Gottcha!

[Carltona123]

Well after weeks of stress and a few setbacks I am pleased to report that my 57 plate T3 is looking really, really nice on my drive!

Got up to Scarborough very early and after an excellent cooked brekkie at the Morrisons next door I went round to Vantage Toyota. They had the car beautifully prepared, including a full set of wheeltrims (!) and staring at the entrance like it was waiting for me to arrive. It's only done 17500 miles so is pretty much like new. Took it for a quick testdrive - which actually worried me a little - hopefully without foundation.

The screen was showing that the previous owner had "only" averaged 44mpg over the past 200 miles. Not that great. But it drove beautifully and I felt I was bonding with it so I did the deal. The salesman said they had had quite a few calls about it.

So for the 180 miles to get it home. On dual carriageways at 60-70 I was averaging 59mpg. Bring it on! Motorways with pretty big hills and doing about 75 I also got 59. I hate those hills. On a nice flat bit of the M42 south of Birmingam I got average 65mpg at 75-80 mph.

I then did about 6 miles around suburban Solihull - 70 mpg! It was that last figure that pleased me the most - tho' I was really trying and am sure it won't always be that good. It was a pretty chilly day, though!

So that's it. I think this is my tenth car since I started driving over thirty years ago. Nothing will ever match the elation I felt when I got my first - a 2CV when I was 18 - but this car is the next best thing! I will get the camera out tomorrow and replace that cat picture with you know what. Thanks all you guys for help and advice in getting me this far.

[Jan&tone]

Brilliant, at last!!!!

Looking forward to the pics - the wheel trims are standard on the gen2 btw....

[dwilson]

Well done. Glad you found one you like

[Chris Dance]

Brilliant; pleased you got it OK. Don't forget to close the rear hatch firmly. If it is not closed properly you will get a flat 12v Battery. After filling up always do a fuel reset.

[Jan&tone]

Brilliant; pleased you got it OK. Don't forget to close the rear hatch firmly. If it is not closed properly you will get a flat 12v battery. After filling up always do a fuel reset.

I always turn the boot light off at the switch, no chance of it staying on if you don't close the hatch properly - I got caught like that on a Carina once and the RAC man told me what it was as he was getting out of his van! His comment was that it was the only reason that he ever came out to Toyota's!!!

[FourFourTwo]

Congrats Carltona. Enjoy!

[Carltona123]

Brilliant; pleased you got it OK. Don't forget to close the rear hatch firmly. If it is not closed properly you will get a flat 12v battery. After filling up always do a fuel reset.

Just left Harry Hill and gone outside in my pj's to turn the boot light switch to off. Not taking any chances!

[Carltona123]

Left the car outside last night - big frost obviously. Went into work - 3 mile trip from freezing cold @ 45mpg!!

Better still, later on did a 12 mile trip around Birmingham - a staggering 65mpg! Sorry if this is boring you all but I just love it! Trying to work out how to post a picture.

[Carltona123]

And here at last!

[cootuk]

Your mpg figures tie in with my 2006 T3.

Short school run from cold, 45mpg

Warmed up town driving 55mpg

Motorways around 60mpg if not pushing on

[dwilson]

And here at last!

It looks great - no wonder you are pleased

[RNS]

nice colour

[SgtWilson]

How much did you buy it for, out of interest?

[Jan&tone]

And here at last!

Nice car!

The consumption figures sound about right for the first effort with a Prius. They will improve drastically, but probably not till the summer, especially the local journey figures. Don't worry too much though, you are still successfully doing the government out of road tax and a fair bit of fuel tax

[r04drunner1]

And here at last! [Photo]

Shiny!

Health to enjoy!

R04drunner1

[Ancient Nerd]

Nice & welcome.

[DrCez]

And here at last! [photo]

Is it just me, or does anyone else miss Carltona's bizarre cat photo?

Well done for holding out and trusting your gut instincts, I'm sure you'll enjoy your new Prius all the more knowing that it felt like "the one" as soon as you saw it :)

[Carltona123]

And here at last! [photo]

Is it just me, or does anyone else miss Carltona's bizarre cat photo?

Well done for holding out and trusting your gut instincts, I'm sure you'll enjoy your new Prius all the more knowing that it felt like "the one" as soon as you saw it :)

That cat picture freaked me out. I didn't even choose it - it just appeared. I hope it's now flying around in cyberspace but I somehow think we haven't seen the last of it. Apparently it's called an avatar - my kids were appalled by it.

[Carltona123]

How much did you buy it for, out of interest?

The dealer - Vantage Scarborough - had a screenprice of 9k. This is actually about book price, but I hadn't seen any for that money that weren't ropey or dodgy in some way eg colour. One dealer told me that used Prius' prices have gone mad recently, which made me even more keen to have it. It's just had one local owner, and having covered just 17500 miles with a full service history from the same dealer. The low mileage obviously takes the value higher. Vantage also agreed to give me a two year warranty instead of usual one - worth about £500 I think. There is one tiny stonechip on the bonnet but that is it - it's immaculate. I also got a good trade-in for my 2001 Almera Tino - they matched what I would have got for a private sale so that was good enough for me. Sorry to see it go but imagine my pleasure in returning the tax disc to DVLA for an 80% refund of the £235 road tax I paid in August. The tax is due on the Prius in December - I honestly can't wait for the pleasure of handing over that tenner! Today was the first Monday in a very, very long time that I was happy to be heading off to work!I think it's a stunning car and an absolute pleasure to drive. Off to Brighton for a run next weekend so very much looking forward to that.

I hope I don't end up eating my words but I found Vantage Scarborough a pleasure to deal with - well worth the 360 mile round trip!

M

[cootuk]

OMG...look in your garage

[Carltona123]

OMG...look in your garage

Holy cow! I'd go and sort this out right now but it's refuse day tomorrow and my wheelie bin is already full. Plus I don't want to end up in court/on the telly.

[r04drunner1]

Holy cow! I'd go and sort this out right now but it's refuse day tomorrow and my wheelie bin is already full. Plus I don't want to end up in court/on the telly.

Excellent, very witty response to a funny cat pic!! Love it! :D

[Carltona123]

Almost a week on and I adore this car. I used to begrudge driving anywhere but now there's no holding me. Yesterday is a case in point. Left work to pick son up from school. Dropped his friend home then back to ours. 12 miles through south Birmigham/Solihull at 5.30 pm in stop/start traffic. 60 mpg. What can I say. Only minor gripe is that I sometimes forget to disengage the footparkingbrake straight off.

[Jan&tone]

Almost a week on and I adore this car. I used to begrudge driving anywhere but now there's no holding me. Yesterday is a case in point. Left work to pick son up from school. Dropped his friend home then back to ours. 12 miles through south Birmigham/Solihull at 5.30 pm in stop/start traffic. 60 mpg. What can I say. Only minor gripe is that I sometimes forget to disengage the footparkingbrake straight off.

Lol, I'm not surprised about your reaction to the Prius!When I first got my gen2 the alternative was my wife's then Suzuki Alto, and my reaction was the same, I took the Prius instead of hers... Then we got her the Aygo and it's so funky that I started taking that (and it was newer but then the Gen3 arrived and the whole things started again with the exception that if it's raining then mine stays in the garage and we (or I) take the Aygo !!!!

Glad your still enjoying it though