Prius--my view

I know I am right re Prius's. Also know that most all Prius's use slow lane to get POSTED MPG.

http://www.wired.com/news/autotech/0,2554,63413,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

nuff said!


Man you really are annoying.

That was meant for the "liberal".

If you look at the new post. I ask a few simple questions----why 50 in city---car is supposed to get 60 in city. One year wait is nonsense--I can get another in 3 weeks anywhere---just need a phone and a brain. Now for highway --note the 30's figure quoted. You guys are engaging in mass hysteria.

your questions have been answered: the EPA does not use the same techniques normal drivers would use. they do not use A/C and the average highway speed is 48 mph.

On average with normal driving, people will get 80% of what the EPA states. Why did the EPA get 60 in the city? Because the EPA's test is faulty. And that's true for ALL, that's right I said ALL cars.

I think its mass hysteria when you've been given facts over and over and over and you can't accept them through your thick skull

No need to be personal Captain as I outrank you by far. As usual you are careless in your statements. Fact is EPA UNDERSTATES SOME CARS. ASK A NEW SAAB OWNER WHY THE STICKER SAYS 29 HIGHWAY AND YOU GET A TRUE 32-33? Ditto TDI's. Ditto the KIA Soreento etc.

you've already taken this beyond personal with your political comments and condescending tone. You don't talk about city driving with Saabs, how "great" is that? Maybe you don't talk about it because it gets lower than sticker fuel economy and you're trying to save face? i think so.

I note you never address the post prior----instead you personalize.

I note that i did address the post prior ---- and instead you still continue to patronize. "No need to be personal Captain as I outrank you by far." What is this comment supposed to mean. I outrank you by far? You are personalizing right here. "As usual you are careless in your statements." Personalizing here too. So spare me your feigns of awareness.

Sorry. You chose the name Captain. As a matter of protocol, I assumed you are/were a Captain. I am far higher than a Captain. That's all I meant. If you are not a Captain you might change your moniker.

I heard that Popular Mechanics compared te Jetta TDI and the Prius. It's not online so I will have to go buy it

Any luck re article?

I didn't find the article in the edition at the store, either the store didn't get the newest one or the issue was last months. Have you seen it?

No, it is not in the present issue.

There is a long range report which on the whole is positive. Negatives are 25% report troubles and 75% would like better fuel economy. While not explicit--I think that 75% is reacting to their not being able to reach the EPA figures. That is my interpretation however and others may have a differing view and be incorrect simultaneously.

Oh, did you get a chance to read it? its in the february edition

I found it online. Not a comparison with TDI but a long term survey of owners.

Do you have a link to the article?

Oh, i looked on the site and I see what you mean. I'll keep looking for the Feb edition of popular mechanics

Why have these cars become so available lately----new and used?

Why 3 Prius flatbedded to dealer???? Can batteries handle low temps???

more available because more are being produced, pretty simple to diagnose

3 at the dealer could be for a plethora of reasons which are most likely not attributed to low temperatures causing batteries to go caddywhompus

did you read the article in popular mechanics yet? i did

No. What did it say?

i actually just looked at the results. It basically said that the TDI's 0-30 was faster than the Prius but its 0-60 was slower. And then it went on to say that the TDI was more of a driver's car (which is understandable being its VW), however, the Prius edged out in fuel economy by 1.6 mpg. (they used their own testing methods)

Thx Apollo, that is one of my gripes re the Prius. I owned a Passat TDI years ago and then a Golf TDI and later a Jetta TDI. I watched the mileage carefully. But like the Prius, and my personality, I began "driving for mileage" and it just ruined the enjoyment of the car. The fact however remains that the Prius is not really what is advertized and is on par with a TDI mileage wise. There is no doubt the VW handles better.

Ya'll, As I surfed the threads for the Prius, there is no end of opinions. This is good .... like the inside of a good barrel of pacific blue water.
Now, please extend my education by giving me your experience in the below areas?

1) Maintenance issues for 2004->2005 Prius models. What are the problems and countermeasures?
2) Are there hidden ownership costs in battery replacement life expectancy?) Other's experiences in the midwest & southwestern states for air conditioning satisfaction. [/COLOR] I.E. 98(f)degree days, is the car hot? or can be cooled ok (disregard any mileage issues).
4) Auto collision or crash experiences? Safety issues ?

