I admit it, I’m a Prius I admit it, I’m a Prius hater.
Actually, I hate everything that is “me too!” and Prius definitely falls in the category now. Plus the smugness of the owners. Plus the homeliness of the cars.
I must admit that Prius drivers are not slow though – I have no problem with them on the freeway. As opposed to the prior “me too” econobox the old Beetle…those damn things held me up every time I drove. Can’t say that about the Prius.
(one more point: many Prius owners live two to three times my 15 miles to work….in reality, they use MORE natural resources to drive than I do! If they were really ecologically friendly and not just concerned with image, they’d move closer to work…)
(okay one more: I realize that not all Prius owners fit into the categories I lambast above…)
EmilyHicks
May 4, 2010 @
7:54 AM
It finally happened today. I It finally happened today. I got rear ended by a Ford F150. The idiot was one second behind me in the right most lane driving 70+ mpg near the Palomar Airport exit on the 5. As another idiot cut me off trying to exit at the last moment so I had to brake and then I got hit. I was able to drive to work but I probably need a new car.
I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. But the Ford Fusion hybrid is just ugly to me. I wish they make a Focus hybrid or something. I might try the Civic hybrid.
eavesdropper
May 4, 2010 @
11:25 AM
EmilyHicks wrote:It finally [quote=EmilyHicks]It finally happened today. I got rear ended by a Ford F150. The idiot was one second behind me in the right most lane driving 70+ mpg near the Palomar Airport exit on the 5. As another idiot cut me off trying to exit at the last moment so I had to brake and then I got hit. I was able to drive to work but I probably need a new car.
I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. But the Ford Fusion hybrid is just ugly to me. I wish they make a Focus hybrid or something. I might try the Civic hybrid.[/quote]
Emily, hope you survived intact, and please know that I empathize. Back in February I was hit by a GMC Yukon while driving my Prius. Deliberately hit. The Yukon, with a prominently-displayed “Handicapped” placard hanging from its rearview mirror (but having no state-issued license plates indicating that status), was driven by a 64 yr-old woman, who readily admitted to the investigating officers that she was “really pissed off” because I “kept changing lanes”. I had changed lanes 3 times over a two-mile stretch of suburban road, to avoid slow traffic entering from the strip malls that lined the highway. Each of the 2 times I moved into the left (passing) lane, her car was at least 30 yards behind me. The second time I moved into the left lane, I saw her accelerate markedly (from about 35 mph to 50 mph) until she was right on my bumper. Because there were three cars in front of me, she had to slow down to the 40 mph everybody else was going, but she kept creeping up. She’d back off a little, but then I’d hear her revving the engine, and she’d be right back up there until I couldn’t see the lower part of the Yukon’s grille. I could see her face in my rearview mirror, and, oooh, she was pissed! The third or fourth time she revved the engine she didn’t stop, but collided with my bumper. That must have shocked her into rationality, because she immediately decelerated.
By the time I managed to get her to stop (it was obvious she didn’t want to, but there were witnesses), and I had emerged from my state of incredulity, I was a bit calmer. I got out, saw there was no damage, and proceeded to tell her that, although I found her driving technique a bit extreme, I didn’t plan to pursue any action. She indignantly informed me that she would have to check HER car for damage (I almost laughed out loud at that one!) as she eased her 300+ lbs of “handicapped” bulk out of her 400 horsepower behemoth (a 4 foot drop). She was yelling, “But you kept CHANGING LANES” over and over, even though she admitted that this offense took place nowhere in her vicinity. She honestly believed that she was presenting a legitimate and cogent defense for ramming my car. Fortunately, the police set her straight (although it took 30 minutes), and, thus far, she hasn’t seen fit to firebomb my house or seek remedy for the injustice she suffered at my hands.
Unlike many Prius drivers, I do not obsess over the gas mileage (I’m thrilled at the savings. We get better mileage with the Prius than we do with any of our motorcycles.) I drive the speed limit, and above. If I am not actively passing, I get into the right-hand lane. But I’ve noticed a distinct ratcheting-up of aggression on the part of drivers of big SUVs and trucks. If I’m first off the mark at a red light, or if I pass a slower-moving one on the road, many of their drivers will practically kill themselves (and others) until they get in front of me. It’s almost like they’re defending the honor of their vehicles. I experience the same thing when I’m riding my motorcycle, especially from petite little suburban moms in monster SUVs. They like running me off the road for sport. Suffice it to say that their need to text girlfriends on their cell phones, or check their CrackBerrys, or reset their GPSs, trumps my right to ride in my own lane.
People’s vehicles have become their alter egos: you know – “I’m really a chickenshit, but I’ve got a F-450 SuperDuty dually with a 6.7 PowerStroke V8Turbo Diesel to show that I’m not.” Or “I hate my job at which I’m incompetent, and from which my boss is trying to fire me, but my truck is a parallel universe from which I can pretend I’m Donald Trump.” I want to scream, “It’s just TRANSPORTATION, people”. It gets me from Point A to Point B. In addition to our Prius, we own a Sienna minivan. Best twenty grand I ever spent! Has a peppy V-6, handles like a sporty sedan (no pesky rollovers, even taking sharp curves at 70 mph), and has more cargo room than ANY SUV on the market. When it was younger, I got 27 mpg out of it. We have a country home, and I have no problems driving it in snow, on dirt and gravel, and up and down mountains. And all this for $20,000?! Call me a soccer mom, call me a wimp, call me whatever it takes to makes you feel superior – but, first of all, call me SMART.
Don’t get me wrong: this IS America. People should buy whatever vehicle they want, and that for which they can pay for the fuel, no matter how high in price it rises. I just don’t want them to give me grief about my driving choices. If, for some unknown reason, my choices threaten you, get some therapy. And remember: if you’re choosing a vehicle in an attempt to write checks that your sorry ass can’t cash, they have therapy for that, too.
Emily, I got a kick out of your early post about the guy who made it his mission in life to “torture” Prius drivers with his badass message machine, the enviable and feared Chevy Suburban. I know that you think he was after you, but did you ever think he was just in a hurry to get to the pharmacy before closing? You know – the one that has his Viagra refill and box of extra-small Trojans all bagged and ready to go when he pulls up to the drive-thru. You really must exercise more understanding and compassion. Even when the driver has a pair of latex testicles handing from his boat hitch.
Coronita
May 4, 2010 @
11:32 AM
EmilyHicks wrote:It finally [quote=EmilyHicks]It finally happened today. I got rear ended by a Ford F150. The idiot was one second behind me in the right most lane driving 70+ mpg near the Palomar Airport exit on the 5. As another idiot cut me off trying to exit at the last moment so I had to brake and then I got hit. I was able to drive to work but I probably need a new car.
I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. But the Ford Fusion hybrid is just ugly to me. I wish they make a Focus hybrid or something. I might try the Civic hybrid.[/quote]
That sucks… Hmm, was the dude that hit you the same one that hit jpinpb? What’s up with F150 drivers? 🙂
How about a Ford Fiesta?
CA renter
May 4, 2010 @
6:33 PM
EmilyHicks wrote:It finally [quote=EmilyHicks]It finally happened today. I got rear ended by a Ford F150. The idiot was one second behind me in the right most lane driving 70+ mpg near the Palomar Airport exit on the 5. As another idiot cut me off trying to exit at the last moment so I had to brake and then I got hit. I was able to drive to work but I probably need a new car.
I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. But the Ford Fusion hybrid is just ugly to me. I wish they make a Focus hybrid or something. I might try the Civic hybrid.[/quote]
Good to hear you are okay, Emily. It’s because of these agressive/ignorant drivers that many of us refuse to drive the smaller cars.
Not sure about your passenger situation, but like the OP who loves their Sienna, we also drive a minivan that got a very good safety rating. I think the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, and Kia Sedona all get good ratings. I’ve driven all models, and really like all of them.
Good luck finding your new car, and stay safe!
bubble_contagion
May 4, 2010 @
7:39 PM
I have a 2010 Prius with 10K I have a 2010 Prius with 10K already and highly recommend the car. The car is very high tech with solar panels, keyless entry system and a fully integrated navigation/XM radio/blue-tooth system. It gives me 48-50 MPG. Maintenance is very cheap with oil changes every 10K, $85 tires and brakes that last 100K miles because the car uses mostly the regenerative braking system. A very practical car that is easy to drive and gives a mellow and silent driving experience. Perfect for SoCal city driving. Read why the Prius is the most important car ever made:
PS If I would have bought a 2000 Prius I could now be called a visionary. Imagine for how much you will be able to sell a 2000 Prius in mint condition in 10-12 years when all cars are hybrids. Even Ferrari and BMW are now offering hybrids. The 2000 Prius will become a classic at a global scale.
briansd1
May 4, 2010 @
10:36 PM
bubble_contagion wrote:I have [quote=bubble_contagion]I have a 2010 Prius with 10K already and highly recommend the car. The car is very high tech with solar panels, keyless entry system and a fully integrated navigation/XM radio/blue-tooth system. It gives me 48-50 MPG. Maintenance is very cheap with oil changes every 10K, $85 tires and brakes that last 100K miles because the car uses mostly the regenerative braking system. A very practical car that is easy to drive and gives a mellow and silent driving experience. Perfect for SoCal city driving. Read why the Prius is the most important car ever made:
PS If I would have bought a 2000 Prius I could now be called a visionary. Imagine for how much you will be able to sell a 2000 Prius in mint condition in 10-12 years when all cars are hybrids. Even Ferrari and BMW are now offering hybrids. The 2000 Prius will become a classic at a global scale.[/quote]
I don’t own a Prius but it’s a very advanced car.
The manufacturing quality on the new Prius shows I’m a detail oriented person; and when I look at the precise creases on the body panels, I can’t help but admire Toyota’s manufacturing prowess.
svelte
May 7, 2010 @
5:33 AM
EmilyHicks wrote:I like the [quote=EmilyHicks]I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. [/quote]
That’s one of the reasons I got rid of the Miata.
I got tired of coming up to stoplights, looking over and seeing the rub strip on a Toyota Sequoia at eye level! I couldn’t even see the head of the soccer mom driving, so she probably couldn’t see me. I felt I’d probably get run over one day.
(the other reason I sold it: it had what I called the 65 mph shimmy….found out after I bought it, that defect is well known in the Miata community. I had rims replaced, tires balanced, suspension checked over. Still shimmied like crazy between 65 and 70 MPH)
eavesdropper
May 7, 2010 @
11:09 AM
svelte wrote:EmilyHicks [quote=svelte][quote=EmilyHicks]I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. [/quote]
That’s one of the reasons I got rid of the Miata.
I got tired of coming up to stoplights, looking over and seeing the rub strip on a Toyota Sequoia at eye level! I couldn’t even see the head of the soccer mom driving, so she probably couldn’t see me. I felt I’d probably get run over one day.
(the other reason I sold it: it had what I called the 65 mph shimmy….found out after I bought it, that defect is well known in the Miata community. I had rims replaced, tires balanced, suspension checked over. Still shimmied like crazy between 65 and 70 MPH)[/quote]
That sucks large. Having to drive your Miata at 55 or 60 mph on the PCH kind of defeats the purpose of having a Miata. Unless one buys a Miata for image (i.e., a vanity Miata).
Thanks for the heads-up. The Miata is my husband’s fantasy car. We can strike that one off the 25 or 30 on his vehicle wish list.
briansd1
May 7, 2010 @
1:45 PM
eavesdropper wrote:The Miata [quote=eavesdropper]The Miata is my husband’s fantasy car. We can strike that one off the 25 or 30 on his vehicle wish list.[/quote]
Don’t deprive your husband of his dream car. That’s a cheap fantasy car. Let him have it.
Keep in mind that cars change with each new model. The new model is not same as the old model.
I don’t own a Miata, but I hear that they are the best handling cars out there, for the price.
(the other reason I sold it: it had what I called the 65 mph shimmy….found out after I bought it, that defect is well known in the Miata community. I had rims replaced, tires balanced, suspension checked over. Still shimmied like crazy between 65 and 70 MPH)
Stock rims or aftermarket? There are ways to ‘mod’ the suspension to remove fix the shimmy.. but it is not a simple task. The mount point for the coilspring-shock mount on the car may need to be moved back to the driver-changing the projected steering axis point forward. This would make the steering a little ‘heavier’ but reduce shimmy.
Thanks for the heads-up. The Miata is my husband’s fantasy car. We can strike that one off the 25 or 30 on his vehicle wish list.
Has your husband looked at the Honda S2000? In my opinion, a much better car. Part of the reason why it keeps its value. Of course, you could do a ‘Boss Frog’ conversion on your Miata. Nothing like a corvette V8 powered Miata to warp your sensibilities.
svelte
May 7, 2010 @
7:11 PM
eavesdropper wrote:
Thanks [quote=eavesdropper]
Thanks for the heads-up. The Miata is my husband’s fantasy car. We can strike that one off the 25 or 30 on his vehicle wish list.[/quote]
Well, please don’t have him cross it off his list.
I bought one the first year – a 1990 Miata. It’s been quite awhile, but if memory serves they had pretty much solved the shimmy problem by the time the 1995 models were out.
I could even see me getting another new one someday…my 4th bay is empty right now. 🙁
But I’ll be sure to test drive it at 55-60 MPH looking for that shimmy!! And I’ll get A/C this time around (I was stupid and thought a/c wasn’t necessary in a convertible – oh how wrong I was).
Coronita
May 7, 2010 @
8:50 PM
svelte wrote:eavesdropper [quote=svelte][quote=eavesdropper]
Thanks for the heads-up. The Miata is my husband’s fantasy car. We can strike that one off the 25 or 30 on his vehicle wish list.[/quote]
Well, please don’t have him cross it off his list.
I bought one the first year – a 1990 Miata. It’s been quite awhile, but if memory serves they had pretty much solved the shimmy problem by the time the 1995 models were out.
I could even see me getting another new one someday…my 4th bay is empty right now. 🙁
But I’ll be sure to test drive it at 55-60 MPH looking for that shimmy!! And I’ll get A/C this time around (I was stupid and thought a/c wasn’t necessary in a convertible – oh how wrong I was).[/quote]
Mazdaspeed Miata…Yummmeeeee. Now if someone would just tell Mazda engineers to stop putting those smiley looking faces on the front facet of these newer cars……I mean, yeah it’s funny the first time. But not if you do this to every model in your product line….
Smile!
And Smile again…
And again…
Forgot one…
Say ah…..
One more time…
eavesdropper
May 7, 2010 @
11:20 AM
svelte wrote:EmilyHicks [quote=svelte][quote=EmilyHicks]I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. [/quote]
That’s one of the reasons I got rid of the Miata.
I got tired of coming up to stoplights, looking over and seeing the rub strip on a Toyota Sequoia at eye level! I couldn’t even see the head of the soccer mom driving, so she probably couldn’t see me. I felt I’d probably get run over one day. [/quote]
Okay, (fully recognizing the limitations of the Miata) imagine not having the protective metal around you, and looking at that Sequoia rub strip…..and seeing it start to come across that white line to your right…..
Welcome to my world. When I’m on a motorcycle, apparently I really am invisible, based on the actions of some of the drivers with whom (I am told) I share the road.
eavesdropper
May 5, 2010 @
12:42 AM
svelte wrote:
I admit it, [quote=svelte]
I admit it, I’m a Prius hater.
Actually, I hate everything that is “me too!” and Prius definitely falls in the category now. Plus the smugness of the owners. Plus the homeliness of the cars.
[/quote]
I take exception to your statement, however. I may be homely, but my Prius ain’t.
svelte
May 5, 2010 @
7:22 AM
eavesdropper wrote:svelte [quote=eavesdropper][quote=svelte]
I admit it, I’m a Prius hater.
Actually, I hate everything that is “me too!” and Prius definitely falls in the category now. Plus the smugness of the owners. Plus the homeliness of the cars.
[/quote]
I take exception to your statement, however. I may be homely, but my Prius ain’t.[/quote]
lol, well you’d probably call my cars homely too – it’s all a matter of preferences.
I’m thankful we don’t all like the same thing, else it would be a pretty boring world with everybody living in identical houses, driving identical cars, wearing identical clothes…
And I have no doubt not all Prius owners are smug. My question, though, is why didn’t you buy one of the dozen other hybrids on the market? All of them (except the Honda Insight) are built on bodies that look just like their gas-only equivalent: Civic, Camry, Fusion, etc. Why did you find it necessary to buy the one body style that only comes as a hybrid (thus screams “I’m a hybrid” when you see it)?
jimmyle
May 5, 2010 @
9:05 AM
Prius (50mpg) has better gas Prius (50mpg) has better gas mileage than insight (40), camry (34), and fusion (39). Camry and Fusion are also way more expensive than Prius (30K+) vs (22K). Insight is very disappointing. It is smaller inside, lighter, and has worst gas mileage.
[quote=svelte][quote=eavesdropper][quote=svelte]
I admit it, I’m a Prius hater.
Actually, I hate everything that is “me too!” and Prius definitely falls in the category now. Plus the smugness of the owners. Plus the homeliness of the cars.
[/quote]
I take exception to your statement, however. I may be homely, but my Prius ain’t.[/quote]
lol, well you’d probably call my cars homely too – it’s all a matter of preferences.
I’m thankful we don’t all like the same thing, else it would be a pretty boring world with everybody living in identical houses, driving identical cars, wearing identical clothes…
And I have no doubt not all Prius owners are smug. My question, though, is why didn’t you buy one of the dozen other hybrids on the market? All of them (except the Honda Insight) are built on bodies that look just like their gas-only equivalent: Civic, Camry, Fusion, etc. Why did you find it necessary to buy the one body style that only comes as a hybrid (thus screams “I’m a hybrid” when you see it)?[/quote]
eavesdropper
May 5, 2010 @
10:55 AM
svelte wrote:eavesdropper [quote=svelte][quote=eavesdropper][quote=svelte]
I admit it, I’m a Prius hater.
Actually, I hate everything that is “me too!” and Prius definitely falls in the category now. Plus the smugness of the owners. Plus the homeliness of the cars.
[/quote]
I take exception to your statement, however. I may be homely, but my Prius ain’t.[/quote]
lol, well you’d probably call my cars homely too – it’s all a matter of preferences.
I’m thankful we don’t all like the same thing, else it would be a pretty boring world with everybody living in identical houses, driving identical cars, wearing identical clothes…
And I have no doubt not all Prius owners are smug. My question, though, is why didn’t you buy one of the dozen other hybrids on the market? All of them (except the Honda Insight) are built on bodies that look just like their gas-only equivalent: Civic, Camry, Fusion, etc. Why did you find it necessary to buy the one body style that only comes as a hybrid (thus screams “I’m a hybrid” when you see it)?[/quote]
Amen to the sentiment in your second paragraph, svelte! (Reminds me of an old Malvina Reynolds song, “Little Boxes”, about postwar development in Daly City) But use caution in voicing that opinion: individuality as expressed in personal choices is often equated these days with being a national security risk.
As for why I bought the Prius, I’ll echo jim’s comments re: price and mileage. I managed to get the price down to a very reasonable level, and the advertised mileage was hard to beat. We’ve been extremely satisfied with our last two Toyotas, so that sealed the deal.
As far as mileage is concerned: so far, so good. The Prius delivers as advertised. Only real complaint: driver’s seat can be very uncomfortable, especially on long road trips
As for the body style, it reminds me of a car I had back in the 80s, a Honda CRX Si. I loved that car! It was a real pocket rocket, and even in the (laughably-termed) souped-up fuel injected model, it got 50 mpg. Of course, it didn’t have a back seat, and its curb weight was probably about 850 pounds, so no wonder! As for the Prius, the thought that it might scream “I’m a hybrid” didn’t sway me; in fact, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I had heard stories of Prius vandalism and was hoping that mine would just kind of blend into the traffic. Not so much, however, that people in much larger vehicles would run over me.
About the term “hybrid”: I think that it is almost always interpreted as the ability to get really exceptional gas mileage, so it’s important to do your research before going to the dealer. For instance, GMC offers the Yukon XL with a 5.3 L V8 with 320 hp that gets 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway. It retails for $41,500. For ten grand more, you can get the Yukon Hybrid, a 6.0 L V8 with 332 HP; it gets a whopping 21 mpg city/22 mpg highway. It also has a towing capacity that is two-thirds that of the standard Yukon XL. Is that hybrid label worth $51,200? I probably wouldn’t think so, but I’m not in the market for a Yukon this week. Again, it comes down to personal choices. But you can save yourself a lot of money if you take advantage of all of the data available on the internet, and make an informed personal choice.
In my case, my peppy 2009 Prius is getting over twice the mileage delivered by my underpowered 4-cyl 2009 Camry. Now thats what I have in mind when I hear the word “hybrid”!
EmilyHicks
November 13, 2009 @
2:42 PM
I just got home from work. I I just got home from work. I was driving back to Carmel Valley and was ready to take the Del Mar Heights exit. As I was coasting at about 60 MPH on the right lane going up hill, a big Suburban with four 40″+ wheels was riding up my tail about 5 feet away. First I thought this guy will change lane and pass me soon but he didn’t for a long time. When I was about 200 ft before the exit, he suddenly changed lane and cut me off quickly (almost got my car) sticking out his arm and middle finger after that.
He raced to the stop light and braked hard. I coasted to the light and was right behind him and I saw a http://www.ihatetheprius.com sticker. What a dick.
jimmyle
November 13, 2009 @
2:48 PM
It happens to me and my Prius It happens to me and my Prius every day because I drive at 60-65 mph on the freeway.
briansd1
November 13, 2009 @
2:52 PM
The Prius is pretty. I love The Prius is pretty. I love auto design and the Prius is a modern version of the Citroen DS, which was very advanced for its day.
Prius drivers are slow. Those idiots drivers drivers try to save some gas by blocking traffic. But they are not any worse than the airhead who accelerate and slow down for no reason.
I love the Prius because I love pretty things.
True, Prius drivers are pretty smug but so are Mercedes drivers and Porsche drivers and Ferrari drivers and Hummer drivers.
But that’s OK, I like elitism. What’s wrong with being concerned with image and wanting to be the best in some way? Most of us are image conscious in one way or another. Some like to portray the image that they are not concerned with image, but they are.
ucodegen
November 13, 2009 @
3:05 PM
I put indifferent because I put indifferent because there is no ‘like’ category. I don’t ‘love’ the Prius. I find the car interesting and if I had to drive farther to get around, I would probably buy one.
Right now my old K30 pickup (yes lifted with big tires) is doing quite well, though I wish it had taller gears. I don’t tailgate because such trucks don’t have good stopping distances.
I drive it because of all the crazy drivers out there.. Too many soccer moms with attitudes driving SUVs.. I even had one try to force me out of my lane (by changing into my lane when she was even with my vehicle) and only stopped when I hit the horn and she did a double take after looking out her passenger window only showed the bottom half of my drivers door. Lesson – please look before you change lanes. Driving something you think is big is all relative and general courtesy is helpful.
PS: Yes, the K30 is used to carry heavy things as well as off-road periodically. Its my ‘beater’.
True, Prius drivers are pretty smug but so are Mercedes drivers and Porsche drivers and Ferrari drivers and Hummer drivers.
You forgot BMW drivers.
blahblahblah
November 13, 2009 @
3:46 PM
We bought one early this We bought one early this year, it is a nice car. Comfortable, rides well and holds a lot of stuff for a small car. Back when gas got cheap you could get good deals on them. People like to join groups — some people want to join the group that likes to get good gas mileage and other people like to be part of the group that makes fun of the people that like to get good gas mileage. The world is big enough for both.
NeetaT
November 13, 2009 @
4:07 PM
I would rather drive an I would rather drive an expensive-fun sports car that gets 20 mpg than drive a boring car that gets 40 mpg. I drive a “Carrera S” and I love it.
jimmyle
November 13, 2009 @
4:43 PM
57 mpg for me. I can’t get it 57 mpg for me. I can’t get it under 50 mpg.
[quote=NeetaT]I would rather drive an expensive-fun sports car that gets 20 mpg than drive a boring car that gets 40 mpg. I drive a “Carrera S” and I love it.[/quote]
NeetaT
November 13, 2009 @
4:55 PM
“57 mpg for me. I can’t get “57 mpg for me. I can’t get it under 50 mpg.”
That’s not good for the oil business!
oxfordrick
November 13, 2009 @
5:10 PM
In January my Prius will be In January my Prius will be six years old. I’m really surprised I’ve owned it so long. It’s like a golf cart with good acceleration from the traffic lights, don’t even think of playing “road rage” games in the 40-60 mph range because there is nothing there. Maybe that’s why I don’t get tickets anymore!
Some larger vehicles try to crowd me but when I drive on the edge of my lane close to them they always back down – they seem to know that if their truck hits a Prius it’s their fault!
Handling is surprisingly good – at least it often surprises they that try to race me in one or two favorite litte corners.
As for the technology, it’s mostly bullshit, replacing batteries will cost more than any gas savings you may have achieved. 40 mpg is my average town and highway, about equivalent to a Euro diesel whatever. I have a six year old vehicle which has retained most of its value so it all works for me. As for “renewable” energy,
If it makes me feel good does it matter what it costs?
peterb
November 13, 2009 @
5:54 PM
Huge carbon footprint, higher Huge carbon footprint, higher complexity, mostly false economy. Slightly better mpg than a very efficient gas engine. Yup, the Japanese figured the US out a long time ago when they sold us all the trucks with 4WD that no one ever uses.
EconProf
November 13, 2009 @
5:03 PM
I drove my daughter’s Prius I drove my daughter’s Prius for about a year and noticed other drivers acted very different to me compared to when I drove my Chrysler Pacifica–a small SUV/crossover vehicle.
First, they would pass more readily, no matter what my speed, especially when pulling away from a stop light. Seemed to assume I would be going slow, even though I drove the same.
Second, they would tailgate. Especially big pickups and big SUVs. I assumed they were mad because they just filled up their $100 per shot gas tanks.
briansd1
November 13, 2009 @
7:07 PM
NeetaT wrote:I would rather [quote=NeetaT]I would rather drive an expensive-fun sports car that gets 20 mpg than drive a boring car that gets 40 mpg. I drive a “Carrera S” and I love it.[/quote]
Do you think that SUV are fun to drive?
I think that Americans have always been in love with land yachts.
dbapig
November 13, 2009 @
5:04 PM
The poll should be
Why do you The poll should be
Why do you hate the big SUVs and pickups?
-Butt ugly
-Smugness of drivers looking down on others
-SUV/Pickup drivers think they own the road.
-They fund Al Queda/Jihadists/Islamic fundamentalists.
ralphfurley
November 13, 2009 @
5:56 PM
I am an independence American I am an independence American who is confidence that the word you are searching for is indifferent. Is it really that importance? Probably not.
FormerOwner
November 13, 2009 @
6:28 PM
I thought about buying a I thought about buying a Prius when the gas prices shot up sky high last year. I also test drove a Mini Cooper and a Mini Cooper S. Once I drove the Minis, I knew I would never own a Prius. In the end, I decided to just keep driving my 10 year old Lexus LS400, since the only problem I’ve ever had with it is the low city gas mileage. I could buy a lot of gas for the price of a new car!
briansd1
November 13, 2009 @
7:00 PM
FormerOwner wrote: I could [quote=FormerOwner] I could buy a lot of gas for the price of a new car![/quote]
Very true. The best way to protect the environment is not to buy new. Repair and reuse the car that you have now. Keep it running clean and in good repair.
bubble_contagion
November 13, 2009 @
6:40 PM
In case you missed it, Ashton In case you missed it, Ashton Kutcher just bought Demi Moore a new Prius.
I hate how it makes parking I hate how it makes parking in 2 spots seem so silly.
Seriously, “I am indifference”???!!!!
Dude
NeetaT
November 13, 2009 @
7:58 PM
I love SUV’s and sports cars I love SUV’s and sports cars and the outdoors. I also love high gas prices because fewer people drive during the high price duration. Life is too short to be confined to driving a car just for the sake of being economical. Oh, by the way SUV’s are practical. I can load up all my outdoor gear and have a great time. Those who complain about gas prices should use public transportation or better yet, invest in the oil and gas markets to hedge against the high prices. You do have options. Enjoy life and stop trying to be so practical.
jimmyle
November 13, 2009 @
8:15 PM
I also love the outdoors. I I also love the outdoors. I can do a lot with my Prius too. Golf, Biking, Kayaking…
[quote=NeetaT]I love SUV’s and sports cars and the outdoors. I also love high gas prices because fewer people drive during the high price duration. Life is too short to be confined to driving a car just for the sake of being economical. Oh, by the way SUV’s are practical. I can load up all my outdoor gear and have a great time. Those who complain about gas prices should use public transportation or better yet, invest in the oil and gas markets to hedge against the high prices. You do have options. Enjoy life and stop trying to be so practical.[/quote]
patb
November 13, 2009 @
8:20 PM
I like the prius, and the new I like the prius, and the new honda civic hybrid
but, at 26K, it’s a lot of money for me.
I bought my camry used for 7K,
if i could get a used Civic Hybrid for 12K,
i’d be good.
its why i was always stunned at the people with the
80K lincoln navigators.
poorgradstudent
November 13, 2009 @
8:35 PM
I’m glad the Prius exists. I I’m glad the Prius exists. I didn’t buy one because I feel they are overpriced for what you get in terms of gas mileage not to mention expected long term repair costs.
I hate Hummers. I dislike people who drive huge pick-up trucks without a legitimate work reason (If you’re a plumber, contractor, carpenter, etc, you have a legitimate work reason for a truck)
My least favorite part of the Prius besides the cost is probably the fact you can’t back up safely without a freaking rear view camera!
So yeah, my friend has a hybrid Prius. It’s a nice car. I think he overpaid, but then again he has a great job and no intention of having kids or buying property anytime soon, so he can afford it.
patb
November 14, 2009 @
11:29 AM
poorgradstudent wrote:I’m [quote=poorgradstudent]I’m glad the Prius exists. I didn’t buy one because I feel they are overpriced for what you get in terms of gas mileage not to mention expected long term repair costs.
I hate Hummers. I dislike people who drive huge pick-up trucks without a legitimate work reason (If you’re a plumber, contractor, carpenter, etc, you have a legitimate work reason for a truck)
My least favorite part of the Prius besides the cost is probably the fact you can’t back up safely without a freaking rear view camera!
So yeah, my friend has a hybrid Prius. It’s a nice car. I think he overpaid, but then again he has a great job and no intention of having kids or buying property anytime soon, so he can afford it.[/quote]
I don’t buy new cars, haven’t in 20 years, been happy ever since i let other people pay the first 2 years depreciation.
but my girl wants a SMARTcar for two, 14K and
gets teh same mileage as a prius.
if i could get a prius for 12K i’d buy one
davelj
November 14, 2009 @
12:26 PM
I could care less about the I could care less about the Prius – I’m indifferent. But, there’s a debate raging as to exactly how environmentally-friendly the car is when looking at it in a “Dust to Dust” context (that is, from the car’s manufacturing, through its useful life, to its disposal). In fact, this article suggests that a Hummer is better for the environment than a Prius when viewed from a “Dust to Dust” perspective. Again, I could care less. But I’m skeptical that the Prius is really all that great for the environment once ALL of the factors are taken into consideration.
patb wrote:poorgradstudent [quote=patb][quote=poorgradstudent]I’m glad the Prius exists. I didn’t buy one because I feel they are overpriced for what you get in terms of gas mileage not to mention expected long term repair costs.
I hate Hummers. I dislike people who drive huge pick-up trucks without a legitimate work reason (If you’re a plumber, contractor, carpenter, etc, you have a legitimate work reason for a truck)
My least favorite part of the Prius besides the cost is probably the fact you can’t back up safely without a freaking rear view camera!
So yeah, my friend has a hybrid Prius. It’s a nice car. I think he overpaid, but then again he has a great job and no intention of having kids or buying property anytime soon, so he can afford it.[/quote]
I don’t buy new cars, haven’t in 20 years, been happy ever since i let other people pay the first 2 years depreciation.
but my girl wants a SMARTcar for two, 14K and
gets teh same mileage as a prius.
if i could get a prius for 12K i’d buy one[/quote]
well the Camry got another expensiv repair so we bit the bullet bought a used 2010 insight for 18K.
nice we really like it
kcal09
January 11, 2011 @
12:55 PM
I don’t necessarily hate the I don’t necessarily hate the Prius as it is a good car. Often it’s their owners who are difficult to deal with. They think they have invented the world and are “more better” than the rest of the world.
Coronita
November 14, 2009 @
2:56 PM
Personally, I’ve never been a Personally, I’ve never been a fan of the Prius styling. Second, I’ve never been a fan of hybrid cars.
I like clean-tech diesel, and auto manufacturers that are trying to remove the weight from cars by using lighter alloys without compromising structural integrity. Cars these days are porky, and could go on a diet. I think this is were VW is doing well with their TDI technology(they just need to figure out how to build more reliable cars :))
One thing though, I wouldn’t want to drive a prius in an area where it snows.
Um, apparently no. It’s not just about letting the wheel spin a little. The system doesn’t allow any wheel spin to occur at all. Just shuts down.
Sorry, I think Toyota’s been having their fair share of issues in recent times. This one has been around for awhile.
CafeMoto
November 15, 2009 @
7:35 AM
The prius is ‘ok’ in my The prius is ‘ok’ in my opinion. It was a good idea executed, with tolerable styling. If I wanted to drive economy I might get a 4 door civic (almost as good). Just saw the brand new Honda Accord Crosstour. I like to see different ideas make it to market. I am continuing to drive my car for as long as possible, there is no reason for me to buy new.
maktbone
November 15, 2009 @
9:35 AM
I would like to add that the I would like to add that the price of a Prius relative to that of a Corolla LE does not justify the improvement in fuel economy. Every time I hear a Prius owner brag about how much money they’re saving, I want to open up a spreadsheet to prove otherwise.
