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| This is a discussion on Prius Myths and their Rebuttals within the Gen II Prius Main Forum forums, part of the Gen II (2004-2009) Toyota Prius Forums category; <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bulldog @ Feb 9 2007, 08:46 PM) [snapback]387809[/snapback]</div> You serious?? The Prius has a 100lb battery with some nickel ... |
Prius Myths and their Rebuttals
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| | #31 | |
| Join Date: Feb 2007
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Friends: 0 | <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bulldog @ Feb 9 2007, 08:46 PM) [snapback]387809[/snapback]</div> Quote:
Again i thought i read somewhere about Lithium ion which is gunna be used in cars sooner or later amnyways. how much more trouble would that have been than use harmful nickel? When did i say a H2 is greener than a prius? that thought has never crossed my mind. secondly, I dont have a problem with their trucks, its just that they advertise seeming so for the good of the enviroment yet twofacedly want all the money in the full size market as well. GM trucks have among the best mpg compared to other trucks. Toyota has around the worst. At least Honda has a commited ideal behind their reputation, unless they join in on the full size truck market. It has also admitted it has exploited the weak yen and strong dollar to maximize profits. Also, addressing th tarrifs,Ive heard Japan has hidden fees disguised as crash testing that are built in thousands per car. even importing cars into the US, like the Aveo, GM has to pay a thousand dollars per car to the UAW. Its all true. GM supports the domestic econmy by contributing billions in taxes and its cars' parts are still mostly (83%) american parts. All the money that goes into on a domestic is put into their bottom line in an american based company. While ford still has some issues, overall GM has come leaps and bounds from a decade or two and i belive are almost level. Buick has consistantly rated above honda, toyota, and acura in quality for a while. If you dont trust JD Power and assosciates, I would like to know what you do trust, perhaps, consumer reports? i dont belive the way they test cars and quality is very good and i dont trust them when it comes to cars. secondly, I cant say i have driven any GM car, or any car at all. I dont see that as particulary strange as most kids in 8th grade do not drive either. I admit the US auto industry has made some humongous and potentially fatal mistakes in the past, but hom much whould it benifit the world if the big 2.5 suddenly collapesed? The US economy cannot sustain another huge hit an we are already in hot water as it is. Now i'm not gunna preach about a moral duty to purchase domestic, as that would be an affront to this country and its very basis of freedom. The reason GM depended on its large SUVs and trucks is exactly because of the large profit margin. Simply put, GM or ford does not make any (or rather very very little)money from small to midsize cars. subtract any legacy costs, ie retirement pay and health benifits, it simply does not make economic sence. Japanese companies dont have to pay this because the japanese government takes over these costs. The largest reason to make cars were just to prevent the loss of share to competitors. Clearly, the theres efforts were not completely sucessful. Efforts have been underway for a while to restrructure and results are alredy coming to fruition. Witness not only the GM truck and CAR of the year. the North American Car of the year being the Saturn Aura, from GM, and the Chevy Silverado. Upcoming is the Chevy Malibu. Lookit up if you want more. From the commercials ive seen, apparently the ford fusion beat the camry and accord in a head to head comparison. Its up to you to decide that one though. If you want proof of Japanese intervention, here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_cons...ronics_industry find protectionism. there is no american electronics industry article. Dell is the last largest electronics company that is American. dont you find it the least suspisious that even though the television was invented in Ohio, United States, there is no vestige of an american television corperation? Its all Sony to Panasonic. Dig deeper. I dont belive the government lending a hand is bad especially if everyone else is. Its an unfair disadvantage to our home team. Anyways, at least the North American Auto Award ought to hold some power. the fact is, some the products are competitive, but no ones looking. There is a huge gap between perception and actual product. GM now has a 100,000 mile warrenty to back itself up while toyota can charge a premium on higher percived value. Domestic Auto makers are cutting back on fleet sales which is proven to cause