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Post by bluefish on Jul 11, 2020 10:35:23 GMT -8
Our Prius is neither slow or cheaply made , easily pulls out in traffic and cruises without labor over 90. Don't compare older and cheaper models to more current upgrades.
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gabby
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Post by gabby on Jul 11, 2020 11:49:18 GMT -8
Our Prius is neither slow or cheaply made , easily pulls out in traffic and cruises without labor over 90. Don't compare older and cheaper models to more current upgrades. !?! Wow.
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Post by autumnmist on Jul 12, 2020 6:43:37 GMT -8
Thanks for the excellent personal information and insight. I've learned a lot, and have a lot more to learn. zeke , the charging station map was very helpful; it adds an aspect to travel that I hadn't thought of, as well as the whole issue of charging and creating a station at home. Another aspect is the touch screen that driftwoody mentioned. I'm used to knobs, buttons and the usual controls and changing by touch w/o removing my focus from the roads and traffic. The bigger concern though would be vision, since I'm noticing changes post-cararact surgery. The variety of responses and insights offered have opened my eyes (and possibly my bank account) to more aspects than I had considered, making me realize there's a lot of research and decision making I need to do before considering purchase of a hybrid. I appreciate each of the responses and the range of advice shared; they'll be my guide for learning more about hybrid vehicles, which I clearly need to do. I think though that if buying a new as opposed to used one would be the best guideline, they're clearly out of the running unless I want to deplete my retirement allowances.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Jul 12, 2020 7:04:44 GMT -8
autumnmist, the Prius can be had for under $30k, and under $25 if you went with the base model. The expensive all electric models are out of my reach, also. Hybrids have an electric assist to the gas engine, which is what helps them achieve the 45-50 mpg. My Prius takes me on long road trips, with ease, even when I drive it 75 mph for 17 hours for 3 days straight. No issues with it at all.
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Post by Coolkat on Jul 12, 2020 7:17:11 GMT -8
Per chance that you actually start looking at a Prius as an option you might be interested in this video it's short and really well done and don't let the title fool you. In reality there very few problems and in the end he still recommends the Prius for reliability.
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Post by autumnmist on Jul 12, 2020 9:50:41 GMT -8
zeke , thanks for more basic information, especially on the issue of an assist to a gas engine. I think I'll visit a dealer and get a "look see" inside the interior as well as under the hood so I have a better concept of how all this fits together. I am woefully ignorant on this subject. Coolkat, thanks for the video; I will spend some time watching as well as documenting so I understand more. I was perhaps naively surprised at the engine configuration. I had visions of some electric vehicles years ago with several batteries taking up valuable capacity space. Another thing that might be of concern is switching from road view to the various gauges in the car's interior, primarily because of old eyes and different lenses needed for the close-up views. Lots to learn! In many ways this is a new age.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 12, 2020 15:51:28 GMT -8
gabby , I guess it really is a question of what you are used to. When we dumped the Mazda pickup for the Subaru outback, it felt like a huge step up in power and smoothness of ride. Ten years later, we dumped the Outback for the Prius (2010), and had the same reaction. Never had any sense that acceleration was sluggish in the Prius, though when loaded with 4 people, all our gear, a pod and 2 bikes it didn’t necessarily move uphill like Teddy Roosevelt charging up San Juan hill. OTOH, under those same conditions, it still got 33 MPG+ at 75 MPH on the freeway. Having learned to drive in a van with a manual tranny (3 on the tree), my approach has always been to avoid situations where I need massive acceleration. And if the current Prius feels a bit less than silk-smooth at this point, I’d wager your Maxima might as well after 140 K, with a measurable percentage of those miles on dirt. I can’t wait to see what the new Prius feels like, besides another savings of time and money at the pump. ETA: oh, and that Mazda pickup was a HUGE improvement on my 1981 Mazda GLC 😂
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gabby
