Why do you drive a Prius?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DustinWS6 @ Apr 19 2007, 03:47 PM) [snapback]426358[/snapback]</div>

I took a friend who is 6' 6" for a ride. He didn't have any problem sitting comfortably in the front seat, but probably would have in the back. I'm not sure if he would have trouble driving it. I'm less than 6' and have to be careful getting into the driver's seat so I don't jam my knee against the steering column.
It's just a matter of backing in carefully.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DustinWS6 @ Apr 20 2007, 12:02 AM) [snapback]426596[/snapback]</div>

I didn't buy it for styling, but I like the styling. It's distinctive.

The hatchback design gives more room than a lot of cars. It really is a mid-sized car.
It's the closest thing to luxury car I've ever owned.

And, I love it.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Apr 20 2007, 11:28 AM) [snapback]426922[/snapback]</div>

I used to ask the question of when my last gasoline car would pay me back. My last car was $40k and got about 20mpg. The Prius was $28k and has been getting 50mpg. And the Prius has more of the neat features that I want. Go figure. My must the Prius pay anything back when no other vehicle we purchase is expected to? The Prius does more than get great gas mileage. It is also a pretty great car all by itself. Few non-Prius owners seem to realize that fact.

And then today I thought of another one. I've been riding one bicycle just about every day for 22 years. Bought it new in 1985. Last year I bought a new bike, and I'm still trying to figure out when it'll pay me back. Yes, I can ride it a few mph faster, but I'm sure not saving any money riding a new $3000 bike instead of my old, paid-off-20-years-ago bike! Yet I still bought the new one - because it fit my needs and does what I want it to do better than my old one.

 

The reason I bought mine.
1.) my 1997 Eagle Talon quit running and with it already having 180,000 on it didnt feel like it was worth fixing.
2.) I was going to just keep driving my wife's old '91 explorer since we kept it as a backup vehicle, but I quickly missed the 34 MPG from the Talon as I went from spending about $35 a week for gas to about $80 then the prices started to edge up again and it went to $90 per week and I had enough.
3.) I just wanted another car, prius wasn't even on my radar. I had 2 needs save gas and also get a vehicle with enough interior space for family trips, as my wife's newer car is a VW Beetle 1.8T. Which is extremely fun to drive, but doesn't have much extra space.
As I was saying Prius wasnt on my radar because I had mistakenly misjudged it as a car similar in size to an econobox like an Aveo or Yaris. And really had my mind set more for something like an Accord, Jetta, or Fusion, but somehow I was lucky enough to stumble upon a Prius at the Cleveland auto show and was amazed with the space, and test drove one the following day. Wow I loved it.
It met my primary needs and I always heard how the price is higher, but it isnt true, because people are like how I was and compare it to other high mileage cars rather then a high mileage family car
And as far as power it feels every bit as good as the non turbo Saab 9000 I once owned or the V6 Taurus we used to have.
4) Just to give one more reason all Priuses are well equipped

bonuses:
1) environment
2) save money on oil changes because it only takes 3.5 qts
3) Smug factor when paying $25 from empty to fill up knowing you wont need to think about gas for another 480 miles or more.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Apr 20 2007, 08:10 PM) [snapback]427072[/snapback]</div>

I love my Prius, but I don't think the question is without merit.

The Prius contains motors, a huge battery, and computers to control it all, none of which were/are free. The only thing they do is vastly improve the fuel economy of the overall propulsion system. Now, no one in their right mind would expect the savings in fuel cost to "repay" the entire purchase price, but I think it is reasonable to ask "Will the money I save on fuel exceed the portion of the purchase price representing the motors, battery, and additional control electronics?"

If the answer, based on one's anticipated driving and expected gasoline prices, is yes, then go buy one! If not, then the HSD moves into the "personal preference" category with turbochargers, sport-suspension, etc. These are, no doubt about it, items for which some drivers are willing to pay a "premium" which will never be paid back in money, but, presumably, in "driving enjoyment."