Assume 22k for the Prius or 15k for the Corolla (rough $’s here). At $3.50/gal the 7 grand saved would buy 2000 gallons of gasoline, which at 30mpg would get you 60,000 miles. My back-of-the napkin calculation shows that at $4/gal, the Prius would become the more economical option only after 120,000 miles. At $5/gal make that 100,000 miles, and at $6/gal, 80,000 miles. (this doesn’t include financing charges, opportunity costs of the foregone cash flow, insurance & maintenance, etc.).
afx114
November 15, 2009 @
9:48 AM
maktbone wrote:Assume 22k for [quote=maktbone]Assume 22k for the Prius or 15k for the Corolla (rough $’s here). At $3.50/gal the 7 grand saved would buy 2000 gallons of gasoline, which at 30mpg would get you 60,000 miles.[/quote]
The problem with your calculations is the assumption that gas will remain at $3.50 for the life of the car. I’ll go out on a limb and argue that your assumption is horribly wrong.
blahblahblah
November 15, 2009 @
10:22 AM
One other thing worth One other thing worth mentioning is that for better or worse people like these hybrid cars. Whether or not this preference is justified doesn’t matter, the net effect is that a hybrid will not depreciate as rapidly as a non-hybrid car. This helps should you choose to trade it in on something new.
Another thing I notice about Prius-bashing is that it often has a techy bent. I hear a lot of arguments like “Hybrid technology is okay but what about technology X? When we have technology X cars they will have better gas mileage, etc…” That’s fine but no one is selling technology X. The Prius has been around for 5 years now and we’ve burned a lot less gasoline in that time having all of those cars on the road. Technology X will be great when it arrives but for now we’ll make do with hybrids.
TDIs are very cool and get great mileage but unfortunately they are made by VW. I had a VW in the 90s and I had so many problems with it that I have sworn off of them forever. My next car after that was a late 90s Chevy which was great! It was loud, handled like a buggy and felt cheap (probably because it was cheap) but it was indestructible. Great car. Now I have a Mazda (a great low-tech car that will probably run forever; mileage could be better though) and the wife has the high-tech Prius.
And yes I know that the hybrid cars take more energy to produce but some of that energy can be coal, hydroelectric, or nuclear. Sure the higher production energy requirements makes more greenhouse gases but the bigger problem now is reduced availability of fossil fuels as the world population increases and China and India demand more of it. I’m still not sure that the increased greenhouse gas is as big of a problem as everyone is making it out to be, but the increasing demand on the world fuel supply definitely is an issue.
Coronita
November 15, 2009 @
12:38 PM
CONCHO wrote:One other thing [quote=CONCHO]One other thing worth mentioning is that for better or worse people like these hybrid cars. Whether or not this preference is justified doesn’t matter, the net effect is that a hybrid will not depreciate as rapidly as a non-hybrid car. This helps should you choose to trade it in on something new.
Another thing I notice about Prius-bashing is that it often has a techy bent. I hear a lot of arguments like “Hybrid technology is okay but what about technology X? When we have technology X cars they will have better gas mileage, etc…” That’s fine but no one is selling technology X. The Prius has been around for 5 years now and we’ve burned a lot less gasoline in that time having all of those cars on the road. Technology X will be great when it arrives but for now we’ll make do with hybrids.
TDIs are very cool and get great mileage but unfortunately they are made by VW. I had a VW in the 90s and I had so many problems with it that I have sworn off of them forever. My next car after that was a late 90s Chevy which was great! It was loud, handled like a buggy and felt cheap (probably because it was cheap) but it was indestructible. Great car. Now I have a Mazda (a great low-tech car that will probably run forever; mileage could be better though) and the wife has the high-tech Prius.
And yes I know that the hybrid cars take more energy to produce but some of that energy can be coal, hydroelectric, or nuclear. Sure the higher production energy requirements makes more greenhouse gases but the bigger problem now is reduced availability of fossil fuels as the world population increases and China and India demand more of it. I’m still not sure that the increased greenhouse gas is as big of a problem as everyone is making it out to be, but the increasing demand on the world fuel supply definitely is an issue.[/quote]
Jetta TDI gets roughly 40mpg and runs right now on diesel and bio-diesel. Plus no one knows what happens when those hybrid battery cells go kaputs. I believe from a consumer perspective, it’s a $3000+ part excluding labor. From a environment perspective, I’m not sure if folks figured how to recycle/dispose of those if these were to go mainstream.
Let’s not forget also that Toyota hasn’t exactly been an A+ in the reliability/safety department these days…Just talk to a few Camry/ES350 owners and/or Tundra/Tacoma owners. And yet, consumers want more and more electronics to be put into cars.
BTW: weight savings is the key. Autoblog did a comparo between a Civic Hybrid of today versus the Honda CRX from the 90ies, both with comparable gas mileage. The CRX efficiency was due to various factors, but noteworthy was effort was taken to lighten the car up. Cars they days weigh way too much. Sticking heavy battery cell imho is not the direction to go. Diesel engines also are pretty porky too.
Me, I’m waiting for more performance TDI’s. If they brought over i 335i diesel in coupe form or a A5 in coupe form, that would do it for me.
Jetta TDI gets roughly 40mpg Jetta TDI gets roughly 40mpg and runs right now on diesel and bio-diesel. Plus no one knows what happens when those hybrid battery cells go kaputs. I believe from a consumer perspective, it’s a $3000+ part excluding labor. From a environment perspective, I’m not sure if folks figured how to recycle/dispose of those if these were to go mainstream.
Good luck with that VW. I had bad luck with mine and I know a number of other people that have as well. Hopefully their quality has improved. Like I said, TDI is cool technology but I wish someone other than VW sold it. My Chevy was a lot more reliable than my VW. Of course nothing beats a Mazda 🙂 Except in the MPG department and then pretty much any hybrid beats them…
patb
November 15, 2009 @
2:19 PM
maktbone wrote:I would like [quote=maktbone]I would like to add that the price of a Prius relative to that of a Corolla LE does not justify the improvement in fuel economy. Every time I hear a Prius owner brag about how much money they’re saving, I want to open up a spreadsheet to prove otherwise.
Assume 22k for the Prius or 15k for the Corolla (rough $’s here). At $3.50/gal the 7 grand saved would buy 2000 gallons of gasoline, which at 30mpg would get you 60,000 miles. My back-of-the napkin calculation shows that at $4/gal, the Prius would become the more economical option only after 120,000 miles. At $5/gal make that 100,000 miles, and at $6/gal, 80,000 miles. (this doesn’t include financing charges, opportunity costs of the foregone cash flow, insurance & maintenance, etc.).[/quote]
You also assume what the duty cycle is.
The Hybrid camry Taxis in DC save a fortune,
the cab drivers go from 2 tanks a shift to 1, which
is a real big income boost. that’s 40% of their nut.
Cabbies are sort of the Hell driving cycle, lots of
stop and go, all in traffic, lots of idling.
A Hybrid optimizes to their needs.
For someone doing urban delivery the hybrid payoff
is very large, plus the demographic signaling.
Hot chicks drive prius’s.
Prius owners signal they will accept a low ROI
for environmental factors, which means they will
also invest in PV, wind power and insulation.
svelte
November 15, 2009 @
2:56 PM
patb wrote:
Hot chicks drive [quote=patb]
Hot chicks drive prius’s.
[/quote]
Really? I’ve never seen that…every time I look, it’s a geek or a school marm with short hair and glasses…
Coronita
November 15, 2009 @
5:10 PM
patb wrote:maktbone wrote:I [quote=patb][quote=maktbone]I would like to add that the price of a Prius relative to that of a Corolla LE does not justify the improvement in fuel economy. Every time I hear a Prius owner brag about how much money they’re saving, I want to open up a spreadsheet to prove otherwise.
Assume 22k for the Prius or 15k for the Corolla (rough $’s here). At $3.50/gal the 7 grand saved would buy 2000 gallons of gasoline, which at 30mpg would get you 60,000 miles. My back-of-the napkin calculation shows that at $4/gal, the Prius would become the more economical option only after 120,000 miles. At $5/gal make that 100,000 miles, and at $6/gal, 80,000 miles. (this doesn’t include financing charges, opportunity costs of the foregone cash flow, insurance & maintenance, etc.).[/quote]
You also assume what the duty cycle is.
The Hybrid camry Taxis in DC save a fortune,
the cab drivers go from 2 tanks a shift to 1, which
is a real big income boost. that’s 40% of their nut.
Cabbies are sort of the Hell driving cycle, lots of
stop and go, all in traffic, lots of idling.
A Hybrid optimizes to their needs.
For someone doing urban delivery the hybrid payoff
is very large, plus the demographic signaling.
Hot chicks drive prius’s.
Prius owners signal they will accept a low ROI
for environmental factors, which means they will
also invest in PV, wind power and insulation.[/quote]
The irony to that is unless you live in downtown san diego, I would say here you would probably spend more time on the freeway than on local roads. Either so, San Diego traffic is rarely the constant bumper to bumper like you would get say in L.A. And considering the Prius was optimized for city versus highway driving, there’s no way you would get that efficiency on the highway if you were to stomp on the accelerator like you normally would do in a normal car.
I think the fact that most Prius owners are conscious they are in a prius, they tend to drive them very light footed, which probably explains why you see several of them accelerator from a stop so slow or driving on the freeway slower..etc Not that the car can’t go faster, just that for some reason, being a prius, sub-consciously makes you want to take it easier. (I think Al Gore’s brother or relative proved prius are capable of going 90mph+.) Especially on the fully decked prius, you get that cool computer screen telling you where the power is coming from battery/engine/etc and you get near instaneous feedback on your MPG blatantly displayed on the screen.
I rented a prius, and when I drove it on the highway like I would a normal car, I couldn’t get more than 38mpg. Then again, I accelerated like normal cars do, and drove mostly on the freeway and wasn’t in stop and go. I was also in an area where it was hilly terrain, so the engine was sort of working to go up and down the hills.
Don’t get me wrong. I think the Prius is an interesting invention. Personally, think the styling could use some work, but conceptually neat. For a $25k+, don’t think it’s my cup of tea. And while resale is currently high, it’s won’t last that way. Especially as other companies start launching other cars with other tech with more normal packaging. Ford fusion hybrid comes to mind. And TDI is only going to get better. Germans take the lead in this department.
trex
November 16, 2009 @
6:39 AM
The problem is consumption – The problem is consumption – not ownership. I drive a 1999 Suburban – about once a week. I walk to work everyday. Some of my coworkers drive to work though they live in the same neighborhood.
The suburban is a great vehicle and I’ve tuned it so I’m getting over 20mpg on the freeway. When you take into account the kids and cargo, it would probably take 5 prius to haul the same gear. So I figure I’m the real environmentalist.
What’s plural for prius?
Ren
November 16, 2009 @
6:54 AM
Funny that compact Hondas and Funny that compact Hondas and Mazdas from the early 90’s got 40+ mpg, then they had to go and add all that weight for safety.
Auto manufacturers need to work on reducing weight as much as they do engine efficiency. Besides better gas mileage, it would mean better performance for us enthusiasts.
trex wrote:The problem is [quote=trex]The problem is consumption – not ownership. I drive a 1999 Suburban – about once a week. I walk to work everyday. Some of my coworkers drive to work though they live in the same neighborhood.
The suburban is a great vehicle and I’ve tuned it so I’m getting over 20mpg on the freeway. When you take into account the kids and cargo, it would probably take 5 prius to haul the same gear. So I figure I’m the real environmentalist.
What’s plural for prius?[/quote]
Good for you.
Now if you only use the Suburban weekends, have you
considered getting rid of it, and just renting a passenger van when you take the kids and cargo somewhere?
They have these zipcar franchises, that would work
well too.
I got a 3-year old Prius up I got a 3-year old Prius up to 108 MPH in the desert.
The car reviews say the newest version of Prius has improved its power.
jimmyle
November 17, 2009 @
8:00 AM
The Prius is not for The Prius is not for everyone. Especially people with short commute like you. However, you know that many people have to drive long distances to work. I think if your drive less than 20,000 miles per year then don’t get the Prius. However, I see a lot of people in my company with long commutes driving big SUVs.
Every body loves to live near where they work but sometimes it is impossible so the Prius will help minimize the damage (to the pocket book and environment) for people with long drives.
[quote=trex]The problem is consumption – not ownership. I drive a 1999 Suburban – about once a week. I walk to work everyday. Some of my coworkers drive to work though they live in the same neighborhood.
The suburban is a great vehicle and I’ve tuned it so I’m getting over 20mpg on the freeway. When you take into account the kids and cargo, it would probably take 5 prius to haul the same gear. So I figure I’m the real environmentalist.
What’s plural for prius?[/quote]
jimmyle
November 17, 2009 @
8:12 AM
For people who worries about For people who worries about the Prius’ battery, I can guarantee you that it is not a concern.
The battery of my Prius is guaranteed up to 150,000 miles. In addition, less than 1% of these batteries have to be replaced before the 150,000 miles so I don’t worry too much.
Most of the taxis in Vancouver are Prii and battery problem is not a concern. Many of the taxi Prii have reached 400,000 km with original batteries.
Quote:
What’s plural for [quote]
What’s plural for prius?[/quote]
Prii…just like Lexi.
trex
November 18, 2009 @
7:23 AM
I agree with you, jimmyle. I agree with you, jimmyle.
But where we live IS a choice, and it’s a harder choice than buying a Prius instead of a Suburban. Alot of the folks with long commutes could choose a short commute and smaller rental apartment, but they prefer the 10 acre estate in Ramona. That’s fine, that’s their choice, but we should be honest about the consequences of all our choices – not just the ones about our cars.
trex
November 18, 2009 @
7:31 AM
briansd1 wrote:
The best way [quote=briansd1]
The best way to save the environment is not to reproduce. Each additional human puts additional strains on our resources.[/quote]
One way – not necessarily the “best way” – to reduce strain is indeed to have a smaller population. This is less of an issue that some think since fertility rates are falling quickly globally. More importantly, nonreproduction isn’t the only way to save the environment, and many of my friends without kids are BIG consumers. I wouldn’t be suprised to learn that their impact on the environment is alot more than my family with kids.
svelte
November 18, 2009 @
9:50 AM
jimmyle wrote:The Prius is [quote=jimmyle]The Prius is not for everyone. Especially people with short commute like you. However, you know that many people have to drive long distances to work.
Every body loves to live near where they work but sometimes it is impossible…
[/quote]
What, you are under house arrest?
Of course it’s possible! This is America, you can move anytime you want to!
And if you don’t want to move, find another job.
There are two ways to skin that cat, those who have a long commute choose neither of those options.
Ren
November 19, 2009 @
12:26 PM
svelte wrote:Of course it’s [quote=svelte]Of course it’s possible! This is America, you can move anytime you want to!
[/quote]
Agreed, I’ve moved just to be closer to work several times. One weekend of hassle for years of a daily 5 minute commute – it’s a no brainer to me.
If you own your home, rent it out and buy another one closer to work, or rent until you can.
eyePod
November 19, 2009 @
3:17 PM
LOL The Pious Ha Ha
Sounds LOL The Pious Ha Ha
Sounds like all piggs either ride bicycles or walk or only drive a 15 year old car once every other week and they never buy new cars. (And of course expect the price of new cars to drop by a half) I love my new Prius. I’m not very environmental, but producing less smog is a good thing, isn’t it? I don’t think it could ever be a desirable thing to use more foreign oil and produce more smog.
briansd1
November 17, 2009 @
4:40 PM
trex wrote:The problem is [quote=trex]The problem is consumption – not ownership.
[/quote]
[quote=trex]
The suburban is a great vehicle and I’ve tuned it so I’m getting over 20mpg on the freeway. When you take into account the kids and cargo, it would probably take 5 prius to haul the same gear. So I figure I’m the real environmentalist.
[/quote]
The best way to save the environment is not to reproduce. Each additional human puts additional strains on our resources.
Funny excerpt. However driving a Prius as fast as possible around a track is as silly as trying to hypermile a BMW M3. People don’t buy Prii (that’s the plural as far as I can tell) to drive as fast as possible, they choose them because they get very good mileage under normal use, they hold plenty of cargo and passengers, and they seem to be fairly reliable. As for the environmental issues of making the batteries, that is a fair beef with the car. However the first generation of any technology has problems. Someone has to go first and Toyota and Honda chose to do so. The technology will improve and get cleaner as people and governments demand it.
eyePod
November 17, 2009 @
8:20 AM
I own a 2010 Prius – bought I own a 2010 Prius – bought it new. I don’t think it is expensive compared to what other new cars cost. Is this the “Pigginton” car philosophy – cars should be priced at 1/2 no matter how much they go down? I love this car. I’m not smug, I’m not very environmental, I just like using less foreign oil and having a small economical car. A smaller carbon footprint isn’t a bad thing, either. Less smog is not a bad thing. I’m also a tech freak so that appeals as well.
It surprises me that even cars now have political followings! Geez.
poorgradstudent
November 17, 2009 @
5:24 PM
eyePod wrote:I own a 2010 [quote=eyePod]I own a 2010 Prius – bought it new. I don’t think it is expensive compared to what other new cars cost. Is this the “Pigginton” car philosophy – cars should be priced at 1/2 no matter how much they go down?[/quote]
I would imagine most Piggs are pretty tight with their money and don’t often buy new cars. I drive a 2006 Hyundai Elantra; I pretty strongly believe Hyundais provide the biggest bang for the buck right now (until the market catches on that they make good cars and their aftermarket prices start rising).
patb
November 17, 2009 @
6:21 PM
poorgradstudent wrote:eyePod [quote=poorgradstudent][quote=eyePod]I own a 2010 Prius – bought it new. I don’t think it is expensive compared to what other new cars cost. Is this the “Pigginton” car philosophy – cars should be priced at 1/2 no matter how much they go down?[/quote]
I would imagine most Piggs are pretty tight with their money and don’t often buy new cars. I drive a 2006 Hyundai Elantra; I pretty strongly believe Hyundais provide the biggest bang for the buck right now (until the market catches on that they make good cars and their aftermarket prices start rising).[/quote]
I’m driving a 1998 toyota carmy with 200K on the clock. My prior car was a 1998 Honda Civic and
my prior car was a chevy nova.
i haven’t bought a new car since 1990.
I love the prius, but 25K it’s a lot of coin for me, i’ll buy one used next year.
masayako
August 14, 2011 @
3:06 PM
Because they are pranks! They Because they are pranks! They think they are smarter by saving more, but in reality, they spent more upfront already.
afx114
August 14, 2011 @
6:24 PM
masayako wrote:Because they [quote=masayako]Because they are pranks! They think they are smarter by saving more, but in reality, they spent more upfront already.[/quote]
That’s assuming that gas prices stay the same or lower throughout the lifetime of the car. Are you willing to make that assumption? How much will gas cost in 10 years?
Coronita
August 14, 2011 @
6:34 PM
afx114 wrote:masayako [quote=afx114][quote=masayako]Because they are pranks! They think they are smarter by saving more, but in reality, they spent more upfront already.[/quote]
That’s assuming that gas prices stay the same or lower throughout the lifetime of the car. Are you willing to make that assumption? How much will gas cost in 10 years?[/quote]
I’d be more concerned how much a battery for these hybrids are going to cost, not to mention labor to have them replaced.
EconProf
August 14, 2011 @
9:55 PM
I’ve read that the batteries I’ve read that the batteries are lasting much longer than first expected, and that replacement costs are coming down steadily. Wish I could give real numbers…any Prius owners have details?
bearishgurl
August 14, 2011 @
10:13 PM
EconProf wrote:I’ve read that [quote=EconProf]I’ve read that the batteries are lasting much longer than first expected, and that replacement costs are coming down steadily. Wish I could give real numbers…any Prius owners have details?[/quote]
I’d like to find out this info, as well. I’d like to buy a 5+ year-old Prius for my kid within the next 3 years.
eyePod
August 15, 2011 @
11:03 AM
Why? The battery has 8 year Why? The battery has 8 year warranty and they have proven reliable. When you buy a conventional car do you freak out when the warranty on the engine is less than infinity? Do you check what an engine costs and add it to the price of the car?
briansd1
October 18, 2011 @
2:32 PM
I spotted another right-wing I spotted another right-wing Prius owner (about 50yo White male).
[img_assist|nid=15462|title=Right Wing Prius Owner #2|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=441|height=329]
What the bumper stickers say:
– And we thought Carter sucked.
– Obey * Pray * Trust
– $1.81 the price of gas when Obama took office.
I think the resale value of the Prius went up since gas prices increased.
I wonder how many conservative owners don’t have bumper stickers on their Prius so we don’t know they are conservatives.
Can we still call Prius owners granola munching, tree hugging, organic food shopping liberals? (For the record, I don’t own a Prius).
equalizer
October 18, 2011 @
4:54 PM
eyePod wrote:Why? The [quote=eyePod]Why? The battery has 8 year warranty and they have proven reliable. When you buy a conventional car do you freak out when the warranty on the engine is less than infinity? Do you check what an engine costs and add it to the price of the car?[/quote]
In CA emission states the entire hybrid system is covered by 8year/100K warranty, but the batteries are covered by 10year/150K warranty. Call the dealers and ask how many times they have had to replace batteries. From quick search on prius forums, the batteries appear to be a low failure item.
svelte
October 18, 2011 @
7:26 PM
eyePod wrote: From quick [quote=eyePod] From quick search on prius forums, the batteries appear to be a low failure item.[/quote]
Toyota made sure they wouldn’t have to replace many batteries in the US because of the 8 year warranty required by the US by disabling the battery-only mode:
“Toyota claims that this feature was disabled for the North American market because U.S. law mandates a minimum 8-year warranty on the hybrid drivetrain, which includes the battery pack. By disabling the option of operating solely on battery power for extended periods the company can better assure a longer life for the car’s battery pack, despite the fact that much better fuel mileage is being sacrificed.”
But in Europe where there isn’t an 8 year warranty? Screw it, let the batteries die early! Toyota doesn’t have to pay!
Anonymous
November 17, 2009 @
5:14 PM
I thought this thread would I thought this thread would comment on South Park. They had an episode about the smuggness of Prius owners and how it was mucking up the air. San Francisco was polluted with smuggness. OK maybe it was just me buit it was funny.
CardiffBaseball
November 17, 2009 @
6:37 PM
PlnrBoy wrote:I thought this [quote=PlnrBoy]I thought this thread would comment on South Park. They had an episode about the smuggness of Prius owners and how it was mucking up the air. San Francisco was polluted with smuggness. OK maybe it was just me buit it was funny.[/quote]
I think on SP it was the Pious, instead of the Prius.
werewolf34
November 17, 2009 @
7:37 PM
I think people put way too I think people put way too much of their self-image / projection into cars.
I like the Prius as a wonderful piece of engineering but I will never let anyone in my family drive one until cars / trucks on the road get smaller. Self-preservation among the land yachts is #1
Navydoc
November 18, 2009 @
4:45 AM
I’ll chime in on the attitude I’ll chime in on the attitude of Prius drivers. I ride my bicycle to the DC Metro station every morning. I have to be in early, so my morning ride is always in darkness. I’m a courteous biker, I always stay as far to the right as is humanly possible, I always ride with lights in the dark, and I signal for turns. The most annoying thing that happens to me on almost a daily basis is a driver getting about 15 feet behind me then honking their horn. By the way, if any of you do this as a standard “courtesy” please STOP IT NOW!!! Do you really think I don’t know you’re there? Ever notice how much road noise a car makes? In addition, the action is likely to startle the biker and cause them to do something that makes it MORE likely that you will hit them.
Anyway, back on topic, nearly every time I get honked at the offending vehicle is either a Prius, or, ironically, an SUV. Kind of makes me wonder about the personality similarities of the owners of both vehicles.
I personally would never own a Prius, as even this wonder of fuel saving technology can’t touch my bicycle for fuel efficiency. Granted, sometimes I get wet, but I really love only having to buy gas about once a month.
jimmyle
November 18, 2009 @
8:45 AM
There have been complains There have been complains about the Prii being too quiet when they are in Electric mode (at speeds under 30 MPH). I wonder if the Prius drivers worry that you can’t hear them?
[quote=Navydoc]……a driver getting about 15 feet behind me then honking their horn. By the way, if any of you do this as a standard “courtesy” please STOP IT NOW!!! Do you really think I don’t know you’re there? Ever notice how much road noise a car makes? In addition, the action is likely to startle the biker and cause them to do something that makes it MORE likely that you will hit them.
Anyway, back on topic, nearly every time I get honked at the offending vehicle is either a Prius, or, ironically, an SUV. Kind of makes me wonder about the personality similarities of the owners of both vehicles.
[/quote]
Navydoc
November 18, 2009 @
9:39 AM
That’s a pretty good point, That’s a pretty good point, but the reality is the vast majority of road noise a car makes is not coming from the engine. It comes from the tires. Although the Prius has low-rolling resistance tires, they still roar pretty load. I would not be able to distinguish between a Prius or any other light passenger vehicle just from the sound behind me.
The driver’s perception that they’re driving a quiet vehicle may explain their behavior.
cdesilva44
May 4, 2010 @
1:41 PM
The only Prius owner I know The only Prius owner I know is a gay man with whom I work. After busting him several times for throwing aluminum cans into the trash rather than the recycle bin in our lunchroom, I said to him that I thought Prius drivers were supposed to be more environmentally friendly than the rest of us.
He openly admitted to me that he didn’t buy the Prius to help the environment, but rather because it’s a status symbol in his community. He claims to get a lot more attention from men these days and that the Prius has improved his dating life immensely.
I still catch him throwing cans in the trash all the time.
afx114
May 4, 2010 @
2:18 PM
The only Hummer owner I know The only Hummer owner I know is a straight man with whom I work. After busting him several times for throwing aluminum cans into the recycle bin rather than the trash in our lunchroom, I said to him that I thought Hummer drivers were supposed to be more environmentally destructive than the rest of us.
He openly admitted to me that he didn’t buy the Hummer to destroy the environment, but rather because it’s a status symbol in his community. He claims to get a lot more attention from chicks these days and that the Hummer has improved his dating life immensely.
I still catch him throwing cans in the recycle bin all the time.
DWCAP
May 4, 2010 @
4:09 PM
afx114 wrote:The only Hummer [quote=afx114]The only Hummer owner I know is a straight man with whom I work. After busting him several times for throwing aluminum cans into the recycle bin rather than the trash in our lunchroom, I said to him that I thought Hummer drivers were supposed to be more environmentally destructive than the rest of us.
He openly admitted to me that he didn’t buy the Hummer to destroy the environment, but rather because it’s a status symbol in his community. He claims to get a lot more attention from chicks these days and that the Hummer has improved his dating life immensely.
I still catch him throwing cans in the recycle bin all the time.[/quote]
I am sure there was a point to this, but I cant figure out what it was. A common perception of prius owners is that they are driving a prius because of the mpg, or ‘environmental reasons’. So this guy knows someone who didnt buy it for that reason, but rather to get laid. Good for him. Glad to see the American car culture (oh, you have a V8, wow…..) is alive and well. I dont get any malevelent intentions out of the original post. So I dont understand your point Afx.
werewolf34
May 4, 2010 @
4:31 PM
SoCal has way too much SoCal has way too much identity wrapped into the cars.
Hating the Prius drivers is just lame. Maybe they’re just status seekers but I prefer them to people in large SUVs on cell phones-less collateral damage.
As for the Yukon lady, she needs to lose her license (and some weight). And I thought America couldn’t get any dumber.
svelte
May 4, 2010 @
6:22 PM
I drove a Miata for a few I drove a Miata for a few years and never noticed any hatred from large SUVs or pickups. Maybe it is the Prius smugness that is drawing the ire of the big bombers, I don’t know.
Or if you consistently drive 60-65 mph on the freeway (as jimmyle says he does), that would be what ticks people off, no matter what car you drive.
I can tell you that people have gotten mad at me a few times but I’ve known the reason (usually, they think they have the right of way when they are merging onto the freeway. They do not.)
The only time I can recall someone getting ticked at me and I have no idea why I was going to dinner with my wife in one of our sports cars. In the 3rd lane, 70 mph, on 78 east about to go onto 15 south. Some 70ish y.o. woman in a Prius started getting aggressive – slowing down, speeding up, changing lanes, anything she could do to inconvenience me. Once I got onto 15 I was able to get away from her once and for all, but I have no idea why she picked me to irritate.
She had that smug smile on her face the whole time, too.
BTW, authors of the Prius v Hummer / recycle posts earlier today, those are excellent! I really laughed! Thanks for lightening the situation!
And glad you are okay, Emily. Take care.
jimmyle
May 5, 2010 @
9:14 AM
I think I have the right to I think I have the right to drive 65 mph (on the right most lane) on the freeway. After all this is the speed limit. The speed limit is a joke. It should either be enforced or raised to 85 mph. Most people drive at 85 mph on the left lane on the 5 freeway.
Svelte
“Or if you consistently drive 60-65 mph on the freeway (as jimmyle says he does), that would be what ticks people off, no matter what car you drive.”
eavesdropper
May 4, 2010 @
8:33 PM
werewolf34 wrote:SoCal has [quote=werewolf34]SoCal has way too much identity wrapped into the cars.
Hating the Prius drivers is just lame. Maybe they’re just status seekers but I prefer them to people in large SUVs on cell phones-less collateral damage.
As for the Yukon lady, she needs to lose her license (and some weight). And I thought America couldn’t get any dumber.[/quote]
werewolf, agree with your view, but it’s not just SoCal, it’s in major metropolitan areas all over the country. I live in suburban Washington DC, and it’s endemic here, 150 miles in any direction. I have to get to the central Virginia mountain/farm region before coming upon the prevailing wisdom that a car or truck has a distinct purpose that is directly related to its engine size, seating capacity, and cargo hauling capabilities, i.e. going to work, going to church, and going hunting (and/or grocery shopping). They add that extra step of deciding what the vehicle they buy is NEEDED for.
Of course, many consumers will continue to believe that their vehicle gives them enviable qualities (even if it doesn’t hold all their kids, or if it causes them to borrow from the monthly food budget to pay for gas), and they assume all whose path they cross while driving said vehicle will see it the same way. If that wasn’t the case, we would all be driving current day versions of the Model T. Automobile companies have been creating “identities” to help sell vehicles since the 1920s: Ford’s incredibly successful early marketing of the Explorer had nothing on the Jordan Motor Company’s “Somewhere west of Laramie…” ad campaign.
But this “I drive, therefore I am” philosophy does appear to have taken on a life of its own. I used to wonder how couples making $75,000/year could afford not only one $45K vehicle, but two (often much pricier, given the proliferative presence of Mercedes GLs, Escalades, and Lexus LXs on DC roads). But I’ve come to believe that many people don’t base car buying decisions on what they can afford, because car dealers and lenders find ways for buyers to “afford” them – or at least make payments. Since price is no object, the only job left to the buyer is to select a vehicle that lets the world know who he (or she) truly is all about. Let the ad campaigns begin!
As for me, I favor a more laissez-faire approach to car choice: you buy what you want, and I’ll buy what I want. Don’t call me names, and I won’t call you names. Unless you slip into your alter ego as a 300-lb PowerPuff Girl and intentionally ram my Prius, whereupon all bets are off.
NewtoSanDiego
May 4, 2010 @
8:31 PM
Listen you granola eating, Listen you granola eating, hemp weaving/smoking prius lovers. You are so smug.
You are all liberal swine.
Drill baby drill our way to energy independence.
The liberal media is over hyping the BP oil spill, it is literally a drop in the ocean bucket
Palin/Limbaugh 2012
eavesdropper
May 4, 2010 @
8:41 PM
NewtoSanDiego wrote:Listen [quote=NewtoSanDiego]Listen you granola eating, hemp weaving/smoking prius lovers. You are so smug.
You are all liberal swine.
Drill baby drill our way to energy independence.
The liberal media is over hyping the BP oil spill, it is literally a drop in the ocean bucket
Palin/Limbaugh 2012[/quote]
But, then again, maybe some won’t agree with my “laissez-faire” approach….oh, damn! That’s French, isn’t it.
Okay, now that you’ve discovered that I’m not a real patriot, go ahead and add my name to the blacklist.
eavesdropper
May 4, 2010 @
8:57 PM
NewtoSanDiego wrote:
The [quote=NewtoSanDiego]
The liberal media is over hyping the BP oil spill, it is literally a drop in the ocean bucket
[/quote]
But before you banish me from your vision of “the land of the free”, would you care to expound on the above statement? I always like to learn new and interesting things from those who are more intellectually gifted.
Not the part about the “over hyping (sic) of the story” because it’s no secret that the America-hating liberal media is always doing things like that to destroy our nation, and her God-fearing people.
No, I’d like more detail on the scientific conclusion “it is literally a drop in the ocean bucket”. Just for laughs, try to include citations and references.
briansd1
May 4, 2010 @
10:46 PM
NewtoSanDiego wrote:Listen [quote=NewtoSanDiego]Listen you granola eating, hemp weaving/smoking prius lovers. You are so smug.
You are all liberal swine.
Drill baby drill our way to energy independence.
The liberal media is over hyping the BP oil spill, it is literally a drop in the ocean bucket
Palin/Limbaugh 2012[/quote]
Drop in the bucket or not, you lost your argument because offshore drilling with be restricted for a while.
I thought that Fox News was complaining that Obama didn’t act fast enough in responding to the spill. If it’s just a drop in the bucket, as you put it, then why does it matter?
But anyway, I always knew that the wingnuts don’t really understand financial and estate planning.
When it comes to a finite valuable resource, we should buy from foreigners as long as they are willing to take our printed money (which we can conjure up at any moment). We want to use up their resources first so that when their oil runs out, we’ll still have our own oil.
How would we become energy independent if we use up our oil reserves first, then end up depending on foreign oil?
NewtoSanDiego
May 4, 2010 @
9:15 PM
You want facts…..
Volume of
You want facts…..
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real!
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Newt, Newt, Newt, you are SOOO judgemental. May I ask how you determined my feelings for or against global warming? I don’t recall bringing up the subject.
