Dumped the 07 Prius after 5 weeks

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Trevor @ Apr 7 2007, 04:15 PM) [snapback]419509[/snapback]</div>

WoW!! You're right! Amazing that one could do such a ton of mod/tinkering on a car (in just 5 weeks), still have time to use it as a business/commute car, and have time to get youir eight hours of sleep done.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Gadgetdad @ Apr 7 2007, 05:40 PM) [snapback]419543[/snapback]</div>

HEY!!! Have you been spying on me!!!!

Ok I don’t drive with my knee but I have smoked and been on a cell phone (no hands free device) in a stick at the same time. I know and I disserve any lashings I get for admitting that. I only did that once and it was an emergency. A very good friend called me talking about suicide. I didn’t have my wallet or anything and the smokes were in the car.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Apr 7 2007, 06:31 PM) [snapback]419569[/snapback]</div>

Hey methamphetamines are wonderful man. :huh: :blink: :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Betelgeuse @ Apr 7 2007, 11:06 AM) [snapback]419372[/snapback]</div>

I agree with you 100%... My car is completely 'stock' and while the wind on the highway is somewhat noticible (like this week when we had nonstop 40-50 MPH winds blowing from west to east when I was driving up I-75 from Bowling Green to Toledo... I had to keep my steerting wheel turned to keep going straight... but I never felt as if my car was going to go off the road... and I had no issues with snow and blizzards for my first winter with the prius... I was in fact quite suprised at how well the Prius handled winter conditions (which here we had several storms that dumped several feet of snow and a 3 week period when it never went above 10 degrees F!).

So as many have said... to each their own... my Prius has served me excellently... my passengers are alwasy very impressed with it (especially how roomy the interior is and how quiet the ride is). Good luck with the Camry Hybrid!

 

I have to say that the OP seems rather strange to me (seems odd that they'd get ALL that work done on it in their 1st 5 weeks of ownership). Although I will agree that the Prius is a bit squirrelly, it's ok to me. I have to do ~40 miles of highway driving a day when I take the Prius to work. I've done a ~350 mile trip from San Jose to Los Angeles area and a 500 mile trip from SJ and Vegas.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusBoyAZ @ Apr 7 2007, 11:17 AM) [snapback]419443[/snapback]</div>

• 
  I don't think you can really pulse and glide at highway speeds. At >42 mph, the ICE has to run, so I'm not sure what you're doing is that helpful.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CheapChic @ Apr 7 2007, 07:38 PM) [snapback]419600[/snapback]</div>

Glad you found a great car that you like. Have fun enjoy hope all works out for you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(adam1991 @ Apr 7 2007, 02:51 PM) [snapback]419548[/snapback]</div>

What is your problem buddy? I drive at the speed limit, and am doing nothing wrong even though others have decided that they will exceed posted limits by 20 MPH and then cut off and flip off law abiding drivers such as myself. If "going with the flow" means driving a 17 MPH Suburban recklessly at 80 MPH, then no thanks.

You should know better than to make that kind of irresponsible comment.

 

You were playing games with your Prius by driving in a manner that's entirely inappropriate in traffic like that, and then you complained when those around you called you on it.

You complain that they don't own the road, but your actions and attitude said that you thought you owned the road.

Speed doesn't kill--speed differential does. If the flow of traffic is 70mph and you're doing some weird mileage pulse and glide going from 65 down to 55 and back up to 65 and back down to 55, you were behaving MORE dangerously than those going 70.

 

"Speed doesn't kill--speed differential does. If the flow of traffic is 70mph and you're doing some weird mileage pulse and glide going from 65 down to 55 and back up to 65 and back down to 55, you were behaving MORE dangerously than those going 70."

Amen!

Screw that pulse and glide BS in Traffic, that's just ignant!

