Are you satisfied?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DanMan32\";p=\"79744)</div>

Sure you can. :lol:

 

You can't compare different class vehicles. You are getting much more for the new Prius than you are getting for an Echo.

So, then should we compare a moped versus a Prius? Costs much less and gets much more MPG than a Prius, but we can all agree, the moped doesn't give nearly the same value, especially in bad weather. But if all you care about is carrying only yourself, and don't care about getting wet/cold/hot, then the moped is the much better deal.

 

I was just joking. I just wanted to have a little fun with the picture of my cars.

I actually agree with you fully. The Prius a much more 'refined' car than the Echo with even better gas milage. (Although the Echo itself has some nice little features for it's econo-class. )

Going the Prius for me is like stepping up to a borderline luxury car. As has been mentioned there are things on a Prius that only show up in luxury class cars. Also the 'car guy' here at work who deals with luxury and exotic cars was quite impressed with the fit and finish of the Prius.

Funny thing for me, I stepped over that whole keyfob thing going from cars with manual door locks to the SKS.

 

Danman32 your moped can be compared also. However, as I said earlier one criteria we had that threw that out is that he had to be able to travel on the freeway. He also needed something that can carry two or more people during inclimate weather and a radio.

My friend is looking at the costs involved. Sure the Prius has many more features I am not arguing that but he is looking for a commute car from point A to point B with lowest cost over a 10 yr lifespan of the car. Unless gas jumps to $5 a gal it will take forever to break even with the $16000 price difference.

For me I love my Prius and could not drive the Echo, but my friend is a cheapskate when it comes to cars. Unfortunately, one problem the hybrids face. We pay a premium for our hybrids.

 

I usually read more than I post BUT this topic really is a hot button with me. First of all, the top end Prius is a luxury car. It has most of the bells and whistles of many of the luxury cars today, with the exception of power seats, and power truck lock.

A base Prius is only about $2000 more than a regular (well built) car. So at the end of 5 years a person owning a base Prius vs a regular car is actually saving a lot of money on gas and I believe more money than the cost of the hybrid system.

I guess I look at jaguars, mercedes, and such and their cost and what they offer and look at the Prius and think of all the features I have with my car and using half of the fuel they are. Matter of fact a toyota solaris is more expensive than a Prius and doesn't get the economy SOOOOO. . . I ask is the Prius more expensive? I got a luxury car and saving a lot of money at the gas station!

 

OK, how about a yugo?

 

Sure you could compare that also. However, the issue is finding one sold here. Also I could not find the stats on it (cost, MPG, etc). He also wanted new because he does not want to inherit someone elses problems and if I am correct it is not made anymore.

Trust me I tried to convince him to get a Prius. To be honest I have run out of ideas, other than convincing him to get one of those tricyle-diesel hybrid kits I saw in Popular Mechnics (tandem 2 seater, 90 MPG, $15k I think). I felt there are many non-quantifiable benefits to the prius over all cars (including other hybrids).

I would say no the Prius is not more expensive ifyou are looking at cars with similiar options. Most luxury cars are more expensive not even considering the gas savings we have.

 

my dad bought a 2005 Camry about 3 months ago because he couldnt wait for a Prius. (was on the waiting list but needed the car for his trip to Texas) he paid exactly $400 less than i did. now he did get some options and i didnt. but when comparing the cars, he doesnt have much more than i do.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(senna4ever\";p=\"80250)</div>

Nope. As of 2 weeks ago, NONE of the Lower Mainland Toyota dealers had a Prius except for Downtown Toyota. The reason is that they sell more Prius than any other dealer so Toyota gives them a surplus of cars. This info came from a family friend of ours who is a former Toyota of Canada head mechanic. We bought our Prius from him for $200 over wholesale, but testdrove it at Downtown Toyota. :mrgreen:[/b][/quote]

actually, at least as of the beginning of April, the Open Road Toyota in Port Moody had one to test drive. I ordered one the same day

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(indi\";p=\"80322)</div>

It takes the Prius about 10 minutes to fully warm up. During this time it may run the engine to heat the catalytic converter. So for the first five minutes you drive it each day, it's common to see mileage in the low- to mid-20s, especially in cold weather.

That's better than it sounds - in just about any other car you'd be lucky to get 15 mpg the first five minutes. But you generally need trips of 15 minutes or more (or a bunch of short trips taken close together) to get really spectacular mileage.

