Why did you get your Prius?

I drive 60+ miles round trip five days per week and quite a bit on the weekends. I was running a BMW 528I (paid for) and was tired of watching my hard earned money go up in smoke sitting in DC traffic. So I took a closer look at the Prius. I had looked at it in 2000 but didn't want to pull that trigger because I was not convinced that I would really want to drive the car. Well the 2010 redesign was fantastic and I couldn't be happier. My co-workers, friends and family all thought I was nuts until they see it and ride in it. Now I am laughing all the way to the bank and the dealer said I have been the best source of recommendations. :rockon:

 

Because the wife wanted one. Not an environmentalist by any means. She wanted to save $ on gas. Justified the extra $ on buying versus the CX-7 she was going to buy. When I got down to the numbers and the increased cost of Prius versus the savings in gas it was a wash.

The kid is headed to college and I switched back to driving the Camry she was driving and the Sequoia is parked in the garage most of the time.

 

Saved some money, wanted a car when my workplace changed to a place awkward to reach by transit, but felt sort of guilty about wanting to buy a new car--and I wasn't eager to burn fossil fuel for any reason, really. And there were no affordable electric vehicles that could also do road trips, and I knew my car would live on the street, so would be hard to plug in.

I finally bought a 2005 Prius (in 2005) because I just thought it was so cool after reading up on it, seeing one or two in the street, then rented one for a weekend. I liked it. Super low emissions, low fuel consumption, not very sporty, true that!-- but absorbing to drive, in a different way than other cars. Also I wanted a hatchback. Plus the exotic blend of electric lightning and the fire of combustion caught my fancy--that whirling three-ring circus under the hood. Just too fascinating not to want it.

5 years later, I still love it. Mostly. And still fascinated. Been on long road trips (round BC on day trips and camping trips, Vancouver to Colorado, Vancouver to California), up and down mountains, through deserts and downpours, dared gravel roads, driven through pretty deep snow with chains on the tires. All in all, a good car. Never yet let me down (except it does get rather easily high centered in the snow--that 5 in clearance doesn't get you over much). Oh, and it's really good in the city, nips around well, and parks in the impossible spot when you have to. And the silence, yes, when we pause in traffic, while all around us engines are idling useless and poisonous. When will all cars be like this?

 

Got it for my 21st birthday. Was going to get an Infiniti G37, but hey, this gets better mileage. Parents paid though, so they got me the cheap barebones package which was a blessing in disguise, since i hear aftermarket audio upgrades are much more difficult with a JBL system already installed.

 

Great MPGs, reliable, good looking, roomy, lower cost of maintenance compared to my former vehicle, and the list goes on.....I plan on keeping the car for a very long time...slow and steady

 

My wife and I just wanted a little change of pace. We have always bought the highest HP car we could afford and didn't ever think about the fuel economy. It was time to trade off the dodge charger r/t and we decided to take a look at what the prius had to offer. What do ya know the little car has alot to offer and so far we really like it.

 

It was a good time to get a smaller car and the Prius was the best hybrid out there!

Originally saw the Prius on display at our local zoo 10 yrs ago and admired it's awesome abilities...use less fossil fuel AND get great mpg?!! :rockon:Wow!! But, at that time, we needed a "people mover" to carpool w/grandparents &/others to avoid driving multiple cars to places. We purchased a mini van a couple of years before that and still had a sedan that was in great condition. Also, we weren't sure if the technology would keep going in the hybrid direction or move on to another.

Passed on our sedan to a relative and test drove the GenII Pruis. Was won over by the car and all the tech stuff! Heard that an electric version might be coming w/GenIII, so waited. I knew I wanted to acknowledge Toyota and it's work on Prius :cheer2: by buying one sometime, but had solar panels installed on home in the meantime.

GenIII came along, not all-electric. Waiting lists, etc... Altho excited, waited it out. A hybrid in the family (for long-range driving and other reasons) would be useful. Bought Pkg II instead of original choice of Pkg V to wait for hopeful improvements of tech stuff. Could definitely appreciate the car for just it's "hybrid" techology.

