How to make the prius less of a girls car...

sign with UC Davis Kendo Club (UC Davis Kendo Club)

on a down side you'd have to wear a skirt, plus side noone would call you a sissy

 

If you're concerned that your frat bro's think you are gay, direct them to Click and Clack's top 10 gay guy car list. They won't find the Prius on this rainbow list of cars. I think the VW Beetle convertible should have been on the list:

Car Talk

If they still give you crap, then buy 'em a beer using the money you saved on gas. Quit wasting time on this forum and get back to class.

 

The Prius is an 'adult car'. I went to college to become an adult, not to avoid it. But then, perhaps that was why I never joined a fraternity.

Best of luck with your life, and remember:

One difference between a Savings Bond and a man is that the Bond is guaranteed to mature in 30 years.

 

Manly men aren't defined by their car. If you cave to this pressure, your frat brothers will think you are even less manly. It is a test, and you are failing. Real men (in their eyes) aren't bothered by such things.

 

I don't know what year of college you're in, so maybe you haven't had Econ 101 yet, so let me contribute to your education: Free Car + 50+ MPG = Huge Cost Savings!

You're going to college to get a good education to get a good job to make money right? Why not start now?

As for the Frat Boys, just start saving your fuel reciepts, and be sure to document mileage and calculated MPG on the receipts. Tape these to the beer locker so they will see how fiscally responsible you are, and how you always seem to have beer money when they're scrounging for a couple bucks to put gas in those muscle cars!

 

My friends and co-workers were giving me crap when I started driving mine but now they want one. Just show them on paper (excell) the cost of their ride vs. yours over the course of a month and a year. They will shup up soon enough. 12mpg and a nice truck is great but they can't afford to go anywhere, my last tank I got over 53mpg, my truck is still in the drive way for hunting and fishing or hauling stuff.

 

Gwyneth Paltrow drives a Prius and she's bloody gorgeous.

Anyhow if you're confident of your sexuality it doesn't matter what car you drive. Your frat friends however sound like they're yet to make up their minds.

 

Don't bother modding it with body kits etc. I doubt turning that thing into the batmobile will get the respect of your peers, because they know it's a Prius, and they might laugh at you for trying too hard. Just get a "manly" color (black?), maybe some window tinting, and, if your parents are paying, see if you can convince them to get some nice options. It'll be pretty damn cool just doing that.

EDIT: whoops, missed the part where it was already purchased. Need more coffee. Anyway, options can be applied afterward, so most of what I said applies.

 

Well, right now it seems it is more important to you to "fit in" than to own a great vehicle you got for free. You might be able to get more money for it right now with high gas prices, so it is a good time to sell. All the best!

 

This is why I avoided frat row like the plague when I was in college.

 

I think you should show your frat brothers how much more beer money you have from the gas savings. Or as some others said just grow a pair and man up to them.

 

Man up, Nancy. You're being more of a wuss by allowing your fratboy "friends" to define you by the car you drive. Granted, I'm in my 40's...but I've been where you are now; I think many on this board have been where you are.

Also, think about where gas prices are headed. Think about the fuel you're going to burn through in a WRX (or equal). Don't get me wrong, a WRX is a VERY cool car. I've driven several in autox's at speed and they are a lot of fun. But, every day isn't an autox...every day is getting up, driving to work/school, going to the store, running errands, etc. A Prius will get you to all of these destinations in the same amount of time as any other car...but for a fraction of the cost.

As the parent of an 18yr old, myself...I think you're being extremely disrespectful toward your parents. They're giving you this car because they're thinking of your fiscal future. You're shi**ing on them by taking what they're generously giving you and buying something else to simply impress your so-called friends. If I were your parent, I would be royally p1ssed.

But, being 18 once myself (and having an 18yr old daughter who is college bound), I know that 18yr olds know it all and have the world all figured out. So, go ahead and let other people define who you are by what you own. You're going to have a very stressful life. I don't mean to sound like I'm jumping your sh*t...but I hate to see people making decisions based solely on what other people think. Talk about weakness...

 

Well, if you're that concerned about what your frat bros think, then you have the perfect car, because apparently your Prius does have a girl driving it!

 

Your problem is a dead short between the driver's seat and the steering wheel.
Desperate?

I can think of more apt adjectives.

The way I see it is you have a couple of choices. Grow up..take full advantage of what is probably a free education, punctuated by free transportation that also happens to be dependable, earth friendly and frugal. Then, you can be in a position to succeed financially. If you're lucky enough to enter a profession that you have a passion for, and it happens to be somewhat lucrative, then you can harness that passion to attain both prosperity and happiness. Either way, since money is the only known aphrodisiac---an education will help you with your concerns with being more attractive to members of the opposite sex. That is, unless I'm misunderstanding your original intent with respect to your frat buddies...
Or...you can drop out and enter the work force, (or the military) and apply the majority of your paychecks into whatever mode of transportation that you consider to be "manly"...say a gas-guzzling truck, or a Harley. There's nothing wrong with either vehicle in the abstract BTW....as I happen to own both. The principal difference here is...I own them.

I don't consider myself to be less 'manly' when I'm driving about in a G3---and I've already proven myself to the very few people that I really have to.

If you need help in making that choice, and you don't have a "binary decision maker" in your pocket...take it from me.
If you worry more about what your transcripts look like now instead of your ride, then you'll be able to buy more 'man toyz' LATER.

Good Luck!

 

Nailed it. These were my points exactly. But I realized something else...I don't know the OPs financial situation but it sounds like he was never brought up to save in the first place. Think about it. His parents give him their pretty much brand new spanking Prius to buy a new car. Doesn't that sound familiar? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

 

All The Young Dudes... There's nothing to be done about it. If money matters, keep it, grit your teeth and be happy as gas goes over $5, or sell it and keep the cash. If money doesn't matter, sell it and buy whatever makes you happy. (BTW, if you do get rid of it your frat brothers will just find some other way to needle you.)

 

Also, tint the windows, get the lighted thresh plates, mud flaps, 17" rims, exhaust finisher, Rocker trim etc.
Get a V . It comes with the 17" low profile tires.
What color are you going to get? There is a lot one can do.

And next week the guys will tell ya that the Volt is better?

 

If you are that desperate, join the military and you'll get to drive a tank in Afghanistan. You can't get more manly than that.

 

gnarly dude, but well said!

 

Sorry, but women now drive tanks, fly planes, and command battleships.