prius 2008 thinking of buying ...are they any good ?

[housen]

http://usedcars.toyota.co.uk/used-toyota-prius/1.5...


hi thinking of buying this

because my golf tdi is a total dog

chose a prius because its different

but are they any good ?

hope you can all help

many thx

[JackCarter]

housen said:

but are they any good ?

No

[robemcdonald]

I'm not too sure about a 2008 model, but I used to have a 2009 as a company car. I know they get a lot of bad press on here, but think that's:
A) from people that have never driven one.
B) bad experiences from getting stuck behind one going slow on a nsl (this phenomena effects more than just the Prius, but people only notice the Prius because of it reputation) which leads on to.
C) the biggest issue is the worshipers at of the church of clarkson, who without any facts beyond those presented by the almighty himself have decided they're crap.

In regard to the 2009 on model The facts are that compared to normal TDs the Prius is cheaper on fuel, is decently specc'd, is reasonably roomy, offers performance which can easily keep up with traffic, is well built and comfortable.

What they are lie as a second hand prospect? I couldn't say, but suspect they are much the same as any other car.

Hope this information helps.

Rob

[Save Ferris]

robemcdonald said:

I know they get a lot of bad press on here, but think that's:
A) from people that have never driven one.
B) bad experiences from getting stuck behind one going slow on a nsl (this phenomena effects more than just the Prius, but people only notice the Prius because of it reputation) which leads on to.
C) the biggest issue is the worshipers at of the church of clarkson, who without any facts beyond those presented by the almighty himself have decided they're crap.

I agree with you. They do get a lot of bad press here on PH, they're not bad cars at all. I've been at Toyota selling them since 2004 (which makes me a little biased!). The only thing to be aware of is that to get the 63 mpg combined figures you need to drive with a really light throttle, most customers see 50-60mpg (on the the 2004-2009 models) If you have any questions feel free to PM me!

[Evil.soup]

Save Ferris said:

robemcdonald said:

I know they get a lot of bad press on here, but think that's:
A) from people that have never driven one.
B) bad experiences from getting stuck behind one going slow on a nsl (this phenomena effects more than just the Prius, but people only notice the Prius because of it reputation) which leads on to.
C) the biggest issue is the worshipers at of the church of clarkson, who without any facts beyond those presented by the almighty himself have decided they're crap.

I agree with you. They do get a lot of bad press here on PH, they're not bad cars at all. I've been at Toyota selling them since 2004 (which makes me a little biased!). The only thing to be aware of is that to get the 63 mpg combined figures you need to drive with a really light throttle, most customers see 50-60mpg (on the the 2004-2009 models) If you have any questions feel free to PM me!

Is it right that the battery has a certain shelf life and as it ages its ability to hold power dwindles reducing the cars ability to reach the quoted MPG figures? Am I right in thinking the batteries are extremely expensive to replace also?

I am not baiting by the way but I have considered picking one up as a cheap daily but the more I looked into them the less sense they seemed to make as a used car over an ordinary diesel.

[bigfatnick]

i drove one from sydney right up the east coast of australia to cairns (the most northerly city) in 2 days and when i was done with it, i had nothing bad to say about it. (aside from you can sleep in the back of it very well, as with the seats down, its nothing near flat in the back.

If i remember correctly, it did 48mpg, with the aircon cranked, driving at the speed limits (so effectively uk nightime uk motorway stuff, maybe a little slower). It was comfy, it didn't have leather seats (which imho is good, cloth is much comfier, especially in shorts and heat), it didn't handle too bad, the radio was ok and was everything you need. Though i don't think it had cruise control.

The reason i was driving it, to deliver it to my old boss for the taxi side of his business. They generally last around 450,000km before things go wrong, and it isn't the expensive hybrid bit or batteries - though i guess in aus, the batteries dont have to deal with frosty nights 60 to 100 times a year (that said, they also seem to be the taxi of choice in vancouver, which has a very similar climate to ours). Each prius saved him $1000aud a month over the camrys and lpg falcons he ran.

I'd have one, happily. (though i usually wont spend more than £1500 on a car and theyre not there yet)

Edited by bigfatnick on Thursday 5th April 00:58

[V8 FOU]

My wife had one of these when I first met her. Horrible, horrible car. Comfy,yes. Good a/c and audio, yes. Reasonable CVT. Otherwise terrible. The most totally uninvolving car I have ever driven. If you think of your car in the same way as a 'fridge or washing machine (hmmm.. sounds the same) then great. If you have any like of driving, forget it.
Economy? Well, usually around 45mpg.
She sold it and bought an MX5....
Not that I had any influence, of course. Just being driven in the Lotus europa, then enrolling her in a Brands race school. That did the trick!

[HeatonNorris]

No worse than any number of equally dull TDI repmobiles occupying the same sector.

Very clever use of space - externally around the size of a MkII Focus, but with a bigger boot and leg room that rivals a 7-series.

Quiet and refined cruisers, and T-Spirits are loaded with toys.

[LancerG]

The motoring equivalent to magnolia paint.

My wifes diesel Megane does far better on economy and has GTline spec suspension & seats. Cheaper too.
I cant think of anything further down my list of cars, other than a Kia or Hyundai Veloster

built from tin-foil and as exciting as a baked potato

I have driven one by the way.

[Riknos]

They seem to be very expensive to buy for what you really get - Compared to say a gold TDI etc, the offset of purchase price and depreciation, they will more than likely work out more expensive, plus I'd say that the batteries will be like an other battery cell - dwindle with use, and are expensive to replace.

Slightly off topic but all the big manufacturers are developing newer battery technology using different materials and chemicals etc than have previously been used in an 'energy race' as it were for the ever increasing demand of smart phones and other battery powered devices. If this technology does spill over to the car industry then xx years in the future we should hopefully get cars that have batteries with a range that far exceeds a petrol tank and will not cost the same price as a car to purchase.

However, by then, the government will have taxed the buggery out of the cars to reap back all the lost money from fuel duty, so they wont be any cheaper to run..