I'm going to scream...

[barbie.gee]

If I have to field the idiotic statements one more time I'm going to scream.

"You know, for what you paid extra for that Prius, you could buy a Yaris for a lot cheaper"
"You're never going to be able to recoup the extra you paid for that thing"
"You can get just as good mileage in a regular car (and then they cite a car that takes Diesel, or one with a manual transmission or a totally non-comparable car)."

What really frosts me is that as a woman, these men (since it's ALWAYS men who scoff at hybrids this way) point out stuff that they believe I clearly "wouldn't understand", when it's clear THEY don't understand hybrids at all! I even had one guy say to me, "Hybrid sales are tanking, you know.." Clear and simply WRONG.

So, what kinds of premium options can I ask them about on their bigass Lincoln or H3 that they paid extra for, to then find out how long they expect to recoup the cost on that??? I'd rather know how they justify getting 12 mpg, and continue feeling okay about that.

AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!


(Sorry for the rant, I just really needed to find some like minds...)

[TonyPSchaefer]

"You know, for what you paid extra for that Prius, you could buy a Yaris for a lot cheaper"[/b]

"You know, for what you paid extra for that BMW, you could buy a Focus for a lot cheaper."

[RonH]

Go ahead, you'll feel better. And practice looking smug. That really gets them.

[sparkyAZ]

"You know, for the price of those 24" rims with spinners you could buy a Prius"

[ibmindless]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(barbie.gee @ Nov 25 2007, 09:00 PM) [snapback]544126[/snapback]</div>

If I have to field the idiotic statements one more time I'm going to scream.

AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!
[/b]

How about, "I refuse to have an intelligent discussion with an unarmed man."

Or, "Do you realize that with the money you spent on that 1975 pickup, you could've spent it on an education so you wouldn't sound like such an IDIOT."

[F8L]

There was an Excel spreadsheet running aroudn this forum that detailed the overall costs between an Aveo and a Prius. The Prius just barely cost less than the Aveo in overall terms. It was pretty well done. Maybe someone can find it.

[ezbngrn]

"uhm for the price of that excursion I could buy 2 prius"... Really what extra cost? Prius is one of the cheapest hybrids on the road. Not to mention it is one of the few hybrid only cars on the road, its not a model that toyota just decided to put a hybrid engine in.. My oppinion is that converted models such as camry, civic, highlander, and Vue do not have the benefits of a hybrid only vehicle.

[Somechic]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Nov 26 2007, 12:29 AM) [snapback]544137[/snapback]</div>

"You know, for what you paid extra for that BMW, you could buy a Focus for a lot cheaper."
[/b]

That is a GREAT come back!

To the OP, I feel your pain. 9 times out of 10 I don't respond at all because I don't really care what other people think. The 1 time I do respond, I usually get in some ridiculous conversation about how hybrids really don't save anyone any gas.

[pappyt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Somechic @ Nov 26 2007, 09:06 AM) [snapback]544208[/snapback]</div>

That is a GREAT come back!

To the OP, I feel your pain. 9 times out of 10 I don't respond at all because I don't really care what other people think. The 1 time I do respond, I usually get in some ridiculous conversation about how hybrids really don't save anyone any gas.
[/b]

i don't get it either,mine listed at $24,500 and gas at or over $3 a gal the money it saves driving it compared to the van it replaced is making at least half if not more of the car payment at fill up

[john1701a]

I typically don't respond either. It's simply not worth it.

Just ask the person what MPG they actually get.

You'll quickly discover they don't have a clue. Their impression of efficiency is based upon just some crude one-time measurement, without taking into account any of the factors of influence we as Prius owners know all too well.

Then there's other stuff Prius that is never given any monetary value for. The emission rating is almost always dismissed entirely. The Multi-Display, speedometer, and aluminum rims are ignored, despite all being obvious upgrades. The pleasure from stealth is overlooked. Most are totally unaware of how much smoother the engine in Prius is than that in Corolla. The list goes on and on...

In other words, don't expect constructive discussions about hybrids. They are extremely rare. As a new owner, you just have to accept that smug smile that inevitably emerges. It sometimes takes a very long time for others to understand why you've chosen to take that step forward.