As for facts, yes, you did provide a fact (alas, I was hoping that it would actually be related to the issue of your earlier post). Indeed, it was from a junior college textbook – yours, perhaps? Please don’t disappoint me by revealing that you are one of those socialist intellectual elitists about whom we hear so much. But I digress.
Pardon my obtuseness, but may I ask how this fact elucidates your post? I certainly don’t read all of the media available, but I was not aware that the ratio of oil (spilled into the Gulf of Mexico) to water (filling all of the world’s oceans) was a concern of any reporter or news agency, liberal or legitimate. And I’m fairly sure that it’s not a dominant factor in the attention paid to this incident.
Is it possible for you to enlighten me, and tell me why the fact you posted here supports your view that this story is being overblown by an untruthful liberal press? Sorry, I don’t get it.
I would appreciate it if you would refrain from any attempt to deflect attention from what I perceive to be your unwillingness to fully and factually support your position. You do have a tendency toward this behavior as exhibited by your throwing around sharply-biased labels, catch-phrases, and sound bites at every opportunity. If you are capable of any independent critical thought, please take this opportunity to do so. Virtually every other poster to this board manages to do that, while respecting others’ rights to their own opinions.
jimmyle
May 5, 2010 @
9:09 AM
The problem is that the The problem is that the leaked oil is not evenly distributed in the ocean.
Certainly, it is not a drop in the bucket for the people who live near the coasts from Texas to Florida. Million of people depend on these water for work and recreation.
[quote=NewtoSanDiego]You want facts…..
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Drop in the bucket, huh? Then, I guess you wouldn’t mind drinking water from the Gulf of Mexico.
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Drop in the bucket, huh? Then, I guess you wouldn’t mind drinking water from the Gulf of Mexico.[/quote]
Of course Oil floats on the surface. so if you can multiply by the Avogadro number and figure out how many square miles a single barrel can cover, and, what’s the toxicity level needed to kill wildlife , that would be useful too.
if NewtoSanDiego thinks this is such a minor issue,
can we drip one eyedropper of motor oil into his coffe pot every morning?
Also, his icemaker, and, perhaps into the Ketchup bottles etc in his kitchen?
But what if the amount of water you have is much, much larger than the amount of oil that you have? It turns out that the oil will spread out over the surface as much as possible.
How much is as much as possible? Until the oil on the surface of the water is just one molecule thick. So, how thick is one molecule of oil? Believe it or not, Ben Franklin was the first person to measure it, and you can measure it, too! All you need is some oil, an eyedropper, and a flat, clean body of water.
The eyedropper is great, because a single drop of anything that comes out of an eyedropper is going to be almost exactly one milliliter of volume, or one cubic millimeter. That’s tiny, isn’t it? You’d have to line up one thousand drops in a line to get something one meter (a little over three feet) long. But when you drop just a single drop into a flat pool of water, it spreads out to make a circle that’s huge!
This single drop, which was just a millimeter in size (about 1/25th of an inch), now spreads out to a diameter of 24 feet, or over seven meters!
If I work out my math, that means a single molecule of oil is only about 2 nanometers (or 20 Angstroms) thick!
(Beware of the number one hit on google, which unwittingly uses far less than a milliliter of water in their experiment, and gets an answer that’s almost 50 times too large!)
Well, what does that mean if — instead of a drop of oil — I dump an entire gallon of oil into a large body of water?
It would spread out to make a circle that was 450 meters in diameter. That’s over a quarter of a mile. From just one gallon (about 3.8 liters).
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Drop in the bucket, huh? Then, I guess you wouldn’t mind drinking water from the Gulf of Mexico.[/quote]
Of course Oil floats on the surface. so if you can multiply by the Avogadro number and figure out how many square miles a single barrel can cover, and, what’s the toxicity level needed to kill wildlife , that would be useful too.
if NewtoSanDiego thinks this is such a minor issue,
can we drip one eyedropper of motor oil into his coffe pot every morning?
Also, his icemaker, and, perhaps into the Ketchup bottles etc in his kitchen?[/quote]
I don’t know, patb. After reading and responding to his posts last night, I’m thinking that maybe he’s doing that already?
It does frighten me that there are millions of Americans who lack anything that resembles critical thinking skills. I mean – the possibility of dead wildlife and oil slick fires and a decimated fishing industry aside – how difficult is it to figure out that oil and water don’t mix?
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Drop in the bucket, huh? Then, I guess you wouldn’t mind drinking water from the Gulf of Mexico.[/quote]
Of course Oil floats on the surface. so if you can multiply by the Avogadro number and figure out how many square miles a single barrel can cover, and, what’s the toxicity level needed to kill wildlife , that would be useful too.
if NewtoSanDiego thinks this is such a minor issue,
can we drip one eyedropper of motor oil into his coffe pot every morning?
Also, his icemaker, and, perhaps into the Ketchup bottles etc in his kitchen?[/quote]
I don’t know, patb. After reading and responding to his posts last night, I’m thinking that maybe he’s doing that already?
It does frighten me that there are millions of Americans who lack anything that resembles critical thinking skills. I mean – the possibility of dead wildlife and oil slick fires and a decimated fishing industry aside – how difficult is it to figure out that oil and water don’t mix?[/quote]
Drill Baby Drill.
It’s amazing how the conservatives embraced stupidity. They loved Bush junior, Palin, Quayle and Reagan.
svelte
May 4, 2010 @
10:11 PM
Lol, you guys are too Lol, you guys are too much!
The real story here is how deep and intense a reaction two cars of this decade draw from people:
Hummer and Prius.
Personally, I don’t care for either but I don’t exactly shout obscenities when I pass them either. Instead, what I usually think about is the wide spectrum of choices we have, and I really like that.
Those cars are at total opposite ends of the spectrum, and each annoys the hell out of supporters of the other end of that spectrum.
Amusing, when you stop and think about it…
eavesdropper
May 5, 2010 @
12:07 AM
svelte wrote:Lol, you guys [quote=svelte]Lol, you guys are too much!
The real story here is how deep and intense a reaction two cars of this decade draw from people:
Hummer and Prius.
Personally, I don’t care for either but I don’t exactly shout obscenities when I pass them either. Instead, what I usually think about is the wide spectrum of choices we have, and I really like that.
Those cars are at total opposite ends of the spectrum, and each annoys the hell out of supporters of the other end of that spectrum.
Amusing, when you stop and think about it…[/quote]
To be truthful, I bought a Prius because I don’t want to spend a lot of money on gas. A side benefit is that now my husband can’t hide his excessive leisuretime motorcycle riding. I KNOW that I’m not driving that Prius and using 30 gallons of gas a week. It was a lot easier for him to hide his 700 mile per weekend consumption when I was driving the Sienna fulltime.
I did experience some reservations when buying the car, having heard more than a few stories about Prius owners complaining of vandalism. And I can’t deny being seriously spooked by the deliberate rear-ending of my car by a crazed Yukon inhabitant.
But I can say, in all honesty, that I have never felt smug in owning a Prius. Certainly not driving it (we’re not talking NASCAR power here, after all), and not even filling up at the gas station. After all, all that money I appear to be saving is earmarked for something not terribly gratifying – like property taxes, or garden mulch, or cat food, or Prilosec capsules for the increasing stomach acid I’m experiencing over the high cost of living.
As for the Hummer and the Prius arousing emotions and engendering less-than-civil discourse, I think that people are just pissed in general these days (actually, for several years now), and feeling increasingly powerless, and they’re looking for outlets for that. I just wish that they would choose outlets that aren’t powered by engines, since those have the potential to take out a lot of innocent bystanders.
34f3f3f
May 5, 2010 @
5:20 PM
The word Prius sounds too The word Prius sounds too similar to words like prim and pious, and the design is for non-designers, maybe even antithetical to car buying poseurs. But it gets my thumbs up for energy direction.
eavesdropper
May 5, 2010 @
10:58 PM
qwerty007 wrote:The word [quote=qwerty007]The word Prius sounds too similar to words like prim and pious, and the design is for non-designers, maybe even antithetical to car buying poseurs. But it gets my thumbs up for energy direction.[/quote]
Actually, the name is the one thing I don’t like about the car (after the sucky seats i mentioned earlier).
For whatever reason, I think Prius sounds like something having to do with erectile dysfunction.
But you’re right about the energy savings. That’s why I can forget about the lousy name. And the sucky seats. It’s THAT good.
briansd1
May 6, 2010 @
9:40 AM
qwerty007 wrote: the design [quote=qwerty007] the design is for non-designers, maybe even antithetical to car buying poseurs. But it gets my thumbs up for energy direction.[/quote]
I agree that the Prius’ design is non-poseur as compared to a Mercedes or Hummer.
However, simplicity is what good design is all about. Craftsmanship is about manufacturing quality, details and precision. The 2010 Prius is a very well executed car (better than the prior model).
To me, the Prius’ design appeal is that it matches beautifully with a mid-century modern house. Think of the classical Corbusier and Kartell furniture in such a house.
Very Dwell magazine type living.
Design and style are part of our lives. We don’t realize it, but we are all lifestyle conscious. It’s our way of comparing and distinguishing ourselves from our peers.
Someone who drives a Prius is making a lifestyle statement, just like some else who drives an F150 or a Dodge Caravan.
BTW, I don’t own a Prius.
ibjames
May 6, 2010 @
11:15 AM
my father in law drives a my father in law drives a prius, I think it is very nice, I couldn’t justify the price/gas savings ratio, I ended up buying a small used car instead, the prius maintains its value too well to buy used
svelte
May 5, 2010 @
6:19 PM
Well I think I’m starting to Well I think I’m starting to understand Prius owners a little better thanks to this thread.
Priority 1 is gas mileage. Priority 2 is cost.
Since the Insight is about $4K cheaper than the Prius, it really ends up costing less even up to $4/gal if you drive your car for 200K miles. Over $4/gal, Prius is a better deal.
But the Prius is the clear winner MPG wise (just spent a half-hour on edmunds.com 🙂 )
From that gas price spike last year, I can tell you I found that I didn’t even consider changing my driving habits until gas prices reached $5/gal. That, apparently, is my threshold.
Priority 1 for me is fun….just a different philosophy on the driving experience.
Anyway, like what you drive. Drive what you like. See you on the roadway…
jimmyle
May 6, 2010 @
1:09 PM
The cost difference for the The cost difference for the base model is exactly $3K, not $4K. For that you will get:
* 134 hp vs. 101 hp
* 50 mpg vs. 41 mpg. If gas is $3.5/gal, you will take back cost difference after 200,000 miles.
* Prius is bigger, not sure how much.
* Stealth mode, battery only mode is cool for Prius.
* The number one complain about the Prius is that it screams “HYBRID”, well, most people can’t tell the differnce between the Prius and the Insight from a distance.
* And most importantly, the insight tried to copy the Prius. You know how successful Iphone wannabees are.
[quote=svelte]Well I think I’m starting to understand Prius owners a little better thanks to this thread.
Priority 1 is gas mileage. Priority 2 is cost.
Since the Insight is about $4K cheaper than the Prius, it really ends up costing less even up to $4/gal if you drive your car for 200K miles. Over $4/gal, Prius is a better deal.
But the Prius is the clear winner MPG wise (just spent a half-hour on edmunds.com 🙂 )
From that gas price spike last year, I can tell you I found that I didn’t even consider changing my driving habits until gas prices reached $5/gal. That, apparently, is my threshold.
Priority 1 for me is fun….just a different philosophy on the driving experience.
Anyway, like what you drive. Drive what you like. See you on the roadway…[/quote]
bubble_contagion
May 6, 2010 @
9:17 PM
The Prius and Insight shape The Prius and Insight shape are dictated by aerodynamics. If you want that kind of MPG + 5 seats + trunk you need to optimize the shape. The result is an egg or drop shape that gives the least drag for a given volume. This is why the Prius looks like 1/2 an egg. The 2010 Prius spent more time in the wind tunnel than any other Toyota (maybe more than any car in history). At the time of introduction had the lowest drag coefficient of all cars. Today there is a new Mercedes that has improved on that. Flip the Prius upside down and you will notice it has under panels to make the bottom flat. The panels have fins and channels that direct the air as it flows underneath the car.
Blah.. I’d rather get an Blah.. I’d rather get an upcoming mini cooper s works edition, 3 cylinder (not a typo)/ 181 hp getting 50mpg.
Driving a 114/134hp piwered 3060lb porker is just not my cup of tea.
The key to gas savings moving forward will be reducing vehicle weight without sacrificing structural integrity/safety/comfort.
The Honda CRZ gets the almost the same gas mileage as an old Honda CRX, namely because the CRX was designed with making the car light: 1750 lbs
eavesdropper
May 7, 2010 @
9:10 PM
Okay, the Miata stays at the Okay, the Miata stays at the top of the fantasy car list. Thanks for the input, guys, although I will refrain from sharing Ucodegen’s information about the “Boss Frog” upgrade with my husband. He has so few sensibilities left, he can’t afford any more warpage.
Flu, loved the Mazda pix, especially the last one. The last image was particularly disturbing. The fog light cowlings remind me of Shirley Temple’s dimples.
Coronita
May 7, 2010 @
10:04 PM
eavesdropper wrote:Okay, the [quote=eavesdropper]Okay, the Miata stays at the top of the fantasy car list. Thanks for the input, guys, although I will refrain from sharing Ucodegen’s information about the “Boss Frog” upgrade with my husband. He has so few sensibilities left, he can’t afford any more warpage.
Flu, loved the Mazda pix, especially the last one. The last image was particularly disturbing. The fog light cowlings remind me of Shirley Temple’s dimples.[/quote]
(Sigh. I have build duties tonight, so I’m still on a frickin computer….FRIDAY NIGHT…Damn this internalization and world economy…..)
Don’t get me wrong I think Mazda’s are great cars. But that front just looks, well, comical to me…
Your hubby should just wait for an RX7. I’m pretty sure they’ll be back in the states after the RX8 goes off to the pastures this year. That is if the economy doesn’t tank and the auto makers decide to cancel all these sports car developments. It kinda sucks the economy is were it is. So many cool ideas, are probably not going to make it.
I really like the Toyota, but I really like the Toyota, but they’ve been dangling it for some time now – who knows when it will actually make its way to the showroom floor, or how they’ll f**k it up before it does.
Re: the Miata: whatever my husband ends up getting, it’s got to be a convertible. I think the Miata reminds him of the 2 MGBs he had in college. (yes, we’re THAT old). I don’t think he realizes how close to the ground those cars are, and that, at his age, we might have to get the Jaws of Life to get him out.
As for his fantasy car, he’ll have to wait awhile. He just bought his fantasy motorcycle last year, and we don’t have any more room in the damn garage.
svelte
May 8, 2010 @
6:55 AM
Time to build a bigger Time to build a bigger garage. Lol. And I had a typo in my last post…meant to say I’d test drive at 65-70, not 55-60.
eavesdropper
May 8, 2010 @
10:14 AM
svelte wrote:Time to build a [quote=svelte]Time to build a bigger garage. Lol. And I had a typo in my last post…meant to say I’d test drive at 65-70, not 55-60.[/quote]
Damn! When I married him, I didn’t realize my husband had an identical twin brother in California.
Coronita
May 8, 2010 @
3:37 PM
one one word…
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHYUNDAI!
Looks like they’re gonna kick Toyota’s ass in the future….
Friend of my just got a Genesis Sedan… I have to say, it’s pretty nice. (Guy didn’t want to get a Lexus ES or GS, because he says he wanted to be able to stop, lol).
Now where was that Jeff Bridges thread 🙂
briansd1
May 11, 2010 @
1:05 PM
Rechargeable Prius. Invented Rechargeable Prius. Invented by Chinese-American who could easily move to China.
I have friends who live near Rittenhouse Sq. They use zipcar because they can avoid paying for monthly parking, and most of the time they’re on foot – not taking cars. When they want to go outside of center city they get a zipcar. Much cheaper overall.
briansd1
January 11, 2011 @
2:27 PM
UCGal wrote: Brian – have you [quote=UCGal] Brian – have you looked at the zipcar model? Having lived near Philly – car insurance is through the roof. Even living close to the city was expensive… and when I moved 2 miles closer – my insurance doubled!!!
I have friends who live near Rittenhouse Sq. They use zipcar because they can avoid paying for monthly parking, and most of the time they’re on foot – not taking cars. When they want to go outside of center city they get a zipcar. Much cheaper overall.[/quote]
Great idea. I have a friend on Washington Square and she uses zipcar.
But me, I like to have a car since I’m used to having one in So. Cal. I have a truck (useful for moving thing) but it’s big and hard to park in the city. Most the parking is paid but unlike NYC, it’s easily to park in Philly. I can find a spot wherever I go. The city is small and it’s nice to be able to go anywhere within 5 miles.
BTW, I went to the Crate & Barrel store at Cherry Hill Mall. There’s Costco further in Mt Laurel, and Walmart on the way back on the same road. $4 to cross Ben Franklin Bridge. What a ripoff. I’m used to free in San Diego. 😉
enron_by_the_sea
January 12, 2011 @
10:18 AM
I don’t hate the Prius. I don’t hate the Prius. Actually I am seriously considering getting one.
However, there are following facts that any hybrid/EV buyer should consider. Surely Prius runs at 55mpg vs. 25mpg for conventional car, which is good. However that 55mpg is obtained by liberal use of materials like –
Surely some will argue that people will find better materials than above some day. That is ok. I will wait till that day comes.
I am wondering if all this push towards EVs and hybrids in our society is actually misguided. We should ask ourselves the question – Is it worth polluting huge swaths of China for the pleasure of getting 30 more mpg and making no other changes to our lifestyle?
Sadly it really doesn’t help the planet if you buy a Prius or a Leaf and keep on driving 50miles a day. Someone putting 5000miles a year on their Camry may be more helpful to this planet than the said person above.
EmilyHicks
March 2, 2011 @
12:31 PM
The fact is that most people The fact is that most people drive 15,000 miles or more per year. Very few people drive 5,000 miles a year. I agree that you should not buy the Prius if you drive 10,000 miles or less.
All Prius batteries are recycled and up to 90% of the materials in the used batteries are used to make new batteries. Assuming the life of an average car is 200,000 miles. Driving a 50 mpg Prius will save 4,000 gallons of gas compared to a 25 mpg car.
Economically speaking, the life time savings of the Prius is $14,000 (assuming $3.5/gal gas). So spending $4,000 more upfront seems to be a wise investment.
Environmentally, is the pollution of making the batteries (that will be recycled) worst than burning 4,000 gallons of gas? I don’t have an answer to this.
Politically, since each Prius saves 4,000 gallons of gas over its lifetime. We will be less reliance on Mid-East oil.
Of course, I agree with you that we should make lifestyle changes but the selection of the car is one choice we can make.
[quote=enron_by_the_sea]I don’t hate the Prius. Actually I am seriously considering getting one.
However, there are following facts that any hybrid/EV buyer should consider. Surely Prius runs at 55mpg vs. 25mpg for conventional car, which is good. However that 55mpg is obtained by liberal use of materials like –
Surely some will argue that people will find better materials than above some day. That is ok. I will wait till that day comes.
I am wondering if all this push towards EVs and hybrids in our society is actually misguided. We should ask ourselves the question – Is it worth polluting huge swaths of China for the pleasure of getting 30 more mpg and making no other changes to our lifestyle?
Sadly it really doesn’t help the planet if you buy a Prius or a Leaf and keep on driving 50miles a day. Someone putting 5000miles a year on their Camry may be more helpful to this planet than the said person above.[/quote]
UCGal
January 12, 2011 @
12:13 PM
briansd1 wrote:
BTW, I went [quote=briansd1]
BTW, I went to the Crate & Barrel store at Cherry Hill Mall. There’s Costco further in Mt Laurel, and Walmart on the way back on the same road. $4 to cross Ben Franklin Bridge. What a ripoff. I’m used to free in San Diego. ;)[/quote]
The bridges are a total scam. The Port authority runs all the bridges around Philly except the Taconey Palmyra bridge (Hwy 73 up in the North East). The TP is free going into Jersey, but toll coming out. True story – the other bridges (ben franklin, betsy ross, walt whitman, etc) all raised their tolls and had them in both directions by ’88. The T-P didn’t. The port authority also controls traffic on the Delaware river. And a big freighter ran into the T-P bridge – shutting it down for more than a month. My husband is convinced it was a payback.
Another factoid – with only 3 exceptions that I know of – you have to PAY to drive out of New Jersey. You pay to go to NY via the tunnels. You pay to leave by ferry or the twin bridges from Delaware The 3 bridges you can cross from NJ are: Washington Crossing, New Hope/lambertville, and the bridge that I-95 crosses near Trenton. You can leave NJ – but you have to pay to go into Jersey.
Any possibility you might move there…seeing how bad it is to live in America and all?
briansd1
January 11, 2011 @
2:07 PM
Djshakes wrote:
Any [quote=Djshakes]
Any possibility you might move there…seeing how bad it is to live in America and all?[/quote]
Like I said before, I will move to Thailand when I retire but I’ll be back to use Medicare. I will actually never retire but I’ll work less.
svelte
March 2, 2011 @
5:43 PM
Coincidently, tonight I Coincidently, tonight I passed a Ford Focus on the way home that had a sticker in the back window that said “ONE LESS PRIUS”. Curious, I googled the phrase and found:
Also, I guess we could argue fair comparisons all night, but it seems to me that a fairer comparison with a Prius would be a car of roughly equivalent size that is not a hybrid.
Base Corolla Invoice $14,700
Base Corolla MPG: 32 MPG (28/35)
Gas used in 200K mi: 6250 gal
Base Prius Invoice: $20,567
Base Prius MPG: 50 MPG (51/48)
Gas used in 200K mi: 4000 gal
Purchase price diff: $5867
Gas price diff in 200K mi: 2250 gal * $3.5/gal = $7875
Savings: $2K over 13 years…and that is if the extra Prius batteries last that long! So it looks like hybrid-driving, tofu-eating, tree-hugging, whale-saving, sandal-wearers will save about $150/year if they drive the typical 15K miles/yr.
Nothing to sneeze at, I guess. And I love trees, too. 🙂
EmilyHicks
March 2, 2011 @
8:04 PM
Saving $150 a year, what is Saving $150 a year, what is wrong with that? How about not having to import 2,250 gallons of gas from the politically volatile Mid-East?
Why do you assume that a person who drives a prius is tofu-eating, tree-hugging, whale-saving, sandal-wearers?
briansd1
March 3, 2011 @
12:10 AM
Plenty of Americans don’t Plenty of Americans don’t know what tofu is. I pity them.
Ren
March 4, 2011 @
10:58 AM
EmilyHicks wrote:How about [quote=EmilyHicks]How about not having to import 2,250 gallons of gas from the politically volatile Mid-East?[/quote]
Just an FYI:
A large percentage of our oil (40%?) is produced domestically, and of the oil we do import, the majority comes from non-mid-east sources – something like 70% is from Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela.
It’s not a stretch to imagine that we could eventually be free of the mid-east dependency.
svelte
March 4, 2011 @
11:10 AM
Ren wrote:EmilyHicks [quote=Ren][quote=EmilyHicks]How about not having to import 2,250 gallons of gas from the politically volatile Mid-East?[/quote]
Just an FYI:
A large percentage of our oil (40%?) is produced domestically, and of the oil we do import, the majority comes from non-mid-east sources – something like 70% is from Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela.
It’s not a stretch to imagine that we could eventually be free of the mid-east dependency.[/quote]
I’m guessing you don’t understand how preposterous it sounds to advocate sending $21K (for a Prius) to a foreign country to save spending $7800 (for oil) to another foreign country.
That’s not even taking into account that not all oil is foreign.
EmilyHicks
March 4, 2011 @
2:13 PM
Not all of the oil we used Not all of the oil we used are imported, but any less oil not used is deducted from import because we use domestic oil first.
Yes, there is a big difference between Japan and Saudi Arabia. 17 of the 911 attackers are from this country.
[quote=svelte][quote=Ren][quote=EmilyHicks]How about not having to import 2,250 gallons of gas from the politically volatile Mid-East?[/quote]
Just an FYI:
A large percentage of our oil (40%?) is produced domestically, and of the oil we do import, the majority comes from non-mid-east sources – something like 70% is from Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela.
It’s not a stretch to imagine that we could eventually be free of the mid-east dependency.[/quote]
I’m guessing you don’t understand how preposterous it sounds to advocate sending $21K (for a Prius) to a foreign country to save spending $7800 (for oil) to another foreign country.
That’s not even taking into account that not all oil is foreign.[/quote]
blahblahblah
March 4, 2011 @
2:35 PM
EmilyHicks wrote:
Yes, there [quote=EmilyHicks]
Yes, there is a big difference between Japan and Saudi Arabia. 17 of the 911 attackers are from this country.[/quote]
All of the Pearl Harbor attackers were from the other one.
svelte
March 12, 2011 @
2:59 PM
EmilyHicks wrote:Yes, there [quote=EmilyHicks]Yes, there is a big difference between Japan and Saudi Arabia. 17 of the 911 attackers are from this country.
[/quote]
That is an activity condoned by the country’s government, unlike the 911 bombers whose actions are not condoned by Saudi Arabia.
It sounds to me like you have something against Arabs…that is your choice and you are certainly not alone. But don’t count me in on hating a whole country for the actions of a few. If you are going to hate Saudi Arabia for 17 individuals, why do you not hold Dec 7, 1941 against Japan?
Also, Tim McVeigh was from the good old US of A. Maybe you should not buy any electricity for your home from that country. Same logic you used to hate Saudi Arabia, isn’t it?
Arraya
March 4, 2011 @
11:10 AM
We supply about 30% We supply about 30% domestically and it should remain steady as long as prices remain high. New technologies allow us to exploit some new hard to get “unconventional” oils. We need above $65 per barrel for it to remain viable. It should offset the declines of our domestic conventional for some time. Both Mexico and Venezuela are declining. Mexico will stop exporting in less than 5 years. Canada can’t really ramp up all that much because of the type of oil it is and all it entails.
enron_by_the_sea
March 4, 2011 @
3:10 PM
Ren wrote:EmilyHicks [quote=Ren][quote=EmilyHicks]How about not having to import 2,250 gallons of gas from the politically volatile Mid-East?[/quote]
Just an FYI:
A large percentage of our oil (40%?) is produced domestically, and of the oil we do import, the majority comes from non-mid-east sources – something like 70% is from Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela.
It’s not a stretch to imagine that we could eventually be free of the mid-east dependency.[/quote]
I don’t understand this line of reasoning.
Let’s say we get 100% of our oil consumption domestically. How long will that last? 5 years? Then what?
After that, let’s say that we decide to get it from tar sands in Canada, deep water in Brazil/Gulf and from tar sands of Hugo Chavez. Be advised that none of this unconventional oil will cost below $100/bbl.
There is absolutely no basis for the assertion that we need not make any changes here and we can still get all the cheap oil we want forever from outside the middle east!
blahblahblah
March 3, 2011 @
2:16 PM
svelte wrote:
Purchase price [quote=svelte]
Purchase price diff: $5867
Gas price diff in 200K mi: 2250 gal * $3.5/gal = $7875
Savings: $2K over 13 years…and that is if the extra Prius batteries last that long! So it looks like hybrid-driving, tofu-eating, tree-hugging, whale-saving, sandal-wearers will save about $150/year if they drive the typical 15K miles/yr.
Nothing to sneeze at, I guess. And I love trees, too. :-)[/quote]
I’m sure gas is always gonna be $3.50/gallon for the next 13 years.
Coronita
March 3, 2011 @
5:48 AM
1) Eating too much soy is not 1) Eating too much soy is not necessarily good for you.
2) Toyota needs to work on Prius’s (Prii? ) aesthetics…And they need to make the thing remotely drivable with decent acceleration and handling.
3) The Chevy Volt equally butt ugly.
4) I hope this goes into production… Estimated $50k
There is a reason male There is a reason male budhist monks eat soy all day. It is to reduce testosterone and desire. Hope this doesn’t scare anyone out there :).
Unfortunately acceleration and fuel economy don’t go togetther. With 120 hp, I think it is enough for most people. There is a reason the Corolla and Camry are so bland, they are designed for the masses. The Prius is also bland for the same reason. And most can’t afford a $50k car.
[quote=flu]1) Eating too much soy is not necessarily good for you.
2) Toyota needs to work on Prius’s (Prii? ) aesthetics…And they need to make the thing remotely drivable with decent acceleration and handling.
3) The Chevy Volt equally butt ugly.
4) I hope this goes into production… Estimated $50k
[quote]
briansd1
March 3, 2011 @
9:49 AM
jimmyle wrote:Unfortunately [quote=jimmyle]Unfortunately acceleration and fuel economy don’t go togetther. With 120 hp, I think it is enough for most people. There is a reason the Corolla and Camry are so bland, they are designed for the masses. The Prius is also bland for the same reason. And most can’t afford a $50k car.
[/quote]
I agree. Most people don’t need, want or can’t afford a performance or enthousiast’s car.
The Prius is a marvel of engineering, mass production and marketing.
Like it or hate it, look at the fit and finish and you’ll be impressed. Like fine China, you may not like the design or pattern, but you can appreciate the quality and workmanship.
I’ve never owned a Prius. But I’m impressed, expecially given that Toyota is selling the car at mass-market prices.
[quote=flu]1) Eating too much soy is not necessarily good for you.
[/quote]
True.
But one really has to be living under a rock to never have tried tofu or know what it is.
Zeitgeist
March 3, 2011 @
4:51 PM
That explains a lot about That explains a lot about Brian.
[quote=flu]1) Eating too much soy is not necessarily good for you.
[/quote]
True.
But one really has to be living under a rock to never have tried tofu or know what it is.[/quote]
temeculaguy
March 4, 2011 @
12:40 AM
I see this as the actual I see this as the actual soloution
I like the team, a nice mix, harvard professors, clinton’s former chief of staff/obama’s tranistion guy, a national security advisor, some scientists from the genome project, they’ve assembled what looks like far more than some hype to get an IPO going and they brought some of these guys on board after getting a patent for their organism. Political protection, by appointing someone to their board that is close to the reigning power elite. It’s positive conspiracy. And if they can do what say, on a 12-24 month timetable, make diesel directly from lab created organism that essentially shits fuel, lives in grey water and eats emissions. The Prius discussion is over if they can do prove it on large scale. The Middle east goes back to throwing bricks and eating sand and I’m going to get the biggest truck or SUV that detroit can come up with. I miss my 15 mpg 4X4 Ford Expedition, I have driven a Prius as a loaner car from a shop, it’s ok I guess. It was bigger inside than I expected and it was faster than I expected. Yet it was just too small, it just moved me from place to place, but it didn’t move me. A car has to either be able to handle a disaster, be able to take what i can give it, or it has to be fast, or stylin, the prius is none of those things, it’s efficient, that about it. I really hope efficiency stops mattering and I hope the home grown fuel idea works.
Here’s a bit of a hijack, but the dodge/chrysler ads are so good. I may get one of my kids one of these because I love their ads, they bring out the patriot in me. The last one is the reason I can’t get a prius, ever.
Oh, TG….I am so with you Oh, TG….I am so with you buddy.
I hadn’t seen the Eminem commercial until just now, but I have seen one that is a shortened version….it starts with “we’re not NYC…or the windy city…or sin city…and we’re certainly not the Emerald City…we’re the Motor City…and this is what we do”, and has that same awesome music increasing in the background and shots of Detroit.
I’m usually laying on the couch when I see it and by the end of it, I’ve got goosebumps and I’m sitting up if not on my feet. It really talks to me, and I really don’t care much for commercials.
And the Dodge Charger…my sons and their friends are just head over heels with that car…several, including one of my sons, bought one in the last twelve months. It just drips testosterone, and the younger generation gets it. And so do I. 🙂
Buying a car is a very emotional thing for me, and I have to have something that excites me. I spend enough time behind the wheel that I want a huge evil grin on my face every second I’m driving.
Welcome back, Dodge. I’m with ya.
[quote=temeculaguy]I see this as the actual soloution
I like the team, a nice mix, harvard professors, clinton’s former chief of staff/obama’s tranistion guy, a national security advisor, some scientists from the genome project, they’ve assembled what looks like far more than some hype to get an IPO going and they brought some of these guys on board after getting a patent for their organism. Political protection, by appointing someone to their board that is close to the reigning power elite. It’s positive conspiracy. And if they can do what say, on a 12-24 month timetable, make diesel directly from lab created organism that essentially shits fuel, lives in grey water and eats emissions. The Prius discussion is over if they can do prove it on large scale. The Middle east goes back to throwing bricks and eating sand and I’m going to get the biggest truck or SUV that detroit can come up with. I miss my 15 mpg 4X4 Ford Expedition, I have driven a Prius as a loaner car from a shop, it’s ok I guess. It was bigger inside than I expected and it was faster than I expected. Yet it was just too small, it just moved me from place to place, but it didn’t move me. A car has to either be able to handle a disaster, be able to take what i can give it, or it has to be fast, or stylin, the prius is none of those things, it’s efficient, that about it. I really hope efficiency stops mattering and I hope the home grown fuel idea works.
Here’s a bit of a hijack, but the dodge/chrysler ads are so good. I may get one of my kids one of these because I love their ads, they bring out the patriot in me. The last one is the reason I can’t get a prius, ever.
svelte wrote:Oh, TG….I am [quote=svelte]Oh, TG….I am so with you buddy.
I hadn’t seen the Eminem commercial until just now, but I have seen one that is a shortened version….it starts with “we’re not NYC…or the windy city…or sin city…and we’re certainly not the Emerald City…we’re the Motor City…and this is what we do”, and has that same awesome music increasing in the background and shots of Detroit.
[/quote]
I thought of this thread when I read this article this morning:
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery I guess, but what is outright theft? 🙂
Audi’s claim that it is “not a commercial” is laughable.
On another note, just got done spending a considerable amount of time in Europe and was surprised to find very few Priuses on the streets, as opposed to SoCal where every 15th car is a Prius. With gas costs so high in Europe why aren’t they more popular?
Coronita
June 4, 2011 @
9:26 PM
svelte wrote:svelte wrote:Oh, [quote=svelte][quote=svelte]Oh, TG….I am so with you buddy.
