WARNING: n00b post ahead!!!

Hi folks. Just a quick introduction...I joined this forum years ago after test driving the "New" '04 Prius but it never worked out but I'm now ready to make the purchase so I might be around a bit more...again.

This afternoon I went to a local Toyota dealer and was approached by the salesman dujour. The second I mentioned interest in the Prius the guy sort of glazed over. I knew I was in trouble but let him sit shotgun for the test drive anyway. So we drive around for a bit and I'm asking questions that I couldn't remember the answers to from my first drive over 2 years ago.

Me: "What is the 'B' on the shifter?"
Him: "umm...uh I'm not sure. I'll check on that for you"
Me: "What option pakage does this have installed"
Him: "uuuuh...I'll check on that when we get back to the dealer. I'm not sure"
Me: "How do I find the display screen that shows the energy transfer from the brakes to the engine etc"
Him: "bbbuuuuuhhhhhhhhh..." then his head exploded.


I found out about the "B" using the helpful FAQ on this board. I knew it was likely a base model from my own research and I never did find the screen I was looking for (the display button scrolled through Economy graph/climate /audio). My concern is before purchasing a unique car like this I would like a refresher and perhaps some hand holding from somebody who understands this car but I feel I'm sort of stuck with this guy now since we have already established a "relationship". Would I be out of line asking this guy if I could at least get a "tour" of the car with another salesman but still give him credit for the sale?

I feel like this is a good deal ('05/ $18k mi/ base/ $21,800) and it has a clean Carfax. Not crazy about the color (drift pearl). My only real concern is that the enoco graph showed that over the last 65 miles it was only getting $33.5mpg but I'm inclined to write that off as a lot of poor driving from test drivers. Should I be worried?

Anyhoo, any advice or warnings from those who have been through this would be helpful and appreciated. Thanks.


Chris


PS. Can somebody clue this n00b in on what HCH refers to. I couldn't find it in the FAQ.

If the guy doesn't understand the car and can't answer your basic questions, he hasn't earned his comission. Your "relationship" with him brought you here, where you told us he's doesn't know WTF he's doing. Ask for someone who knows more about the car. If he won't refer you to someone, call the manager or walk away.

Your salesman and our salesman were probably the same guy!

We considered buying a used Prius but found that because of the tax rebate, it made financial sense to buy new (there is no rebate on used vehicles). The price difference was minimal. We bought it about 5 months ago. You also have the advantage of full factory warranty and a vehicle that has never been driven. Although many dealers charge over MSRP, many, like us, have been able to get in-stock vehicles at MSRP. You might be able to get a new Prius for just a couple of thousand dollars more than the used one.

If you do plan to get the used Prius, and plan to keep it a long, long time, you might want to consider an extended warranty (whether you buy new or used).

The average mpg on the vehicle we bought was about 27 with about 100 miles. In fact, I noticed that the salesman reset it as we were leaving the lot.

I have come to realize that until the Prius is warmed up, it gets very poor mileage. Since most test drives are not very long, it makes sense that the average mpg would be low.

My wife averages about 37-40mpg, short trips typically 3-4 miles, city driving, a/c on all the time and drives the way most people do. I get about 55-60 mpg, no a/c. following the tips from this forum. On the highway, we easily average 50-55mpg with he a/c on at around 65mph.

You mileage depends on your driving style. The average, as listed in this forum, is about 48mpg, which if you do a typical combination of city/highway driving should be really easy to obtain.

HCH stands for Honda Civic Hybrid.

Good luck with your Prius. Hope you love it as much as we do!

I agree, the sales man was worthless. The Prius gets horrible gas milage on short trips. My worst tank of gas was 35 mpg and that was short trips to and from the house.

When I use the car for work, I get 50 to 53 mpg. 50% or 60% of the time, driving on the freeway.

The prius is nothing more than a computer with a ICE, an extended warranty is required.

