Main reason for buying a Prius?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ May 2 2007, 09:49 PM) [snapback]434549[/snapback]</div>

Get rid of most of the lawn, plan native plants so they require less water then mow the remaining lawn with a push mower.

I did this at my old house. With a small lawn the push mower was kinda fun and the lawn clippings help to fertilize plus you get more exercise. lol

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(softhands @ May 2 2007, 11:32 AM) [snapback]434073[/snapback]</div>

For me it was dislike of big oil and love of technology.

 

You need to buy a Prius so you can have something to add a BT plate too. Otherwise, you can use the BT plate as a hot plate in your kitchen. If you use it as a Hot Plate, you should torque it down to your kitchen counter at 15 ft-lbs, so it won't fly out the window - when you really get pissed off (and try to throw the damn thing out the window...)

 

I think I have to say that most people who buy one are doing it for both environmental and economic reaseons. For me, I agreed (with my wife) to buy ours because my wife has a long commute and she could use the HOV lanes here in California saving time and money on fuel. But the more I drive the Prius, the more I think about the environmental impact of the cars around me and how lightly the Prius treads on the Earth. I think about the impact of my vehicle vs. the impact of the Prius while I'm driving. And I feel guilty for driving an SUV that gets about 18mpg. Which is why it's for sale now.

For my wife it was more of an environmental issue with a huge added benefit of getting great mileage. I have certainly joined her in this thinking and hope to be replacing my current SUV with a 2008 Escape or Mariner - the only vehicle built under a carbon offset program. I'm not sure I completely believe that it's true, but at least Ford is trying to look like they are going in the right direction.

I say the more hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles on the road the better. People will start to talk more about them which can only be a good thing. There's no such thing as bad publicity!

 

The Prius gives me some (mental) enviromental credits to offset the other gas guzzlers I own... B)

 

I got interested in the Prius because it was at the time one of the least environmentally damaging cars to drive. Once I looked into it I realized it's the best commuter ever built and the rest is history

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ May 3 2007, 01:27 AM) [snapback]434559[/snapback]</div>

That about sums it up for me too!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(softhands @ May 2 2007, 10:32 AM) [snapback]434073[/snapback]</div>

Social progressiveness and environmental activism

This is the first new vehicle we've owned, and we decided that it was something that we needed to do, not only for the better fuel mileage, but as a statement of how the earth needs to be saved.

I'm also a Vegan, we buy mostly local and organic foods, replaced all our incandescents with CF bulbs, insulated our house, and we use only biodegradable cleaners.

No chemicals on our lawn, our cat, or ourselves.
Oh, and we have the "Green energy" option through our PUD... sadly, of something like 17,000 customers, only 36 of us are funding the green option!

 

1) Economically meaningful - so easy a caveman can do it

2) Technologically advanced/cool geek car

3) Almost no CO2

4) winds up retarded rednecks/security moms in their SUVs

 

1. Wanted something reliable after last two VWs' extremely short life-spans and unreliable service.
2. Wanted something with good MPG should gas become scarce.
3. Prefer paying for Japanese technology instead of Arab oil.
4. Nice car/toy.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ystasino @ May 22 2007, 05:10 PM) [snapback]447565[/snapback]</div>

Have any rednecks (retarded or otherwise) or SUV moms ever confronted you or said anything about your vehicle?

I think Prius drivers are much more aware of the big gas guzzlers than they are of us. In fact, the only comment I've heard is from a SUV mom who said I sure was lucky to be driving a car with no dashboard lights blinking at me....

Maybe folks who drive in HOV lanes (we have none) are the subject of wrath, but my experience is that I'm perceived as just some boring person driving yet another little Japanese car....

I'd be curious to hear of other people's experiences because my Prius and I are invisible. (Although people in other non-Prius hybrids sure do stare....)

 

I would like to say I bought my Prius for high and mighty reasons, but I bought it because it was bigger than the Corolla and smaller than the boat called Camry, so it fit my wife and I best. We went to Toyota to begin with because their cars have better emissions (and better reliability) than comparable Detroit brand cars, and since I ride my bike to work (when the weather is nice, otherwise I take a city bus - has anyone else here ever heard of mass transportation?? ), I know that tailpipe emissions can make a huge difference in riding comfort and I didn't want to pollute the bikers lungs that I drive past. And keep in mind, that the Corolla has fairly good emissions even though it is nonhybrid. The gas savings is a nice bonus, I am actually surprised at how much money I have saved due to the gas mileage - it didn't cross my mind when I bought the car that operating the vehicle was going to be cheaper (I don't normally drive much anyways). I liked the styling and the mild hatchback also, and I liked the features such as backup camera. And finally, there was good financing then so it was sort of a no brainer. But the primary reason was the size was right!

 

I'd use mass transit, if it would work for my commute. sadly, it doesn't. However, I do have a carpool buddy, and we use my Prius, so not only are we saving one car off the road, we are using a Hybrid.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(formerVWdriver @ May 22 2007, 02:47 PM) [snapback]447583[/snapback]</div>

Began to resent dependence on Middle Eastern oil years ago along with where this could lead on the supply side. The environmental benefits were a welcome benefit and have become more critical most recently. As far as the car itself, I have always liked the utility of a hatch/liftback, and am impressed with the Prius styling and design of every detail.

 

Environmental responsibility - model what you teach.

 

For me, the primary consideration was environmental benefit. Since I have a long commute, a bike is not a consideration. I bought it in 2004, when it was still not as common as today, and the financial savings was a bonus. The gas savings did help me make a 'rational' comparison to an alternative (Accord) we were considering.

If anyone knows of a 'green' power source available in So Cal, let me know.

 

I have a 80 mile round trip commute so besides the great Toyota reliability...
- economical on gas
- HOV lane time savings
- folding rear seats made it more versatile than the Honda Civic Hybrid

All the other cool features of the Prius (and there's a LOT of them) was frosting on the cake!

 

technology was first. the environment was 2nd (up from 3rd) and gas mileage is third.

with a (in my case) $6 K premium (i was all set to get a Corolla when i first heard about the Prius in late '03) at the time, gas mileage would never be recuperated. but the high tech was just too much to pass up.

 

Efficiency and environment. I need to model what I teach. The Prius is a great teaching tool.

 

Money definitely for me.
Environmental positives are strictly a byproduct.

However, this could be a win-win if every 1 embraces hybrid tech.

Oil is messy & violent.
Hybrid is thousands of time less than oil in those terms.

 

too save on the gas bill