So this jerk-off says...

Of course, my attitude is that I don't waste time arguing with chuckleheads like that. Who the heck cares what some uninformed environment-hating twink "thinks" anyway? Certainly not moi.

What surprised me recently, when talking to a couple of tire stores about getting all-season tires for my Prius, was when I said that the car was a Prius, their responses were "who makes a Prius? I never heard of it." LOL

[Tideland Prius]

:crazyeyes:

[Sid]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid\";p=\"107220)</div>

Of course, there is a psychological dimension here no one has brought up...  

When you buy the car, that's one transaction.  You spend the money, and BOOM, it's gone in one day.  Psychologically, it's out of your mind shortly thereafter, HOWEVER, you feel good about repeatedly spending less at the pump, where time and time again you're reminded how much less your spending on gas...

What I spent on my Prius, is gone.  That money is an obscure memory now.  I USED to be at the gas station twice a week, swiping my card into the reader knowing that every swipe cost me $50, time and time again.  Now, I go to the station maybe once a week, and every time I swipe that card, I feel a lot of relief knowing the most I'm going to spend is about $22 (at least for now!).  The idea of savings is re-inforced time and time again, right there, in real time.

:mrgreen:[/b]

Good point, that's one way I'm looking at it.
In contrast to the Honda Civic Hybrid and Accord Hybrid, there is no non-Hybrid Prius that can be bought for a cheaper price with the same features.
The 2 closest gas stations to where I live sell the 87 octane (cheapest) at $2.47/gal. (as of 7/17).

[Sid]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(flareak\";p=\"107328)</div>

how the HELL are 35k cars nicer, or even 20k cars nicer?  How can you compare an accord when the Prius has that much more features.  Unless you are talking about hrmmm LEATHER? which is stinky and becomes ugly when its old.  Or maybe the conventional transmissions, or Stupid Key Systems, etc.  An Acura TL has everything the Prius has except it has leather and a sunroof BUT it lacks smart entry and is at 35k. I've even driven an 80k car and I still think my Prius which isnt package 6, is still better. price means nothing. the only reason Toyota made it so cheap is because they also sell it in Japan where cars are normally 20-25k.  Otherwise they wouldnt be able to sell it because the cost of living in Japan is so high.[/b]

I'm loving just walking up to my locked Prius, touching the handle to unlock and open the door, getting in and starting it up with the push of a button, all the while never taking the "key" out of my pocket.
Driving a "regular" car seems so primitive now.

[dstrout]

Originally Posted by Sid\";p=\"107982)</div>[quote

I'm loving just walking up to my locked Prius, touching the handle to unlock and open the door, getting in and starting it up with the push of a button, all the while never taking the \"key\" out of my pocket.
Driving a \"regular\" car seems so primitive now.
[/b]

"You'll come for the mileage, you'll stay for the gadgets!" At least for me, that's how I got here. I was bleeding to death] over 100 mi / day on premium. When I started looking for an economy car, then I zero'd in on the prius, and elected to spend the extra money over a mini-econocan because of the emissions & gadgets.

It also helped to relieve some guilt, It's very uncomfortable arriving at the organic food store in a V-8

[dstrout]

Oh, and it does make sense in $$ terms. I'll go from spending roughly $5K / year on gas to $1500. $3500 / yr. is a lot of money.

if you care, math as follows:
Then: (100 mi / day / 15 mpg) = 6.6 gal / day * 250 weekdays / year * $2.69 / gal = $4483 / yr. + weekends ~ $5K

Now: (100 mi / day / 45 mpg) = 2.2 gal / day * 250 weekdays * $2.45 gal = $1347 / yr. + weekends ~ $1500)

and that assumes gas stays steady (not bloody likely)

[micheal]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sid\";p=\"107982)</div>

how the HELL are  
I'm loving just walking up to my locked Prius, touching the handle to unlock and open the door, getting in and starting it up with the push of a button, all the while never taking the \"key\" out of my pocket.
Driving a \"regular\" car seems so primitive now.[/b]

I hear you, SE/SS makes it just so much cooler and is such a great convenience. Getting in our other car seems like a step back in time. I really enjoy that only other cars with it are luxury vehicles. It is priceless to tell people that it it detects your fingerprint or that only I can open the door.