I'm thinking about buying a Prius, WHAT?! Options

[Hartmann]

My wife's car is a 1996 Honda Accord and it has well over 100k miles and has a few things that need to be overhauled, including the air conditioning system. It runs great, but I think the costs are going to build up over the next year or so.

We've been looking at different options and test drove the Honda Insight and Civic last night. The Insight is a neat little car, but you can tell it's version 1.0 of the sedan model. You can physically feel the engine shutting off at lights, something I've never felt in a Prius. The 53 mpg is a great little tidbit. The EPA rates the car at 48 mpg but that's in standard configuration. In the "ECO" mode, the thing gets 53 mpg on the highway.

So, now I'm leaning towards the 2010 Prius. The Civic is a good car, but the gas mileage is nuts in these hybrids and the cost of the battery replacement has gone way down ($1,300 after 80k miles).

Anyone have a Prius? What do you think of them?

I'm not green, I just like saving a lot of money on gas.

[Spectatrix]

I don't have a Prius, but I have seen a lot of commercials for the Insight lately. Was thinking of giving it a look-over in a few years when I'm looking to trade in my Echo.

[Hartmann]

I don't have a Prius, but I have seen a lot of commercials for the Insight lately. Was thinking of giving it a look-over in a few years when I'm looking to trade in my Echo.

I liked driving it. My only issue outside of feeling the engine kick off, was the blind spot near the rear quarters of the vehicle. I'm used to having zero blindspots there, so it threw me off a little.

[cmac]

I'm not green, I just like saving a lot of money on gas.

thanks for clarifying

[Hartmann]

thanks for clarifying

No problem.

The reason I put that in there is that in the Insight, you get "rewarded" after every ride that you complete that is "green". It shows a little icon on the dash and after so many, you're "promoted". It's a lame attempt to make someone feel good about "saving the earth".

[impala454]

How much do these things cost? I'm almost afraid to ask..

[Hartmann]

How much do these things cost? I'm almost afraid to ask..

Walk out for the Insight was $19k-20k

[cmac]

the Insight, you get "rewarded" after every ride that you complete that is "green". It shows a little icon on the dash and after so many, you're "promoted". It's a lame attempt to make someone feel good about "saving the earth".

whaaaaat..? yea, that's the dumbest thing i've ever heard.

[Mommy]

I desperately want a '10 Ford Fusion Hybrid

[Spectatrix]

The reason I put that in there is that in the Insight, you get "rewarded" after every ride that you complete that is "green". It shows a little icon on the dash and after so many, you're "promoted". It's a lame attempt to make someone feel good about "saving the earth".

Haha, really? That's silly.

[Hartmann]

Yeah, watch the demo: http://automobiles.honda.com/insight-hybri...ture=eco_assist

Just too much information for me.

[impala454]

undoubtedly there's people out there posting online bragging about their "score"... lame

[impala454]

Walk out for the Insight was $19k-20k

for the size of the thing, that just seems really expensive to me

[Psykopath]

I desperately want a '10 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Mega MPG on those. Will be good competition for the Prius.

[Mommy]

Mega MPG on those. Will be good competition for the Prius.

Yeah, and I believe it's a size class up on the Prius, but I could be wrong. It would make a good family car.

[chook]

No problem.

The reason I put that in there is that in the Insight, you get "rewarded" after every ride that you complete that is "green". It shows a little icon on the dash and after so many, you're "promoted". It's a lame attempt to make someone feel good about "saving the earth".

That is dumb. Like getting a sticker for scarfing down weight watchers.

[chook]

Hey Hartmann, what about trunk space? That is one of my concerns.

[Hartmann]

Hey Hartmann, what about trunk space? That is one of my concerns.

It's similar to the Prius "trunk". It's more of an open space that the rear door covers. It's glass and even with tinting you can still see in a bit.

Size is good and the entire back seat folds down. I think two large suitcases and two medium suitcases could fit fine in the back without the seats down.

The 2010 Prius has under floor storage as well.

[Dogmeat]

I guess if it's ok for me to buy a mountain bike it's ok for you to buy a Prius.

....... But only if you bring Cathryn back so I can argue with her.

[FORSAKENR320]

I guess if it's ok for me to buy a mountain bike it's ok for you to buy a Prius.

....... But only if you bring Cathryn back so I can argue with her.

we're running her through a car wash a couple times first

[Mommy]

Remember when she admitted to only showering once a week (if that) even though she ran a few miles every day.... haha... I lol'd

[FORSAKENR320]

yea. she washed only her hands and face. her hair was nasty, and even worse, she didn't shave her "undercarriage" either, so you KNOW she had to be a bit....musky

[Hartmann]

Alright, time for an update. We ended buying a Prius, my wife's Honda Accord was on its last legs.

We've had it a few weeks now and put around 300 miles on it. It drives well and doesn't force "hybrid" style driving. I just get in and drive it like a regular car and right now I'm averaging 47mpg in mixed city and highway driving. It gives a realtime mpg monitor that you can turn on and off and also shows 1-minute and 5-minute miles per gallon per trip and the recharges that go along with it. I love data so I usually check it out when we get done driving it but don't really pay attention to any of that on the road. We are driving to Austin this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how it does.

I was worried about pick-up when on the freeway and it has no issues, that little 4-cylinder can go!

[cmac]

what is "hybrid" style driving?

[Hartmann]

what is "hybrid" style driving?

In the Insight a driver had to be very conscience of how they drove it to make sure they were getting the best mileage, not so with the Prius. An example is not accelerating quickly. In the Insight you had hit a switch to use the full power of the gas engine or else you'd accelerate very slowly. The Prius will get up and go when you want it to, without hitting buttons.

I called it hybrid driving because we've all been behind people in hybrids who drive them in a stupid manner (not accelerating when getting on the freeway). Why the sudden desire to try and pick a fight?

[cmac]

just didn't know what exactly that meant. never driven a hybrid.

[chook]

I wouldn't call it picking a fight, but you are right about those people with hybrids who drive all slow.

[Dogmeat]

so anyways, the world is going to end because humans are not life, we're just a virus.