Prius Myths and their Rebuttals

My Prius replaced an Ohio-made Honda bought 23 years earlier, and driven nearly a quarter million miles.

If you got your truck free and drove it the same distance, your fuel bill alone (at my local prices) would pay for my new Prius, and all its fuel, and a second new Prius, and a hybrid battery replacement (just in case the original failed early), and still leave more than a grand left over. (note: mine cost much less than 30k.)

I want to save fuel because our oil addiction is a threat to national security. If we burned half as much oil, 9/11 would not have happened, and we would not have spent more than a $Trillion of our taxes on Middle East wars while bringing home thousands of uniformed men and women home in body bags.

Only you can truly answer that. If it doesn't fit your needs -- which you have not much described -- don't buy it.

 

Yep, Mr. Dakota should look at http://www.eia.gov/countries/index.cfm?view=reserves, Oil: Crude and Petroleum Products - Energy Explained, Your Guide To Understanding Energy, 20/20 on ABC: Over a Barrel: U.S. Oil Addiction - Page 2 - TiVo Community and http://priuschat.com/forums/freds-house-pancakes/90757-remembering-1973-oil-crisis.html#post1276469 (when we were less dependent on oil imports than we are now).

The US only has about 3% of the world's oil reserves yet consumes almost 25% of the world's daily oil production while we having <5% of the world's population. Countries like India and China are past a billion people each vs. our 313 million.

At current oil prices, almost a $1 billion/day is going to other countries, just for oil.

 

Okay, I understand most of you are liberals. I, am obviously not. I favor buying a real American car over a foreign car every time.

But if we want to be independent of other countries we face a double edged sword. Be free from the Arabs, yet put Americans out of work in order to do so, by buying a jap car.

Also The average price of gasoline in Mid-1998 was .98 cents a gallon here in the Midwest. Even in late 2008, and early 2009 the average price was around 1.55 cents.

Perhaps everyone forgot about the Geo/Chevy Metro? EPA rates it at 37 combined, but actuall real world driving puts it at a 42-29 MPG average. Way cheaper then a prius.

What about the Chevy Volt? Ford Fiesta?

The average consumer does not walk into a dealership looking for the best vehicle for the environment. He wants the biggest bang for his buck.

 

If you want to help Americans keep their jobs then stop buying the BS cars they are trying to sell you. When people purchase enough "Jap" cars as you call them, the market will shift to more efficient cars or it will collapse. If it collapses then so be it. The retards running the show should have adapted!

The Metro was a low-powered piece of crap. It can in no way be compared to a Prius. Only one model came close to Prius average MPG and it was under 50HP, tiny, put out way more emissions, and was less safe or fun to drive. Do a bit of research before you bring that car up.

What about the Volt? It's WAY overpriced and only exceeds the Prius in average MPG when driven in specific conditions. It's also too small for me and has too little ground clearance. GM took waaay too much taxpayer money to keep it's doors open and they wasted a lot of money designing the volt and they couldn't even make it affordable. They also lied about it's EV status so they could get the higher rebate incentive designed for full EV cars. I used to love GM products but their track record for integrity as a company is terrible. I'll never buy another GM product.

What about the Fiesta? It's too small for my needs and cannot compare to the Prius MPG or emissions. Neat car and priced well so I hope a lot of people buy it.

 

Car and Driver, July 2009. 3 way test between the Metro, Insight, and Prius.
The Metro tied the Prius for fuel economy. So if were talking fuel economy as everyone is. There's your proof, a Internal combustion vehicle can be just as efficient. obviously it wont have the same features as your newer vehicle, but it was a 9k car when new (2000-01). The prius was 20k. So your savings issue dosent hold much water.

Also I guess you guys in Califonia are different then us in the Midwest. We value American made things here. If Im making a large purchase, no matter tools, bike anything, you bet Im buying american. With so many of my family, neighbors, and friends being blue collar workers (including myself) I sure hope People begin to buy more of the new offerings from Detroit, for all our sakes.

I also dont think the large vehicle segment will ever disappear.
Look at how well F-150's and Silverado's Sell. Or Dodge's Ram 1500. Chevy Tahoe's, Suburban's, Ford Expedition's, Dodge Durango's etc.

Also Dodge has the redesigned Charger, that should sell well.


George

 

You're not comparing apples to apples. The Geo Metro was a cheap economy car. Have you ever driven one? I spent years riding around in one and while reliable, it was a piece of crap. lol This takes up back to my orginal statement that not everything is about saving money. I could have purchased a used Honda Civic is economics was my only goal.

As for comparable fuel economy, the Metro could achieve great fuel economy because it had no luxury items and the thing weighed 1700lbs. Strip all of the safety items and luxury appointments from a Prius and the car should achieve 100mpg easy. For what it's worth, my 2005 Prius regularly averages 48mpg in the winter and 53mpg in the summer.

The real difference here is that some of us place a greater value on quality products that reduce the negative effects on human health, national security, and the environment. You tend to see such shifts in attitude in states and areas with higher levels of education and less political BS. I support local food and products and I'm a member of the Placer County Farm Bureau but that doesn't mean I'm going to buy a harmful product just because it was made in America.

