Hello, new guy here.

I just thought I would drop in and give a hey howdy since I signed on. My wife and I are presently looking for a new, more fuel effecient, reliable car. We presently both drive 1989 Ford Mustangs both of the V8 flavor. As one can see the gas bills on these things are killing us. After some initial looking around I found out about the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius. Given that we are used to driving something that can actually carry a few bags of groceries and several people, the Insight left my short list real fast despite the high mpg numbers. Another aspect was the fact that a Prius doesn't look funky and is mroe along the lines of a regular car in stying. We'll probably be popping in and out, lurking, and asking a few questions that we don't find the answers to about this car. I thought it would be the polite thing to at least say hey to everyone first though.

:mrgreen:

 

I've been looking around in here for a few minutes and definatly looks like an informative place. The more I read about this car the more I like it. I saw one a few days ago at the post office and it got me thinking a little more seriously about it.

 

Yeap, I'll be the first to admit att his stage of my life a V8, gas sapping car, isn't the best choice to have. I'll admit I'm one of those that love speed and power that comes with a larger engine car like ours. Unfortunatly, our bank account doesn't seem to like the taste too much. At present time we usually fill up both cars about 3 times a month for $20 a car. That's about $120 a month in gas for two vehicles that are not even reliable enough to drive out of town. One of the reasons we have yet to return to Texas for a vist. The other reason being that even if they did drive that far the gas alone would kill us on a trip that far. It's in the neghborhood of 1400 miles from here to there. Given the best we've got on a tank of gas in either Mustang is 190 miles it's no surprise the cost involved with going there would be prohibative.

At this point I'm willing to trade speed for efficiency and reliability. I looked at the hybrid Honda Accord and Civic but didn't see the same milage numbers the Prius or Insight delivered. It only made me wonder more, what's the point? Outside of a cleaner burning vehicle there would be no real advantage for a few extra mpg compaired to the gasoline models of the same nameplate.

 

LOL, the screen in the Prius doesn't scare me one bit. I'm a tech nut so any new tech is good tech if it's proven to be stable. I used to work in an aluminum extrusion plant and did design work on AutoCAD so the tech in this car won't scare me. Now the wife is another issue entirely. She's almost my opposite when it comes to this stuff. Heck, I still have to show her how to use the scanner occasionaly.

Speed really isn't an issue either. As much as I love my power in the Mustangs the time has come to be responsible. I figure as long as the car doesn't feel like I'm trying to push it uphill it's fine. From what I'm reading in here it shouldn't really be a problem either. Thanks again for the warm reception.

 

Looks like I may have hit setting in my profile by accident. All fixed now.

 

LOL, well, technically yes to that situation. The place I work for hasn't had any work for some time now since it's an upstart company and no one else is hiring around these parts. At least where it's reasonable to drive my car to anyways.