Whats The Performance Like

[dave5282]

Hiya,

Just curious to know what the performance and handling is like on the Prius. I have heard they are quite nippy?

[Braindead]

Just got a new Prius T4. It is very nippy but to get fuel economy it's best to drive it smoothly. Pretending it's got a boot full of groceries that you don't want to spill is working well for me :)

It's a little early to tell but a cold start then 6.5 miles of town driving to the office is getting me about 47mpg....but I've only had it 3 days.

Took four adults out into the peak district over the weekend. It pulls very well on some fairly steep hills.

The Prius replaces a Nissan Tino 2.2litre turbo diesel. The Prius is quicker, quieter, more spacious and better fuel economy.

I have yet to try it on a good motorway trip but should get a run down the M1 later this week. Will report back then.

Handling is OK but I've not thrown it about yet....just can't bring myself to do it :D

[jaxx]

is it weird when its in 'silent' electric mode and do folk give you funny looks?

[wise1]

I'm looking into getting a Prius myself. Just wondered if you managed to get the Powershift (?) grant as they say they have run out of money for 2003/2004 - but the 2004/05 money has been agreed......

Just wondered if Toyota had managed to come up with something - i.e. additional subsidy from them, Grants ok'd now but paid in April, etc....

[Fidgits]

One of my friends in California has one.

He uses it for the daily commute, alongside his supercharger BMW 540, Modded M3, and 325i race car.

He seems to like it, so i guess it cant be that slow, but i guess everything is comparitive..

[Braindead]

is it weird when its in 'silent' electric mode and do folk give you funny looks?

It's great - we call it stealth mode :D

As I get to work in the morning, it goes into stealth mode as I cruise up the car park.

Not had funny looks yet but folks definitly don't hear you coming. There's even a warning about it in the manual :P

Just wondered if you managed to get the Powershift (?) grant

Mine was a 7 week old demonstrator so the dealer reckoned it was used, however, I'm not giving up. A grand is a grand

Apparently there will be more grant money available in the next tax year.

I'm quite laid back about it....I got the car I wanted and am well pleased. The grand will be a bonus.

I'd be interested if you can get a discount...it was like flogging a dead horse!

Manged to get over a grand off the demonstrator though.

Here's the weird bit though...If you are looking to buy via a PCP where you finance the difference between the purchase price and residual value in 3 years using HP then the thing is near unfinanceable (if that is a word).

The dealer reckoned the residual value in 3 years doing 18,000 miles per year would be £4,200 :o They then offered to finace the difference at 16.9% APR :arrgg-matey:

My guess is that they are playing ultra safe with the residuals because they don't have much data to go off. My guess, looking at the used prices of old Prius is that they will keep their value well. So, I took out a loan to buy mine. My guess is that when it comes time to sell, I can get a good price down in London where you save £1,200 a year in congestion charges,

Anyway, if you want to see a salesman talk you out of buying a car, go to the Derby Inchcape garage and try and buy a Prius. Got mine from Burton in the end.

[wise1]

Cheers Braindead

I spoke with a dealer today and he said that a claim can still be made now, even though "offically" the Government have run out of money this year. Thinking about it, the manufacturers of hybrids (toyota and honda) would be going ape if they were hindered in the sale of their vehicles as a result of this, expecially with Toyota and a new vehicle launch so they probably have "special deals" with the government - but for convertors the situation maybe different.

Bit naff the residual values there on their PCP finance. Any idea what it was for 10K per year. The reason I ask is that normally I don't hand back the cars to the dealers at the end, instead I normally just say I will 10K and then suffer a worse Part Ex value later....instead of mileage penalties (one and the same thing though I suppose.... <_<

I'm off for a test drive on Thursday - at the moment my shortlist is a Mazda 3. Corolla T-Spirit or the Prius.....

As for discount, as the Prius is so "new", I doubt much will be on offer as you seem to have found. But as I'm part ex'ing in another car, that may give me some leverage...

[Braindead]

Bit naff the residual values there on their PCP finance. Any idea what it was for 10K per year.

No, I only tried for 18k. Also tried Sainsburys Drive as an alternative PCP and they also offered £4.2k as a residual after 3 years. Only difference was they could do 7.9% APR instead of the daft rate of 16.9% at the dealer. Having said that, the business manager reckoned he could price match but couldn't budge without proof. That was at Derby...they really didn't want to sell me a Prius

I've emailed the PowerShift folks and the say it doesn't matter that the car is a demonstrator and that I bought before applying. Game on! :D

[SilverT4]

The bad news is that the funds have run out for the powershift grant.

The good news ...... My dealer has told me that Toyota pre-registered every Prius car being imported into the UK and therefore the money has been set aside for these. When (if) you buy your Prius ask the dealer for the official form which will have your cars unique reference number on it. Fill it in, hand it back to the dealer and Toyota will process the application on your behalf. Then hopefully in a few weeks a cheque will arive on your doorstep.

[Braindead]

My dealer has confirmed that Toyota UK have told them that they can't process the grant requests for an ex-demostrator sold to the public yet the PowerShift people say it's OK.

This could be fun.....

[Braindead]

Wise1 - I'm off for a test drive on Thursday - at the moment my shortlist is a Mazda 3. Corolla T-Spirit or the Prius.....

How did you get on with the test drive? Impressions?

[wise1]

Wise1 - I'm off for a test drive on Thursday - at the moment my shortlist is a Mazda 3. Corolla T-Spirit or the Prius.....

How did you get on with the test drive? Impressions?

Didn't bother in the end.

Went over their MGFV's and decided it was going to work out way too expensive and with my mileage I would never recoup enough.......

However still considering Toyota as I've been offered an excellent deal on a new Corolla T-Spirit - £2K more for my car than anyone else has offered, plus £1200 in my hand, and a £5K loan over 2 years at 0% (reason for cash back is that Toyota won't loan any less than £5k). Will go for the deal if I can get the 0% for 3 years for the same deal - been offered it already but with only £800 cashback..... :o

[Roweow]

treat inchcape burton with a barge pole!

I wouldn't take a peanut to them!

Sorry but you've been warned

[Braindead]

I know Inchcape Derby had a dire reputation when they were mann Eggerton.

Concensus seems to be that Ron Brookes is the place to go in Ilkeston?

What's the problem with Inchcape Burton?

[Roweow]

They er managed to sell me a yaris which has an unknown colour, they thought my mums car was going in for a brake test when it really needed a service and they managed to provide 2 damaged door trims...

I had a faulty door pannel which they never managed to fix, i went to a dealer in Bury St Edmunds who fixed it in one go, Inchcape Burton (or Hamer Toyota) took 3 attempts....

They are generally unhelpful, uncourteous and since the service manager left they don't have a clue!

Derby are better than Burton at least they talk to you !

Sorry for the bad press but the place to go is Star City in Birmingham, the service manager is called Steve, he used to work at Burton and he is excellent!