Toyota Prius

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Q: How much use tax you have to pay to DMV for 2002 Toyota Prius?
Anyone have any idea how much use tax I would have to pay to California DMV when I registrer a car I purchased from my brother. He wants to sell me his 2002 Toyota Prius for $10,000.00.

A: Perhaps you will only have to pay the $15 transfer fee, since you are buying from your brother.

Q: Toyota PRIUS?
If this car is so good and economical, why do I never see many around wherever I drive.

A: They are everywhere. They can’t keep them in stock.

That question doesn’t even make sense.
That is like me asking:
“If trucks are so useful to haul things, then how come I never see a bunch of stuff in the beds of most of them?”

Q: Is the Toyota Prius truly environmentally friendly?
A lot of people claim that the Toyota Prius is environmentally friendly since it has very good gas mileage. I was sort of tempted to go along with that, but I also remembered that you have to plug it in so that the electric engine can run. Since you have to plug it in to charge it, how big is it’s carbon footprint? Since coal is burned to produce most of America’s electricity, is the Prius truly environmentally friendly?

A: The Prius and other hybrids recharge their batteries through regenerative braking and using the gas engine as a generator. There aren’t any plug-in hybrids currently available, but there will be soon.

Plug-in hybrids and electric cars have smaller footprints than regular hybrids, which have smaller footprints than gas cars. This is mainly because electric motors are extremely efficient, so the more you rely on them, the lower the emissions you create.

Studies have shown that even if you recharge an electric car with 100% coal, it still produces less CO2 than a gas car because the EV is so much more efficient. Currently, about 50% of the enegy in the USA is produced by burning coal. On top of that, one of the Obama Administration’s main goals is to get more of our energy from renewable sources.

Plus we waste a lot of energy during off-peak hours, because most power plants don’t power-down while we’re asleep, because they’re difficult to turn back on. We could power millions of electric cars just with the electricity wasted during off-peak hours.

Q: How does a Toyota Prius work? ?
I’d like to know what are the advantages to a Toyota Prius as well as its downsides. A simple list would be great. Please include the type of fuels it uses, as well as its price, new or old. Thanks!

A: Unfortunately the poster above doesn’t know much about the Prius– Some of the things he regurgitated are simply flat-out wrong.

The Prius is actually mechanically SIMPLER than regular cars. The transmission in the Prius has just one planetary gearset, 22 moving parts, no hot-running torque converter, no clutch, no belts, no gear-shifting wear-and tear. How the Prius transmission works: http://www.eahart.com/prius/psd

Consequently, the Prius costs LESS than a regular car to maintain– Electrical regenerative braking means you don’t need to change the brake pads until 100,000 miles (try that in a regular car and see what happens). The simple transmission means no fluid change until 60,000 miles. It has no timing belt, alternator, or starter to wear out and need replacement.

The battery has an 8-year / 100,000-mile warranty, and costs ZERO to replace if it fails during the warranty. In states with California-standard emissions laws, the warranty is 10 years / 150,000 miles.

The Prius combines the gasoline engine and electrical motor through the PSD transmission for a total of 110hp– No slouch for a 1.5L 4-cylinder car.

So to summarize for the asker:

Advantages:
- Mechanically simpler and more reliable than a regular car.
- Decreased maintenance costs.
- Very fuel-efficient.

Disadvantages:
- Cost is really the only disadvantage against a Prius. MSRP starts at $22,000 for a new one, about $3000 more than a comparable regular car.

Non-issues:
- repair costs. ALL cars cost lots of money to repair after a crash, hybrid or not.
- battery life. Aforementioned 8/100K or 10/150K warranty coverage.
- It uses regular 87-octane unleaded.

EDITED TO ADD: C7S, you are wrong. Honda hybrids cannot move on electric power alone, Toyotas can. The two hybrid systems and how they work are completely dissimilar. And the Honda Fit costs MORE to maintain than the Prius– No Fit has brake pads that last 100,000 miles, nor does it have a transmission with just 22 moving parts, and every Fit has an alternator, starter and timing belt that will eventually wear out and need replacement.

Q: What are the safety feature in Toyota Prius?
I would like to buy electric cars soon and I have heard about Toyota Prius will launch electric Hybrid car in india. So I want to know about Toyota Prius safety features. any one tell me please ?

