My Prius Exit Interview

Credit cards make gas purchases so painless it's no wonder we've lived on low mpg autos so long.
Cash for all gas purchases would send a lot of folks to the hybrids.

 

Why do you insist on trying to turn a positively toned thread into something else? He's being perfectly friendly and respectful, and he continues to post because people continue to engage him discussing his purchase.

If you no longer want to read the posts in this thread...stop opening it.

Are you lonely? Do you feel threatened or insulted in some way by his decision to buy something else? Why don't you go enjoy your car.

 

Not really as I've ridden with others who share similar taste in cars.

My wife revels in breaking the speed limit and I remember commuting between Huntsville and Washington DC with a boy who was not happy unless his pony car was going over 85 mph on the 75 mph highway. He made one stop in the 13 hour trip, bathroom and meal, and then another 6-7 hours of confinement to the passenger seat. I didn't mind sharing the gas expense but I was uncomfortable and couldn't take a restful nap.

I once rode with Al in his Corvette. Al was a former, navy fighter pilot, which mean a lot of formation flying with fixed close distances and rapid application of the throttle and brake. This was how Al drove his Corvette whose excellent handling, brakes, steering and engine power meant I felt every one of Al's inputs as he treated DC traffic as an obstical course. Riding with him made me slightly car sick so I avoided driving with him.

Every time I read Consumer Reports glowing reports on handling followed by their low ranking of the Prius, I'm reminded that some people, like Al, use vehicle handling to behave badly in traffic . . . even abusive. That does not mean handling leads to bad driving but that is my association with 'handling.' Famous last words:

Hey! Watch this!
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In fact the little synthetic drag of the Prius continues to irritate me and I often shift into "N" so the glide is completely ballistic. If I want to slow down, I want it in response to my input, not the vehicle drag.

In my Prius, I shift into "B" unless the speed bleeds off too much. Then I'll shift to "D" and back to "B" as needed without having to touch the brake, feet flat on the floor.

I acheive the same effect with the electronic, Prius shifter, feet flat on the floor board.

No, you are describing what I had to do with a 1931 Model A Ford in 1966 when I first learned to drive. It is a way of driving that I am very happy to have left behind. You might as well discuss the beauty of DOS commands or JCL as if these are the heigth of computer technology. No, I don't care for it one bit.

I prefer a system, a suite of computers who manage the car sub-systems in a way that is smooth, quiet, efficient and seamless. I don't need the bother, the distractions so I can choose the things that I find interesting. I just don't care for what is 19th century car technology when the Prius lets me drive 1,000 miles in a 24 hour period and avoid feeling like I've been blasted and beaten up. Best of all on my trips, I don't like having to choose between a full tank and a sandwich.

Bob Wilson

 

SW03ES,

We all have our opinions. I've expressed mine, which is, I find it odd..... You expressed your's. ...and ditto on the advice, i.e., don't read my opinions, if you don't like.

Am I "threatened or insulted" by a Z?...Bwhahahahahahahaha. I wasn't aware this had turned into some macho pissing contest? But since you asked, no, I'm serenely satisfied with my Jag - all 12 cylinders.

As I said, his exit interview post was great...see my posts #25 and #74.

 

I have co-workers who ride horses . . . endurance riders, jumper, and I do enjoy seeing quarter horses. My neighbor has a 4-cylinder 'donor cycle' and I have an electric bicycle yet we share the roads and I often see him doing a 3-4 mile bicycle ride in the morning for exercise (while smokin' a cigarette.) Still, he is a good, good neighbor and I enjoy and even respect his rascally character.

I only bring this up in case someone wants to do a compare and contrast of horse based commuting versus the Prius. Things like greenhouse gas production, safety, companionship, maintenance . . . <GRINS>

Hummm, we haven't had a good "Horse Thread" in a while.

Bob Wilson

 

I think I do know the "not fun to drive" logic that is floating back and forth here.

I owned a 2005 Gen II Prius. Traded it in on a 2010 Gen III Prius IV. I wanted the "better" styling and most of all, I missed the leather seats I had on previous vehicles.

The Prius is OK. I get in the mid 50's MPG's during the summer and certainly no lower than 45 MPG in the dead of Chicago winters. I love that I am helping the environment and I love the gas mileage and the money I save at the pump.

That being said, I really missed a "fun" car. I owned a Toyota MR2 Spyder convertible not too long ago and missed that car a lot...the open top, the sports car feel...and probably the utter impracticality of having a two seat car with a three person family and golf clubs and push cart to haul around. After a couple of years of the nonsense of thinking "where am I going and who is going to sit in the car", I finally gave up and bought a Camry...then on to the Prii.

I bought my daughter a VW New Beetle as her first car (no comment on spoiling children or whatever...we did it and we were happy with that decision). She drove it all during high school, but then college came and we found that we were "stuck" with that ridiculous car driving it every few days while she was away at school. I absolutely hated the looks and snickers I got when I drove that car, although it was rather fun to drive.

Fast forward to college graduation and getting her first job. She now lives in downtown Chicago and works there as well. She has no need for a car and has no place to park one even if she did want to.