FYI, from OKC, OK (Oklahoma City), driver feedback from leasing a 2004 Prius in September (hot, humid month), on a drive from OKC-> Austin, Texas and back, at mph of 70 to 90, air conditioning was good, mileage was excellent, (3/4 tank consumption each way [50mpg]). Female driver traveling in the Fast Lane passing VW's .... no offense just fact.

FYI#2 the price of a used Japanse imported Prius in New Zealand is quoted :"We have priced 3y old Japanese imported Prius at about $23K [$US16K]. New is hard to obtain, >$NZ40K I think."

For your region and tax structure car may be fine. On the trip you (she) took the diesel would have given you better mpg. I also know you cannot run a Prius in 90 defrees F with the air on and 3 adults and go 80-90 mph and get better than 38 mpg. You can get 48 with the diesel. So to each his own---but the Prius is not what the adds STILL say. Sales are not at the same pace they once were. Long term maintenance and reliability must be a question since no long term data exists.

For your region and tax structure car may be fine. On the trip you (she) took the diesel would have given you better mpg. I also know you cannot run a Prius in 90 defrees F with the air on and 3 adults and go 80-90 mph and get better than 38 mpg. You can get 48 with the diesel. So to each his own---but the Prius is not what the adds STILL say. Sales are not at the same pace they once were. Long term maintenance and reliability must be a question since no long term data exists.
[COLOR=blue]
OK Mauleskyrocket, thank you once again for providing your opinion. it is respected and valued.

But can you help all of us by answering or providing facts for the 4 questions/items I listed before your reply? I truly value facts and stats... and I simply am not concerned with comparisons to any other vehicle, as I am focused on learning of others' knowledge of the 4 items.

Thank you once again for your opinion and I will inform the woman who drove (both ways) from OKC<->Austin, TX that she simply did not do what she reported because you say it can not be done. (but she may not agree with you as reality is fact, right?) [As Dale Carnegie once stated somewhere, no one wins an arguement], so focusing on experience with fact/stats, does tend to weight the scales on her statement. Thank you truly for your knowledge and if you do have stat's and no comparisons, please share them as we want to learn the cause for discrepancy of your experience to her reality.

Best regards.......

If you took the time to read the thread you will see the various citations----one from the NHTSA which references the Prius as one of the main reason to redo the mileage figures on new car stickers. I am not leaning on one persons opinion. I don't even know if they know how to fill a car for mileage estimates. FULL TO FULL is the only way and that means LEVEL ground and fill until you see the gasoline!!!! Any other method can be totally erroneous. Usually with any hope for high mpg---the individual will fill to the brim----drive on a highway---then refill to the click---and do the math and believe their car gets 50 on the highway.

Ya'll, As I surfed the threads for the Prius, there is no end of opinions. This is good .... like the inside of a good barrel of pacific blue water.
Now, please extend my education by giving me your experience in the below areas?

1) Maintenance issues for 2004->2005 Prius models. What are the problems and countermeasures?
2) Are there hidden ownership costs in battery replacement life expectancy?) Other's experiences in the midwest & southwestern states for air conditioning satisfaction. [/COLOR] I.E. 98(f)degree days, is the car hot? or can be cooled ok (disregard any mileage issues).
4) Auto collision or crash experiences? Safety issues ?

FYI, from OKC, OK (Oklahoma City), driver feedback from leasing a 2004 Prius in September (hot, humid month), on a drive from OKC-> Austin, Texas and back, at mph of 70 to 90, air conditioning was good, mileage was excellent, (3/4 tank consumption each way [50mpg]). Female driver traveling in the Fast Lane passing VW's .... no offense just fact.

FYI#2 the price of a used Japanse imported Prius in New Zealand is quoted :"We have priced 3y old Japanese imported Prius at about $23K [$US16K]. New is hard to obtain, >$NZ40K I think."

No maintenence issues really. Unlike normal cars and diesel, the Prius does not need timing belt changes, transmission maintenence, etc. Even the A/C is electric so it can have varying air compression speeds to maximize efficiency. I live in the midwest and the A/C is amazing. if you change the temp by one degree, the automatic a/c knows where to flow the air and also i can feel the temperature change. The A/C feels really good on hot days. Also since its electric, it gets colder a lot quicker. It doesnt need to run off the gasoline or diesel engine for power (and it doesnt drain power that way).

there really are no hidden costs, the battery has been known to go beyond 200k miles and i have no knowledge of any Prius needing a battery replacement. However, for the NORMAL accesorry 12v battery, they sometimes need to be replaced when they are drained because a door is left ajar overnight.