I think it's valid to simply say "I am willing to pay the 'hybrid premium' irrespective of fuel costs because I find driving a hybrid that much more enjoyable." No better argument could possibly be imagined to justify the "musclecar premium" many buyers gladly pay. But it does seem at least a bit disingenuous to sidestep the question altogether.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MurryMc @ Apr 19 2007, 05:29 PM) [snapback]426447[/snapback]</div>

That was my last car too. I saw a Prius for the first time at an Energy Fair in 2004. I liked it from the beginning. When my father asked what car I would like, if I was getting rid of the Probe, I said the Prius, but didn't really expect to buy one. When the Probe failed smog for the first time, I decided to get a new car......and that would be a Prius.

The Probe was fun to drive and had power seats with adjustable lumbar support. It also didn't have air bags (or even cup holders) and got an average of 22 mpg. I've had the Prius for a little over 2 years now and have never regretted the decision.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ethereal @ Apr 20 2007, 05:52 PM) [snapback]427111[/snapback]</div>

I appreciate the point you've made, even if I don't agree with it.

I choose to sidestep the question purely because I did not purchase this car in the hope that I'd save money. I also did not purchase my EV (at a HUGE premium over the gas model) to save money. I also didn't purchase my house or my bicycles or my computer..... to save money. I purchased the ones that served me the best, or performed the way I wanted them to.

And I just thought of a more general, less Darell-centric answer as well.

When somebody buys a Hummer, for example, they are paying extra for the "rugged" 4WD. They're paying extra for the chrome bits. These things are not free - and for most Hummer drivers, they also contribute nothing to anything - beyond looking cool. They're paying extra for the "rugged" styling. Does anybody ask when they'll be paid back for that?

 

Why do I drive a Prius?


My previous vehicle was a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. At about 100k miles it needed a new transmission. When I bought my Prius in Sept of 2005, I was at 150k miles in the Jeep and need new brakes and tires. Jeep got me 16mpg and since I drive 30k miles a year, I was considering something more fuel efficient.

My biggest concern with the Prius when I first started to consider it was that it would be like driving a golf cart. It sort of is in that its quiet, but it has no problem doing 90mph on the highway. In fact, I have been driving fast a lot lately and still average mid 40's on my mpg. I love that!

The other factors in the Prius were the technology - the NAV system, keyless entry - all that stuff is cool. And the fact that it has a ton of room - I haven't really had many moments where I've missed my Jeep in regards to space. Only time I missed my Jeep was when I got stuck on a grass hill in the rain. It would be nice to have it when I need to tow my snowmobiles, but I just borrow my Dad's truck, so for the 2 times a year I need that, its just not worth it.

So, now that I've answered, I have a question. Why don't you drive a Prius?

 

I just did some comparison shopping. As far as I can tell, the Matrix is the closest to Prius in non-hybrid Toyota's. Approx. same size, dimensions, etc. I went online and tried to equip one closely to my Prius. Here's some results.

MSRP Cost:
Matrix: $19455
Prius: (pkg 2) $23370
DIFFERENCE: $3915

OK, so that looks like a big premium. Now, I commute 35 miles each way every day, so I put about 20,000 miles per year on my car. Based on the fueleconomy.gov mpg ratings by actual drivers:

Matrix: 30.8 mpg, 649.35 gal/year, $1948 per year for fuel
Prius: 45.1 mpg, 443.46 gal/year, $1330 per year for fuel
DIFFERENCE: $618 per year

3915/618 = 6.3 years to recover cost of difference. Now I always drive my cars until they bite the dust, and in 6 years my Prius will only have 120,000 miles on it. Lots of people have kept them way past that in good working order.

So, in the end, yes I save money by buying the Prius. AND I completely agree with Darrell, as my main point for buying the car was for ethical issues, NOT to save money. It's win-win.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Apr 20 2007, 10:03 PM) [snapback]427123[/snapback]</div>

No, because as I said, it's pretty well implicit that they're receiving NOT monetary, but intangible, "repayment" in the form of personal satisfaction from such things. (Don't ask me why they are; I don't know.)

