2009 Prius Base - $19k - Page 25 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

NeilBlanchard · 08-03-2009, 09:27 PM

Hi Matt,

I just heard from a friend who has a 2007 -- the HID headlights became very intermittent (one or the other or both would just shut off!) and even though it is a "known" problem, it is not a recall. The bulbs are $150 EACH and they are (apparently) hard to replace because the front bumper cover has to come off? So, the dealer charged them $100 EACH to install the new bulbs -- even though it was strenuously pointed out to them that once the bumper was off for one, the second once can't be also $100 labor...

Have you heard of this issue?

Matt Herring · 08-03-2009, 09:31 PM

I've read about the HID replacements at priuschat...it's one of the ugly "cost of ownership" expenses for the Prius. It's hit or miss among the Gen II Prius so cross your fingers it doesn't come my way. In terms of the high cost for replacement...he's right on the mark...although I wouldn't go as high as $500 for the job. I would recommend checking with the local salvage yard to see if they have any HID's there...could save a bunch if they do.

And...it happens within 1000 miles of purchase or 50,000 miles or 100,000 miles...no reasonable explanation...and still not a recall on the Gen II's.

Matt Herring · 08-10-2009, 03:54 PM

Filled up with an all-time high tank today...64.3 mpg on my MFD (0.5 mpg higher than my best tank)! Also set all-time highs at my 100 intervals for every 100 mile mark...all around a great tank.

Jumped up to 15th on ecomodder gas/hybrid 90 day list. Rank 2nd on myhybridcar.com for Prius (out of 37 cars). Also started tracking mpg on fuelly.com and rank 2nd among Prius on that site (out of 175 cars).

Working towards getting my all-time mpg over 60mpg (at 59.1 mpg currently). Current 90 day mpg is 33.7% over EPA.

Running car pretty much stock at this point. Upper grill block and high psi only mods currently being used. Having EBH installed this Friday...now just have to find a place to plug in at home and at work...might be difficult at home (but looking).

SVOboy · 08-10-2009, 03:58 PM

Congrats on the best thank

Matt Herring · 08-15-2009, 02:24 PM

I met Wayne Mitchell from Priuschat in New Hampshire yesterday to have him install my EBH. It turned into a Prius EBH install party as 2 others joined Wayne and I in the fun! Wayne really saved me big time by installing the EBH for me (both in money and time) and I can't thank him enough (pics are included...mine is the gray Prius). After seeing the install I would have never been able to do this on my own...thanks Wayne!

I also got to ride along in his 2010 Prius which was a really cool. The car is sooooo much more stable than the Gen II models and has alot more giddyup thanks to the bigger engine.

One really cool thing Wayne showed me was a new instrumentation gadget that I believed he called an "MS1" from Japan. This thing was a super Scanguage (sorry no pics). It was fashioned from a Sony PSP handheld and gave you every bit of info. you could want for your car. Kind of like a scanguage with all the xguages programmed...and more! Would love to get one for my Prius...working on it!

FYI - The trip from my house to our meeting location in NH was a good chance to work on my highway driving and with little to no traffic in 85 degree temps I was able to get 70+ mpg for the round trip of 90 miles!