Last night on our local ABC network, they kept showing previews for the 11:00 news. The preview showed a Prius driving around, and they would say "Are hybrids costing owners extra money each year? What the auto makers don't want you to hear- the hidden cost of hybrids" So I stayed up to watch the news piece, and although they eventually said that the Prius wasn't one of the ones that has hidden costs, but they still keep showing the Prius when they say these things! I went on their web page to see if the article was there, here is the link: http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=...umer&id=4088934
I'm a subscriber to CS and was pretty pissed off and then amused by this article. They had one dismissive little "sentence" about the low emissions, and it was buried behind their $$$ avalanche of HEARSAY (like the "...after 5 years of owning a Hybrid Highlander..."--WHICH HASN'T EVEN BEEN OUT A YEAR!) The low emission aspect is a BIG reason why I bought my Prius.
Yes I noticed what they said about the Highlander- what a nice assumption! And what ticked me off was all their previews for the news, and they show a Prius and then say "WARNING- HIDDEN HYBRID COSTS" Now I am waiting for someone to ask me "so what's the hidden cost to the Prius"
wow.. $400 over a Corolla?!? I wonder how much vs. a Camry? $800? Compared to my friends, I'm paying peanuts for fuel and insurance. My friends keep complaining about the prices (but proudly say their car runs on premium fuel). Their average is more than twice mine and their fuel costs are waaay higher than mine even though I do more km/year than they do.
That's what I don't understand- where do they get their figures? I am saving so much money on fuel- that it more than pays for the price difference... plus with a Corolla you don't get cool options like SKS etc. edit- or the fact that you are helping the environment.
Exactly. I could've gotten a cool Solara SLE V6 loaded with all the options for the price of my Prius. But you can't beat the cool factor of EV, SKS, a touchscreen and the fun factors discussed in the other thread.
exactly. we were looking at the solara, loaded. at dealer cost plus $100. still got the prius at msrp because of all the cooler features and long term gas savings.
I was actually looking at the Corolla LE Pkg "B" (leather seat surfaces, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, chrome shift knob button, side/side curtains, power moonroof, theft-deterrent, chrome interior door handles). The difference between me and those "Prius vs. Corolla" is that I wasn't looking at the Prius at all. I just test drove one for the heck of it cause I never tried the Classic Prius so I thought I might as well try it. My dad and I were so impressed with it, we decided to get it instead.
Hidden cost of hybrids? Now that gas prices are topping $3.00/gallon (at least here in Southern California) maybe it's time to pull out the ol' Toyota Fuel Cost Savings Calculator. Link: http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2006/prius/...t_sav_calc.html Compared to my 6-cylinder Ford Ranger it replaces, my Prius is saving me almost $1,400/year (465 gallons of gas) and at least 25 trips to the gas station! And let's not forget the long term savings of no alternator or starter to repair or replace, and minimal friction brake wear. Did I say I love this car?
Or talk to that Mustang driver that blew past me gliding up to a stop light 2 days ago. He was incensed that I was slowing down (reads gilding up to the light down hill at 40 mph). He felt a need to get out of his car and scream at me through a closed (and locked) window of my Prius. Really I was going 40+ mph at the top of the hill and all I did is take my foot off the gas. He yelled and gesticulated and got back in his car. I then lost it. Sorry! I rolled the window down as the light was turning green and shouted... " What Miles Per Gallon are you Getting". Really... Really dumb. Thank goodness he revved his V8 and burnt his tires up the hill. I promise not it antagonize anyone again. Mia Culpa