 

I hate when that happens (first 5 min when engine runs). It kills my mileage. Although the 45 MPH afternoon traffic home had me grining ear to ear as my mileage shot up.

 

Indi and Presto, my gas bill for 2004, March 25, 2004- March 25, 2005 was a grand total of $627.16 and that included bring the car from Regina and a trip down to Portland and a year of 4day commutes East Van to Delta and back 14,076Km for a total of 50.26 mpg life time average. What did you spend last year on your current vehicle? Chevron thinks I've died.

 

Hi Again All,

Boy, am I ever sorry that I said the "E" word in the first place. LOL It was intended to demonstrate the fact that the purchase of a Prius is not just about the mileage. I never intended to do a straight up comparison, it was just the first ICE car that came to mind when I was writing my original response.

Danman, you should consider becoming a lawyer if you aren't one already, once you get on an idea your commitment to it never varies. That is a good thing, keeps us on our toes .

Sure, you could do an apples and oranges comparison but all that it really serves to illustrate is just how unique this vehicle actually is. There really isn't anything else currently on the market (other hybrids included) that can be point-for-point compared with the Prius.

The original question was "Are you satisfied?" And I can see by the number of posts that we are all emphatically satisfied, nay, beyond satisfied, sated, quenched, overbrimming with satisfaction for the car.

As for the lovely picture of the side by side views, I got a great laugh out of that. As much as I am sure some folks would derive if they saw my hubbys 4wd Pathfinder nestled comfortably next to my beautiful Prius.

Ahh, irony is a wonderful thing.

I eagerly await the day when choosing this vehicle (or another like it) will be the norm and not the exception. When the purchase of the car will be strictly because you liked it without people trying to find some other justification for the action. When spreadsheets that nickle and dime you to death about whether or not you "break even" on the purchase price are simply not needed by anyone.

The unknown factor in the equation is really what actual depreciation will be long-term for these cars. With the oldest vehicle in the non-Japanese market still just pushing 5, and with these older cars still being able to be sold for at, near or in some cases above the price of a brand new current model the results of any cost analysis are still potentially faulty.

Think about it, if you paid (for the sake of argument) $20,000 for the car new, drove it for 3 years (30,000 miles) and then were able to resell it for $22,000 (a gain on purchase price of $2,000) after deducting say $1,800 ($600/year, rough estimate for fun, cost of gasoline) and if you bought your car from a dealer that comps some portion of the routine maintenance (like a lot do) your net cost of the vehicle is likely to be far less than anything (moped included) that you could currently drive.

The real bottom line, to paraphrase Sally Field is: do you "like it, really like it?" If you answer yes to that question, whatever your motivation for the affirmation may be, then by all means go get yourself one and enjoy it. You worked for it, you earned it, you have a right to enjoy it.

And that goes for anything you buy.

Take care all,

Tisza (stepping down off her soap box now...)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(madams\";p=\"80608)</div>

Um, no, i beg to differ. The Prius has some of the features of a luxury car, yes, but it doesn't have the ride & handling dynamics of a luxury car. It's bee-hive noisy on the highway & under full throttle, ill-handling (follows ruts and is subject to wandering in a cross wind) and has a choppy ride. Having said that, I love the Prius...we just use the Lexus for longer drives.

 

Granted, about the noise, but I still think feature for feature the Prius is still a cut above most cars on the road even if it didn't have the hybrid system. I guess I just get tired of everyone saying that you'll never get the money out of the Prius that you paid for the hybrid system. I mean we got the tax break, it is loaded with almost all the stuff you get on luxury cars, and it handles like a sports car. As I see it, I have the greatest car on the road and I wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING that is being sold out there. And the pay back for me is that I am doing my part to get the U.S.A. off the :guns: Arab nipple!

 

why do you think that that beefy stock stereo is in there?
they did it to take care of that noise!!

ok then maybe not... its not a luxury car, but for the price, you cant beat what it does have. and gas aint done moving up.

there will be a small break in the rise of gas prices starting next week because refineries will stop making heating oil and also start summer formula gas which does provide 8-14% more gas mileage for all vehicles which will effectively reduce demand POSSIBLY (i doubt it) forcing prices down. but that will only last till school starts letting out and the higher demand will cause another spike in the prices.

facts are, one can only hope optimistically that we stay around $3.