I received a response from CNN Money Prius article

Good catch efusco, with the "hundreds of miles" comment. If you cdon't trudst the computer to tell you the milage, its pretty well known that you can't trust a Prius fuel tank. So it is pretty difficult to get valid data on a Prius over "hundreds of miles". And I don't think I could get 39 mpg if I left my emergency brake on!

I wish I knew the truth behind some of these "low milage" articles. I'd love to how how these guys get such low mileage, or what error they are making in their determinations.

 

well i for one will be interested in seeing how my mileage is this winter. i got my car in May so i havent had the chance. but John1701A didnt get mileage that bad most of the time so i cant see how mine would suffer that bad.

also i still say that CNN's opinion is based on sponsorship not facts.

 

I drove from Omaha, NE to Brunswick, GA and back. It was 2,630.6 miles round trip and used only 52.6 gallons of gas. Had A/C set for auto 74 degrees, outside both going and return 85 plus. Traveled the speed limit there and back and used the cruse control. All interstate and I got 50.0 miles per gallon

I believe that vehicle used in this road test did not and could not have had very many miles on it.

 

I have been intensely battling the anti-hybrid crowd on Edmunds since December 2002, knowing that the debate skills I gain from those small-scale attacks will properly prepare me for the inevitable all-out assaults certain groups and automakers will soon launch against us.

Sorry, y'all. But the reality is it will get worse before it gets better.

There's a lot of money to be lost by those not ready for the growing demand of hybrids. Just like in the early 70's, some automakers got caught completely off-guard. It's like they were in denial that the market would ever desire something different from what they were pushing. And with both the population growing scary rate and the developing countries advancing far faster than anyone ever imagined, it should not come as any surprise that worldwide supply of oil is having trouble keeping up with demand.

Thankfully, I am part of a rapidly growing group helping to endorse the HSD technology... buy just driving around their Prius. Yeah!

And we are very well prepared for this upcoming conflict. All the sharing of experiences here is priceless. And advice from the big guys helps too. The comments President Clinton made in an interview the other day were fantastic. He specifically pointed out the dishonest tactics some used during the 1992 election campaign. Sound familiar? It's happening in both the political arena again and now with hybrids too.

I'm not able to voice my thoughts in online forums as much as I'd like to now. But that's not because I've abandoned the effort, it's because I'm off trying to put out the fires some people keep lighting.

Keep doing what your doing. Enjoy your Prius. Tell anyone that's interested about the real-world experiences you have with it.

Even though it will be a struggle for awhile, it will still be quite rewarding (besides the great MPG and low emissions). My average sighting-per-day count is now up to 5. Yeah! It's incredible getting to see Prius all over the place. I remember when I celebrated that average reaching just 1 per day. And it will continue to get better and better. As of the end of the 2004 model year, we'll have about 107,000 Prius on the road in the United States. That total is expected to grow to at least 187,000 by this time next year. Hooray!

Don't let those dang misleading articles upset you. That kind of crap will eventually die down. With so many of us on the road, it will be very hard to distract from the obvious success after awhile. Yippee!

 

I read
http://moneymag.com/2004/06/21/pf/autos/hybrid_sense/
and
http://moneymag.com/2004/06/28/pf/autos/pr..._test/index.htm

Peter has left only only 4 to 5 day, after driving his new Prius. And he made it rise from 30mpg to 35mpg in a short period. He is only the beginner that does not know the still optimal accelerator work for Prius.

When blaming Prius, routine the Volkswagen Jetta TDI is carried out. However, he does not have the result which his daily commute by jetta in the same New York.

The conditions of EPA is completely different from the conditions which a user actually runs. He does not regard as naturally the result being completely different. He is an ignorant reporter technically.

But he wrote the report which is going to make people abandon the purchase waiting of Prius. Like Jeff, I want you to point out to peter. His view is the narrow opinion of the partial view.

If Toyota has more productive capacity, I think that such blame does not occur. It seems that it became waiting for one month from this month in Japan. The 6000 or more Prius are exported to the United States a month, I heard.

_______________________
USK Bordeaux mica 2001
30,953.61 miles / 519.06 gallons = 59.63 mpg (25.35Km/L) 8/07/04

 

actually the negative articles dont really bother me personally. i feel that nearly all news articles are slanted to suit the writer anyways. besides the driver admited he darted at high speeds in short bursts then waited for long periods at stop lights... ok then, if that is the case, we add in regen from having to slam on the brakes at each red light he had to race to and that raises his mpg from 18 to 30 mpg. (18 mpg is what Car and Driver got by running the Prius all out on a race track)

i am secure in my knowledge that i purchased my car at the same time as 4 other people i know. all of us but one bought new cars and i can say positively that i am probably the most satisfied with my purchase than the other 4.

the sad thing is that one for sure and possibly another wanted a Prius (i cant get him to admit it but i know he was interested) but simply couldnt wait. One got an Insight the other got a Camry.

the guy with the insight has pretty much regretted his decision from day one. he has had the vehicle for nearly the same amount of time as me and he just isnt happy.

the guy with the Camry was tougher. he is happy... after all, the Camry is a very fine vehicle. but there are a few things he grudging admits he didnt know about the Prius.

for one, the power is better than he thought. the Prius has much more room than he thought it would have. and finally, his Camry is costing him a bundle for gas.

he finally told me that he hesistated looking at the Prius because the car would be needed for family trips so a car that would haul 4 people with enough luggage for the weekend would be necessary. he admits that he never really looked at the Prius (although he was at the Toyota dealership when buying his car) but to his defense, im not sure he could have waited for a Prius either.

also, by most indications that i can see, the public by and large are ignoring all the negative articles anyway. the waiting list in Olympia is estimated to be 5-6 months even with the anticipated increase in production.

 

I think with evangelists like the folks on this website, the Prius has a very bright future! You guys and gals are eloquent, funny and very dedicated! I hope, one day, to join your ranks!

Not to digress, but...

(removes corncob pipe from mouth, leans forward in rocking chair)Way back when I was in Journalism School, we were taught that although no one can be truly objective, we had a duty to be fair. And I'd like to think I tried to be very fair.

It's been many years (goin' on twenty, I recollect) since I was a reporter. The news business has changed a lot since then (didn't have no consarned Internet ta compete with, fer one thing), but it still saddens me to see the poor quality of journalism practiced today. There are some really good journalists and media outlets and then there are a mass of bad ones, so bad it's painful!

Sorry for the rant! I'll go take my meds now!