My Prius Rental Experience
#11
07-27-2007, 09:00 AM
Re: My Prius Rental Experience
In your "time for the prius gas savings to pay for itself" estimates, you have gas at $3.35 for five years. I think that the only way gas will stay at $3.35/ gallon for five years is if a whole hell of a lot of people buy fuel efficient vehicles and reduce global demand. I am a firm believer in thinking positive, but I just don't think this is a realistic expectation. I realize the future is a hard thing to predict, especially when it comes to gas prices.
In my thumbnail estimates that I did prior to buying a TCH, I used a 20% annual increase in the price of gas. I started at $2.20/gallon, which was right at the time. Now, not so much.
ps. I love how you called the prius a "techno-greenie-geek-mobile." That cracks me up.
In my thumbnail estimates that I did prior to buying a TCH, I used a 20% annual increase in the price of gas. I started at $2.20/gallon, which was right at the time. Now, not so much.
ps. I love how you called the prius a "techno-greenie-geek-mobile." That cracks me up.
Last edited by chris_h; 07-27-2007 at 09:02 AM. Reason: add ps.
#12
07-27-2007, 10:25 AM
Re: My Prius Rental Experience
Hi,
Of course, driving my car to a job I really need to get to and having situations at home that might require my absence from work, I do NOT
want to drive til the wheels fall off. ( I know you were exaggerating some but maybe not so much! I have done this but not quite literally.) The question kind of is when to let go of a working car. My guess, maybe I'm wrong, is to keep it til I start needing to repair major stuff like the transmission (I do have auto-- I can't drive manual-- though there is a delightful ?? story of driving on hilly terrain in someone else's Karmen Ghia, but I digress). Of course, I don't actually want to *get* to a place where I am really needing to replace those things yesterday, if you get my drift. Tires are one thing, but if it got to transmission, motor, total brake failure, etc etc etc. You know what I'm talking about. I have had this happen in the past, btw. I want to take my time buying.
The reason I made the comment about comparing oranges to apples (in this case a Corolla to a Prius) is this: the idea of these cars is to supposedly maximize gas mileage-- well maybe it is. And I understand initially putting them on cars that do not exactly maximize gas mileage (though I think you could say this for the Insight). So if you want maximized gas mileage you would put this on a car like the Yaris or Fit.
Now I see nothing at all wrong with putting it on a car like the Prius to get those R&D dollars paid for, but what is going on is that that it is getting on bigger and bigger cars and SUVs and i am getting the distinct impression the whole idea is NOT to maximize gas mileage but to allow for more gas guzzlers that people won't feel guilty about. Is this the message we really want?? No, I am not comparing-- nor would I compare identical features. But the thing is that not everyone needs, wants, can afford them. And I am not REALLY comparing feature to feature, but making a point. Which in all likelihood I didn't make too clearly. :-)
I am hoping some mother ships read this forum. :-)
And it does seem Honda is thinking in my terms. Even Toyota has a "stripped down" Camry in the works. Of course, stripped down Camry would kind of be a bit ridiculous imo. As it has always been a bit of a luxury car. So what they could do would be to have a lower end Prius (but I don't think that is exactly even in the idea of Toyota). We don't know about the Fit Hybrid yet, since Honda refuses to talk one way or the other.
I realize that a higher highway mileage favors the HCH. It's just that everywhere I post seems to say that the Prius is a bit better for me. I have a 15 mile commute-2/3rds highway; weekends are 5-45 miles 95% city, and summers are nearly 100% city. Being a hypermiler, moderate though I am, I could probably get decent mileage on anything-- including esp the newer econo-boxes.
I see your point of comparing stuff and see what i actually have/want. I do want a/c (not necessarily top of the line), auto transmission (as it is the only thing I can drive), and certain other goodies are more optional imo-- for instance auto windows and doors; etc. Certain others like spoiler, CD changer, bluetooth, nave, etc. etc. are totally irrelevant to me. My guess is that this puts me in the first or second tier of options. My Corolla has things that were nice in the big city (auto windows for instance), but which I don't feel much of a need for here in the little city.
I can see used hybrid might be an option as well. Even an Impulse, though I get the idea they are all manual transmission??
Thanks for the excellent response, btw.
--des
[quote=tekn0wledg;135906]I disagree with this statement to an extent.
Of course, driving my car to a job I really need to get to and having situations at home that might require my absence from work, I do NOT
want to drive til the wheels fall off. ( I know you were exaggerating some but maybe not so much! I have done this but not quite literally.) The question kind of is when to let go of a working car. My guess, maybe I'm wrong, is to keep it til I start needing to repair major stuff like the transmission (I do have auto-- I can't drive manual-- though there is a delightful ?? story of driving on hilly terrain in someone else's Karmen Ghia, but I digress). Of course, I don't actually want to *get* to a place where I am really needing to replace those things yesterday, if you get my drift. Tires are one thing, but if it got to transmission, motor, total brake failure, etc etc etc. You know what I'm talking about. I have had this happen in the past, btw. I want to take my time buying.
The reason I made the comment about comparing oranges to apples (in this case a Corolla to a Prius) is this: the idea of these cars is to supposedly maximize gas mileage-- well maybe it is. And I understand initially putting them on cars that do not exactly maximize gas mileage (though I think you could say this for the Insight). So if you want maximized gas mileage you would put this on a car like the Yaris or Fit.