 

Been said before - it's not the car for everybody - they don't make such a vehicle. I've had trucks blow by me in my old Dodge Grand Caravan (~5300 lbs. empty - and it never was!) and felt the turbulence wanting to change the path the van was on. Same thing in the Prius - a 900 mile round-trip to my wife's family and nothing noticeably dangerous - just can't take anything for granted.
And the pposter who mentioned being on a motorcycle (sorry, didn't note who wrote it) has it exactly right - riding on a highway on a 500 lbs. bike w/no windshield or fairings and fairly skinny tires will teach you all you want to know about turbulence in a hurry!

 

I think the horse is dead. But it can't hurt to give it just one more poke.

I think I agree with the first person who said that this may be mostly a result of expectations and prior experience. If you are used to something like a M5 or S600 and then get into a Prius, you are bound to notice defficiencies. OTOH if you are used to a Dodge Sprinter you will probably get into the Prius and marvel at how stable it is.

Whatever. It's too bad the resolution had to come at such expense but that's the OP's choice.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(adam1991 @ Apr 8 2007, 12:48 AM) [snapback]419739[/snapback]</div>

You do make quite a lot of assumptions, don't you? I tried pulse/glide on the freeway just twice, and both times went from 65 down to 55 in a 55 zone -- never once falling below the posted speed limit. After seeing that the technique did not work well for me given the added drag, even though it IS recommended at freeways speeds in one of the stickies on this forum (something about "stealth glide" at freeway speeds), I have limited pulse/glide to roads that are posted at 40 MPH or less. Even on those roads, people choose to drive 50-60 MPH. Does that mean I have to drive that fast? Absolutely not... you will note that the speed limit signs say "MAXIMUM SPEED", and it is within each driver's discretion to determine a speed that is safe for them. Just yesterday I was happily driving my Prius at 55 MPH in the right hand lane while people were passing me at 80 MPH... and one of the cars that passed me was a Highway Patrol who then pulled over one of the speeding vehicles. I prefer to keep my spotless driving record intact, thank you, and let speeders such as yourself take the ticket and the subsequent 3 year increase in auto insurance rates.

So what you're saying is that pulse/glide should not be used in any circumstance where people drive faster than the posted speed limit? Could you please tell me where people actually drive the limit, so that I can restrict my use of pulse/glide -- which, by the way, is so highly recommended by those achieving high MPH numbers -- to the two roads in the US where people obey the laws? In your own words you say that people who cut you off are well to do so in order to "call you on it" as a form of communicating some type of displeasure, yet you have the nerve to tell me that MY driving at the posted limit is a hazard? Are you kidding? If you think cutting people off is a safe and valid way of communicating with other drivers on the road, I think you've effectively sunk your case and should take a driver's education class.

I just got my new Prius and am having fun trying out all the different techniques I've read about in this forum. I am excited and came here to share information, not to be lectured by someone who doesn't know what he's talking about. Don't assume things that aren't true and then go off on some soapbox rant based on false information. Honestly, take that bully attitude somewhere else.

 

For those that decide to get on the freeway and p&g Wth minimum freeway speed 55mph best speeds for p&g 30-40 mph so I have heard and red. And to those that get on the freeway and go the posted speed limit or 5 miles below so do I IN THE SLOW LANE NOT THE FAST LANE. If I am in a hurry and am in the fast lane cruising at 70mph+ and sopme idiot is doing 55 or less I am going to get mad. Common since plays a part in it. if I am in the slow lane people tend to just g around me but if I was going slow in the fast lane forget it.

To those who think that there is not such thing a fast lanes get a clue you are the only one.

 

Technically, the PSL signs mean "maximum" SL. In reality, it is widely interpreted as "minimum" speed limit. Most traffic officers I've spoken with set their radars to 15-20% above the PSL.

On most 3+ lane highways, the left lane is posted as a passing only lane, aka the fast lane. I've gladly moved over when doing 75 or 80 mph if someone comes up behind me and flashes their lights. As a general rule, if you are not going faster than the person in the lane to the right of you (US, obviously), you are going too slow and should move one lane to the right. Repeat as necessary. This is the way I was taught.

