VOTE your Priuschat Moderator a chance to drive the Lexus Hybrid for a year

[efusco]

Hey all! I actually got notified yesterday that I won...not the grand prize of a full year, but a Lexus Experience Gift bag (Swag I guess) and a week with the car. Better than nothing I guess.

I'll use the time to see what kind of FE I can get on my usual route and routines compared to the Prius.

Not sure when I get the car, had to send in a notarized agreement and some other stuff...I assume they'll get back to me for the next step.

But thanks again to everyone who bothered to register and vote...I really appreciate it.

**Interesting--I just checked the official site and my name is not on the "Potential Winners" list. Makes me think I was a runner up when someone else didn't complete the paperwork. Curious.

[hyo silver]

Originally Posted by efusco

...I'll use the time to see what kind of FE I can get on my usual route and routines compared to the Prius...

Well, that should take care of Monday. For the rest of the week, you can compare tire wear.

[cwerdna]

Originally Posted by efusco

Hey all! I actually got notified yesterday that I won...not the grand prize of a full year, but a Lexus Experience Gift bag (Swag I guess) and a week with the car. Better than nothing I guess.
...
But thanks again to everyone who bothered to register and vote...I really appreciate it.

**Interesting--I just checked the official site and my name is not on the "Potential Winners" list. Makes me think I was a runner up when someone else didn't complete the paperwork. Curious.

How many votes did you end up with? Unfortunately, our voting links don't seem to work anymore.

It would be interesting to hear what cutoff was for winners. I only had 15 votes and wondered if I was even close to making the cut.

[efusco]

Originally Posted by cwerdna

How many votes did you end up with? Unfortunately, our voting links don't seem to work anymore.

It would be interesting to hear what cutoff was for winners. I only had 15 votes and wondered if I was even close to making the cut.

I don't think I had many more than 15...maybe the final was 17?

[hill]

Dang, I'd figured you'd already won the Lexus ... & had been driving it around for a good amount of time already. Better luck next time.

.

[Flying White Dutchman]

Originally Posted by efusco

Hey all! I actually got notified yesterday that I won...not the grand prize of a full year, but a Lexus Experience Gift bag (Swag I guess) and a week with the car. Better than nothing I guess.

I'll use the time to see what kind of FE I can get on my usual route and routines compared to the Prius.

Not sure when I get the car, had to send in a notarized agreement and some other stuff...I assume they'll get back to me for the next step.

But thanks again to everyone who bothered to register and vote...I really appreciate it.

**Interesting--I just checked the official site and my name is not on the "Potential Winners" list. Makes me think I was a runner up when someone else didn't complete the paperwork. Curious.

i hope you make some nice pictures and a review here on pc

[daniel]

Congrats on getting the loan of the car for a week, Evan. It's not a car I'd be much interested in driving, but you wanted it, so I'm glad at least you'll be getting a taste of it. Now if they let me drive a Tesla for a week, that'd be cool. Almost as much fun as my Xebra.

I don't think I'll ever have much enthusiasm for a gasoline car again. I have to drive the Prius for road trips, but I'm (not optimistically) hoping to see the day when I can drive to my Canada hiking trips using electricity.

[efusco]

Originally Posted by daniel

Congrats on getting the loan of the car for a week, Evan. It's not a car I'd be much interested in driving, but you wanted it, so I'm glad at least you'll be getting a taste of it. Now if they let me drive a Tesla for a week, that'd be cool. Almost as much fun as my Xebra.

I don't think I'll ever have much enthusiasm for a gasoline car again. I have to drive the Prius for road trips, but I'm (not optimistically) hoping to see the day when I can drive to my Canada hiking trips using electricity.

You know I'm on my way out of gas too, Daniel. But the Xebra won't work, I can't afford the risk of a conversion vehicle like you did. If I'd have won the whole year lease I'd have sold my Prius so that when I go to Australia there would be one less vehicle to worry about maintaining for my 9 month sabbatical...I should get the Tesla Model S shortly after I get home from Australia.

But I enjoy all new experiences and look forward to seeing just what a luxury hybrid will do on my usual commute compared to the Prius. I don't expect to be in the market to buy one, but it'll be a fun new experience and that's what I live for.

[DaveinOlyWA]

well congrats!!

since i voted for you, does that mean i get an hour's worth?

[daniel]

Originally Posted by efusco

You know I'm on my way out of gas too, Daniel. But the Xebra won't work, I can't afford the risk of a conversion vehicle like you did. If I'd have won the whole year lease I'd have sold my Prius so that when I go to Australia there would be one less vehicle to worry about maintaining for my 9 month sabbatical...I should get the Tesla Model S shortly after I get home from Australia.

But I enjoy all new experiences and look forward to seeing just what a luxury hybrid will do on my usual commute compared to the Prius. I don't expect to be in the market to buy one, but it'll be a fun new experience and that's what I live for.

Luxury cars are comfortable. I had to go from L.A. to Ventura and I took a limo service because it was no more expensive than a regular taxi. (Not a stretch. Just a Lincoln Town Car.) And I could not book an efficient car as I'd have preferred. It was a very pleasant ride.

But a Lexus hybrid burns more gas than a Prius, and for that reason I would not trade even if it was even money.

Most people choose to live in the kind of city where you have to go on the freeway. I choose to live in a city where I can use the Xebra for most of my driving. In another thread some guy said he would make environmentally-responsible choices only if it would not cost him money. Some folks will make environmentally-responsible choices only if it does not require them to alter their lifestyle choices. The Prius allows us to burn 1/3 less gas while making no lifestyle changes. We get to call ourselves environmentalists without sacrificing anything at all.

But the fuel is running out, and changes are going to be forced on us. We can choose to cling to the old ways until the last minute, making the transition more difficult when it is forced on us; or we can make lifestyle changes now, thereby easing the transition.

Even here in Spokane, where a Xebra is perfectly adequate for in-town driving, because you can get anywhere without taking the freeway, there are only two or three of them. And yet the Xebra is really fun to drive. Any new toy is fun, and I had fun with my Prius when it was new. But I've had the Xebra for over two years now, and it's still more fun to drive than the Prius was when it was new! The trick, which is hard for me, is to be patient and not be in a hurry, because it accelerates more slowly, and so the trip downtown, which takes maybe 20 minutes in the Prius, takes about 25 minutes in the Xebra.

I envy you that Tesla Model S you're going to get! I'm just kind of surprised that a Lexus, with its lower FE compared to the Prius, would interest you.

Watch out when you're in Australia: There are more things there per square meter that will kill you, on land, sea, and air, than anywhere else in the world. Poisonous snakes, spiders, toads, and even poisonous seashells; there are man-eating freshwater crocodiles in the rivers and Portuguese Man-o-War in the oceans. It's a scary place!