samulis
Active Member
Our old animal bus didn't pass MOT. Queue the drum roll...
Time for the first or Prius in latin.
I had been secretly looking for Prius's. Not spoken of these feelings, just been keeping them to myself, well ok, I spoke about with wife, but she was ok with it.
Now I had to face the truth, no more Berlingo and it was time for new thing for a petrolhead.
Some small company, one man band, had had 2010 Prius with 260k km for sale since April and it had not sold, so to cut he's losses and make it move he promised 2.5k for any part ex car you could drive to the yard. Day later we found it, had a chat, made a reservation and following saturday we drove a 600km, farewell roadtrip with Berlingo from Joensuu to Raisio via Helsinki (pick up winters) to make a deal.
It drove ok, few extra noises from interior plastics and broken windshield that the seller had not told when asked is there anything worth mention.
Car came with winter tyres, it has black leather seats, auto AC, rain sensing wipers, cruise, keyless go, HUD, tilting steering wheel with remote buttons for displays, radio, phone and weirdly for heater. Size was suprise, it has lots of leg room in front and back, not so much in trunk as battries take part of it, but I guess it will do. Drivers seat has lumbar support and height adjust. Finally a car where can I fit with my long legs and have a great driving position,
First impressions were just plain weird. Gas pedal seemed to have nothing to do with engine, well as all hybrids do or dont in this case. Took a while to get used to it. Then the gear joystick, why does it have to have D and R backwards? Soundtrack was weird at first.
Range on EV mode was a bit of a disapointment, 1 mile or 1.6km but it really works on the road, even on higher speeds it works, keeping MPG high. First tank was 5.1 to 100km or 46mpg and I really wasn't hyper miling it, far from it, just set cruise to 120km/h or max speed limit and enjoyed the quiet and effortless traveling (not like Berlingo and 90km/h). Low yearly roadtax and insurance are nice. It's like having diesel without local diesel road tax, instead 1.8 with an autobox.
HUD is really nice. Electric power steering in other hand isn't something I would praise with its vague feel, but it goes with its ethos, electric water and AC pump (really nice, specially when parked), no alternator, no timing or auxiliary belt, it should be easy to maintain.
Car came with small notebook as servicebook and receipts, one stating that hybrid batteries have been changed at 180k km in main dealer for 1800€, wonder why.
Don't know why the first owner didnt opt auto lights, must be because it's not Finnish car, it was imported 3 years old. And no lane change blinkers, just basic toyota stalk for lights and blinkers. Luckily it does have heated seats that are must in winter, specially with leathers. Screen will tell if someone isn't wearing seatbelt in rearseat, which is nice with kids. Today younger son put he's water bottle on an empty seat and we learned that it starts the warning beeping even from the rearseats. I had to ask him to klick the seatbelt in as otherwise you have to make fullstop to stop it beeping...
Not all sunshine, rear radars dont do a thing, there is scuffs and dings, something in front needs attention, light shake comes and goes and few annoying rattles that also seem to come and go. And would've liked to have radar cruise and those line change blinkers, but can't have all when buying cheap used.
Time for the first or Prius in latin.
I had been secretly looking for Prius's. Not spoken of these feelings, just been keeping them to myself, well ok, I spoke about with wife, but she was ok with it.
Now I had to face the truth, no more Berlingo and it was time for new thing for a petrolhead.
Some small company, one man band, had had 2010 Prius with 260k km for sale since April and it had not sold, so to cut he's losses and make it move he promised 2.5k for any part ex car you could drive to the yard. Day later we found it, had a chat, made a reservation and following saturday we drove a 600km, farewell roadtrip with Berlingo from Joensuu to Raisio via Helsinki (pick up winters) to make a deal.
It drove ok, few extra noises from interior plastics and broken windshield that the seller had not told when asked is there anything worth mention.
Car came with winter tyres, it has black leather seats, auto AC, rain sensing wipers, cruise, keyless go, HUD, tilting steering wheel with remote buttons for displays, radio, phone and weirdly for heater. Size was suprise, it has lots of leg room in front and back, not so much in trunk as battries take part of it, but I guess it will do. Drivers seat has lumbar support and height adjust. Finally a car where can I fit with my long legs and have a great driving position,
First impressions were just plain weird. Gas pedal seemed to have nothing to do with engine, well as all hybrids do or dont in this case. Took a while to get used to it. Then the gear joystick, why does it have to have D and R backwards? Soundtrack was weird at first.
Range on EV mode was a bit of a disapointment, 1 mile or 1.6km but it really works on the road, even on higher speeds it works, keeping MPG high. First tank was 5.1 to 100km or 46mpg and I really wasn't hyper miling it, far from it, just set cruise to 120km/h or max speed limit and enjoyed the quiet and effortless traveling (not like Berlingo and 90km/h). Low yearly roadtax and insurance are nice. It's like having diesel without local diesel road tax, instead 1.8 with an autobox.
HUD is really nice. Electric power steering in other hand isn't something I would praise with its vague feel, but it goes with its ethos, electric water and AC pump (really nice, specially when parked), no alternator, no timing or auxiliary belt, it should be easy to maintain.
Car came with small notebook as servicebook and receipts, one stating that hybrid batteries have been changed at 180k km in main dealer for 1800€, wonder why.
Don't know why the first owner didnt opt auto lights, must be because it's not Finnish car, it was imported 3 years old. And no lane change blinkers, just basic toyota stalk for lights and blinkers. Luckily it does have heated seats that are must in winter, specially with leathers. Screen will tell if someone isn't wearing seatbelt in rearseat, which is nice with kids. Today younger son put he's water bottle on an empty seat and we learned that it starts the warning beeping even from the rearseats. I had to ask him to klick the seatbelt in as otherwise you have to make fullstop to stop it beeping...
Not all sunshine, rear radars dont do a thing, there is scuffs and dings, something in front needs attention, light shake comes and goes and few annoying rattles that also seem to come and go. And would've liked to have radar cruise and those line change blinkers, but can't have all when buying cheap used.
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