A: Toyota ready to hit electric-cum-petrol car soon in India, I want to tell you about safety features. Some feature are available in these new launch car Toyota Prius. These features are like ABS (Antilock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution), 6-airbags (which includes dual front and side curtain airbag), BAS (Brake Assist System), Seat Belt Alarm, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). These features should be given a great advantage in Emergency. If you have made a mind to purchase a Toyota Prius so that you should wait for it. This year most probably gone but two months are left so I can expected to Toyota auto can launch Toyota Prius in this year 2009. It may display in Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi.

http://www.cardekho.com/carmodels/Toyota/Toyota_Prius

http://latestautonews.blogspot.com/2009/10/toyota-prius-to-come-in-india.html

http://www.cardekho.com/cars/Toyota

http://www.cardekho.com/upcomingcars

http://www.cardekho.com/india-car-news/Auto-Expo-news.htm

Q: What is lowest price on a 2010 Toyota Prius?
I’m thinking about buying a car want to get an opinon on how low a price I can get on the entry-level 2010 Toyota Prius.

A: About 20 grand depending on the dealer but don’t buy one.

Most people buying a hybrid are assuming they will be the least expensive vehicle to operate but that is totally untrue. Yes they are very good on fuel mileage BUT you have to consider ALL costs, not fuel alone. When including all costs over a three year period no hybrid including the Prius even makes the top ten list of most economical cars as can be seen here:
http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1442/cheap-dates-the-10-least-expensive-cars-to-own/
The Chevy will be the most reliable on that list followed by the Smart car.

So if your plan is to save money on operating costs then choose one of the top ten most economical cars form the list and avoid all hybrids sense not even one of them made the top ten list.

Q: How many the level complete liter in toyota Prius?
i just boutgh a new toyota Prius but i don know about it all point,,so i need to find answer for my wondering..

A: You need to f*cking speak English

Q: What problems are there with the Toyota Prius?
I am thinking about getting a 2008 toyota prius and was wonder what are the disadvantages. Feel free to say good things also, but I want to go into it knowing any problems.

A: Hi,

this is a simple question that does not have a simple answer. As you can tell from some of the replies, there is also a lot of misinformation out there.

But if you’d like to get something nice and caffeinated and settle in for a full answer with more real information, stay with me and I’ll total up the cost to own, total maintenance and answer the battery myth.

Right up front, there has never been a first responder injured when tearing apart a Prius, Camry Hybrid or Highlander Hybrid. Anything to the contrary is a myth. The high voltage lines run underneath the passenger compartment and the cabin uses no more voltage/watts than a standard vehicle does for accessories/dome lights/etc.

Think about it, if someone had been injured or killed because they cut open a Prius that had been in an accident, it would be all over the news and there would be Congressional hearings on the safety of hybrids. There are multiple failsafes built into Toyota hybrids to ensure both the fuel pump and the electrical meters are shut down completely if the airbags go off or if the body is damaged severly.

What you can do is look online at dozens of photos of Prius that have been cut open/pried apart by the Jaws of Life after an accident, the same as any other mid-sized sedan.

If you come across a true, documented case of a paramedic/first responder/fireman being electricuted, please email it to me. It will be the first one. On to more pleasant thoughts:

The cost of operation of a Prius is about .08 cents per mile per 100,000 miles of operation. That number includes gas, tires, regular maintenance, new air filters, coolant flushes, etc. I don’t add in insurance, bank interest, or the cost of the vehicle itself, because all of those can vary based on your situation. Add them to the .08 cents per mile amount.

So at .08 cents per mile, about 300 miles for work and driving on the weekends, and with gas at $3.00 per gallon, the Prius will run you about $96.00 a month to gas up and maintain (obviously add in the monthly note on the Prius and insurance).

The Prius actually costs less to own and less to operate than a non-hybrid vehicle- of an equal size and quality.

One of the enduring myths is that a vehicle like the Prius is equal to a Yaris, Corolla, Fit, standard Civic, or any of the other small cars out there that get very good mileage.

The Prius is actually equal to the Camry or Accord in terms of build quality, size, and features, and even comes with more standard equipment, at the entry level, than either of those vehicles at their entry level.

