I got so used to having the engine off at lights that when the engine was warmed and still running to charge the batteries (I guess) I would turn it off to conserve fuel figuring it could do that when I was cruising...
I get the red triangle and the only way Toyota will sell you a new battery pack is for $3000!
Otherwise a nicely built car with a lot of neat technology.
I have to pay 650 EURO for a gas pedal sensor! This is comparable with what I pay in a whole year (in Europe) for benzene!
Sadly, you can expect to see PLENTY of complaints about the Prius (and ALL hybrids) as they age. The repairs are outrageously expensive (sometimes costing half of the car's purchase price) and the replacement batteries are so expensive that companies are now starting to LEASE them!!
In addition, the depleted batteries are as much a threat to the environment as nuclear waste.
The rush to hybrids should be tempered with a little common sense. The 10 miles per gallon better fuel mileage that the Prius gets over the Corolla (or Focus) is very quickly eaten up in expensive repairs, and the very high initial purchase price offsets ANY real savings for years to come.
I agree. I have a 1993 Ford Tempo that refuses to die.
Water pump:$35. Struts all around $150. Harmonic balancer:$50 Radiator:$190.
Contrast that just with the battery on a Prius: $3400 (just for the part).
My old Tempo gets 30 MPG. So, the Prius saves me 20-40% in fuel. Big deal, that saves hundreds per year. But when the high tech Prius spaceship needs a new part, it costs thousands.
Suddenly, the 45mpg versus 30 mpg seems inconsequential. A Crown Victoria is now the economy car, as fuel is only one cost. Durability and parts/labour costs are what get you...
Econoboxes are the cheapest to run, as one car salesman explained to me once.
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