Prius Owners?

[Super Doody]

Any Prius Owners here? My parents commute car just die so they need to buy a new car. I'm suggesting they buy a prius for the obvious reasons. Just wanted to hear some first hand feed back. Thanks.
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[goodtimes]

BajaXplorers wife (Amy--?) drives a hybrid of some sort as her commuter car. Don't recall if it is a prius or not though.

I'd be surprized if there is not a prius owners forum out there somewhere....

 

[Rockcrawler]

long term, you may wish to look at other technology... jetta diesel, small turbo gas engines etc. From what I have seen, the battery packs in the hybrids need to be replaced after a number of years at a high cost. In addition, the comparisons I've seen show that the cost of ownership is signficantly higher, even ignoring the battery issue. If I remember correctly, the most recent article I read in consumer reports basically said that the prius or similar vehicles are best for those "making a statement," but for those that are truly looking for economical transportation (especially since the tax breaks are just about gone) should stick with the more conventional technology... for now.

Kyle

 

[datrupr]

Toyota even did it's own press release claiming that the cost of ownership of a Prius over a period of 5 years is the same as the cost of ownership of a Corolla for the same time period, and the fuel savings of the Prius over 10 years is only something like $100 vs. a Corolla. The car is meant to make a statement, not to save $$$. Get a compact 4 banger or diesel and save the initial $$ up front. Not that it is a bad car, the technology just is not perfected yet, and while it is a bit "cleaner" than a standard internal combustion engine, it is not substantially cleaner to warrant the extra $$ spent for the not so extra savings in the long run IMO.

 

[Clutch]

The car is meant to make a statement, not to save $$$. Get a compact 4 banger or diesel and save the initial $$ up front.

People tend to go with trends, than looking at the basics.

The new Honda Fit has a base price of under 14K...and 38 mpg, HWY

http://automobiles.honda.com/models/model_overview.asp?ModelName=Fit

..and the Prius starts at just above 22K....

http://www.toyota.com/prius/index.html?s_van=GM_TN_HYBRID_PRIUS

..or if you wanted to stay with Toyota...they make the new Yaris which has about the same numbers of the Honda Fit, and roughly 2k cheaper on the base price.
http://www.toyota.com/yaris/models.html


CARB's list of cleanest burning cars....a hybrid didn't even make the small or mid size car list.

http://hybrid.autobytel.com/content.../article_page_order_int/7/article_id_int/1478

Of course, the cure all is...we need better public transportation, but, people do love their cars...

 

[M152]

I was listening to a radio program, a caller called in and did some quoting from consumer reports on the Prius. He was saying that the battery life was about 5 years (out of warranty time) and that between parts and labor the fix would be around $5,000.00. NICE!

 

[Maddmatt]

I don't own a Prius, but I've spent a little bit of time in one. With 3 full grown American males inside (175lbs-200+ (me) each) driving at highway speeds at altitudes between 5,000 and 8,000 feet I saw it return an honest 46mpg. That's not 60mpg, but it's a far sight better than the 16 my 4runner returns, and I would be interested to see what a Fit would do with 3 people in it at those elevations and speed.

I found it to be quite comfortable, even in back for my 6' frame, and I'm enough of a geek to really enjoy watching the little TV tell you how much fuel/electricity your using or generating.

I agree that if you're looking for "bang for the buck" a low mileage used Jetta TDI would probably be a better choice, but the hybrid technology is not entirely useless.

I would also guess that the estimate of $5k to replace the batteries is a bit low. I was in the wating room at a Ford dealer recently and overheard a customer complain about the $8k bill for new batteries in his Escape hybrid. That's steep.

This was probably no help, but that's what I know.
-Matt

 

[TangoBlue]

I have a 2003 Prius (Gen 1). I commute 100 miles per day, 5 days a week in the DC area and the only costs I have are for routine maintnenance and a new set of tires. This car has been a very reliable vehicle for me and comfortable one for my 73 in frame; everyone who has ridden in it has commented on how much interior room and comfort it has despite its apparent size. My MPG averages between 54 and 47, depending on the driving conditions. The only statement I'm concerned about is the one that comes from my credit card company - my fuel consumption is half of what it used to be. Perhaps you can wait for another technology to emerge that will realize even less fuel consumption - or rely on other options that are out there already that have been suggested above - but Toyota hybrid technology works and has proven itself for over 8 years now.

Yes, there are several Prius forums available and I urge you to check them out for more accurate and reliable information from pragmatic owners vice the opinion and third-hand information cited in this string.

