That Prius is ...How Much?

[carnageehw]

Originally Posted by Kal-El

Y
A quick look at the interiors will tell you the big difference in class.

The Prius interior of course, makes road head impossible. A big design flaw, imo.

[Kal-El]

Originally Posted by carnageehw

The Prius interior of course, makes road head impossible. A big design flaw, imo.

Hahaha

[rningonfumes]

LMAO!!! HAHAHA... maybe it weeds out the ones who aren't flexible?

[DebbyM46227]

Originally Posted by bronsin

The problem is the insane mentality people have today. I mean, Obama just twisted the manufacturers arms into committing that their cars will get 63 mpg by 2020 or something? Thats crazy! What are these people thinking? How much is this car going to cost?
Hell no Im not going quietly!

Hopefully someone with some sense will be elected in 2012 and crazy things like O-Care and 63 MPG by 2020 will be done away with.

I can't afford a $41K Chevy Volt. I'd have to make the choice between making my car payment or the mortgage payment. Or find a rich man.

[daf62757]

Originally Posted by Black_griffin6

I'd still take a Prius over the Chevy Volt. The Volt is a good concept, but poorly presented imho. It's just a sale's gimmick.

Not a sales gimmick....but a political gimmick.

People are reporting the car doesn't get the mileage under extreme hot or cold conditions and overall, it is just a flawed vehicle. Another failure for GM and the incompetent president in chief!

[Kiteless]

My 2 cents: The Prius is a nice sensible car with a lot of cool tech in it. It gets great gas milage and the plug in version will do even better. As stated it is also in a different class of car, offering bigger more comfortable interior and a surprisingly large cargo area, especially with the seats down.

The Prius is also mind bendingly BORING to drive. I drive a manual because its fun for me. An automatic is not nearly as interesting to drive for me, and the CVT is 9 million percent more boring than an auto. At least an auto changes gears, REAL GEARS.

Also I dunno about you guys but I only average about 36MPG without trying... The best I ever did was 39 and I was driving slow, drafting simi's, very gentle acceleration. I even removed the spare and the jack and anything else that was not bolted down to see if I could do any better and 39 average was the best I could do. I did get about 40 average driving to Arizona once, but that was 99.8 percent freeway driving. Of course I got my Yaris back when it was super cheap for $10,500 plus destination and all the other crap one has to pay for with a new car.

Bottom line, even at 36MPG the Yaris (even at its current $12-$13K price) is cheaper to own over a 5 year period than a moderately spec'ed out Prius at 30K and 50MPG average. The Prius is a much nicer car, but incredibly boring. The Yaris is much more fun to drive (especially in a manual), but a bit rough around the edges.

Then there is the maintenance. Anybody that knows their way around a car can work on a Yaris. Its a body, engine, and some tires, done. If not, they can take it to a garage. The Prius HAS to be taken to a Toyota Dealership, THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE TO GET ANYTHING DONE TO A CAR.

Anyway just my 2 cents. They are different cars for different people. If I HAD to have a Hybrid I would go for the CRZ.

- Jason/Kiteless

[Kal-El]

Originally Posted by Kiteless

My 2 cents: The Prius is a nice sensible car with a lot of cool tech in it. It gets great gas milage and the plug in version will do even better. As stated it is also in a different class of car, offering bigger more comfortable interior and a surprisingly large cargo area, especially with the seats down.

The Prius is also mind bendingly BORING to drive. I drive a manual because its fun for me. An automatic is not nearly as interesting to drive for me, and the CVT is 9 million percent more boring than an auto. At least an auto changes gears, REAL GEARS.

Well, I agree there is no sporting and engaging feeling with the Prius, but I would say there's a different type of joy that comes from driving one, therefore, I wouldn't call in boring. It's hard to explain, but the high tech hybrid feel can be "fun" if you're into tech and are a fuel efficiency enthusiast.

Originally Posted by Kiteless

Also I dunno about you guys but I only average about 36MPG without trying... The best I ever did was 39 and I was driving slow, drafting simi's, very gentle acceleration. I even removed the spare and the jack and anything else that was not bolted down to see if I could do any better and 39 average was the best I could do. I did get about 40 average driving to Arizona once, but that was 99.8 percent freeway driving. Of course I got my Yaris back when it was super cheap for $10,500 plus destination and all the other crap one has to pay for with a new car.

Don't worry, that's pretty normal. You're already averaging higher than the EPA ratings. 50/50 city/highway rating is only 32 MPG. Not sure what your city/highway ratio is.

Originally Posted by Kiteless

Bottom line, even at 36MPG the Yaris (even at its current $12-$13K price) is cheaper to own over a 5 year period than a moderately spec'ed out Prius at 30K and 50MPG average. The Prius is a much nicer car, but incredibly boring. The Yaris is much more fun to drive (especially in a manual), but a bit rough around the edges.

