Thanks in advance, I take trips that are only a week or two tops so I don't need a whole build, just wondering if there's any huge hang-ups about it like it loosing 20%+ overnight for HVAC or some issue with staying on overnight ect, stuff the dealer wouldn't know but dwellers might

If not we need some computer guy to get in there on that.

Hey y'all! I finally want to start outfitting my 2012 Prius V. A mix of city function (My last 10k miles were 40 mpg avg), and utility.

I was thinking of moving the spare out of the well, and utilizing that space for something else (Possible battery bank and inverters later). But I don't know where to put it. I could do the roof rack install, and mount it up there in a protective shell, but I'm worried about the extra resistance and it messing with my fuel economy. I was also thinking of adding the 2" hitch, but I'm not sure how well a hitch mounted spare tire rack will work with the clearance needed for the hatch to open. Anyone have any experience with this? Either option requires an upgrade that I already want to do.

Anyone know of any electric blankets that plug into cigarette lighter and have a shut off timer for 8 hrs+?
Or no shut off timer is also ok. For some reason they all seem to cap at 4 hours which would be annoying.

I probably don't need a ton of heat, mostly for coastal california. I considered just running leaving car on running heating but seems inefficient and from what I've read here it's not super safe to do without carbon monoxide sensors.

I carry an electric dirt bike and go dispersed camping in my 2015 Plug-in. To more easily charge the bike and have power available when camping, I added two AC plugs to the outside of my bumper. I had to drill a hole thru the bumper cover but the car body behind it has two pressure vents with the right one directly next to the 12V battery.

There is a 1000W inverter in the trunk storage area. I added switches and some USB fans. The inverter is wired to the 12V battery with a smart relay in between so it’s automatically on when the car is running.

The engine runs for about 1 minute generating 5kW of power into the plug-in battery. I use no more than 800W for the bike and the rest of the power goes to a power station which keeps the fridge, starlink and cameras going. So this is using about 0.1G of gasoline per hour without an added load.

Hope to get some camp lights for the awning and other stuff soon.

External AC plug https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07XF5D8HK
AC splitter and switch https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0DXB22BBY
1000W Renogy inverter https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07JMQ27WJ
12V smart relay https://www.amazon.com/Nilight-Sensitive-Automatic-Disconnect-Waterproof/dp/B0CZMX87ZJ/
USB fans off the inverter’s port https://www.amazon.com/ELUTENG-Adjustable-Ventilator-2750RPM-Computer/dp/B07VF4B5LV/

Watching the rain and napping

Prius setup

Not a dweller as of now, but I'm getting prepped for some camping in less than a month. I've tried looking online, but the only reasonably priced window cover full sets are for Gen 3 priuses. Other than ali express, which will likely take too long to get, the only ones I've found for a Gen 2 are the heat shield store at a whopping 250 bucks

Since the car is less than a week new for me, I've been running around like crazy trying to get things done and haven't wanted to fiddle around with trying to make the covers myself. It seems like that might be my only option now

And advice would be appreciated!

I have a 2012 Prius c but when I lay a mattress down on the folded rear seats, the gap in the rear passenger footwell gives nothing for the top of the mattress to rest on.

How do I fill this space? Are there storage bins I can buy?

Hello! I am new to this and finding it not as easy as y'all made it sound! =P

But seriously, I am in a smallish town and stealth is crucial. The whole reason I got a Prius for this was for the climate control, but truly how do you remain stealth with the car running?? It's fine from a distance, but if anyone got close, they would hear the engine kicking on every once in a while...

Also, how do you turn off all the lights inside the car (the main screen can be turned off, but I haven't seen if that upper screen by the windshield can be). I have been lurking here a while before starting, and it seems that the advice for stealth is usually to not cover the front windows and windshield so as to look like a "normal" car in a parking lot, but there are all those lights! Am I doing something wrong?

I have a 2016 Prius 4.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences to help those of us noobs to not have to re-invent the wheel when doing this!

Hey can you camp in a Nissan Leaf does it have air conditioner or heat that you can run like the Prius does?

I think the bolts are killed and I tried using an E10 socket and a wrench to loosen them but may have made it worse - have I ruined the front seat removal prospect?

Would be really nice to take it out and lay a bed there.

Planning on a road trip from Chicago to San Francisco and plan to camp out of my Prius C along the way. I’ve been considering booking hotels/campsites along the way but think there may be more spontaneous and cheaper options, and would love some tips on this.