I hadn’t seen the Eminem commercial until just now, but I have seen one that is a shortened version….it starts with “we’re not NYC…or the windy city…or sin city…and we’re certainly not the Emerald City…we’re the Motor City…and this is what we do”, and has that same awesome music increasing in the background and shots of Detroit.
[/quote]
I thought of this thread when I read this article this morning:
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery I guess, but what is outright theft? 🙂
Audi’s claim that it is “not a commercial” is laughable.
On another note, just got done spending a considerable amount of time in Europe and was surprised to find very few Priuses on the streets, as opposed to SoCal where every 15th car is a Prius. With gas costs so high in Europe why aren’t they more popular?[/quote]
Hey, though I’m a BMW fanboy now…. Don’t be dogging Audi now… They still got two of my favorite cars, three if you count a prototype.
R8, RS5, and Quattro Coupe concept.. If they ever green light the limited edition Quattro Coupe, I’m sooo getting in line…
svelte
June 7, 2011 @
7:52 PM
flu wrote:
Hey, though I’m a [quote=flu]
Hey, though I’m a BMW fanboy now…. Don’t be dogging Audi now… They still got two of my favorite cars, three if you count a prototype.
[/quote]
Lol, flu. Have you seen the Top Gear show where Jeremy Clarkson said that all the c**ks in the UK have been trading in their BMWs for Audis, so it is safe for normal people to once again by BMWs? 🙂 I’m not implying anything, just thought of that episode when you talk about moving from BMW to Audi.
jstoesz
June 7, 2011 @
8:28 PM
The common rail turbo diesels The common rail turbo diesels are absolutely the greatest thing to hit the car industry in the last generation. They are the near term future if you ask me. Look no further than the diesel Audi R10 TDI le mans car! It is killing it. It is so well they are purposely handicapping it.
The only technology that gets me as excited is the hydraulic hybrid…but that has all sorts of problems. Maybe that is the future for the next generation of cars.
UCGal
June 6, 2011 @
9:40 AM
svelte wrote:
On another [quote=svelte]
On another note, just got done spending a considerable amount of time in Europe and was surprised to find very few Priuses on the streets, as opposed to SoCal where every 15th car is a Prius. With gas costs so high in Europe why aren’t they more popular?[/quote]
Probably because they don’t come in a diesel version. I think the gas conscious in Europe are all driving SMART diesels. In fact, my impression was that the vast majority of cars in Europe are diesel.
svelte
June 7, 2011 @
7:46 PM
UCGal wrote:svelte wrote:
On [quote=UCGal][quote=svelte]
On another note, just got done spending a considerable amount of time in Europe and was surprised to find very few Priuses on the streets, as opposed to SoCal where every 15th car is a Prius. With gas costs so high in Europe why aren’t they more popular?[/quote]
Probably because they don’t come in a diesel version. I think the gas conscious in Europe are all driving SMART diesels. In fact, my impression was that the vast majority of cars in Europe are diesel.[/quote]
Diesels do have about 50% of the European market.
Maybe what that says is that the 50% of Europeans driving diesels don’t feel the Prius offers a MPG advantage over their car.
Still scratching my head over the 50% of Europeans who drive gas cars who aren’t buying Prius. I did see a few, but they were rare enough it was like “oh look! a Prius!” as opposed to here where they are as common as dirt.
eavesdropper
June 7, 2011 @
9:07 PM
svelte wrote:……Still [quote=svelte]……Still scratching my head over the 50% of Europeans who drive gas cars who aren’t buying Prius. I did see a few, but they were rare enough it was like “oh look! a Prius!” as opposed to here where they are as common as dirt.[/quote]
I drive a Prius. Don’t know about the car, but I, most assuredly, am common as dirt.
Seriously, here in the DC area, gas-saving vehicles are just not that popular. In fact, large (and I mean massive!!) pickup trucks are all the rage here. Trucks have been increasing in popularity here over the past ten years, but the number of them on the street has increased exponentially over the past three. People have definitely switched to pickups from their full-size Yukons, Expeditions, Excursions, Armadas, Sequoias, and Tahoes. They’re using them as commuter vehicles and soccer mom rides; increasing gas prices don’t appear to bother their drivers, or curtail their driving at all.
I have a laissez-faire attitude about what people drive. Whatever floats your boat, as long as you don’t text while you drive it (that could endanger MY health). I bought my Prius entirely devoid of noble intentions: I only had eyes for that 50 mpg fuel efficiency. I have not been disappointed: I get min. 48 mpg, and have not had to curtail my gas-wasting driving habits at all.
bubble_contagion
June 7, 2011 @
10:09 PM
eavesdropper wrote: People [quote=eavesdropper] People have definitely switched to pickups from their full-size Yukons, Expeditions, Excursions, Armadas, Sequoias, and Tahoes. They’re using them as commuter vehicles and soccer mom rides; increasing gas prices don’t appear to bother their drivers, or curtail their driving at all.[/quote]
Americans buy pick-ups to get in touch with their inner cowboy. The pick-up truck has become a substitute of the horse. People buy them for image just as they do sport cars.
svelte
June 8, 2011 @
7:54 AM
bubble_contagion [quote=bubble_contagion]
Americans buy pick-ups to get in touch with their inner cowboy. The pick-up truck has become a substitute of the horse. People buy them for image just as they do sport cars.[/quote]
I agree, somewhat. One of my vehicles is a pickup. I don’t have it so much for image as for freedom. I hate relying on someone else – and costing me half a day waiting – to deliver something. If I want something big, I want the freedom to go haul it home right now.
I didn’t understand this until my Dad gave me one of his old trucks. Then a light bulb went off and I haven’t been without one since.
But I’d still like a cowboy hat, just like the one I had when I was five. 🙂
svelte
June 8, 2011 @
7:52 AM
eavesdropper wrote:
I have a [quote=eavesdropper]
I have a laissez-faire attitude about what people drive. Whatever floats your boat, as long as you don’t text while you drive it (that could endanger MY health). [/quote]
Me too. There are definitely some cars that I like better than others, but drive what makes you happy.
I just wished some people had better driving skills, as you elude to.
UCGal
June 8, 2011 @
10:52 AM
eavesdropper wrote:
I drive a [quote=eavesdropper]
I drive a Prius. Don’t know about the car, but I, most assuredly, am common as dirt.
Seriously, here in the DC area, gas-saving vehicles are just not that popular. [/quote]
I have a friend in the dc metro area – her husband got his prius about 10 years ago… not for environmental or image reasons… it was 100% about the carpool lane. LOL.
eavesdropper
June 8, 2011 @
9:23 PM
UCGal wrote:eavesdropper [quote=UCGal][quote=eavesdropper]
I drive a Prius. Don’t know about the car, but I, most assuredly, am common as dirt.
Seriously, here in the DC area, gas-saving vehicles are just not that popular. [/quote]
I have a friend in the dc metro area – her husband got his prius about 10 years ago… not for environmental or image reasons… it was 100% about the carpool lane. LOL.[/quote]
That’s DC for you: chock full of good intentions and sincerity.
Excuse me while I check for a Tweet from Congressman Weiner.
scaredyclassic
June 8, 2011 @
9:55 PM
i was getting my 1980’s honda i was getting my 1980’s honda repaired in a midas shop which was next door to the honda dealership. i looked at the civics, thinking, well, maybe. The mileage on the regular ones is pretty high — 39 hwy. hybrids arent really that much better. might as well just get the cheap civic.
it’s amazing how cheap a cheap honda is. i paid 8200 for mine over 20 years ago, with no a/c, no airbags, no stereo. so figure even then with that equipment it’d be 11,000 or so. Now it’s relatively fully for around 16,000 for the base model. You definitely get a better car, much less than the rate of inflation. I would buy one, but it kills me to pay sales tax and higher insurance.
PLus i got my muffler replaced under a lifetime warranty for a muffler i bought back in 1994. still ahve the paperwork. and its 4th timing belt.
I believe there is a certain coolness in driving a super old beater of a car.
i
temeculaguy
June 8, 2011 @
10:42 PM
walterwhite wrote:
I believe [quote=walterwhite]
I believe there is a certain coolness in driving a super old beater of a car. [/quote]
I’ve been thinking about this statement. There’s nothing cool about driving a beater, there is a certain coolness about not caring what others think. But no A/C, stereo or airbags, now you are punishing yourself.
My last car was bought with my daughter in mind, I let her help pick it out because it would be her car in a few years, thankfully that day is almost upon me. (I have a unique situation where I need to own a car but I barely use it, maybe a few times a month). It wasn’t expensive, but it had air, airbags and a stereo. It wasnt manly, it’s been the butt of many jokes from my friends because it falls into the “chick car” category. I don’t care, it was a sensible decision and a frugal one, bit it’s certainly not “cool.” Also, Minivans arent “cool” but they get better mpg’s than suvs, carry more people and cargo, so if you have little kids they make sense, but dont call them cool. If you are immune to what others think, then you are probably a little cool anyways.
But there comes a time, walter, when you should do something for you, not for how people view you. Right now, not having a car payment is cool for you, having low insurance is cool, paying less for gas is cool. For others, if it’s all someone can afford, that’s cool for them. But Walter, we are almost in the same stage in life, we work hard, we dont borrow much, we live cheap. We save for this and that, we pay for others and we worry at times. But at some point, if you have the money, the balance sheet looks good and the “what ifs” are pretty much covered, it’s okay to buy yourself a nice car. Even one that goes fast, has a loud stereo, maybe costs too much. I’m not talking about leasing a car or buying a car that costs what you make in a year when you don’t have a retirement account. Or a car to cause envy or impres anyone. But something that is fun and makes you happy to go on a drive. Life should have pleasure.
I’m shopping for what car people call a “garage queen.” A used one, even an older one, some are ten years old or even 20 and have very few miles on them because they were weekend cars or cars for people that used mass transit but needed a car for occassional use. I’ve met some retired people who no longer drive but at some point bought the car they always wanted, had it for 20 years, and now that they are saying goodbye to this planet, none of them regret it. The 80 year old guy, selling his 20 year old porsche because he’s moving to an assisted living facility for his last few years didn’t regret those 20 years. He worked for 50 years, paid for his house, put his kids through school, gave more than he took, well, Im glad he had fun. I don’t want to be the 80 year old guy with the 20 year old civic in my garage when I pack it in. I know my kids, they would prefer to inherit 850k each and know dad got the car he wanted once, rather than inherit 900k and know i didn’t. My dad is in his 60’s, and for the first time in his life he bought a sweet ride, nothing sensible about it. He joked that he was having a blast spending my inheritance, but my reply…”have fun pops, but don’t scratch my car.”
Now that is “cool.”
scaredyclassic
June 8, 2011 @
10:56 PM
can’t do it. sorry. just can’t do it. sorry. just can’t. A new car just costs too much.
The next (and probably last) large vehicle expenditure I make will be for a custom handmade steel bicycle with vintage parts from the 60’s and 70’s (in the $5,000 range). All my vehicle lust goes toward custom bicycle paint and custom bends on forks.
I will never replace that civic if the engine and transmission continue to work. Hell who am I kidding, i’ll probably replace those too.
i do care what others think, and I still say it looks kinda cool.
Maybe it’s the cryptic bumper stickers, or the bike rack i never take off, or the squished in bumper, or the peeling paint, the dented roof. the seats in decay. the peeled off plastic on the interior revealing further plastic beneath.
I like that the car irritates. Normal people cannot stand that i drive this eyesore. It’s an affront to consumerism, to upward mobility, to circulating cash in the economy, and to all cars that smell decent.
I mean, this car just stinks inside. Really stinks.
It’s also partly about loyalty. I read a book called DRIVE YOUR CAR FOREVER when i bought the car in 1988, and the book said you should personify your car, so you will take better care of it. How could I just ditch Yojimbo? (named for famous Kurosawa film). It won’t be a 20 year old civic by the time I’m 80. It’ll be more like 50. 30 more years or so at an averagee of 7,000 miles a year, that would put it at 450,000 miles total. that sounds reasonable.
screw a/c, I don’t need it.
jstoesz
June 8, 2011 @
11:20 PM
I agree old beater cars are I agree old beater cars are cool.
I am driving a 10 year old honda CR-V with 200k on it. Never done anything but routine maintenance.
Whats cool about beater cars is, you don’t care about them. My car could be dirty, I could tear a seat open loading skis, or fill it with mildew from a weekend of hauling wet gear. But I just don’t care. I can’t see myself doing that with a 50k acura, not to mention the fact that I would just feel way to self conscious with a nice expensive car. I guess it just doesn’t fit the image I have of myself.
But seriously, bring on the diesels. Come on people, I am trying to initiate a thread drift to diesel engines. Did anyone look up that Le Mans audi? It is simply ridiculous.
Then you do understand but Then you do understand but you are refusing to admit it. The mention of a bicycle that costs 50x what most bicycles cost affirms your ability to have passion for something and exposes you to attck about consumerism. Don’t hate, dont be cliche and don’t stereotype just because your passion lies elsewhere. I have a couple of costco MOTIV $100 bicycles that I bought ten years ago, and they work fine and will outlast your honda.
My previous bike was a schwinn beach cruiser that gave me twenty loyal years of service with only gear. But you don’t see me flinging labels like consumerism on you or touting my ability to go against the grain, so you have to accept my desire for a cool car that doesn’t make sense. Just admit it, you are scared to drive an ass magnet, a lot of married guys are, it’s ok.
And there is nothing cool about my bike.
Nor is there anything cool about my 10 year old golden bear costco golf clubs, I get teased on a weekly basis, believe me. But if you want to haul your 5k bike on your $500 car, go ahead, and I’ll haul my $100 bike or my $200 clubs in my 911 cabrio (used of course), don’t for a minute think you are better than me, just different. BTW, scardey, when are we getting a pint at Kilarney’s, its time.
scaredyclassic
June 9, 2011 @
8:11 AM
I accept that. I don’t think I accept that. I don’t think I was claiming to be better, just irritating, different and against the normal grain, at least in Southern California, but not, say Portland. I’m also willing to accept that ranting about the evils of cars is kind of cliche and ridiculous. See link below.
the above- linked episode of PORTLANDIA where there’s this extremely angry cyclist screaming at cars as he rides around portland (in a humorous way), well, I definitely have some of that in me. I just occasionally scream that stuff inside my own head. The guy is completely ridiculous above, and I am only substantially ridiculous day-to-day.
I am willing to accept that a $5,000 bike can only be the product of a lust for beautiful things that work well, consumerism, but perhaps not quite as disposable. A guy can keep a bike for 30 years, nd have basically the same bike with minimal maintenance. A car, not really. That said, however…
The middle class consumerist impulses seem to be moving toward handcrafted archival extremely beautiful individual things, like handmade bicycles (or beer, for that matter), so maybe I’m even more cliche and mainstream than the guy who get a porsche.
though of a different order of magnitude than home purchasing, my refusal to discard our menagerie of heavily used cars bugs my wife. I have an inherited 98, a 2004 minivan we bought new for cash, and of course the classic Honda. She believes we should start over with brand new BMWs and that I spend “too much” on car repair.
Well, I’ve tallied the receipts, and these cars cost on average 80-100 month in repair and maintenance. Just dirt cheap compared to the capital or financing costs of a newer car, the sales tax, the added insurance, higher registration fees, the depreciation, and etc. I know, life isn’t all about money, etc etc., butthere’s no way I could pay cash for a new BMW and not vomit. And there’s no way I want to make a monthly payment.
Still, she says, why on earth did you spend $600 to repair a car that smells like dog puke? She’s got a point, particularly since I doubt I could sell the car for much more than $600. can I just get rid of it because it smells like dog puke. Where does this end? Should my wife discard me just because I smell? Should i get rid of her if she is old? I understand that these things may be completely unrelated to reality, but, you know, people aren’t necessarily rational.
i hope this isn’t too self-contradictory, but, a $100 new bike is just a little too cheap. In terms of cheap bikes the sweet spot is a bit higher, say 400, or I’d rather get a 400 bike used for 100. it’s not just consumerism, just, well, it’s a lot nicer made with just much better parts for relatively a little bit higher in price. whereas The difference between a 56,500 porche and a 56,800 porsche I’m assuming is not noticeable.
Oil went to over $107 a Oil went to over $107 a barrel today and above $4.5 gasoline is coming in CA this summer. Hate it or love it but suddenly the Prius is becoming economically more attractive to alot of people.
briansd1
March 7, 2011 @
1:26 PM
EmilyHicks wrote:Oil went to [quote=EmilyHicks]Oil went to over $107 a barrel today and above $4.5 gasoline is coming in CA this summer. Hate it or love it but suddenly the Prius is becoming economically more attractive to alot of people.[/quote]
I agree.
But a lot of people are subborn and resistant to change. They want to stick with their way of life, driving big trucks, eating country fried steaks and smoking two packs of cigarettes per day no matter how detrimental that lifestyle is.
temeculaguy
March 8, 2011 @
10:06 PM
briansd1 wrote:But a lot of [quote=briansd1]But a lot of people are subborn and resistant to change. They want to stick with their way of life, driving big trucks, eating country fried steaks and smoking two packs of cigarettes per day no matter how detrimental that lifestyle is.[/quote]
Brian, that came off a little douchy. Don’t hate and don’t stereotype and for god’s sake do not confuse testosterone with low intelligence. I personally love chicken fried steak in moderation, I’m car shopping and a big truck is still on the short list, and if it’s a drinking/golfing/gambling weekend trip with the fellas, two packs is probably not enough.
Embrace your man self, don’t hide from it. You can have it all, don’t listen to those granola girls, they are lying to you, when they sleep with you, they are imagining a guy who doesn’t drive a prius.
I promise, you can watch a subtitled foreign film, have fruit for breakfast, run on the treadmill, discuss politics, vote for gay marriage, clean your gun, stare discreetly at a woman with big boobs, watch sports, watch porn, read good books, drive a gas guzzler, let the hair on chest grow, put big tires on your truck, learn about a different culture every day, pet the dog, buy a table saw, install wood floors by yourself, learn to weld, rock a burberry suit and tie, keep three active windows on your desktop (piggington, espn, and the naked website of your preference), put gravy on things, be a good parent, drink good wine while actually tasting and smelling the things the writers write about, appreciate skoal snus and giggle how nobody can tell you are chewing tobacco at cocktail party, wish for peace, be nice to old ladies but still hit the weight stack so that when you see a wrong that needs to be righted, you can kick his ass.
The point is, you don’t need to grow female genitalia to be a modern man of the world. You can contradict expectations and be happy about it. You can be a man, you don’t have to change.
pat-I love electrics but that thing in the video, it’s not really for sale at the local dealer, and it would be nice if it didn’t look like a russian taxi. I love Teslas, I’ve been posting about them for years, I’m just sick of waiting. I don’t care who wins, either the people who want to make fuel from nothing or the people that make a mans car that runs on nothing. Just bring me something. Hell, I’d take a prius if they made a ragtop, I’m easy, I’m just not ready to give up and start menstruating.
svelte, we are simpatico, or at least relics. I hope we are not alone, I also see my son and the other teenagers looking at Detroit steel like I used to. Or maybe we are like the 70 year old guys I see at the golf course who get a new buick every two years just because they want to still believe. I got really scared recently because I actually saw a new buick lacrosse and thought it looked cool, not just a little cool, but I actually thought about test driving one. Then I thought “dear god, you just thought a buick looked cool, it’s probably only a matter of weeks until you need those pills so you don’t pee all the time, you know you have been peeing a lot, maybe you should get that checked, screw it, I think I’m ordering the country fried steak, that sounds good, does that come with gravy and cigarettes.”
patb
March 9, 2011 @
3:22 PM
TG Says
“pat-I love electrics TG Says
“pat-I love electrics but that thing in the video, it’s not really for sale at the local dealer, and it would be nice if it didn’t look like a russian taxi. I love Teslas, I’ve been posting about them for years, I’m just sick of waiting. I don’t care who wins, either the people who want to make fuel from nothing or the people that make a mans car that runs on nothing. Just bring me something. Hell, I’d take a prius if they made a ragtop, I’m easy, I’m just not ready to give up and start menstruating. ”
All i’m saying about the White Zombie is it goes out and kills, Silently. It’s supposed to be ugly. That’s the message. Ugly and Fast.
Now, FWIW, the VOLT is Ramping up so is the Leaf, give it a couple quarters, production will be awesome.
3 Q Toyota will have the Prius C out, which looks sporty.
Honda has the CRZ out which is very sporty.
the trick is as you say, Toyota and Honda need to make a ragtop. Of course if you want to be Ballsy, you could convert one.
svelte
March 12, 2011 @
2:41 PM
temeculaguy wrote:
svelte, we [quote=temeculaguy]
svelte, we are simpatico, or at least relics. I hope we are not alone, I also see my son and the other teenagers looking at Detroit steel like I used to. … Then I thought “dear god, you just thought a buick looked cool, it’s probably only a matter of weeks until you need those pills so you don’t pee all the time, you know you have been peeing a lot, maybe you should get that checked, screw it, I think I’m ordering the country fried steak, that sounds good, does that come with gravy and cigarettes.”[/quote]
lol. I think a lot of people think car guys want nothing but gas powered cars. Not true! I don’t really give a rat’s arse if my car runs on gas, electricity, chicken fat, or banana peels. If it is fun, fast, and stylish (none of which describe the Prius) I’m gonna love it and buy it if the fuel is readily available.
I just think it is a waste of energy to worry too much about our oil supply. At today’s burn rate, we have 50 years of fuel left:
Even if you factor in increased usage, we probably have 30 years. And I have no doubt that we humans will figure out a new source of energy. We’ve done it before! Shoot, 120 years ago we were all riding horses before we discovered dinosaur remains could turn wheels.
I’m as glad as anyone that we are learning how to produce electric cars, fuel cells, etc. Shoot, I’m mad at the US for not requiring all new homes to have solar cells on the roofs. That would have a HUGE impact on our resource usage!
No, I’ll save my worrying for other things and drive my fast, fun cars while the rest of the world beta tests alternatives.
What I worry about MUCH more is the total impact on this earth by overpopulation. And that is something that over the long haul will do much more damage to mother earth than the rate at which we deplete the dinosaur remains, believe me. Why don’t people talk about overpopulation?
The in thing right now is to worry about oil – my guess is that is because it has an immediate, direct impact on people’s wallets (which is also why this topic resurrects each time oil prices rise). Things that don’t impact their wallet right now today – such as the disasterous consequences of adding billions more people to the earth – are ignored. Humans are short sighted.
(ps – I don’t smoke or eat beef or pork. I don’t really fit in any molds. And I would never, ever buy a Buick. My 25 yo daughter in law bought one last month and brought it over to show me – I about fainted! It’s a beautiful car and I’m happy for her, but I would have never expected her to buy one. I still don’t quite know what to say – I guess I hold onto prejudices wrt Buick that I need to let go of one day. But not today.)
afx114
March 3, 2011 @
11:28 AM
jimmyle wrote:The Prius is [quote=jimmyle]The Prius is also bland for the same reason.[/quote]
The Prius is bland in order to reduce drag and increase mileage. There is a reason that all of these efficient cars are ugly: function over form.
briansd1
March 3, 2011 @
12:44 PM
Talking about function over Talking about function over form…
Look at the old modern/mid-century buildings. You may think that they are old and unattractive. That’s due to lack of manufacturing prowess and the quality of materials used. But the architectural designs are very beautiful and functional at the same time.
Simplicity and funtionality can be beautiful and very estetically pleasing.
In the Prius, Toyota offers precision manufacturing combined with innovative engineering and design.
If you appreciate quality and workmanship, next time you see a new Prius, look at the stamping of the creases in the metal and plastic bumpers. Look at the narrow, precise, and even gaps in between body panels. That’s the kind of precision that Toyota offers at an affordable, mass-market price.
Compare the precision of Toyota to a GM/Ford product offered at the same price.
PS: In real estate, look at the quality of drywall installs. See how baseboards are installed. Are the gaps filled with caulk to hide the sloppy workmanship? Are the tiles evenly set with precision?
Coronita
March 12, 2011 @
3:38 PM
Screw gas mileage…. Screw gas mileage….
Sigh….
2012 650 coupe (released)
svelte
March 12, 2011 @
4:21 PM
I love that car, flu! I saw I love that car, flu! I saw that pic of it in red today and stared for 5 min. Really, really nice. They had a silver one at the LA Auto Show, but red is definitely better.
Veritas
June 4, 2011 @
8:23 PM
flu wrote:Screw gas [quote=flu]Screw gas mileage….
Sigh….
2012 650 coupe (released)
[/quote]
Awesome!
gromit
June 10, 2011 @
10:50 AM
When people make sweeping When people make sweeping generalizations about how they hate an entire group of people (I hate Prius owners, I hate Republicans, I hate people who eat peanut butter…) it usually says more about that person’s fears and projections than about the people they hate.
I’m a Prius owner and lover, and here’s one reason why (I sure hope this works so I don’t look like the technophobe I am):
[img_assist|nid=15020|title=MPG|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=76]
scaredyclassic
June 12, 2011 @
9:29 AM
i don’t hate prius owners, i don’t hate prius owners, but i do kind of hate the prius. There was an article in THE NEW YORKER about an economist whose research basically says that increasing efficiency of energy actually causes us to use more energy.
Makes sense; i think he gave the example of candles — light at night used to be a very expensive, precious commodity. Now we sometimes leave the goddamn light on all night in the food pantry, something not conceivable in the 16th c.
So having a more efficient car isn’t really any particular cause for celebration. It’s the same trajectory of excess energy use, probably even faster, which sin’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s just not helping anything, other than your own personal finances, which is fine. sure doesn’t seem to me like buying a hybrid really pays off in any kind of reasonable time, as compared to a better fridge or CFL lightbulbs or my beloved pool pump. Not that i feel self-righteous about my pool pump. but i do love that damn pool pump.
I wonder if there are people out there in other chat groups who hate me for owning a Pentair Intelliflo pool pump.
im somewhat realted news, I rode my bike to work 10 miles each way 3 days last week, hilly, dirt road, gorgeous, probably in the top 10% of all bike commutes in the nation for sheer amazingness. Probably not that many people hate me for that because there are almost no cars for me to slightly impede on their way to wherever they’re going.
bearishgurl
June 12, 2011 @
10:40 AM
walterwhite wrote:…im [quote=walterwhite]…im somewhat realted news, I rode my bike to work 10 miles each way 3 days last week, hilly, dirt road, gorgeous, probably in the top 10% of all bike commutes in the nation for sheer amazingness. Probably not that many people hate me for that because there are almost no cars for me to slightly impede on their way to wherever they’re going.[/quote]
Good for YOU, scaredy! Sounds like you have it made as far as your “work commute,” lol! And you’ve got to have very strong legs to do it. I certainly couldn’t :=0
scaredyclassic
June 12, 2011 @
11:22 AM
you could do it. the first you could do it. the first week you ride one mile. the second week 2 miles. the third week 3 miles. then you rest a little. then the 5th week four miles. 6 months later, we’re riding to work!
Aecetia
June 14, 2011 @
7:30 PM
“Electric cars may portray “Electric cars may portray themselves as ‘zero emissions’ but the overall pollution they generate can be almost as great as a frugal conventional diesel car, consumer watchdogs said today.”
Did you see the new F10 M5???
Holy @#$@#$@#$@#@$@#$@#$
Must talk to Dinan…Must talk to Dinan….
Official 2012 BMW M5 images have leaked onto the Internet as the latest iteration of the legendary M model prepares to charge toward showrooms. The F10 M5 is flared and aero-ed up with bodywork that maintains a buttoned-up demeanor even as it radiates aggression. Onlookers can tell the M5 is a special car with its enlarged air intakes in the front fascia, quartet of tailpipes and 20-inch wheels with Z-rated tires, but it doesn’t need to be festooned with wings and bling to make its point.
The 2012 M5 is about more than mere surface beauty, after all. The sonorous V10 of the last M5 has been traded out for a twin-turbocharged V8 fist. Power is up, with 552 horsepower (the V10 produced 507 hp) coming on at 6,000 rpm – 1,750 rpm lower than the V10. Torque is hugely boosted from 383 pound-feet to 501 lb-ft, which will be great for shoving this car to 60 miles per hour in a reported 4.4 seconds. That’ll route to the rear wheels via a standard dual-clutch transmission, though a proper six-speed stick will reportedly be available here in the United States.
look at that beauty. rene herse was a french bicycle maker in the 50, 60s died, americans in colorado bought the name from some heirs and are trying to do handmade homages to thsi retro styling, some with 650b tires, a tire size recently extinct, french euro mid century wheel size that had all but vanished. now new handmade 650b superpremium tires arise from the ashes.
talk about weird, pretentious consumption, man I want one. french extinct retro improved reproductions.
not really like a french deux cv. hard to explain….
briansd1
August 13, 2011 @
11:30 AM
Coming back from way out in Coming back from way out in East County, I encountered this Prius.
The older white male driver had the cruise control set at 55mph in the fast lane and he was not budging. I passed him on the right side.
There was a Duncan Hunter bumper sticker and a huge God Bless America sticker on the side window.
I guess this driver who likely commutes from East County doesn’t believe in drill-baby-drill or that driving a small Japanese car is emasculating.
[img_assist|nid=15234|title=Right Wing Prius Owner|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=600|height=480]
Coronita
August 13, 2011 @
11:43 AM
briansd1 wrote:Coming back [quote=briansd1]Coming back from way out in East County, I encountered this Prius.
The older white male driver had the cruise control set at 55mph in the fast lane and he was not budging. I passed him on the right side.
There was a Duncan Hunter bumper sticker and a huge God Bless America sticker on the side window.
I guess this driver who likely commutes from East County doesn’t believe in drill-baby-drill or that driving a small Japanese car is emasculating.
[/quote]
Not cool to post someone else’s car picture with the actual plate still on it you know…
But then again, probably not so much concern when it ‘s a prius.
svelte
August 13, 2011 @
12:31 PM
flu wrote:
Not cool to post [quote=flu]
Not cool to post someone else’s car picture with the actual plate still on it you know…
[/quote]
Says the man who, just two posts back, posted a photo of someone else’s car with the actual plate on it.
briansd1
August 13, 2011 @
12:36 PM
Ok I fixed it.
I needed a pic Ok I fixed it.
I needed a pic to prove it because people think that Prius drivers are granola munching, tree hugger liberals.
Coronita
August 13, 2011 @
1:16 PM
briansd1 wrote:Ok I fixed [quote=briansd1]Ok I fixed it.
I needed a pic to prove it because people think that Prius drivers are granola munching, tree hugger liberals.[/quote]
no you didn’t fix it.
and yes, people who buy prii for all sorts or reasons, none of them which I could personally like myself.. But whatever floats peoples boats.
eavesdropper
August 13, 2011 @
4:18 PM
flu wrote:briansd1 wrote:Ok I [quote=flu][quote=briansd1]Ok I fixed it.
I needed a pic to prove it because people think that Prius drivers are granola munching, tree hugger liberals.[/quote]
no you didn’t fix it.
and yes, people who buy prii for all sorts or reasons, none of them which I could personally like myself.. But whatever floats peoples boats.[/quote]
I bought a Prius so that I could afford to float a boat.
EconProf
August 14, 2011 @
8:24 AM
TOUCHE! TOUCHE!
svelte
August 14, 2011 @
12:11 PM
eavesdropper wrote:
I bought [quote=eavesdropper]
I bought a Prius so that I could afford to float a boat.[/quote]
November 13, 2009 @ 2:36 PM
I admit it, I’m a Prius
I admit it, I’m a Prius hater.
Actually, I hate everything that is “me too!” and Prius definitely falls in the category now. Plus the smugness of the owners. Plus the homeliness of the cars.
I must admit that Prius drivers are not slow though – I have no problem with them on the freeway. As opposed to the prior “me too” econobox the old Beetle…those damn things held me up every time I drove. Can’t say that about the Prius.
(one more point: many Prius owners live two to three times my 15 miles to work….in reality, they use MORE natural resources to drive than I do! If they were really ecologically friendly and not just concerned with image, they’d move closer to work…)
(okay one more: I realize that not all Prius owners fit into the categories I lambast above…)
May 4, 2010 @ 7:54 AM
It finally happened today. I
It finally happened today. I got rear ended by a Ford F150. The idiot was one second behind me in the right most lane driving 70+ mpg near the Palomar Airport exit on the 5. As another idiot cut me off trying to exit at the last moment so I had to brake and then I got hit. I was able to drive to work but I probably need a new car.
I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. But the Ford Fusion hybrid is just ugly to me. I wish they make a Focus hybrid or something. I might try the Civic hybrid.
May 4, 2010 @ 11:25 AM
EmilyHicks wrote:It finally
[quote=EmilyHicks]It finally happened today. I got rear ended by a Ford F150. The idiot was one second behind me in the right most lane driving 70+ mpg near the Palomar Airport exit on the 5. As another idiot cut me off trying to exit at the last moment so I had to brake and then I got hit. I was able to drive to work but I probably need a new car.
I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. But the Ford Fusion hybrid is just ugly to me. I wish they make a Focus hybrid or something. I might try the Civic hybrid.[/quote]
Emily, hope you survived intact, and please know that I empathize. Back in February I was hit by a GMC Yukon while driving my Prius. Deliberately hit. The Yukon, with a prominently-displayed “Handicapped” placard hanging from its rearview mirror (but having no state-issued license plates indicating that status), was driven by a 64 yr-old woman, who readily admitted to the investigating officers that she was “really pissed off” because I “kept changing lanes”. I had changed lanes 3 times over a two-mile stretch of suburban road, to avoid slow traffic entering from the strip malls that lined the highway. Each of the 2 times I moved into the left (passing) lane, her car was at least 30 yards behind me. The second time I moved into the left lane, I saw her accelerate markedly (from about 35 mph to 50 mph) until she was right on my bumper. Because there were three cars in front of me, she had to slow down to the 40 mph everybody else was going, but she kept creeping up. She’d back off a little, but then I’d hear her revving the engine, and she’d be right back up there until I couldn’t see the lower part of the Yukon’s grille. I could see her face in my rearview mirror, and, oooh, she was pissed! The third or fourth time she revved the engine she didn’t stop, but collided with my bumper. That must have shocked her into rationality, because she immediately decelerated.
