Sell a Honda lover on a Prius?

Convince the girlfriend (and the mum) that 'size really does matter'.

 

Heh heh. What are mum's criteria for what makes a good car? Let's start there and then compare the Prius with the Honda Alternatives.

I drove a civic for 10 years and loved. I found the switch quite easy. I never really considered the honda hybrids based what I heard here and elsewhere.

 

I hesitate to say so on this site but I really don't think the Prius is a good car for everyone. For example: people who don't read their owners manual may not be happy with a Prius and it may not be a good car for people who don't appreciate technology. What would happen if your girlfriend's mother bought a Prius on your recommendation and then didn't like it?

 

I agree with tumbleweed. Make a recommendation based on what is best for her. If she has no need for a hatchback, personally, I think the honda is probably the better buy. For just about the base Prius price, you can have a HCH with NAV.

Never make a recommendation just to "win".

 

My wife and I were hard-core Honda folks for years (despite the fact that I grew up in Detroit area, and my father worked for GM). We've had an '86 Accord hatchback (got it used at approx 130k and gave it to a friend at > 250k miles, still running fine), '96 Civic hatchback, '97 Civic 2 door, and '03 Accord. Then we sold the '96 civic and the '03 accord to buy our '05 Prius -- it meets the needs of a 4-door family car, meets the needs of a hatchback (ever try to put a TV in your trunk?), and is easier to park in San Francisco than our Accord.

It didn't take much convincing. 2nd generation Prius. 1st generation Civic Hybrid. We figured Honda didn't learn enough from the Insight if the EPA rating on the Civic Hybrid was so much lower than the Prius. Looked at EPA mileage and styling (the Prius just looks great, and the Civic hybrid just looks like every other car out there), then ordered our Prius. We didn't look at the Accord hybrid because we wanted to go the high mpg rate, rather than the more-power-similar-mpg (to non-hybrids) Accord.

CA DMV carpool stickers were the biggest driver (excuse?) to actually get out and place the order -- we cross the bay bridge every day, but you need 3 to be a carpool. Can't imagine another Giants' season without the DMV stickers...

Plus, my friend who bought a Prius last year just raved about it every time we talked.

(I didn't know then that the Civic got the same real-life mileage as the Prius, but even if we knew then, I think we still would have bought the Prius for the other reasons listed above.)

mike

 

I think you can definitely recommend it to her without sugar coating it or acting like it is without flaw. Even if she isn't all about technology, then I think she can still like it. Besides the learning curve of starting it up, putting it in gear and putting it in park, the technology doesn't have to be overwhelming. If she is easily confused then she may not like it as much as she would a conventional car.


You can talk about the safety ratings, the safety features (depending on the package), the low emissions, the way the car can calm erratic driving habits down with the instant feedback, the quietness of driving in stealth and the car in general, and the great mpg. To me, the best selling point is to just let someone drive it, so let get in the car and go (if that is possible--if not encourage a test drive or rental).

 

I've already driven the 06 HCH and am buying the 06 Prius. I don't like "HAL" staring at me when I drive (the tach).

People like what they like -- the Prius was it for me. The MFD is great, all there in one screen, and you can turn it off. In the HCH the feedback is too scattered around the dash and it takes second banana to the oddball tach. Small stufff, I know....

I only got around 44 mpg in the HCH and it was warmed up and pampered for most of the drive. I think most folks are going to get around mid forties in that car. The vtec thread on this is going nowhere. Why? Poor mileage?

Regarding the Prius: Most people don't need convincing. The mpgs even before break-in, cool stuff, and CR red dots all point to a solid car. Buy an HCH and haul a Twix bar. Hatch me!

 

Tell her I've owned only Hondas and driven them over 200,000 miles each. I decided to get the Prius because Honda just wasn't up to filling my needs this time around. I wanted a Hatchback Hybrid with all the fixings. I have no regrets so far. My view is Honda and Toyota are so close in reliability that wasn't in question for me.

 

I drove my last Honda Civic for 14 years, and replaced it with a Prius. I've had Hondas for many years, but it was time for a change, since the Honda hybrid wasn't a "full" hybrid, and it wasn't a hatchback. The Prius was even more solid than the Honda, as well. It really isn't a difficult change, but it is a change, so you have to want to make it.

