Will you still be happy with your Prius if gas gets cheap?

Yes!
Easiest post to respond to all day!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ Sep 5 2006, 01:07 PM) [snapback]314634[/snapback]</div>

I"v owned 2 Peugeots, 3 VW, 3 Toyotas, 2 Hondas. All bought because they wera efficient. The last American car I owned was in 1961. All good cars, but none very effficient. When gas was .25 cents a gallon I bought my first Peogeot, for the economy. It also had many unique features, Sunroof, SS Trim and Hubcaps, the seats could be made into a bed (very useful on my limited income and my bachelor lifestyle). I bought the Prius, knowing it was fuel efficient, and whether gasoline cost .10 0r $5.00 a gal, it would still be one of the most fuel efficient cars on the market. Out of a field of about TWO others, both civcs. What really got my attention was the Multi-Display. That is what sold me over the Honda Civic Hybrid. My other car IS a Honda Civic, Non Hybrid. Also bought for the same reasons as above.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(abqrichard @ Sep 16 2006, 09:30 PM) [snapback]320680[/snapback]</div>

The price of oil has very little to do with politics and everything to do with Supply and demand. Every Fall prices on all oil products decrease, with the exception of heating oil. Those people who did not fill their heating oil fuel tanks during the summer when demand was less must pay more in Fall and Winter. Just the opposite occurs with gasoline, high demand in Summer, low demand in Winter. The OPEC nations and others are quick to recognize a glut or a shortage and act accordingly. One thing is for sure, every year we will all pay more!!!!

 

Heck, does the question even need to be asked? Every ounce of Middle Eastern Crack that we use in our autos, is that many less pennies in the hand of poor misinformed dopes whose plastic explosive were in part funded by our purchases. The sooner we kick the habbit and go all electric ... the sooner those crazies will have to go back to clubs and knives ... in stead of airliners. IMHO

 

We bought the Prius for four reasons:
1. It cut my commute fuel bill by two-thirds
2. Toyota quality
3. It's much better for the environment
4. It's actually fun to drive!

Dropping fuel costs at the pump simply makes reason number 1 all the more "juicy."

 

When gas goes to $2.00 a gallon I'm still saving about $1.00 if I'm using half as much fuel. At $3.00 a gallon I was saving $1.50, so I'm still saving a lot.
I filled up today and told the attendant to put in $20, but a full tank (less than 1/4 tank left) only cost $18.31 here in NJ. On my old car I was paying $30-40 to fill up and getting less miles per tankful.
It's amazing to get 450 miles on 8+ gallons.

 

Dont think short term, gas is not an infinate thing, it will go up. In fact most investment bankers I talk to say now is the time to buy oil as its on a dip.

 

Wow. lots of interesting responses.

Would I have bought the Prius if I knew gas would never go above $2/gallon? No. Was I worried about the environment? Honestly, that was not a consideration. I did the math, and at $3/gallon it made financial sense to buy the Prius. Also, as one post said:

"And you just know that a butterfly flitting its wings in Saudi Arabia will be enough to push it back up a quarter..."

I remember 25 cent gas. I was a kid , OK? Gas prices fluctuate, but even in good times the trend is up. Buying the Prius was a political decision for me. I don't want to send any more money than I have to oversees to governments that want to kill me.

Also, if things blow up with Iran, which they will, all bets are off with regards to oil prices.

That said, we love this car. We didn't even drive one until after we had put down a deposit. We didn't know that driving it would be such a blast. My wife says this is the coolest car she has owned since she drove a classic T-Bird. Every day we check our average mileage. No matter what gas prices do, we will be saving. Is $24K a lot to pay for a car? Maybe. But we know people who paid over $30K for dually pickups and SUV's that they can barely afford to drive.

BTW, when gas dropped from $3 to $2 a gallon we noticed lots of trucks and SUV's on the road sporting dealers tags. I hope they saved big bucks, because they are going to need them to keep those behemoths rolling when gas prices go back up this winter. People have short memories.

 

I would still love mine if gas was free.