By the time I managed to get her to stop (it was obvious she didn’t want to, but there were witnesses), and I had emerged from my state of incredulity, I was a bit calmer. I got out, saw there was no damage, and proceeded to tell her that, although I found her driving technique a bit extreme, I didn’t plan to pursue any action. She indignantly informed me that she would have to check HER car for damage (I almost laughed out loud at that one!) as she eased her 300+ lbs of “handicapped” bulk out of her 400 horsepower behemoth (a 4 foot drop). She was yelling, “But you kept CHANGING LANES” over and over, even though she admitted that this offense took place nowhere in her vicinity. She honestly believed that she was presenting a legitimate and cogent defense for ramming my car. Fortunately, the police set her straight (although it took 30 minutes), and, thus far, she hasn’t seen fit to firebomb my house or seek remedy for the injustice she suffered at my hands.
Unlike many Prius drivers, I do not obsess over the gas mileage (I’m thrilled at the savings. We get better mileage with the Prius than we do with any of our motorcycles.) I drive the speed limit, and above. If I am not actively passing, I get into the right-hand lane. But I’ve noticed a distinct ratcheting-up of aggression on the part of drivers of big SUVs and trucks. If I’m first off the mark at a red light, or if I pass a slower-moving one on the road, many of their drivers will practically kill themselves (and others) until they get in front of me. It’s almost like they’re defending the honor of their vehicles. I experience the same thing when I’m riding my motorcycle, especially from petite little suburban moms in monster SUVs. They like running me off the road for sport. Suffice it to say that their need to text girlfriends on their cell phones, or check their CrackBerrys, or reset their GPSs, trumps my right to ride in my own lane.
People’s vehicles have become their alter egos: you know – “I’m really a chickenshit, but I’ve got a F-450 SuperDuty dually with a 6.7 PowerStroke V8Turbo Diesel to show that I’m not.” Or “I hate my job at which I’m incompetent, and from which my boss is trying to fire me, but my truck is a parallel universe from which I can pretend I’m Donald Trump.” I want to scream, “It’s just TRANSPORTATION, people”. It gets me from Point A to Point B. In addition to our Prius, we own a Sienna minivan. Best twenty grand I ever spent! Has a peppy V-6, handles like a sporty sedan (no pesky rollovers, even taking sharp curves at 70 mph), and has more cargo room than ANY SUV on the market. When it was younger, I got 27 mpg out of it. We have a country home, and I have no problems driving it in snow, on dirt and gravel, and up and down mountains. And all this for $20,000?! Call me a soccer mom, call me a wimp, call me whatever it takes to makes you feel superior – but, first of all, call me SMART.
Don’t get me wrong: this IS America. People should buy whatever vehicle they want, and that for which they can pay for the fuel, no matter how high in price it rises. I just don’t want them to give me grief about my driving choices. If, for some unknown reason, my choices threaten you, get some therapy. And remember: if you’re choosing a vehicle in an attempt to write checks that your sorry ass can’t cash, they have therapy for that, too.
Emily, I got a kick out of your early post about the guy who made it his mission in life to “torture” Prius drivers with his badass message machine, the enviable and feared Chevy Suburban. I know that you think he was after you, but did you ever think he was just in a hurry to get to the pharmacy before closing? You know – the one that has his Viagra refill and box of extra-small Trojans all bagged and ready to go when he pulls up to the drive-thru. You really must exercise more understanding and compassion. Even when the driver has a pair of latex testicles handing from his boat hitch.
May 4, 2010 @ 11:32 AM
EmilyHicks wrote:It finally
[quote=EmilyHicks]It finally happened today. I got rear ended by a Ford F150. The idiot was one second behind me in the right most lane driving 70+ mpg near the Palomar Airport exit on the 5. As another idiot cut me off trying to exit at the last moment so I had to brake and then I got hit. I was able to drive to work but I probably need a new car.
I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. But the Ford Fusion hybrid is just ugly to me. I wish they make a Focus hybrid or something. I might try the Civic hybrid.[/quote]
That sucks… Hmm, was the dude that hit you the same one that hit jpinpb? What’s up with F150 drivers? 🙂
How about a Ford Fiesta?
May 4, 2010 @ 6:33 PM
EmilyHicks wrote:It finally
[quote=EmilyHicks]It finally happened today. I got rear ended by a Ford F150. The idiot was one second behind me in the right most lane driving 70+ mpg near the Palomar Airport exit on the 5. As another idiot cut me off trying to exit at the last moment so I had to brake and then I got hit. I was able to drive to work but I probably need a new car.
I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. But the Ford Fusion hybrid is just ugly to me. I wish they make a Focus hybrid or something. I might try the Civic hybrid.[/quote]
Good to hear you are okay, Emily. It’s because of these agressive/ignorant drivers that many of us refuse to drive the smaller cars.
Not sure about your passenger situation, but like the OP who loves their Sienna, we also drive a minivan that got a very good safety rating. I think the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, and Kia Sedona all get good ratings. I’ve driven all models, and really like all of them.
Good luck finding your new car, and stay safe!
May 4, 2010 @ 7:39 PM
I have a 2010 Prius with 10K
I have a 2010 Prius with 10K already and highly recommend the car. The car is very high tech with solar panels, keyless entry system and a fully integrated navigation/XM radio/blue-tooth system. It gives me 48-50 MPG. Maintenance is very cheap with oil changes every 10K, $85 tires and brakes that last 100K miles because the car uses mostly the regenerative braking system. A very practical car that is easy to drive and gives a mellow and silent driving experience. Perfect for SoCal city driving. Read why the Prius is the most important car ever made:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36738965/ns/business-the_big_money//from/ET
PS If I would have bought a 2000 Prius I could now be called a visionary. Imagine for how much you will be able to sell a 2000 Prius in mint condition in 10-12 years when all cars are hybrids. Even Ferrari and BMW are now offering hybrids. The 2000 Prius will become a classic at a global scale.
May 4, 2010 @ 10:36 PM
bubble_contagion wrote:I have
[quote=bubble_contagion]I have a 2010 Prius with 10K already and highly recommend the car. The car is very high tech with solar panels, keyless entry system and a fully integrated navigation/XM radio/blue-tooth system. It gives me 48-50 MPG. Maintenance is very cheap with oil changes every 10K, $85 tires and brakes that last 100K miles because the car uses mostly the regenerative braking system. A very practical car that is easy to drive and gives a mellow and silent driving experience. Perfect for SoCal city driving. Read why the Prius is the most important car ever made:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36738965/ns/business-the_big_money//from/ET
PS If I would have bought a 2000 Prius I could now be called a visionary. Imagine for how much you will be able to sell a 2000 Prius in mint condition in 10-12 years when all cars are hybrids. Even Ferrari and BMW are now offering hybrids. The 2000 Prius will become a classic at a global scale.[/quote]
I don’t own a Prius but it’s a very advanced car.
The manufacturing quality on the new Prius shows I’m a detail oriented person; and when I look at the precise creases on the body panels, I can’t help but admire Toyota’s manufacturing prowess.
May 7, 2010 @ 5:33 AM
EmilyHicks wrote:I like the
[quote=EmilyHicks]I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. [/quote]
That’s one of the reasons I got rid of the Miata.
I got tired of coming up to stoplights, looking over and seeing the rub strip on a Toyota Sequoia at eye level! I couldn’t even see the head of the soccer mom driving, so she probably couldn’t see me. I felt I’d probably get run over one day.
(the other reason I sold it: it had what I called the 65 mph shimmy….found out after I bought it, that defect is well known in the Miata community. I had rims replaced, tires balanced, suspension checked over. Still shimmied like crazy between 65 and 70 MPH)
May 7, 2010 @ 11:09 AM
svelte wrote:EmilyHicks
[quote=svelte][quote=EmilyHicks]I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. [/quote]
That’s one of the reasons I got rid of the Miata.
I got tired of coming up to stoplights, looking over and seeing the rub strip on a Toyota Sequoia at eye level! I couldn’t even see the head of the soccer mom driving, so she probably couldn’t see me. I felt I’d probably get run over one day.
(the other reason I sold it: it had what I called the 65 mph shimmy….found out after I bought it, that defect is well known in the Miata community. I had rims replaced, tires balanced, suspension checked over. Still shimmied like crazy between 65 and 70 MPH)[/quote]
That sucks large. Having to drive your Miata at 55 or 60 mph on the PCH kind of defeats the purpose of having a Miata. Unless one buys a Miata for image (i.e., a vanity Miata).
Thanks for the heads-up. The Miata is my husband’s fantasy car. We can strike that one off the 25 or 30 on his vehicle wish list.
May 7, 2010 @ 1:45 PM
eavesdropper wrote:The Miata
[quote=eavesdropper]The Miata is my husband’s fantasy car. We can strike that one off the 25 or 30 on his vehicle wish list.[/quote]
Don’t deprive your husband of his dream car. That’s a cheap fantasy car. Let him have it.
Keep in mind that cars change with each new model. The new model is not same as the old model.
I don’t own a Miata, but I hear that they are the best handling cars out there, for the price.
http://www.specmiata.com/
May 7, 2010 @ 1:50 PM
(the other reason I sold it:
Stock rims or aftermarket? There are ways to ‘mod’ the suspension to remove fix the shimmy.. but it is not a simple task. The mount point for the coilspring-shock mount on the car may need to be moved back to the driver-changing the projected steering axis point forward. This would make the steering a little ‘heavier’ but reduce shimmy.
Has your husband looked at the Honda S2000? In my opinion, a much better car. Part of the reason why it keeps its value. Of course, you could do a ‘Boss Frog’ conversion on your Miata. Nothing like a corvette V8 powered Miata to warp your sensibilities.
May 7, 2010 @ 7:11 PM
eavesdropper wrote:
Thanks
[quote=eavesdropper]
Thanks for the heads-up. The Miata is my husband’s fantasy car. We can strike that one off the 25 or 30 on his vehicle wish list.[/quote]
Well, please don’t have him cross it off his list.
I bought one the first year – a 1990 Miata. It’s been quite awhile, but if memory serves they had pretty much solved the shimmy problem by the time the 1995 models were out.
I could even see me getting another new one someday…my 4th bay is empty right now. 🙁
But I’ll be sure to test drive it at 55-60 MPH looking for that shimmy!! And I’ll get A/C this time around (I was stupid and thought a/c wasn’t necessary in a convertible – oh how wrong I was).
May 7, 2010 @ 8:50 PM
svelte wrote:eavesdropper
[quote=svelte][quote=eavesdropper]
Thanks for the heads-up. The Miata is my husband’s fantasy car. We can strike that one off the 25 or 30 on his vehicle wish list.[/quote]
Well, please don’t have him cross it off his list.
I bought one the first year – a 1990 Miata. It’s been quite awhile, but if memory serves they had pretty much solved the shimmy problem by the time the 1995 models were out.
I could even see me getting another new one someday…my 4th bay is empty right now. 🙁
But I’ll be sure to test drive it at 55-60 MPH looking for that shimmy!! And I’ll get A/C this time around (I was stupid and thought a/c wasn’t necessary in a convertible – oh how wrong I was).[/quote]
Mazdaspeed Miata…Yummmeeeee. Now if someone would just tell Mazda engineers to stop putting those smiley looking faces on the front facet of these newer cars……I mean, yeah it’s funny the first time. But not if you do this to every model in your product line….
Smile!
And Smile again…
And again…
Forgot one…
Say ah…..
One more time…
May 7, 2010 @ 11:20 AM
svelte wrote:EmilyHicks
[quote=svelte][quote=EmilyHicks]I like the new Prius but I don’t know if I like big SUVs and Trucks trying to run me over. [/quote]
That’s one of the reasons I got rid of the Miata.
I got tired of coming up to stoplights, looking over and seeing the rub strip on a Toyota Sequoia at eye level! I couldn’t even see the head of the soccer mom driving, so she probably couldn’t see me. I felt I’d probably get run over one day. [/quote]
Okay, (fully recognizing the limitations of the Miata) imagine not having the protective metal around you, and looking at that Sequoia rub strip…..and seeing it start to come across that white line to your right…..
Welcome to my world. When I’m on a motorcycle, apparently I really am invisible, based on the actions of some of the drivers with whom (I am told) I share the road.
May 5, 2010 @ 12:42 AM
svelte wrote:
I admit it,
[quote=svelte]
I admit it, I’m a Prius hater.
Actually, I hate everything that is “me too!” and Prius definitely falls in the category now. Plus the smugness of the owners. Plus the homeliness of the cars.
[/quote]
I take exception to your statement, however. I may be homely, but my Prius ain’t.
May 5, 2010 @ 7:22 AM
eavesdropper wrote:svelte
[quote=eavesdropper][quote=svelte]
I admit it, I’m a Prius hater.
Actually, I hate everything that is “me too!” and Prius definitely falls in the category now. Plus the smugness of the owners. Plus the homeliness of the cars.
[/quote]
I take exception to your statement, however. I may be homely, but my Prius ain’t.[/quote]
lol, well you’d probably call my cars homely too – it’s all a matter of preferences.
I’m thankful we don’t all like the same thing, else it would be a pretty boring world with everybody living in identical houses, driving identical cars, wearing identical clothes…
And I have no doubt not all Prius owners are smug. My question, though, is why didn’t you buy one of the dozen other hybrids on the market? All of them (except the Honda Insight) are built on bodies that look just like their gas-only equivalent: Civic, Camry, Fusion, etc. Why did you find it necessary to buy the one body style that only comes as a hybrid (thus screams “I’m a hybrid” when you see it)?
May 5, 2010 @ 9:05 AM
Prius (50mpg) has better gas
Prius (50mpg) has better gas mileage than insight (40), camry (34), and fusion (39). Camry and Fusion are also way more expensive than Prius (30K+) vs (22K). Insight is very disappointing. It is smaller inside, lighter, and has worst gas mileage.
[quote=svelte][quote=eavesdropper][quote=svelte]
I admit it, I’m a Prius hater.
Actually, I hate everything that is “me too!” and Prius definitely falls in the category now. Plus the smugness of the owners. Plus the homeliness of the cars.
[/quote]
I take exception to your statement, however. I may be homely, but my Prius ain’t.[/quote]
lol, well you’d probably call my cars homely too – it’s all a matter of preferences.
I’m thankful we don’t all like the same thing, else it would be a pretty boring world with everybody living in identical houses, driving identical cars, wearing identical clothes…
And I have no doubt not all Prius owners are smug. My question, though, is why didn’t you buy one of the dozen other hybrids on the market? All of them (except the Honda Insight) are built on bodies that look just like their gas-only equivalent: Civic, Camry, Fusion, etc. Why did you find it necessary to buy the one body style that only comes as a hybrid (thus screams “I’m a hybrid” when you see it)?[/quote]
May 5, 2010 @ 10:55 AM
svelte wrote:eavesdropper
[quote=svelte][quote=eavesdropper][quote=svelte]
I admit it, I’m a Prius hater.
Actually, I hate everything that is “me too!” and Prius definitely falls in the category now. Plus the smugness of the owners. Plus the homeliness of the cars.
[/quote]
I take exception to your statement, however. I may be homely, but my Prius ain’t.[/quote]
lol, well you’d probably call my cars homely too – it’s all a matter of preferences.
I’m thankful we don’t all like the same thing, else it would be a pretty boring world with everybody living in identical houses, driving identical cars, wearing identical clothes…
And I have no doubt not all Prius owners are smug. My question, though, is why didn’t you buy one of the dozen other hybrids on the market? All of them (except the Honda Insight) are built on bodies that look just like their gas-only equivalent: Civic, Camry, Fusion, etc. Why did you find it necessary to buy the one body style that only comes as a hybrid (thus screams “I’m a hybrid” when you see it)?[/quote]
Amen to the sentiment in your second paragraph, svelte! (Reminds me of an old Malvina Reynolds song, “Little Boxes”, about postwar development in Daly City) But use caution in voicing that opinion: individuality as expressed in personal choices is often equated these days with being a national security risk.
As for why I bought the Prius, I’ll echo jim’s comments re: price and mileage. I managed to get the price down to a very reasonable level, and the advertised mileage was hard to beat. We’ve been extremely satisfied with our last two Toyotas, so that sealed the deal.
As far as mileage is concerned: so far, so good. The Prius delivers as advertised. Only real complaint: driver’s seat can be very uncomfortable, especially on long road trips
As for the body style, it reminds me of a car I had back in the 80s, a Honda CRX Si. I loved that car! It was a real pocket rocket, and even in the (laughably-termed) souped-up fuel injected model, it got 50 mpg. Of course, it didn’t have a back seat, and its curb weight was probably about 850 pounds, so no wonder! As for the Prius, the thought that it might scream “I’m a hybrid” didn’t sway me; in fact, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I had heard stories of Prius vandalism and was hoping that mine would just kind of blend into the traffic. Not so much, however, that people in much larger vehicles would run over me.
About the term “hybrid”: I think that it is almost always interpreted as the ability to get really exceptional gas mileage, so it’s important to do your research before going to the dealer. For instance, GMC offers the Yukon XL with a 5.3 L V8 with 320 hp that gets 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway. It retails for $41,500. For ten grand more, you can get the Yukon Hybrid, a 6.0 L V8 with 332 HP; it gets a whopping 21 mpg city/22 mpg highway. It also has a towing capacity that is two-thirds that of the standard Yukon XL. Is that hybrid label worth $51,200? I probably wouldn’t think so, but I’m not in the market for a Yukon this week. Again, it comes down to personal choices. But you can save yourself a lot of money if you take advantage of all of the data available on the internet, and make an informed personal choice.
In my case, my peppy 2009 Prius is getting over twice the mileage delivered by my underpowered 4-cyl 2009 Camry. Now thats what I have in mind when I hear the word “hybrid”!
November 13, 2009 @ 2:42 PM
I just got home from work. I
I just got home from work. I was driving back to Carmel Valley and was ready to take the Del Mar Heights exit. As I was coasting at about 60 MPH on the right lane going up hill, a big Suburban with four 40″+ wheels was riding up my tail about 5 feet away. First I thought this guy will change lane and pass me soon but he didn’t for a long time. When I was about 200 ft before the exit, he suddenly changed lane and cut me off quickly (almost got my car) sticking out his arm and middle finger after that.
He raced to the stop light and braked hard. I coasted to the light and was right behind him and I saw a http://www.ihatetheprius.com sticker. What a dick.
November 13, 2009 @ 2:48 PM
It happens to me and my Prius
It happens to me and my Prius every day because I drive at 60-65 mph on the freeway.
November 13, 2009 @ 2:52 PM
The Prius is pretty. I love
The Prius is pretty. I love auto design and the Prius is a modern version of the Citroen DS, which was very advanced for its day.
Prius drivers are slow. Those idiots drivers drivers try to save some gas by blocking traffic. But they are not any worse than the airhead who accelerate and slow down for no reason.
I love the Prius because I love pretty things.
True, Prius drivers are pretty smug but so are Mercedes drivers and Porsche drivers and Ferrari drivers and Hummer drivers.
But that’s OK, I like elitism. What’s wrong with being concerned with image and wanting to be the best in some way? Most of us are image conscious in one way or another. Some like to portray the image that they are not concerned with image, but they are.
November 13, 2009 @ 3:05 PM
I put indifferent because
I put indifferent because there is no ‘like’ category. I don’t ‘love’ the Prius. I find the car interesting and if I had to drive farther to get around, I would probably buy one.
Right now my old K30 pickup (yes lifted with big tires) is doing quite well, though I wish it had taller gears. I don’t tailgate because such trucks don’t have good stopping distances.
I drive it because of all the crazy drivers out there.. Too many soccer moms with attitudes driving SUVs.. I even had one try to force me out of my lane (by changing into my lane when she was even with my vehicle) and only stopped when I hit the horn and she did a double take after looking out her passenger window only showed the bottom half of my drivers door. Lesson – please look before you change lanes. Driving something you think is big is all relative and general courtesy is helpful.
PS: Yes, the K30 is used to carry heavy things as well as off-road periodically. Its my ‘beater’.
You forgot BMW drivers.
November 13, 2009 @ 3:46 PM
We bought one early this
We bought one early this year, it is a nice car. Comfortable, rides well and holds a lot of stuff for a small car. Back when gas got cheap you could get good deals on them. People like to join groups — some people want to join the group that likes to get good gas mileage and other people like to be part of the group that makes fun of the people that like to get good gas mileage. The world is big enough for both.
November 13, 2009 @ 4:07 PM
I would rather drive an
I would rather drive an expensive-fun sports car that gets 20 mpg than drive a boring car that gets 40 mpg. I drive a “Carrera S” and I love it.
November 13, 2009 @ 4:43 PM
57 mpg for me. I can’t get it
57 mpg for me. I can’t get it under 50 mpg.
[quote=NeetaT]I would rather drive an expensive-fun sports car that gets 20 mpg than drive a boring car that gets 40 mpg. I drive a “Carrera S” and I love it.[/quote]
November 13, 2009 @ 4:55 PM
“57 mpg for me. I can’t get
“57 mpg for me. I can’t get it under 50 mpg.”
That’s not good for the oil business!
November 13, 2009 @ 5:10 PM
In January my Prius will be
In January my Prius will be six years old. I’m really surprised I’ve owned it so long. It’s like a golf cart with good acceleration from the traffic lights, don’t even think of playing “road rage” games in the 40-60 mph range because there is nothing there. Maybe that’s why I don’t get tickets anymore!
Some larger vehicles try to crowd me but when I drive on the edge of my lane close to them they always back down – they seem to know that if their truck hits a Prius it’s their fault!
Handling is surprisingly good – at least it often surprises they that try to race me in one or two favorite litte corners.
As for the technology, it’s mostly bullshit, replacing batteries will cost more than any gas savings you may have achieved. 40 mpg is my average town and highway, about equivalent to a Euro diesel whatever. I have a six year old vehicle which has retained most of its value so it all works for me. As for “renewable” energy,
If it makes me feel good does it matter what it costs?
November 13, 2009 @ 5:54 PM
Huge carbon footprint, higher
Huge carbon footprint, higher complexity, mostly false economy. Slightly better mpg than a very efficient gas engine. Yup, the Japanese figured the US out a long time ago when they sold us all the trucks with 4WD that no one ever uses.
November 13, 2009 @ 5:03 PM
I drove my daughter’s Prius
I drove my daughter’s Prius for about a year and noticed other drivers acted very different to me compared to when I drove my Chrysler Pacifica–a small SUV/crossover vehicle.
First, they would pass more readily, no matter what my speed, especially when pulling away from a stop light. Seemed to assume I would be going slow, even though I drove the same.
Second, they would tailgate. Especially big pickups and big SUVs. I assumed they were mad because they just filled up their $100 per shot gas tanks.
November 13, 2009 @ 7:07 PM
NeetaT wrote:I would rather
[quote=NeetaT]I would rather drive an expensive-fun sports car that gets 20 mpg than drive a boring car that gets 40 mpg. I drive a “Carrera S” and I love it.[/quote]
Do you think that SUV are fun to drive?
I think that Americans have always been in love with land yachts.
November 13, 2009 @ 5:04 PM
The poll should be
Why do you
The poll should be
Why do you hate the big SUVs and pickups?
-Butt ugly
-Smugness of drivers looking down on others
-SUV/Pickup drivers think they own the road.
-They fund Al Queda/Jihadists/Islamic fundamentalists.
November 13, 2009 @ 5:56 PM
I am an independence American
I am an independence American who is confidence that the word you are searching for is indifferent. Is it really that importance? Probably not.
November 13, 2009 @ 6:28 PM
I thought about buying a
I thought about buying a Prius when the gas prices shot up sky high last year. I also test drove a Mini Cooper and a Mini Cooper S. Once I drove the Minis, I knew I would never own a Prius. In the end, I decided to just keep driving my 10 year old Lexus LS400, since the only problem I’ve ever had with it is the low city gas mileage. I could buy a lot of gas for the price of a new car!
November 13, 2009 @ 7:00 PM
FormerOwner wrote: I could
[quote=FormerOwner] I could buy a lot of gas for the price of a new car![/quote]
Very true. The best way to protect the environment is not to buy new. Repair and reuse the car that you have now. Keep it running clean and in good repair.
November 13, 2009 @ 6:40 PM
In case you missed it, Ashton
In case you missed it, Ashton Kutcher just bought Demi Moore a new Prius.
http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/celebrities/hollywood/demi-moores-prius-present-212162/
November 13, 2009 @ 7:38 PM
I hate how it makes parking
I hate how it makes parking in 2 spots seem so silly.
Seriously, “I am indifference”???!!!!
Dude
November 13, 2009 @ 7:58 PM
I love SUV’s and sports cars
I love SUV’s and sports cars and the outdoors. I also love high gas prices because fewer people drive during the high price duration. Life is too short to be confined to driving a car just for the sake of being economical. Oh, by the way SUV’s are practical. I can load up all my outdoor gear and have a great time. Those who complain about gas prices should use public transportation or better yet, invest in the oil and gas markets to hedge against the high prices. You do have options. Enjoy life and stop trying to be so practical.
November 13, 2009 @ 8:15 PM
I also love the outdoors. I
I also love the outdoors. I can do a lot with my Prius too. Golf, Biking, Kayaking…
[quote=NeetaT]I love SUV’s and sports cars and the outdoors. I also love high gas prices because fewer people drive during the high price duration. Life is too short to be confined to driving a car just for the sake of being economical. Oh, by the way SUV’s are practical. I can load up all my outdoor gear and have a great time. Those who complain about gas prices should use public transportation or better yet, invest in the oil and gas markets to hedge against the high prices. You do have options. Enjoy life and stop trying to be so practical.[/quote]
November 13, 2009 @ 8:20 PM
I like the prius, and the new
I like the prius, and the new honda civic hybrid
but, at 26K, it’s a lot of money for me.
I bought my camry used for 7K,
if i could get a used Civic Hybrid for 12K,
i’d be good.
its why i was always stunned at the people with the
80K lincoln navigators.
November 13, 2009 @ 8:35 PM
I’m glad the Prius exists. I
I’m glad the Prius exists. I didn’t buy one because I feel they are overpriced for what you get in terms of gas mileage not to mention expected long term repair costs.
I hate Hummers. I dislike people who drive huge pick-up trucks without a legitimate work reason (If you’re a plumber, contractor, carpenter, etc, you have a legitimate work reason for a truck)
My least favorite part of the Prius besides the cost is probably the fact you can’t back up safely without a freaking rear view camera!
So yeah, my friend has a hybrid Prius. It’s a nice car. I think he overpaid, but then again he has a great job and no intention of having kids or buying property anytime soon, so he can afford it.
November 14, 2009 @ 11:29 AM
poorgradstudent wrote:I’m
[quote=poorgradstudent]I’m glad the Prius exists. I didn’t buy one because I feel they are overpriced for what you get in terms of gas mileage not to mention expected long term repair costs.
I hate Hummers. I dislike people who drive huge pick-up trucks without a legitimate work reason (If you’re a plumber, contractor, carpenter, etc, you have a legitimate work reason for a truck)
My least favorite part of the Prius besides the cost is probably the fact you can’t back up safely without a freaking rear view camera!
So yeah, my friend has a hybrid Prius. It’s a nice car. I think he overpaid, but then again he has a great job and no intention of having kids or buying property anytime soon, so he can afford it.[/quote]
I don’t buy new cars, haven’t in 20 years, been happy ever since i let other people pay the first 2 years depreciation.
but my girl wants a SMARTcar for two, 14K and
gets teh same mileage as a prius.
if i could get a prius for 12K i’d buy one
November 14, 2009 @ 12:26 PM
I could care less about the
I could care less about the Prius – I’m indifferent. But, there’s a debate raging as to exactly how environmentally-friendly the car is when looking at it in a “Dust to Dust” context (that is, from the car’s manufacturing, through its useful life, to its disposal). In fact, this article suggests that a Hummer is better for the environment than a Prius when viewed from a “Dust to Dust” perspective. Again, I could care less. But I’m skeptical that the Prius is really all that great for the environment once ALL of the factors are taken into consideration.
http://cnwmr.com/nss-folder/automotiveenergy/Hidden%20Cost%20of%20Driving%20a%20Prius%20Commentary.pdf
January 10, 2011 @ 11:33 PM
patb wrote:poorgradstudent
[quote=patb][quote=poorgradstudent]I’m glad the Prius exists. I didn’t buy one because I feel they are overpriced for what you get in terms of gas mileage not to mention expected long term repair costs.
I hate Hummers. I dislike people who drive huge pick-up trucks without a legitimate work reason (If you’re a plumber, contractor, carpenter, etc, you have a legitimate work reason for a truck)
My least favorite part of the Prius besides the cost is probably the fact you can’t back up safely without a freaking rear view camera!
So yeah, my friend has a hybrid Prius. It’s a nice car. I think he overpaid, but then again he has a great job and no intention of having kids or buying property anytime soon, so he can afford it.[/quote]
I don’t buy new cars, haven’t in 20 years, been happy ever since i let other people pay the first 2 years depreciation.
but my girl wants a SMARTcar for two, 14K and
gets teh same mileage as a prius.
if i could get a prius for 12K i’d buy one[/quote]
well the Camry got another expensiv repair so we bit the bullet bought a used 2010 insight for 18K.
nice we really like it
January 11, 2011 @ 12:55 PM
I don’t necessarily hate the
I don’t necessarily hate the Prius as it is a good car. Often it’s their owners who are difficult to deal with. They think they have invented the world and are “more better” than the rest of the world.
November 14, 2009 @ 2:56 PM
Personally, I’ve never been a
Personally, I’ve never been a fan of the Prius styling. Second, I’ve never been a fan of hybrid cars.
I like clean-tech diesel, and auto manufacturers that are trying to remove the weight from cars by using lighter alloys without compromising structural integrity. Cars these days are porky, and could go on a diet. I think this is were VW is doing well with their TDI technology(they just need to figure out how to build more reliable cars :))
One thing though, I wouldn’t want to drive a prius in an area where it snows.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/04/prius_traction.html
November 14, 2009 @ 6:49 PM
flu wrote:
One thing though,
[quote=flu]
One thing though, I wouldn’t want to drive a prius in an area where it snows.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/04/prius_traction.html%5B/quote%5D
Put the Handbrake on one notch?
November 14, 2009 @ 9:14 PM
patb wrote:flu wrote:
One
[quote=patb][quote=flu]
One thing though, I wouldn’t want to drive a prius in an area where it snows.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/04/prius_traction.html%5B/quote%5D
Put the Handbrake on one notch?[/quote]
Um, apparently no. It’s not just about letting the wheel spin a little. The system doesn’t allow any wheel spin to occur at all. Just shuts down.
Sorry, I think Toyota’s been having their fair share of issues in recent times. This one has been around for awhile.
November 15, 2009 @ 7:35 AM
The prius is ‘ok’ in my
The prius is ‘ok’ in my opinion. It was a good idea executed, with tolerable styling. If I wanted to drive economy I might get a 4 door civic (almost as good). Just saw the brand new Honda Accord Crosstour. I like to see different ideas make it to market. I am continuing to drive my car for as long as possible, there is no reason for me to buy new.
November 15, 2009 @ 9:35 AM
I would like to add that the
I would like to add that the price of a Prius relative to that of a Corolla LE does not justify the improvement in fuel economy. Every time I hear a Prius owner brag about how much money they’re saving, I want to open up a spreadsheet to prove otherwise.
Assume 22k for the Prius or 15k for the Corolla (rough $’s here). At $3.50/gal the 7 grand saved would buy 2000 gallons of gasoline, which at 30mpg would get you 60,000 miles. My back-of-the napkin calculation shows that at $4/gal, the Prius would become the more economical option only after 120,000 miles. At $5/gal make that 100,000 miles, and at $6/gal, 80,000 miles. (this doesn’t include financing charges, opportunity costs of the foregone cash flow, insurance & maintenance, etc.).
November 15, 2009 @ 9:48 AM
maktbone wrote:Assume 22k for
[quote=maktbone]Assume 22k for the Prius or 15k for the Corolla (rough $’s here). At $3.50/gal the 7 grand saved would buy 2000 gallons of gasoline, which at 30mpg would get you 60,000 miles.[/quote]
The problem with your calculations is the assumption that gas will remain at $3.50 for the life of the car. I’ll go out on a limb and argue that your assumption is horribly wrong.
November 15, 2009 @ 10:22 AM
One other thing worth
One other thing worth mentioning is that for better or worse people like these hybrid cars. Whether or not this preference is justified doesn’t matter, the net effect is that a hybrid will not depreciate as rapidly as a non-hybrid car. This helps should you choose to trade it in on something new.
Another thing I notice about Prius-bashing is that it often has a techy bent. I hear a lot of arguments like “Hybrid technology is okay but what about technology X? When we have technology X cars they will have better gas mileage, etc…” That’s fine but no one is selling technology X. The Prius has been around for 5 years now and we’ve burned a lot less gasoline in that time having all of those cars on the road. Technology X will be great when it arrives but for now we’ll make do with hybrids.
TDIs are very cool and get great mileage but unfortunately they are made by VW. I had a VW in the 90s and I had so many problems with it that I have sworn off of them forever. My next car after that was a late 90s Chevy which was great! It was loud, handled like a buggy and felt cheap (probably because it was cheap) but it was indestructible. Great car. Now I have a Mazda (a great low-tech car that will probably run forever; mileage could be better though) and the wife has the high-tech Prius.
And yes I know that the hybrid cars take more energy to produce but some of that energy can be coal, hydroelectric, or nuclear. Sure the higher production energy requirements makes more greenhouse gases but the bigger problem now is reduced availability of fossil fuels as the world population increases and China and India demand more of it. I’m still not sure that the increased greenhouse gas is as big of a problem as everyone is making it out to be, but the increasing demand on the world fuel supply definitely is an issue.
