Prius Haters.

Twice a week!

 

You know, one day I would love to own a 4x4 SUV... so I no longer have to worry if my Prius can pull out of a snow storm or clear certain driveways.

But for now, I'm super selfish and want to be stingy with gas and don't care what people think about my car.

There's a car for every purpose/lifestyle, and the Prius currently fits mine. I do dislike when I'm told that my Prius can't go off-roading or some other completely non-intended purpose, OH REALLY?

 

I have had a number of people making fun of my Prius since I bought mine a couple of months ago. However, having taken a few people around the block for a ride, I've found their opinion changes and become much more positive. And with petrol prices here in the UK now over £6 per gallon, more people are switching to more cost effective motoring - normally something diesel based. And that costs even more - nearer £6.50 per gallon!

There was an article in a UK national newspaper about a week ago by a respected motoring journalist suggesting that people should not be scared/put off by the technology used in the Prius and should take the plunge and buy one now before everyone realises how good they are and used prices start going up.

I'm very happy with my Prius. Coming from a Lexus GS300, I find the MPG astonishing and love the technology.

Pete

 

On one of the Enginer forums, a UK Prius driver was ornery about HIS $100 fillup. There but for the grace of ....

 

no offence to anyone but who gives a $hit what other people think, F'em.

i'm always the first one off the line, but people in phoenix are IDIOTS. i've had people yell fag, homo (2 times), and queer since i started driving my prius 1 month ago...none of those 4 people would get out of the car when i got out and requested such.

Anyways...back to my previous thought, who cares what the lemmings think of it...it's comfy, it gets good fuel economy, it has cool features...works for me.

 

eh, you might want to inform them that Morons like themselves are the reason for our country being in the crapper.

 

I have had a couple people at work tease me about the purchase but like I tell my kids, I am old enough to not have to be cool which makes life a lot more enjoyable. Do your own thing and don't worry about the folks who still have to be cool and pay 3-4 times the amount for getting around.:welcome:

 

And adding that maybe it is also because of years of building shit cars...
Japanese invaded the US market not with the Prius, but with quality and reliability. And actually made US cars better in the end (or at least I am told).

 

That's really bad - not nice at all. Never seen anything like this here in Europe. But again, here the perception of owning a fuel saving vehicle, in particular a Prius, is seen as something "smart" - there is not too much to joke, when fuel is 9$/gal.
Apparently to be gay is the smart way to go.
(and see my signature below)

(BTW: in Germany, if you drive with a person that is not a relative, and somebody goes out like that and both hear him, you can actually take the license plate number, call the police and have him fined - they will actually do it...honest - the same goes with hand "signage" - nothing is tolerated except waving your open palm in front of your eyes (indicating - are you "idiot/mad/crazy) - show a finger, and you might well end up in front of a judge/police and get fined. Maybe another german PC user can comment on this).

 

i cover both ends of the spectrum in terms of vehicles i have a 2010 Prius parked along side of my 2005 3/4 ton dodge power wagon. so i really don't care what people say about my vehicles if they are paying for my gas then maybe i would, actually i still wouldn't care

 

Ouch I thought that was an exaggeration, but going by G8PCW's post above and after checking the exchange rates, the cost of petrol in UK really is close to $10 (US) per UK-gal. And the price of diesel over $10 per UK-gal.. Even accounting for the larger UK gallon that really is almost $100 US to fill a prius. Holy cow!

Oh well. I'll bet those crazy high fuel prices must be starting give some of the vocal Prius critics a great big dose of STFU.

 

I just got a new Prius II 2011 and took off from a light. I kept up with rest of traffic.I was not babying it. A young guy in a old muscle car went around me, cut in front of me and flipped me off. He was either mad at seeing the new car temporary tags, knowing I was getting 50 mpg to his 8 mpg or my support WA Troopers Association sticker on the rear window. He probably had gotten a few tickets the way he continued to cut in and out and speed. Five miles later and two lights later we both stopped at same light. Go figure lol. I sure enjoy this car.

 

Thanks for supporting the Troopers and for buying a Prius.

 

These are the glory days of Prius ownership, and hopefully many more will come! Someday we'll reminisce. Someday our grandkids will think we drove gas guzzlers, and boy will we have stories to tell them!

