New Prius 2016 spare wheel

[PeteB]

I also found the USB useful as I was able to load the contacts and SatNav destinations I'd saved from my Gen 3 Prius into the Gen 4 - saved a lot of time

[BhxTrev]

Hey Pete, we thought we'd hit the bollard so imagine the blood chilling feeling we had with literally just a few miles on a brand spanking new car! However, the car did stop very abruptly within about 3 inches to the bollard. It stopped me even though I was driving into some low bushes on another car park. What a really magnificent feature but do you know if it works when reversing the car? 

[PeteB]

55 minutes ago, BhxTrev said:

...You like me must remember the days when you bought a car & even things that we take for granted like the heater, were extras that you paid for! In those days even with a new car, you weren't always sure when the car would let you down or how quickly it would go rusty!!

In the sixties as a student I used to work part time in a petrol station... 

and me!  Ah, and the days when someone pumped the petrol in for you (and wiped the screen and dipped the oil if you were lucky) [and 38p a gallon]

My first car was an original Mini made in 1960 (although it was so old it said Austin 7 on the registration document) which I bought in 1974 for £15 when I was 17 - it had the following 'features'!:

• windscreens that shattered into a thousand pieces when broken
• no seat belts
• unsecured tipping front seats that worked as a catapult in a crash
• no crumple zones, airbags, ABS or any other safety features
• fuel sloshed out of filler cap in brisk cornering if tank was full
• push button start (on the floor, to avoid expense of a solenoid)
• manual choke that needed an awful lot of juggling to prevent stalling and kangarooing
• foot operated dip switch
• non self-cancelling indicators
• aftermarket screen washer (very crude, rubber membrane with the water the other side of the rubber)
• single speed wipers that stopped where they were when turned off
• aftermarket heater (recirculating only, no fresh air unless sliding window was open)
• just a speedo and fuel gauge - only indication of high engine temperature (common in traffic jams) was steam coming from under bonnet!
• drum brakes all round that could easily lock up
• no hazard (park anywhere) lights
• no headlight flasher
• no fog lights (either end)
• aftermarket reversing light (round knob on dash with little light in middle when on)
• no radio
• engine spluttered to a halt in the slightest rain until lots of WD40 was sprayed over the distributor and HT leads (ah, that smell!)

It DID have a full sized spare wheel though, and lots more oddments space than my Gen 4 Prius!

One also needed to carry a sponge to soak up moisture on windows if anyone inside had the bad taste to continue breathing if the air was even slightly damp, never mind raining.

[PeteB]

7 minutes ago, BhxTrev said:

... do you know if it works when reversing the car? 

yes - my friend was reversing in a carpark at the time

[PeteB]

10 minutes ago, BhxTrev said:

...What a really magnificent feature [AEB]

Have you seen it in action on the NCAP website from when they crash tested the Gen 4 Prius?

http://www.euroncap.com/en/results/toyota/prius/24572

Look for the yellow "Videos" tab.  Pretty impressive

[BhxTrev]

Hi Pete, I know this is way off topic but talk about nostalgia, my first car was also a bashed out old mini which was a 1962 model I bought in 1969 for £60. The synchro cones on the gearbox were shot hence I had to 'double de clutch' to change gear as in a crash gearbox of old. You are so right about the cars being basic & death traps in the bargain. Thinking back if I'd have had a serious crash I doubt if anyone in the car would have survived! The brakes were the biggest problem from what I recall. Half the time they were soft & spongy in fact they were so inefficient that with today's standards the cars would never be allowed on the road! We actually bought another brand new mini just before my wife & I married in 1975. Do you remember the push to fly the flag in the 70s & to buy British cars? They were British Leyland then & yes I did buy British but they were rubbish compared to anything today. Then again that was then & was there much to choose from that would have been so different other than luxury or high performance cars that were out of our reach. Like you I've had many cars over the years but I have to say I was so impressed with the Gen 3 Prius I bought in 2010, which I did the best part of 60,000 miles in, never ever broke down, never had to replace brake pads just tyres & all I ever paid for was a yearly service & MOTs which it flew through that with the incredible efficiencies & fuel savings, I had absolutely no qualms about buying the Gen4 Excel Prius. Believe me I'm impressed with my new car & hopefully I'll have many years of trouble free reliable motoring in a car I love to drive. Well done Toyota but I still would like a spare wheel!!!!

[BhxTrev]

Pete, thanks so much for the crash testing video on the Gen4 Prius. You're spot on, they are impressive & isn't it great to be driving a car that's about as safe as they could be in various crash scenarios. Must make sure I show my wife this video & if I'm talking to anyone interested in buying one of these Toyota Prius super cars I'll refer them to this crash video evidence. Thanks again. 

[kithmo]

I miss the old cars, always breaking down but easy to fix.

[BhxTrev]

Hi Keith, yes I used to enjoy being able to fix my own car, hence the number of spanners, tools etc I have but alas totally useless today because you simply cannot work on the modern day cars unless you have access to all manner of elaborate sophisticated equipment. Mind you I've finally got to an age where I'm quite happy to let the garage look after my car - oops sorry forgot to say that I don't mind changing a punctured wheel for the spare if I'd got one!

