Prius Owners

windbetty · Joined: 14 May 1998 Posts: 325

Does anyone have a Prius with a gear rack on the top for windsurfing? We're thinking about getting one and I'd love to get feedback on if the car's ability to easily or not so easily transport windsurfing gear compared to other cars.

Thanks,
-Rebecca

slidersf · Joined: 22 Apr 2000 Posts: 21

I have no problems when I "borrow" my wife's Prius. She has Thule racks that work fine - even with 10' longboards. As with most hatchback/wagon style cars, I can stash my wave boards in the cab with the rear and passenger seats down when driving solo - you'd be surprised at the amount of room.

It's also surprisingly fun to drive...

Best,
Dave

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

How long do you keep your cars?

From http://tinyurl.com/yummdb
for the Prius, though, when compared with the Toyota Corolla LE, it would take 13.6 years to break even at 15,000 miles a year, Rosten said. Both cars have similar interior space. [And that's without gear on top.]

But if you're considering the Prius just to preserve dead dinosaurs globally, it'll make you feel better to cost-compare the Prius to a Camry instead.

\m/

allen · Joined: 13 Aug 1996 Posts: 237

The Prius's very aerodynamic design looks to be one of the ways they get decent hwy mileage. I was curious as to how much racks alone and racks/boards cut down on hwy mileage. Anyone?

dabull1 · Joined: 19 Mar 1997 Posts: 556

A Prius with roof racks? An aerodynamic disaster! May I suggest for the space-limited sailor the Naish Hybrid to properly compliment your hybrid style of transport. I fell head-over- heels in love with these sweethearts a few years ago in Maui. At a scant 7'0" in length, drop the passenger seat into recline position, and the Hybrid will slide right in with room to spare! My Hybrid 110 will handle up to an 8.0, the 89 will comfortably rocket along with up to a 6.0, and the surfy 85 tends toward 5.5 and smaller. These boards really perform, just ask MK, Theq,or jbassking! Do you think I'm stoked about these boards... I guess I am, I own FIVE of them between here and Maui!!! Aloha, Bull PS, they also fit great in the DeerHunter['06 Tundra] loaded with camping gear!

jp5 · Joined: 19 May 1998 Posts: 3394 Location: OnUr6

"just ask MK, Theq,or jbassking! Do you think I'm stoked about these boards... "

I can personally testify that I have seen DaBull swim his 85l Hybrid in to shore on numerous occasions.

sharkasm · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 149

mikecole · Joined: 21 Sep 2000 Posts: 164

I think you'd kill the mpg of your prius if you roof rack. No need to put gear on top of your prius if your going solo. Check out the Matrix as an alternative to the prius... It's based on the corolla platform but it's a hatchback. Looks to have ample room for gear if you tend to go solo and they can be had for about 17k.

Mike

SWE106 · Joined: 14 Feb 2005 Posts: 264 Location: San Mateo

my wife and I own both a prius ('07) and a KIA spectra5 ('05), which is like a toyota matrix. I haven't had the change to transport any windsurf gear on top or in the prius yet, but I use my KIA only for that.

Our prius does ~45mpg on average. My kia does 25-26mpg on average when I have all my gear on the roof racks (1 yakimo spacesaver 110 box containing all my sails, booms and masts; and 2 boards on the side). Without the gear and racks, it will do 30mpg on average. So I loose ~15% in mpg. Applying this to the prius, I would say it will do less than 40mpg, probably between 35 and 40, with all ur stuff on roof racks, as the car is sensitive to load, aerodynamics etc due to the relatively small gas and electric engine, compared to the car's size. Of course that is still a fabulous mpg, compared to any other car.

I used to have all my gear inside the KIA: I folded down the rear seat's 2/3, took out the back seat cushion and folded down the front seat. My oldest son could still sit comfy on the rear 1/3 that was now folded down, in his car seat. But now with 2 kids, they take up the entire back seat and everything (windsurf gear that is) went up the roof.

I actually prefer to have my stuff on the roof racks and in the cargo box. It is easily accessible, easy to put on and off, no wet gear any more inside the car ruining the interior etc. Best of all, the entire family can sit comfy in the car, we fill the trunk with beach stuff, a cooler, and what not, put my windsurf gear on top and off we go to the beach at 26mpg! Not bad!

Note, I am 6'4" and if I can sit comfy, it means the car is roomy and almsot anybody can sit comfy!

Ergeo Conclusio: I can recommend any such typ of compact hatch back car: matrix, vibe, spectra5, mazda3, prius etc if you don't need a big truck of SUV for your work or for a larger family (>2 kids) for example.

loopless · Joined: 30 Jun 1997 Posts: 426

You might want to wait and check out the VW Jetta TDI (Diesel) Wagon when it comes out later this year. It will blow the doors off the prius in performance/room/practicality with similar real-world economy. Anyone who has driven a modern diesel is amazed at how good they are.
Don't fall for the toyota con-job of selling an image of being green ( questionable as the energy/disposal costs of making a prius are very high) while they churn out gas hog V8 Tundras as fast as they can make them.