Ken
2006 Prius #6

 

Just as a little update (not that my attitude's changed). The Prius is just a better car, overall, than gas-only vehicles. I was driving a Camry not long ago and had to put it in neutral at the lights because it kept wanting to go. That's a gas-only car for you. My Prius will sit patiently waiting for me to hit the gas and will shut the gas engine off after a few moments of a stop. A Prius is just better technology than some gas-only hog. I'll never get tired of this car.

 

Fuel prices have dropped in this neighborhood from around $3.30 per gallon to $2.40 per gallon since I bought the Prius in August.

I have been away for three weeks, visiting and working in the UK. I had the pleasure of a borrowed BMW 5-series sedan with 2.5L turbo-diesel engine for two weeks, and then spent some time with another Land Rover Freelander with turbo-diesel similar to the one I traded when I bought the Prius. Both very nice cars, and both very efficient on fuel consumption.

I returned home, turned on the SKS, powered up the Prius. No problems at all from sitting for three weeks. It's as quiet as the BMW, roomier than the Land Rover, has a better stereo than either and is more comfortable, and returns average fuel economy that is better than either again while also putting out far less emissions. It's not quite as fast as the BMW can be, it can't handle quite as nasty terrain as the Land Rover.

But overall, for me, it's a better package than those were. Even if the fuel costs here are ridiculously low compared to what they are over there (£1 plus per liter for diesel in some places).

Godfrey

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ Sep 5 2006, 11:07 AM) [snapback]314634[/snapback]</div>

You bought it because:
We can never ever be comfortable with our oil supply in the Middle East, and because it's time to move to the future of alternative energy and save our habitat in which we live. The Prius is a concept car that actually made it off the drawing board, got noticed, and started the hybrid revolution. Be proud to drive it. The Prius is the best way to start action here and now.

 

I bought the car because i wanted to save money on gas. And thats what it does. Who cares what the price of gas, diesel, or propane is... it just makes sense to have a hybrid drivetrain. It makes more sense to be able to plug it in thou...

I agree with HBO6 above.

Its a concept car, that made it off the board. You should feel happy to have it because alot of people had some major humps to overcome and there is alot of critizism still. People seeing people HAPPY with these cars, will make them think twic. Auto companies will see that in the consumer trends, and make more of them. I believe that this concept is FAR, very far from what it will do to the world.

Image a fuel cell car (an engine that makes electricity and powers the car) and when the slows, it recharges again?! did your know that Berkeley came up with THIS. This almost makes things like airplanes and cars completely electric reasonable...

 

Cheap is all relative. And if you believe some of the things I've read lately, world oil production peaked at 86 million barrels/day sometime in Oct. 05. We're now down to 85 and dropping. I don't believe the "abiotic theory" and can't imagine that there's not a finite amount to be used up, so anything I can do to use less just seems to make a lot of sense to me.

 

The Prius is the best way to start action here and now.
[/quote]

Yes. That's probably the emotional niche that this car fills for my wife and I. Whether the issue is energy dependence, gas prices, or the environment owning a Prius is actually doing something. It is a tangible reminder of thought turned into action. I really don't believe there are many cars that can be said about.

 

I have always loved cars for a lot of different reasons, and have owned probably far too many over the years... I enjoy this Prius, it's very satisfying to drive, the technology interests me and makes getting from A to B much less of a chore. Money saved in gas is such a very small part of it all. I will try not to part with it until a plug-in variety becomes available.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ Sep 5 2006, 11:07 AM) [snapback]314634[/snapback]</div>

Because it's a terrific car ! Also you are ecologically responsible

 

I would not count on gas being cheap for a long period of time...

 

Absolutely, I'd still be very happy!

As I said in my podcast Prius and the Reunion of Talking and Walking - also available on iTunes - what I most love about my Prius now is the safe and efficient Prius-Bluetooth connection.

Other things: how the Prius unlocks on approach, the stealth way it drives and idles on battery, changing radio stations from the steering wheel, setting the temperature, looking at the miles per gallon on the display, etc., etc.

I'm sure other cars do a lot of this. But the Prius feels to me like first truly 21st century car I've driven.

And if the price of gas keeps dropping - which I somehow doubt - I'm still paying less for it with hybrid engine.

I'll be making some of these points on my KNX 1070 radio interview at 7:15 am Pacific time this morning...