My wife does not like the Prius. She says it has too many blind spots, does not go well in the snow, etc. It is a 2004 with 37,000 miles on it. I am thinking of selling it and getting a brand new high mpg standard car like a Civic. What do people think? Are we the only ones thinking of selling?
Get the Civic. I suspect that's the only way your wife will learn to appreciate the many benefits of the Prius.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(solobristol @ Nov 10 2006, 11:36 AM) [snapback]346928[/snapback]</div> My wife does not like that we usually fight over who gets to drive our Prius, and since my commute is longer I usually win on the basis of "logic." Maybe we'll be tired of it in a few years, but I've not really noticed much of a problem with blind spots or dealing with snow.
This is really up to your particular likes and dislikes. I like my 2004 Prius, despite the fact that the MFD screen and the ABS system are both out of order. In addition to the good fuel economy, I like the shiftless transmission, the smart entry system, the climate and cruise controls, and the looks of the car. If you don't like the Prius, it's perfectly ok. Get whatever you're happy with.
To each his own... Some people fall in love with the car, others don't. If the snow handling is something that really bothers her a lot, you may want to think of getting new tires (if you haven't already) - they make a big difference. As for blind spots, it can be a bit tricky - while they don't bother me and i've learned how to adapt to them, i can definitely see how someone would be bothered by them. If nothing else, at least you're talking about staying fairly green
I'd say sell it..you'd get a decent price. Lifes too short. If it's 'her' car, let her pick it and be happier. If cost is a factor, limit it to what you sell the prius for. The downside is a year later, you have to buy 2008 Prius!
<_< EVERYONE can't be happy with the Prius, there are exceptions. My wife is uncomfortable driving the Prius, says she can't see out well enough and has never adjusted well to the unique Prius operating features. Actually, I'm glad since we avoid argueing over "Who gets to drive the Prius?" We're lucky to also have a Camry which she loves. My read: An unhappy wife can make EVERYONE uncomfortable. Get a car that makes her happy! Go online to Kelley Blue Book, NADA and Edmunds to get a read on your used Prius' value considering mileage and condition. You should be able to get a very good price.
If snow driving is a big issue, the Civic won't be much better than a Prius with good tires. Maybe you should think about a Subaru. Tom
Yeah, what the others said. You might want to wait for gas prices to go back up to get the high dollar. I don't think the Civic would be much different in the snow than the Prius with better tires. We test drove the new Civic, liked its new design but though its interior was cramped. So we bought an Accord w/I4 engine. Now with 9K miles on it we average 30mpg for everyday driving and 36mpg on our last interstate trip. With the Prius and 8.5K on it we get 50mpg for everyday driving and about 46mpg for interstate. And we don't feel cramped in the Prius. If we had bought the Prius first, the Accord would never had happened. I would like to sell it but don't want to take the loss in value just yet. I think the Civic is a great car if it fits your uses. Even with navigation the price isn't bad. Go for it.
We bought an 06 Civic LX sedan for our son. With the automatic it gets about 30 in the city, 37 highway. It was just OK in the snow last winter in Maine. Certainly no better than the Prius w/o snow tires. You won't gain anything there. I've been driving it the past couple of days. Its a nice car, but I miss my Prius. Much less room inside than the Prius.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(solobristol @ Nov 10 2006, 10:36 AM) [snapback]346928[/snapback]</div> To each their own blind spots. As for me, I found the Prius to be better than the Civic with the exception of the rear view. I'm a chronic over-the-shoulder looker; even with well-adjusted mirrors I can't break the decades-ago drivers-ed habit of looking over my left shoulder to check my blind spot before changing lanes to the left. You know the pillar between the driver's door and backseat door? (Surely there's a name for it.) Well, when I tested a recent Civic, that pillar was too far back and there was no space for me to see between it and the driver's seat headrest, so that covered too much and left far too big of a blind spot for me. In the Prius, I can see over my left shoulder and through the rear passenger window. But yes, the rear view is a challenge in the Prius, and I would have significant trouble with parallel parking if not for the backup camera (which makes it very easy indeed).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Snooze Button @ Nov 10 2006, 07:38 PM) [snapback]347236[/snapback]</div> The way the pillars on automobiles are identified is as follows: You go from the front back; the first one (the windshield pillar) is called the 'A' pillar, the one between the doors (to which you're referring) is the 'B' pillar, the one at the back of the rear door is the 'C' pillar. Not sure if the ones on the teensy side windows count, though.
When I heard someone mention the 'D' pillar on the Volvo SUV, it took a moment before I realized that, on a boxy vehicle like an SUV or station wagon, the one back there counts too.
That is strange. My wife, my 25 year old daughter, and my 22 year old daughter don't mind driving my 2006. My 22 year old had it at college for 2 weeks and almost did not give it back. However, you HAVE to keep momma happy.
Before going too much farther into any decision, make sure you've got all the mirrors adjusted correctly. There have been a few articles here about that. Externals *way* out so you can't actually see any of the car without moving your head, and the internal one as high to the ceiling [for most folks] as possible and maybe flipped upside down to better match the view out the back. . Have there been some near-misses that prompted the discussion? Does your wife change lanes slowly and deliberately, giving plenty of time for someone who snuck into a blind spot to issue warning? There's a lot you can do to mitigate this perceived "problem" in the Prius [and by extension, probably lots of other cars] -- and heck, here you have the *luxury* of a rear window. Has she ever driven a truck? . _H*
I had a 1989 Civic station wagon before I got the Prius. I was disappointed by the view out the rear of the Prius, after the much-greater glass area of the Civic wagon. However, the Prius, with VSC and ABS brakes handles much better on ice and is therefore much safer than the Civic. Granted that a new Civic will have ABS, but it won't have VSC. I think very few Prius owners have been dissatisfied with the car. But there have been a few, so your wife is not alone. And the great popularity of the Prius, and the high satisfaction rate among owners, means that you should get a good price for yours if you do sell it. Hey, if I had a wife or a girlfriend, I'd buy her whatever car she wanted. So I agree with the folks who say get your wife the car she wants. A Civic won't be any better on snow and ice than a Prius, though. (And for either car, you need to get the best tires for the conditions.)
If you get into snow and ice and rain, DO NOT get a car without some form of electronic stability control (VSC in the Prius). It could save your life (oh, and your car as well). It's the most important safety feature besides seat belts...I've read that stability control could save more lives than airbags!!!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DocToss @ Nov 11 2006, 05:17 AM) [snapback]347369[/snapback]</div> Yes, Happy Wife-ie ... happy life-ie. Put another way, and to quote my wife's Grampa Elias, "In marriage, you can be right, or you can be happy".
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Nov 11 2006, 10:00 PM) [snapback]347683[/snapback]</div> I agree completely. Marriage trumps gas mileage. You could ask your wife to test drive a number of cars, of her choice, ideally in the snow. Let her pick the one she wants.