Maybe tech improvements (on navi, bluetooth, JBL, dimming rear view mirror, even interior materials, squeaks, etc) will happen w/the EV version of the Prius which we might purchase next. It would be awesome to get away from using fossil fuels!

 

Efficiency. I commute 360 miles/week and after driving German sports sedans and a Porsche Boxster, I came to the realization that for the majority of driving I do, the Prius was a rational way to get me from point A to point B. It works as advertised.

 

Timing:
1993 es300 needed some serious work $3K plus many small things.
Cash for clunkers.

Emotion:
Wife enamored with car image.
Car looked cool.
Had the perfect gray. l
Loved the electric sound.

Technology:
2010 was all electric.
2010 did not have chain in synergy drive ( I hate chains in engines or drive trains)
Toytoa quality.
Prius had 10 year track record.
Millage a plus but commute is only 12 (now 8) miles.
Aspirations of hacking and plug in conversion.

 

We needed a new car and we went for a Camry in 2007. We didn't like it. The seats were not comfortable and we bought a dog and he didn't fit well. We traded it for an 2001 outback LLbean, kept it one year and did not enjoy it. We liked the idea of a Prius and Our dog fit in the back. When we factored in the MPG and the fact we could get leather, navigation, heated seats and a sun roof, It seemed like a good deal compared to other types of cars with the same options. So far we love it and the seats are so much better than in the camry. So far I'm getting 49 MPG after two trips over the Cascase mountains.

SM

 

Have had 2 Subaru and thought that's what I'd always drive. Love the styling of the '10 so set on that. MPG is a big draw as well as the technology. Can't wait to start seeing what the MPG can be but only on my first tank and probably only 50 miles so far!

 

I went car shopping with my wife to replace a 2001 Toyota Highlander. After 30 years of marrage, 2 kids , 2 mini vans and an suv, my wife wanted to pick a car she wanted. After being shown the build quality and driving the Prius, my wife was sold. Gas milage didn't even enter her mind when picking the Prius. She just like the car.

 

Got ours because my wife wanted it, she's a tree hugger. Same reason we got our 2004 Prius which we sold to our daughter before getting the new 2010.

 

Mrs. Voltan wanted one and I obeyed.

 

After two Corollas, a Supra Turbo, a Camry and a GS400, I wasn't hard to convince.

 

I was sick of spending $80 per week on gasoline, this was when gasoline in Los Angeles was getting close to $5.00 a gallon in 2008!

 

My 95 Pathfinder was going to need about 2-3k in work over the next year, and as relaible and trusty as she has been to me at 212k miles I made the decision that she wasn't worth putting the money into anymore.

So, I was looking at lots of older used SUVs to replace her...same way I had bought her 5 years ago. But I was also looking for something my wife could drive (my pathfinder was a stick shift.) Plus it needed room for kiddies on the way.

On a whim I ended up checking out the Prius and it had the storage space to hold all my big gear for work...and the lease deal I got....what I sold the Pathfinder for paid for the drive off with a little extra to pocket and my monthly including tax and GAP is about what it cost to keep the SUV filled over 4 weeks. Insurance was only 10 bucks a month more as well.

It was a no brainer.

 

We have been "car shopping" for over 8 years. During several of those years we vacationed in Europe and rented or leased nice diesels that got great gas mileage and kept hoping for something to turn up on this side of the pond. We were actually giving up on the thought of good gas mileage and looking at a Rav4. Had heard about Prius, my aunt and uncle drove one but thought it wouldn't be for us because of batteries and room. After a Rav4 test drive we sat in the 2010 Prius in the showroom and we were so surprised at how roomy it was. It was much more comfortable than the Rav, especially the backseats and the passenger-side front seat had a lot more leg room. 6 months later we came back for another Rav4 test drive and also tested a Prius and that was it. The dealer had a white 2010 VII arriving that week and we put down our deposit. We picked our new car up June 9th and have been thrilled with our choice ever since. Great gas mileage, plenty of room and a totally cool car We also don't pay too much attention to the Toyota recall hype. We feel that Toyota is a very reliable company and we feel like we've chosen well after 8 years of shopping. It was also a nice surprise to receive and nice discount because our niece is employed by Toyota. Every little bit of savings helps.