Unless there is a posted minimum SL, then legally you can travel at any speed you want under the maximum SL. When I was younger I used to get mad at people who traveled at any speed less than 20% OVER the PSL. I would tailgate, flash my lights, honk, yell, etc. Classic road rage behaviors. I don't believe a single one of those people started driving the way I wanted them to as a result of my behavior. Surprise, surprise. OTH, deliberately or cluelessly impeding the flow of traffic for whatever reason doesn't work well, either. Everyone has the right to be an a**hole, but some people abuse the privilege.

Find a happy medium.

 

My best friend is a cop in California. He says he doesn’t bother unless the person is weaving through traffic but he will pull over people for going to slow especially in the fast lane. His record was 30mph in the fast lane. He told me the man was like 65mph is the maximum speed not a minimum. He had no clue that going that slow in a lane were the avrg person does 85 and up was dangerous.

There have been days that even in the slow lane I had to go with the flor and bump up to 65mph. here in VA psl is 55mph. we have one freeway out here that I just go with the flow because the avrg speed in different from day to day. Some days there is heavy traffic and we all go 35mph I go with the flow I don’t decide to P&G at 10-20mph I don’t idle at 5mph I just drive.

I just hate the people who screw up the flow of traffic I don’t care who you are or what you drive. I even get mad at the idiots that no mater what you do tail gate you and weave through traffic at unsafe speeds.

 

The safest way to drive is with the flow of traffic, not weaving, not tailgating, and not excessively slow or excessively fast. If pulse and glide causes you to stand out in the flow of traffic in any way, to cause a significant speed differential, then don't do it.

There you go--YOU want to achieve something, IN TRAFFIC, that potentially obstructs traffic. YOU don't want to play nice in the world, YOU want to do what YOU want REGARDLESS of the world around you. YOU want high mpg numbers, and YOU will behave how YOU want to, and to hell with the rest of the world, right?

I never said that. Please quote me where I said that.

You would stoop to slander in order to get what YOU want, wouldn't you?

Pulse and glide in traffic that's flowing significantly faster is just as dangerous as the old hat-wearing Buick driver doing 40 on the freeway. Speed differential kills.

I expect to see some Priuschat-aware cop start to look at P&G very carefully from a safety standpoint. Cops overall are looking more for dangerous behavior than "he's going 66 in a 65 zone". You could be going 60 in a 65 zone and still get pulled over for dangerous driving, or didn't you know that? Weaving and tailgating will get you pulled over much faster--MUCH faster--than doing 75 in a 65 zone, with that 75mph being with the flow of traffic, with plenty of assured clear distance, with proven awareness of the traffic around you.

P&G with ignorance of the traffic around you is dangerous. Yes.

I did not say that. Please quote me where I said that.

You continue to slander to try to make your case. The farther you go, the deeper the hole you find yourself in.

And the responses you're getting from other drivers are proof that you're doing so in a dangerous and traffic-obstructing manner. Didn't you see that? You are NOT entitled to play in traffic.

I assume only what you've written. If any of what you have written is not true, then please clarify the situation.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CheapChic @ Apr 7 2007, 08:03 AM) [snapback]419353[/snapback]</div>

Did you try to read your own post?
Did you do anything about it (except complaining?)
http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&show...st&p=399342
before trading in the car?

 

I don't believe in the go with the flow of traffic. accidents happen when people are all bunched up together. driving side by side all in groups is dangerous. I want to get out of the bunch and have some space.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(YodaddyAlex @ Apr 8 2007, 03:27 PM) [snapback]419872[/snapback]</div>

Given a choice, driving all by yourself is more desirable and safer; then one can P&G all one wants. How do you "get out of the bunch"?

Unfortunately, this is not possible everywhere and all the time, and I think the problems occur when someone tries to "create space" in traffic by not keeping up with the traffic (in their lane) and refusing to acknowledge that they are impeding traffic (I'm not referring that you are doing this, btw). If one wants to drive at or near the speed limit, then one should be in the rightmost lane; however, I know people who do this but won't drive in that lane because of all the exits and entrances from that lane. This just seems selfish to me.