Like I said before, the a/c is awesome because it doesn't draw power from the gasoline engine. therefore even in 98 degree weather, you get instant a/c.

Also you'll be getting better mpg in hotter weather just because the engine isn't required to warm up. around 50 mpg is the average for Prius drivers. you can check out www.greenhybrid.com that has a real database where people list their mpg. The lowest anyone has gotten was 38.

Pertaining to maleskyrocket's opinion regarding mpg, I beleive he only owned his Prius for a few short months in winter which is already a double whammy. One because of the winter formula of gas which decreases mpg, and also because cold weather causes the car to use more gas during warm up. Secondly, he did not allow his Prius to break in so the engine was not loose. Even with 3 months of driving at 3000 miles, the engine is not at optimum efficiency.

To mauleskyrocket: you say usually the individual fills to the brim and then refills to the click in order to achieve 50 on the highway.. How are you going to justify this statement? how do you know they didn't use the display instead? I find your last comment purely unjustifiable with no evidence to support your theory and it shows your bias. Even your arguement on Prius advertising showing erroneous and high fuel economy is bunk because the only Prius advertising that has been on TV was the one on the superbowl, in which there were NO mpg figures. If you are referring to how the sticker on the car is erroneous, think about how the government requires every car to list that. Its NOT advertising. Salesmen also have nothing to do with it, that's the dealer's problem if they claim the Prius WILL get it. Also, notice how Popular Mechanics compared a manual TDI to the Prius' CVT. Manual TDI gets better mpg than the automatic and it still falls short of the Prius' mpg by 1.6mpg. Needless to say, the Prius is also larger than the Jetta TDI as well as heavier so its not as if it was the best comparison in the world. I agree that the Jetta probably handles much better, however, I choose safety, convenience, and luxury over a pure driving experience that would last less than 20 minutes on boring 40 mph roads with stoplights.

Back to Okhobieman: if you have questions, the best place to ask them would be priuschat.com where real owners can tell you their own experiences.

Safety: The prius was tested by Europe's test center three times more than a normal car because it utilizes an industry's first: Ultra High Strength Steel on the B-pillars. They found the car to be number 1 in its class for safety as well as number 1 overall for chlid occupant safety. The NHTSA tested the Prius without curtain/side airbags and it still received a 5 star frontal, 4 star side impact rating. The article is right http://www.newstreet.it/home/article_Id_627.html here.

No maintenence issues really. Unlike normal cars and diesel, the Prius does not need timing belt changes, transmission maintenence, etc. Even the A/C is electric so it can have varying air compression speeds to maximize efficiency. I live in the midwest and the A/C is amazing. if you change the temp by one degree, the automatic a/c knows where to flow the air and also i can feel the temperature change. The A/C feels really good on hot days. Also since its electric, it gets colder a lot quicker. It doesnt need to run off the gasoline or diesel engine for power (and it doesnt drain power that way).

there really are no hidden costs, the battery has been known to go beyond 200k miles and i have no knowledge of any Prius needing a battery replacement. However, for the NORMAL accesorry 12v battery, they sometimes need to be replaced when they are drained because a door is left ajar overnight.

Like I said before, the a/c is awesome because it doesn't draw power from the gasoline engine. therefore even in 98 degree weather, you get instant a/c.

Also you'll be getting better mpg in hotter weather just because the engine isn't required to warm up. around 50 mpg is the average for Prius drivers. you can check out www.greenhybrid.com that has a real database where people list their mpg. The lowest anyone has gotten was 38.

Pertaining to maleskyrocket's opinion regarding mpg, I beleive he only owned his Prius for a few short months in winter which is already a double whammy. One because of the winter formula of gas which decreases mpg, and also because cold weather causes the car to use more gas during warm up. Secondly, he did not allow his Prius to break in so the engine was not loose. Even with 3 months of driving at 3000 miles, the engine is not at optimum efficiency.

