 pm)
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Replying to: nw_viking (Jun 17, 2006 11:32 pm)
The GPS satellites are in orbits that cover the entire globe (polar orbits with a large offset angle). The reason you don't get maps is that there aren't enough people up there to justify the expense of creating them. There also aren't enough roads to really need the map data. Unless, of course, you are travelling the "back roads" (gravel forestry, mining, and oil roads), and I haven't seen GPS map data for those anywhere on the planet. If you had a "generic" GPS and open software you could utilise the maps your govt. provides for road data. To do that you do have to be pretty knowledgable with GPS and computers.
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- #6855 of 7481
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Bay area dealers recommendation
by gringita66
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Jun 23, 2006 (7:33 am)
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Hi I'm hoping to order a new Prius in time to get the tax write off. Im in the SF bay area, east bay. Do you have a recommended dealer/service shop close to Oakland, do you think I can buy the car in time? One dealer said it would be about 3-5 months, it's looking pretty tight..
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- #6856 of 7481
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Re: Bay area dealers recommendation [gringita66]
by gagrice
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Jun 23, 2006 (11:59 am)
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Replying to: gringita66 (Jun 23, 2006 7:33 am)
Shop out of the area. For the price of a ticket you can probably get one in a couple days. Send out emails to dealers in areas you would like to vacation. You are in the highest priced hybrid market in America. San Diego Toyota and El Cajon Toyota both had Prius on the lot available. Nevada and Oregon are good places to shop for cars.
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- #6857 of 7481
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STEERING RECALL TENDED TO
by railroadjames
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Jun 23, 2006 (4:57 pm)
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I recently tended to the latest recall (steering) and was in/out in under two hrs. I have had only accolades for my Lake Shore Toyota Dealer here in NW INDIANA. I'm  41K and nary a problem. Still on original tires and the Prius has performed admiraly. I have to admit that the future of hybrids has me curious as to whats next. Time will tell. When I purchased the 04 Prius 2-1/2 yrs ago there was one other in the town of Valpo, IN. Now there are at least 12 other hybrid smart people.
P.S. Prius can Free-us the pump.
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- #6858 of 7481
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Re: STEERING RECALL TENDED TO [railroadjames]
by gagrice
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Jun 23, 2006 (5:16 pm)
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Replying to: railroadjames (Jun 23, 2006 4:57 pm)
Hey it is good to see you are still kicking. Sounds like you are still very happy with your Prius. Thought about trading for the Camry Hybrid? That seems to be where all the action is right now.
Anyway good to see you posting... Gary
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- #6859 of 7481
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On the way home tonight...
by kdhspyder
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Jun 23, 2006 (6:44 pm)
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... the speedo passed over 20000 in just under 7 mo's. 4th free oil change coming up tomorrow. I'm curious about the tires since these OEM Integrity's are normally reported to be mediocre at best and I do use Michelins whenever I put them on myself. Will I reach 40K with baldies or maybe even 60K?
No issues at all as yet. I'm 50/50 with investing in the 7/100 VSA insurance policy before the 36000 limit comes up in Dec.
Fuel usage is now consistently at about 1.96 gpc ( 51 mpg ) since the weather warmed.
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- #6860 of 7481
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Re: STEERING RECALL TENDED TO [gagrice]
by railroadjames
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Jun 23, 2006 (6:54 pm)
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Replying to: gagrice (Jun 23, 2006 5:16 pm)
While at the Toyota Dealer I did stroll over to the Camery Hybrid and did a "WOW" at the sticker. Considering that my '04 Prius was $21,465.00 out the door (as I recall) I couldn't help but notice the heavily priced Camery Hybrid ($32,600.00 as I recall). There was also room for a much higher price tag too with the additional add ons. I can't help thank my stars I made the move 2 1/2 yrs ago. Say...Gary..Whatcha drivin these days?
P.S. I was impressed with Toyota's SCION X..clever unit. Very smart & practical.
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