[PeteB]

1 hour ago, kithmo said:

I miss the old cars, always breaking down but easy to fix.

I don't!

When my first Gen 1 Prius was written off in a 40 mph crash in 2002, I'd have been written off too if I'd been in any of the first six cars I owned (including one brand new) made between 1960 and 1980.  As it was I got out and walked around, taking photos!

[BhxTrev]

Hi Pete, yes you are spot on. A lot of the old cars were literally death traps & fair play to Toyota, safety is an important issue to them. Only earlier I mentioned to my wife that she needs to see the crash tasting videos that you gave me the link to. Sue my wife drove the new car for the first time today & she was over the moon about how it handled. Phew - thank goodness for that after I'd gone on about changing our car for the Gen4!

[BhxTrev]

Hi Pete again - I don't actually know anyone who owned a Gen1 Prius so it's interesting that you owned one. I can remember while I was at the Uni of Birmingham when at an open day event, I was driven around the campus in a proto type forerunner of the Prius full of electronic equipment. Even then I thought Toyota have really got something here that's going to change how cars will be in the future. So glad they perserverred & I'm driving the product of their research & development. Also, I was in Tokyo a couple of years ago. Fantastic place to visit & they've really embraced the hybrid concept far more than here in the UK!

[PeteB]

1 hour ago, BhxTrev said:

Hi Pete again - I don't actually know anyone who owned a Gen1 Prius ...

and it was wonderful - my second one was 9 years old when I sold it with 163,000 miles on the clock, very little maintenance, still ran like new:

• new discs/pads all round just before 100k, (2nd lot hardly worn when I sold it!)
• only real problem was A/C - 1 new compressor (Gen 1 was belt driven by the engine), had failed again by the time I sold it
• Plugs replaced at 60 & 120k services (as scheduled - not really necessary, but the longevity of the Hybrid system wasn't so well understood then)

It's still in daily use now, and I understand it's now passed 180k.  It did need the HV Battery to be rebuilt just before 180k (last year), but the guy I sold it to services Hybrids and stripped the Battery down for the chap he'd sold the car to and rebuilt it with the good cell sticks and some from written off cars he'd bought, for a fraction of the Toyota price.

It actually had a cassette player in the dash as well as a CD slot, plus not only a full sized spare wheel, but a matching alloy wheel so the spare could be swapped around to avoid ending up with a nine year old perished space saver!

[PeteB]

3 hours ago, BhxTrev said:

Hi Pete, yes you are spot on. A lot of the old cars were literally death traps...

You've only go to go back to the 1950s & 60s and people sometimes died in crashes at just 10 mph!

[FROSTYBALLS]

We are relatively OK in Europe as regards car safety. However, manufacturers do produce cars to satisfy differing safety standards in different countries.

When VW started selling the Brazilian designed and built Fox in Europe, they produced two versions - the existing model for South America and a modified version with increased safety features for the European market. The Peugeot 208 built and sold in South America lacks side protection - something which has been common on  European market cars since the early 90's.

In India and Latin America there have been issues with ome of the best selling cars scoring zero, one or two one stars in tests carried out by the UK organisation, Global NCAP. These include new cars from Maruti (Suzuki), Hyundai, Renault, Peugeot, Kia and Fiat - and includes new designs.

[TomdeGuerre]

On 10/09/2016 at 9:54 PM, PeteB said:

Have you seen it in action on the NCAP website from when they crash tested the Gen 4 Prius?

http://www.euroncap.com/en/results/toyota/prius/24572

Look for the yellow "Videos" tab.  Pretty impressive

Did you notice the piece of trim that comes flying across the PAX side when the side curtain airbags are deployed. Wouldn't like a slap in the chops from that!!!

 

[kithmo]

15 hours ago, PeteB said:

You've only go to go back to the 1950s & 60s and people sometimes died in crashes at just 10 mph!

I tended not to crash mine if i could help it, hence I'm still here. The old cars taught me to drive safer because of the fact that I knew that I could easily be killed if I didn't. I always knew my limits and the car's capability and always kept my old bangers in perfect mechanical condition. 

[BhxTrev]

The one great thing about driving the Prius is how conscious you become about trying to drive the car as economically as possible. I'm convinced that I've become a better though slower driver even though the car as folks who drive them know, is quite hot off the mark. Mind you I guess as you age you do tend to drive slower since your reflexes are slower. Nevertheless before I get some adverse comments, I'm mindful of others on the road & I do my best not to crawl along at the annoyance of other drivers & when I set the cruise control on a motorway or open road, its always at the speed limit - then I let the car look after the economy! 