Now I see nothing at all wrong with putting it on a car like the Prius to get those R&D dollars paid for, but what is going on is that that it is getting on bigger and bigger cars and SUVs and i am getting the distinct impression the whole idea is NOT to maximize gas mileage but to allow for more gas guzzlers that people won't feel guilty about. Is this the message we really want?? No, I am not comparing-- nor would I compare identical features. But the thing is that not everyone needs, wants, can afford them. And I am not REALLY comparing feature to feature, but making a point. Which in all likelihood I didn't make too clearly. :-)
I am hoping some mother ships read this forum. :-)
And it does seem Honda is thinking in my terms. Even Toyota has a "stripped down" Camry in the works. Of course, stripped down Camry would kind of be a bit ridiculous imo. As it has always been a bit of a luxury car. So what they could do would be to have a lower end Prius (but I don't think that is exactly even in the idea of Toyota). We don't know about the Fit Hybrid yet, since Honda refuses to talk one way or the other.
I realize that a higher highway mileage favors the HCH. It's just that everywhere I post seems to say that the Prius is a bit better for me. I have a 15 mile commute-2/3rds highway; weekends are 5-45 miles 95% city, and summers are nearly 100% city. Being a hypermiler, moderate though I am, I could probably get decent mileage on anything-- including esp the newer econo-boxes.
I see your point of comparing stuff and see what i actually have/want. I do want a/c (not necessarily top of the line), auto transmission (as it is the only thing I can drive), and certain other goodies are more optional imo-- for instance auto windows and doors; etc. Certain others like spoiler, CD changer, bluetooth, nave, etc. etc. are totally irrelevant to me. My guess is that this puts me in the first or second tier of options. My Corolla has things that were nice in the big city (auto windows for instance), but which I don't feel much of a need for here in the little city.
I can see used hybrid might be an option as well. Even an Impulse, though I get the idea they are all manual transmission??
Thanks for the excellent response, btw.
--des
Hi,
Until the accident took our '91 Camry, 32 MPG, I was quite happy and would have kept it if the insurance company hadn't seized the title.
It is a question of comparing identical features. Typically the hybrids and certainly the Prius comes with standard features that are extra on other cars. Regardless of whether they are 'eye-candy' or real, a true price comparison matches feature-to-feature.
Everyone would love an economy hybrid without the extra 'standard' features. But if wishes were horses . . .
There are driving profiles that favor the IMA over the HSD.
My former insurance company did that to me.
I'd recommend driving your current ride till the wheels fall off. But when or if it goes the way of all things, look at your resources and requirements and make a decision that works for you. But as to price, be honest about the feature rich, hybrid price versus a no-frills, econo-box. Load up the econo-box with the same features that are standard on the hybrid and you'll be comparing identical featured cars.
In 2001, my wife needed a car and we compared an Echo to the Prius. But her creature comforts added just under $3,000 to the basic price. It was still cheaper than the Prius so we went with the Echo. Given we still have the Echo with only 27k miles after 6 years, that was the right decision.
In 2005, my insurance company invalidated the title and took our 32 MPG Camry. However, a used 03 Prius came within $1,000 of the price of a new Scion xB. We came within $75 of break-even on the first year. Now with 22 months and 38k miles, the Prius was the right decision.
If you've got a good car that meets your requirements, keep it. But if you reach a point where the car has become "End of Life," look at your options and make the best choice for you. Just don't 'sandbag' the economics by claiming a stripped econo-box is the same as a feature-rich hybrid.
Load the econo-box with automatic transmission, top of the line AC/heating, alloy wheels, multi-CD changer, electric doors, spoiler and air dam and it will be a fair, purchase price comparison. Alternatively state that you don't need the automatic transmission, top of the line AC/heating, alloy wheels, multi-CD changer, electric doors, spoiler, air dam and hybrid drive. At least this doesn't inflate the hybrid drive cost with these other features. That is the fair way to make a purchase price comparison.
Bob Wilson
Until the accident took our '91 Camry, 32 MPG, I was quite happy and would have kept it if the insurance company hadn't seized the title.
It is a question of comparing identical features. Typically the hybrids and certainly the Prius comes with standard features that are extra on other cars. Regardless of whether they are 'eye-candy' or real, a true price comparison matches feature-to-feature.
Everyone would love an economy hybrid without the extra 'standard' features. But if wishes were horses . . .
There are driving profiles that favor the IMA over the HSD.
My former insurance company did that to me.
I'd recommend driving your current ride till the wheels fall off. But when or if it goes the way of all things, look at your resources and requirements and make a decision that works for you. But as to price, be honest about the feature rich, hybrid price versus a no-frills, econo-box. Load up the econo-box with the same features that are standard on the hybrid and you'll be comparing identical featured cars.
In 2001, my wife needed a car and we compared an Echo to the Prius. But her creature comforts added just under $3,000 to the basic price. It was still cheaper than the Prius so we went with the Echo. Given we still have the Echo with only 27k miles after 6 years, that was the right decision.
In 2005, my insurance company invalidated the title and took our 32 MPG Camry. However, a used 03 Prius came within $1,000 of the price of a new Scion xB. We came within $75 of break-even on the first year. Now with 22 months and 38k miles, the Prius was the right decision.
If you've got a good car that meets your requirements, keep it. But if you reach a point where the car has become "End of Life," look at your options and make the best choice for you. Just don't 'sandbag' the economics by claiming a stripped econo-box is the same as a feature-rich hybrid.
Load the econo-box with automatic transmission, top of the line AC/heating, alloy wheels, multi-CD changer, electric doors, spoiler and air dam and it will be a fair, purchase price comparison. Alternatively state that you don't need the automatic transmission, top of the line AC/heating, alloy wheels, multi-CD changer, electric doors, spoiler, air dam and hybrid drive. At least this doesn't inflate the hybrid drive cost with these other features. That is the fair way to make a purchase price comparison.
Bob Wilson
Last edited by desdemona; 07-27-2007 at 09:52 PM.
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