Hybrid Vehicles

pjayer · Post by **pjayer** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 2:27 pm

The TAD will celebrate her sweet sixteen in a few weeks and has been asking for a hybrid vehicle. I like the idea of a green car and saving a few dollars at the pump would help the wallet right now. But, I'm interested in hearing the pros and cons from those of you who own or have owned a hybrid, specifically a Toyota Prius. Are they safe and reliable? Would it be a good choice for a new driver? What are your thoughts? Thanks.

Marcia (Mrs. Pete) · Post by **Marcia (Mrs. Pete)** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 2:57 pm

My sister has a Prius and loves it. I've been a passenger in it, but have never driven it. It's comfortable and quiet. The only annoying (and stupid) thing about it is that when you back up, it makes that "beep, beep, beep" sound (like a truck backing up). This is on the INSIDE of the car. Duh, I know I'm backing up, why are you beeping at me. It doesn't make the sound on the OUTSIDE where it would make some sense.

Anyway, if your daughter is going to have the car for the long haul and if she intends to drive quite a bit, it's a good investment. Eventually, it will pay off at the pump. Plus, obviously, it's good for the environment.

Is there still a waiting list for them?

pjayer · Post by **pjayer** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:58 pm

Marcia, that's good to hear. I had no idea they beeped when in reverse. My daughter might think it's cool, but I imagine it would get annoying.

Yes, there is still a waiting list, and we've been on one for several months. If we decide to get it for her, I hope it arrives in time for her b-day.

Thanks for the info.

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:01 pm

the lease on my V6 Accord ended last March and I LOVED that car but we went with the wiser choice of the Hybrid Civic. Charlie drives 100 miles a day and it made good financial sense for us but it was also small and made me nervous for him to be going from a Nissan Xterra (which I now drive) to the Civic. He drives highways in crazy traffic and I wanted to know he was safe.
I'm much more used to it now and it performs well and saves us a bundle! And I was this one who came thisclose to having an accident in it

soxfan22 · Post by **soxfan22** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:02 pm

As I've mentioned, I work in pharma/biotech. My company has gone almost exclusively to Hybrid cars (Prius, Camry, Altima). I chose the Altima Hybrid for my company car, and I like it. You do certainly pay a premium on the sticker, but if you drive it for awhile it probably pays for itself.

For me, you wouldn't see me dead in a Prius. Way way way too small. But, to each his or her own!

aroobagirl · Post by **aroobagirl** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:39 pm

I have been driving my Civic hybrid for 4 years and love it! Honestly I bought it so I could use the HOV lanes in Virginia saving me about an hour commuting time each day. Then the gas prices skyrocketed and I felt even better!
Reliable and cheap to run.

verjoy · Post by **verjoy** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:58 pm

We bought our Prius in August of 2006. My husband insisted I pick out a new car as he was too busy caring for his Dad part time. I researched online and Consumer Reports from the library.

I ended up ordering a car over the phone and giving the salesman a credit card deposit over the phone from a dealership 100 miles away. The car came in about a week later and we went to pick it up. While we were finalizing the deal several groups of people got in the car and were looking at it. Salesman said they got an allotment of Prii? from the manufacturer and they were usually sold before they arrived at the dealership.

We like ours very much. I'm sure there will be new developments that will make it obsolete, but in the meantime we get 45 mpg in town and up to 55 mpg on the highway. These figures vary with the outside temperature, passenger load, wind etc. We find it roomy enough for 4 adults, especially in the back seat.

Yes, ours beeps when backing up but ours has an optional camera back up system. Our driveway goes steeply up to the street which makes pedestrians very hard to see without it.

If you like to work on your own cars I do not recommend the Prius. Only certified Prius mechanics should repair it. Other than a button to start it and a lever on the dash to shift gears, it drives just like any other car. Maybe US automakers will produce something similar, but what is taking so long? Prius has been on the market since 2000. No wonder US automakers are going broke.

Jamestown · Post by **Jamestown** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:08 pm

We have a Prius....actually our 2nd Prius. We had the first for about 2 months and my hubby slammed into a telephone pole. I'm happy to report he was unharmed, not even a scratch. The car was a total loss, but it protected him. We just got our new Prius about a week ago. Hubby is getting 52 mpg. We love the car and highly recommend. We are Toyota people...on our 3rd 4-Runner and have a Tacoma truck also!
Jamestown

pjayer · Post by **pjayer** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:33 pm

It's good to see the positive comments so far, and I appreciate everyone's response. Please keep your opinions coming.

bayer40601 · Post by **bayer40601** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:00 pm

If you like to work on your own cars I do not recommend the Prius.

We don't even work on our own commodes (inside joke), let alone cars.

Lulu76 · Post by **Lulu76** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:02 pm

I am also thinking my next car (which will be a while because apparently no one can get car loans right now) will be a hybrid. I want a Saturn VUE hybrid, because I want an SUV, but I love having good fuel economy (I drive a Cavalier now) and I'm trying to reduce my carbon footprint. And, because it's only the second year for the Vue hybrid, I think you can still get tax credits on them, whereas the Prius and Honda hybrids credits have expired.

My only hesitation is hearing from folks who make hybrids telling me how much it costs to repair them. Even basic repairs can cost thousands of dollars. A friend at Saturn who makes the Vues and a friend at Ford who makes the hybrid SUVs told me that they have a lot higher repair costs than traditional cars. That's something I don't think a lot of people think of. I know my friend accidentally ran the battery down on her Prius and it cost her quite a bit to have it fixed, and she said it wasn't like a regular car where you could just get a jump and a new battery and be on your way -- it had to go to the dealership for several days.

I will still probably get one eventually, because I feel like we all need to look into alternative fuels, but there are some cons to them, too.

soxfan22 · Post by **soxfan22** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:20 pm

Then of course, there are the accident scene dangers:

http://www.nbc4.com/safeandsecure/5078972/detail.html

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/15 ... etail.html

cocosmom · Post by **cocosmom** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 6:47 am

Well, I am of the opinion of getting a big used car for the new HS driver. Did that for both my girls. Made me feel better about their safety until they and the numerous new drivers they hang with got a little more experience driving. Both had a fellow studnet bump into their car in a parking lot

Doen't hurt as much to dent/scratch a used vehicle. HS parking lots can also add to mysterious dents/scratchs. We waited until soph year of college to buy a new car. Most big colleges don't allow parking of a car freshman year. You want a new/ reliable vehicle for them to drive home in. JMO

pjayer · Post by **pjayer** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 9:49 am

cocosmom, I understand completely what you're saying. I lost my 16 year old brother in an automobile accident years ago, so the safety factor is my biggest concern. I'd put her in a tank if I could get away with it. Volvos seem to get good safety ratings, so we might explore that option also. Thanks for your opinion.

waterguy · Post by **waterguy** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 11:32 am

I have a volvo s40n as my second car love it. Make sure you figure out how long it will take to pay back the differance in price of the hyb. I saw some where it took 6 years to pay back the Pirus and I don't keep cars that long.

usvi-on-line

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Hybrid Vehicles

Hybrid Vehicles