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Hybrid Vehicles Toyota Prius Toyota Prius Test Drive - What Do You Think?
50 messages, Last post on Apr 27, 2007 at 2:03 PM
You are in the Toyota Prius Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: pathstar1 (Apr 09, 2007 11:46 am) For example, a Corolla, Yaris, Civic, or Fit will be cheaper to operate over that term than a Prius. I'm not sure what the median purchase price is for a Prius, but with the other alternatives, one is already starting with a $8 to $10K advantage over a Prius in purchase price. You'd have to buy a lot of gas to make up for that initial price differential. There's more than the price of gasoline when it comes to calculating total cost of operation of a vehicle.
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My Prius is the best car I've ever owned. I live in the mountains of Colorado and have two problems. 1. It's not a 4WD so when heavy snow falls, I prefer to use my 4WD Subaru Outback if it's not being used by my wife. If she is using it, I use the Prius which has Blizak snow tires, and have never had a problem. 2. On long, straight, steep mountain passes, like on I-70 to Denver, the battery boost runs out after 5 minutes or so. You are then running only on the ICE gasoline engine which is about half the total power so you can't accelerate past 75-80 or keep up with trucks going that fast. It is worst in very cold weather, with deep snow on the road, and strong head winds. That "perfect storm" has happened to me only once in 3 years. Otherwise the car is fine. A larger engine or "bigger" battery would solve that problem but be less efficient the rest of the time. A turbo booster would probably be the perfect solution. |
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Replying to: w9cw (Apr 19, 2007 5:52 am)
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Replying to: mickeyrom (Apr 19, 2007 6:25 am) Another cheaper alternative is a Camry LE. Certainly as comfortable, and 32 to 34MPG on the highway, and still cheaper if you watch the option list. The Prius is a great car, and a technological tour de force, but not something I would purchase. This is somewhat a paradox, as I'm an engineer, but one who believes in the K.I.S.S theory of design (Keep It Simple, Stupid).
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Replying to: w9cw (Apr 19, 2007 7:28 am) "32-34"MPG...thats quite adequate,but the city mileage IMO doesn't approach what's on the sticker.My car is rated 24 cty,but I've gotten as low as 12.2 ,so to me thats where you really save with a hybrid,more than on the highway.Consumer Reports rates virtually all the cars of the size of a Camry,at real world mileage ,city,at around 15 MPG.I'm speaking of the 4 cylinder models now,not the sixes. BTW we have several friends who have Prius,and in both cases put well 100K miles on them with no problems,so I think the technology is getting quite mature.
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Replying to: mickeyrom (Apr 19, 2007 7:52 am) But since you raised it, I'd love a car for 13K for my teenage son that has a good safety record and predictable handling. Your suggestions are....?
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Replying to: krawitzmail (Apr 19, 2007 8:11 am) I hope the moderator doesn't yell at me about posting this on the Prius thread,but I'm just answering your question. 
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I test drove the Prius twice - once in 2005 Aug, and again in 2007 March. Driving experiences are the same. In 2005, I rejected it outright because the dealer wanted a $6,000 mark up over MSRP (that's Toyota of Dallas) - trying to justify it with market conditions and tax breaks. I said "No thanks, I'll keep driving my Camry for a few more years" and left. In 2007, they are not asking for mark ups. However, there is more road noise and engine noise compared to my 10yo Camry (4cyl). I still get mileage over 33 driving between Dallas and Houston averaging 75mph and 27-28 in the city. Going to 40/45 won't save me much on gas. The Prius also feels flimsy - like the hood/dash/fender - everything is made of cheap plastic to make the vehicle lightweight. I remember - when I bought the Camry, the dealer asked me to lift the hood - "See, how heavy it is? This is how crumple zones work properly, and what saves you in a collision and gets the vehicle stability". The Prius dealer also told me to lift the hood - "See, how light it is? This is the new technology that helps with the great mileage". Now I don't know which is better, having a heavy hood or a light hood!  It's great technology, the dials and gadgets are fun to look at, but I could get into an accident trying to look at the shift of power between different sources and not focusing on the road. Headroom, legroom, hip room, shoulder room - every room is more than sufficient for me. The start button and the 3" shifter on dash are unique, too. The dash has a futuristic look to it, too. The big digit display deep in the dash (speedometer) could be a distraction, and I think the display size for the other meters should be comparable (they are much smaller) so you dont have to squint. The rearview camera is a nice feature while backing up. An aside (buying decisions are influenced by dealer reputation, too). A colleague of mine drove her Prius on a gravel road, and something went wrong with the suspension, within the warranty period. The dealer wouldn't recognize the problem, and she had a hard time with Toyota Customer Service to get the problem fixed. She will not recommend that dealership to anybody. Now we drive 12 more miles to the next dealership.  I wish some of the more popular, resale-able and reliable cars (like Camry/Accord/Civic) offered the options of Xenon headlight and backup camera, features useful for driving, as opposed to sunroof, designer wheels and surround sound systems. If they did, I would not even consider the Prius. Bottom line - If I spend that much money on options for creature comforts like leather seats, sunroof, Xenon headlamps, and not save substantially on gas, the Lexus ES would be a better upgrade for myself. 
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I just test drove 3 cars (on a rainy day), and was not properly shown any of them, even with vehicles inside the showroom! I'll guess which one has a heavy or light hood. I know more than the salesmen anywho. You know me!  DrFill |
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Replying to: krawitzmail (Apr 19, 2007 8:11 am) On that note: before you buy, check out what your car ins is going to be for a 16 yr old boy that has to have collision and comprehensive on it. You may quickly decide that an older car that you can pay for in full and carry liability only on is the way to go. Good luck and best wishes Peggy
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