Prius..not so environmentally/economically friendly!

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Old 03-23-2007, 03:04 PM
  #31  
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60mph isn't that bad, just don't leave late. Again you don't have to drive 60mph but ANY car will get its best mileage at about 55mph, Prius or otherwise (hence why the gov't regulated a nationwide 55mph speed limit during the oil crisis decades ago).

According to a friend who just purchased a 2007 Prius w/ the Touring package (upgraded suspension and tires), the Prius is comfortable cruising at 90+ from OR to CA.
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Old 03-23-2007, 03:33 PM
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if you want gas mileage get a motorcycle
if you want to go fast get a motorcycle
if you want to have fun commuting get a motorcycle

too bad people try to kill you when u'r ridin one
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Old 03-23-2007, 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted by mcowger
Um, no.

Compare the 2006 Prius with a 2006 or 2007 Legacy.

Prius: 3.4 tons greenhouse gases. Legacy: 7.1 tons
Air Pollution Scores: 8/10 (Prius) 6/10 (Legacy).
And the achieved mileage on the Prius is nearly 2x that of the Legacy.

Sure the Legacy is a very nice car with a ton of room (though the prius is listed with more volume for passengers and luggage, I disagree - the legacy feels more spacious), great looks, good performance, AWD, moon roof etc that the Prius doesn't have. But don't claim it reaches a lower level of pollution, because its nearly twice the output.
I was saying the California-prepared Legacy pollutes equally to the Prius, due to its SULEV2 PZEV emissions controls. The data you are quoting here (not sure where you got it) is for a 50 state Legacy, not the California emissions one. The PZEV Legacy smog rating is .08, as compared to a Legacy GT which is .49. Yes, mileage is less than a Prius.
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Old 03-23-2007, 04:05 PM
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Yaris > Prius

that is all.

(not that I'm biased or anything)

My Yaris consistently gives me 36-37 mpg around town and 40-41 on highway trips. A co-worker drives a Prius and gets 40 mpg around town.
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Old 03-23-2007, 04:24 PM
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But both of them are butt ugly runners up against the Pontiac Asstek for butt-ugliest cars


EVAR!
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Old 03-23-2007, 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by 4S-TURBO
I was saying the California-prepared Legacy pollutes equally to the Prius, due to its SULEV2 PZEV emissions controls. The data you are quoting here (not sure where you got it) is for a 50 state Legacy, not the California emissions one. The PZEV Legacy smog rating is .08, as compared to a Legacy GT which is .49. Yes, mileage is less than a Prius.
Isn't California one of the 50 states???
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Old 03-23-2007, 04:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Superglue WRX
Isn't California one of the 50 states???
Didn't you know we became our own country?!
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Old 03-23-2007, 04:46 PM
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Originally Posted by 4URABUS
It got squeezed-out by Puerto Rico.
No, Guam.
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Old 03-23-2007, 04:50 PM
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Originally Posted by psoper
But both of them are butt ugly runners up against the Pontiac Asstek for butt-ugliest cars


EVAR!
Ya know, initially I would have agreed with you that the Yaris is fugly, but it's kinda grown on me.

Of course, the same could be said of a fungus...
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Old 03-23-2007, 06:43 PM
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Originally Posted by wombatsauce
This is really whacky since... Hybrids get their best mileage in stop and go - not whipping by in the carpool lane. Non-hybrids get their best mileage whilst cruising, not sitting idling or stop-n-go while the hybrids go whipping by getting worst mileage than a Yaris. Go California!!

How about all those new metering lights on 101 now... No discernable difference in traffic except that now instead of cruising onto the freeway, you have to stop, wait and then drag race the cars on the freeway in order to merge. Not a problem in the R32, but it damn sure uses more fuel. Go California!

Sheesh.
They're meant to stagger merging traffic, making the merging process quicker. Mostly ineffective IMHO, but meh, helps the idiots figure out how to merge.
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Old 03-23-2007, 06:44 PM
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im alright with Yaris (3 door) because if you fixed it up, it would resemble a Vitz.

But why do car companies feel they have to give cars bulging noses on the hood/grill?

