Article on MSN Money today (rather negative)

[Ormond]

This article is on MSN Money...The Costly Secrets of Hybrid Cars

[john1701a]

That article is just another take-advantage-of-the-hype opportunity, to attract attention to their website.

It uses the extremely vague "not much fun to drive" label without stating what "fun" actually means. For many reviewers, that means a lot of feedback (noise & vibration). So naturally, a smoooooth & quiet vehicle like Prius will never score high.

The horribly misleading list of upcoming hybrids serves no actual purpose, since the definition of "hybrid" is apparently anything new vehicle that offers a fuel savings. The technology isn't even mentioned (nor is emissions). And of course, the words "savings" itself isn't explained either.

In other words, the "they are pretty expensive for what you're getting" leaves you wondering how much? Where are the quantities (cost & efficiency)? What are their requirements for a hybrid? How can we know what's disappointing or acceptable if they don't tell us what they were expecting?

[john1701a]

So... it boils down to the same problem we've had from the beginning: Because people in general have absolutely no idea what MPG average their current vehicle delivers, they just assume the gain Prius provides isn't enough.

But in reality, that improvement is actually quite a bit more than they think... only they don't realize that.

[finman]

Thanks, John, for your response here.

It is maddenly frustrating to hear people interested in my Prius say, "Oh I get that MPG in my _____".
I always ask if they've kept track of it in any way. Nope. Got that on a 300 mile trip downhill with a tailwind in the middle of summer with no one but the driver on board. Sheesh. Okay, from now on I'm only quoting my best tank of 56 MPG and using that to compare and crow about. If they can use their best...well, I can use my best tank to compare. And 90% of the time their best tank is lower than my worst tanks!

No, wait, how about I use my instantaneous readout and say I've had a 50 mile stretch with over 70 MPG
at 70 MPH. (Cheyenne, WY to Ft. Collins, CO southbound I-25, last spring!)

If cars had a display like the Prius, then maybe, just maybe, some drivng habits (and cars) would change.

Somehow, though, reality isn't some peeple's strongpoint.

[bookrats]

Ennhhh... I didn't think much of the article; it read like your average TV reporter bubblehead. Full of blurbs, but no data, and no explanation.

However, I would put some positive spin on it: for "performance car" or "luxury car" people, it says hey, there are hybrids aimed at you (or some in the pipeline).

I'm not one of those people; I think the Prius has plenty of luxury and all the performance I need. And if I was a "luxury car" type of guy (and didn't want an SUV -- Lexus Hybrid), I'd wait for the Toyota Camry hybrid to come out in a couple of years.

[hockeybrat]

Just my $.02 here.

The whole idea that you need to drive the car x years in order to recoup the cost of a Prius is what most people look at especially when gas is what it is. My parents have done that whole "well it will take 7 years in order for you to break even". What people don't see is that you will be driving a cleaner vehicle and getting away from being solely dependent on fossil fuel which is, to me, a really important point and the reason why I will be getting a Prius.

I know when I go down to CA and if we get into the subject of cars, I will be debating my family over this.

I have tried to show my husband the benefits of owning a hybrid but he really wants a RAV4 Hybrid not the bigger SUV and he isn't really keen on getting a Ford.

[NuShrike]

eMail Liz Pulliam Weston @ ask_liz_weston@hotmail.com with our better informed comments about environmental costs + maintenance costs versus normal cars.

Using the common and obvious reporter fallacy of comparing EPA Civic numbers versus non-EPA Prius numbers is silly too.

Lets compare apples to apples here, not apples to watermelons!

[tag]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NuShrike\";p=\"87341)</div>

....comparing EPA Civic numbers versus non-EPA Prius numbers......[/b]

Not only that, those Civic numbers (36/44) were for the HX with a manual transmission........starts looking more like peanuts to watermelons. :wink:

[tag]

Another thought........this "title thing". In this case it's The costly secrets of hybrid cars.

Now I'm trying to figure out why Toyota didn't tell me my hybrid car had some "costly secrets". For example, a secret such as 'One can buy a non-hybrid car that gets only slightly less MPG-wise and has NAV, Bluetooth® technology, SKS, HID headlamps, VSC, JBL sound system, traction control, side and front and rear side curtain airbags, etc., etc., all for WELL UNDER the $25k I paid for my Prius'. Uh, and which car would that be, Toyota?

Oh yeah, I should point out that the Ford Motor Company never did tell me one of the "costly secrets of the Lincoln Navigator". You know, the one where you pay circa $48,000 for a vehicle and then lose over $25,000 in depreciation after only 3 years of ownership. Actually, I lost more in depreciation on my Navigator than I paid for my Prius. Now THAT's what I call "costly"! Maybe Ms. Pulliam Weston will reveal that secret in her next article.

[DanP]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ormond\";p=\"87232)</div>

This article is on MSN Money...The Costly Secrets of Hybrid Cars
[/b]

If someone is foolish enough to get their information from MSN, then they deserve all the misinformation they get. There are plenty of knowledgable, independent observers out there writing for such pubs as Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Consumer Reports, Edmunds, etc. If one thinks some flunky at MSN parroting what s/he heard over the phone from some person (who may have an axe to grind) is a valuable report, then one is simply gullible.