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So where are the prius's in Texas?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by windstrings, Mar 17, 2006.

  1. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    I was in Fort Worth and Dallas area and ran all through those cities for 6 days and only saw two prius's the whole time?

    Those cowboys sure don't want to give up thier pickup trucks! :D
     
  2. rdenneyutmb

    rdenneyutmb New Member

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    I live between Houston and Galveston. There are a few around, and when we got ours two weeks ago, it was clear that the dealers were having trouble keeping them in stock. We only had to wait a week to get ours, since we chose one that was unspoken for and due on a ship the following week. (Most on the shipment had already been sold.)

    I have a colleague that also has one, but I have not seen many around.

    This is, indeed, the land of the big SUV and Hummer, though there are a lot of small cars on the road, too.

    Cheers!
     
  3. og1600

    og1600 Junior Member

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    I'm in Austin and there are 3 or 4 that park in the same parking garage every day at work. I usually see at least one driving around every other day or so.

    Of course there are many people who say Austin really isn't part of Texas. :)
     
  4. felton

    felton New Member

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    I am in Dallas and have been driving mine around for coming up on a year now. I see some, but not nearly as many as Hummers. I even saw a few when I was in Midland, the heart of the oil patch in West Texas, so there are Prii here and there.

    It is a bit of a "chicken or the egg" situation. The Toyota dealers don't get the cars so they can't sell them and they don't sell them because they don't have any cars. I had to buy my car from out of state last year because I couldn't make a deal anywhere from Dallas to Houston to Lubbock to San Antonio. A couple of phone calls to out of state dealers and I had a car in a week.

    You are right, though, there are not that many yet, although every person who has seem mine and ridden in it has said "this is my next car". So far one of my friends has bought one through one of the Virginia dealerships and I am sure I will sell a few more. Customer good will really is worth a lot.
     
  5. Charles Suitt

    Charles Suitt Senior Member

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    B) For about a year, we had an active chapter of "Dallas Area Prius Meetup Group" and met monthly with as many as 14 Prii and their passengers in attEndance - usually for lunch at a restaurant with generous parking. We startled many passersby with our lineup of Prii - even a local Policeman and another wandering Prius driver. Usually we had about 20 folks, from babies to "old coots" (like me) there.

    The national "Meetup" organization established a requirement which would require the "Organizer" to pay about $70 three months in advance for us to remain listed on their system - then the Organizer had to try to recollect his costs from the attendees. The group just died out. I grant you, we Prii types are outnumbered by the SUV's, Pickups and Hummers, but we are definitely here.

    HOPE YOU HAD A PLEASANT VISIT TO TEXAS :D WE WELCOME VISITORS AND CAN ARRANGE FOR A TEXAS "CITIZENSHIP" IF YOU DECIDE TO IMMIGRATE.

    For a PRIUS driver, we would waive the usual fee for the Texas Citizenship Application.
     
  6. micheal

    micheal I feel pretty, oh so pretty.

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    Here in Lubbock, we are slowly but surely building up the number. Back in September 2004, I think there was only a handul (including classics). Now I think there is probably two dozen all total. Back last summer, I would go a week of driving before seeing one. Now, I pretty much see one every day I am out and around.

    For sure, still many more trucks than cars, probably more Hummers as well. One example was our church's live nativity scene had only one Prius come through (mine) but 2 H3's and 1 H2.

    But I have really noticed seeing more Pri the last couple of months, I have even been seeing a couple of HiHys. Part of the slownees is our local dealership doesn't get a lot and at least at first was selling them to people from other areas of Texas (we got ours from Missouri). Even now, it is still very rare for me to see one sitting on the lot. Hard to convince most here without a chance to ride in or drive. Lots of people we know want on, but are waiting to get more money, pay off their other car or another financial reason. On PC, I don't think there are any other Lubbock owners that post.
     
  7. robinsod

    robinsod New Member

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    Right on re the cowboys. Of course many of those cowboys are all hat and no cattle or just plain old goat ropers with an oil patch.

    But, here in a small town (~25,000) in the Hill Country of Texas, I've been pleased to find several Prius owners. It's a rare day when I don't see one or two driving here. In fact, 2006 models seem to be popping up every day. But, we are still outnumbered by Hummers.
     
  8. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    I still have my Texas citizenship from 23 years ago..I visit my day quite often... my house is going on the market to move to the Granbury area... I will have to see if there is a FortWorth or closer chapter... but I love driving my car so much.... I will go to the Dallas chapter if there are none closer.
    Looks like you guys need some brighter colors!... I would love to splash in with my Barcelona Red! I'm sure thats an old picture and you have some by now though.

    Dallas is a big place so I see why so many cars showed up. I sure is hard to find them!

    I know them cowboys had quite a shock with these gas prices!... Texas has always had cheaper gas than here in the NW, but now I think its the same if not more expensive.

    That egg before the chicken problem is a real problem.... Dealers will have to request them and Toyota will have to comply if they want to open the market into new areas....

    I bet as they become more plentiful, it won't be an issue. Since they are still in such short supply I guess I see thier rational.

