Bronsin Goes To The Toyota Dealer To See What Sup Wit Dat

[bentjazz]

I like the appearance of the 2012 Yaris, myself. I really haven't seen the interior in person, but I like the aesthetics of the exterior, for sure. Be that as it may, I'll be driving my 2010 Yaris until it croaks.
I don't know how I feel about all these hybrids. The thing I really like about my Yaris is it's minimalist orientation, so I don't need luxury, nor do I want high end goodies. Basic transportation is all I need, combined with reliability and decent fuel economy. The Yaris is perfect for my needs. As such, I'd personally be very reticent about spending big bucks on a hybrid vehicle that will need battery replacement down the road. No thanks. But for those who do want hybrids and who do see their value, more power to you.....

[tk1971]

Originally Posted by bentjazz

I like the appearance of the 2012 Yaris, myself. I really haven't seen the interior in person, but I like the aesthetics of the exterior, for sure. Be that as it may, I'll be driving my 2010 Yaris until it croaks.
I don't know how I feel about all these hybrids. The thing I really like about my Yaris is it's minimalist orientation, so I don't need luxury, nor do I want high end goodies. Basic transportation is all I need, combined with reliability and decent fuel economy. The Yaris is perfect for my needs. As such, I'd personally be very reticent about spending big bucks on a hybrid vehicle that will need battery replacement down the road. No thanks. But for those who do want hybrids and who do see their value, more power to you.....

From the information you've given, the Yaris is a perfect fit for your needs.

You do realize that a well-maintained 2010 Yaris can last you 15 to 20 years depending on how many miles you drive?

Can you stand it THAT long w/o buying a new car? A lot can happen in 15 years.

I thought I'd be driving my 08 LB until my boys hit high school, then I'd teach each of them how to drive stick with it. But alas, I got stuck in really bad traffic (back to school traffic) and my hip gave out for a weekend (that's my excuse.. err, story anyway). Time to give up the clutch for a day-to-day commuter.

After driving it for a while, I find the Prius C very Yaris-like. Size, comfort, feel... all very comparable. Aside from the tail lights, I think they look fairly similar too.

Still, the Prius C has a digital speedometer and a nice TFT display with enough feedback to help the driver maintain efficient driving habits. It's very clever.

As for the battery, there are 1st Gen Prius' out there approaching 15 years and many hundreds of thousands of miles. There are even YouTube videos on how to track down individual bad cells on the battery pack for replacement. IMO, I think the technology is pretty well vetted now.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by tk1971

From the information you've given, the Yaris is a perfect fit for your needs.

You do realize that a well-maintained 2010 Yaris can last you 15 to 20 years depending on how many miles you drive?

Can you stand it THAT long w/o buying a new car? A lot can happen in 15 years.

I thought I'd be driving my 08 LB until my boys hit high school, then I'd teach each of them how to drive stick with it. But alas, I got stuck in really bad traffic (back to school traffic) and my hip gave out for a weekend (that's my excuse.. err, story anyway). Time to give up the clutch for a day-to-day commuter.

After driving it for a while, I find the Prius C very Yaris-like. Size, comfort, feel... all very comparable. Aside from the tail lights, I think they look fairly similar too.

Still, the Prius C has a digital speedometer and a nice TFT display with enough feedback to help the driver maintain efficient driving habits. It's very clever.

As for the battery, there are 1st Gen Prius' out there approaching 15 years and many hundreds of thousands of miles. There are even YouTube videos on how to track down individual bad cells on the battery pack for replacement. IMO, I think the technology is pretty well vetted now.

I didn't see this post until after posting my previous post. This post makes some of my previous post moot.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by tk1971

From the information you've given, the Yaris is a perfect fit for your needs.

You do realize that a well-maintained 2010 Yaris can last you 15 to 20 years depending on how many miles you drive?

Can you stand it THAT long w/o buying a new car? A lot can happen in 15 years.

I thought I'd be driving my 08 LB until my boys hit high school, then I'd teach each of them how to drive stick with it. But alas, I got stuck in really bad traffic (back to school traffic) and my hip gave out for a weekend (that's my excuse.. err, story anyway). Time to give up the clutch for a day-to-day commuter.

After driving it for a while, I find the Prius C very Yaris-like. Size, comfort, feel... all very comparable. Aside from the tail lights, I think they look fairly similar too.

Still, the Prius C has a digital speedometer and a nice TFT display with enough feedback to help the driver maintain efficient driving habits. It's very clever.

As for the battery, there are 1st Gen Prius' out there approaching 15 years and many hundreds of thousands of miles. There are even YouTube videos on how to track down individual bad cells on the battery pack for replacement. IMO, I think the technology is pretty well vetted now.

.........feedback to help the driver maintain efficient driving habits....I like how you put that. If I replace my Yaris with a Prius C rather than another Yaris, it will be for that reason.

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

.........feedback to help the driver maintain efficient driving habits....I like how you put that. If I replace my Yaris with a Prius C rather than another Yaris, it will be for that reason.

The "economy screens" as I call them in the Prius C are really pretty cool and give you probably way more information than you really need. In fact I kinda see it like my ScanGauge .. as I have to concentrate at looking at the road and not look at the ScanGauge (I know my bad .. ). But as a passenger .. they are really pretty neat.

The only thing on the Prius C I don't care too much for .. are the lights in the back, but I know why they did it. It is exactly like a Hyundai that I saw today .. the lights are up higher so that they are "in your face" much more than the lights would be if they were lower down and if it prevents accidents then they have done their job, no matter how ugly they may be.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

The "economy screens" as I call them in the Prius C are really pretty cool and give you probably way more information than you really need. In fact I kinda see it like my ScanGauge .. as I have to concentrate at looking at the road and not look at the ScanGauge (I know my bad .. ). But as a passenger .. they are really pretty neat.

The only thing on the Prius C I don't care too much for .. are the lights in the back, but I know why they did it. It is exactly like a Hyundai that I saw today .. the lights are up higher so that they are "in your face" much more than the lights would be if they were lower down and if it prevents accidents then they have done their job, no matter how ugly they may be.

Which (do you think) overall (day in and day out) would be a combination of easiest to use and extracting the most re MPG increase ---- your ScanGauge'd Yaris (if it=an automatic to make it more like the Prius C) or an "economy screen'd" Prius C?

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Which (do you think) overall (day in and day out) would be a combination of easiest to use and extracting the most re MPG increase ---- your ScanGauge'd Yaris (if it=an automatic to make it more like the Prius C) or an "economy screen'd" Prius C?

I think that the Prius C shows more of what the car "is really doing" for example (depending on the screen you are on, as there are multiple screens you can view) ... whether it be running on batteries or gas. So .. if anything I would have to say that you have to be careful to not treat it like a movie that you should be watching (as that can quickly turn into a driver distracted issue). I really like the display of the cost of your trip .. which is kinda neat that when you go across town and the car will show your fuel economy (like 3.7L/100 KM for your trip) and for example that it costs you 18 cents for the trip. So .. you really can see what sort of mileage and costs you are experiencing. Of course .. I am referring to a Canadian model car.

But to answer your question .. I really like my ScanGauge for my purposes right now (as obviously the Yaris (2007 Year) doesn't have any of the built in fuel displays like the more modern vehicles).

The ScanGauge shows me my instantaneous fuel economy (which I love) .. and my average for the trip I am on. So I can easily see how things (like changing gears) make a difference in my quest for better mileage. I think overall the Prius just shows you (if you desire) more information, but as far as ease of use, I would give it to the ScanGauge, but the Prius wins in the cool category. (I have the ScanGauge E which is really really simple as it only shows 2 items on the screen).

I personally believe that there is ALOT of false information out there when it comes to the Prius. In particular things like the need to replace batteries.

If you want to see a review (from an owner) of a Prius C . . here is a pretty good video (and it DOES show you some of the "economy screens") :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RqbPiilUnE

Fortunately, I have a very close source of very reliable information on Toyota vehicles. My brother in law is a manager at a large Toyota dealer and has until recently been the service manager (for close to 20 years) .. so if I really want the truth about ANY Toyota vehicle ... I just have to ask. It was also a very big factor why I replaced my Accord with a Yaris.

I knew that I could bring my Yaris in for servicing and I would get the truth about what I really needed and not some bs from a dealer that was just trying to add to the bottom line. When I need something on my Yaris .. I know that I will get the truth from someone that has seen the Yaris since birth (and knows what issues each Toyota vehicle has)

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

I think that the Prius C shows more of what the car "is really doing" for example (depending on the screen you are on, as there are multiple screens you can view) ... whether it be running on batteries or gas. So .. if anything I would have to say that you have to be careful to not treat it like a movie that you should be watching (as that can quickly turn into a driver distracted issue). I really like the display of the cost of your trip .. which is kinda neat that when you go across town and the car will show your fuel economy (like 3.7L/100 KM for your trip) and for example that it costs you 18 cents for the trip. So .. you really can see what sort of mileage and costs you are experiencing. Of course .. I am referring to a Canadian model car.

But to answer your question .. I really like my ScanGauge for my purposes right now (as obviously the Yaris (2007 Year) doesn't have any of the built in fuel displays like the more modern vehicles).

The ScanGauge shows me my instantaneous fuel economy (which I love) .. and my average for the trip I am on. So I can easily see how things (like changing gears) make a difference in my quest for better mileage. I think overall the Prius just shows you (if you desire) more information, but as far as ease of use, I would give it to the ScanGauge, but the Prius wins in the cool category. (I have the ScanGauge E which is really really simple as it only shows 2 items on the screen).

I personally believe that there is ALOT of false information out there when it comes to the Prius. In particular things like the need to replace batteries.

If you want to see a review (from an owner) of a Prius C . . here is a pretty good video (and it DOES show you some of the "economy screens") :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RqbPiilUnE

Fortunately, I have a very close source of very reliable information on Toyota vehicles. My brother in law is a manager at a large Toyota dealer and has until recently been the service manager (for close to 20 years) .. so if I really want the truth about ANY Toyota vehicle ... I just have to ask. It was also a very big factor why I replaced my Accord with a Yaris.

I knew that I could bring my Yaris in for servicing and I would get the truth about what I really needed and not some bs from a dealer that was just trying to add to the bottom line. When I need something on my Yaris .. I know that I will get the truth from someone that has seen the Yaris since birth (and knows what issues each Toyota vehicle has)

I agree with you re the battery issue and have discounted that as a factor. Plenty of Prius batteries have lasted longer than 300,000 miles. Thanks for your thoughtful post. It helps clarify important (to me) issues re which (new Yaris or new Prius C) I would choose to replace my current Yaris. I'm going to get a new battery on 9-9-12 (3 year anniversary of my 1 year rated current battery, so that I can easily reference how far I've driven in 3 years). I estimate that a day or two later I'll hit 225,000 miles on my Yaris and will replace the tires. I wanted to make the current set last to that point so that i'd be averaging 75,000 miles per set of 4. My last replacement was at about 140,500 miles, so the current set of 4 will have about 84,500 miles on them at replacement. I'm going to get the same tires again (Firestone FR710s). I'll probably get the wheel bearings checked as well as I want the car to be safe before leaving on a trip. I want to make it to all of the lower 48 states and DC in my Yaris and and make it to the extreme corners (geograhpically) in Maine, Florida, California, and Washington that can be driven to without a ferry.

Re this goal I have Madawaska, Maine - Blaine, Washington, and the NPS Lake Odette (Washington) Ranger Station (parking lot) and the states of ND, MT, and ID to make it to and i'll include these on my trip(s). I've been to Blaine and ND, MT, and ID but not in my Yaris. I also have lots of food money built up on my Hard Rock Cafe All Access Card and I have to redeem it by 9-30-12 as that corporation is changing the whole rewards program after that. I've been to all of the Hard Rock Cafes in the lower 48 except Seattle and the new one at Four Points in New Buffalo, MI so i'll include these as well. I've been to all the MLB parks, except I haven't seen a game at Kaufman in Kansas City since the refurbishment of the stadium, so I'll do that. I've also always wanted to drive the Cascade Highway (SR20) in Washington so I'll do that and I also plan to add some places from my '1,000 Things To See Before You Die USA and Canada' book. I may split this into two trips, but I want to be back from both before the election...so I'll be putting quite a few miles on my Yaris in the next few months. I'd like my Yaris to last to 300,000 miles only replacing the tires, battery and front wheel bearings between now and then, but that isn't as important to me as doing the 4 corners/48 states geographic thing. If my car makes to mid November with my replacing only those three items, I think I can baby the clutch and transmission to 300,000 miles. If my Yaris needs a repair outside the tires, battery, and bearings after early November but before 300,000 miles then I'll evaluate vehicle replacement at that time. If I make it to 300,000 miles with only replacing those 3 items then I'll evaluate where things are mechanically re my Yaris/replacement at that time.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

The "economy screens" as I call them in the Prius C are really pretty cool and give you probably way more information than you really need. In fact I kinda see it like my ScanGauge .. as I have to concentrate at looking at the road and not look at the ScanGauge (I know my bad .. ). But as a passenger .. they are really pretty neat.

The only thing on the Prius C I don't care too much for .. are the lights in the back, but I know why they did it. It is exactly like a Hyundai that I saw today .. the lights are up higher so that they are "in your face" much more than the lights would be if they were lower down and if it prevents accidents then they have done their job, no matter how ugly they may be.

I've never seen the Prius C "economy screens" in practice on the road (in person). I've only seen the related videos the Hershey has posted links to.

[bentjazz]

tk,

I don't drive that much, actually. I've got around 13,000 miles on the Yaris now, and I've had it since Dec 2010. And yes, if it keeps going for 15-20 years, I'll keep driving it. I hope it lasts that long. I hope. I hate to spend money, and buying a car for me is a necessary evil. I really don't want to do it again for a long time. This was a big purchase for me.

Hey, I'm so glad you're liking your Prius C. I saw a white one on the road the other day, and I must say it's a very attractive car. I envy your gas mileage, that's for sure. I got 37.91mpg on my fill-up today, but would love to get what you're getting with your Prius C. As for the battery packs, hey, I could be wrong on that one. As long as I wouldn't have to replace the packs every so many years, or if I could do-it-myself and replace the packs, then I wouldn't hesitate in buying a hybrid.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bentjazz

I like the appearance of the 2012 Yaris, myself. I really haven't seen the interior in person, but I like the aesthetics of the exterior, for sure. Be that as it may, I'll be driving my 2010 Yaris until it croaks.
I don't know how I feel about all these hybrids. The thing I really like about my Yaris is it's minimalist orientation, so I don't need luxury, nor do I want high end goodies. Basic transportation is all I need, combined with reliability and decent fuel economy. The Yaris is perfect for my needs. As such, I'd personally be very reticent about spending big bucks on a hybrid vehicle that will need battery replacement down the road. No thanks. But for those who do want hybrids and who do see their value, more power to you.....

My orientation re cars (and most other things -- houses, clothes, etc.) is minimalist like yours...but I do love gadgets...especially ones that INCREASE future value during use...and that 'driving for max MPG prompting' is enticing. I wish that feature and a hybrid engine and drivetrain could just magically appear in my current fairly spartan Yaris.

[bentjazz]

I hear ya, nook.....