And again, it's fine if you want to say that you are being "paid" in satisfaction rather than savings. But I don't understand (really!) the almost mystical notion that a Prius carries out its transportation mission "better" than any other car in a totally un-quantifiable manner.

As I have come to think of the controversial BT plate (although I refuse to utter a peep in that morass of a thread), saying "it's different; it's better; it can't be measured--only felt in one's deepest inward parts" is a HUGE red flag to me, at least when discussing mechanical systems that we can take to the lab and test.

Either the advantage is subjective ("I just love driving it!") or it's objective ("It's 46% better than the next-best option, as the following calculations demonstrate."). If there's a third kind of advantage, what in the world is it?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ethereal @ Apr 20 2007, 06:58 PM) [snapback]427138[/snapback]</div>

OK, we're slowly coming converging here. Yay. Just a bit of misunderstanding remains.

I personally have NO mystical notion that the Prius carries out its mission better than any other car. Not in the least. In fact, I find it significantly worse than the EVs I've owned, and subtly worse than the best gasoline-only cars that I've owned. It is good transportation, but I could sure do without the quirky, jerky ICE start/stops and such. I do love the shifter though! That's a thing of beauty - better than in ANY other gas car I've driven - but still not quite as good as many EVs that simply have three positions: Forward, reverse and neutral in the middle.

I say that the Prius is the best for my situation NOT because it is the best form of transportation, but because it can carry me long distances in relative comfort for the least amount of gasoline, and least amount of tailpipe emissions. It is a properly configured car in that it is relatively small outside, and amazingly roomy inside. (Hmm, that probably would have been a better answer, and would have saved both of us a lot of typing). Again - I didn't buy it to save money in any way - I bought it because it was the vehicle that came the closest to matching my ideal of a long-range, comfortable vehicle that pollutes less than the other gas cars on the road. I don't expect it to "pay me back." I bought it for what it was, even if it isn't the best at everything.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DustinWS6 @ Apr 19 2007, 03:30 PM) [snapback]426348[/snapback]</div>

Yes, you do come across as the typical troll. I actually like my Prius more than my T/A (sold), C5 (sold), and 4x4 truck (changing combos), all of which were likely faster than your WS6.


In all seriousness I think you are barking up the wrong tree. The typical "sports car enthusiest" lurking on the various UBBs on the net, doesn't have a good grasp on why a lot of Prius owners bought their cars. Rarely does it have anything to do with a payback interval or for the best economical return (one could buy a 1989 CRX for that). Since I still race and am likely on some of the same forums you are I can honestly say I've seen all the ignorant comments and jokes before. If I am reading you wrong then I appologize.

 

Dustin,

I have had my Prius 07 for 2 weeks and love it, when I actually get to drive it. I have to get it away from my wife first. We have had numerous cars and SUV's and have a 2 1/2 yr old son. We often take long trips with a lot of luggage, so we thought we would miss the room in our Exploder after we traded it on the Prius. We do not because the Prius is larger than you think. My other car is a BMW 540, so I thought that I would miss the V8 and the handling. I still love my 540, but the Prius is not bad in acceleration or handling. I'm not going 0-60 in under 6 seconds, but I don't often get the chance to do that in the 540 with traffic and the fact that I usually have my kid in the car. And of course, I love the fact that on our first tank we nearly quadrupled our Explorer's city mileage and tripled the 540's city mileage. Even highway mileage on the Prius vs. the 540 is nearly doubled. Plus the nav, a pretty good sound system, and bluetooth top it off. I'm not worried about making our money back on gas, because so far I feel that this is the best car we have ever owned, and we have owned many. The price was also not that much higher, if it was higher, than a similarly equipped mid sized car. I have to smack myself every time I say this, but I would almost trade the BMW in on a second Prius. Almost! It is a great car and if you are truly wondering why people would buy this car, the list is pretty long.