I also have a 2001 2.7L 4x4 Tacoma. Urban or Off-road, I'm good to go - Semper Toyota!

 

[bigreen505]

I agree that if you're looking for "bang for the buck" a low mileage used Jetta TDI would probably be a better choice, but the hybrid technology is not entirely useless.

Actually, I don't think you could do much worse than a used Volkswagen! In Colorado, a new TDI runs about $21,000. A used one with about 80,000 miles on the clock runs about $18,000. Perhaps that is just Colorado.

You really have to consider how the car will be used. If you are just tooling around the city, it is hard to beat the efficiency of a hybrid. If you are looking for a vehicle that will see some highway time, the diesels are a vast improvement. On a recent cross country trip (Denver to Seattle and back) my friend averaged 55 mpg in his TDI Golf. Real, repeatable numbers.

Just one opinion from someone without any first hand hybrid experience.

One thing that you cannot argue is the size of the Prius -- big is good.

 

[Super Doody]

I don't own a Prius, but I've spent a little bit of time in one. With 3 full grown American males inside (175lbs-200+ (me) each) driving at highway speeds at altitudes between 5,000 and 8,000 feet I saw it return an honest 46mpg. That's not 60mpg, but it's a far sight better than the 16 my 4runner returns, and I would be interested to see what a Fit would do with 3 people in it at those elevations and speed.

I found it to be quite comfortable, even in back for my 6' frame, and I'm enough of a geek to really enjoy watching the little TV tell you how much fuel/electricity your using or generating.

I agree that if you're looking for "bang for the buck" a low mileage used Jetta TDI would probably be a better choice, but the hybrid technology is not entirely useless.

I would also guess that the estimate of $5k to replace the batteries is a bit low. I was in the wating room at a Ford dealer recently and overheard a customer complain about the $8k bill for new batteries in his Escape hybrid. That's steep.

This was probably no help, but that's what I know.
-Matt

Its 60 MGP city becuase of the stop and go, it use the electric motors more. 50 mpg is for highway.

 

[Super Doody]

long term, you may wish to look at other technology... jetta diesel, small turbo gas engines etc. From what I have seen, the battery packs in the hybrids need to be replaced after a number of years at a high cost. In addition, the comparisons I've seen show that the cost of ownership is signficantly higher, even ignoring the battery issue. If I remember correctly, the most recent article I read in consumer reports basically said that the prius or similar vehicles are best for those "making a statement," but for those that are truly looking for economical transportation (especially since the tax breaks are just about gone) should stick with the more conventional technology... for now.

Kyle

We just bought one the other day. For 2007 the battery is warrantied for 10 years. And the hybrid synergy drive systme is warrantied for 15 years. We got ours about 300$ below invoice. Its a buyers market now. Even with most basic package, you get back up camera, vsc, steering wheel controls for air and radio, and it has like 6 air bags. The Yaris is a tuna can. I would want anyone to drove one of those with H2s and other full size SUV on the road.

 

[Super Doody]

Sort of a FYI. First tank of on prius, we only got about 40 mpg. Still good but not as good as advertised. Hoping to get 50s at least since it will be 80% freeway, 20% city.

Not a lot good Prius forum out there with valid tech info. Seems as though 40 mpg is normal first tank. Every attributes it to break in period with know techical info to back it up. Oh well.

 

[BigAl]

my experience

all of the other Prius threads had ton of bashing, so i brought this first one back to life...

I needed a rental car for a 2 day business trip yesterday, when I got to the airport, they gave me a brand new Prius. I was a little skeptical, but the car won me over. It smoothly crusied up to 80 plus mph. I liked the dash layout and the under console tray was awesome for trip related gadgets,(chargers, tomtom, ipod, etc.) It all stored out of site, out of mind, but you could easlity grab it. It had enough power for merging in NYC rush hour traffic. My only complaint is that they look kinda dorky, but it went 515 miles on 9.1 gallons of gas:smiley_drive:

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Any Prius Owners here? My parents commute car just die so they need to buy a new car. I'm suggesting they buy a prius for the obvious reasons. Just wanted to hear some first hand feed back. Thanks.
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I looked into them a few years back, the Jetta with the TDI ended up being a much better car for the money and had better fuel economy.

 

[spencyg]

Did you hear the latest babble about Toyota considering calling all future hybrid cars "Prius"? Camry Prius, Corrola Prius, Prius Prius....apparently the American public are a little too slow on the uptake to realize that "Prius" is the model name, and not the technology. Sometimes my neighbors make me sad...

http://www.hybridcars.com/news/prius-takes-center-stage-toyota-turnaround-26128.html

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