Anyone out there *regret* buying a Prius?

Nope!


Tom & Da Boyz

 

The Prius has completely exceeded my expectations. I was driving a VW GTI VR6, a powerful and excellent handling little car. I knew I would like the gas mileage of the Prius, but thought I would miss the power and handling of the GTI. I don't. It actually seems that the Prius is quicker off the line than the GTI! And although I have read about the Prius mediocre handling, I find find that it handles quite well.

The Prius is much quieter than the GTI, and rides much better. And "the game" of getting good mpg is much more entertaining than driving fast ever was. With the Prius, I am a much more calm and relaxed person behind the wheel. A safer driver without a doubt.

I agree with others that there is not another car on the road I would trade the Prius for (except maybe a Ferrari, which I would sell, buy another Prius, and keep the leftover cash!). And I will never own another non-hybrid car.

 

Well then how abaut the "Volta" :roll: :roll: :roll: If you didn't see this thread before try this:PriusChat Volta Thread

 

No regrets at all! And I have to admit, I'm very lucky because unlike many people on this board, I did almost zero research before deciding to buy. Late last year I was driving my wife's old 91 Honda Accord EX and she was driving her 1st generation 95 Honda Odyssey van. Both cars were in pretty good shape and had long since been paid off. I was creeping home on the Baltimore Beltway one day, constantly shifting the manual transmission between neutral and 1st gear and breathing waaaaay too many fumes and I guess I whined about it a little too much to my wife. That same evening my wife made an appointment for us to go and test-drive a new car at the Toyota dealer the next day. At this point there are things you should know about me:

1. I am very "cautious" with money (CHEAP)
2. Driving is not fun and at best, cars are a necessary evil to be suffered

Unknown to me, since I had started my new job over the past few years that requires a 100 mile round-trip commute each day, my wife had been looking for a newer, more fuel efficient, AUTOMATIC transmission car for me. She had read about the Prius, but I was not enfatuated with the older model (of course I assumed that you had to plug it in and I had read nothing about it!)

We test drove the Prius and while driving the car was a little weird, all of the built-in electronics of the package 9 and the electronic control of the car just felt like the future to me. The car would easily hold 5 adults and had plenty of storage room. This is when I learned that you did NOT plug it in and that the tehcnology had at least three good years of deployment as the classic Prius so we hunted down a car in West Virginie and bought it that night! We took delivery two weeks later.

Not having done any more research than I did, I'm pretty lucky that the car has turned out as well as it has. I LOVE TO DRIVE NOW!! My wife has fallen in love with the car. We are both somewhat geekish, but we both feel that this car is loiterally a new generation of cars, not just retooling of the same old car. And while I am not nearly the tree-hugger that many on this board obviously are (and hey, there's room for and value in all of us having and sharing our opinions) even I have to admit that when I'm on a freeway and going 2 miles per hour, I still see and smell the noxious fumes all around me and it makes me think about my car silently crusing on electric....and makes me feel... proud? Maybe that alone is a small victory of how this car can change opinions and show that something can be done. I just wish that America had led the way...

Oh, and back to the subject...no regrets

 

My brother encountered a classic owner a few years ago that hated the car. Her purchase was based entirely on Toyota's reputation. She had no knowledge of Prius itself and no clue just how much attention would be drawn by owning one.

Some people prefer to have a plain vehicle that blends into the crowd, Prius is not one of them. Even though the look is relatively subtle, the demand for the technology isn't and neither is all the media attention.

So I expect there will be a massive surge in demand once the extremely common vehicles like Corolla & Camry begin to offer HSD.

 

Certainly no regrets. I've owned many cars, some of them quite luxurious, but the Prius is the most "fun" to own and drive of any of them. The only car that comes close in the "fun" category is a 240z over 30 years ago.

 

My only regret it that I can't afford 4 of them. One for every person in my family. I am really happy with the car.

 

I suppose I should also add a BIG THANKS to John1701 for his many, many pages of Prius information, testimonials, etc.

It was without a doubt that his info got me on the path to ordering my Prius last year.

Toyota should be giving him a free car

Dave.

 

my boss's wife doesn't like her 2k4 Prius always bitching about some thing or other and he's getting pissed about it and will probalby sell it and by another Hylander. I told him to use it but he love's his Avalon so I would imagine the Prius is toast.

 

While I enjoy my Prius, there are two things I would do differently.

First, I would have waited until the 2005 Canadian models. I understand from rumours that Toyota Canada will finally offer the NAV/Bluetooth/voice option. I bought the Canadian package at C$34,005 (US$25,235) that had all of the Canadian options available, but even at that price it did not include the NAV option.

Second, I think I would have bought the Salsa Red. I like the black that I bought, but it really benefits from frequent washing. I'm washing my car every week or two. I'm guessing the Salsa Red would require less washing.

 

I Love my Prius! I can't wait till the hybrid Mini-Van comes out, I hope my wife's 99 Venture last till then!

 

Absolutely NO regrets. We travel everywhere with our Prius (18,200 miles since Nov.8, 2003) while our 2003 Corolla LE sits at home. When the Corolla is ready to be traded, it will either be a hybrid version Corolla or another Prius. We have had no problems of any kind with either car, but the Prius is definitely the most enjoyable to drive and travel in. I plan to maintain my Prius extremely well and shoot for the 500,000 mile mark with it - meaning that it may outlive me!

 

The car is awsome,

The only regret I have is now having a car payment again. I enjoyed not having one for the past 2 years.

I would have saved more money keeping my 4Runner, but then I wouldn't have all the cool new toys.

 

BEST CAR EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :multi: :multi: :multi:

 

i love the car. however after a couple of months i will re-confirm my early (and even pre-purchase) concerns about the light colored interior.

i admit that i do not spend a lot of time cleaning it, but it it just scuffing and bruising left and right.

my last several cars have had leather (and i will probably do that to the prius at some point) but even a nice darker color cloth or vinyl would have been better IMHO, and darker rugs for sure. (guess i should add that i have the salsa with tan interior).

the outside color is fabulous. not quite 'candy apple' but very nice. (not that i was expecting candy apple, but that's my favorite custom color from the 60's)

 

No regrets whatsoever. This is a really fine car (and surprisingly reliable too). Being a car / technology entheusiast, this car has met all my requirements and expectations, and then some.

. What I like best beyond mileage and torque is always being in optimum gear for both mileage and torque regardless of speed.

. I love the display and simplicity of controls.

. The sound system is excellent and the car is quiet.

. Safety is important to me. This car rates right at the top.

. No longer having to listen to back seat friends gripe about leg room since trading in my Audi A4 for the Prius is a major plus. Nothing but nice words from them.

. The lift-back has been a godsend for transporting 'stuff'.

. And finally, I've never understood why technology, even on into the 21st century, hadn't solved the waste and polution problem associated with an idling car at stop lights. I hope the Prius approach is the trend of the future.

There have always been some characteristic I didn't like about every car I've owned. Haven't found any with this one. It's a keeper.

 

Not A ONE!!!

Love the car!!!

 

my husband regrets telling me the Prius would be mine
because now he has to beg me to drive it !!!!

 

No regrets at all. Like my truck, you'll have to pry my cold dead hands from the steering wheel!!! :mrgreen: