It starts!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JustDrooling4Now @ Sep 11 2007, 05:17 PM) [snapback]510856[/snapback]</div>

So far, I've been asked about:

1) having to plug it in.
2) where I find the fuel for it.
3) having a top speed of 45mph
4) how bad the expressway MPG is
5) how far below EPA MPG I get
6) how much the hybrid premium is and how long it will take to offset it in gas savings
7) how far I can drive on electric only
8) how much a replacement battery will cost

I've had people say they're interested but:

1) It doesn't have enough acceleration
2) It isn't big enough for more than 2 people
3) There isn't enough cargo space
4) It can't tow a boat or pop-up camper
5) The gas savings don't offset the cost.
6) It's so ugly
7) It doesn't come in purple
8) Small cars aren't safe enough
9) The technology is too new

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JustDrooling4Now @ Sep 11 2007, 03:17 PM) [snapback]510856[/snapback]</div>

It was nice of you not to bite her head off!
Seriously, I would have responded with, "Well, I plan to drive my car, not send it places by train"

Oh, and the "drive them a round the lot several times" part is bullsh*t. Total, complete bulls*t.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Danny Hamilton @ Sep 11 2007, 03:36 PM) [snapback]510868[/snapback]</div>

I saw a Gen I in mauve...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Sep 11 2007, 07:14 PM) [snapback]510884[/snapback]</div>

One comment I hear is about the "new technology." People are still being influenced by negative publicities that the hybrid system is having. (i.e. Battery cost, cold weather travel, styling..etc)
I was trying to convince my coworker to buy a Prius or at least a hybrid car but he end up buying a Scion TC.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JustDrooling4Now @ Sep 11 2007, 06:17 PM) [snapback]510856[/snapback]</div>

Ha! If someone is going to spout a load of BS it may as well be funny.

I like to refer people to this page:
http://www.toyota.com/prius/specs.html

...and ask what other 4-cylinder car makes 295 lb-ft of torque from zero RPM. Heck, how many 6-cylinder cars do? That ought to get it up a ramp just fine.

 

Hi All,

That is a plausible senario. If the battery is down to one-bar, having sat on a boat for 2 or 3 weeks, and then on a train for a week, one may need to drive the car around to get the battery SOC up to the point where it will give you all that torque. Who knows what Toyota sets the battery SOC too when they put them on the boat? They could be at 2 bars. Then sitting for 4 weeks the battery might drop down a bar.

 

Hi All,

That is a plausible senario. If the battery is down to one-bar, having sat on a boat for 2 or 3 weeks, and then on a train for a week, one may need to drive the car around to get the battery SOC up to the point where it will give you all that torque. Who knows what Toyota sets the battery SOC too when they put them on the boat? They could be at 2 bars. Then sitting for 4 weeks the battery might drop down a bar.

 

Another common one is "won't I have to replace that big battery in
3 years for like $5,000?" ... I can't tell you how often I've heard
this question *start* forming in their minds and just interrupt them
with "lasts the life of the car".
.
_H*

 

Another common one is "won't I have to replace that big battery in
3 years for like $5,000?" ... I can't tell you how often I've heard
this question *start* forming in their minds and just interrupt them
with "lasts the life of the car".
.
_H*

 

Hi Again,

I know what it is. Its not the battery charging. Its the warm-up engine protection. When you turn on a Prius, it will only run the engine at low torque for a first minute or so, until it warms up. During this time, the battery is used heavily, but only has 25 or so hp.

After that time, the engine is allowed to deliver full power.

So its not a bug, its a feature !

 

Hi Again,

I know what it is. Its not the battery charging. Its the warm-up engine protection. When you turn on a Prius, it will only run the engine at low torque for a first minute or so, until it warms up. During this time, the battery is used heavily, but only has 25 or so hp.

After that time, the engine is allowed to deliver full power.

So its not a bug, its a feature !

 

Yup -- so the answer is to try not to demand a whole lot during
that first minute. Difficult if you turn out of your driveway
onto a 70mph interstate, but if necessary you can always wait a
little until the engine's ready to deliver torque. 57 seconds.
.
_H*

 

Yup -- so the answer is to try not to demand a whole lot during
that first minute. Difficult if you turn out of your driveway
onto a 70mph interstate, but if necessary you can always wait a
little until the engine's ready to deliver torque. 57 seconds.
.
_H*

 

Hi! So far I've not encountered any hostility towards my little pale green Prius, just curiosity and some admiration. Just yesterday I was walking away from my parked car and a woman had fallen onto the sidewalk ahead of me. I stopped and helped her up and she told me, "I tripped because I was admiring your beautiful car!" I must say: more women than men seem to find it appealing.

Let me introduce myself: I bought my first Prius over a month ago, after trolling through this website -- thanks so much to all of you for providing me with so much information!! -- and I love it to death. I've never viewed cars as more than basic transport, and have always bought Toys b/c they're so reliable, but am not the type to obsess over my car. This car is different. I was amazed by the test drive, and appreciate it better every day. In the first weeks I took it on a fairly grueling 3,000 mile road trip, and it was great. Smooth, quiet, easy to handle. Plenty of acceleration -- especially if you've been driving a Tercel! My mileage has averaged between 45 and 51, in a combo of in town and highway driving.

Per your advice, I've bought a separate battery charger, to keep in the car, just in case the 12V battery goes.

Anyway, I'm glad to join the group and appreciate all the help you've given me without even knowing it. I hope I'm not "doing anything wrong," being a new post-er.

Shoshana

 

Hi! So far I've not encountered any hostility towards my little pale green Prius, just curiosity and some admiration. Just yesterday I was walking away from my parked car and a woman had fallen onto the sidewalk ahead of me. I stopped and helped her up and she told me, "I tripped because I was admiring your beautiful car!" I must say: more women than men seem to find it appealing.

Let me introduce myself: I bought my first Prius over a month ago, after trolling through this website -- thanks so much to all of you for providing me with so much information!! -- and I love it to death. I've never viewed cars as more than basic transport, and have always bought Toys b/c they're so reliable, but am not the type to obsess over my car. This car is different. I was amazed by the test drive, and appreciate it better every day. In the first weeks I took it on a fairly grueling 3,000 mile road trip, and it was great. Smooth, quiet, easy to handle. Plenty of acceleration -- especially if you've been driving a Tercel! My mileage has averaged between 45 and 51, in a combo of in town and highway driving.

Per your advice, I've bought a separate battery charger, to keep in the car, just in case the 12V battery goes.

Anyway, I'm glad to join the group and appreciate all the help you've given me without even knowing it. I hope I'm not "doing anything wrong," being a new post-er.

Shoshana