So, what did my wife and I do? We traded in the VW Bug for a VW EOS. Hardtop convertible...with a retractable and tilt up moon roof as well. It is a 2 door, but seats four adults reasonably comfortably. It is an absolute blast to drive in the summer with the top down and the breeze messing up what little hair I have left. It has all the "bells and whistles" and I love it.

I still drive the Prius to and from work and to and from golf...but use the EOS when I am tooling around near home. My wife has her car as well, but she also drives the EOS on those nice warm sunny summer days. My daughter drives the car (which she thinks is hers) when she comes home to visit.

So, I have the practicality of my Prius and also have my fun car.

I am not advocating the purchase of a second or third car for all families. I know that is financially impractical for most. But we can do it and I don't regret the purchase for one moment.

Is it insane? Probably. But it sure is fun.

 

The Z and your 12cyl Jag are two totally different cars. The Jag (I assume its an old XJS probably?) is a great boulevard cruiser and a beautiful car, but its a heavy, front laden car and is an absolute pig in the handling department. A Z would absolutely run circles around it.

And you say I want to have a pissing contest (I'm not the one with the Z!) but you seem to need to remind us that your Jag has 12 cylinders.

 

My 2011 Consumer Reports New Car review states " ... (2010 Prius) Handling is very secure, but not agile"

I think the difference in a 370Z and '10 Prius V, going up highway 9 out of Saratoga, CA is ...

The 370Z might make you want to get on it and throw it a curve.

The 2010 Prius V might make you want to drive it efficiently and securely.

(Going up hwy 9 in a Prius III, I kinda wish I had a sportier car due to the eCVT / power delivery). Parking next to the Mini at 4 corners didn't help either

I've always liked the Z cars. Turbo Carrera would do also . hehe

 

I just traded a 2008 HHR SS (260 HP) for a new Prius. Is it fun. well in it's own sort of way. Still though, I have my 2000 Tran Am Firehawk with 330 HP that is a blast to drive and still drive it as much as I can. But it's not practical for every day. It's tough to get in and out of. It doers make for a great road trip car as we took it on a 2100 mile vacation this summer with 2 kids in the back. Wouldn't have been the same in the Prius or the HHR.

IF you have the money and love a "fun to drive car" then it makes perfect sense! But most people tell me I have little sense.....

 

Seriously, How about some pics of the interior and the consumption cluster? I consider myself a relatively conservative driver and I was only able to get 27 mpg out of the 350z , I would really like to see how the 370z does on fuel consumption.

 

Bob,

I understand completely where you're coming from. I was a 13-year VW driver before making the switch to the Prius. While I do love it, I'm not in love with it. I joke that my carbon offset is only temporary as the Prius will force me back into something fast and powerful the next time. I still haven't shrugged off the shame of losing a stoplight "challenge" to a Pontiac G5 (nee Cobalt) a few weeks ago... out:

 

At least you bought a V,I find the 17s and the better suspension
and PWR mode make it a fun car in the twisties!
My '06 VW GTI MK5 wasn't that great 0to60.

 

Enjoy the new ride...you will be missed.

 

That is no shame at all. Do you know that the G5 has a 2.2 litre engine with 154 horses and can do 0-60 in 8.4? (Prius is 9.8)

I know, 'cause I bought one for my son, at dirt cheap price during GM's bankruptcy. I love it too. It actually feels solid and fun to drive as compared to the Prius. It's rated as compact but I compared it with the Prius (which is rated as mid-sized), all dimensions are almost the same except the G5 is narrower by 2" inside. The outside dimension is actually almost the same. It's just that the G5 has 1" thicker doors, so 2 doors mean 2" narrower inside.

BTW, I'm not unhappy with the Prius acceleration at all. I routinely "win" stoplight challenges with PWR mode. I surprise a lot of big bad nice person-you-vees and luxurious sports sedans 'cause maybe they don't expect a Prius to be able to do that. My mpg at around 55 doesn't suffer to much either 'cause I use cruise control/early glide/coast a lot, so I'm a really happy camper.

The Prius can be somewhat "fun" to drive too, it all depends on how you step on it. I think most Prius drivers (and especially non Prius drivers) mistakenly view it as a very "SLOW" car. It isn't and that a fact.

Edit PS: I just found out a G5 GT has 2.4 engine with 175 horses and does 0-60 in 7.5, also a Cobalt SS has turbo charge and can do 0-60 in 5.7. Impressive for such cheapos, eh?

 

I bought a 2010 Prius over the summer. My wife loves it because she wants/needs a floating couch "that just works" and the electric is key for the city commute. I will be buying a sports car beast as soon as I can afford it. I am a fan of having both, if one can afford it, because they have such different purposes. Sort of like streetbikes, I could never own just one!

 

Driving Prius pleasure is very subjective. I enjoy it and like the high tech features and strive to max MPG on my commute with the pulse and drive technique (in city only, as it would be not practical on hwy). Curiously, both my wife and daughter hate driving it, they say the lack of engine noise bothers them and they cannot get used to the controls (the fact they have auto headlights in their cars is a big factor though). Go figure!