I looked at a used Prius, too. Since I was going to buy before September 30 and my tax liability for 2006 will be more than $3150 and I'm not subject to the Alternative Minimum tax provisions (talk to your accountant!), I realized that the cost of a new Prius would be about the same as the used one. This works out even though I had to borrow the $3,000 and pay interest on it until my tax return comes in.

It's really sweet having a new car!

David

Thanks to all who responded. I especially liked this...

Very good point and something I would surely use if I were to pursue this car. However it seems that it will not be an issue. The salesman followed up with me this afternoon and I had the pleasure of telling him that I was exploring other options and found a better fit. I in fact had found a listing from a private seller who was selling his mother's Prius for her. It's a bona fide "little old lady car". It's a 2004 with only 8k miles and I even love the color (Tideland Pearl). The seller was a former Toyota dealer (I trust he was telling the truth) but mentioned that the option package was an "AM" which did cause a raised eyebrow. He says that is how they were listed in '04 but don't see anything to support that. Anybody know what he means? The car has keyless entry, fog lamps, side curtain airbags but no navigation and only a single CD (which is fine by me). Can anybody tell me what it equates to in pkg #? I gave him a deposit and plan to finish the transaction by the weekend. It was refreshing driving the car with somebody who was able to answer all my questions without batting an eye. I can't wait to get driving!

I just happen to have my handy dandy 04 brouchure in front of me. Toyota represents the packages as both a letter code such as "AM" and a package number for easier reference.

2004 AM package is package 7, which includes

• Intermittent rear window wiper
• Driver and front passenger seat-mounted side and front and rear side curtain airbags
• Smart Entry & Start (now known as Smartkey)
• High Intensity Discharg (HID) headlamps, integrated fog lamps and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)

This is essentially the same as package 5 from 2005 MY vehicles.

I would call this a middle of the road package because it doesn't include the JBL stereo with 6-disc changer and cassette and it does not include the autodimming rearview mirror with Homelink. The car also does not include the nav system with bluetooth connectivity.

Sounds like you are getting a good deal in the private sale.

It has been said:
Hybrid drivers come in 3 flavors, greenie, techie and cheapie. Pick any 2.
2005 Prius, Melinium Silver over gray, package 5 (AI)

Thanks Jerome. That sounds about right. The only thing on the I was unsure about was the VSC. I was kind of hoping to find one with nav but I've lived without it this long, y'know.

Its in there!
When I put down my deposit in July '04, I specified an AM or BC because they were the only 2 packages that had side curtain air bags and VSC. I figure to get the most up to date safety features when I get a new car. Since that is generally every 9 or 10 years, there can be some big 'leaps'. My last car had ABS and no remote entry. I jumped right over that to 'hands free' SKS entry The '06s have side curtain airbags in every package and VSC in every package from #4 on up.

I think Toyota likes to confuse us all to heck. If you look at the glossy, they have package numbers and the 2 letter alpha designation. On the web site, they have obvious package numbers and alphas but if you go to the 'Build your own' they only show the packages they sell in your region. They give you sequential "Option Combination #(letter), that always start with #A regardless of which actual package number it is. This Option Combination letter has NOTHING to do with the package numbers or 2 letter designation. The package letters are way at the bottom of each combo description in (). Nowhere do they show the package number.

Bruce

Good salespeople are rare in every industry... most of them are really just people who couldn't make it anywhere else, so they gave this a shot. It's easy afterall to get in - if you sell, great, if not, you'll probably leave on your own. That's good because people who haven't been given a fair shake can get in OK, but bad because you get all the people a real interview process filters out.

One sales guy tried to tell me how to turn the car on when I already had it in drive, and I ultimately asked him if he knew what the "B" was. He made something up (lied), then I told him what it really did. So he showed me the way the trunk comes apart, which was legitimately news to me, and to really jam it home he tried to take too much of it apart and broke a part in the trunk. He followed that the worst way possible - he pushed back down on it with a further cracking sound then covered it with the cover that's back there and closed the trunk as if nothing had happened. Nice. Why would I buy this car now?

That was Toyota of North Hollywood by the way.