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Post by gabby on Jul 12, 2020 20:37:35 GMT -8
rebeccad , I'm getting the distinct impression that a couple of Prius owners here took great umbrage at my post. (Thus, my "wow" above. 8^D) As you said, it really depends a lot on what you're used to. I'm not much of a writer, so my attempt to leaven my negative assessments by way of contrast with the car I normally drive obviously failed miserably. I didn't mean to rile anyone over what I said. I sincerely felt, after driving the Maxima for years, that the Prius was a bit anemic. I didn't spend much time driving the Prius since it's so very popular with both my wife and daughter. Still, I've driven it on the highway a few times, and I wasn't all that impressed. The Maxima has 160K+ miles on it, but it still responds quite nicely when you pump a lot of gas through its fuel injectors. It's not at all the car it was back in 2000 (the interior is a little worse for wear), but it's all power everything, and the seats are leather, though with dog claw marks and a few tears here and there. The wife left the sunroof open in a rainstorm some time ago, so the carpets were soaked. I spent weeks getting it dried out and cleaned and all that. I think my mechanic thinks the rear wheel bearings are making too much noise, so I'll probably try my hand at replacing those. I'm too old to be much of a mechanic now, but I used to do all the work on my old Nissan pickup. I've only replaced the radiator and a few other inconsequential things on the Maxima. The engine and power thingamajigs are far too complicated for me, but they're modular to some extent. The power windows are getting fussy lately, so I may have to pull the mechanism apart and replace some switches. It may never work again. (My old Nissan truck had manual window cranks too. You gotta love "simple".) I regret losing my old Nissan pickup with the four speed manual stick (on the floor), and it looks like I'll never be able to drive another manual transmission again. The Corolla has a CVT that is, well, convenient, but I really liked shifting for myself. I have come around to thinking that cars are too loaded with junk these days. I once had a pushbutton shift Plymouth (back in the 60s) that my dad insisted I buy, but I dumped it for an old and cantankerous Volvo 544 when that pushbutton panel fell through the dash one morning. The 544 was fun, but absolute pain and agony mechanically, so it soon left for a 1967 Impala 327 that I loved, but which had the terrible affliction of one of the worst abominations ever thrust upon the driving public, the Powerglide automatic transmission. After that car, I never drove another automatic until the Maxima. There have been a lot of cheap, small cars, but I'm not rich (never will be), so they were always used and always underpowered. What I always wanted was a Corvette from the 60s. I came that close to buying one way back in '68 (a classic '61 in red!), but passed on it for some reason or other.
I saw an all white one in the grocery parking lot last year, and hung around it long enough that I think I scared the owner when he came out of the store. We had a fairly long conversation about the car.
OTOH, my personality now fits better with an old pickup, though that's yet another thing I don't think will ever happen. Still, I wake from dreams now and again in which I'm driving an old '53 Chevy 5 window, wearing a sweat-stained Stetson. I almost bought one for $500 back in '75.
This one's just so right, but the owner is asking $17,000.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 12, 2020 20:53:33 GMT -8
gabby , I completely meant what I said about what one's used to. Compared to some cars, the Prius is pretty zippy. Compared to others, it is anemic (I don't think mine would be comfortable at 90. But I'm not comfortable doing 90, or even 80, so...). Oh, and while I find it very comfortable, my brother finds it cramped. Now, the fact that he is 6" taller than I and probably 60 lbs heavier (okay, probably more, but I'll cut him some slack) might have a wee bit to do with that. Honestly, I think that with cars, as with boots and packs (see how I brought this around to backpacking?) fit is both very individual and all-important. I refuse to drive a car where I have to look through the steering wheel, rather than over it Love those classic cars, though I don't think they are practical for every-day True story: while in HS my brother bought a 64 Camero (not sure of the exact year, but around that). He spent tons of time and most of his income restoring it and then some. And in his first year of college he turned around and sold it and bought an ancient, beat-up station wagon. Because the Camero wasn't the sort of car you could leave parked at a trailhead.