But to answer the question about breaking even comparing the Prius to another vehicle that is available with or without a hybrid option, we’ll use the Civic.

A Civic will maintain 33-34 average if driven well, meaning no hard starts and anticipating what’s going to happen with traffic and lights.

A Prius will maintain 51-53 average if driven properly, meaning easing off the accelerator when coming to a stop and accelerating like there is a egg under the accelerator and trying to roll the egg out, not crush it.

I maintain 51-53 with any Prius I drive, not just a daily driver, so I know those numbers are accurate.

So, using a 20mpg difference, with 15,000 miles per year, and gas at $3.00 per gallon, you should expect these numbers:

15000 miles / 33mpg = 455 gallons used @ $3.00 per gallon = $1365.00 for gas each year

15000 miles / 53mpg = 284 gallons used @ $3.00 per gallon = $852.00 for gas each year

A difference of $513.00 per year, or $2565.00 less over five years, the usual new car loan.

As far as the cost to maintain a Prius over 100,000 miles:

- There is no steering belt or steering pump, the system is electronic and uses electric motors. There is no belt to wear and no pump to lose fluid out of (ever hear a car squeal when it goes around a corner? that’s the belt or pump going bad) No cost there.

- There is no accelerator cable or cable linkage, once again, it is electronic. So there is no loss of acceleration over time from cable stretch and wear like on a standard vehicle. No cost there.

- The brake pads should never need to be replaced, they are hardly used due to the regenerative braking system. I just found another set of pictures on the net of a Prius with no appreciable wear on the brake pads. The brake pads were measured with calipers and the owner thought to take pictures of the pads when his Prius had 8,000 miles and at 105,000 miles. That’s 97,000 miles with no appreciable wear. No cost there.

- You never touch the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery or the hybrid system, it is self regulating. No cost there.

- The gas engine is not tuned up for 100,000 miles. At 15,000 miles per year, that’s about seven years. And even then…

- four spark plugs run $12.00 each, four is $48.00 (the wires aren’t replaced and there are no distributors because each cylinder has a direct injection module and they are not replaced)

- coolant is $15.50 a gallon and you need two gallons, or $31.00 (if you live in an extremely hot or cold climate, you might need to change the coolant 2X in 100,000 miles so figure $62.00 there)

- air filters are $18.00 for the engine and $25.00 for the cabin

- inspect the wiring, change the oil (might as well, since you’re there) lube, inspect and flush the brake lines, flush the coolant if necessary. It runs about $225.00, which includes parts.

- the sealed, continuously variable transmission fluid is not changed until 90,000 miles, about $140.00

- The OEM (Original Equipment from the Manufacturer) Goodyear Integrity’s are about $113.00 each, installed. The originals are low-rolling resistance, specialty tires, just like a truck or sports car. They will last about 35,000 or so. Three sets of OEM tires- over 105,000 miles- will run $339.00 installed.

- Oil and filter changes every 3000 miles and tire rotations every 6000 miles, just like any other vehicle. Oil changes are about $26.00 and tire rotations are about $18.00, or about $884.00 for oil changes and $306.00 for rotations over 100,000 miles

So, over 100,000 miles, for regular service, your Prius should run about $1973, rounded to $2000, or about .02 cents per mile.

We’ll go high and say your gas should run you about $6,000 over 100,000 miles, or about .06 cents per mile (100,000 miles / 50 mpg (I get 51.7 mpg currently as an average, city and highway, auto temp w/air and stereo on) = 2000 gallons of gas X $3.00 a gallon = $6,000).

So your Prius will run you about $8000, or .08 cents per mile, to operate over 100,000 miles.

I used 100,000 miles because it is a easy, round number, and most people don’t keep their vehicles more than 6 or 7 years. The Prius will last much, much longer than 100,000, and it will perform better at that amount than most vehicles on the road with 100,000 or 150,000 miles.

Any vehicle you are considering should be put to this kind of scrutiny. A vehicle is a major investment and it will cost you money to run properly. Please print this info out and use it to compare any vehicles you are considering by calling the local dealership and asking the parts and service departments what is involved in maintenance over 100,000 miles.