November 15, 2009 @ 12:38 PM
CONCHO wrote:One other thing
[quote=CONCHO]One other thing worth mentioning is that for better or worse people like these hybrid cars. Whether or not this preference is justified doesn’t matter, the net effect is that a hybrid will not depreciate as rapidly as a non-hybrid car. This helps should you choose to trade it in on something new.
Another thing I notice about Prius-bashing is that it often has a techy bent. I hear a lot of arguments like “Hybrid technology is okay but what about technology X? When we have technology X cars they will have better gas mileage, etc…” That’s fine but no one is selling technology X. The Prius has been around for 5 years now and we’ve burned a lot less gasoline in that time having all of those cars on the road. Technology X will be great when it arrives but for now we’ll make do with hybrids.
TDIs are very cool and get great mileage but unfortunately they are made by VW. I had a VW in the 90s and I had so many problems with it that I have sworn off of them forever. My next car after that was a late 90s Chevy which was great! It was loud, handled like a buggy and felt cheap (probably because it was cheap) but it was indestructible. Great car. Now I have a Mazda (a great low-tech car that will probably run forever; mileage could be better though) and the wife has the high-tech Prius.
And yes I know that the hybrid cars take more energy to produce but some of that energy can be coal, hydroelectric, or nuclear. Sure the higher production energy requirements makes more greenhouse gases but the bigger problem now is reduced availability of fossil fuels as the world population increases and China and India demand more of it. I’m still not sure that the increased greenhouse gas is as big of a problem as everyone is making it out to be, but the increasing demand on the world fuel supply definitely is an issue.[/quote]
Jetta TDI gets roughly 40mpg and runs right now on diesel and bio-diesel. Plus no one knows what happens when those hybrid battery cells go kaputs. I believe from a consumer perspective, it’s a $3000+ part excluding labor. From a environment perspective, I’m not sure if folks figured how to recycle/dispose of those if these were to go mainstream.
Let’s not forget also that Toyota hasn’t exactly been an A+ in the reliability/safety department these days…Just talk to a few Camry/ES350 owners and/or Tundra/Tacoma owners. And yet, consumers want more and more electronics to be put into cars.
BTW: weight savings is the key. Autoblog did a comparo between a Civic Hybrid of today versus the Honda CRX from the 90ies, both with comparable gas mileage. The CRX efficiency was due to various factors, but noteworthy was effort was taken to lighten the car up. Cars they days weigh way too much. Sticking heavy battery cell imho is not the direction to go. Diesel engines also are pretty porky too.
Me, I’m waiting for more performance TDI’s. If they brought over i 335i diesel in coupe form or a A5 in coupe form, that would do it for me.
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2007/11/audi-a5-30-v6-tdi-300-hp-by-mtm.html
November 15, 2009 @ 7:38 PM
Jetta TDI gets roughly 40mpg
Jetta TDI gets roughly 40mpg and runs right now on diesel and bio-diesel. Plus no one knows what happens when those hybrid battery cells go kaputs. I believe from a consumer perspective, it’s a $3000+ part excluding labor. From a environment perspective, I’m not sure if folks figured how to recycle/dispose of those if these were to go mainstream.
Good luck with that VW. I had bad luck with mine and I know a number of other people that have as well. Hopefully their quality has improved. Like I said, TDI is cool technology but I wish someone other than VW sold it. My Chevy was a lot more reliable than my VW. Of course nothing beats a Mazda 🙂 Except in the MPG department and then pretty much any hybrid beats them…
November 15, 2009 @ 2:19 PM
maktbone wrote:I would like
[quote=maktbone]I would like to add that the price of a Prius relative to that of a Corolla LE does not justify the improvement in fuel economy. Every time I hear a Prius owner brag about how much money they’re saving, I want to open up a spreadsheet to prove otherwise.
Assume 22k for the Prius or 15k for the Corolla (rough $’s here). At $3.50/gal the 7 grand saved would buy 2000 gallons of gasoline, which at 30mpg would get you 60,000 miles. My back-of-the napkin calculation shows that at $4/gal, the Prius would become the more economical option only after 120,000 miles. At $5/gal make that 100,000 miles, and at $6/gal, 80,000 miles. (this doesn’t include financing charges, opportunity costs of the foregone cash flow, insurance & maintenance, etc.).[/quote]
You also assume what the duty cycle is.
The Hybrid camry Taxis in DC save a fortune,
the cab drivers go from 2 tanks a shift to 1, which
is a real big income boost. that’s 40% of their nut.
Cabbies are sort of the Hell driving cycle, lots of
stop and go, all in traffic, lots of idling.
A Hybrid optimizes to their needs.
For someone doing urban delivery the hybrid payoff
is very large, plus the demographic signaling.
Hot chicks drive prius’s.
Prius owners signal they will accept a low ROI
for environmental factors, which means they will
also invest in PV, wind power and insulation.
November 15, 2009 @ 2:56 PM
patb wrote:
Hot chicks drive
[quote=patb]
Hot chicks drive prius’s.
[/quote]
Really? I’ve never seen that…every time I look, it’s a geek or a school marm with short hair and glasses…
November 15, 2009 @ 5:10 PM
patb wrote:maktbone wrote:I
[quote=patb][quote=maktbone]I would like to add that the price of a Prius relative to that of a Corolla LE does not justify the improvement in fuel economy. Every time I hear a Prius owner brag about how much money they’re saving, I want to open up a spreadsheet to prove otherwise.
Assume 22k for the Prius or 15k for the Corolla (rough $’s here). At $3.50/gal the 7 grand saved would buy 2000 gallons of gasoline, which at 30mpg would get you 60,000 miles. My back-of-the napkin calculation shows that at $4/gal, the Prius would become the more economical option only after 120,000 miles. At $5/gal make that 100,000 miles, and at $6/gal, 80,000 miles. (this doesn’t include financing charges, opportunity costs of the foregone cash flow, insurance & maintenance, etc.).[/quote]
You also assume what the duty cycle is.
The Hybrid camry Taxis in DC save a fortune,
the cab drivers go from 2 tanks a shift to 1, which
is a real big income boost. that’s 40% of their nut.
Cabbies are sort of the Hell driving cycle, lots of
stop and go, all in traffic, lots of idling.
A Hybrid optimizes to their needs.
For someone doing urban delivery the hybrid payoff
is very large, plus the demographic signaling.
Hot chicks drive prius’s.
Prius owners signal they will accept a low ROI
for environmental factors, which means they will
also invest in PV, wind power and insulation.[/quote]
The irony to that is unless you live in downtown san diego, I would say here you would probably spend more time on the freeway than on local roads. Either so, San Diego traffic is rarely the constant bumper to bumper like you would get say in L.A. And considering the Prius was optimized for city versus highway driving, there’s no way you would get that efficiency on the highway if you were to stomp on the accelerator like you normally would do in a normal car.
I think the fact that most Prius owners are conscious they are in a prius, they tend to drive them very light footed, which probably explains why you see several of them accelerator from a stop so slow or driving on the freeway slower..etc Not that the car can’t go faster, just that for some reason, being a prius, sub-consciously makes you want to take it easier. (I think Al Gore’s brother or relative proved prius are capable of going 90mph+.) Especially on the fully decked prius, you get that cool computer screen telling you where the power is coming from battery/engine/etc and you get near instaneous feedback on your MPG blatantly displayed on the screen.
I rented a prius, and when I drove it on the highway like I would a normal car, I couldn’t get more than 38mpg. Then again, I accelerated like normal cars do, and drove mostly on the freeway and wasn’t in stop and go. I was also in an area where it was hilly terrain, so the engine was sort of working to go up and down the hills.
Don’t get me wrong. I think the Prius is an interesting invention. Personally, think the styling could use some work, but conceptually neat. For a $25k+, don’t think it’s my cup of tea. And while resale is currently high, it’s won’t last that way. Especially as other companies start launching other cars with other tech with more normal packaging. Ford fusion hybrid comes to mind. And TDI is only going to get better. Germans take the lead in this department.
November 16, 2009 @ 6:39 AM
The problem is consumption –
The problem is consumption – not ownership. I drive a 1999 Suburban – about once a week. I walk to work everyday. Some of my coworkers drive to work though they live in the same neighborhood.
The suburban is a great vehicle and I’ve tuned it so I’m getting over 20mpg on the freeway. When you take into account the kids and cargo, it would probably take 5 prius to haul the same gear. So I figure I’m the real environmentalist.
What’s plural for prius?
November 16, 2009 @ 6:54 AM
Funny that compact Hondas and
Funny that compact Hondas and Mazdas from the early 90’s got 40+ mpg, then they had to go and add all that weight for safety.
Auto manufacturers need to work on reducing weight as much as they do engine efficiency. Besides better gas mileage, it would mean better performance for us enthusiasts.
Top Gear (best car show ever) excerpt on the Prius:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKTOyiKLARk
November 16, 2009 @ 10:09 AM
trex wrote:The problem is
[quote=trex]The problem is consumption – not ownership. I drive a 1999 Suburban – about once a week. I walk to work everyday. Some of my coworkers drive to work though they live in the same neighborhood.
The suburban is a great vehicle and I’ve tuned it so I’m getting over 20mpg on the freeway. When you take into account the kids and cargo, it would probably take 5 prius to haul the same gear. So I figure I’m the real environmentalist.
What’s plural for prius?[/quote]
Good for you.
Now if you only use the Suburban weekends, have you
considered getting rid of it, and just renting a passenger van when you take the kids and cargo somewhere?
They have these zipcar franchises, that would work
well too.
November 16, 2009 @ 10:12 AM
Actually Ford just announced
Actually Ford just announced a 2010 model car that will satisfy the needs of most Americans.
November 16, 2009 @ 6:10 PM
I got a 3-year old Prius up
I got a 3-year old Prius up to 108 MPH in the desert.
The car reviews say the newest version of Prius has improved its power.
November 17, 2009 @ 8:00 AM
The Prius is not for
The Prius is not for everyone. Especially people with short commute like you. However, you know that many people have to drive long distances to work. I think if your drive less than 20,000 miles per year then don’t get the Prius. However, I see a lot of people in my company with long commutes driving big SUVs.
Every body loves to live near where they work but sometimes it is impossible so the Prius will help minimize the damage (to the pocket book and environment) for people with long drives.
[quote=trex]The problem is consumption – not ownership. I drive a 1999 Suburban – about once a week. I walk to work everyday. Some of my coworkers drive to work though they live in the same neighborhood.
The suburban is a great vehicle and I’ve tuned it so I’m getting over 20mpg on the freeway. When you take into account the kids and cargo, it would probably take 5 prius to haul the same gear. So I figure I’m the real environmentalist.
What’s plural for prius?[/quote]
November 17, 2009 @ 8:12 AM
For people who worries about
For people who worries about the Prius’ battery, I can guarantee you that it is not a concern.
The battery of my Prius is guaranteed up to 150,000 miles. In addition, less than 1% of these batteries have to be replaced before the 150,000 miles so I don’t worry too much.
Most of the taxis in Vancouver are Prii and battery problem is not a concern. Many of the taxi Prii have reached 400,000 km with original batteries.
The Prius batteries will be recycled.
http://www.autospies.com/news/Prius-taxi-paid-for-itself-in-no-time-17638/
November 17, 2009 @ 5:12 PM
Quote:
What’s plural for
[quote]
What’s plural for prius?[/quote]
Prii…just like Lexi.
November 18, 2009 @ 7:23 AM
I agree with you, jimmyle.
I agree with you, jimmyle.
But where we live IS a choice, and it’s a harder choice than buying a Prius instead of a Suburban. Alot of the folks with long commutes could choose a short commute and smaller rental apartment, but they prefer the 10 acre estate in Ramona. That’s fine, that’s their choice, but we should be honest about the consequences of all our choices – not just the ones about our cars.
November 18, 2009 @ 7:31 AM
briansd1 wrote:
The best way
[quote=briansd1]
The best way to save the environment is not to reproduce. Each additional human puts additional strains on our resources.[/quote]
One way – not necessarily the “best way” – to reduce strain is indeed to have a smaller population. This is less of an issue that some think since fertility rates are falling quickly globally. More importantly, nonreproduction isn’t the only way to save the environment, and many of my friends without kids are BIG consumers. I wouldn’t be suprised to learn that their impact on the environment is alot more than my family with kids.
November 18, 2009 @ 9:50 AM
jimmyle wrote:The Prius is
[quote=jimmyle]The Prius is not for everyone. Especially people with short commute like you. However, you know that many people have to drive long distances to work.
Every body loves to live near where they work but sometimes it is impossible…
[/quote]
What, you are under house arrest?
Of course it’s possible! This is America, you can move anytime you want to!
And if you don’t want to move, find another job.
There are two ways to skin that cat, those who have a long commute choose neither of those options.
November 19, 2009 @ 12:26 PM
svelte wrote:Of course it’s
[quote=svelte]Of course it’s possible! This is America, you can move anytime you want to!
[/quote]
Agreed, I’ve moved just to be closer to work several times. One weekend of hassle for years of a daily 5 minute commute – it’s a no brainer to me.
If you own your home, rent it out and buy another one closer to work, or rent until you can.
November 19, 2009 @ 3:17 PM
LOL The Pious Ha Ha
Sounds
LOL The Pious Ha Ha
Sounds like all piggs either ride bicycles or walk or only drive a 15 year old car once every other week and they never buy new cars. (And of course expect the price of new cars to drop by a half) I love my new Prius. I’m not very environmental, but producing less smog is a good thing, isn’t it? I don’t think it could ever be a desirable thing to use more foreign oil and produce more smog.
November 17, 2009 @ 4:40 PM
trex wrote:The problem is
[quote=trex]The problem is consumption – not ownership.
[/quote]
[quote=trex]
The suburban is a great vehicle and I’ve tuned it so I’m getting over 20mpg on the freeway. When you take into account the kids and cargo, it would probably take 5 prius to haul the same gear. So I figure I’m the real environmentalist.
[/quote]
The best way to save the environment is not to reproduce. Each additional human puts additional strains on our resources.
November 16, 2009 @ 7:54 AM
Top Gear (best car show ever)
Top Gear (best car show ever) excerpt on the Prius:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKTOyiKLARk
Funny excerpt. However driving a Prius as fast as possible around a track is as silly as trying to hypermile a BMW M3. People don’t buy Prii (that’s the plural as far as I can tell) to drive as fast as possible, they choose them because they get very good mileage under normal use, they hold plenty of cargo and passengers, and they seem to be fairly reliable. As for the environmental issues of making the batteries, that is a fair beef with the car. However the first generation of any technology has problems. Someone has to go first and Toyota and Honda chose to do so. The technology will improve and get cleaner as people and governments demand it.
November 17, 2009 @ 8:20 AM
I own a 2010 Prius – bought
I own a 2010 Prius – bought it new. I don’t think it is expensive compared to what other new cars cost. Is this the “Pigginton” car philosophy – cars should be priced at 1/2 no matter how much they go down? I love this car. I’m not smug, I’m not very environmental, I just like using less foreign oil and having a small economical car. A smaller carbon footprint isn’t a bad thing, either. Less smog is not a bad thing. I’m also a tech freak so that appeals as well.
It surprises me that even cars now have political followings! Geez.
November 17, 2009 @ 5:24 PM
eyePod wrote:I own a 2010
[quote=eyePod]I own a 2010 Prius – bought it new. I don’t think it is expensive compared to what other new cars cost. Is this the “Pigginton” car philosophy – cars should be priced at 1/2 no matter how much they go down?[/quote]
I would imagine most Piggs are pretty tight with their money and don’t often buy new cars. I drive a 2006 Hyundai Elantra; I pretty strongly believe Hyundais provide the biggest bang for the buck right now (until the market catches on that they make good cars and their aftermarket prices start rising).
November 17, 2009 @ 6:21 PM
poorgradstudent wrote:eyePod
[quote=poorgradstudent][quote=eyePod]I own a 2010 Prius – bought it new. I don’t think it is expensive compared to what other new cars cost. Is this the “Pigginton” car philosophy – cars should be priced at 1/2 no matter how much they go down?[/quote]
I would imagine most Piggs are pretty tight with their money and don’t often buy new cars. I drive a 2006 Hyundai Elantra; I pretty strongly believe Hyundais provide the biggest bang for the buck right now (until the market catches on that they make good cars and their aftermarket prices start rising).[/quote]
I’m driving a 1998 toyota carmy with 200K on the clock. My prior car was a 1998 Honda Civic and
my prior car was a chevy nova.
i haven’t bought a new car since 1990.
I love the prius, but 25K it’s a lot of coin for me, i’ll buy one used next year.
August 14, 2011 @ 3:06 PM
Because they are pranks! They
Because they are pranks! They think they are smarter by saving more, but in reality, they spent more upfront already.
August 14, 2011 @ 6:24 PM
masayako wrote:Because they
[quote=masayako]Because they are pranks! They think they are smarter by saving more, but in reality, they spent more upfront already.[/quote]
That’s assuming that gas prices stay the same or lower throughout the lifetime of the car. Are you willing to make that assumption? How much will gas cost in 10 years?
August 14, 2011 @ 6:34 PM
afx114 wrote:masayako
[quote=afx114][quote=masayako]Because they are pranks! They think they are smarter by saving more, but in reality, they spent more upfront already.[/quote]
That’s assuming that gas prices stay the same or lower throughout the lifetime of the car. Are you willing to make that assumption? How much will gas cost in 10 years?[/quote]
I’d be more concerned how much a battery for these hybrids are going to cost, not to mention labor to have them replaced.
August 14, 2011 @ 9:55 PM
I’ve read that the batteries
I’ve read that the batteries are lasting much longer than first expected, and that replacement costs are coming down steadily. Wish I could give real numbers…any Prius owners have details?
August 14, 2011 @ 10:13 PM
EconProf wrote:I’ve read that
[quote=EconProf]I’ve read that the batteries are lasting much longer than first expected, and that replacement costs are coming down steadily. Wish I could give real numbers…any Prius owners have details?[/quote]
I’d like to find out this info, as well. I’d like to buy a 5+ year-old Prius for my kid within the next 3 years.
August 15, 2011 @ 11:03 AM
Why? The battery has 8 year
Why? The battery has 8 year warranty and they have proven reliable. When you buy a conventional car do you freak out when the warranty on the engine is less than infinity? Do you check what an engine costs and add it to the price of the car?
October 18, 2011 @ 2:32 PM
I spotted another right-wing
I spotted another right-wing Prius owner (about 50yo White male).
[img_assist|nid=15462|title=Right Wing Prius Owner #2|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=441|height=329]
What the bumper stickers say:
– And we thought Carter sucked.
– Obey * Pray * Trust
– $1.81 the price of gas when Obama took office.
I think the resale value of the Prius went up since gas prices increased.
I wonder how many conservative owners don’t have bumper stickers on their Prius so we don’t know they are conservatives.
Can we still call Prius owners granola munching, tree hugging, organic food shopping liberals? (For the record, I don’t own a Prius).
October 18, 2011 @ 4:54 PM
eyePod wrote:Why? The
[quote=eyePod]Why? The battery has 8 year warranty and they have proven reliable. When you buy a conventional car do you freak out when the warranty on the engine is less than infinity? Do you check what an engine costs and add it to the price of the car?[/quote]
In CA emission states the entire hybrid system is covered by 8year/100K warranty, but the batteries are covered by 10year/150K warranty. Call the dealers and ask how many times they have had to replace batteries. From quick search on prius forums, the batteries appear to be a low failure item.
October 18, 2011 @ 7:26 PM
eyePod wrote: From quick
[quote=eyePod] From quick search on prius forums, the batteries appear to be a low failure item.[/quote]
Toyota made sure they wouldn’t have to replace many batteries in the US because of the 8 year warranty required by the US by disabling the battery-only mode:
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/01/toyota-s-prius-in-europe-gets-a-button-we-don-t/
“Toyota claims that this feature was disabled for the North American market because U.S. law mandates a minimum 8-year warranty on the hybrid drivetrain, which includes the battery pack. By disabling the option of operating solely on battery power for extended periods the company can better assure a longer life for the car’s battery pack, despite the fact that much better fuel mileage is being sacrificed.”
But in Europe where there isn’t an 8 year warranty? Screw it, let the batteries die early! Toyota doesn’t have to pay!
November 17, 2009 @ 5:14 PM
I thought this thread would
I thought this thread would comment on South Park. They had an episode about the smuggness of Prius owners and how it was mucking up the air. San Francisco was polluted with smuggness. OK maybe it was just me buit it was funny.
November 17, 2009 @ 6:37 PM
PlnrBoy wrote:I thought this
[quote=PlnrBoy]I thought this thread would comment on South Park. They had an episode about the smuggness of Prius owners and how it was mucking up the air. San Francisco was polluted with smuggness. OK maybe it was just me buit it was funny.[/quote]
I think on SP it was the Pious, instead of the Prius.
November 17, 2009 @ 7:37 PM
I think people put way too
I think people put way too much of their self-image / projection into cars.
I like the Prius as a wonderful piece of engineering but I will never let anyone in my family drive one until cars / trucks on the road get smaller. Self-preservation among the land yachts is #1
November 18, 2009 @ 4:45 AM
I’ll chime in on the attitude
I’ll chime in on the attitude of Prius drivers. I ride my bicycle to the DC Metro station every morning. I have to be in early, so my morning ride is always in darkness. I’m a courteous biker, I always stay as far to the right as is humanly possible, I always ride with lights in the dark, and I signal for turns. The most annoying thing that happens to me on almost a daily basis is a driver getting about 15 feet behind me then honking their horn. By the way, if any of you do this as a standard “courtesy” please STOP IT NOW!!! Do you really think I don’t know you’re there? Ever notice how much road noise a car makes? In addition, the action is likely to startle the biker and cause them to do something that makes it MORE likely that you will hit them.
Anyway, back on topic, nearly every time I get honked at the offending vehicle is either a Prius, or, ironically, an SUV. Kind of makes me wonder about the personality similarities of the owners of both vehicles.
I personally would never own a Prius, as even this wonder of fuel saving technology can’t touch my bicycle for fuel efficiency. Granted, sometimes I get wet, but I really love only having to buy gas about once a month.
November 18, 2009 @ 8:45 AM
There have been complains
There have been complains about the Prii being too quiet when they are in Electric mode (at speeds under 30 MPH). I wonder if the Prius drivers worry that you can’t hear them?
[quote=Navydoc]……a driver getting about 15 feet behind me then honking their horn. By the way, if any of you do this as a standard “courtesy” please STOP IT NOW!!! Do you really think I don’t know you’re there? Ever notice how much road noise a car makes? In addition, the action is likely to startle the biker and cause them to do something that makes it MORE likely that you will hit them.
Anyway, back on topic, nearly every time I get honked at the offending vehicle is either a Prius, or, ironically, an SUV. Kind of makes me wonder about the personality similarities of the owners of both vehicles.
[/quote]
November 18, 2009 @ 9:39 AM
That’s a pretty good point,
That’s a pretty good point, but the reality is the vast majority of road noise a car makes is not coming from the engine. It comes from the tires. Although the Prius has low-rolling resistance tires, they still roar pretty load. I would not be able to distinguish between a Prius or any other light passenger vehicle just from the sound behind me.
The driver’s perception that they’re driving a quiet vehicle may explain their behavior.
May 4, 2010 @ 1:41 PM
The only Prius owner I know
The only Prius owner I know is a gay man with whom I work. After busting him several times for throwing aluminum cans into the trash rather than the recycle bin in our lunchroom, I said to him that I thought Prius drivers were supposed to be more environmentally friendly than the rest of us.
He openly admitted to me that he didn’t buy the Prius to help the environment, but rather because it’s a status symbol in his community. He claims to get a lot more attention from men these days and that the Prius has improved his dating life immensely.
I still catch him throwing cans in the trash all the time.
May 4, 2010 @ 2:18 PM
The only Hummer owner I know
The only Hummer owner I know is a straight man with whom I work. After busting him several times for throwing aluminum cans into the recycle bin rather than the trash in our lunchroom, I said to him that I thought Hummer drivers were supposed to be more environmentally destructive than the rest of us.
He openly admitted to me that he didn’t buy the Hummer to destroy the environment, but rather because it’s a status symbol in his community. He claims to get a lot more attention from chicks these days and that the Hummer has improved his dating life immensely.
I still catch him throwing cans in the recycle bin all the time.
May 4, 2010 @ 4:09 PM
afx114 wrote:The only Hummer
[quote=afx114]The only Hummer owner I know is a straight man with whom I work. After busting him several times for throwing aluminum cans into the recycle bin rather than the trash in our lunchroom, I said to him that I thought Hummer drivers were supposed to be more environmentally destructive than the rest of us.
He openly admitted to me that he didn’t buy the Hummer to destroy the environment, but rather because it’s a status symbol in his community. He claims to get a lot more attention from chicks these days and that the Hummer has improved his dating life immensely.
I still catch him throwing cans in the recycle bin all the time.[/quote]
I am sure there was a point to this, but I cant figure out what it was. A common perception of prius owners is that they are driving a prius because of the mpg, or ‘environmental reasons’. So this guy knows someone who didnt buy it for that reason, but rather to get laid. Good for him. Glad to see the American car culture (oh, you have a V8, wow…..) is alive and well. I dont get any malevelent intentions out of the original post. So I dont understand your point Afx.
May 4, 2010 @ 4:31 PM
SoCal has way too much
SoCal has way too much identity wrapped into the cars.
Hating the Prius drivers is just lame. Maybe they’re just status seekers but I prefer them to people in large SUVs on cell phones-less collateral damage.
As for the Yukon lady, she needs to lose her license (and some weight). And I thought America couldn’t get any dumber.
May 4, 2010 @ 6:22 PM
I drove a Miata for a few
I drove a Miata for a few years and never noticed any hatred from large SUVs or pickups. Maybe it is the Prius smugness that is drawing the ire of the big bombers, I don’t know.
Or if you consistently drive 60-65 mph on the freeway (as jimmyle says he does), that would be what ticks people off, no matter what car you drive.
I can tell you that people have gotten mad at me a few times but I’ve known the reason (usually, they think they have the right of way when they are merging onto the freeway. They do not.)
The only time I can recall someone getting ticked at me and I have no idea why I was going to dinner with my wife in one of our sports cars. In the 3rd lane, 70 mph, on 78 east about to go onto 15 south. Some 70ish y.o. woman in a Prius started getting aggressive – slowing down, speeding up, changing lanes, anything she could do to inconvenience me. Once I got onto 15 I was able to get away from her once and for all, but I have no idea why she picked me to irritate.
She had that smug smile on her face the whole time, too.
BTW, authors of the Prius v Hummer / recycle posts earlier today, those are excellent! I really laughed! Thanks for lightening the situation!
And glad you are okay, Emily. Take care.
May 5, 2010 @ 9:14 AM
I think I have the right to
I think I have the right to drive 65 mph (on the right most lane) on the freeway. After all this is the speed limit. The speed limit is a joke. It should either be enforced or raised to 85 mph. Most people drive at 85 mph on the left lane on the 5 freeway.
Svelte
“Or if you consistently drive 60-65 mph on the freeway (as jimmyle says he does), that would be what ticks people off, no matter what car you drive.”
May 4, 2010 @ 8:33 PM
werewolf34 wrote:SoCal has
[quote=werewolf34]SoCal has way too much identity wrapped into the cars.
Hating the Prius drivers is just lame. Maybe they’re just status seekers but I prefer them to people in large SUVs on cell phones-less collateral damage.
As for the Yukon lady, she needs to lose her license (and some weight). And I thought America couldn’t get any dumber.[/quote]
werewolf, agree with your view, but it’s not just SoCal, it’s in major metropolitan areas all over the country. I live in suburban Washington DC, and it’s endemic here, 150 miles in any direction. I have to get to the central Virginia mountain/farm region before coming upon the prevailing wisdom that a car or truck has a distinct purpose that is directly related to its engine size, seating capacity, and cargo hauling capabilities, i.e. going to work, going to church, and going hunting (and/or grocery shopping). They add that extra step of deciding what the vehicle they buy is NEEDED for.
Of course, many consumers will continue to believe that their vehicle gives them enviable qualities (even if it doesn’t hold all their kids, or if it causes them to borrow from the monthly food budget to pay for gas), and they assume all whose path they cross while driving said vehicle will see it the same way. If that wasn’t the case, we would all be driving current day versions of the Model T. Automobile companies have been creating “identities” to help sell vehicles since the 1920s: Ford’s incredibly successful early marketing of the Explorer had nothing on the Jordan Motor Company’s “Somewhere west of Laramie…” ad campaign.
But this “I drive, therefore I am” philosophy does appear to have taken on a life of its own. I used to wonder how couples making $75,000/year could afford not only one $45K vehicle, but two (often much pricier, given the proliferative presence of Mercedes GLs, Escalades, and Lexus LXs on DC roads). But I’ve come to believe that many people don’t base car buying decisions on what they can afford, because car dealers and lenders find ways for buyers to “afford” them – or at least make payments. Since price is no object, the only job left to the buyer is to select a vehicle that lets the world know who he (or she) truly is all about. Let the ad campaigns begin!
As for me, I favor a more laissez-faire approach to car choice: you buy what you want, and I’ll buy what I want. Don’t call me names, and I won’t call you names. Unless you slip into your alter ego as a 300-lb PowerPuff Girl and intentionally ram my Prius, whereupon all bets are off.
May 4, 2010 @ 8:31 PM
Listen you granola eating,
Listen you granola eating, hemp weaving/smoking prius lovers. You are so smug.
You are all liberal swine.
Drill baby drill our way to energy independence.
The liberal media is over hyping the BP oil spill, it is literally a drop in the ocean bucket
Palin/Limbaugh 2012
May 4, 2010 @ 8:41 PM
NewtoSanDiego wrote:Listen
[quote=NewtoSanDiego]Listen you granola eating, hemp weaving/smoking prius lovers. You are so smug.
You are all liberal swine.
Drill baby drill our way to energy independence.
The liberal media is over hyping the BP oil spill, it is literally a drop in the ocean bucket
Palin/Limbaugh 2012[/quote]
But, then again, maybe some won’t agree with my “laissez-faire” approach….oh, damn! That’s French, isn’t it.
Okay, now that you’ve discovered that I’m not a real patriot, go ahead and add my name to the blacklist.
May 4, 2010 @ 8:57 PM
NewtoSanDiego wrote:
The
[quote=NewtoSanDiego]
The liberal media is over hyping the BP oil spill, it is literally a drop in the ocean bucket
[/quote]
But before you banish me from your vision of “the land of the free”, would you care to expound on the above statement? I always like to learn new and interesting things from those who are more intellectually gifted.
Not the part about the “over hyping (sic) of the story” because it’s no secret that the America-hating liberal media is always doing things like that to destroy our nation, and her God-fearing people.
No, I’d like more detail on the scientific conclusion “it is literally a drop in the ocean bucket”. Just for laughs, try to include citations and references.
May 4, 2010 @ 10:46 PM
NewtoSanDiego wrote:Listen
[quote=NewtoSanDiego]Listen you granola eating, hemp weaving/smoking prius lovers. You are so smug.
You are all liberal swine.
Drill baby drill our way to energy independence.
The liberal media is over hyping the BP oil spill, it is literally a drop in the ocean bucket
Palin/Limbaugh 2012[/quote]
Drop in the bucket or not, you lost your argument because offshore drilling with be restricted for a while.
I thought that Fox News was complaining that Obama didn’t act fast enough in responding to the spill. If it’s just a drop in the bucket, as you put it, then why does it matter?
But anyway, I always knew that the wingnuts don’t really understand financial and estate planning.
When it comes to a finite valuable resource, we should buy from foreigners as long as they are willing to take our printed money (which we can conjure up at any moment). We want to use up their resources first so that when their oil runs out, we’ll still have our own oil.
How would we become energy independent if we use up our oil reserves first, then end up depending on foreign oil?
May 4, 2010 @ 9:15 PM
You want facts…..
Volume of
You want facts…..
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real!
May 4, 2010 @ 11:17 PM
NewtoSanDiego wrote:You want
[quote=NewtoSanDiego]You want facts…..
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Newt, Newt, Newt, you are SOOO judgemental. May I ask how you determined my feelings for or against global warming? I don’t recall bringing up the subject.
As for facts, yes, you did provide a fact (alas, I was hoping that it would actually be related to the issue of your earlier post). Indeed, it was from a junior college textbook – yours, perhaps? Please don’t disappoint me by revealing that you are one of those socialist intellectual elitists about whom we hear so much. But I digress.
Pardon my obtuseness, but may I ask how this fact elucidates your post? I certainly don’t read all of the media available, but I was not aware that the ratio of oil (spilled into the Gulf of Mexico) to water (filling all of the world’s oceans) was a concern of any reporter or news agency, liberal or legitimate. And I’m fairly sure that it’s not a dominant factor in the attention paid to this incident.
Is it possible for you to enlighten me, and tell me why the fact you posted here supports your view that this story is being overblown by an untruthful liberal press? Sorry, I don’t get it.
I would appreciate it if you would refrain from any attempt to deflect attention from what I perceive to be your unwillingness to fully and factually support your position. You do have a tendency toward this behavior as exhibited by your throwing around sharply-biased labels, catch-phrases, and sound bites at every opportunity. If you are capable of any independent critical thought, please take this opportunity to do so. Virtually every other poster to this board manages to do that, while respecting others’ rights to their own opinions.
May 5, 2010 @ 9:09 AM
The problem is that the
The problem is that the leaked oil is not evenly distributed in the ocean.
Certainly, it is not a drop in the bucket for the people who live near the coasts from Texas to Florida. Million of people depend on these water for work and recreation.
[quote=NewtoSanDiego]You want facts…..
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
May 5, 2010 @ 1:47 PM
NewtoSanDiego wrote:You want
[quote=NewtoSanDiego]You want facts…..
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Drop in the bucket, huh? Then, I guess you wouldn’t mind drinking water from the Gulf of Mexico.