The large vehicle segment will not disappear because some people need trucks to get work down. I do believe it should be reduced because a large percentage of people driving big trucks simply don't need them. Same goes for gas guzzling cars like the Charger. It's rather irritaing knowing that tax-payer money is going to subsidize oil so that knuckledraggers can drive whatever they want despite the cost to society.

You sound like you have a strong moral background but I wish you would get up to date on the negative affects of oil consumption and how that effects us, society, and our national security.

 

May have already been brought up, but cars from an American mark aren't necessarily "more American". Five of the top the 10 "American" made cars, in terms of fabrication of parts and assembly, are Japanese in origin. The Toyota Camry is actually more American, in those terms, than any Ford or GM product. The reality is the opposite of the situation you framed. In many cases buying a Japanese car gives Americans jobs.

The Cars.com American-Made Index - Cars.com

It is true the Prius is made in Japan, but that doesn't bother me too much. I'd invite you to look at your clothing, your dishes, your electronics, your produce in the winter months. Like many people, unless you make a conscious decision to spend more and seek out locally made products, your entire life is foreign-made. He who casts the first stone...

As a side note, I'm not sure why we're talking about "people in California" as if they're not worthy of the human being label. I live in a state of blue collar workers that had a higher unemployment rate than Michigan during the 2008 crisis. Even if I didn't, that doesn't make me a worse person. I also have friends from different countries, as well as out in the Midwest. I don't give certain ones preference because they chose to be born somewhere (I mean, really now...). If I try to value people, and you value people only coming from Detroit, well then you can't complain about others contributing to the financial soundness of an exclusive group of people - that's precisely what you do and advocate, to the detriment of competition and innovation from a technological and economic standpoint.

 

I said nothing about valuing people only from detroit. I value things that are american made. Theres good folks from everywhere in this country, but im sure everyone is familiar with the California mindset.

F8L - Thank you for insinuating im a uneducated knuckle dragger!

You have mentioned that I should take classes, and get educatued. Well if thats not the California elitist culture, I'm not sure what is. I dont agree with your flawed idea, so im dumb.

It is not the job of the government to tell folks what to drive. If you dont want to subzidize oil, how about we cut unnescesary welfare and other services, that I dont believe in. Theres 1 trillion.

 

I bought my Prius for exactly that reason: It was the best bang for the buck. Even without super mileage, for my needs the Prius offered the best features and utility for the money.

Back in the 1980s, I drove a Honda CRX. That was another example of a small conventional car with exceptional mileage. I loved that car, but I can tell you that it doesn't compare to a Prius. It was a roller skate with an engine. It only seated two people, and in collision with a big dog, the car would lose.

Prius are mid-sized cars, well appointed, and full of upscale features. It doesn't make sense to compare them to econoboxes.

Tom

 

Education is elitist?

 

Not sure I'd call a Prius "Midsize" 68 inches wide, 175 inches long

Ford's Midsized Fusion 80 inches wide, 191 inches long. Even the Chevy Malibu is 17 inches longer.

billinmd - Did I call education elitist? No I said telling people there not educated because they dont agree with you, is elitist. Also maybe you could remember theres a lot of stuf out there school dosent teach ya.

 

It is midsized in interior volume. Its total interior capacity is just short of the Fusion, but higher than the Fusion Hybrid and Malibu.

 

I don't have an aversion to domestic autos. I own a Ford, too. The new 2012 Ford Focus hatchback looks pretty damn cool, yet practical and pretty fuel efficient. I considered getting a Ford Fusion hybrid, but I couldn't stomach the price tag. The Prius is a well-rounded package that's hard to beat, unless you want something that's more fun to drive.

 

Well I hate to tell ya...but The Easter Bunny himself crapped in that basket and tossed it into a flaming volcano.

If you're waiting for gas to come down to about $1.50 a gallon, then you might as well simultaneously await the Great Pumpkin.

Last time gas was $1.50 a gallon Rocky Balboa was fighting Clubber Lang and I could run 10 miles a day....

Sylvester Stallone is an old man, I took a long 2 mile walk yesterday, and gas is NEVER going to be $1.50 a gallon again...

 

Automobile sizing categories are by interior volume, and are standardized to avoid problems of perception. The Prius is in the mid-size category.

Edit: Here is a link to the size specification:
[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_size_class[/ame]

Tom

 

Gas was around 1.75 2 years ago. It was even lower in about 1999.

I think we can all agree that the prius is by no means close to a standard size vehicle. Its still a small car no matter how you slice it.

 

The new Prius is classified as a Mid-Size.

It's 2011, and my eggs are in the "Gas ain't never going to be cheap" basket.

 

I think not. The Prius is surprisingly roomy inside. Many SUV type vehicles look a lot bigger, but much of their size is consumed by suspension, drive trains, and large tires. I am continually surprised by the lack of space inside many "larger" cars.

Tom

 

Gas dropped over 2 dollars lower after the last 4.00 + spike we had. So we'll see.

To me cars are a hobby, and a significant part of my life. Lots of us couldnt give that up for a appliance car. I love driving, and the sound of a good old V8

 

Anyone is free to "not" like Prius. Anyone is free to love V8 engines.

But keep in mind where you are at. Almost everyone here supports Prius in one fashion or another. Coming in making blanket statements about how we "all" feel about the enviroment...and coupling it with challenging posts about the superiority of numerous other vehicles is simply trollish behavior.