deteriorating quality and resale value. Toyota is a very global company. Sharing platforms and the fact that it is reletively young leads to less clutter and confusion. The camry is sold all over the world under the toyota name, while domestics get stuck in regional ideas. for example, about every car in 3 car portfolio is made araound the world, whereas GM has about 7 brands just in NA. I promice you most of there cars are exclusive the the north american market, and infact if you mention say Buick in China relative to here, youll get images of VERY different cars. All 3 major domestic companies have been under restructuring for a while, as turning around a huge company is not easy, and ill be the first to admit toyota has a structure and streamlined company plan worth envying. GM sells different cars under Holden in Austrailia and if you go to Europe or say the Middle East youll find very little in common between parts and frames. North America has the privelage of having its own unique and more often than not, decontented cars. All the american companies are trying to form global companies but again have the habit of regional development. Im not even sure GM even has one car they sell around the world. The headquarters are still based in michigan, and thats where the money is reinvested. just look up ford-US and ford-EU if you want to see. even the same model like the focus, are completely different. Going back to quality, again, its a perception problem. count how many old american cars there are as well as japanese. and remember, toyota has been in the truck buisness for a while, and chevy still has the longest lasting trucks. Also, Who is leading is recalls this year? I thought i heard toyota had quite a spill over some sludge or something. I also admit this reputation of Detroit's may be well based off of cars all through even the ninetys, but if no ones gunna notice new improved product, whats the point?I am actually suprised the american industry has survived for so long fighting against such a terrible image of poor quality, poor resale value, cheapness as well as paying the healthcare, family benifits and retirement salery of billions of americans and people around the world. Detroits gunna have to earn its rep back, but some people have to be able to at least give it a chance. Maybe you should do some reasearch as well. Just my two cents. PS. I try really hard to reasearch a topic and not blindly copy and paste whatever i see so if im wrong just correct me.
__________________ I dont own a prius. I dont own a car period. I dont think that is especially strange as i havnt noticed any other 8th graders driving cars. i looked and i dont really have a choice. i have to pick either a prius or hybrid or non hybrid owner. It says if you dont own a prius select 'N/A 'in the trim level choice. I thought that way id cause the least misconceptions about me owning a car. So for now i think ill have to leave it. If someone could tell me a better way it would be appreciated. sorry for the confusion. I support GM. I am by no means against Toyota, just I like the direction GM has been taking and there are many misconceptions about them as well. so if you're gunna flame me, just do it and get it off your chest. Id much rather perfer if youd ask me why though. And just because I support them doesnt mean im a blind fanatic. I still strive to be as objective as possible. (that, and trying not to judge a book by its cover per se, and not instantly beliveing everything i see or hear.) This is what i came up with. If you dont agree with my opinion im fine with that. At least keep your mind open. | |
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| | #32 | ||
| Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO
Posts: 17,229
My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 49
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Friends: 37 | Quote:
Quote:
It would help if you'd break your comments in to digestible size paragraphs and thoughts rather than running on as it's difficult to select out content to directly address. But, in general, I think many of us agree in principle to what you're trying to say, but there's a difference b/w making a level playing field and propping up a failing company like GM. They need to produce. For the first 3 years the 2G Prius was out all we heard was "it's going to fail", "we're focused on hydrogen fuel cell" (yea), "it isn't as good as claimed", "it's all marketing and Toyota's losing money". Excuse after excuse rather than any real effort at competing. Finally they put forth something like the Volt which many of us dearly hope happens, but we're a skeptical lot having seen the implosion that is GM in the past. We're willing to give them a chance, but they have to meet our needs, not expect us to accept some excuses for why they can't give us what we want.
