I'm back!

Welcome back to the fold. My wife were just talking the other day about how nice it is to get $25-30 of gas instead of $60-75 worth and do it less often. Loving this car!

 

Welcome back to the dark side

 

I didnt even bother to tell the guys at the forum where I was a very active member that I sold my Envoy and bought my Prius A few of them know where I live...lol...and for some reason (insecurity? jealousy? small weenie?) they are VERY angry at the mere mention of the word hybrid. Mention Toyota, and forget it... they might burn you at the stake!

One time back in 2008 when the gas prices were over $4, a very nice well respected member of the forums simply asked about getting a hybrid as a second vehicle ... the other members tore him to shreds. So I figured it was best if I left on good terms, lol.

 

I dont miss fueling up my old SUV at.all. I'd gas up every 5 days at $70-$80. Now I gas up every 7-10 days in the Prius (going twice the miles per tank than I did on the Envoy) for $25

Here in Michigan, we have Speedway gas stations that I usually go to for the points via a card you swipe every time you get gas. Before the Prius, I'd have 20000 points in 3 months, which I could redeem for a $20 gift card. Since I bought the Prius, Speedway is freaking out and sending me ALL kinds of promotions to get me back to the station...lol!!! I want to write on the mailers they send me "Sold SUV, bought Prius- go suck an egg" and return them to sender, haha.

 

Well I really bought my Envoy to tow my boat - at the time, a 26' Sundowner. Now I have a 30' Vista that weighs 10000+lbs so I couldnt tow it with the Envoy anymore anyways. I drive to and from work every day (12 miles round trip) and maybe once or twice every 3 months go up north to the cabin (220 miles each way). So the Envoy got driven like 90% city. 90% city in the Envoy with tall gears and 4wd = 13.5mpg.

My better half drives a 2010 Ford Escape which is much smaller than the Envoy but I can still tow our utility trailer with it (tow capacity of the Escape is 3500lbs vs. the Envoy's 6200lbs).

Really, with the rear seats folded down, Im not noticing much of a difference with the stuff that I haul, in the Prius. Ive had 5 people in the car (oh boy was that fun) and everybody was comfortable even. That surprised me.

 

One of my friends has a Ford 1-ton diesel pickup that he uses for work (hes a repo man - talk about exciting stories!) and he helped me pull the boat out this past October.

But before I sold the Envoy, I would have the local marina pick up the boat in my driveway, its on a trailer, and launch it for me at the marina. I live right on Lake St Clair and keep the boat in the water moored at my seawall all summer. I'd have them pick up the boat on the trailer, haul it to their marina, I'd walk to the marina (5 min walk) and drive the boat home to my house Thankfully, they'd only have to do it twice a year - once in the spring, and then in the fall.

Its A LOT cheaper to have my friend haul it out and launch it for me now. I bought him dinner ($30) vs. the marina charge ($350). $320 buys a lot of boat gas!!

 

Congrats--enjoy.