I have watched the Prius with fascination since day one & still remember my first "sighting". I am a fairly conservative 50's guy that waited until my old car was no longer reliable. Canned the 1990 Olds Regency 98 & recently purchased a 2008 Prius. Although the Olds actually did better than many cars, livetime average 27 mpg & could hit 35+ on the highway, my Prius is not only all I expected, it has surpassed my expectations. I absolutely love this car and that may be an understatement. I'm not your typical old fogie either. Grew up rough & tough, rodeo, fast cars, US Army, Harley's etc, etc. 3,000 + hours flying time & has been a fantastic ride so far (life that is). I returned to school at 40 yrs old & now have more than one diploma, work two jobs & enjoying life. I have noted the different reactions to this vehicle & really don't care what everyone else thinks, just give me my respect in the form of intelligent & mature driving & let's get on down the road. I would like the Prius if it only got 35 mpg! I'm not really into the payback deal as much as some, I just want a car that is reliable & doesn't cost a fortune to operate. My payback is not having to take out a loan to buy a tank of gas!!! I own some acreage & have a four wheel drive Chevrolet extended cab pickup. Better have a $100 bill in your pocket to fill it, although better now with cheaper gas. Actually it will get around 20 or better if not pulling a trailer. A stock trailer & 75 mph gets 12-14. I love to pull in and fill my Prius for less than a nice meal !! Actually instant gratification & I don't have to justify my appreciation with a payback or minimized effect on the invironment, although I am Native & do appreciate it all. Everyone that rides or drives my car is stunned & amazed. Very nice road car & a pure joy to drive. It doesn't always fit those specialize situations, but one fine car. I wanted to thank everyone on this forum as I perused it & found out exactly everything I wanted or needed to know before I purchased my vehicle. Nice, very nice.
wicastawan, Welcome to PriusChat. Looks like you're gonna fit in just fine. I think you'll be able to more than hold your own in the various forums/threads... though you may see a food fight from time to time... just one big happy -- sometimes disfunctional -- family!
You will find that you will get different reactions from different people. Open minded people will be curious; others may be negative. That is ok with me, the payoff is at the pump. Just remember, we put the fun in dysfunctional.
If you are able to tell at this early date, wicastawakan, what kind of mileage are you getting? Our definitions of "nice meal" might differ, and I'd bet mine is a lot cheaper than yours (not arguing).
Bull#### ###hole, watch ya ####in' self or I'll pun## ya ####ing head in!! No one here is disfunctional, OK? Just a little hashed off
Congratulations, you've stumbled onto a very helpful site. Spend a few hours "just reading" and you'll be amazed at the knowledge base of this crowd. Look into covering your grill, hypermiling, how to fill your gas tank, and the a/v forum for detailed info on using the electronics. I just visited my Toyota sales lot and suggested they give the PC address to all Prius buyers !
wicastawakan, I apologize for Mr. Sparks outburst. It is well known, and accepted that from time to time in his dotage that he over/under medicates. He is really a very nice man. Mr. Sparks, have a seat. You've made a simple cross-cultural mistake. In the USofA, the word spelled "disfunctional" actually is a corruption of the phrase, "this is fun, you all." It is frequently used in discribing familial relationships in that country. Here, let's wipe that drool off your chin. Orderly, where is that straight jacket? Mr. Sparks, that's right the program about the baby 'roos will be on the telly in just a few minutes... Here, try on this pretty jacket with all the belts and buckles, you'll look just like a big bad biker.
My mileage was around 50 from day one. My first tank was 48 mpg, but included a 77mph trip & bucking a 30mph 330 degree quartering wind. I typically get low 40s in those conditions & pepped it back up with prudent driving & a low tail wind. Tires at 42/40. I did change tires today & went to the Kumho Solus KR21 's. Why? I'm a Michelin man usually, but I have a shop a few miles from my place & they handle only Kumho & think they are a very fine tire. Told me this one was the best tire made. Took it with a grain of salt, but worth a try. I changed to 195/60/15 's & only a few miles on them ( like 20) & not getting the same mileage. The handling is superb. Period. Quiet & vehicle rides like locked on rails yet very sensitive to your input. It handles more like a sports car when you want to carve a curve. I have put appx 4,000 miles on this vehicle since the last couple days of December. So pretty new here. I have a feeling I may very well end up with the Michelin Primacy MXV4 or the Goodyear Assurance Comfort Tred. I also installed the splash guards at the same time, but not saying that is a factor. Just a variable at this point. Tomorrow I'll be driving several a couple hundred miles & also same again this week-end. We'll see what happens. Right now I'll settle for a couple miles per gallon hit for the quietness, stability & handling on the tires. Braking is as improved as the ride & other positives. I changed several things at once here, so I'm going to give it some time & see how it goes.