__________________ Evan E. Fusco, MD "It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word." -Andrew Jackson ![]() ![]() | ||
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| | #33 | |
| Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: CA
Posts: 215
My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #6 Thanks: 0
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Friends: 0 | <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(porkfriedrice @ Feb 9 2007, 09:51 PM) [snapback]387913[/snapback]</div> Quote:
The rest of the discussion is getting seriously off topic for this thread. I would suggest that we take that discussion to an off topic area on this forum. I can go and quote you a number of figures and stats in regrds to CO2 for diesels vs hybrids, GM and Toyota domestic content, reliability surveys (as that is what it is, reported problems to the relevant body), American Companies in electronics (Dell is far from the largest), etc. SO why don't you clearly specificy the topics of discussion in another thread if you wish to continue it, just start one in Fred's House of pancakes and PM it to me. Please state you case clearly with figures and cite your references for all to see. That will make it much easier to have a grounded discussion instead of jumping around on a zilion topics. Bottom line is consumers are buying the products that best suite their needs/wants. Unfortunately a number of American companies have lost touch with consumer needs/wants and also adapting quickly to changing needs and the future. I do see some promising signs, but won't hold my breath to see how they turn out. | |
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| | #34 | |
| Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle area, WA
Posts: 2,306
My Car: 2006 Prius Model: N/A Package: #7 Thanks: 26
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Friends: 3 | <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KTPhil @ Dec 4 2006, 08:01 PM) [snapback]357778[/snapback]</div> Quote:
I don't have the time or energy to do it again on their revised figures. They were so far off the first time and from the impressions I get this time around, they're still BS. | |
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| | #35 |
| AmeriKan Citizen Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 10,342
My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #1 Thanks: 0
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Friends: 7 | A lady with an SUV parked next to me at the grocery store and asked me some questions about my Prius. I'll take the easiest myths. "Where do you plug it in?" You don't. Proof? You find me anywhere on my car where I can plug it in and I will. "Wow, it's bigger than I thought." (The compact car, Corolla myth.) It's the Moebius car. Bigger on the inside than it looks. Seriously. I think it's an optical illusion of photos when there is no point of reference. It's not the size of a VW beetle but maybe the shape gives that impression. She was quite surprised at how much room there was inside, as she watched me load bag after bag of groceries in the back without lowering the rear seats. Then slide the cover over the whole lot and close the hatch. And it still seats five. Sorry, I have no links or documentation. But you're free to come look at my car and sit inside. BTW she also asked me how long the batteries will last? I said I don't know. They're warranteed for 10 years. 12? 15? not sure. She never did ask the how much to replace question. I guess it was moot by that point. And I added how smooth the transmission was. Too bad her SUV was so shiney and new. I'll bet she was kicking herself she didn't look into a Prius before she bought that big honkin' pile of metal. Especially since gas has gone up and up in this past week and we're warned it's going to continue to go up. Let it go up to $3.50+ a gallon again. I'll just laugh. |
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| | #36 | |
| Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 24
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Friends: 0 | <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Feb 10 2007, 06:15 AM) [snapback]387985[/snapback]</div> Quote:
propping up a dying company? I'm not sure thats thats the right attitude. First there needs to be a level playing ground or else that is just a mockery of free trade. As for using the the yen's imbalence to the dollar to make extra money,('Exploiting the yen's weakness, Toyota has boosted exports by 17% to the U.S. from its factories in Toyota City, Japan.' ) http://www.businessweek.com/1997/14/b35211.htm Even in the capitalistic world we live today you have to remember that money is coming from somewhere, possibly at the expence of our own government. Though the japanese government allows a 'free floating yen', they threaten intervention if the yen substantially raises. this is not the first example of asian or even japanese currency manipulation. wiki it up, or look up Japanese Military Yen. from a weak yen and strong dollar, japanese companies can pull even more money out of every sale. I have also heard that the prius was in fact losing toyota's money, and was just a brilliant marketing scheme. I think after a certain threshold and cheap mass production, it eventually could have become/is profitable. GM says it will not try to make any product that is not financially viable and could lose money, which is a very possible thing ina growing but still small market of hybrids. There might not even be enough room yet for both yet another hybrid and be financially sucessful. Again rememebr things take a while to get the beurocrasy of a company, especially one as big and some might even say bloated one as General Motors. and now when they do come out with a more than decent car, people dont care. is: the Aura, winner of the North American Car of the Year. (over the camry i might add.) Though i understand perception cant change overnight, there may be a very dark future in store for the domestics as well as the US economy if not. the perception of quality just isnt there. again, out of the top 11 quality brands, 5 were american, 5 were japanese. They have what you want, how you want it(with double scoops of quality), but people just arnt looking. Tis a sad day for the americans when the people dont even belive in their own products. (PS Where should i post this as i think it no longer fits in this thread? -EDIT actually im not even sure it fits in this site as im no longer really talking about the prius, just the car industry as a whole. [I also see the prius as an effective stop gap now to wean america off its fuel obsession. Congrats to Toyota to finally getting a sucsessful hybrid out to market. {though i can still give you ten unfair reasons why} still, credit to where credit is due ]Thanx again for enlightening me about the prius, that was my only quarrel (for the car)) | |