MPG across USA: Car and Driver did this and the TDI got like 49 mpg average, the prius got 43...something like that.







is their something about biodiesel TDI's that i'm (all the green people in CA) are missing? isnt this the answer???
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Old 03-24-2007, 02:43 PM
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Originally Posted by mcowger
1) I REGULARLY get 50+ on the freeway. The best the Yaris can do is 40. How is that better? Many of the people I've met getting crappy mileage on the freeway are going 75+. Stick with 60 and enjoy the view and gas savings.

2) I know this is hard to believe for a lot of iclubbers, but not everyone is buying a Prius to save money. Certainly a civic would have been cheaper. We have it because its better for the evironment, regardless of a decent price premium.

3) Curb weight of the Prius is about 2800 lbs.
1) It is better because the car cost $10k less, it is so incredibly more simple among other reasons (we are talking about supposed economy cars here). Even at 60mph you are still running only on the gas engine. I still don't see how paying $10,000 more for (even if it is true) 10mpg increase is seen as economical. If you want the car and enjoy it - awesome, if you benefit highly from the carpool excemption - great! But it should not be touted as an economy car. I believe in the technology - I really do, but as surprising as it may seem I don't think you will change my mind on this - seems like you would have already if it were possible, and honestly most of the comments seem much more because you have purchased one rather than because you really believe in it.

2) Fair enough - as I said, if you like the car for what it is - technology packed, offers the carpool excemption - great - enjoy. Hopefully you can enjoy it yourself without feeling the need to convince everyone else that you made a good purchase. You say it is "better for the environment" but I guess, aside from the slightly better fuel economy when you only look at that single detail, I don't totally see how it is "better for the environment" when compared to cars that are worlds simpler, cheaper to produce and buy and offer similar fuel economy and most assuredly cheaper maintenance and operating costs in the long run.

3) I saw the weight posted for a 2007 Prius as 2900 something lbs. I said ~3000 car, not that the car weighs 3000 lbs. I don't know about you, but when I drive my car it must at least contain fuel and myself which would put that well over 3000 lbs even just with me and no passengers.

In short, I think everyone knows what the Prius is and what it can do. Obviously if you own one you will wish to blindly defend it's honour as do most other Prius owners. It's probably because they are sort of a topic of debates. At the end of the day you should ask yourself if you enjoy it, and if you do - then great - case closed.

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Old 03-24-2007, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Superglue WRX
Isn't California one of the 50 states???
Not as far as emissions are concerned...
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Old 03-24-2007, 10:36 PM
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Well said. I like hybrid owners, they save fuel so I dont have to.


Originally Posted by wombatsauce
1) It is better because the car cost $10k less, it is so incredibly more simple among other reasons (we are talking about supposed economy cars here). Even at 60mph you are still running only on the gas engine. I still don't see how paying $10,000 more for (even if it is true) 10mpg increase is seen as economical. If you want the car and enjoy it - awesome, if you benefit highly from the carpool excemption - great! But it should not be touted as an economy car. I believe in the technology - I really do, but as surprising as it may seem I don't think you will change my mind on this - seems like you would have already if it were possible, and honestly most of the comments seem much more because you have purchased one rather than because you really believe in it.

2) Fair enough - as I said, if you like the car for what it is - technology packed, offers the carpool excemption - great - enjoy. Hopefully you can enjoy it yourself without feeling the need to convince everyone else that you made a good purchase. You say it is "better for the environment" but I guess, aside from the slightly better fuel economy when you only look at that single detail, I don't totally see how it is "better for the environment" when compared to cars that are worlds simpler, cheaper to produce and buy and offer similar fuel economy and most assuredly cheaper maintenance and operating costs in the long run.

3) I saw the weight posted for a 2007 Prius as 2900 something lbs. I said ~3000 car, not that the car weighs 3000 lbs. I don't know about you, but when I drive my car it must at least contain fuel and myself which would put that well over 3000 lbs even just with me and no passengers.

In short, I think everyone knows what the Prius is and what it can do. Obviously if you own one you will wish to blindly defend it's honour as do most other Prius owners. It's probably because they are sort of a topic of debates. At the end of the day you should ask yourself if you enjoy it, and if you do - then great - case closed.

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Old 03-24-2007, 11:20 PM
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my wife used to own a civic hybrid, she loved it,

i hated that piece of ****, it was a great car but OH MY GOSH IT WAS THE SLOWEST BUCKET EVER!!!

Needless to say she now owns a 06 wrx wagon =)

much better choice =)
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