[DavidMillHill]

I recently bought a new Prius Mk4 and negotiated a free spare space-saver wheel/tyre. I was surprised to find it loose and mobile in the boot when I got home! To cut a long story short, my dealer eventually agreed to swap the two polystyrene mouldings and retainer clips for the three polystyrene parts and the retaining bolt used with the spare wheel present, and I paid the approx £95 difference in the retail cost. Would you believe 3 pieces of moulded expanded polystyrene are priced at around £500 retail?

Just to comment on Devon Aygo's parts list: the alternative retainers (also act as mounts for the boot floor) are part numbers 51962-47020; I didn't bother with new boot internal side panel trims nor an alternative boot floor. The parts that came with the car fits snugly in position over the wheel and the new polystyrene mouldings. Here are a few photos.

Prius 3 polystyrene mouldings (spare underneath)

Retainer : hinge

Prius Normal appearance of boot floor

[BhxTrev]

Hi David,

As I've posted before, I'm very interested in getting a suitable space saver spare for my Prius Excel with 17inch wheels. However, when I try to open the links in your posting I'm unable to do so. Could you please post with a link that does open with this info? Note I'm using an iPad to open the link. Also I had after not having much success in getting a decent spare wheel decided that if I do get a puncture I'd simply call out Toyota Club's brebakdown service & get the car transported back to my house, where I've got all the gear to deal with the problem. It's really a shame that this car is so excellent and yet I have this problem simply because I wanted the larger 17inch wheels. I for one would never buy any car including the Prius unless there is a spare wheel in fact in the future when I go to buy a car, it'll be the first thing I ask!

[PeteB]

54 minutes ago, BhxTrev said:

... if I do get a puncture I'd simply call out Toyota Club's breakdown service & get the car transported back to my house, where I've got all the gear to deal with the problem...

At least you'd be in a better position than a PiP owner who got a flat the gunge couldn't fix at 11 on a Friday night, but didn't have the means to fix it at home.  He had to wait 2-3 hours for recovery and got home in the small hours, then had to get himself and his wheel to a tyre shop, and back, the next day!

[BhxTrev]

Hi Pete,

It's because I've found myself in the position on several occasions in the past, where I've had a blow out rather than a simple puncture that I'm so concerned about the spare wheel issue. On one occasion I remember hitting a beer can in the road. It curled up the side of the tyre ripping a gash in the side wall. Even though the tyre was completely trashed I was able within less than half an hour, to quickly change the wheel for what was then a full sized spare. To me the lack of a spare in a car that costs what I've just paid out is absolutely pathetic & Toyota ought to know that. The gunge kit is a joke & if the truth be known, there must be serious questions about its use since I was appalled when I read the instructions & learned that you are expected to check the tyre pressure from time to time on your journey after using the kit. You don't have to do that with a spare wheel even though with the space saver you need to drive at a maximum speed of 50mph or below. Just as a matter of interest, my last Gen3 Prius a T-Spirit, had 17inch wheels & a space saver spare, so why is it such a problem with the new model? I was told that it's all to do with  weight & emissions but that's not my concern especially since although I've got some good miles to the gallon returns, I've never ever achieved the milages Toyota say you'll get!

Get real Toyota, start listening to your devoted customers & start putting spare wheels in all your vehicles - & offer me the chance to purchase a spare wheel conversion kit for my car - & make me completely happy with my new car!!!!!

[FROSTYBALLS]

Just now, BhxTrev said:

Get real Toyota, start listening to your devoted customers & start putting spare wheels in all your vehicles - & offer me the chance to purchase a spare wheel conversion kit for my car - & make me completely happy with my new car

Unfortunately, we don't know whether Toyota GB even visits this forum, let alone reads posts, and you certainly won't get a reply from Toyota GB on here. Need to go somewhere like Toyota UK blog.

[DavidMillHill]

 

 

These photos show the new mouldings on each side and above the space-saver wheel, and the retainer clips; the boot floor panel sits above and the plastic tray goes on top! 

Sorry if you couldn't get the links to upload these images in my first post; they do arrive very quickly if clicked, and go into the Safari/downloads tab on my Mac.

It is beyond sanity that the base model gets 15inch wheels and a spare whilst the more expensive versions get 17 inch wheels and no spare, apparently to avoid emitting more CO2. It is said to be the difference between free entry into the London congestion zone, or not........ if you believe it.

Prius 3 polystyrene mouldings (spare underneath)

Prius Normal appearance of boot floor

Retainer : hinge

Edited January 25, 2017 by DavidMillHill
To add pictures which keep disappearing!

[Heidfirst]

2 hours ago, BhxTrev said:

I was told that it's all to do with  weight & emissions but that's not my concern especially since although I've got some good miles to the gallon returns, I've never ever achieved the milages Toyota say you'll get!

It is & the figures that Toyota (& all other manufacturers) quote are according to the NEDC tests. Legally these are the only figures that they are allowed to quote but it's also well known that the NEDC tests don't reflect real world use. There is a new test coming (it'll probably still be out but hopefully not by as much).

Lots of people do take emissions into account when buying cars as it affects taxation & therefore running costs. So, by moving a car up a tax band it may well affect it's sales negatively.