[Doug]

1.) Is it OK to wash the car in one of the self cleaning car washes that have the pressure sprayers and the brisstled brushes or would that cause some small scratches on the finish when using the brush?
2.) Is it better to use a Mobil One synthetic oil and is it OK for the owner to change the oil themself or should the dealer do that?
3.) Is the air filter in the engine and cabin easy to replace yourself or does the dealer have to do that too?
4.) I have read that the 87 octane is the prefered gas to use but is one brand of gas better than someone elses like BP compared to Marathon etc?
5.) Should I increase the tire pressure a couple of pounds to improve milage or is the manufacture recommendations OK?
I have been waiting for one year to get a Prius and mine arrives on March 6th. I want to do everything I can to take the best care of it and make it last until the next upgrade Prius arrives in 3 to 5 years.

 

[moocatdog]

1.) Is it OK to wash the car in one of the self cleaning car washes that have the pressure sprayers and the brisstled brushes or would that cause some small scratches on the finish when using the brush?
2.) Is it better to use a Mobil One synthetic oil and is it OK for the owner to change the oil themself or should the dealer do that?
3.) Is the air filter in the engine and cabin easy to replace yourself or does the dealer have to do that too?
4.) I have read that the 87 octane is the prefered gas to use but is one brand of gas better than someone elses like BP compared to Marathon etc?
5.) Should I increase the tire pressure a couple of pounds to improve milage or is the manufacture recommendations OK?
I have been waiting for one year to get a Prius and mine arrives on March 6th. I want to do everything I can to take the best care of it and make it last until the next upgrade Prius arrives in 3 to 5 years.

Doug,
Take a minute to snoop around the two Prius categories here and you'll find a lot of useful information related to oil, gas, and tire pressure. (You can also check the boards at priuschat.com or peruse the great Prius web site http://www.john1701a) As for car washes, Toyotas are known for having better than average paint, so if your current vehicle has survived your local car wash unscathed, chances are the Prius will too. However, keep in mind that at least one person here has lost their rear window wiper assembly to a "brushless" automatic car wash. IMO, getting your Prius to "last" 3 to 5 years is a no-brainer--no matter the type of oil or brand of gas. Your thoughtful maintenance will be appreciated by the next owner and help you bank some good karma.
Drive happy,
Moo

 

[Fredo]

The air ceaner under the dash is VERY easy to replace, about the easiest of any car I've ever owned. The air filter is right down front where it's easy to get to, and there's about 5 spring clips to hold the cover on. The cover filts off with no hoses or other attatchments, and the filter lifts out. This is about as easy as the old round filters with the single wing nut, andthere's no wing nut to loose. (I opened it last weekend, just to see how it was configured.)

The manual says that the interior filter is behind the glove boxes. I think the lower glove box opens, and can be removed. The filter should be behind this. I haven't tried this yet, but I doubt it should be difficult.

Purists would probably say to never use a brush to wash your car because it might scratch it. They'll also insist on carnuba wax and will argue for hours about the best brand and buffing patterns. It''s a car. The better you treat it, the better stay looking. How much improvement for how much improvement is the tradeoff. If you've had a car, see what the results of what you've been doing has been, and adjust.

I've just switched from a brush to a cotton mit, because I think the brush was scratching my previous car. Maybe it was just the brush I had, and I've only washed my Prius once, so I don't really know that the mit isn't scratching.

I don't think the pressure wands at the car wash should cause any problems. Be a little carefull around the wiper blades, and be sure the windows are all up.

I agree with Moo, for 3 to 5 years, it'll be hard to mess anything up too bad. It sounds lfrom your questions that you're carefull and conciencious, so I don't think you'll have any problems.

And congratulations! I know you'll love your new Prius.

 

[Doug]

How about the cabin and engine air filters? Can you buy them at the car parts stores or just from a Toyota dealer? What brand of oil filter is the very best? i think I will go with the Mobil 1 synthetic oil based on what I read in the older areas of this chat group. Also, is Johns address changed because I couldn't get it to load up.

 

[mrv]

How about the cabin and engine air filters? Can you buy them at the car parts stores or just from a Toyota dealer? What brand of oil filter is the very best? i think I will go with the Mobil 1 synthetic oil based on what I read in the older areas of this chat group. Also, is Johns address changed because I couldn't get it to load up.

John's address hasn't changed, just
the URL listed earlier in this thread
was incorrectly inputted.

http://www.john1701a.com/

 

[autoxic]

John's address hasn't changed, just
the URL listed earlier in this thread
was incorrectly inputted.

http://www.john1701a.com/

I think you must use http://john1701a.com now. John was tired of www it seems.

 

[Prz]

I think you must use http://john1701a.com now. John was tired of www it seems.

On this website, there is a picture of a German Prius in Blue with bumper protectors. Does anyone know how to order these parts from Europe?