New member considering Prius

[RAMbler]

Hello everyone, I'm a new member here who is contemplating whether to buy a Prius. My environmental conscious has gotten the better of me lately and I am beginning to consider something less "destructive" than my current vehicle.

I currently drive a modified Subaru STi which is one of the most exhilarating cars I have ever driven/owned. But the fun is often mitigated by the guilt of achieving an abysmal 18-20 mpg (shame on Subaru for having one of the worst mpg averages in terms of overall vehicle lineup despite their environmental self proclamations).

One of my concerns is that the car is barely 2 years old, so essentially still brand new. It has held its value very well but I still feel that it's too early to sell it given that I really haven't flattened out the depreciation hit yet. I understand that in situations like these, environmental stewardship should outweigh superficial dollar savings (to a point obviously).

So that leads me to my next struggle… possibly losing the fun factor (absent the aforementioned guilt trip) and manual inputs. I love to drive as I'm sure many on here do and would hate to lose the connected stimulation I have with this car. I have read that the Prius is fun in different ways such as with the mental stimuli it provides trying to attain higher and higher mpg averages.

Having said all that, basically I'm just looking for some feedback from those who have gone from a sports car to a hybrid. I did read the post of the Porsche owner who made the switch and that was very inspiring. But was that a one off anomaly?

On another note, I got to see the Smartcar in person today as the nationwide tour included Hartford. I must say that the 40 mpg rating is very disappointing. I would have expected something close to double that amount based on its size. I guess the main purpose must be its compactness (i.e. the ability to parallel park length wise… which incidentally is how they were parked in the street to add advertising effect I believe).

Thanks for reading.

[christob]

I left a 2003 Honda Accord 6-cylinder coupe behind, for the Prius. My main reasons being 1) seek better MPG than the 21 average I got commuting, 2) "vote" with my wallet, for furthering alternative fuel vehicles in the marketplace, 3) deliberately move away from the admittedly thrilling 240 hp of the Honda.
#3 was a big one for me... I found that the Honda made me a far more aggressive driver during those 5 years on the road. (Aside from my dad's 68 Mustang that I drove sometimes as a teenager, the Accord was the most powerful car I've ever owned, and I quickly grew to use that power HEAVILY and FREQUENTLY!) It definitely changed me; not only in terms of driving habits---speeding & hard acceleration off the stop---but I noticed that I quickly lost patience with "slower" drivers, and was angry behind the wheel in traffic too often. No horsepower-related accidents during those 5 years, but I wanted a return to more sensible driving!)
The Accord was a lease, and the trade value after 5 years was just a little short of covering the payoff, so I put some cash into the deal to avoid any negative equity tainting my new baby.
I'm only about 1 month into the Prius (this Friday) and I love my decision 100% at this point!

[carleric]

I'm a mere 2 months into my Prius, and I adore it. It has made me a more conscientious driver and is just as "fun" to drive as other cars I've owned. Actually, I have to correct myself here.....it's MORE fun to drive than anything else I've driven.

[David Beale]

Well, I just sold my 1993 RX-7, after buying the Prius. Yes, the Prius isn't as powerful. The RX-7 was like a sport bike in acceleration, turning, and stopping. However, I also had a 2001 Pathfinder (the anti-Prius), and the Prius passes better on two lane highways than it did, and it had 240 HP/265 lb-ft of torque. I also love the nimbleness of the Prius, something owners don't mention here very often. I can weave in and out of much tighter places in it than I ever could in the other two vehicles.

Without even trying, Pearl gets twice the mileage of the RX-7 and three times the mileage of the Pathfinder! Plus you get the entertainment value of watching all the technology in action (get yourself a Scangauge II as well for even more entertainment).

[RAMbler]

Surprisingly, I am pretty conservative with the STi, despite its having approximately 325 hp. I realized some time ago the toll driving aggression takes on one's health.

Once in a while when the roads are clear, I'll hit a corner hard or accelerate rapidly for the fun of it. But I never tailgate, weave, etc. The problem with this car is that it does not get noticeably better gas mileage when driven lightly, mainly due to the mechanical drag resulting from its AWD system and 3 differentials. So it provides little incentive to even make an attempt to conserve. Hence, added justification for a hybrid.

[qbee42]

We love our Prius, and find it very fun to drive. My wife used to drive a 1969 Camaro, so she comes from the lead foot side of things. I fly planes and race sailboats, and used to drive a Honda CRX. The CRX wasn't very powerful, but it was a real pocket rocket. It had plenty of power for its size.

You should spend some time test driving a Prius. It won't snap your neck, which is deceiving. The transmission, if you want to call it that, works like a CVT, so there is no shift shock or other normal indications of hard acceleration. I find the performance to be just fine. As other posters will tell you, driving a Prius makes you a different type of driver. I call it the "Prius glide". It is so smooth you just glide along, striving for the smoothest drive with the best mileage.

The best thing is to drive one and see what you think.

Tom

[RAMbler]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Jul 9 2007, 05:01 PM) [snapback]475736[/snapback]</div>

Well, I just sold my 1993 RX-7, after buying the Prius.
[/b]

Yes, I know that model well...best car Mazda ever made. Those were the glory days of the high-end import turboed sport cars with the 300zx, Supra, RX-7 and 3000gt.

Thanks for the insight!

[zenMachine]

If the STi is only 2-yr old, it may be worthwhile to wait for the the 3rd-gen Prius.
There are other things you can do in the meantime to reduce energy consumption and emission.

[RAMbler]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Jul 9 2007, 05:24 PM) [snapback]475751[/snapback]</div>

If the STi is only 2-yr old, it may be worthwhile to wait for the the 3rd-gen Prius.
There are other things you can do in the meantime to reduce energy consumption and emission.
[/b]

True, but I've already factored those items into my deliberation!

Besides, next generation is 2 years away but a valid point nonetheless. One consideration was buying used and trading up when the next generation arrives (likely the 2nd year though).

[Presto]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RAMbler @ Jul 9 2007, 01:41 PM) [snapback]475727[/snapback]</div>

So that leads me to my next struggle… possibly losing the fun factor (absent the aforementioned guilt trip) and manual inputs. I love to drive as I'm sure many on here do and would hate to lose the connected stimulation I have with this car. I have read that the Prius is fun in different ways such as with the mental stimuli it provides trying to attain higher and higher mpg averages.
[/b]

I was really skeptical going to a Prius because I would lose the handling that I had in my old car. The stock Prius suspension is decent, but for better response, there are a number of suspension and chassis bracing upgrades you can get. My Prius now handles better than my last car ever did. On a recent trip to the cascades, I was hanging with sport bikes in all the twisties. They must've been wondering, "WTF?!". Of course, the handling may not be any concern, initially, as you'll probably be mesmerized by all the cool technology you keep discovering along the way