Prius makes news in WV too

I'm a WV refugee, who can't get back there until I can either find a job there or retire But it's good to see the Prius Sales and Interest picking up there as well.

On the group here, we all think of WV as the place that you can get a Prius Quickly, presumably because the locals aren't buying them. Well, looks like that may be going to change :mrgreen:

Bert Wolfe, who's had lots of mentions here, is featured in the article.

The quote from the interviewed person about it being a 'magical' car just kind of tickled me too.

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http://www.wvgazette.com/section/ConsumerI...ight/2004052716

Charleston Gazette

Dumping your gas hog

Increasing gas prices drive up demand for fuel-efficient hybrid cars

By Jennifer Ginsberg
Staff Writer

Fuel economy.

That’s why Arlene and Bobbie Snyder of Charleston traded in their 2003 Lincoln LS sedan for a 2004 Toyota Prius.

The Lincoln guzzled premium fuel and got 18 miles per gallon, Bobbie said. The Prius consumes regular fuel and Bobbie said he’s gotten 58.5 miles per gallon on the highway.


“I got out of that thing at the right time,†he said of the Lincoln.

The Snyders, both 80 years of age, call their Prius the “car of the future.†The blue, four-door car maps their driving route turn by turn, displays their mileage per gallon statistics and accepts voice commands.

“Maybe it’s because we’re not so hip on the computer age,†Arlene said. “But this just seems so magical.â€

Along with the “magic†of the on-board navigational system and one-touch computer screen in the dashboard, the car also runs on a combination of electricity and gasoline.

Hybrid cars combine a gasoline-powered engine with an electric motor. This combination provides increased gas mileage and lower emissions than in cars that run only on gasoline.

With gas prices at more than $2 a gallon for the lowest grade gas, more people are turning to hybrid cars for their higher fuel efficiency.

Bert Wolfe is sold out of Toyota Priuses until the 2005 model comes out in the fall. The dealership normally orders three to four of the hybrid cars a month. Sales Manager Woody Woodruff said there are about 10 people on the waiting list.

“Everyone wants one,†he said.

The dealership has sold 150 to 200 Priuses since it began selling the car in 2000.

Ben Lewis, the Toyota manager at Love Toyota in St. Albans, said his Prius sales are pretty good. He doesn’t have any cars in stock and also has a waiting list.

In addition to the Prius, consumers can also find Honda’s hybrid version of its four-door Civic and two-door Insight. By 2006, there will be a slew of hybrid sport utility vehicles, trucks and cars for sale.

As gas prices have increased, Lee Martina at Lester Raines Honda in South Charleston said Civic and Insight sales have picked up. He has two Civics and one Insight on the lot.

He said his dealership has sold 18 Civics and Insights in the past two to three months.

Lewis said his customers clamor for a Prius because of gas mileage and technology.

According to Consumer Reports, the manual transmission Honda Insight was the most fuel-efficient car they have tested. The Insight got 36 miles per gallon in the city and 66 mpg on the highway. The Prius got 35 miles per gallon in the city and 50 mpg on the highway. The Civic got 26 mpg in the city and 45 mpg on the highway.

But, mileage also depends on whom you ask and who does the fuel efficiency testing.

The numbers the car dealers use are based on Environmental Protection Agency tests. Their estimates are higher than Consumer Reports.

According to Toyota’s Web site, the Prius gets better mileage in the city that it does on the highway — 61 mpg to 51 mpg.

The Honda Web site says the Civic gets 46 miles per gallon in the city and 51 on the highway. The Insight gets 60 miles per gallon in the city and 68 gallons on the highway.

Numbers also vary depending on whether the transmission is manual or automatic.

The top of the line manual-transmission non-hybrid Honda Civic sedan gets 20 miles to the gallon in the city and 41 on the highway, says Consumer Reports. According to Honda’s Web site, the model gets 32 miles per gallon in the city and 37 miles on the highway.

Fuel economy was the one of the main reasons Mike Brown of St. Albans bought a Prius in March 2003.

“I didn’t like the way the gas market was going,†he said. “I felt it was time to make a difference in the economy. I felt the only way I could make a difference was to buy a car that didn’t burn fuel at both ends.â€

In addition to the high miles per gallon their cars get, the Snyders and Brown also like the tax break they received. People who buy a new hybrid car in 2004 are eligible for a $1,500 federal tax deduction.

“I feel good for the environment. I feel good I’m not burning as much fuel,†Brown said. “It rides smoother and handles better than any car I’ve ever had.â€

To contact staff writer Jennifer Ginsberg, use e-mail or call 348-5195


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Photo Caption

Bobbie Snyder stands by his 2004 Toyota Prius. He traded in a 2003 Lincoln LS sedan for the hybrid car in October 2003. This one-touch computer screen in the Prius dashboard shows gas mileage and climate and audio information. The screen also serves as a navigational system. The computer works with Bluetooth technology-enabled cellular phones to allow drivers to hear conversations through the car’s audio system. The Prius has a gas engine and electric motor, which provide increased gas mileage and lower emissions than gasoline-only cars.