Toyota Prius

RichZ · Jun 19, 2010

My wife and I decided to consider buying a new car, that will be used primarily for her to deliver our goat milk (50 miles each way, every 3 days). Right now she delivers milk in our 2000 Ford Explorer which has about 150.000 miles on it.

To deliver the milk, we use two 50 gallon tanks that fit nicely in the back of the Explorer. I think they'll just make it in the back of the Prius.

Does anyone have a Prius, and have much knowledge about them? I have some questions:

How are they in the snow? Up to now, we've used 4wd drive vehicles. We're in upstate New York, and we often get quite a bit of snow.

I'm wondering how a Prius would handle having the milk tanks in the back. Filled, they weigh about 400 lbs each. We don't often have 2 full tanks, we usuall have 2 tanks filled a little more than half way. but we could sometimes be transporting 100 gallons of milk at a time, which would be over 800 lbs of weight in the back.

Has any body had any mechanical problems with them, or experiences good or bad?

Thanks!!!

livincountry · Jun 19, 2010

I have a 2010 Prius as a company car. I have about 3K miles on it in about a month and a half. I've averaged 51.4 mpg. The fleet service requires an oil change every 7500 miles using only synthetic. I can't comment on any problems with the vehicle since there haven't been any. I really like the car and would buy one if I needed a new personal. The dealer that instructed me on the car said there are fleet Prius's out there with 200K miles and the batteries max at 80% capacity. I will find out this winter how it goes in the snow. I don't haul any weight but 800 pounds is 4 average size guys so I don't see it as too much if it's distributed across the back of the car with the seats down and only your wife driving.

Ken_CT · Jun 19, 2010

I am visualizing 2- 55 gallon drums, although holding more, not that much more. That seems like a lot for any small car. If the tag says it's OK, fine, but is that be what the car was designed to do on a regular basis?

IslandTractor · Jun 19, 2010

I'd personally look into a diesel Jetta wagon. Same price and a lot more flexible. The diesel Jetta's get over 40mpg on the highway.

I agree with others who note that the load capacity of either of these vehicles is close to the limit if you have almost 800lbs of cargo. I just checked the VW site and total load capacity including driver is 981lbs. The last generation Prius had a total load capacity of only 800lbs so you would not be able to carry a full 800lb cargo load.

mustangsallysdad · Jun 19, 2010

I would think that something along the lines of a good, used Ford Escape or Subaru AWD wagon would be better suited...the Escape is available as a Hybrid if that's your cup of tea. May be even better suited with a small 5' X 7' trailer behind about any small car.

Egon · Jun 20, 2010

The gross vehicle weight would be one concern to settle before going much farther.

dave1949 · Jun 20, 2010

mustangsallysdad said:
I would think that something along the lines of a good, used Ford Escape or Subaru AWD wagon would be better suited...the Escape is available as a Hybrid if that's your cup of tea. May be even better suited with a small 5' X 7' trailer behind about any small car.

+1
Dave.

oldnslo · Jun 20, 2010

If the tanks are only half full how well will a small vehicle handle with the sloshing load? Full size tankers have lots more problems half full Vs plumb full.

I would never consider pulling a loaded trailer with a small car on icy roads.

Roy

aczlan · Jun 20, 2010

Once you get rid of the OEM tires and put on some decent snows, it should be decent i the snow. We have a friend who has over 200k on a first generation Prius and he says that the OEM tires were very hard and slippery in the snow, but once he installed snows the car went well.

As for putting 2 50 gallon tanks of milk in the back, I would check on the rated capacity and unless you had enough to cover 2 people and 100 gallons of milk, I would go with a larger vehicle.

Dad has a 2003 Jetta TDI sedan and it gets 45ish MPG without sacrificing anything in comfort or handling.

Aaron Z

NSBound · Jun 20, 2010

Even a Jetta has a total payload capacity including driver of just over 900 lbs. Rich, it sounds like you won't be able to use such a small vehicle as a Prius, Civic, Jetta etc for your intended use due to the weight, even if you can manage to fit it in. How about a smaller version of your Explorer - something like a Honda CR-V or a Toyota RAV4?

jinman · Jun 20, 2010

Rich, from what I've seen and heard about the Prius, I just don't think it will perform like you want and the job may be way too much for it. I think a vehicle that was first posted about here by Bird would be ideal for your business and provide the best all-around economy and utility for your purposes. It's called the Ford Transit Connect. I know you didn't ask for vehicle suggestions, but this vehicle just "screams" to be looked at for your application.

