I just picked up the Prius v on Saturday and traded in my wife's BMW 3 series. For us, the decision made the most sense. Very practical for our needs with a baby due in late August and my anticipated commute from OC to LA. The combination of cargo space and fuel efficiency just could not be topped by any other vehicle based on my research. However, when I called my insurance company to update the insurance policy, the agent remarked, "You went from a BMW to a Prius"? Judging by his reaction, he did not seem to think much of the Prius. I'm not sure if I agree with that sentiment. I almost feel like the Prius is the "luxury" brand for hybrids. Ultimately, I really don't care what other people think about my car, but I was curious about the general perception of the Prius. Maybe my views about the Prius are different than the general public.
I don't think the insurance agent (and people who know cars) were baffled at your decision from a socio-economic standpoint. The Prius is a well-respected car, whether you think so or not. It is not a cheap and people know that. In fact, it's mostly considered a yuppy car. Guess what, so are BMWs. The difference is power. People who own BMWs err closer to the "auto enthusiast" crowd, so the idea of going from a BMW engine to Prius engine was probably the statement of shock you sensed from the insurance agent.
Congrats on your new Prius v. We also sold our 2006 BMW 325i and got a Prius v last week and at first my friends and colleagues were surprised that we went to a prius from BMW. But after seeing the vehicle and driving it, they want it to be their next car. With so much cargo space and great mpg, who wouldn't love it
Hey look at the whole picture... You have a long daily commute coming up. A baby due in late August. And you think The Prius has more cargo space, fuel efficiency and practicallity than your BMW3 series... The Insurance Agent should of been more baffled by why you hadn't changed from you BMW3 series than he should be that you did... But in anycase...your evaluation of The Prius is not out of line with a lot of peoples. The Insurance Agent was probably just bored...making small talk..and unfamilar with all your upcoming realities.... You've got the big picture... He has "Going from a BMW3 Series to a Prius".
Samyul – My guess is your insurance agent’s, “You went from a BMW to a Prius?†response was because he had to charge you lower car insurance premiums than you had been paying for your previous BMW “Autobahn Eater.†Welcome to the “Hybrid Hive†and the Fight In The War On Petrol Terrori$m --- One Gallon Of Gasoline Not Consumed At A Time. I transformed my Porsche-honed lead foot into a Prius-polished feather-light foot in 2006, and have not looked back except to view the many gas stations I electro-glide past in the rearview mirrors of my Prius Warfighters. lane:
So you traded a BMW in for a station wagon. Welcome to parenthood. The good news is that you're able to get a station wagon that gets close to 41MPG according to fuelly.com. Also...you're not giving up too much in the way of creature comforts, and although nobody is ever going to gush about how much fun it is to to drive on a twisty back country road with a G3, it's not a chore to drive one either. The public perception is what it is...and it's fueled in part by the hyper-fanatical and very thin skinned folks that make up a small but very vocal part of the Prius community. Like they said. It's a mainstream car now. YOU spun the numbers, and it wound up being the most logical car for YOU, and from the data you offered, I would concur---FWIW. Like they say in the motorcycle community. YOU have to ride YOUR ride. Get the kid(s) raised. Save for college. THEN get another fun car if that's what you're into. Good Luck!!!
While I'm sure there's a decent % of BMW owners who buy/lease because they're enthusiasts and like the driving experience, there's decent % who are clueless about cars and are simply buying for the brand and "prestige".
If the agent knew you, it might be out of surprise that you went from a Beemer to a Toyota car. Car fanatics also don't care much about the fuel economy, but more for the feel of the ride, so BMWers are sometimes liken for the 'feel' versus other factors. VW's marketing campaign for the parenting types was from "Fahrvergnugen" (Feel of the road) to "safe" As evident with this commercial: So for BMWs, Driving pleasure, the Prius doesn't really 'radiate' driving pleasure but being 'economical'. So people see the change for some as a surprise, and depending on history of a person, sometimes it is an unexpected switch over.
It is a completely different mindset, I went from an RX8 to my Leaf. I just got tired of getting 16 MPG, most people will not make the compromise in speed and handling so they do not understand why anyone would. We are now into the standard Prius vs V debate and deciding if the extra space is worth the 8 MPG. I'm sure that everyone that went one way or the other can justify their decision.
I am brand new to the Prius V myself (just got mine a week ago last Monday). I came from a 2007 Accord V6, which I really liked. On the Accord, the miles were getting up there (175K km) and a trade in was inevitable. I had already made up my mind that whatever I was going to get was going to be a wagon of some sort - I just like the usefulness of that. The V just fit with everything I was looking for. I was never really a lead foot in the Accord and always tried to get the best mileage I could. For me the goal of best mpg was never much of a financial reason, but more of a why would I buy more fuel than I have to in order to accomplish what I need? Anyways, to the point of the thread, I have found that there is a perception; I noticed it pretty quickly. Whether it is comments from people or the fact that there seems to be a few more tailgaters than in the Accord (despite the fact that I drive the same speed). I am not bothered in the least though and find myself chuckling when I pull out of the gas station in half the time as most cars, or watch that BMW guy push the premium button while shaking his head. I watch my fantastic mileage numbers as I cruise to work in the "slow lane" while a minivan roars past at 140 only to hit the same inevitable traffic snarl as I will 5 mins up the road. My perception of the Prii owners?? We just get it.