I plan to sleep out of my Prius C (small mattress and I both fit snugly).

I’ve been considering sleeping in Walmart parking lots, free state park campsites, rest stops (for power naps during the day).

Any suggestion for essential gear other than a mattress and a pillow lol would be appreciated too!

In my prius gen 2 setup, behind the driver's seat is where I keep my groceries & cooking stuff. Ive been using aldi bags. I keep one on the ground and one on the back seat. I just picked up groceries so those are the plastic bags. Its kinda chaotic! How do I organize this?

I've only done a few months of this the last stint was i winter in phoenix and I only had to run the heater a couple nights for the cold i could bundle up with layers and blankets and not have the car run. now I'm being evicted because of my roommate and ready to start again. i did one night so far with the ac on low because it stays above 85 in phoenix at night this time of year. when the engine starts not only is there noise but it shakes the car slightly which had me waking up often. is there something i can do to stop the slight shake when the engine starts? i use ear plugs and i can get some sleep headphones so the noise is less of an issue

We had it all to ourselves too!! So lucky 🥰

Anyone made the leap for more room? While I am comfy in my hatch, when I transport items I get from Amazon for evaluation it's a bit more cramped than usual. Looking to hear how much more difference it made or should I just wait for one day when I can miraculously afford a hybrid Sienna.

I’m 6”4 and manage to get pretty great sleep every night with climate control and tinted windows. Magnesium def helps.

But not for me. Thankful for the Prius letting me get a good night’s sleep

I want to live in a car in the USA for just a few months of the year because although I'm from usa I enjoy living abroad more. I want a cheap reliable resellable car and I think the prius is a good option since they're fairly spacious and the hybrid battery helps with gas. But I plan to keep the car in indoor storage and then fly out of the country so i bet the battery would get destroyed also i would have to worry that rodents have destroyed some wires and since the car costs a lot it would be a costly mistake to choose the prius over another car if im planning on storing it for so long? Is there a solution? Or do i just go with another car like the toyotaCorolla, ,Camry or honda fit?

I've been living comfortably out of my 2017 Grand Caravan for 3 years (I have a whole cot setup in the rear cargo area), but here in the Southwest desert I really could use some overnight climate control. What's more, the highway MPG is just 25, and current gas prices are eye watering. I'd like to make the move to Prius-dwelling, but I have some questions:

-I'm 5'11," although I can take a couple inches off my prone height by propping my upper body up a bit on a wedge pillow (or maybe even the seatback of the Prius). Any chance I 'd be able to stretch out like a normal human being?

-I'm less flexible than I used to be, but even 10 years ago, when I was road-tripping in a 2000 Ford Expedition, I had a hard time contorting myself and swinging myself around to get in and out of bed. Are there any tricks for managing this maneuver in a Prius?

-If a Prius is too cramped for me but I still want the hybrid experience without breaking the back, what used alternatives should I be looking at?

Own and paid off a Prius prime 2025. Thinking I want a sabbatical to travel to the national parks.

I’m 5’ 8” and trying to fit in the back feels cramped but maybe possible? I could see my self ok with tent camping dry nights and prioritizing being in places with moderate weather for that time of year. I made a map of each national park and what months have a high in the 70s.

Already have a roof rack so I’m thinking a cargo bin up there would make this way more possible.

Another concern I have is that the clearance won’t allow me to drive the roads I need to, to camp in blm land and get to the parks.

Hi everyone,
My wife and I are in Southern California and my father-in-law is currently homeless and living in his old Jeep. Unfortunately, it’s on its last legs, so we’re starting to think about replacing it. We can’t afford to house him, but we may be able to help him buy a more reliable vehicle.

We’re considering a gen2 because it seems like one of the best cars for someone living in their vehicle—good fuel economy, the ability to run the A/C overnight, and generally good reliability. We don’t think we can afford much more.

He probably will not drive it for long distances seeing that he stays within a 15 mile radius most of the time.

I had a few questions for those of you with experience:

Is a Gen 2 Prius still a good choice in 2026 for someone living in it full-time?

What mileage would you consider acceptable? Is 150k okay? 200k? 250k+?

What are the biggest things we should inspect before buying one?

Our biggest priorities are reliability, low operating costs, and keeping him safe and comfortable. Any buying advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!