Boy, did I just get beat up.

Did you buy anything from that moronic salesperson?

I do mostly highway in the new Prius and still get 42+ MPG @ over 75 MPH...
Try anything better than that in a car that will get you well over 50 MPG if you decide to drive slower than that... and will get you the same 50 MPG anytime you decide to cruise your city streets on a weekend...
not to mention how much better you will be than anybody else on stop and go traffic.

and as far as safety, just check the latest crash tests and make your own conclusions...!

 

Don't you love it when people (friends??, etc.) spout off their uninformed, zero research, authoritative opinions about something because of what they think they may have heard from a second cousin's wife's daughter's niece's neighbor and then chastize you for not buying into it. Factual information is too easily obtained these days to do that and not sound stoooooopid.

I understand the vehicle is not for everyone, but there is one fact. No matter how good or bad you drive it, you're going to get at "worst" ~40 mpg. With a little attention and care you can get a LOT better mileage (see my sig) I happen to love my Prius. It's made driving interesting again for me instead of a boring commute. It "is" true that the gas engine (ICE) does run at highway speeds but it is very efficient. The vehicle's computer will manage battery and ICE usage and will give you high MPG's while doing it. My commute is 14 miles one way and it's mostly highway. Again, check my lifetime MPG below.

You'll have to decide whether your wife likes driving it and does the purchase price fit your budget, etc. Hopefully the opinions of these friends?? is a non issue in how you guys run your life unless their opinions mean that much to you.

It sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders and your BS meter is fully functional. Keep reading this forum and continue researching and you'll come to a good choice that's right for the both of you. Good luck with your friends.

 

I'm not sure about gen 2, but at least in my gen 3 Prius, I do mostly hwy too and always drive 5 MPH above speed limit and I’m still getting above 50MPG, last trip was 52. Also, in my long hwy trips I have always gone thru varying amounts of adverse conditions, like rain, cold, and strong winds.


Oh, have I told you that I usually ride with at least 400 pounds on it (including my weight), but occasionally 500-600 pounds, or even heavier?

That's pretty darn amazing in my opinion.

 

I must agree with the other reply that this sales critter was a moron. Even when the Prius engine must run all of the time, it still uses considerably less gas than any pre-hybrid gasoline car.

Except for the fact that my twelve year old Subaru is not yet worn out and still has at least five years of reasonable life remaining as the secondary car, I'm otherwise done with traditional, old-technology gasoline-engined cars.

 

I hear you on this. I recently took a 1200 mile round trip with 4 other male family members in my brothers GM pickup (18 MPG) and I took a bunch of friendly harassment about my Prius. None of them really knows anything about it. One of them works in the service dept. at a GM dealership and he said even though GM forced the dealership to purchase all of the diagnostic tools for the GM hybrids, the dealership's owner has flat out stated they will not work on ANY hybrid. This is largely due to the concerns over electrocution. The misinformation out there is incredible.

 

Sounds like the last presidential election!

Anyway, as other posts have pointed out, there is truly a ton of misconceptions about the Prius out there, many unfounded. But when the rubber hits the pavement, we have the proof. The car is safe, the FE is in a word "Awesome", it is cool looking, it is fun and mostly confortable to drive, etc, etc, etc.

I got to thinking on the way into work this morning that there seems to be a lot more pressure to be "green". I thinking many of those people the own SUVs and Trucks might be feeling it and lashing out a bit. Thats the only reason I can think of when people cut me off while I am in the "slow lane". Just a thought.

 

In the words of Forest Gump - Stupid is, is stupid does. I'd find new "friends".

Years ago, I use to closely follow the demographics of the typcial car buyer for a number of different makes. That said, and based on the folks I do know who own Prii, I'd be willing to bet that the educational level for the average Prius owner is significantly higher than most brands.

 

We have a local Talk show host that loves to rip on Prius's and brag that he has a Z/06 Corvette. Funny thing is he stands about 5'6" and complains about how he can't find a girl friend. He hasn't had a date in more than a few years.

Gee what women would want to date a guy in his mid sixties that still thinks women in their 50's will be impressed with his Corvette.

So we all have to put up with him bragging about his 505 HP Z/06 two or three times a week.

He was whining earlier in the week that a local store had special parking spots up front for Hybrids. That is what set him off on Prius's this week. Next week it will be something else about Hybrids that will get him going again.

 

I get this a lot in the office. Everyone always as me if I charge my cars at night??? And they ask if the battery will catch on fire?? Most people just has not had any chance to drive a Hybrid yet and really don't know what they are talking about.

 

I don't mean this as admonishment against anyone. I've noticed a lot of men, when talking about The Prius will say things like "My Wifes Prius" or as is the case with this poster, "My Wife was thinking about buying a Prius".

Seems for some there is some type of resistance or fear to embrace The Prius. It's still not manly enough? It has to be the wifes car, or the wifes idea, that the husband just happens to enjoy.

So how about saying My Wife and I were considering buying a Prius.

I know the singing daisies and dancing flora might not fit in during Mens Night at the local pub...but I say if you want a Prius...go for it...

But buy one because You and your Wife want one, do some real research and make a real decision. Then what friends say, or idiot salesman try to push wont matter.

 

What a great idea!

 

In my household, the Prius is absolutely positively NOT the wife's car. It is mine, and mine only. She was skeptical all through my decision process, and has still not fully warmed up to it. Her preference for a peppy manual-shift car means that her 1980's era Integra will be staying in this household for a long time to come, despite my misgivings about its ancient safety standards. That lack of safety was a major reason I finally dumped a similar Accord, making room for this Prius.

 

So manual transmission has a safety issue? I don't think so, not in my world. I actually really miss manual shift. It does not make much sense to have it in the Prius because playing with the HSD to optimize FE is already fun by itself, but in a regular car it greatly improves you driving experience. Manual shift was actually one of the reasons I was so tempted to get a Jetta TDI instead of the Prius, you know... driving a high torque clean-diesel car with a manual stick and yet being fuel efficient is remarkable, but, then, I learned that VW reliability is still bellow expectations in this country.

 

No, the safety issue is the 1980's design -- no airbags, no ABS, no side impact protection, very little of modern crush zones, and what crash protection is there was rendered totally useless by the subsequent popularity of those tall and safety-standard-exempt monsters known as SUVs.

Both of us greatly prefer manual transmissions over traditional automatic transmissions, and in fact regard the later as having negative value. I was ready to give up the manual for the eCVT in a hybrid. She is still not ready.

 

You have got to find a new set of friends - maybe some who are living in the 21st Century.

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!

Keith

 

I see... I missed your point. Thanks.

 

RE: "My wife's Prius"

While I see a lot of woman who driva e prius, my rough guestimate is that just as many men also drive a Prius.

I read all the car magazines, and I'm pretty much a "car guy" (ie have owned many European sports sedans over the past 25 years) , and to my knowledge, Prius is not a "chick car". A number of VW models, on the other hand, are well known as being "chick cars".

If anything, what I hear at work is that Prius are more associated with being a "nerd" car. A Prius is more for the techno-geek...at least that's what a number of associates and neighbors claim. As an engineer, I won't dispute that. I bought a Prius simply because it made good/logical sense for my commute.