First-Time Prius Owner in the Chicago 'burbs

Hi all,

Firstly I need to thank the admins & owners of this website/forum. I used it extensively while researching a new vehicle this past month; just about every question I had was answered simply by searching here. Thank you all for making this a friendly place for total n00bs like me!

About 10 days ago I picked up my first new car in 14 years; a 2013 Toyota Prius C Two in silver. I'm in the western suburbs of Chicago (work in the south 'burbs), and as our townhome value has come crashing to the ground, we had to find a way to cut costs & prepare to (hopefully, someday) sell our home in the future--at least 5 years from now.

So it worked out that the car I was driving, a 1988 (!!!!) Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham got totaled by my insurance company after an alligator attack (huge, shredded semi truck tire was rolled over by 2 cars in front of me, & came crashing down on my car) on an interstate near me. We took the money we got for that car to be salvaged & applied it to a Prius C Two.

Wow. I'm amazed at the mileage I'm getting. Granted I should be, going from a 25-year-old car that averaged 23-34 MPG to a Prius C that's so far getting me between 48-52MPG. I love the savings, as I live in one of the most corrupt states in the US in terms of…well, everything…and I've more than doubled my gas mileage & cost savings in a state where I'm regularly bled dry by the state.

Plus it's kinda nice to have technology in my car for a change (my previous vehicles were a '98 Olds Intrigue, a '99 Ford Escort, and an '87 Thunderbird).

I've got so many questions to ask, but so far a few simple searches are finding my answers. Thanks for being a welcoming community.

 

I so very much agree. There were times I'd get 27mpg in certain conditions; still can't top the Prius obviously!

That Olds meant a lot to me. It was promised to me by my Grandfather after he bought it in 1987. He passed in '92, and then my Grandmother had it until 2 years ago. Sadly it sat in her garage for way too long & needed a lot of repair. But it served me well. I put 30,000+ miles on it in 2 years, had just 79,000+ miles on it when it finally became mine in 2011. The engine: solid. Engine never had an issue. Everyone in my family wanted it.

It had barely any rust on it. If it wasn't for that alligator incident I'd still be driving it now. It held a lot of sentimental value to me, as both my Grandparents are now gone. Sounds silly, I know, to have some kind of "attachment" to a car, but…oh well, I did.

 

I already allowed my insurance company to haul it away. I had to in order to have enough $$ to use as a downpayment on the Prius.

It worked like this: I could keep the car, but if I ever wanted to re-sell it I would have to list it as a SALVAGED vehicle…which, at least in the gawdawful state of IL, is required by law. Doing so DRASTICALLY reduces whatever resale value there might be left in a car that old. The amount of $$ insurance was going to give me was going to be about $1,000 less than what they gave me to let them haul it away & use it for parts.

I was disappointed. And yet, excited to think that buying something new would save us upwards of $300 per month on fuel alone (seriously. My way-better half is a banker & ran the numbers).

Whoa. That station wagon is a beauty. For some odd reason I've always wanted to own and drive a station wagon. I haven't yet, and probably won't. My affection for those is likely due to my family owning two wagons as I grew up. My parents had both a Pontiac station wagon with the (faux) wood paneling on the sides, as well as a blue Chevy station wagon when I was a little older. That wagon looks like it's in great shape.

I'm fooling myself into thinking my hatchback Prius C Two is "kinda like a station wagon, in the looks department." Kinda. Sorta.

 

It was pretty much perfect today. Allergies be damned, I drove with the windows down.