To mauleskyrocket: you say usually the individual fills to the brim and then refills to the click in order to achieve 50 on the highway.. How are you going to justify this statement? how do you know they didn't use the display instead? I find your last comment purely unjustifiable with no evidence to support your theory and it shows your bias. Even your arguement on Prius advertising showing erroneous and high fuel economy is bunk because the only Prius advertising that has been on TV was the one on the superbowl, in which there were NO mpg figures. If you are referring to how the sticker on the car is erroneous, think about how the government requires every car to list that. Its NOT advertising. Salesmen also have nothing to do with it, that's the dealer's problem if they claim the Prius WILL get it. Also, notice how Popular Mechanics compared a manual TDI to the Prius' CVT. Manual TDI gets better mpg than the automatic and it still falls short of the Prius' mpg by 1.6mpg. Needless to say, the Prius is also larger than the Jetta TDI as well as heavier so its not as if it was the best comparison in the world. I agree that the Jetta probably handles much better, however, I choose safety, convenience, and luxury over a pure driving experience that would last less than 20 minutes on boring 40 mph roads with stoplights.

Back to Okhobieman: if you have questions, the best place to ask them would be priuschat.com where real owners can tell you their own experiences.

Safety: The prius was tested by Europe's test center three times more than a normal car because it utilizes an industry's first: Ultra High Strength Steel on the B-pillars. They found the car to be number 1 in its class for safety as well as number 1 overall for chlid occupant safety. The NHTSA tested the Prius without curtain/side airbags and it still received a 5 star frontal, 4 star side impact rating. The article is right http://www.newstreet.it/home/article_Id_627.html here.

[COLOR=blue]Thank YOU very much for the knowledge transfer!
I continue to gather information and am corresponding with dealers via the internet option for purchasing, from the below dealer this is his quote when asked about price in Oklahoma City , Okalahoma, USA (OKC):

"You can pretty much get one in OKC at or VERY near MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price). I'll let you know as we get Prius's that come in that aren't sold."

MIKE SULLIVAN Internet Sales Manager Dub Richardson Toyota, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
Dealership: 405-721-1911 Direct Line: 405-506-6261
Toll Free: 877-921-1911

What a bunch of bunk! The Prius I had was in the summer and had 6K on it when I sold it and bought a Saab. It is not only a car which caters to mpg persons who know very little about the topic but also has legions of owners who live in denial of the cars shortcomings. Go on any thru roadway and you will find them----in the slow lane--trying to get the mpg they thought they would get.

What a bunch of bunk! The Prius I had was in the summer and had 6K on it when I sold it and bought a Saab. It is not only a car which caters to mpg persons who know very little about the topic but also has legions of owners who live in denial of the cars shortcomings. Go on any thru roadway and you will find them----in the slow lane--trying to get the mpg they thought they would get.

Good evening Mauleskyrocket, I hope you have enjoyed a good meal with family and are well.

It is difficult to respond to emotions vs logic and facts. I understand your pain but can not share the emotional response.

Please share in the discussion by contributing on the 4 topics. In this manner you will be able to present your position with adequate substance to gain support of your opinion. OK?

What knowledge do you have to contribute?

OK, as for myself, the lake forecast is glassy conditions for kayaking with a hot cup of java and earphones tomorrow morning. Good night and best regards..... PS: she is driving in the fast lane tonight .... :2cents:

deal with facts. You speak like Kerry.

What a bunch of bunk! The Prius I had was in the summer and had 6K on it when I sold it and bought a Saab. It is not only a car which caters to mpg persons who know very little about the topic but also has legions of owners who live in denial of the cars shortcomings. Go on any thru roadway and you will find them----in the slow lane--trying to get the mpg they thought they would get.

lets assume 6k would be around 6 months. when did you get your saab? the post i see is around june/july which would mean you got your prius in january. January through june/july is hardly all summer. Its more like winter/spring and 3 weeks of summer. Also, can you say that 6k will fully break in the engine? people on the forums say 10k. The only bunk I see is how you generalize Prius drivers and constantly insult them. Also, you are HARDLY dealing with facts at all. You think we live in denial because of the car's shortcomings? I say, it has far exceeded my expectations in comfort and luxury. Even if I were getting the low 38 mpg you "advertise", its still double what I was getting before with my old car. PLUS its larger than the older car. I don't see any denial in being happy with my purchase.

lets assume 6k would be around 6 months. when did you get your saab? the post i see is around june/july which would mean you got your prius in january. January through june/july is hardly all summer. Its more like winter/spring and 3 weeks of summer. Also, can you say that 6k will fully break in the engine? people on the forums say 10k. The only bunk I see is how you generalize Prius drivers and constantly insult them. Also, you are HARDLY dealing with facts at all. You think we live in denial because of the car's shortcomings? I say, it has far exceeded my expectations in comfort and luxury. Even if I were getting the low 38 mpg you "advertise", its still double what I was getting before with my old car. PLUS its larger than the older car. I don't see any denial in being happy with my purchase.


