What do you say to Prius Bashers?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(peanutmac @ Jun 5 2006, 03:11 AM) [snapback]265879[/snapback]</div>

One of my favorite replies is "You're right! I must have been having a blond moment. :huh: I am sooo very glad you are telling me now that I have already purchased the car. I am trying to sell my last car since it only got 32 mpg and has started to have electrical problems which are very expensive to track down. Perhaps you know of someone interested? I am also selling (insert many items here), you know the prius is an expensive car and I really need to raise some capital to pay for it. The cost of running it is low since I get 50 or more mpg and only need one oil change every 5000 miles, I guess I'll need to start saving for the next car since I'm unlikely to have this one after the 10 year warranty on the battery runs out. I am sooo glad my insurance barely went up over what I was paying on the old junker without full coverage. I do hope I can count on you for advice on my next major purchase (insert furnace, house, vacation home, remodeling kitchen or anything else expensive here) As a matter of fact maybe you could do some research on it for me?" Normally if the person hasn't left this is where they do.(very evil grin)
If I am in a kindly mood I simply inquire where they got their information. If it is just heresay, I tell them that is what I thought might be the case and let them know some actual facts and figures. The truth tends to be more powerful than anything they might have heard. Since I own the car, they don't, at worst I have heard things like "Well you are warned then." or "I do not know sounds dicey." Most often I hear "Wow you really did your research." or "I didn't know all that."

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chinook-hybrid @ Jun 5 2006, 08:24 PM) [snapback]266331[/snapback]</div>

I did see one recently, although I didn't get a picture. A classic Prius was towing a small sailboat (just a dory; I'm sure the boat and trailer were under 1000 lbs.) Probably not recommended.

 

To the "0 to 60" issue, one might say, "If I were intending to drag race the car, that would have been a concern of mine." :lol:

Personally, I think this speaks to the marketing blather in the US that it has to be fast and furious to be a worthy machine. People in the marketplace have been programmed by marketing departments to think that 0-60 time is important and makes a car worthy of having , when most people who have a car that does 0-60 in the blink of an eye will almost certainly never use it in an instance where it counts, unless, of course, they are trying to get away from something.

After a few days of driving my new 06, I'm finding it quite peppy. For 12 years, I drove an Acura Integra. Although I have not tried to "hot rod" from a standstill, yet :lol:, the car seems nearly as peppy as my Integra was. When the car is in motion, instantaneous acceleration seems virtually the same as the Integra was. I guess having an electric motor with 274 ft-lb of torque helps. :lol: However, so far, my MPG reading is 52.6 and climbing with less than 80 mi on the car. My main focus is fuel economy where ever possible and blending in with the insanity of traffic only when absolutely necessary . I have found a nice, peaceful (for the most part) route to work where I can use the hybrid aspects of the car for fuel savings to a large degree.

 

Funny thing, the Escalade depreciates at least $5,000 or more the very MINUTE you drive it off the lot, and even though most Lexus' hold their value better (of course, Toyota product!!) they still take a pretty steep depreciation hit right away. How many can say that about their Prius? I saw a '05 Prius w/ 15K at CarMax this weekend that was $25,998!

 

How about printing up a buncha copies of THIS and handing it out?

EDIT: <strike>(oops--guess I don't quite have the hang of that bb code stuff...)</strike> (fixed hyperlink--now getting the hang of bb code...)

It does occur to me, however, that I am not sure if that links to whatever "current" page appeared most recently, or if it is tied to the url...the former, I fear. Now, despite having used computers since way back when, can I figure out how to grab the image here and not just the stupid link? NOOOOOO!!!! :huh:

Well, it's the June 4th Opus cartoon. I seem to be able to email the image just fine--so anybody who wants can PM me or whatever--not that I don't think everyone is more than capable of googling it, as I did...oh whatever...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jclay1965 @ Jun 5 2006, 11:05 PM) [snapback]266479[/snapback]</div>

Well, there you have it. Here's another instance where the Prius just cannot match the performance of the Escalade. Shoot, it'll probably take a Prius two YEARS to depreciate that much.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ServoScanMan @ Jun 5 2006, 06:16 AM) [snapback]265893[/snapback]</div>

You can't teach some old people new tricks, its human nature to resist change. On the other hand I feel that the young people today do GET IT, and this is a good thing. maybe the education system is doing something right after all