Bird · Jun 20, 2010

Yep, Jim, I haven't driven a transit connect, but the two nearest Ford dealers each stock several of them, and I'm seeing more of them on the road around here all the time. It sure would seem to me to be a good vehicle for the milk deliveries, probably easier to load and unload than any of the others mentioned.

dmccarty · Jun 21, 2010

I was going to mention the Transit as well. They have a couple sitting on the dealer's lot in our town. I just looked up the specs and the MPG stinks. 23 combined and 25 on the highway.

My F350 7.3 diesel, Crew Cab, 8 foot bed, and 4x4 gets 20.5 to 22 on the highway. Lately the MPG has settled in around 21.5.

I see a couple Priuses driving on my trip to work. Given that much of their drive has to be rural highway I wonder why they have a Prius? I thought the only reason to have one was for city stop and go traffic? Otherwise you are just running the engine at highway speeds?

I looked at the Prius years ago and it seemed like one paid a good $3,000 extra for one compared to a regular econo car with no battery.

Not only should one look at the how much weight the vehicle can handle but how easy is it to load and unload. How is 50 gallons/400 pounds getting loaded and unloaded? I just can't visualize how that much weight in that size getting into a hatch back.

Later,
Dan

IslandTractor · Jun 21, 2010

While it is clearly not designed as a commercial delivery vehicle, I still think the VW Jetta Sportwagen diesel would be an acceptable choice. It has a weight capacity of 980lbs including driver which puts it right at but not over it's limit for cargo. It has a true station wagen hatch with low liftover height. Some sort of sliding apparatus could be rigged to facilitate getting the containers in and out. And, it gets over 40mpg highway.

If Ford made a diesel Transit that would be even better. I'm sure they sell a diesel version in Europe and wonder when they'll bring that to the US.

Bird · Jun 21, 2010

I was going to mention the Transit as well. They have a couple sitting on the dealer's lot in our town. I just looked up the specs and the MPG stinks. 23 combined and 25 on the highway.

Yep, the fuel mileage alone isn't really great, but if you're going to compare it to your F350, how about including the original price comparison and the fuel price comparison.:laughing:

You do mention the ease of loading/unloading, then you might consider the cost of tires, oil changes, etc. And how much difference is there in the convenience of parking, maneuvering in tight places, and such.

But having been married for quite a few years, I reckon perhaps the most important consideration is what she likes to drive.:laughing:

As with tractors, I'd recommend going for a test drive in each vehicle under consideration before buying any of them.

RobertN · Jun 21, 2010

Jeff Dunham has some good commentary on Prius's...

dgl24087 · Jun 21, 2010

The Subaru Forester might fit the bill. Higher profile cargo area (especially the earlier models), awd.

dmccarty · Jun 21, 2010

Bird said:
Yep, the fuel mileage alone isn't really great, but if you're going to compare it to your F350, how about including the original price comparison and the fuel price comparison.:laughing:

I was not suggesting that the F350 is a good vehicle for the intended purpose.

Just shocked at how such a wee little itty bitty truck can have such low MPG.

Best I can tell my truck is about 30% more expensive but a heck more useful.

The truck sure is not fun to drive in tight spaces like the city and on the open road it is the best riding and driving vehicle I have ever had. Its is much better than the Honda we had or the Toyota we know own.

Too bad Isuzu does not still make their little truck with a diesel. I would guess it could handle the payload and sure got good mileage.

Later,
Dan

bdeboer · Jun 21, 2010

Along the lines of weight, I would think that the mileage advantage of the hybrid would be lost trying to get the Prius up to speed. This would depend on the amount of start/stops etc. I also wonder how well it would stop if the milk got sloshing around.

An example of the mileage loss would be a my '95 dakota 4x4 3.9L V6 extended cab that would get 20 mpg on the freeway, but 12 mpg on my daily commute. Replaced the truck with a '99 GMC Sierra 5.3L V8 full size 4x4 extended cab and got 17 on the freeway with 16 mpg on the same daily commute.