radman
R.I.P. Our Motorcycling Friend
We run a dozen Priusi in the fleet, ranging from first year issue (03 I believe) to brand new. Being a University, we must of course show the world how advanced we are environmentally, so it's a given we will have the latest and greatest when it comes to PC machinery. Anyway, a synopsis........
1) Overall, they have been spectacularly reliable, with nary a hard failure amongst them.
2) Overall, they are as spectacularly boring as 4 wheel transportation can get. Their only redeeming quality is the TV in the middle of the dash, on which you can watch an entire episode of the Jetsons on the 0-60 acceleration test. The locating of all the ancillary controls (HVAC, radio/cd, battery monitoring, etc) on this centralized touch screen has been a direct factor in several accidents.
3) On one, a 2004, average mileage has worked out to 74 mpg. Yes, 74 mpg. Mind you, this car is used exclusively in town, around campus mostly, and so takes max advantage of the electric aspects of the Hybrid system. But still, 74 mpg. Ran the figures 4 times. 74 ******* MPG. Keep in mind we have a climate of extremes-whenever heat or A/C is called for, the engine must run.
4) As of yet, no indication of battery weakening, though our highest mileage car to date had aprox 53,000 miles. We don't anticipate having any of them beyond the 65-75 thou mark. We did have a 12 volt starting battery weaken, which was replaced at a cost of $135 (very unique battery in these, of course). The core was processed normally, with no known loss of life nor mines stripped nor EPA Superfund access required. I expect this will be the battery consumers will be most often concerned with.
5) I personally hate 'em, but there are many here who are Mother the Earths biggest friends, and will rent nothing but (all the Priui here are in our rental fleet). Others will call a cab rather than take one if it's all thats available. So not all are enthralled, but enough could give a **** either way, so as a result we consider them a fairly successful addition to the fleet.
Overall, I think they are, for most people, an excellent city car. Small footprint bodes well for parking, traffic, and stopping for fuel. Toyota reliability (and yes, for most of their products the legend still applies) bodes well for trouble free operation. Brakes last 50,000 plus. Oil change intervals can be as long as a year (if actual motor ops are taken into account, they have maint required lamps). They have bizarre enough interiors and features so as to keep the passengers entertained for hours on end, great for sitting in traffic. While other manufacturers have jumped on the Hybrid wagon, few have accomplished what Toy has with there initial entry-a seamless entry of a mega fuel efficient (potentially) engineering exercise that the common man can see himself owning. And many have. We have no 2006's, Toy couldn't build them fast enough to keep dealers supplied, so they suspended Fleet sales for a time till capacity built up to demand. Don't think for a second that a few other manufacturers wish they had that problem.
1) Overall, they have been spectacularly reliable, with nary a hard failure amongst them.
2) Overall, they are as spectacularly boring as 4 wheel transportation can get. Their only redeeming quality is the TV in the middle of the dash, on which you can watch an entire episode of the Jetsons on the 0-60 acceleration test. The locating of all the ancillary controls (HVAC, radio/cd, battery monitoring, etc) on this centralized touch screen has been a direct factor in several accidents.
3) On one, a 2004, average mileage has worked out to 74 mpg. Yes, 74 mpg. Mind you, this car is used exclusively in town, around campus mostly, and so takes max advantage of the electric aspects of the Hybrid system. But still, 74 mpg. Ran the figures 4 times. 74 ******* MPG. Keep in mind we have a climate of extremes-whenever heat or A/C is called for, the engine must run.
4) As of yet, no indication of battery weakening, though our highest mileage car to date had aprox 53,000 miles. We don't anticipate having any of them beyond the 65-75 thou mark. We did have a 12 volt starting battery weaken, which was replaced at a cost of $135 (very unique battery in these, of course). The core was processed normally, with no known loss of life nor mines stripped nor EPA Superfund access required. I expect this will be the battery consumers will be most often concerned with.
5) I personally hate 'em, but there are many here who are Mother the Earths biggest friends, and will rent nothing but (all the Priui here are in our rental fleet). Others will call a cab rather than take one if it's all thats available. So not all are enthralled, but enough could give a **** either way, so as a result we consider them a fairly successful addition to the fleet.
Overall, I think they are, for most people, an excellent city car. Small footprint bodes well for parking, traffic, and stopping for fuel. Toyota reliability (and yes, for most of their products the legend still applies) bodes well for trouble free operation. Brakes last 50,000 plus. Oil change intervals can be as long as a year (if actual motor ops are taken into account, they have maint required lamps). They have bizarre enough interiors and features so as to keep the passengers entertained for hours on end, great for sitting in traffic. While other manufacturers have jumped on the Hybrid wagon, few have accomplished what Toy has with there initial entry-a seamless entry of a mega fuel efficient (potentially) engineering exercise that the common man can see himself owning. And many have. We have no 2006's, Toy couldn't build them fast enough to keep dealers supplied, so they suspended Fleet sales for a time till capacity built up to demand. Don't think for a second that a few other manufacturers wish they had that problem.
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