1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Prius Lawsuit

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by hobba, Jun 8, 2009.

  1. hobba

    hobba New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2006
    85
    3
    0
    Location:
    Estero, FL
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I received a letter this week from Initiative Legal Group LLP and their Stephen Gamber. They are putting together a class action lawsuit against Toyota which claims in their suit that Toyota "failed to disclose that the Prius attained significantly lower fuel economy under real world driving conditions than expected by consumers."

    It requires no action on my part, but they do make the offer to talk with them about my(our) experiences. They provide an email address and 800 number to do so.

    Has anyone else received this letter and what is your reaction to it? Based upon my experience chronicled in the thread, "After Service Issue", this may be a good thing.
     
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    19,891
    1,193
    9
    Location:
    Nixa, MO
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Failed to disclose? It's right on the freaking sticker.
     
  3. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    15,232
    1,563
    0
    Location:
    off into the sunset
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Funny, I often get better mileage than I expected.

    Are they suing every other carmaker, too? And the EPA?
     
  4. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,075
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    What complete and total nonsense.

    Tom
     
  5. anthofang

    anthofang New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2009
    56
    0
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
  6. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm suffering from Mesothelioma also. I wonder if I can get double the money!

    No offense to the lawyers in PC but this is the kind of stuff that kills our society. Lawyers and lobbyists.

    *note*

    I'm kidding. I'm not suferring from mesothelioma. :p
     
  7. biphnest

    biphnest Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2006
    41
    3
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Don't waste your time. The lawyers are just looking for their next paycheck. You'll end up with a check for $0.24 or maybe a worthless coupon.
     
    2 people like this.
  8. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    You can do whatever you wish. But sounds like a loser case to me. First of all, EPA determines mileage. It's always contains the phrasing, your mileage may vary.

    ??? "Significantly lower fuel economy under real world driving conditions than expected by consumers." ????

    Huh? My defense if I was Toyota would be to point to the top of the list owner satisfaction surveys. The Prius get's the best marks possible from Prius owners. If "consumers" were significantly disappointed in the fuel economy you certainly wouldn't have the high scores in owner satisfaction.

    Sounds to me like an invalid waste of time and money in hopes of something for nothing.
     
  9. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2007
    7,512
    1,188
    0
    Location:
    Carmichael, CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    The lawyers are the only ones who benefit from these class action suits. The companies usually settle out of court (and pass along the loss to the customers eventually) and the "victims" usually end up with some worthless coupon or minimal cash amount.
     
  10. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,557
    10,324
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    The numbers and statements on that federally required sticker are defined by Congress and the EPA. The manufacturers have no discretion.

    Toyota is no more guilty than the entire industry, and Congress, and the EPA.
     
  11. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2008
    1,483
    137
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    It was for the 2004-2007 Prius which has the inflated EPA mileage rating before the revised 2008 EPA rating.
     
  12. Flying White Dutchman

    Flying White Dutchman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2007
    4,374
    313
    0
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    EPA american tested.
    so thats a load of...b..
     
  13. TeeCee

    TeeCee New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2009
    3
    2
    0
    Location:
    Maastricht
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    N/A

    That being so, I'd suggest getting a group of like-minded consumers around here together, contacting Toyota and offering to testify for the defence.

    That'll drop some gravel in their gearboxes.

    It's the same situation this side of the pond. Everyone with two brain cells to rub together knows that the EU mileage (kilometerage?) figures are a work of fiction, but it's illegal for a manufacturer to quote anything else. The letters pages of the motoring press are always filled with idiots bitching that their car doesn't achieve the quoted figures...
     
    2 people like this.
  14. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I suspect this might be some wanker journalist building a story, not a law firm at all. Sounds like crap to me and if Toyota need a real world driver to dispute the claims if it is real, I am at your service and you only need to pay my costs to attend any hearing. I hate bullshit!!
     
  15. JimboK

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

    Joined:
    May 1, 2006
    2,817
    187
    49
    Location:
    Chesterfield, VA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Certainly the lawyers will pocket the most regardless. But if a class action suit forces a change in a pattern of bad behavior then everyone benefits.

    That certainly is not the case here nor, probably and unfortunately, in most class-action suits. Must be a slow day for ambulance chasing.
     
  16. Sandy

    Sandy Hippi Chick

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2009
    860
    53
    0
    Location:
    Ocala,Fl
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    yep i just went thru engle trust, my MOM died of lung cancer 12K for a life......:(
     
  17. jchilton

    jchilton Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2009
    19
    3
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I once bought some cologne that failed to disclose that I would attain significantly fewer women in real world conditions than was suggested by their advertising.

    Where's my lawsuit?
     
    1 person likes this.
  18. Stev0

    Stev0 Honorary Hong Kong Cavalier

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2006
    7,201
    1,073
    0
    Location:
    Northampton, MA
    Vehicle:
    2022 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Are these the same lawyers who represented the woman who tried to sue when she found out The crunchberries in Capn' Crunch with Crunchberries aren't real berries?
     
    1 person likes this.
  19. kens

    kens New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2008
    38
    5
    0
    Location:
    Palo Alto
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    That Capn' Crunch story is awesome.
     
  20. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2008
    11,627
    2,531
    8
    Location:
    Southwest Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    It's true ! I expected to get 200 mpg, and only get 60.