spwolf

yeah, its little button under the steering wheel. She can restart the battery as in every other car, so it is not going to be an big problem. All is in the manual.

Similar is with GS and IS, except that their batteries are 3x more powerful.

Nextourer

If you actually sat in the Prius, you'd know that the speedo is in front of the driver (a bit to the right by like.. a few cms). Most of that strip is blank. The major of the lights/warnings are to the LEFT of the screen. The only warning to the right of the screen is the Passenger Airbag warning and passenger seatbelt warning.

The speedo and such are actually pseudo heads-up. What you're looking at is actually a mirror image.

meanboy

07 Prius will offer a sport tuned package(16" inches wheels, tuned suspension, bigger spoiler) with HID and foglights for $895 added to the base price. The base price is being increased by $495. Side curtain air bags will be standard.

spwolf

because he never sat in one, he has no clue what he is talking about... as you said, there is nothing in the center but 2 warning lamps for the passanger...

Nextourer

That would the "Touring Edition" which is similar to the Touring Selection in Japan. It includes the Euro P196/55R16 alloy wheels with wheelcovers, sport tuned suspension and the Type B extended spoiler (~ 1" longer).

btw spwolf, are you the one that bought a bus for a project or did I confuse you with someone else on PC?

meanboy

Does it help the handling with this package. I notice that for almost the same price as a prius with hk or pack 6 the camry hybird(base) can be had. I am interested in that because of the power it has and the ability to get 30 plus miles per gallon.

Nextourer

No idea. The vehicle isn't in the dealers yet so we don't know how much tuning Toyota did with this new "sport suspension". The Camry Hybrid is supposedly smoother and more comfortable than the Prius. It should be since it's riding on independent MacPherson struts all around while the Prius gets a more compact (and cheaper) semi-independent Torsion Beam setup.

If you're not trying to go for all our fuel economy, then the Camry Hybrid should do well for you. It looks more "normal" and the layout is more conventional. You do give up cargo space (but I heard it's well shaped) and the pass through is only on the right side (for skis and snowboards instead of carpets/rugs and bookcases). So it depends on your priorities. I've been trying to get my hands on a Camry Hybrid to test drive but all have been pre-sold.

meanboy

I don't know the availability here either. I see ads saying they have Cam Hy available There was a prius w/#7 that was available and the salesman said he had it. But I was undecided on navigation so I didn't pursue it.

After discussions with my wife, she is all for the TCH because of it's conventional layout. The gas mileage is doable since it's a pretty good size car. It's the same size as the GS300 we have. Unbelievable. I would like the HID that are optional on the Prius and the back up camera. Oh well, maybe, I can do an illegal aftermarket hid later on. Or maybe I'll get a prius for the HIDs.

Nextourer

I went for the Prius because the Camry Hybrid wasn't available at the time and I prefer a hatchback so that I can carry more stuff if the situation arises. It also makes sleeping/resting in the car more comfortable haha

meanboy

I have a hatch myself..it's a little hatch though. I think the TCH will carry just as much as a Prius unless the seat is folded down. I think that's good enough for my purposes. The best part will be able to run AC without having the ICE on. That will be a treat.

Did you buy the extended warranty or maint contract?

jimxo

Civic.

Go for the 1.8 gets a little less MPG 30/40 for less money and is well tested product.

Nextourer

ahh, well then you're covered for most of your transportation needs. Like I said, early reports from new Camry Hybrid owners say that the cargo area is well shaped so you can utilise most of the 10 cu ft.

Yep, that's a new feature with the HSD system. The A/C compressor is electrically operated and runs off the HV battery giving you cool air while the engine is off. However, don't be too heavy on the A/C or you'll drain the battery pretty quickly in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

I have the standard factory warranty. I know in US you guys can bargain on the extended warranty (and there's a special offer at PriusChat for the Platinum Ext. Warranty).

meanboy

I did see the extend warranty at Priuschat. Do you think it's necessary?

As far as the air, there is an econ mode button for AC, does that work? Do you have that in your 05? I was in Vancouver two weeks ago and I saw a few Prius cabs. Pretty cool.

I am in the process of checking with dealers on availabiilty. If I can take delivery by Sept 30, I can get the U.S. federal tax credit of $2600.00. Did Canada offer anything like that when you bought your car?

Oh, and I found out that some ppl have already put in aftermarket hids in their seventh gen Camrys. Apparently, the halogon projectors accept the hid bulbs quite well.

Nextourer

That I'm not sure. I've never bought extended warranties before (but then again, all our family cars have been Toyotas). The problem is that Canada's ext. warranty is probably different from the one in the States and I haven't had the time to look over it. Also, it's rather expensive up here.

The ECO mode is new for the Camry Hybrid. We do not have that feature. The Greater Vancouver area is just littered with Prius cabs. Nearly every company has at least one (of course Yellow Cabs has probably 30 or 40). There's also one Camry Hybrid cab already.

Yeah. Back when I bought it, the BC Gov't offered $1,000 or 30% of the PST whichever is less. Just my luck, a few months after I bought my Prius, the gov't changed it to $2,000 as it currently stands.

meanboy

We've had two toyotas, and one lexus, and we barely needed anything but the hybrid components could be very expensive to replace so I might get it but I can wait unitl my warranty is about to expire before I need to make that decision.

I thought the Prius cabs were pretty cool, and I didn't really think too hard about a hybrid until I noticed the difference in heat and air quality when cars were present on the street. I am not green but I thought this would be my part in helping and get good gas mpg at the same time.

Bummer about tax credit. I am trying to beat the clock right now. It's time for me to call some dealers.