XM Satellite Radio in 2004 Prius - HA! A joke!

[pkastl]

After experiencing XM Satellite Radio in a friend's car, I decided to order one at my Toyota dealership in New Orleans. Note that you can see this unit at http://www.coastaletech.com/xm_radio_in_prius.htm

Coastal Etech sells the unit for $410 and charges $50 to install it, if you want to drive to Florida (the Atlantic side, no less). My local Toyota dealership said it costs $265 and that they would install it for $150.

I ordered it, only to find out (after I left the car all day) that this was the 2001-2003 part; there was no listing in the master parts list for this XM Radio thingie. So I waited 3 weeks, while the parts people called first Houston (the zone office) and then the rest of the US, to find not only the price and availability, but also anyone who knew anything about it at all.

So far, nothing. I asked for and got a refund today, and I am waiting for some acknowledgement of the XM gadget advertised in the original car brochure.

Moral: the engineers who designed the 2004 Prius are geniuses; the people who run Toyota are morons. Oops! Was that tacky? How about "ill-prepared for transitioning to new technology," a kinder, gentler way of putting it.

[Lil Lucas]

lol, i thought you could install it by yourself if you wanted to
the 150$ to install is crazy... i think there's instructions up somewhere on the yahoo groups

[pkastl]

Thanks to those who e-mailed me about installing XM. Nevertheless, I still wanted to find out Toyota's price for the part and installation.

I called the California "Toyota Experience" phone line, apparently the US headquarters. The result? XM Satellite Radio is NOT listed as an accessory in the 2004 Prius master parts list, even though it is advertised in product literature. The representative said he would suggest that it be added to the 2005 model!

I pointed out that it was advertised for 2004 and that 3rd party companies (i.e., Coastaletech) demonstrate on the internet that the capability is built in to the 2004 model. He said he would include this information in his official request.

So my question is this: if you get XM put in or put it in yourself, are you messing up your Toyota warranty?

[Lil Lucas]

Doubt it, but ask on the yahoo group forums
and i'll ask on greenhybrid.com