    I'm so tired of being cold and wet and everytime I want to do something "like detail my car" is nasty outside.....
    I even had to take a few little scratches out next to my door handle, I thought they were from the dealer, but I discovered when I was washing my car in the cold, the zipper on my coat scratched it when I lean over to get the top of the roof.
    I'm ready for shorts and tea shirt! :)

    The NW is the perfect place to be in July, August and Sept... but the rest of the year is questionable... at any rate.. I'm ready for a change.... maybe set up a nice PV panel and/or a windturbine.

    Thanks for the invite. I may be taking you up on it. :rolleyes:
     
  9. s.e.tx_parrothead

    s.e.tx_parrothead New Member

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    I live in Livingston, which is about an hour north of Houston. My black, pkg 8 is on order and is due in May-June. Livingston is a medium size town (about 5000) and I believe that there are 2 or 3 in town. I work in Huntsville, 45 miles to the west, and I have seen 2 there. The Dealer in Lufkin has sold several in the past year and are really great to work with. They normally require a $500 dollar deposit, but since they knew we were sold on the Prius, they only required a $100 deposit. Gotta love small Texas towns. I am a native Texan and my hubby is a transplant from Maryland. I wouldn't live anywhere else. B)
     
  10. bigtex

    bigtex New Member

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    I live in Austin and our rides around town are full of my daughter's shout, "Are pruis da" (There's a prius in Japanese). West and South Austin are full of Greenies, many with enough money to get a Pruis to boot. ...Dallas would seem to be the perfect place for a Pruis as it takes 30 miles to do anything..... At my school in West Austin. We have three Prius on staff and two more in the process of checking out ours to purchase as they live out of town. If I drive 20 miles in town, I'll see 3-8 Prius. I liked the slight wow factor remaining in June 04 when I got mine, that's gone now. Unlike most I see being driven (overly tight) by the 50 y.o. set, I swerve while mopping up milk and crackers from the two singing kids <1 <3 dancing to my sound system....
     
  11. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    I lived about 25 years in Houston.. I know exactly where you are at... things have grown quite a bit in Livingston......

    Washington is an awesome place "if" you have time off work to do stuff and you want to ski all the time "or" its summer.
    Problem is.. about 9 months of the year is rather cold, windy and wet with a few exceptions.. all in all, even when its nice during the day.. if you go camping.. better prepare for a cold night... with the exception of august and sept.
    Fishing and playing on the columbia river is fun too, but water is very cold.

    Pretty narrow margin for warm weather... don't get me wrong.. it can get hot.... quite hot... 100 degrees or so... but its very short lived usually.
     
  12. Tadashi

    Tadashi Member

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    Well, both of our Prius are in El Paso. I have seen about 6 others on Fort Bliss, one Honda Civic Hybrid and one Honda Insight.
     
  13. dbotello

    dbotello Junior Member

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    I live in a place north of Houston called The Woodlands. I work in Houston, so I am a serious commuter (50 miles/1way). I see about 5-6 Prii (not sure what the plural is) on my way to work each day.

    We should start a Houston group.

    Black #7 with add-on leather.

    Love it !!!!
     
  14. s.e.tx_parrothead

    s.e.tx_parrothead New Member

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    We really should start a Houston/SE Texas group. Or at least get a few of us together one weekend. I believe that there is someone that works in Galveston that is a member here. Let me know! :D
     
  15. s.e.tx_parrothead

    s.e.tx_parrothead New Member

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    You are right, Livingston has grown quite a bit in just the 9 yrs I have lived here (orginally, I am from the Panhandle and luckily, the family and our ranch escaped damage from the recent fires.) I love the small town feel, but also love the fact that in an hour I can be in Houston and in 2 I am at the beach.

    I have never been to Washington State, but have made it as far north as Southern Oregon. I had an aunt that lived in Grant's Pass. It was beautiful and I would really love to go back.

    I notice in an earlier post that you are from the Grandbury/Cross Timbers area. Well, I am a Tarleton alumni. I love that part of Texas too!!!
     
  16. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    C'mon Texas, you all should get back in the saddle and get those hybrid meetings going again! I've had inquiries about whether there was a Texas hybrid group before. Someone please just pick a day and a time and show up.

    It doesn't have to be something formal.

    Start out small and then eventually you'll start having something big like Hybridfest.

    I remember for sure that Austin was the last place that asked me about how to set up a local hybrid club.
     
  17. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    thats where my dad lives now.. I used to travel through livingston on my way to Diboll where we had a deer camp on the Neches river... lots of good memories.. fishing, frog gigging, netting, hunting squirrel, deer etc.....
    I miss everthing there except the mosquitos, snakes, and humidity... Central texas rids most of that.
     
  18. ilovemyprius

    ilovemyprius New Member

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    That is a great idea! I am currently living in Lubbock, but I am moving back to the Houston area at the end of May. If you guys meet up after that I will be there!
     
  19. micheal

    micheal I feel pretty, oh so pretty.

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    No, you can't leave Lubbock! That will make me the only Lubbock PCer!
     
  20. ilovemyprius

    ilovemyprius New Member

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    Sorry Micheal, but I have to work after I graduate so I can pay off my Prius!!