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on Jul 13, 2020 2:20:39 GMT -8
autumnmist, my guess is you're looking for economy, utility, and comfort more than fun-to-drive factor. And since you mentioned electric, environmentally friendly as well. Other factors to consider: How much cargo capacity do you need? Do you go on long road trips? Do you have any need for higher ground clearance or all wheel drive? How much are you willing to spend? If buying used, what's the max on the odometer? Every car is a compromise based on which factors and features are most important to you. If you don't need to haul a lot of cargo or drive on rough roads the Prius is probably an excellent choice, especially if fuel economy is a very high priority. For long road trips, comfort & quiet are important. I buy a new economy car every 10 years or so, always with a manual transmission because shifting my own gears keeps me more engaged as a driver. I like to have some fun-to-drive factor, but fuel economy is also important. For me, the VW Golf was an optimal blend of economy, refinement, and performance. For a small hatchback it has good cargo capacity. If my spot in the garage was a little longer I would have bought the Golf Sportwagen, which has all the same qualities while adding significant cargo room. The 1.4 turbo has excellent fuel economy. With all wheel drive it comes with the 1.8 turbo, which still has very good fuel economy (especially for a wagon with AWD). I seriously considered the Subaru Crosstrek but it's a little underpowered for my tastes and the fuel economy a bit disappointing with the manual trans (CVT is better on gas). Also, it seemed a bit redundant since my wife has a Subaru Outback. I can borrow her car if my destination involves roads too rough for my Golf. I"ve always managed to handle Chicagoland winters in my little front wheel drive cars. Best of luck in your car quest. Hopefully this thread helps in your decision making more than it makes your head spin. Maybe you'll surprise us all and get an ancient pickup truck like the one gabby posted.
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Post by Coolkat on Jul 13, 2020 5:05:48 GMT -8
I sincerely felt, after driving the Maxima for years, that the Prius was a bit anemic. There is no doubt that the Prius is a bit anemic if you're use to something with more power. I just took a ride in an Impala SS and there is absolutely no comparison. However, most Prius owners don't buy their cars for their power and acceleration. It's the gas mileage and reliability. My last Prius I sold with over 300,000. How much over I don't know because the odometer stopped at 299,999. It was a flaw for that year that Toyota refused to fix. (a long story for another time) Other than that there was no nickle/dime repairs even at 300K. No, hoses, belts, thermostats, radiators, tie-rods, timing belt/chain, voltage regulators, starters etc... you get the picture. What did I replace? Tires, breaks, lights, wheel bearings. Yeah, you probably won't be fixing things yourself but that is true of most cars today. However, I will say that my current Gen 3 Prius is actually easy work on. Breaks and wheel bearings were a snap. If you have a friend with a hoist changing the inverter coolant and tranny fluid are also extremely easy to do. Cars are kinda like backpacking... HYOH
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Post by autumnmist on Jul 16, 2020 8:52:41 GMT -8
I apologize for not responding earlier. You've each offered so much to consider, so I've been "considering." An electric vehicle or hybrid appealed to me b/c of the energy savings, but in reality, until and/or if I take my planned US tour after resolving the house issues, I don't need that as I don't do much driving now as it is. I rarely fill up more than monthly, just as when I took the train or bus to work and saved so much in car expenses. I've had my eye on a Ford Flex b/c of the cargo capacity, which is a priority for the next few years. But it does remind me of a hearse - obviously I wouldn't buy a black one! I would even consider a pickup truck such as gabby 's charming vintage one), but I understand they're gas guzzlers. And expensive, and mileage is terrible. Other than my impractical but fun MGA Roadster, the Ford Escort wagon I had suited my needs more than any other car, and it was the only car that lasted 20 years. Unfortunately, that line has been cancelled. So I'm now focusing on its Escape, Edge or Explorer, but definitely used models, in the boxy style. I like the symmetry and styling. Your individual and collective comments have helped me analyze more aspects than I had been considering, and narrow down my selection. I appreciate the time each of you took to offer suggestions on what for me is always a major consideration and a major purchase. Thank you all.
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