All of my service and parts amounts come from a local Toyota dealership, and do not figure in any kind of promotions, coupons, or discounts. I called on 6/12/07.

As far as the energy and materials for the NiMH batteries go:

Our federal government has tested NiMH batteries from the Prius and discovered they still maintain 90% of their capacity after 100,000 miles. They do not lose 10% capacity/storage/efficiency per year, as has been stated. Look up the testing at the DOE website.

Toyota has never had a customer pay to replace a nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery in any of their hybrids ever. That is for Prius, Camry Hybrids or Highlander Hybrids. The Prius have been in the US since 2000, eight years.

There have been NiMH batteries replaced because of accidents or owner damage or neglect (wiring in a big stereo, for example), but no one has ever had to pay otherwise.

BTW, the price for a new NiMH battery for either generation of the Prius is $2985.13, not the $5-10,000.00 that people like to throw around the internet. Call your local Toyota dealer and ask for the parts department.

And the current record is over 360,000 miles on a Prius using the original NiMH battery and hybrid system. Many Prius are used as taxis and also by the State of New York and Colorado as state municipal vehicles racking up 100,000-200,000 miles without issue on a regular basis. Those are not typos, anything else you may have seen is an urban myth.

Speaking for Toyota, there is an 800 number on each nickel metal hydride battery (the one that provides the energy to move the Prius, Camry, or Highlander Hybrids) and that number allows a person to turn in that battery for a $200.00 bounty.

The entire battery, just like almost every bit of those vehicles, is completely recyclable.

The alkaline batteries that people use and throw out are a different type of battery than what is in vehicles like the Prius. The Hybrid Synergy Drive unit that Toyota developed is designed to keep the NiMH battery in a mid-peak charge range, trying not to top-charge it or, of course, completely discharge it.

That enables a NiMH to last fairly indefinitely. Obviously, there will be some breakdown eventually, but one of the great things about the Prius system, for example, is the NiMH battery is composed of 36 individual cells. If one cell goes bad, it can be replaced and the remainder stay. That is what’s happened when Toyota has torture tested the Prius in Alaska and Death Valley.

Working with Toyota, I know about their commitments to recycling and the environment (Toyota’s web site lists environmental reports dating back many years).

As far as the supposed “environmental impact” of the nickel metal hydride batteries in the Prius, Camry Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid…

The plant in Sudbury where Toyota buys approximately 1.5% of the plant’s annual nickel output can be seen using this Google maps address:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&la…

Sudbury, Ontario is called the mining capital of the world for good reason.

The Sudbury plant has been in continuous operation since the rock was blasted to make way for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883.

That means that nickel has been mined there for the last 124 years. The Prius has been on the road since 1999. What about all the environmental damage done for the 116 years before the Prius ever came along?

There used to be a great deal of pollution at the Sudbury plant, just like there was at a lot of factory facilities. However, new pollution controls are in place and Sudbury residents themselves will talk about how things are improving dramatically in the area around the plant. Young trees are growing there, even now.

Another thing noted about the area around the plant is the Apollo astronauts trained there. It has been said that the area around the plant was as lifeless a wasteland as the moon. Actually, the astronauts trained there because the rock formations were similar to those on the moon. This area of Ontario was hit by a meteorite which created a basin and caused much of the look of the area. The moonscape feeling is also from the slag heaps from smelter output. Anyone who has ever seen any factory facility knows there is always a large amount of material left over from the original raw materials, be that a nickel plant, a steel smelter, or a dog food producer.

Also the environmental damage is not all due to the nickel plant – there is other industry, and a lot of the trees disappeared due to extensive logging.

Take a look for yourself. Here’s a breakdown:

The Sudbury nickel plant produces around 60,000 tons of nickel per year. If Toyota buys 1000 tons/year, that’s around 6% of the total output.

I have personally presented a Prius battery to local safety responders and fire department personnel. The entire pack weighs 117.47 pounds, which is the components as well as the actual nickel itself. The nickel weighs about 50 pounds. So that’s 50lb per Prius, with 2000 pounds per ton, that’s 40 Prius per ton of nickel.

Considering the plant puts out 120,000,000 pounds of nickel each year, each Prius uses about 0.000024 of the annual production of the Sudbury plant.

