Prius Owner Interview

yep... soon our expedition will be replaced by the Lexus 400h now only if there was an F350 hybrid.. hmmm

 

you might want to change the subject heading of this topic. i didn't click on it because i assumed it was an interview with a prius owner, not a poll looking for replies.

1. What car did you own before you purchased your Prius?

1987 Toyota Celica

2. What was the mileage you got with your old vehicle?

25? this is a guess. My gas guage was broken

3. What led you to purchasing a Prius?

Needed a new car, remembered Toyota had a hybrid, was impressed with everything I read about it, particularly the low emissions and high mileage. I was sold after reading the rave reviews on this website.

4. How do you feel about Gasoline vs Hybrid/Electric vehicles?

Hybrid vehicles (done well) are far superior in terms of energy conserved

5. In the next 10 years where do you think the market for automobiles will be at?

Many cars will probably come in both a gas version and hybrid version and all car companies will have a "Prius" or "Insight" type hybrid that pushed the technology forward.

6. How much were you spending a week to get around with your old gasoline powered vehicle? Indicate tank size etc.

$65

7. How much do you spend on gas with your new Prius a week?

$35

 

1. What car did you own before you purchased your Prius?

I am still driving it; '98 supercharged Toyota 4Runner Ltd. 3.4L 4WD

2. What was the mileage you got with your old vehicle?

90,000 and counting.

3. What led you to purchasing a Prius?

Gasoline fee is eating me alive.

4. How do you feel about Gasoline vs Hybrid/Electric vehicles?

Hybrid is a brilliant idea.

5. In the next 10 years where do you think the market for automobiles will be at?

All gasoline autos can be 'hybridized'. Such device is already under intensed R&D. I know of one called Electrocharger which BMW X5 is testing with. It improves performance + MPG. This is the future. When they have mastered practical & environmental-friendly method to generate hydrogen atoms, hydrogen vehicles will be the way to go. Such technology already exists and is called 'photocatalysis'.

6. How much were you spending a week to get around with your old gasoline powered vehicle? Indicate tank size etc.

Jesus, must you ask painful question like this? I spend about $25 - 30 a week on gas for my 4Runner.

7. How much do you spend on gas with your new Prius a week?

Don't know yet, I just got it tonight with 200+ miles on it now.

 

1. Ford F-150 pickup

2. 15 mpg

3. Toyotas's rep and the cutting edge technology and reduced emmissions

4. Change is necessary to grow. unfortunately people resist change. i feel its better to change gradually but we are not provided with that opportunity most of the time. Toyota has provided it this time and has done it with near perfect results as usual.

5. if we are smart, cars will be more of a luxury item since mass transit will be much cheaper and increasingly more conveinent. in 10 years, cars like the Prius will be the norm, iow, roomy since special permits will be required for single passenger travel, but very economical since gas rationing will be in full force and only the rich can circumvent the system easily. unfortunately, this view is ambitious and not very likely. what i really see is people driving just like now, with hybrids being 1 of every 5 cars on the road. we will have a 30% increase in respiratory diseases and child asthma will be the number one disease in our schools.

6. $20 a pop 2-3 times a week. (dual 18 gallon tanks. used only one tank and it was never full. i did not top off then and i have decided in the past month to not top off my Prius either and the reason i do so has nothing to do with the tank, bladder or vapor recovery system.

7. cant say as i have only once re-fueled in any rolling 7 day period. but lifetime average says 8.8 days and $17.63, 53.7 mpg(computer) 53.1 mpg (Pump) 3.81 cpm

Note: the Prius has benefitted me in many other ways by broadening my horizons so to speak. although not financially restricted, to be honest with ya, driving used to be a hassle and it actually kept me from doing a lot of things that i wish i would have done much sooner. in the time that i have had my Prius, i have seen more of Washington State than most of the previous 17 years that i have lived here.

i have over 6500 miles on my Prius and i would be willing to bet that if i wouldnt have driven half as much had i been still driving my truck. so does that negate the benefit of the Prius??

no it doesnt. last weekend, i took my sister and her two kids to Bremerton for a birthday party. normally it would have been two cars, neither getting anywhere near the gas mileage the Prius did. considering the 52 mile trip one way was made with less than $5 worth of gas makes me proud. the 200 passenger miles per gallon makes me even prouder. the fact that the gas my truck used to use while idling at various lights around town is enough to get me to work and back for a few days is another thing that i am proud of.

i feel that i am in the role of a pioneer and its my responsibility to help spread the word.

 

Well, I've an interesting story to tell here.

1. What car did you own before you purchased your Prius?

- Owned a 93 Toyota Corolla before getting an 02 Prius. Now have an 05 as of today since my dealer wanted to buy back the 02.

2. What was the mileage you got with your old vehicle?

- The Corolla got 25 Winter, 35 Summer. The 02 Prius got 36-40 all year (my MPG is lower than most here as I do a lot of nightly 1-mile runs, which kill the average).

3. What led you to purchasing a Prius?

- First saw on Wall Street Week (when Lou was still in it). Had been tracking it ever since, could not justify getting it until late 02 when the Corolla got near 200K miles and was taking too much money to maintain.

My ownership feelings are rare in that I own it as a 'tech toy' just as much as I think its a cool type of car. In particular my new 05 - It's much more utilitarian than even my old Corolla, but also been more fun just in the last few hours!

4. How do you feel about Gasoline vs Hybrid/Electric vehicles?

- I'm disappointed in the general MPG disparity between the two, and particularly in the larger vehicle catagories. No other feelings on that subject really.

5. In the next 10 years where do you think the market for automobiles will be at?

- Hybrids of some sort, definately, but it being Gas, Hydrogen, or something else is anyone's guess.

6. How much were you spending a week to get around with your old gasoline powered vehicle? Indicate tank size etc.

- Tank in the Corolla was 10 Gal. Typically $10-15/week, using Premium to keep it in good shape.

7. How much do you spend on gas with your new Prius a week?

- Maybe $5/week, using Regular now.

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Timothy S. Kimball
Hoboken, NJ
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Geez, Timothy, you can't just leave us hanging! Why would the dealer want the '02?

 

Yeah, Did he tell you why he wanted the '02?