Toyota Plans To Recall 300,000 Prius

[SW03ES]

Come on, now we are going to start counting dealer install options?

You said loaded to loaded, and they are options on the website ;)

Fun to drive is a relative thing, but no matter how you put it, the Prius is not a fun car to drive unless you like watching the MPG meter all the time.

Honestly though...they do consider that "fun-to-drive". You should go to the Prius forum and look at all the threads about maximizing fuel economy. They are...incredibly serious about it.

Of course the Prius appeal to a lot of people, but those owners are a special bunch, thats all I was saying.

It doesn't appeal to me, but I think you would be surprised how mainstream the car actually is. I know a *lot* of people that have them and they can buy any vehicle they want...I know people who have traded luxury cars in on them...they aren't as nutty as the people on the web either.

[The G Man]

Honestly though...they do consider that "fun-to-drive". You should go to the Prius forum and look at all the threads about maximizing fuel economy. They are...incredibly serious about it.

It doesn't appeal to me, but I think you would be surprised how mainstream the car actually is. I know a *lot* of people that have them and they can buy any vehicle they want...I know people who have traded luxury cars in on them...they aren't as nutty as the people on the web either.

I drive the Prius or the Camry hybrid at work maybe once or twice a week, perhaps fun to drive is not the right term. I am amazing at the gas mileage this car gets, We took a 100 miles trip with 4 people in the car, The gas gauge didnt even move by 1/8 of a tank. Its a great car for people who do a lot of mileage. For me, it does nothing since I drive about 5000 miles a year and 3 miles to work everyday.

You dont have to tell me how main stream it is. I live in town where Prius is as common as MB, Lexus, Audi and BMW. I guess you have to be rich to be green :)

[SW03ES]

I think that was what they were thinking when they designed the HS...people who like the economy and idea of the Prius but dislike the execution...but I think they missed the mark. I think the HS is uglier than the Prius personally...the 2010 Prius anyways.

[The G Man]

I think that was what they were thinking when they designed the HS...people who like the economy and idea of the Prius but dislike the execution...but I think they missed the mark. I think the HS is uglier than the Prius personally...the 2010 Prius anyways.

I saw a few HS on the road, it is not a very good looking car. Then again, I think the Prius looks pretty cheap too considering the price. Why must Toyota and Lexus design their hybrid to look so geeky? The mild hybrid GS450h do look pretty sporty though, but I just dont see the point of the GS hybrid at all since the gas milage is not that great and it has about the same power as the 8 cyl GS.

[SW03ES]

I saw a few HS on the road, it is not a very good looking car. Then again, I think the Prius looks pretty cheap too considering the price. Why must Toyota and Lexus design their hybrid to look so geeky?

Since its the best selling hybrid sedan in the world I'd say they designed it to look the way its buyers want it to look...

[blake918]

And what makes the Lexus IS luxurious when a fully loaded Prius V with ATP is not? Lot of features...I'd consider it pretty luxurious.

Do you really consider a V ATP luxurious? I realize the ATP includes the entire alphabet soup of VERY high end features, but it's still got the same fairly cheap interior as the lower trims. It's got some luxury features, but it's not a luxury car. Its interior materials, dealer experience, and comfort level make it fall short of luxury car status in my book. I do think the III is a great value for a commuter car and the best buy of the line-up, since it seems like the people on PC who will search out a deal get them for $22k-$22.5k.

I loved how you mentioned how arrogant the people of PC are (in a brake thread maybe), and those smug people don't even bother to fight back! lol :o I guess you are ok as long as you criticize the Prius owner and not the almighty and all perfect Prius.

[SW03ES]

Oh yes...don't say anything negative about the Prius over there LOL

Its not a luxury car but to many people I think it would classify as "luxurious". It has leather, lots of features...to a lot of people that equals luxurious. For instance the Explorer Limited I had before the Lexus was what I would consider luxurious. The Prius isn't a Yaris for instance...

Plenty of people would consider a top line Camry or Avalon luxurious too.

[eatingupblacktop]

Ok,here's something I read today. Does it clear up anything? Nope.

http://www.wheels.ca/article/784936

Some highlights:

Federal and Toyota investigators who examined and test drove the car could not replicate the problems Sikes said he encountered, the memo said.

Sikes could not be reached to comment. However, his wife, Patty Sikes, said he stands by his story.

"Everyone can just leave us alone," she said. "Jim didn't get hurt. There's no intent at all to sue Toyota. If any good can come out of this, maybe they can find out what happened so other people don't get killed."

And then this:

The brakes on the Prius also did not show wear consistent with having been applied at full force at high speeds for a long period, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday, citing three people familiar with the probe, whom it did not name. The newspaper said the brakes may have been applied intermittently.

But wait a minute, we also have this:

The memorandum obtained by The AP said when investigators placed the Prius up on a lift, they found the driver side front wheel well was dislodged and the brake pads were worn down. "Visually checking the brake pads and rotor it was clearly visible that there was nothing left," the memo said.

And a few more recent incidents:

NHTSA is sending experts to a New York City suburb where the driver of a 2005 Prius said she crashed into a stone wall Monday after the car accelerated on its own.

And in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the driver of a 2007 Lexus said it careened through a parking lot and crashed into a light pole Thursday after its accelerator suddenly dropped to the floor.

All of this from one news report! So, anyone taking bets on the outcome?

[The G Man]

Frankly, I would be very surprise if they do find something wrong with that car. They have been trying to find the problem for years now with no luck. So far the only things that they come up with is when two system failing at the same time and they keep writing that off as highly unlikely. Maybe the stars are lining up in some of these accidents and they should really consider the highly unlikely senarios at this point.