Toyota Prius

[OperaTenor]

Hmm, to me it looks as though she still has one post to go....

GC, are you suffering from a case of premature congratulation?!!

[lioness]

OT, that was AWESOME!!!
i am crying from reading it!

<img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_12_6.gif" alt=" - " />

[camper]

Originally posted by Marye:
I would like another Subaru since I love my car, but I am trying to be a better citizen of the world, which isn't always easy, so I am leaning toward a Prius.

Try Micheal Crichton's new novel, "State of Fear"
You'll see the connection

[analog]

Remember the "Freeway", a 100 mpg micro-size commuter car produced briefly about 1980?

http://clubs.hemmings.com/frameset.cfm?club=hmvfreeway

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

I've had a Toyota Tercel (Fred) since it was new in 1997. Regular maintenance, no problems, original engine & tranny, 140,000 miles. That's miles, not km. It gets just under 30 mi/gal, with mixed freeway and around-town driving.

We just got a Toyota van (Igor) last summer, it's a great road trip car, gets about 18 mi/gal. It's the 6-cyl Sienna model, intelligent all wheel drive, handles like a dream on difficult roads in all conditions.

My sister got a Rav4 (Stumpy) about a year ago. She's a Denverite, drives in ice and sleet and snow and thunderstorms. Has the all-wheel drive, passes up the SUVs that are stuck in the snowdrifts and ditches. Says she gets about 34 mi/gal.

None of us have had any serious mechanical problems, other than things that just flat wore out on Fred, and we expect to drive them for years into the future. Fred convinced me that the Toyotas are worth the extra money to buy them.

My best advice is to check the Consumer Digest book on this year's new cars, then test drive the ones that fit your operating criteria. One thing that makes a major difference in how well you like a car is the way the seat fits your back. For this, you gotta sit and drive the thing.

Also, name the car something you can call it in public.

[GreatCarouser]

Originally posted by OperaTenor:
Hmm, to me it looks as though she still has one post to go....

GC, are you suffering from a case of premature congratulation?!!

I'm sure History will bear me out and these posts will inspire much head scratching by historians...

[sadie]

Selma,
The Rav4 sounds like a great option. A funny story about looking at the consumer reports, and "Car of the Year" as guidance....I was one of those who bought an Alliance- That car was a disaster-I would have been better using my sons "Hot Wheels" ..it even lasted longer!

The Alliance was supposed to represent the "marriage" of Renault and AMC. Talk about a disasterous union in need of a "quickie divorce"!

PS Hope all is going okay with the "newer" old guy...

[DavidEB310]

Sadie,

The RAV4 is very reliable, good on gas for a small SUV, and handles well.

However, since I just traded my 2003 RAV4 in for a Subaru for my wife only a couple of days ago, I'll tell you about the few cons.

First, it's engine is a bit small for the vehicle. The 2003 has a 2.0 liter engine that provided initial pick up to be sluggish as the engine was too small to get the car going. Once rolling however, the ride was smooth. The 2004 and 2005 models have a 2.1 liter engine to compensate for this discrepency. However, I have heard from folks owning later models that even the 2.1 is too small for the vehicle.

The 2003 HAD blind spots. Scary, on more than one occasion that after checking both rearview and sideview mirrors, when attempting to change lanes, a car suddenly appeared that didn't seem to be there before. Ironically, the Subaru dealership mentioned (unprompted) that the RAV4 has blind spots (it may also be mentioned in Consumer Reports). Comfort, the seats are horrible -- passengers wouldn't ride with me because the seats didn't provide comfort, and I noticed that the driver's seat didn't offer much support either. The headrest is too far back.

Pros versus Cons -- I still like the RAV4 (I owned a Sports Package), esp. over the CRV. If the engine was upgraded, and the seats were a bit altered, I would purchase another quite possibly. However, currently with gas prices, I would go more with an economical sedan type vehicle.

<small>[ 03-24-2005, 10:28 AM: Message edited by: DavidEB310 ]</small>

[camper]

Originally posted by Selma in Sandy Eggo:

My best advice is to check the Consumer Digest book on this year's new cars, then test drive the ones that fit your operating criteria. One thing that makes a major difference in how well you like a car is the way the seat fits your back. For this, you gotta sit and drive the thing.