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ Jun 5 2006, 04:18 PM) [snapback]266168[/snapback]</div>

I keep the reply even simpler to the ignorant. I just say OK if you think I'm not saving money (tax rebate, less gas, terrific resale etc), that's fine, let's call it even. Just look at it as my choice between giving money to Toyota or to Exxon (and Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Iran) and helping minimize environmental impact as a freebie.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(palau @ Jun 5 2006, 02:43 PM) [snapback]266100[/snapback]</div>

As I told my cousin who presumably got a Porsche Cayman last month (never replied after I compared the Prius features for $25K (AFTER tax rebate) to the Cayman at $60K) -

You are right, I can only exceed the highest legal speed limit in the country by 30 MPH. You will be able to exceed it by 95 MPH. (this was before Texas recently decided 80 MPH was reasonable. I guess they need to sell more oil). I also mentioned that it was nice his car will have a flag (the rear spoiler) that pops up at 75 MPH to tell the California Highway Patrol that he would appreciate a ticket.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jclay1965 @ Jun 6 2006, 12:05 AM) [snapback]266479[/snapback]</div>

I would think it a tough sale given the $3K+ tax credit wouldn't apply and it wouldn't have the nifty rear view camera. One could buy brand spanking new with MORE features for LESS money. The tax credit didn't do any favors to anyone wanting to sell a 2004-2005 Prius. But then, most of us wouldn't want to anyway.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(peanutmac @ Jun 5 2006, 03:11 AM) [snapback]265879[/snapback]</div>

They are speaking of ignorance and made no effort to compare the Prius to whatever they bought instead. They live in a world of "if it isn't big and/or expensive" it won't convey how important *I* am. They will make excuses about how they need the room in that big SUV without considering that a little care in planning/packing would get them where they are going in the Prius just as easily and a lot cheaper (for them and the environment). These, of course, would be the same people who say you secretly envy THEM because you can't afford their SUV without knowing squat about your finances. They just assume that because THEY think owning an SUV is a status symbol, everyone else does as well. Barring the need to tow or carry BIG/heavy stuff, anyone who has need for a 4-5 passanger vehicle would be hard pressed to dump on a Prius after they drove one for a week.

I suggest 3 answers:

1. Drive one for a week or two then come tell me what a huge mistake I made
2. If you are interested, I'd be happy to discuss why I think I made a GREAT choice
3. For the really pissy people: Prius envy is not becoming!

I took a friend to Boston on Sat. His mother had thought about a Prius a year or so back as she does a fair number of Boston-Burlington trips but decided it would not have enough room (without actually finding out). She got a pre-Hybrid Highlander instead. After a couple of hours in my Prius and seeing all the features, he said "there is plenty of room in this car, I'm going to tell my mother to get one". Always an easy sell once they are in the car Those that show even mild initial interest when thay ask "how do you like it" stick around for as much description as I have time to give them once I start. I can't tell you how many people have said "you should get a commission!". I suppose I could get a job at the local dealer. The Gen 3 Prius has been sold for 2.5 years and I still know way more about it than the salespeople. I find that sad given how popular the car has become.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airpolgas @ Jun 5 2006, 01:14 PM) [snapback]266167[/snapback]</div>

At least check out the Highlander Hybrid. Nice vehicle.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jun 5 2006, 11:57 PM) [snapback]266290[/snapback]</div>

Hahahahahah!

Well, in the UK maybe the situation is a bit different. So far, I've had no negative comments at all - only positive. My Prius is a company car, so technically I didn't buy it. I did have to make a case to my bosses, but this was helped by the savings in fuel, and that the car is taxed considerably less than a conventional deisel.
For me, the main reason was that the Prius saves me personally $1300 a year in tax. Thats how much better off I am every year because of the Prius. In europe, most company car drivers are using diesels that come pretty close to the Prius in mpg, but cough out nasty particulates. Disesel company car drivers pay more tax and pay more for the fuel.
My Prius has more than enough acceleration when I want it and can have me doing 80-90mph before I realise and I'm not missing the extra power/speed/space of my old 130bhp diesel one bit.
Oh, and I'm helping to save the planet? Not really, as any car swallows up a huge amount of resources just to allow it to be built, let alone run.