May 5, 2010 @ 3:24 PM
weberlin wrote:NewtoSanDiego
[quote=weberlin][quote=NewtoSanDiego]You want facts…..
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Drop in the bucket, huh? Then, I guess you wouldn’t mind drinking water from the Gulf of Mexico.[/quote]
Of course Oil floats on the surface. so if you can multiply by the Avogadro number and figure out how many square miles a single barrel can cover, and, what’s the toxicity level needed to kill wildlife , that would be useful too.
if NewtoSanDiego thinks this is such a minor issue,
can we drip one eyedropper of motor oil into his coffe pot every morning?
Also, his icemaker, and, perhaps into the Ketchup bottles etc in his kitchen?
May 5, 2010 @ 3:31 PM
Why is Oil in the oceans so
Why is Oil in the oceans so frightening?
Read the whole article… SCIENCE!
May 5, 2010 @ 10:53 PM
patb wrote:weberlin
[quote=patb][quote=weberlin][quote=NewtoSanDiego]You want facts…..
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Drop in the bucket, huh? Then, I guess you wouldn’t mind drinking water from the Gulf of Mexico.[/quote]
Of course Oil floats on the surface. so if you can multiply by the Avogadro number and figure out how many square miles a single barrel can cover, and, what’s the toxicity level needed to kill wildlife , that would be useful too.
if NewtoSanDiego thinks this is such a minor issue,
can we drip one eyedropper of motor oil into his coffe pot every morning?
Also, his icemaker, and, perhaps into the Ketchup bottles etc in his kitchen?[/quote]
I don’t know, patb. After reading and responding to his posts last night, I’m thinking that maybe he’s doing that already?
It does frighten me that there are millions of Americans who lack anything that resembles critical thinking skills. I mean – the possibility of dead wildlife and oil slick fires and a decimated fishing industry aside – how difficult is it to figure out that oil and water don’t mix?
May 6, 2010 @ 9:01 AM
eavesdropper wrote:patb
[quote=eavesdropper][quote=patb][quote=weberlin][quote=NewtoSanDiego]You want facts…..
Volume of water in all the oceans: 1.37 billion cubic kilometers
Garrison, Tom S. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science. Thompson Brooks/Cole, 2005: 4. “The average depth of the ocean is about 3,796 meters (12,451 feet), the volume of seawater 1.37 billion cubic kilometers”
Total oil spill to date out of BP well: 2.1M barrels. 0.00123 cubic kilometers
A drop in the bucket!!
You are also probably a global warming fanatic, get real![/quote]
Drop in the bucket, huh? Then, I guess you wouldn’t mind drinking water from the Gulf of Mexico.[/quote]
Of course Oil floats on the surface. so if you can multiply by the Avogadro number and figure out how many square miles a single barrel can cover, and, what’s the toxicity level needed to kill wildlife , that would be useful too.
if NewtoSanDiego thinks this is such a minor issue,
can we drip one eyedropper of motor oil into his coffe pot every morning?
Also, his icemaker, and, perhaps into the Ketchup bottles etc in his kitchen?[/quote]
I don’t know, patb. After reading and responding to his posts last night, I’m thinking that maybe he’s doing that already?
It does frighten me that there are millions of Americans who lack anything that resembles critical thinking skills. I mean – the possibility of dead wildlife and oil slick fires and a decimated fishing industry aside – how difficult is it to figure out that oil and water don’t mix?[/quote]
Drill Baby Drill.
It’s amazing how the conservatives embraced stupidity. They loved Bush junior, Palin, Quayle and Reagan.
May 4, 2010 @ 10:11 PM
Lol, you guys are too
Lol, you guys are too much!
The real story here is how deep and intense a reaction two cars of this decade draw from people:
Hummer and Prius.
Personally, I don’t care for either but I don’t exactly shout obscenities when I pass them either. Instead, what I usually think about is the wide spectrum of choices we have, and I really like that.
Those cars are at total opposite ends of the spectrum, and each annoys the hell out of supporters of the other end of that spectrum.
Amusing, when you stop and think about it…
May 5, 2010 @ 12:07 AM
svelte wrote:Lol, you guys
[quote=svelte]Lol, you guys are too much!
The real story here is how deep and intense a reaction two cars of this decade draw from people:
Hummer and Prius.
Personally, I don’t care for either but I don’t exactly shout obscenities when I pass them either. Instead, what I usually think about is the wide spectrum of choices we have, and I really like that.
Those cars are at total opposite ends of the spectrum, and each annoys the hell out of supporters of the other end of that spectrum.
Amusing, when you stop and think about it…[/quote]
To be truthful, I bought a Prius because I don’t want to spend a lot of money on gas. A side benefit is that now my husband can’t hide his excessive leisuretime motorcycle riding. I KNOW that I’m not driving that Prius and using 30 gallons of gas a week. It was a lot easier for him to hide his 700 mile per weekend consumption when I was driving the Sienna fulltime.
I did experience some reservations when buying the car, having heard more than a few stories about Prius owners complaining of vandalism. And I can’t deny being seriously spooked by the deliberate rear-ending of my car by a crazed Yukon inhabitant.
But I can say, in all honesty, that I have never felt smug in owning a Prius. Certainly not driving it (we’re not talking NASCAR power here, after all), and not even filling up at the gas station. After all, all that money I appear to be saving is earmarked for something not terribly gratifying – like property taxes, or garden mulch, or cat food, or Prilosec capsules for the increasing stomach acid I’m experiencing over the high cost of living.
As for the Hummer and the Prius arousing emotions and engendering less-than-civil discourse, I think that people are just pissed in general these days (actually, for several years now), and feeling increasingly powerless, and they’re looking for outlets for that. I just wish that they would choose outlets that aren’t powered by engines, since those have the potential to take out a lot of innocent bystanders.
May 5, 2010 @ 5:20 PM
The word Prius sounds too
The word Prius sounds too similar to words like prim and pious, and the design is for non-designers, maybe even antithetical to car buying poseurs. But it gets my thumbs up for energy direction.
May 5, 2010 @ 10:58 PM
qwerty007 wrote:The word
[quote=qwerty007]The word Prius sounds too similar to words like prim and pious, and the design is for non-designers, maybe even antithetical to car buying poseurs. But it gets my thumbs up for energy direction.[/quote]
Actually, the name is the one thing I don’t like about the car (after the sucky seats i mentioned earlier).
For whatever reason, I think Prius sounds like something having to do with erectile dysfunction.
But you’re right about the energy savings. That’s why I can forget about the lousy name. And the sucky seats. It’s THAT good.
May 6, 2010 @ 9:40 AM
qwerty007 wrote: the design
[quote=qwerty007] the design is for non-designers, maybe even antithetical to car buying poseurs. But it gets my thumbs up for energy direction.[/quote]
I agree that the Prius’ design is non-poseur as compared to a Mercedes or Hummer.
However, simplicity is what good design is all about. Craftsmanship is about manufacturing quality, details and precision. The 2010 Prius is a very well executed car (better than the prior model).
To me, the Prius’ design appeal is that it matches beautifully with a mid-century modern house. Think of the classical Corbusier and Kartell furniture in such a house.
Very Dwell magazine type living.
Design and style are part of our lives. We don’t realize it, but we are all lifestyle conscious. It’s our way of comparing and distinguishing ourselves from our peers.
Someone who drives a Prius is making a lifestyle statement, just like some else who drives an F150 or a Dodge Caravan.
BTW, I don’t own a Prius.
May 6, 2010 @ 11:15 AM
my father in law drives a
my father in law drives a prius, I think it is very nice, I couldn’t justify the price/gas savings ratio, I ended up buying a small used car instead, the prius maintains its value too well to buy used
May 5, 2010 @ 6:19 PM
Well I think I’m starting to
Well I think I’m starting to understand Prius owners a little better thanks to this thread.
Priority 1 is gas mileage. Priority 2 is cost.
Since the Insight is about $4K cheaper than the Prius, it really ends up costing less even up to $4/gal if you drive your car for 200K miles. Over $4/gal, Prius is a better deal.
But the Prius is the clear winner MPG wise (just spent a half-hour on edmunds.com 🙂 )
From that gas price spike last year, I can tell you I found that I didn’t even consider changing my driving habits until gas prices reached $5/gal. That, apparently, is my threshold.
Priority 1 for me is fun….just a different philosophy on the driving experience.
Anyway, like what you drive. Drive what you like. See you on the roadway…
May 6, 2010 @ 1:09 PM
The cost difference for the
The cost difference for the base model is exactly $3K, not $4K. For that you will get:
* 134 hp vs. 101 hp
* 50 mpg vs. 41 mpg. If gas is $3.5/gal, you will take back cost difference after 200,000 miles.
* Prius is bigger, not sure how much.
* Stealth mode, battery only mode is cool for Prius.
* The number one complain about the Prius is that it screams “HYBRID”, well, most people can’t tell the differnce between the Prius and the Insight from a distance.
* And most importantly, the insight tried to copy the Prius. You know how successful Iphone wannabees are.
[quote=svelte]Well I think I’m starting to understand Prius owners a little better thanks to this thread.
Priority 1 is gas mileage. Priority 2 is cost.
Since the Insight is about $4K cheaper than the Prius, it really ends up costing less even up to $4/gal if you drive your car for 200K miles. Over $4/gal, Prius is a better deal.
But the Prius is the clear winner MPG wise (just spent a half-hour on edmunds.com 🙂 )
From that gas price spike last year, I can tell you I found that I didn’t even consider changing my driving habits until gas prices reached $5/gal. That, apparently, is my threshold.
Priority 1 for me is fun….just a different philosophy on the driving experience.
Anyway, like what you drive. Drive what you like. See you on the roadway…[/quote]
May 6, 2010 @ 9:17 PM
The Prius and Insight shape
The Prius and Insight shape are dictated by aerodynamics. If you want that kind of MPG + 5 seats + trunk you need to optimize the shape. The result is an egg or drop shape that gives the least drag for a given volume. This is why the Prius looks like 1/2 an egg. The 2010 Prius spent more time in the wind tunnel than any other Toyota (maybe more than any car in history). At the time of introduction had the lowest drag coefficient of all cars. Today there is a new Mercedes that has improved on that. Flip the Prius upside down and you will notice it has under panels to make the bottom flat. The panels have fins and channels that direct the air as it flows underneath the car.
Take a look:
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/68549-photos-taken-bottom-my-prius.html
May 6, 2010 @ 9:34 PM
Blah.. I’d rather get an
Blah.. I’d rather get an upcoming mini cooper s works edition, 3 cylinder (not a typo)/ 181 hp getting 50mpg.
Driving a 114/134hp piwered 3060lb porker is just not my cup of tea.
The key to gas savings moving forward will be reducing vehicle weight without sacrificing structural integrity/safety/comfort.
The Honda CRZ gets the almost the same gas mileage as an old Honda CRX, namely because the CRX was designed with making the car light: 1750 lbs
May 7, 2010 @ 9:10 PM
Okay, the Miata stays at the
Okay, the Miata stays at the top of the fantasy car list. Thanks for the input, guys, although I will refrain from sharing Ucodegen’s information about the “Boss Frog” upgrade with my husband. He has so few sensibilities left, he can’t afford any more warpage.
Flu, loved the Mazda pix, especially the last one. The last image was particularly disturbing. The fog light cowlings remind me of Shirley Temple’s dimples.
May 7, 2010 @ 10:04 PM
eavesdropper wrote:Okay, the
[quote=eavesdropper]Okay, the Miata stays at the top of the fantasy car list. Thanks for the input, guys, although I will refrain from sharing Ucodegen’s information about the “Boss Frog” upgrade with my husband. He has so few sensibilities left, he can’t afford any more warpage.
Flu, loved the Mazda pix, especially the last one. The last image was particularly disturbing. The fog light cowlings remind me of Shirley Temple’s dimples.[/quote]
(Sigh. I have build duties tonight, so I’m still on a frickin computer….FRIDAY NIGHT…Damn this internalization and world economy…..)
Don’t get me wrong I think Mazda’s are great cars. But that front just looks, well, comical to me…
Your hubby should just wait for an RX7. I’m pretty sure they’ll be back in the states after the RX8 goes off to the pastures this year. That is if the economy doesn’t tank and the auto makers decide to cancel all these sports car developments. It kinda sucks the economy is were it is. So many cool ideas, are probably not going to make it.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/mazda-rx-7-rumors-resurface.html
ft-86 is interesting..
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.autoguide.com/gallery/d/96623-4/03-toyota-ft-86-concept-press.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.autoguide.com/gallery/gallery.php/v/main/news/manufacturers/toyota/ft-86concept/03-toyota-ft-86-concept-press.jpg.html&h=427&w=640&sz=86&tbnid=AxPc8RN-48IuXM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dft-86&hl=en&usg=__M6RrpB2STbmn2pB1nKWatGAO-Xg=&ei=nPPkS-_BOYLQtgPH4aDRCw&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=7&ct=image&ved=0CDwQ9QEwBg
Just hope it can stop, heh heh.
May 7, 2010 @ 10:24 PM
I really like the Toyota, but
I really like the Toyota, but they’ve been dangling it for some time now – who knows when it will actually make its way to the showroom floor, or how they’ll f**k it up before it does.
http://jalopnik.com/5475549/toyota-ft+86-rumors-of-my-redesign-have-been-greatly-exaggerated
Re: the Miata: whatever my husband ends up getting, it’s got to be a convertible. I think the Miata reminds him of the 2 MGBs he had in college. (yes, we’re THAT old). I don’t think he realizes how close to the ground those cars are, and that, at his age, we might have to get the Jaws of Life to get him out.
As for his fantasy car, he’ll have to wait awhile. He just bought his fantasy motorcycle last year, and we don’t have any more room in the damn garage.
May 8, 2010 @ 6:55 AM
Time to build a bigger
Time to build a bigger garage. Lol. And I had a typo in my last post…meant to say I’d test drive at 65-70, not 55-60.
May 8, 2010 @ 10:14 AM
svelte wrote:Time to build a
[quote=svelte]Time to build a bigger garage. Lol. And I had a typo in my last post…meant to say I’d test drive at 65-70, not 55-60.[/quote]
Damn! When I married him, I didn’t realize my husband had an identical twin brother in California.
May 8, 2010 @ 3:37 PM
one
one word…
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHYUNDAI!
Looks like they’re gonna kick Toyota’s ass in the future….
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/08/report-hyundai-sonata-demand-could-prompt-suv-manufacturing-shu
Friend of my just got a Genesis Sedan… I have to say, it’s pretty nice. (Guy didn’t want to get a Lexus ES or GS, because he says he wanted to be able to stop, lol).
Now where was that Jeff Bridges thread 🙂
May 11, 2010 @ 1:05 PM
Rechargeable Prius. Invented
Rechargeable Prius. Invented by Chinese-American who could easily move to China.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-green-manufacturing-20100509,0,1016526.story
January 10, 2011 @ 10:25 PM
So it looks like Toyota is
So it looks like Toyota is coming with more Prius models. Cool.
I’m in Philadelphia frequently and I would love to have a small car for driving in the city.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-autos-prius-20110111,0,5153123.story
January 11, 2011 @ 1:14 PM
briansd1 wrote:So it looks
[quote=briansd1]So it looks like Toyota is coming with more Prius models. Cool.
I’m in Philadelphia frequently and I would love to have a small car for driving in the city.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-autos-prius-20110111,0,5153123.story%5B/quote%5D
Brian – have you looked at the zipcar model? Having lived near Philly – car insurance is through the roof. Even living close to the city was expensive… and when I moved 2 miles closer – my insurance doubled!!!
http://www.zipcar.com/
I have friends who live near Rittenhouse Sq. They use zipcar because they can avoid paying for monthly parking, and most of the time they’re on foot – not taking cars. When they want to go outside of center city they get a zipcar. Much cheaper overall.
January 11, 2011 @ 2:27 PM
UCGal wrote: Brian – have you
[quote=UCGal] Brian – have you looked at the zipcar model? Having lived near Philly – car insurance is through the roof. Even living close to the city was expensive… and when I moved 2 miles closer – my insurance doubled!!!
http://www.zipcar.com/
I have friends who live near Rittenhouse Sq. They use zipcar because they can avoid paying for monthly parking, and most of the time they’re on foot – not taking cars. When they want to go outside of center city they get a zipcar. Much cheaper overall.[/quote]
Great idea. I have a friend on Washington Square and she uses zipcar.
But me, I like to have a car since I’m used to having one in So. Cal. I have a truck (useful for moving thing) but it’s big and hard to park in the city. Most the parking is paid but unlike NYC, it’s easily to park in Philly. I can find a spot wherever I go. The city is small and it’s nice to be able to go anywhere within 5 miles.
BTW, I went to the Crate & Barrel store at Cherry Hill Mall. There’s Costco further in Mt Laurel, and Walmart on the way back on the same road. $4 to cross Ben Franklin Bridge. What a ripoff. I’m used to free in San Diego. 😉
January 12, 2011 @ 10:18 AM
I don’t hate the Prius.
I don’t hate the Prius. Actually I am seriously considering getting one.
However, there are following facts that any hybrid/EV buyer should consider. Surely Prius runs at 55mpg vs. 25mpg for conventional car, which is good. However that 55mpg is obtained by liberal use of materials like –
1)Neodymium in motors http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neodymium#Applications
2)Lanthanum in Batteries – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanthanum#Applications
3) Dysprosium in motors http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysprosium#Applications
Prius is already a big consumer of the above materials and if hybrids/EVs become more popular, the world would have to mine and make more of these.
While these materials are not rare, mining and processing them does serious damage to the environment and they are quite dirty compared to materials used in the conventional cars (source – http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-06/rare-earth-metals-leave-toxic-trail-to-toyota-vestas.html ).
Surely some will argue that people will find better materials than above some day. That is ok. I will wait till that day comes.
I am wondering if all this push towards EVs and hybrids in our society is actually misguided. We should ask ourselves the question – Is it worth polluting huge swaths of China for the pleasure of getting 30 more mpg and making no other changes to our lifestyle?
Sadly it really doesn’t help the planet if you buy a Prius or a Leaf and keep on driving 50miles a day. Someone putting 5000miles a year on their Camry may be more helpful to this planet than the said person above.
March 2, 2011 @ 12:31 PM
The fact is that most people
The fact is that most people drive 15,000 miles or more per year. Very few people drive 5,000 miles a year. I agree that you should not buy the Prius if you drive 10,000 miles or less.
All Prius batteries are recycled and up to 90% of the materials in the used batteries are used to make new batteries. Assuming the life of an average car is 200,000 miles. Driving a 50 mpg Prius will save 4,000 gallons of gas compared to a 25 mpg car.
Economically speaking, the life time savings of the Prius is $14,000 (assuming $3.5/gal gas). So spending $4,000 more upfront seems to be a wise investment.
Environmentally, is the pollution of making the batteries (that will be recycled) worst than burning 4,000 gallons of gas? I don’t have an answer to this.
Politically, since each Prius saves 4,000 gallons of gas over its lifetime. We will be less reliance on Mid-East oil.
Of course, I agree with you that we should make lifestyle changes but the selection of the car is one choice we can make.
[quote=enron_by_the_sea]I don’t hate the Prius. Actually I am seriously considering getting one.
However, there are following facts that any hybrid/EV buyer should consider. Surely Prius runs at 55mpg vs. 25mpg for conventional car, which is good. However that 55mpg is obtained by liberal use of materials like –
1)Neodymium in motors http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neodymium#Applications
2)Lanthanum in Batteries – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanthanum#Applications
3) Dysprosium in motors http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysprosium#Applications
Prius is already a big consumer of the above materials and if hybrids/EVs become more popular, the world would have to mine and make more of these.
While these materials are not rare, mining and processing them does serious damage to the environment and they are quite dirty compared to materials used in the conventional cars (source – http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-06/rare-earth-metals-leave-toxic-trail-to-toyota-vestas.html ).
Surely some will argue that people will find better materials than above some day. That is ok. I will wait till that day comes.
I am wondering if all this push towards EVs and hybrids in our society is actually misguided. We should ask ourselves the question – Is it worth polluting huge swaths of China for the pleasure of getting 30 more mpg and making no other changes to our lifestyle?
Sadly it really doesn’t help the planet if you buy a Prius or a Leaf and keep on driving 50miles a day. Someone putting 5000miles a year on their Camry may be more helpful to this planet than the said person above.[/quote]
January 12, 2011 @ 12:13 PM
briansd1 wrote:
BTW, I went
[quote=briansd1]
BTW, I went to the Crate & Barrel store at Cherry Hill Mall. There’s Costco further in Mt Laurel, and Walmart on the way back on the same road. $4 to cross Ben Franklin Bridge. What a ripoff. I’m used to free in San Diego. ;)[/quote]
The bridges are a total scam. The Port authority runs all the bridges around Philly except the Taconey Palmyra bridge (Hwy 73 up in the North East). The TP is free going into Jersey, but toll coming out. True story – the other bridges (ben franklin, betsy ross, walt whitman, etc) all raised their tolls and had them in both directions by ’88. The T-P didn’t. The port authority also controls traffic on the Delaware river. And a big freighter ran into the T-P bridge – shutting it down for more than a month. My husband is convinced it was a payback.
Another factoid – with only 3 exceptions that I know of – you have to PAY to drive out of New Jersey. You pay to go to NY via the tunnels. You pay to leave by ferry or the twin bridges from Delaware The 3 bridges you can cross from NJ are: Washington Crossing, New Hope/lambertville, and the bridge that I-95 crosses near Trenton. You can leave NJ – but you have to pay to go into Jersey.
February 28, 2011 @ 1:10 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPVw4nfESz0
January 11, 2011 @ 1:29 PM
briansd1 wrote:Rechargeable
[quote=briansd1]Rechargeable Prius. Invented by Chinese-American who could easily move to China.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-green-manufacturing-20100509,0,1016526.story%5B/quote%5D
Any possibility you might move there…seeing how bad it is to live in America and all?
January 11, 2011 @ 2:07 PM
Djshakes wrote:
Any
[quote=Djshakes]
Any possibility you might move there…seeing how bad it is to live in America and all?[/quote]
Like I said before, I will move to Thailand when I retire but I’ll be back to use Medicare. I will actually never retire but I’ll work less.
March 2, 2011 @ 5:43 PM
Coincidently, tonight I
Coincidently, tonight I passed a Ford Focus on the way home that had a sticker in the back window that said “ONE LESS PRIUS”. Curious, I googled the phrase and found:
http://nowhip.blogspot.com/2009/07/one-less-prius.html
Dig the caption “Fewer Smug Emissions”.
Also, I guess we could argue fair comparisons all night, but it seems to me that a fairer comparison with a Prius would be a car of roughly equivalent size that is not a hybrid.
Base Corolla Invoice $14,700
Base Corolla MPG: 32 MPG (28/35)
Gas used in 200K mi: 6250 gal
Base Prius Invoice: $20,567
Base Prius MPG: 50 MPG (51/48)
Gas used in 200K mi: 4000 gal
Purchase price diff: $5867
Gas price diff in 200K mi: 2250 gal * $3.5/gal = $7875
Savings: $2K over 13 years…and that is if the extra Prius batteries last that long! So it looks like hybrid-driving, tofu-eating, tree-hugging, whale-saving, sandal-wearers will save about $150/year if they drive the typical 15K miles/yr.
Nothing to sneeze at, I guess. And I love trees, too. 🙂
March 2, 2011 @ 8:04 PM
Saving $150 a year, what is
Saving $150 a year, what is wrong with that? How about not having to import 2,250 gallons of gas from the politically volatile Mid-East?
Why do you assume that a person who drives a prius is tofu-eating, tree-hugging, whale-saving, sandal-wearers?
March 3, 2011 @ 12:10 AM
Plenty of Americans don’t
Plenty of Americans don’t know what tofu is. I pity them.
March 4, 2011 @ 10:58 AM
EmilyHicks wrote:How about
[quote=EmilyHicks]How about not having to import 2,250 gallons of gas from the politically volatile Mid-East?[/quote]
Just an FYI:
A large percentage of our oil (40%?) is produced domestically, and of the oil we do import, the majority comes from non-mid-east sources – something like 70% is from Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela.
It’s not a stretch to imagine that we could eventually be free of the mid-east dependency.
March 4, 2011 @ 11:10 AM
Ren wrote:EmilyHicks
[quote=Ren][quote=EmilyHicks]How about not having to import 2,250 gallons of gas from the politically volatile Mid-East?[/quote]
Just an FYI:
A large percentage of our oil (40%?) is produced domestically, and of the oil we do import, the majority comes from non-mid-east sources – something like 70% is from Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela.
It’s not a stretch to imagine that we could eventually be free of the mid-east dependency.[/quote]
I’m guessing you don’t understand how preposterous it sounds to advocate sending $21K (for a Prius) to a foreign country to save spending $7800 (for oil) to another foreign country.
That’s not even taking into account that not all oil is foreign.
March 4, 2011 @ 2:13 PM
Not all of the oil we used
Not all of the oil we used are imported, but any less oil not used is deducted from import because we use domestic oil first.
Yes, there is a big difference between Japan and Saudi Arabia. 17 of the 911 attackers are from this country.
[quote=svelte][quote=Ren][quote=EmilyHicks]How about not having to import 2,250 gallons of gas from the politically volatile Mid-East?[/quote]
Just an FYI:
A large percentage of our oil (40%?) is produced domestically, and of the oil we do import, the majority comes from non-mid-east sources – something like 70% is from Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela.
It’s not a stretch to imagine that we could eventually be free of the mid-east dependency.[/quote]
I’m guessing you don’t understand how preposterous it sounds to advocate sending $21K (for a Prius) to a foreign country to save spending $7800 (for oil) to another foreign country.
That’s not even taking into account that not all oil is foreign.[/quote]
March 4, 2011 @ 2:35 PM
EmilyHicks wrote:
Yes, there
[quote=EmilyHicks]
Yes, there is a big difference between Japan and Saudi Arabia. 17 of the 911 attackers are from this country.[/quote]
All of the Pearl Harbor attackers were from the other one.
March 12, 2011 @ 2:59 PM
EmilyHicks wrote:Yes, there
[quote=EmilyHicks]Yes, there is a big difference between Japan and Saudi Arabia. 17 of the 911 attackers are from this country.
[/quote]
And the Japanese whale.
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/whaling/ending-japanese-whaling/
That is an activity condoned by the country’s government, unlike the 911 bombers whose actions are not condoned by Saudi Arabia.
It sounds to me like you have something against Arabs…that is your choice and you are certainly not alone. But don’t count me in on hating a whole country for the actions of a few. If you are going to hate Saudi Arabia for 17 individuals, why do you not hold Dec 7, 1941 against Japan?
Also, Tim McVeigh was from the good old US of A. Maybe you should not buy any electricity for your home from that country. Same logic you used to hate Saudi Arabia, isn’t it?
March 4, 2011 @ 11:10 AM
We supply about 30%
We supply about 30% domestically and it should remain steady as long as prices remain high. New technologies allow us to exploit some new hard to get “unconventional” oils. We need above $65 per barrel for it to remain viable. It should offset the declines of our domestic conventional for some time. Both Mexico and Venezuela are declining. Mexico will stop exporting in less than 5 years. Canada can’t really ramp up all that much because of the type of oil it is and all it entails.
March 4, 2011 @ 3:10 PM
Ren wrote:EmilyHicks
[quote=Ren][quote=EmilyHicks]How about not having to import 2,250 gallons of gas from the politically volatile Mid-East?[/quote]
Just an FYI:
A large percentage of our oil (40%?) is produced domestically, and of the oil we do import, the majority comes from non-mid-east sources – something like 70% is from Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela.
It’s not a stretch to imagine that we could eventually be free of the mid-east dependency.[/quote]
I don’t understand this line of reasoning.
Let’s say we get 100% of our oil consumption domestically. How long will that last? 5 years? Then what?
After that, let’s say that we decide to get it from tar sands in Canada, deep water in Brazil/Gulf and from tar sands of Hugo Chavez. Be advised that none of this unconventional oil will cost below $100/bbl.
There is absolutely no basis for the assertion that we need not make any changes here and we can still get all the cheap oil we want forever from outside the middle east!
March 3, 2011 @ 2:16 PM
svelte wrote:
Purchase price
[quote=svelte]
Purchase price diff: $5867
Gas price diff in 200K mi: 2250 gal * $3.5/gal = $7875
Savings: $2K over 13 years…and that is if the extra Prius batteries last that long! So it looks like hybrid-driving, tofu-eating, tree-hugging, whale-saving, sandal-wearers will save about $150/year if they drive the typical 15K miles/yr.
Nothing to sneeze at, I guess. And I love trees, too. :-)[/quote]
I’m sure gas is always gonna be $3.50/gallon for the next 13 years.
March 3, 2011 @ 5:48 AM
1) Eating too much soy is not
1) Eating too much soy is not necessarily good for you.
2) Toyota needs to work on Prius’s (Prii? ) aesthetics…And they need to make the thing remotely drivable with decent acceleration and handling.
3) The Chevy Volt equally butt ugly.
4) I hope this goes into production… Estimated $50k
http://www.teslamotors.com/models
March 3, 2011 @ 6:19 AM
There is a reason male
There is a reason male budhist monks eat soy all day. It is to reduce testosterone and desire. Hope this doesn’t scare anyone out there :).
Unfortunately acceleration and fuel economy don’t go togetther. With 120 hp, I think it is enough for most people. There is a reason the Corolla and Camry are so bland, they are designed for the masses. The Prius is also bland for the same reason. And most can’t afford a $50k car.
[quote=flu]1) Eating too much soy is not necessarily good for you.
2) Toyota needs to work on Prius’s (Prii? ) aesthetics…And they need to make the thing remotely drivable with decent acceleration and handling.
3) The Chevy Volt equally butt ugly.
4) I hope this goes into production… Estimated $50k
[quote]
March 3, 2011 @ 9:49 AM
jimmyle wrote:Unfortunately
[quote=jimmyle]Unfortunately acceleration and fuel economy don’t go togetther. With 120 hp, I think it is enough for most people. There is a reason the Corolla and Camry are so bland, they are designed for the masses. The Prius is also bland for the same reason. And most can’t afford a $50k car.
[/quote]
I agree. Most people don’t need, want or can’t afford a performance or enthousiast’s car.
The Prius is a marvel of engineering, mass production and marketing.
Like it or hate it, look at the fit and finish and you’ll be impressed. Like fine China, you may not like the design or pattern, but you can appreciate the quality and workmanship.
I’ve never owned a Prius. But I’m impressed, expecially given that Toyota is selling the car at mass-market prices.
[quote=flu]1) Eating too much soy is not necessarily good for you.
[/quote]
True.
But one really has to be living under a rock to never have tried tofu or know what it is.
March 3, 2011 @ 4:51 PM
That explains a lot about
That explains a lot about Brian.
[quote=flu]1) Eating too much soy is not necessarily good for you.
[/quote]
True.
But one really has to be living under a rock to never have tried tofu or know what it is.[/quote]
March 4, 2011 @ 12:40 AM
I see this as the actual
I see this as the actual soloution
http://www.jouleunlimited.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joule_Unlimited
I like the team, a nice mix, harvard professors, clinton’s former chief of staff/obama’s tranistion guy, a national security advisor, some scientists from the genome project, they’ve assembled what looks like far more than some hype to get an IPO going and they brought some of these guys on board after getting a patent for their organism. Political protection, by appointing someone to their board that is close to the reigning power elite. It’s positive conspiracy. And if they can do what say, on a 12-24 month timetable, make diesel directly from lab created organism that essentially shits fuel, lives in grey water and eats emissions. The Prius discussion is over if they can do prove it on large scale. The Middle east goes back to throwing bricks and eating sand and I’m going to get the biggest truck or SUV that detroit can come up with. I miss my 15 mpg 4X4 Ford Expedition, I have driven a Prius as a loaner car from a shop, it’s ok I guess. It was bigger inside than I expected and it was faster than I expected. Yet it was just too small, it just moved me from place to place, but it didn’t move me. A car has to either be able to handle a disaster, be able to take what i can give it, or it has to be fast, or stylin, the prius is none of those things, it’s efficient, that about it. I really hope efficiency stops mattering and I hope the home grown fuel idea works.
Here’s a bit of a hijack, but the dodge/chrysler ads are so good. I may get one of my kids one of these because I love their ads, they bring out the patriot in me. The last one is the reason I can’t get a prius, ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKL254Y_jtc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkzoAhAS0Kg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMRMW1FXSHw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RyPamyWotM&NR=1
March 4, 2011 @ 11:16 AM
Oh, TG….I am so with you
Oh, TG….I am so with you buddy.
I hadn’t seen the Eminem commercial until just now, but I have seen one that is a shortened version….it starts with “we’re not NYC…or the windy city…or sin city…and we’re certainly not the Emerald City…we’re the Motor City…and this is what we do”, and has that same awesome music increasing in the background and shots of Detroit.
I’m usually laying on the couch when I see it and by the end of it, I’ve got goosebumps and I’m sitting up if not on my feet. It really talks to me, and I really don’t care much for commercials.
And the Dodge Charger…my sons and their friends are just head over heels with that car…several, including one of my sons, bought one in the last twelve months. It just drips testosterone, and the younger generation gets it. And so do I. 🙂
Buying a car is a very emotional thing for me, and I have to have something that excites me. I spend enough time behind the wheel that I want a huge evil grin on my face every second I’m driving.
Welcome back, Dodge. I’m with ya.