Interesting... i wrote a letter to CD or CR some five years ago about their ratings. The thing is that if cars were rated today with the same criteria used in the 80s *all* automobiles made today in Japan, Germany, USA, and Korea would be five star (or whatever those black round dots signify).
Cars are enormously more reliable and long lasting than they were in 1980. Those stars/dots are nearly insignificant today. However perception keeps the resale value of some brands high although the actual differences are minute.

Kudos to finite element analysis.

[dai bread]

Hybrids are good in theory, but someone figured that the extra cost of a Prius would keep his old car in petrol for 54 years!

I've noticed this before with "environmentally sound" options. They all cost the earth.

Solar hot-water heating, for instance. Cost about NZD 7000 installed,= about 4 years of my TOTAL electricity bill.

The leader of our Green political party has, as one would expect, an "environmentally-sound" house. An article about it in my newspaper put the EXTRA cost at NZD 60 000 or so. Even several years later, that's still about a quarter of the cost of a run-of-the-mill house.

The same lady drives a 1987 car, would you believe. No emission controls, no late-model fuel economy. Weird.

[GreatCarouser]

dai I wonder how your friend's petrol figures look if prices are spiking in NZ like they are in the US and Europe? These environmentally conscious products are certainly a long term investment but once they've amortized won't inflation, spiraling fuel costs etc. create a large profit way down the road? Folks who buy this stuff overseas (I'm assuming that proximity to Japan makes the Honda and Toyota products aroud the same price in NZ as here...) as well as here are certainly taking the long view financially.

[sadie]

David-
Good thing you replied I was thinking of a Rav4 or CRV....What is the mileage like on the Subaru Forrester? With New England winters liike this one I also worry about safety/traction. Is your use for this vehicle intended for shorter commutes around town versus longer workday(slogging it out) rides? Is your wife happy with it so far?

[DavidEB310]

Sadie,

Thus far, my wife is ecstatic. The Forrester mileage is a tad better than the CRV and RAV4. Saftey ratings are the highest for the Forrester according to the 2005 Consumer Reports (CR). Because of CR, she dropped the notion of a Mazda and went with Subaru.

It's all wheel drive.

She needs to read the manual however; last night after work she told me that the windshield wiper fluid wasn't working...she pushed and pulled the lever to no avail. What she didn't do is push the button at the end of the lever...egads!

[sadie]

Well I can empathize with the new car owner. Those manuals are now made to be very easy to read- but it does take some time to "get initimately comfortable" in a new car. What color did you get?

I borrowed a car with a manual transmission the other day-hadn't driven one in 20 years. It was fun except starting in 1st gear on some steep hills...

[camper]

Originally posted by sadie lady:

I borrowed a car with a manual transmission the other day-hadn't driven one in 20 years. It was fun except starting in 1st gear on some steep hills...

My forester has a hill-holder manual tranny.
If I am on a hill the brakes stay on so I can lift my foot off the brake and put it back on the accelerator peddle. The brakes stay on until I apply forward power. Hills are no longer a problem.

[DavidEB310]

To answer Sadie's q: Silver.

[sadie]

Camper-
Never heard of that feature. Sounds like something I should look for if I get a manual. And what is a Honda MX?

[camper]

Originally posted by sadie lady:
Camper-
Never heard of that feature. Sounds like something I should look for if I get a manual. And what is a Honda MX?

MX=motocross. Those motorcycles that bump through the air like Evil Knievel on dirt or maybe its bump through the dirt like Evil Knievel in the air... like I used to do but am now too brittle... sigh.

<small>[ 03-26-2005, 12:16 PM: Message edited by: camper ]</small>

[Abecedarian]

My wife drives a 2002 Prius affectionally called "Precious," and I drive a 2005 called "More Precious." The older one has over 60,000 miles on it and the newer one has over 12,000. Neither one has had a mechanical problem of any kind. We both love them. I like knowing I can drive from Seattle to Florida and give off less emissions than one can of aerosol spray. As far as gas prices, I want to make bumper stickers saying stuff like "$3.00 a gallon, bring it on," or $4.00 a gallon, what me worry?" Although both my wife and I have been moaning that it's now costing us over $16.00 each to fill up. But at least those tankfuls are good for 500 miles or so.

<small>[ 03-26-2005, 02:15 PM: Message edited by: Abecedarian ]</small>

[OperaTenor]

Hi Abecedarian, welcome to the Pti!

Hi Camper, you were an MX rider, eh? Honda? What was the last bike you rode? Where did you ride?
Don't you find Hondas to be twitchy to handle compared to Yamahas?