Another idiot article

[jkash]

Don't read the following article if you have high blood pressure. These writers really need to learn to research before they post. I believe this is also a story on NBC Nightly News tonight. It would have already been seen everywhere except the west coast.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8975473/

Is a hybrid car worth the gas savings?
Green cars cost more to buy, more to insure, and depreciate faster

David Champion tests cars for Consumer Reports. The government says the popular Prius gets 60 miles a gallon in the city and 51 on the highway. But in real-world driving, Champion, got less.

“We found very similar results on the highway,” said Champion, “But instead of 60 miles per gallon we only got 35 miles per gallon in the city. So it’s a huge difference.”

Automotive analysts say these green vehicles depreciate faster and, because they are more expensive, cost more to insure.

"Hybrids make great sense if you want to make a statement," adds Champion. "If you purely want to save money, they’re a little less defensible.”

[SyZyGy]

Isn't it amazing how many ignorant people there are out there? :mrgreen:

I wonder if he would like to meet my friends Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson?

[Tideland Prius]

Jealousy is a cruel mistress and apparently she's one too.

Just wait til Chrysler makes a cheap hybrid. They'll be slobbering all over it like Homer Simpson at a buffet. Then they'll say it's cheap, it's great, it's all the things that we've said before but they refuted.

[jkash]

I sent a message to NBC news on this one. The amount of misinformation being generated about the Prius is truly amazing.

[Tempus]

I saw it on the Evening News tonight.

The first two quotes you attribute to CR were in fact by their test guy.

But, the 'automotive analyst' claiming they depreciate faster and are more expensive to ensure, as well as that last quote about 'making a statement', was not by Champion. The written article is wrong. It was by some guy from Edmunds.Com.

Which, if you know Edmunds attitude on hybrids, is right in character.

They also truncated the insurance quote - the actual quote was "Because they cost more, they are more expensive to insure" which is very differnent from just "more expensive to ensure"

Gotta love that trust we have in Journalists these days.

[Jonnycat26]

Which, if you know Edmunds attitude on hybrids, is right in character.

Is this the same Edmunds which wrote this regarding the Prius in one of their road tests...

The introduction of the Toyota Prius is causing a stir - and for a good reason. This is a thoroughly practical, entertaining car that makes you feel good about driving it. It also shows that Toyota is sending a message to the public that hybrid technology is available today.

Just because they're not proclaiming it the ubercar, and let's be honest, it's not, doesn't mean they're slamming it. They pointed out a few faults in their long term review, and ya know what... they were right on the money.

[bigdaddy]

Hey, I had posted this message an hour ago on priuschat on a new thread...
http://www.priuschat.com/forums/facts-for-...26aecf0f#117278

I have a possible press oportunity, and am looking for a one pager that I can hand to reporter to help him get facts straight. Do we have anything here that I can draw upon????

[hampdenwireless]

Its a shame they have such boldface errors in that article. The biggest and easiest to prove wrong is the depreciation part. Its simply not true. Hybrids depreciate LESS then any other type of car except certain rare collectables.

Also $23,000 is today NOT an expensive car.

[hampdenwireless]

ALSO:

At the bottom of the article you can rate it. I rated it at the lowest rating. Its at 2.5 now.

[roach52osu]

Originally posted by hampdenwireless@Oct 8 2005, 11:26 PM
Its a shame they have such boldface errors in that article.  The biggest and easiest to prove wrong is the depreciation part.  Its simply not true.  Hybrids depreciate LESS then any other type of car except certain rare collectables. 

Also $23,000 is today NOT an expensive car.

[snapback]138558[/snapback]

I agree... $23,000 is not an "expensive" car, that thought is somewhat subjective though.

I like the the statement that insurance is more, I called my insurance provider to get a quote on a change from my current car (2004) to a new Prius the quote was an additional $36 per 6 months. Yes I suppose on the most basic level the statement made is correct but considering I would save that in the first 2 weeks in gas alone I cant imagine that being a deciding factor in purchasing a car that is light on the environment and easy at the pump.