HI, just back from kayaking in the rain, spring is eternal and the redbuds are blooming .....

This is the type of data I found in www.consumerreports.org. Check it out by logging on and looking in auto section. Their opinion I value, and I urge you to drop the emotion and focus on the facts as you so pointedly requested. OK?

Thank you again for motivating everyone to show you the right side of the road is not always the slow lane ..... bye.....

Reliability history
Toyota Prius
97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04
Engine
Cooling
Fuel
Ignition
Transmission
Electrical
A/C
Suspension
Brakes
Exhaust
Power equipment
Paint/Trim/Rust
Body integrity
Body hardware
Reliability Verdict

Safety information

Safety belts:
Pretensioners, front/rear Yes/no
Center-rear 3-point

Air bags:
Occupant sensing system Not available
Side air bags, front/rear Optional/no
Head protection air bags Optional
Accident alert system Not available

Active safety features:
Antilock brakes Standard
Traction control Standard
Stability control Optional
Daytime running lights Not available
Tire pressure monitor Available

Crash tests:
Gov't front-crash test, driver:
Gov't front-crash test, front passenger:
Gov't side-crash test, driver
Gov't side-crash test, rear passenger
IIHS offset crash test NA

Specifications
Drive wheels
Front
Seating
2 front, 3 rear
Engines available
1.5-liter 4 (76+67 hp)
Transmissions available
CVT
Fuel
Fuel type Regular
EPA city/highway, mpg 60/51
Fuel refill capacity, gal. 11.9
Dimensions and weight
Length, in. 175
Width, in. 68
Wheelbase, in. 106
Curb weight, lb. 2,950
Percent weight, front/rear 59/41
Typical towing ability, lb. NR

I hope you all enjoy the Prius if you own one. I would just drive a diesel first---and you will probably not buy the Duracell powered car. Be nice. Be polite.

duracell? , come on you just dont know jack about the prius, much less any car since you own a cheap econobox. how about lets see your pictures of the SAAB and the prius that you claimed to have?

your basically a bunch of bunk.

hybrids are the future
Diesels aren't


let me see pictures?
and i bet when u reply mauleskyrocket, you would just ignore my statement about pictures and say " Prius is a bunch of bunk u kerry retards"


therefore since we cant change YOUR views on the prius, just stop arguing since there are much more people out there that support the technology than you

With respect, it's "many more people" not "much more people"--vegatz?

Local dealers are urging a leatherette dealer option. Looks quite good. Apparantly, original upholstery tends to "rib" on seat edge ---even with minor use. Recommend leatherette.

haven't had a problem and i'm over 200 lbs

Not a big problem. It is just that contoured seats "rib" on edges very easily in cloth. The $1,000-1500 option seems worth it if someone plans on keeping the battery car (joke).

In my opinion, diesel (whether it's regular or the new bio-diesel) is still fuel, and it will still be depleted like any other fuel over time

True but under thermodynamics anything which results in gaining power will likewise be depleted in time.

There have been 2 interestings post on the Prius Board. One dealing with height and performance and one with Consumer Reports. On the performance issue--don't buy one. If you enjoy driving and drive v-8's you will stomp the Prius---your mileage will be terrible---you will be sorry you bought it.
Re Consumer Reports----because it is viewed as green it is highlighted. Otherwise the usual shoddy job of CR.

deal with facts. You speak like Kerry.

First off, this is not a political forum, if you would like to talk about the prius, please do so, if you want to talk politics we have a forum for that as well, please go there for political conversation.

Second, i was just wondering if you were aware exactly how stupid that statement made you sound. Just a thought but if your trying to have an educated discussion regarding pros and cons, facts would be something you should probly embrace.

oh yes almost forgot, have a nice day.

I know I am right re Prius's. Also know that most all Prius's use slow lane to get POSTED MPG.

I havent read any of these 16 pages but I gotta question for you.

What does "re" mean?!? One of my online teachers uses it all the time, and its not English so i'm not sure. Does it mean about? And you wouldn't happen to know what "vis-a-vis" means would you? It really annoying trying to read fast with those words in there.

re means regarding.

lil side note: mom took the prius and reduced average mpg by 1mpg :( now its only 48