And that’s about it. No surprises and the maintenance is pretty simple. Please let me know if my math is off anywhere, and I’ll be glad to make corrections.

Q: What do you like least about your Toyota Prius?
If there was one or two things you could change about your Toyota Prius what would it be?

A: the $4,000. battery

Q: How much gas does a toyota prius hold?
How many gallons of gas does a toyota prius hold? i cant seem to find it anywhere!!!

A: They all hold 11.9 gallons.

Q: Does anyone else have a piece of crap Toyota Prius?
I drive a 2010 Toyota Prius at work(not my choice of car) and it has been to the dealership 5 times with problems already. Also recalls too. Are we the only ones having problems besides the recalls? If so list the problems and what it cost you to get it fixed if not under warranty.

A: Yes many have had problems with them including some of my neighbors. Nearly all of them have been recalled as can be seen in this link: http://www.autorecalls.us/aut-02/recalls/toyota/prius/index.html

Be sure that Toyota repairs everything on this recall list.

.

Q: How much better is the CO2 emissions on a Toyota Prius vs. a regular Honda Civic?
I recently calculated my CO2 footprint and am quite bothered by my environmental impact. I work 40 miles from my house and while I do take commuter rail 2 days a week I still end up driving approx. 2000 miles a month. While I drive a fairly efficient car (2003 Honda Civic Coupe, 35MPG) I’m curious how my environmental impact would be improved if I bought a Toyota Prius. What would the CO2 output difference between these two vehicles would amount to?
As discussed, most of my miles are highway miles however I do unfortunately put in my share of bumper-to-bumper traffic which is probably closer to city driving.

A: A Prius has 104 g/km of CO2 emissions:

http://www.hybridsynergydrive.com/en/prius_emissions.html

While a Civic coupe has 166 – 185 g/km of CO2 emissions:

http://cars.yahoo.co.uk/browse_100354123/Coupe,Honda|Civic,166_-_185_g_km

So basically a Prius is about 65% better on CO2 emissions than a Civic coupe.

Or in terms of raw numbers, 1 Kilometer = 0.62137 Miles, so if you’re driving 2000 miles/month (3219 km), you’re emitting 550 kg of CO2, and with a Prius would be emitting 335 kg of CO2, so you have an extra 115 kg of CO2 emissions every month in comparison.

Addressing 3DM’s comments below: for starters, the Prius still gets at least 45 mpg on the freeway. Also, a plug-in version of the Prius won’t be available for approximately 5 years.

Q: I really dislike seeing a Toyota Prius drive in front of me. WHy do they drive so slow?
I really dislike seeing a Toyota Prius drive in front of me. I have places to go. Why do they drive so slow and brake 600ft early? I know, because they remind me of those people who force religion on others! ..”Save Gas or You’re All Goin Ta BuuRRnn N Hell!!!”
When I see a Prius, I pass a Prius!

A: Because they are Eco-Nazis. They drive by the little gage in the center of the dash that tells them how much mileage they think they are getting. By ignoring everyone else on the road, they are making a statement while creating traffic chaos.
I traded my Prius for a Mercedes SLK and never have looked back.

Q: What kind of antenna input does the radio in a 2005 Toyota Prius have?
I need to find out what kind of antenna input the radio in a 2005 Toyota Prius has? I am trying to install an XM FMDirect, and need to know if the banana plug on the FMDirect will attach to the back of the radio. The radio is too hard to just pull out to look, so I want to know ahead of time. Thanks!
JLynn

A: I will admit I don’t know the type of connector but I would recommend a kit that lets you use the touch screen to control it such as this one http://www.coastaletech.com/xm_radio_in_prius.htm There may be others that are similar.

Q: Is it possible for a toyota prius to go up to tahoe onIs it possible for a toyota prius to go snow conditions?
Is it possible for a toyota prius to go up to tahoe from “san francisco” on snow conditions?

A: Absolutely. Living in Buffalo, NY where it’s winter 6 mos of the year and 2-3 foot snowfalls in the winter are not unusual, we have alot of Prius owners that have absolutely no problems with them. They are front-wheel drive, so don’t plan on going through any big snow piles or anything though. If you know you’re getting into alot of snow, you might invest in a set of snow tires, but beyond that you should be fine.

hope this helps.

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