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| | #37 |
| Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: CA
Posts: 215
My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #6 Thanks: 0
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Friends: 0 | Start a thread in the Fred's house of pancakes section if you wish to discuss it with this forum of people. Aslo please cover one topic in athread to make it easier to read through. Lastly you might want to update your profile as in one of your posts it reads you are in 8th grade and do not own a car, thus you can't own a 2007 Prius. |
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| | #38 | |
| Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 24
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Friends: 0 | <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bulldog @ Feb 10 2007, 09:44 PM) [snapback]388262[/snapback]</div> Quote:
(Im sorry it was irresponseble of me to continue i guess. thanx for the help though, the battery thing was really my only quarrel against the car, and otherwise i think the prius is a good car, and could help in getting america off its gas obsession. (I am especially embarrased though, as missing such an obvious and intuitve name as "Fred's house of pancakes".) Edit- hi me again, i looked and i dont really have a choice. i have to pick either a prius or hybrid or non hybrid owner. It says if you dont own a prius select 'N/A 'in the trim level choice. I thought that way id cause the least misconceptions about me owning a car. So for now i think ill have to leave it. If you could tell me a better way it would be appreciated. sorry for the confusion. Edit.- hi. guess who. i updated my sig so i hope this kinda of thing wont happen again. (i pretty much just copy and pasted what i said to you.) haha. | |
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| | #39 |
| High Voltage Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: terra
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Friends: 0 | - With so few hybrids on the road, it's just not worth it. I'm afraid I'm going to have some trouble sticking closely to the rules for posting in regards to this item. There are no facts in this statement, so it is difficult to find any counter facts. It is a somewhat curious excercise in logic, and logic is the only way I see to respond to it. Let me see if I can tease out the underlying assumptions in this statement and bring them out where we can look at them. - With so few hybrids on the road States that there are few hybrids on the road. Regardless of whether they mean absolute or relative numbers, this statement is correct. They are fairly new in the North American market. Every type of car and truck has small numbers during its first years of production, so this is correct and unremarkable. Given that any new product will have initial flaws, I feel it is actually preferable to start off with modest production runs. If the technology proves of value it should grow in numbers. - it's just not worth it. Suggests that hybrids may have a value. Does not specify what that value is. I would speculate that the value is: * Better milage? * Lower pollution? * Other? Regardless of which of these you prefer the suggestion is that it is something personally or socially worthwhile, but that one individual can only produce in small amounts. I see this as normal, not as an odd problem. There are lots of things that I personally cannot do all by myself. I cannot rebuild the gulf coast singlehandedly, I personally cannot plan out the upcoming Mars mission, and I will openly admit that I had no direct hand in coming up with the new cancer vaccines. I have no problem with this. My contributions to these things are small, but I am one of millions, and collectively our effort is sufficient to the needs of the situation. Why should my car be any different? I'm doing my share. |
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| | #40 | |||
| Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Winnipeg Manitoba
Posts: 11,560
My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: B Thanks: 35
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Friends: 12 | <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(porkfriedrice @ Feb 9 2007, 07:57 PM) [snapback]387762[/snapback]</div> Quote:
http://www.osti.gov/bridge/product.b...osti_id=135056 Suggest you do some fact checking, sonny boy. Oh, and explain to me why despite the FACT the vast majority of INCO's Sudbury output, at least until 1992, went to the U.S., the the U.S. isn't cleaning up the moonscape around Sudbury. Or dealing with the cancer clusters. The "solution" of building the Super Stack to shower acid rain all over southern Ontario sure worked well. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(porkfriedrice @ Feb 9 2007, 07:57 PM) [snapback]387762[/snapback]</div> Quote:
And I'm no fan of pickups anyway. Quite frankly I hope Toyota stops making them. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(porkfriedrice @ Feb 9 2007, 07:57 PM) [snapback]387762[/snapback]</div> Quote:
Look to the source: http://www.acea.be/air_quality Note that the "tighter" emissions still allow a passenger car diesel in the EU to put out almost twice as much PM as a petrol motor. Similar for NOx and let's also compare the CO2 http://www.acea.be/co2_emissions Diesel passenger car makers are having a "difficult" time figuring out how to meet those emissions. That's why you can't buy a VW tdi car in California or any state with CA emisssions. Look up the Prius CO2 emissions at http://www.toyota.co.uk/vs2/pdf/PS2_63_spec.pdf It's rated at 104 g/km. In the EU the Yaris can be had with a diesel motor. It's CO2 emissions are 119 g/km http://www.toyota.co.uk/vs2/pdf/YA3_63_spec.pdf VW has similar issues with CO2 http://www.vw.co.uk/new_cars/jetta/engines
__________________ 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser 5AT "C", Sun Fusion | |||
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