-Roger

 

So it's a brand-loyalty thing then. People shouldn't be blindly loyal to any one brand. It's best to open up the mind and try new things. Don't get stuck in a rut. It might help to objectively state the pros and cons for each vehicle in an Excel spreadsheet. You should include everything that matters, and even things that don't matter as much. You should include price of each vehicle along with the size of the 2006 tax credit for each vehicle. I think the tax credit is different for both cars. For example, if she's interested in Leather, Xenon headlights, a hatchback, and fold-down seats, the HCH will not satisfy her.

What are your girlfirend's arguments for Honda and against Toyota? Let's hear them. Are there any holes in the arguments?

 

Does it really matter? Isn't the most important thing, what is the mothers requirements for a vehicle? Just because someone needs a new vehicle, doesn't mean the Prius is right for them. I'd want to know the following:

Is a hatchback needed?
What kind of an area does she drive in? Perhaps the Civic may be better suited in areas where it's very windy. Wind does have a pretty good effect on the Prius.
Is NAV needed or desired?
What's her top price limit?

Then I'd have her test drive both and see what she's more comfortable with.

My point - Don't sell her on something just to bring your count up - sell her on something that is 100% right for her and will make her happy.

 

Indeed the most important thing is that the mother buys the best vehicle for her needs. We shouldn't let any good arguments for either vehicle fall through the cracks. Make an honest assessment of each vehicle and make the best choice. Use Excel or some other way to document pros and cons of each vehicle. Brand loyalty should be less important here because she is only considering Toyota and Honda, both are leading brands. She will only be happy with the vehicle that most closely matches her needs, otherwise she might doubt her decision.

 

I've owned and worked on numerous Honda's (Civic, Prelude, Odyssy, S2000) and Toyota's (Truck, Lunchbox, Previa, Prius) and both companies make good cars. Whenever someones asked me here what I tell them:

Honda's have superior suspension and handlings and will last forever if you put in routine maintenance (oil, belts, valves, etc.). Honda's tend to develop squekes and random noises after a few years. Expect to replace the timing belt at 100k, radiator at 145k, O2 sensor at 160l and your alignment to be way off by 200k unless you replace the suspensions.

Toyota's have superior engines and power and will last forever if you put in very little maintenance (oil, filters, etc.). Toyota's tend to remain rock solid until about 200k miles where random things start to break (door locks, hinges, etc.). Expect to replace the thermostat at 120k, radiator at 150k and timing chain at 200+k.

Just my own personal experience. I would take a Toyota for it's engine and a Honda for it's suspensions.

--GD

 

my 1st car was a honda accord that i had for many yrs.....my 3rd car was my favorite.....an 88 toyota celica gt.....i would still have it - had it not been stolen one month after moving to miami.. it was replaced by a 92 prelude.....& i must say that my hondas & toyota both were of quality.. (all did come from japan tho) the interior of all of my cars looked great even yrs later.....i still have my prelude..(tho it needs a little work)......

i checked out the insight & the civic hybrids......and tho i like hondas.....the interior of the hondas seemed to be somewhat dated.......the prius was definitely a techie from the millenium......it offered more bang for the buck......it has some of the same/similar options as the infinity, lexus, cadillac luxury cars.....& for me thats great........

i do agree....these hybrids are not for everyone.....they are better for those that want better mpg ....i was surprised that the the prius does have the power it does..... i bought my prius one month ago.....& i am luving it better each day....... & going from a prelude to a prius.....i notice that i am no longer riding so low......i sit much higher...! thats pretty kewl!

in order to convince someone of the better car.......(they are both good) but the edge to me does go to 2g prius..... let the mother drive the car....& that should be the breaking point.....!!

 

At one time, we had 5 Hondas/Acura in my family. I drove a Civic for 12 years and sold it at close to 180K miles in good condition. A year ago, we had to make a decision between 2005 Civic or Corolla. Corolla won. In a couple of months, I should have my Prius. Prius is very versatile with the hatchback. You cannot even fold down the rear seats in the Civic Hybrid.

 

I drove both the Prius 2G and the HCH eightteen mothns ago, And preferred the HCH due to its more "normal" feel. Also, I babied the Prius because I didn't understand it. After test driving it again, Prius is clearly the winner. The technology is clearly more advanced. If you are going to buy a hybrid, get a true hybrid Prius for all of the obvious reasons. However, I agree with Tumbleweed, if you don't like programming your VCR or TIVO, then you won't like the Prius.