 

Having been a previous "Prius Hater" I can attest to validity of the posters views. I could not stand the Prius. I always thought (and kinda still do) that they were ugly cars. I also assumed all Prius owners were tree huggers and liberals from California (please don't hate me for being honest). In the DC area, I was also very jealous because Prius owners got a free pass in the HOV lane. Since owning one for a year, I could not have been more wrong. The Prius is quite possibly the most perfect commuter car ever made. I have even caught myself defending the Prius against these new electrics. I own a smart car as well and find the Prius so much better in almost every way. I am a Toyota fan of course, so there is a little bias there. Bottom line, most people don't know their opinion until they actually are faced with all the facts. Those haters likely have not owned one and many never will due to stubbornness. I have experienced similar extreme views with the Smart car. Of course, I hate my Smart now and didn't in the beginning. Funny how things work out.

 

Further, if I think the whole paradigm needs to change. If you are strongly jingoistic, xenophobic and patriotic, A plug-in Prius is for you for the following reason:

1. Even though it uses more energy than strictly burning gasoline; hence, is not energy friendly or energy saving, it does shift dollars from being exported to less than desirable countries including: Venezuela, Russia, Mexico, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Angola and Britain to name a few. Instead, it replaces it with domestically produced and All-American coal. It makes the US stronger all the while challenging the political power of the unthinking environmentalists.

2. Even though a PHEV uses more energy to go an equivalent mile on electricity than on gasoline, we get to use the heavily regulated, quasi government electricity para-statals by burdening the energy sector with less efficient production and distribution means all at a cost of approximately equivalent to 80 cents worth of electricity per gallon. Using heavily subsidized and inefficient energy sources bankrupts those funding such entities and leaves a more vibrant and free private sector. Much the same way that if the government were to subsidize corn and hide the true cost of production, if we all shifted to corn because it were cheaper we'd make that market highly untenable in the long run. So, we'd use up the cheap electricity until it was no longer feasible to keep giving it away. It would get the government out of the subsidy game quicker. We all know how environmentalists want us to "pay the real cost" for everything, so this is good.

3. The best part is it chokes the government of tax revenue. A PHEV uses as much as 80% LESS gasoline than a conventional car. This joyously takes money away from the sick drunks and corrupt special interests that we have leading our cities, states and at the Federal government who just want to tax us endlessly at the pump so they have the resources to change the way we live our lives, i.e. social engineering. They long to be like Britain with nearly $7/gallon in taxes. This cuts their knees off.

4. An elimination of imported oil and replacement with American hydrocarbons would immediately zero our foreign trade imbalance as well as provide jobs locally. All good stuff.

5. There would be no justification to go fight oil wars anywhere on the planet. If the middle east wants to cater to China and get in bed with them, let's hope they don't all get too sticky from the black crude they share.

I have no idea how this car became cause de celebre of the environmentalist when it is a very pro liberty vehicle.

 

I would like to thank Ford for my Prius love. I too was a hater...not overly vocal but I would have never even thought of driving one.

Our 2000 Explorer was getting less reliable and we had a family vacation to FL planned. I decided to rent a car because it would get better gas mileage and I wouldn't have to worry about breaking down. When I got to the rental lot they tried to give me the Ford Escape. I said No, I rented a car to get away from an SUV, you are not putting me in another one. She said, well, you can take the Prius, its the only car we have.

I hemmed and hawed but actually got a bit excited...hey if its crap its just a rental and it's not MINE so I am not a dork for driving it right?

Trip was July 2-8th and we bought our 2010 on the 15th or so.

Thanks Ford!

My car has a key line on the fender and a bumper puncture in the back...probably due to haters, maybe just due to idiots but they aren't too far seperated are they?

 

First, the Chinese government leads the world in renewable sources expenditure, and not just because of it size, with solar panels being the example. They are not corrupted by the self-proclaimed "pro-liberty" K street lobbyists who scare people about government regulation when all they want is to maintain their profits.

Second, many environmentalists are very much pro-liberty and that they only see government regulation as a last resort for fighting the corruption you describe. Whether that is naive is another debate, I don't think we will get anywhere describing the merits of anarcho-pacifism, or whatever version of "pro-liberty" you support.

 

China is trying to tie up every last oil producer on the planet to ensure their supply. Your comment, while it may be correct, doesn't change the fact that China is getting in bed with everybody to ensure their oil needs are met.

Further, I'm simply pointing out that the Prius is an excellent pro liberty vehicle for the reasons I've outlined.

 

The Chinese are pouring enourmous amounts of money into the Canadian north, especially in methane clathrate exploration and extraction