Well, you'd have to get the very top of the line Prius V (5) to get it up to $30K. The adequately equipped Prius I starts at $22K and makes the most sense.

Originally Posted by Kiteless

Then there is the maintenance. Anybody that knows their way around a car can work on a Yaris. Its a body, engine, and some tires, done. If not, they can take it to a garage. The Prius HAS to be taken to a Toyota Dealership, THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE TO GET ANYTHING DONE TO A CAR.

Good point. However, you can certainly bring your Prius to any shop for routine maintenance (oil changes, tires, ect.) which is likely the only work you'll need for a very long time. The Prius is proven to be as trouble free as the Yaris. Basically, two of the most reliable cars you can buy. You probably won't need to visit a Toyota dealer until well after 100,000 miles. Maybe 150K.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by Kal-El

Well, I agree there is no sporting and engaging feeling with the Prius, but I would say there's a different type of joy that comes from driving one, therefore, I wouldn't call in boring. It's hard to explain, but the high tech hybrid feel can be "fun" if you're into tech and are a fuel efficiency enthusiast.

It also helps to be seriously delusional when it comes to the bottom line.

[Kiteless]

All good points boys and girls!

[freeridelectric]

Lets not forget lithium ion battery powered cars are in their infancy. If batteries were produced on the scale of the ICE they would be extremely cheap. I have 30k miles on my EV now and have not paid the for gas so 3000 dollars stayed in the American economy so far.

Nissan will own the EV market like Toyota owns the hybrid market. However 10 years from now the EV market will dwarf today's hybrid market. China and India want to drive like Americans and all the easy to get at oil is gone. The US can drill all they want but OPEC will still set the price for a barrel of oil. Only way gas will be cheap in the future is through demand destruction by means of recession. Gas restricts our economy, just as the economy gets going, high oil prices restrict it. A vicious circle I do not want to support. Flat screens that cost 10k dollars 10 years ago cost 640 dollars today and so it will be with batteries for EV's, the early adopters will pay through the nose but they are very important for to advance technology

[bronsin]

I hope there is a bright future for electric cars. They make sense. But they need to cost $15,000 (or less) not $30,000+.

Maybe the price comes down when they sell a million of them?

The Prius's price has not come down to anything reasonable.

[Cosworth]

If the current generation Yaris had a "mild" hybrid setup for city travel, it's everything that one could ask for. In the city, Prius rules over Yaris.

But, I mostly drive on the freeway, so there's no sense in buying a Prius. I routinely get 40-45mpg on the freeway here in MI.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by Cosworth

If the current generation Yaris had a "mild" hybrid setup for city travel, it's everything that one could ask for. In the city, Prius rules over Yaris.

But, I mostly drive on the freeway, so there's no sense in buying a Prius. I routinely get 40-45mpg on the freeway here in MI.

Since I drive mostly in town I wonder would the "shut engine off at lights" help mileage all that much? I have heard it does not. Since a feature of the Prius is a thermos that keeps coolant hot, perhaps plugging a block heater in with the Yaris will do thing mileage wise.

[Zaphod]

Originally Posted by carnageehw

Are there no traffic lights in your town?

I just got 430 miles out of my last tank and I was well shy of ten gallons.

43mpg on the tank with 30/70 city/highway driving is about right for me. That's just reality, face it. The Yaris is just that good on gas.

8 years is more like it with the Prius battery, and considering that my last car was a rust prone jeep wrangler and I took it to over 200,000 miles, unless there's just something about these Toyota products that I won't get at least 200,000 miles out of a Prius, then I would think I'd easily see the money back.

Doesn't matter to me though. I was able to hard ball the dealer on a cash deal for the Yaris so I got the deal I wanted. I wouldn't have done that one the Prius, and I really don't think they would have moved as much on that car, but who knows?

I'm very happy with my Yaris, and I know plenty who are loving their Prius. They're both great cars.

[DebbyM46227]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Since I drive mostly in town I wonder would the "shut engine off at lights" help mileage all that much? I have heard it does not. Since a feature of the Prius is a thermos that keeps coolant hot, perhaps plugging a block heater in with the Yaris will do thing mileage wise.

Then you'd probably wear out the starter and battery quicker.

[rningonfumes]

If you're going to do the engine off thing at lights, you need to incorporate engine off...coast to the light.

[ROCKLAND TOYOTA]

Originally Posted by carnageehw

The Prius interior of course, makes road head impossible. A big design flaw, imo.

HEAD yes, but HAND no.....

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by rningonfumes

If you're going to do the engine off thing at lights, you need to incorporate engine off...coast to the light.

Oh that would T them off no end. Already they wont take their foot off the gas when faced with a red light. NOOOO! They have to race madly at the light at 50mph and then SLAM on the brakes when they get there.