[quote=temeculaguy]I see this as the actual soloution
http://www.jouleunlimited.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joule_Unlimited
I like the team, a nice mix, harvard professors, clinton’s former chief of staff/obama’s tranistion guy, a national security advisor, some scientists from the genome project, they’ve assembled what looks like far more than some hype to get an IPO going and they brought some of these guys on board after getting a patent for their organism. Political protection, by appointing someone to their board that is close to the reigning power elite. It’s positive conspiracy. And if they can do what say, on a 12-24 month timetable, make diesel directly from lab created organism that essentially shits fuel, lives in grey water and eats emissions. The Prius discussion is over if they can do prove it on large scale. The Middle east goes back to throwing bricks and eating sand and I’m going to get the biggest truck or SUV that detroit can come up with. I miss my 15 mpg 4X4 Ford Expedition, I have driven a Prius as a loaner car from a shop, it’s ok I guess. It was bigger inside than I expected and it was faster than I expected. Yet it was just too small, it just moved me from place to place, but it didn’t move me. A car has to either be able to handle a disaster, be able to take what i can give it, or it has to be fast, or stylin, the prius is none of those things, it’s efficient, that about it. I really hope efficiency stops mattering and I hope the home grown fuel idea works.
Here’s a bit of a hijack, but the dodge/chrysler ads are so good. I may get one of my kids one of these because I love their ads, they bring out the patriot in me. The last one is the reason I can’t get a prius, ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKL254Y_jtc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkzoAhAS0Kg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMRMW1FXSHw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RyPamyWotM&NR=1%5B/quote%5D
June 4, 2011 @ 3:38 PM
svelte wrote:Oh, TG….I am
[quote=svelte]Oh, TG….I am so with you buddy.
I hadn’t seen the Eminem commercial until just now, but I have seen one that is a shortened version….it starts with “we’re not NYC…or the windy city…or sin city…and we’re certainly not the Emerald City…we’re the Motor City…and this is what we do”, and has that same awesome music increasing in the background and shots of Detroit.
[/quote]
I thought of this thread when I read this article this morning:
http://tinyurl.com/3mqejqx
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery I guess, but what is outright theft? 🙂
Audi’s claim that it is “not a commercial” is laughable.
On another note, just got done spending a considerable amount of time in Europe and was surprised to find very few Priuses on the streets, as opposed to SoCal where every 15th car is a Prius. With gas costs so high in Europe why aren’t they more popular?
June 4, 2011 @ 9:26 PM
svelte wrote:svelte wrote:Oh,
[quote=svelte][quote=svelte]Oh, TG….I am so with you buddy.
I hadn’t seen the Eminem commercial until just now, but I have seen one that is a shortened version….it starts with “we’re not NYC…or the windy city…or sin city…and we’re certainly not the Emerald City…we’re the Motor City…and this is what we do”, and has that same awesome music increasing in the background and shots of Detroit.
[/quote]
I thought of this thread when I read this article this morning:
http://tinyurl.com/3mqejqx
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery I guess, but what is outright theft? 🙂
Audi’s claim that it is “not a commercial” is laughable.
On another note, just got done spending a considerable amount of time in Europe and was surprised to find very few Priuses on the streets, as opposed to SoCal where every 15th car is a Prius. With gas costs so high in Europe why aren’t they more popular?[/quote]
Hey, though I’m a BMW fanboy now…. Don’t be dogging Audi now… They still got two of my favorite cars, three if you count a prototype.
R8, RS5, and Quattro Coupe concept.. If they ever green light the limited edition Quattro Coupe, I’m sooo getting in line…
June 7, 2011 @ 7:52 PM
flu wrote:
Hey, though I’m a
[quote=flu]
Hey, though I’m a BMW fanboy now…. Don’t be dogging Audi now… They still got two of my favorite cars, three if you count a prototype.
[/quote]
Lol, flu. Have you seen the Top Gear show where Jeremy Clarkson said that all the c**ks in the UK have been trading in their BMWs for Audis, so it is safe for normal people to once again by BMWs? 🙂 I’m not implying anything, just thought of that episode when you talk about moving from BMW to Audi.
June 7, 2011 @ 8:28 PM
The common rail turbo diesels
The common rail turbo diesels are absolutely the greatest thing to hit the car industry in the last generation. They are the near term future if you ask me. Look no further than the diesel Audi R10 TDI le mans car! It is killing it. It is so well they are purposely handicapping it.
The only technology that gets me as excited is the hydraulic hybrid…but that has all sorts of problems. Maybe that is the future for the next generation of cars.
June 6, 2011 @ 9:40 AM
svelte wrote:
On another
[quote=svelte]
On another note, just got done spending a considerable amount of time in Europe and was surprised to find very few Priuses on the streets, as opposed to SoCal where every 15th car is a Prius. With gas costs so high in Europe why aren’t they more popular?[/quote]
Probably because they don’t come in a diesel version. I think the gas conscious in Europe are all driving SMART diesels. In fact, my impression was that the vast majority of cars in Europe are diesel.
June 7, 2011 @ 7:46 PM
UCGal wrote:svelte wrote:
On
[quote=UCGal][quote=svelte]
On another note, just got done spending a considerable amount of time in Europe and was surprised to find very few Priuses on the streets, as opposed to SoCal where every 15th car is a Prius. With gas costs so high in Europe why aren’t they more popular?[/quote]
Probably because they don’t come in a diesel version. I think the gas conscious in Europe are all driving SMART diesels. In fact, my impression was that the vast majority of cars in Europe are diesel.[/quote]
Diesels do have about 50% of the European market.
Maybe what that says is that the 50% of Europeans driving diesels don’t feel the Prius offers a MPG advantage over their car.
Still scratching my head over the 50% of Europeans who drive gas cars who aren’t buying Prius. I did see a few, but they were rare enough it was like “oh look! a Prius!” as opposed to here where they are as common as dirt.
June 7, 2011 @ 9:07 PM
svelte wrote:……Still
[quote=svelte]……Still scratching my head over the 50% of Europeans who drive gas cars who aren’t buying Prius. I did see a few, but they were rare enough it was like “oh look! a Prius!” as opposed to here where they are as common as dirt.[/quote]
I drive a Prius. Don’t know about the car, but I, most assuredly, am common as dirt.
Seriously, here in the DC area, gas-saving vehicles are just not that popular. In fact, large (and I mean massive!!) pickup trucks are all the rage here. Trucks have been increasing in popularity here over the past ten years, but the number of them on the street has increased exponentially over the past three. People have definitely switched to pickups from their full-size Yukons, Expeditions, Excursions, Armadas, Sequoias, and Tahoes. They’re using them as commuter vehicles and soccer mom rides; increasing gas prices don’t appear to bother their drivers, or curtail their driving at all.
I have a laissez-faire attitude about what people drive. Whatever floats your boat, as long as you don’t text while you drive it (that could endanger MY health). I bought my Prius entirely devoid of noble intentions: I only had eyes for that 50 mpg fuel efficiency. I have not been disappointed: I get min. 48 mpg, and have not had to curtail my gas-wasting driving habits at all.
June 7, 2011 @ 10:09 PM
eavesdropper wrote: People
[quote=eavesdropper] People have definitely switched to pickups from their full-size Yukons, Expeditions, Excursions, Armadas, Sequoias, and Tahoes. They’re using them as commuter vehicles and soccer mom rides; increasing gas prices don’t appear to bother their drivers, or curtail their driving at all.[/quote]
Americans buy pick-ups to get in touch with their inner cowboy. The pick-up truck has become a substitute of the horse. People buy them for image just as they do sport cars.
June 8, 2011 @ 7:54 AM
bubble_contagion
[quote=bubble_contagion]
Americans buy pick-ups to get in touch with their inner cowboy. The pick-up truck has become a substitute of the horse. People buy them for image just as they do sport cars.[/quote]
I agree, somewhat. One of my vehicles is a pickup. I don’t have it so much for image as for freedom. I hate relying on someone else – and costing me half a day waiting – to deliver something. If I want something big, I want the freedom to go haul it home right now.
I didn’t understand this until my Dad gave me one of his old trucks. Then a light bulb went off and I haven’t been without one since.
But I’d still like a cowboy hat, just like the one I had when I was five. 🙂
June 8, 2011 @ 7:52 AM
eavesdropper wrote:
I have a
[quote=eavesdropper]
I have a laissez-faire attitude about what people drive. Whatever floats your boat, as long as you don’t text while you drive it (that could endanger MY health). [/quote]
Me too. There are definitely some cars that I like better than others, but drive what makes you happy.
I just wished some people had better driving skills, as you elude to.
June 8, 2011 @ 10:52 AM
eavesdropper wrote:
I drive a
[quote=eavesdropper]
I drive a Prius. Don’t know about the car, but I, most assuredly, am common as dirt.
Seriously, here in the DC area, gas-saving vehicles are just not that popular. [/quote]
I have a friend in the dc metro area – her husband got his prius about 10 years ago… not for environmental or image reasons… it was 100% about the carpool lane. LOL.
June 8, 2011 @ 9:23 PM
UCGal wrote:eavesdropper
[quote=UCGal][quote=eavesdropper]
I drive a Prius. Don’t know about the car, but I, most assuredly, am common as dirt.
Seriously, here in the DC area, gas-saving vehicles are just not that popular. [/quote]
I have a friend in the dc metro area – her husband got his prius about 10 years ago… not for environmental or image reasons… it was 100% about the carpool lane. LOL.[/quote]
That’s DC for you: chock full of good intentions and sincerity.
Excuse me while I check for a Tweet from Congressman Weiner.
June 8, 2011 @ 9:55 PM
i was getting my 1980’s honda
i was getting my 1980’s honda repaired in a midas shop which was next door to the honda dealership. i looked at the civics, thinking, well, maybe. The mileage on the regular ones is pretty high — 39 hwy. hybrids arent really that much better. might as well just get the cheap civic.
it’s amazing how cheap a cheap honda is. i paid 8200 for mine over 20 years ago, with no a/c, no airbags, no stereo. so figure even then with that equipment it’d be 11,000 or so. Now it’s relatively fully for around 16,000 for the base model. You definitely get a better car, much less than the rate of inflation. I would buy one, but it kills me to pay sales tax and higher insurance.
PLus i got my muffler replaced under a lifetime warranty for a muffler i bought back in 1994. still ahve the paperwork. and its 4th timing belt.
I believe there is a certain coolness in driving a super old beater of a car.
i
June 8, 2011 @ 10:42 PM
walterwhite wrote:
I believe
[quote=walterwhite]
I believe there is a certain coolness in driving a super old beater of a car. [/quote]
I’ve been thinking about this statement. There’s nothing cool about driving a beater, there is a certain coolness about not caring what others think. But no A/C, stereo or airbags, now you are punishing yourself.
My last car was bought with my daughter in mind, I let her help pick it out because it would be her car in a few years, thankfully that day is almost upon me. (I have a unique situation where I need to own a car but I barely use it, maybe a few times a month). It wasn’t expensive, but it had air, airbags and a stereo. It wasnt manly, it’s been the butt of many jokes from my friends because it falls into the “chick car” category. I don’t care, it was a sensible decision and a frugal one, bit it’s certainly not “cool.” Also, Minivans arent “cool” but they get better mpg’s than suvs, carry more people and cargo, so if you have little kids they make sense, but dont call them cool. If you are immune to what others think, then you are probably a little cool anyways.
But there comes a time, walter, when you should do something for you, not for how people view you. Right now, not having a car payment is cool for you, having low insurance is cool, paying less for gas is cool. For others, if it’s all someone can afford, that’s cool for them. But Walter, we are almost in the same stage in life, we work hard, we dont borrow much, we live cheap. We save for this and that, we pay for others and we worry at times. But at some point, if you have the money, the balance sheet looks good and the “what ifs” are pretty much covered, it’s okay to buy yourself a nice car. Even one that goes fast, has a loud stereo, maybe costs too much. I’m not talking about leasing a car or buying a car that costs what you make in a year when you don’t have a retirement account. Or a car to cause envy or impres anyone. But something that is fun and makes you happy to go on a drive. Life should have pleasure.
I’m shopping for what car people call a “garage queen.” A used one, even an older one, some are ten years old or even 20 and have very few miles on them because they were weekend cars or cars for people that used mass transit but needed a car for occassional use. I’ve met some retired people who no longer drive but at some point bought the car they always wanted, had it for 20 years, and now that they are saying goodbye to this planet, none of them regret it. The 80 year old guy, selling his 20 year old porsche because he’s moving to an assisted living facility for his last few years didn’t regret those 20 years. He worked for 50 years, paid for his house, put his kids through school, gave more than he took, well, Im glad he had fun. I don’t want to be the 80 year old guy with the 20 year old civic in my garage when I pack it in. I know my kids, they would prefer to inherit 850k each and know dad got the car he wanted once, rather than inherit 900k and know i didn’t. My dad is in his 60’s, and for the first time in his life he bought a sweet ride, nothing sensible about it. He joked that he was having a blast spending my inheritance, but my reply…”have fun pops, but don’t scratch my car.”
Now that is “cool.”
June 8, 2011 @ 10:56 PM
can’t do it. sorry. just
can’t do it. sorry. just can’t. A new car just costs too much.
The next (and probably last) large vehicle expenditure I make will be for a custom handmade steel bicycle with vintage parts from the 60’s and 70’s (in the $5,000 range). All my vehicle lust goes toward custom bicycle paint and custom bends on forks.
I will never replace that civic if the engine and transmission continue to work. Hell who am I kidding, i’ll probably replace those too.
i do care what others think, and I still say it looks kinda cool.
Maybe it’s the cryptic bumper stickers, or the bike rack i never take off, or the squished in bumper, or the peeling paint, the dented roof. the seats in decay. the peeled off plastic on the interior revealing further plastic beneath.
I like that the car irritates. Normal people cannot stand that i drive this eyesore. It’s an affront to consumerism, to upward mobility, to circulating cash in the economy, and to all cars that smell decent.
I mean, this car just stinks inside. Really stinks.
It’s also partly about loyalty. I read a book called DRIVE YOUR CAR FOREVER when i bought the car in 1988, and the book said you should personify your car, so you will take better care of it. How could I just ditch Yojimbo? (named for famous Kurosawa film). It won’t be a 20 year old civic by the time I’m 80. It’ll be more like 50. 30 more years or so at an averagee of 7,000 miles a year, that would put it at 450,000 miles total. that sounds reasonable.
screw a/c, I don’t need it.
June 8, 2011 @ 11:20 PM
I agree old beater cars are
I agree old beater cars are cool.
I am driving a 10 year old honda CR-V with 200k on it. Never done anything but routine maintenance.
Whats cool about beater cars is, you don’t care about them. My car could be dirty, I could tear a seat open loading skis, or fill it with mildew from a weekend of hauling wet gear. But I just don’t care. I can’t see myself doing that with a 50k acura, not to mention the fact that I would just feel way to self conscious with a nice expensive car. I guess it just doesn’t fit the image I have of myself.
But seriously, bring on the diesels. Come on people, I am trying to initiate a thread drift to diesel engines. Did anyone look up that Le Mans audi? It is simply ridiculous.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_R10_TDI
June 8, 2011 @ 11:32 PM
Then you do understand but
Then you do understand but you are refusing to admit it. The mention of a bicycle that costs 50x what most bicycles cost affirms your ability to have passion for something and exposes you to attck about consumerism. Don’t hate, dont be cliche and don’t stereotype just because your passion lies elsewhere. I have a couple of costco MOTIV $100 bicycles that I bought ten years ago, and they work fine and will outlast your honda.
My previous bike was a schwinn beach cruiser that gave me twenty loyal years of service with only gear. But you don’t see me flinging labels like consumerism on you or touting my ability to go against the grain, so you have to accept my desire for a cool car that doesn’t make sense. Just admit it, you are scared to drive an ass magnet, a lot of married guys are, it’s ok.
And there is nothing cool about my bike.
Nor is there anything cool about my 10 year old golden bear costco golf clubs, I get teased on a weekly basis, believe me. But if you want to haul your 5k bike on your $500 car, go ahead, and I’ll haul my $100 bike or my $200 clubs in my 911 cabrio (used of course), don’t for a minute think you are better than me, just different. BTW, scardey, when are we getting a pint at Kilarney’s, its time.
June 9, 2011 @ 8:11 AM
I accept that. I don’t think
I accept that. I don’t think I was claiming to be better, just irritating, different and against the normal grain, at least in Southern California, but not, say Portland. I’m also willing to accept that ranting about the evils of cars is kind of cliche and ridiculous. See link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3nMnr8ZirI
the above- linked episode of PORTLANDIA where there’s this extremely angry cyclist screaming at cars as he rides around portland (in a humorous way), well, I definitely have some of that in me. I just occasionally scream that stuff inside my own head. The guy is completely ridiculous above, and I am only substantially ridiculous day-to-day.
I am willing to accept that a $5,000 bike can only be the product of a lust for beautiful things that work well, consumerism, but perhaps not quite as disposable. A guy can keep a bike for 30 years, nd have basically the same bike with minimal maintenance. A car, not really. That said, however…
The middle class consumerist impulses seem to be moving toward handcrafted archival extremely beautiful individual things, like handmade bicycles (or beer, for that matter), so maybe I’m even more cliche and mainstream than the guy who get a porsche.
though of a different order of magnitude than home purchasing, my refusal to discard our menagerie of heavily used cars bugs my wife. I have an inherited 98, a 2004 minivan we bought new for cash, and of course the classic Honda. She believes we should start over with brand new BMWs and that I spend “too much” on car repair.
Well, I’ve tallied the receipts, and these cars cost on average 80-100 month in repair and maintenance. Just dirt cheap compared to the capital or financing costs of a newer car, the sales tax, the added insurance, higher registration fees, the depreciation, and etc. I know, life isn’t all about money, etc etc., butthere’s no way I could pay cash for a new BMW and not vomit. And there’s no way I want to make a monthly payment.
Still, she says, why on earth did you spend $600 to repair a car that smells like dog puke? She’s got a point, particularly since I doubt I could sell the car for much more than $600. can I just get rid of it because it smells like dog puke. Where does this end? Should my wife discard me just because I smell? Should i get rid of her if she is old? I understand that these things may be completely unrelated to reality, but, you know, people aren’t necessarily rational.
i hope this isn’t too self-contradictory, but, a $100 new bike is just a little too cheap. In terms of cheap bikes the sweet spot is a bit higher, say 400, or I’d rather get a 400 bike used for 100. it’s not just consumerism, just, well, it’s a lot nicer made with just much better parts for relatively a little bit higher in price. whereas The difference between a 56,500 porche and a 56,800 porsche I’m assuming is not noticeable.
March 4, 2011 @ 8:04 PM
TG
Sorry
Here’s the Answer
TG
Sorry
Here’s the Answer for your Testosterone needs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rVTIpS5zb4
or
http://www.futurecars.com/futurecarscom/future-cars/future-car-of-the-week/inizio-electric-muscle
fuck that arab sucking noise.
Silent but deadly
March 7, 2011 @ 10:01 AM
Oil went to over $107 a
Oil went to over $107 a barrel today and above $4.5 gasoline is coming in CA this summer. Hate it or love it but suddenly the Prius is becoming economically more attractive to alot of people.
March 7, 2011 @ 1:26 PM
EmilyHicks wrote:Oil went to
[quote=EmilyHicks]Oil went to over $107 a barrel today and above $4.5 gasoline is coming in CA this summer. Hate it or love it but suddenly the Prius is becoming economically more attractive to alot of people.[/quote]
I agree.
But a lot of people are subborn and resistant to change. They want to stick with their way of life, driving big trucks, eating country fried steaks and smoking two packs of cigarettes per day no matter how detrimental that lifestyle is.
March 8, 2011 @ 10:06 PM
briansd1 wrote:But a lot of
[quote=briansd1]But a lot of people are subborn and resistant to change. They want to stick with their way of life, driving big trucks, eating country fried steaks and smoking two packs of cigarettes per day no matter how detrimental that lifestyle is.[/quote]
Brian, that came off a little douchy. Don’t hate and don’t stereotype and for god’s sake do not confuse testosterone with low intelligence. I personally love chicken fried steak in moderation, I’m car shopping and a big truck is still on the short list, and if it’s a drinking/golfing/gambling weekend trip with the fellas, two packs is probably not enough.
Embrace your man self, don’t hide from it. You can have it all, don’t listen to those granola girls, they are lying to you, when they sleep with you, they are imagining a guy who doesn’t drive a prius.
I promise, you can watch a subtitled foreign film, have fruit for breakfast, run on the treadmill, discuss politics, vote for gay marriage, clean your gun, stare discreetly at a woman with big boobs, watch sports, watch porn, read good books, drive a gas guzzler, let the hair on chest grow, put big tires on your truck, learn about a different culture every day, pet the dog, buy a table saw, install wood floors by yourself, learn to weld, rock a burberry suit and tie, keep three active windows on your desktop (piggington, espn, and the naked website of your preference), put gravy on things, be a good parent, drink good wine while actually tasting and smelling the things the writers write about, appreciate skoal snus and giggle how nobody can tell you are chewing tobacco at cocktail party, wish for peace, be nice to old ladies but still hit the weight stack so that when you see a wrong that needs to be righted, you can kick his ass.
The point is, you don’t need to grow female genitalia to be a modern man of the world. You can contradict expectations and be happy about it. You can be a man, you don’t have to change.
pat-I love electrics but that thing in the video, it’s not really for sale at the local dealer, and it would be nice if it didn’t look like a russian taxi. I love Teslas, I’ve been posting about them for years, I’m just sick of waiting. I don’t care who wins, either the people who want to make fuel from nothing or the people that make a mans car that runs on nothing. Just bring me something. Hell, I’d take a prius if they made a ragtop, I’m easy, I’m just not ready to give up and start menstruating.
svelte, we are simpatico, or at least relics. I hope we are not alone, I also see my son and the other teenagers looking at Detroit steel like I used to. Or maybe we are like the 70 year old guys I see at the golf course who get a new buick every two years just because they want to still believe. I got really scared recently because I actually saw a new buick lacrosse and thought it looked cool, not just a little cool, but I actually thought about test driving one. Then I thought “dear god, you just thought a buick looked cool, it’s probably only a matter of weeks until you need those pills so you don’t pee all the time, you know you have been peeing a lot, maybe you should get that checked, screw it, I think I’m ordering the country fried steak, that sounds good, does that come with gravy and cigarettes.”
March 9, 2011 @ 3:22 PM
TG Says
“pat-I love electrics
TG Says
“pat-I love electrics but that thing in the video, it’s not really for sale at the local dealer, and it would be nice if it didn’t look like a russian taxi. I love Teslas, I’ve been posting about them for years, I’m just sick of waiting. I don’t care who wins, either the people who want to make fuel from nothing or the people that make a mans car that runs on nothing. Just bring me something. Hell, I’d take a prius if they made a ragtop, I’m easy, I’m just not ready to give up and start menstruating. ”
All i’m saying about the White Zombie is it goes out and kills, Silently. It’s supposed to be ugly. That’s the message. Ugly and Fast.
Now, FWIW, the VOLT is Ramping up so is the Leaf, give it a couple quarters, production will be awesome.
3 Q Toyota will have the Prius C out, which looks sporty.
Honda has the CRZ out which is very sporty.
the trick is as you say, Toyota and Honda need to make a ragtop. Of course if you want to be Ballsy, you could convert one.
March 12, 2011 @ 2:41 PM
temeculaguy wrote:
svelte, we
[quote=temeculaguy]
svelte, we are simpatico, or at least relics. I hope we are not alone, I also see my son and the other teenagers looking at Detroit steel like I used to. … Then I thought “dear god, you just thought a buick looked cool, it’s probably only a matter of weeks until you need those pills so you don’t pee all the time, you know you have been peeing a lot, maybe you should get that checked, screw it, I think I’m ordering the country fried steak, that sounds good, does that come with gravy and cigarettes.”[/quote]
lol. I think a lot of people think car guys want nothing but gas powered cars. Not true! I don’t really give a rat’s arse if my car runs on gas, electricity, chicken fat, or banana peels. If it is fun, fast, and stylish (none of which describe the Prius) I’m gonna love it and buy it if the fuel is readily available.
I just think it is a waste of energy to worry too much about our oil supply. At today’s burn rate, we have 50 years of fuel left:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_reserves
Even if you factor in increased usage, we probably have 30 years. And I have no doubt that we humans will figure out a new source of energy. We’ve done it before! Shoot, 120 years ago we were all riding horses before we discovered dinosaur remains could turn wheels.
I’m as glad as anyone that we are learning how to produce electric cars, fuel cells, etc. Shoot, I’m mad at the US for not requiring all new homes to have solar cells on the roofs. That would have a HUGE impact on our resource usage!
No, I’ll save my worrying for other things and drive my fast, fun cars while the rest of the world beta tests alternatives.
What I worry about MUCH more is the total impact on this earth by overpopulation. And that is something that over the long haul will do much more damage to mother earth than the rate at which we deplete the dinosaur remains, believe me. Why don’t people talk about overpopulation?
The in thing right now is to worry about oil – my guess is that is because it has an immediate, direct impact on people’s wallets (which is also why this topic resurrects each time oil prices rise). Things that don’t impact their wallet right now today – such as the disasterous consequences of adding billions more people to the earth – are ignored. Humans are short sighted.
(ps – I don’t smoke or eat beef or pork. I don’t really fit in any molds. And I would never, ever buy a Buick. My 25 yo daughter in law bought one last month and brought it over to show me – I about fainted! It’s a beautiful car and I’m happy for her, but I would have never expected her to buy one. I still don’t quite know what to say – I guess I hold onto prejudices wrt Buick that I need to let go of one day. But not today.)
March 3, 2011 @ 11:28 AM
jimmyle wrote:The Prius is
[quote=jimmyle]The Prius is also bland for the same reason.[/quote]
The Prius is bland in order to reduce drag and increase mileage. There is a reason that all of these efficient cars are ugly: function over form.
March 3, 2011 @ 12:44 PM
Talking about function over
Talking about function over form…
Look at the old modern/mid-century buildings. You may think that they are old and unattractive. That’s due to lack of manufacturing prowess and the quality of materials used. But the architectural designs are very beautiful and functional at the same time.
Simplicity and funtionality can be beautiful and very estetically pleasing.
For the automobile, think back the Citroen DS. The design was very advanced. But French manufacturing was iffy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citroen_DS
In the Prius, Toyota offers precision manufacturing combined with innovative engineering and design.
If you appreciate quality and workmanship, next time you see a new Prius, look at the stamping of the creases in the metal and plastic bumpers. Look at the narrow, precise, and even gaps in between body panels. That’s the kind of precision that Toyota offers at an affordable, mass-market price.
Compare the precision of Toyota to a GM/Ford product offered at the same price.
PS: In real estate, look at the quality of drywall installs. See how baseboards are installed. Are the gaps filled with caulk to hide the sloppy workmanship? Are the tiles evenly set with precision?
March 12, 2011 @ 3:38 PM
Screw gas mileage….
Screw gas mileage….
Sigh….
2012 650 coupe (released)
March 12, 2011 @ 4:21 PM
I love that car, flu! I saw
I love that car, flu! I saw that pic of it in red today and stared for 5 min. Really, really nice. They had a silver one at the LA Auto Show, but red is definitely better.
June 4, 2011 @ 8:23 PM
flu wrote:Screw gas
[quote=flu]Screw gas mileage….
Sigh….
2012 650 coupe (released)
Awesome!
June 10, 2011 @ 10:50 AM
When people make sweeping
When people make sweeping generalizations about how they hate an entire group of people (I hate Prius owners, I hate Republicans, I hate people who eat peanut butter…) it usually says more about that person’s fears and projections than about the people they hate.
I’m a Prius owner and lover, and here’s one reason why (I sure hope this works so I don’t look like the technophobe I am):
[img_assist|nid=15020|title=MPG|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=76]
June 12, 2011 @ 9:29 AM
i don’t hate prius owners,
i don’t hate prius owners, but i do kind of hate the prius. There was an article in THE NEW YORKER about an economist whose research basically says that increasing efficiency of energy actually causes us to use more energy.
Makes sense; i think he gave the example of candles — light at night used to be a very expensive, precious commodity. Now we sometimes leave the goddamn light on all night in the food pantry, something not conceivable in the 16th c.
So having a more efficient car isn’t really any particular cause for celebration. It’s the same trajectory of excess energy use, probably even faster, which sin’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s just not helping anything, other than your own personal finances, which is fine. sure doesn’t seem to me like buying a hybrid really pays off in any kind of reasonable time, as compared to a better fridge or CFL lightbulbs or my beloved pool pump. Not that i feel self-righteous about my pool pump. but i do love that damn pool pump.
I wonder if there are people out there in other chat groups who hate me for owning a Pentair Intelliflo pool pump.
im somewhat realted news, I rode my bike to work 10 miles each way 3 days last week, hilly, dirt road, gorgeous, probably in the top 10% of all bike commutes in the nation for sheer amazingness. Probably not that many people hate me for that because there are almost no cars for me to slightly impede on their way to wherever they’re going.
June 12, 2011 @ 10:40 AM
walterwhite wrote:…im
[quote=walterwhite]…im somewhat realted news, I rode my bike to work 10 miles each way 3 days last week, hilly, dirt road, gorgeous, probably in the top 10% of all bike commutes in the nation for sheer amazingness. Probably not that many people hate me for that because there are almost no cars for me to slightly impede on their way to wherever they’re going.[/quote]
Good for YOU, scaredy! Sounds like you have it made as far as your “work commute,” lol! And you’ve got to have very strong legs to do it. I certainly couldn’t :=0
June 12, 2011 @ 11:22 AM
you could do it. the first
you could do it. the first week you ride one mile. the second week 2 miles. the third week 3 miles. then you rest a little. then the 5th week four miles. 6 months later, we’re riding to work!
June 14, 2011 @ 7:30 PM
“Electric cars may portray
“Electric cars may portray themselves as ‘zero emissions’ but the overall pollution they generate can be almost as great as a frugal conventional diesel car, consumer watchdogs said today.”
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1360062/Watchdog-says-electric-cars-dirty-diesel.html#ixzz1PJAo5oyB
June 15, 2011 @ 6:26 AM
svelte,
Did you see the new
svelte,
Did you see the new F10 M5???
Holy @#$@#$@#$@#@$@#$@#$
Must talk to Dinan…Must talk to Dinan….
Official 2012 BMW M5 images have leaked onto the Internet as the latest iteration of the legendary M model prepares to charge toward showrooms. The F10 M5 is flared and aero-ed up with bodywork that maintains a buttoned-up demeanor even as it radiates aggression. Onlookers can tell the M5 is a special car with its enlarged air intakes in the front fascia, quartet of tailpipes and 20-inch wheels with Z-rated tires, but it doesn’t need to be festooned with wings and bling to make its point.
The 2012 M5 is about more than mere surface beauty, after all. The sonorous V10 of the last M5 has been traded out for a twin-turbocharged V8 fist. Power is up, with 552 horsepower (the V10 produced 507 hp) coming on at 6,000 rpm – 1,750 rpm lower than the V10. Torque is hugely boosted from 383 pound-feet to 501 lb-ft, which will be great for shoving this car to 60 miles per hour in a reported 4.4 seconds. That’ll route to the rear wheels via a standard dual-clutch transmission, though a proper six-speed stick will reportedly be available here in the United States.
June 15, 2011 @ 6:32 AM
http://www.renehersebicycles.
http://www.renehersebicycles.com/IMG_0036.JPG
look at that beauty. rene herse was a french bicycle maker in the 50, 60s died, americans in colorado bought the name from some heirs and are trying to do handmade homages to thsi retro styling, some with 650b tires, a tire size recently extinct, french euro mid century wheel size that had all but vanished. now new handmade 650b superpremium tires arise from the ashes.
talk about weird, pretentious consumption, man I want one. french extinct retro improved reproductions.
not really like a french deux cv. hard to explain….
August 13, 2011 @ 11:30 AM
Coming back from way out in
Coming back from way out in East County, I encountered this Prius.
The older white male driver had the cruise control set at 55mph in the fast lane and he was not budging. I passed him on the right side.
There was a Duncan Hunter bumper sticker and a huge God Bless America sticker on the side window.
I guess this driver who likely commutes from East County doesn’t believe in drill-baby-drill or that driving a small Japanese car is emasculating.
[img_assist|nid=15234|title=Right Wing Prius Owner|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=600|height=480]
August 13, 2011 @ 11:43 AM
briansd1 wrote:Coming back
[quote=briansd1]Coming back from way out in East County, I encountered this Prius.
The older white male driver had the cruise control set at 55mph in the fast lane and he was not budging. I passed him on the right side.
There was a Duncan Hunter bumper sticker and a huge God Bless America sticker on the side window.
I guess this driver who likely commutes from East County doesn’t believe in drill-baby-drill or that driving a small Japanese car is emasculating.
[/quote]
Not cool to post someone else’s car picture with the actual plate still on it you know…
http://tsx.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=677503
But then again, probably not so much concern when it ‘s a prius.
August 13, 2011 @ 12:31 PM
flu wrote:
Not cool to post
[quote=flu]
Not cool to post someone else’s car picture with the actual plate still on it you know…
[/quote]
Says the man who, just two posts back, posted a photo of someone else’s car with the actual plate on it.
August 13, 2011 @ 12:36 PM
Ok I fixed it.
I needed a pic
Ok I fixed it.
I needed a pic to prove it because people think that Prius drivers are granola munching, tree hugger liberals.
August 13, 2011 @ 1:16 PM
briansd1 wrote:Ok I fixed
[quote=briansd1]Ok I fixed it.
I needed a pic to prove it because people think that Prius drivers are granola munching, tree hugger liberals.[/quote]
no you didn’t fix it.
and yes, people who buy prii for all sorts or reasons, none of them which I could personally like myself.. But whatever floats peoples boats.
August 13, 2011 @ 4:18 PM
flu wrote:briansd1 wrote:Ok I
[quote=flu][quote=briansd1]Ok I fixed it.
I needed a pic to prove it because people think that Prius drivers are granola munching, tree hugger liberals.[/quote]
no you didn’t fix it.
and yes, people who buy prii for all sorts or reasons, none of them which I could personally like myself.. But whatever floats peoples boats.[/quote]
I bought a Prius so that I could afford to float a boat.
August 14, 2011 @ 8:24 AM
TOUCHE!
TOUCHE!
August 14, 2011 @ 12:11 PM
eavesdropper wrote:
I bought
[quote=eavesdropper]
I bought a Prius so that I could afford to float a boat.[/quote]
Please explain.