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Posted by Davoud on July 7, 2006, 2:24 am
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Davoud:
> > I'm not certain that driving a Prius is entirely about the owner saving
> > money. I think it's a political statement and a statement of where one
> > stands on the environment, oil wars, UBL, and all that business. Then
> > there's the act of being different from the hoi polloi, and, for many,
> > just a touch of smugness about it all. My Prius replaces a 13/17 pickup
> > truck <http://www.davidillig.com/starcar.shtml>.
Cathy F
> Oh, yes, I agree, re: the reasons for buying one. OTOH, it also would be
> cost-effective *if* a person's been driving a car that costs over $20K &/or
> gets crummy gas mileage.
Hmmmm. Not certain. My truck cost nearly $40k and got poor gas mileage.
But I paid cash for it, so that's not an issue. The issue is that I
didn't get my $40k worth of use out of it before selling it. I don't
expect the Prius's economy -- perhaps four times better city mileage --
to compensate for the lost use of the truck /and/ the additional cost
of the Prius. But, again, for me it wasn't so much about saving money
personally. I happen to know Arabic, and I lived or traveled
extensively in the Middle East from 1976 - 1993, and it seems I have a
better understanding of events there than anyone in the Bush
administration -- or at least better than anyone who has spoken
publicly about the grave errors we are making there. I'm sorry if that
seems political; given my aforesaid experience, to me it is not at all
political, but a simple statement of reality.
> But in my case I've never spent over $17-ish for a
> car, and I get decent mileage, & the Corolla has decently low emissions. So
> buying one would be a splurge - a rather large treat for myself. Even
> though it would also be a bit of a subtle statement.
A personal treat is also a valid reason for getting a Prius!
> > I can't answer all of your questions. Detailed specifications for every
> > model year are available on-line, however.
>
> Okay. Although I realized I already know of one change. In '04 the basic
> cPrius didn't come with a rear window wiper! You had to order the next pkg.
> up to get one, which for a liftback was absurd. I know that the wiper is
> now standard equipment - as it should've been from day #1, IMO.
>
> >
> >> 2 - When is the next generation of the Prius supposed to come out? '08,
> >> or
> >> '07? In reality, several months early for either date? And what changes
> >> since '04 have been bandied about as being liable to happen?
> >
> > ??
>
> Well, you know how the '04 was distinctly different from the '03? It was a
> big redesign. And the other models get a makeover every 4 years - each
> one's a new generation - that's what I meant. Is there a big revision due
> out 4 years after the '04 model was introduced?
> >
> >> 3 - I've had automatic daytime running lights along w/ automatic full
> >> headlights (light sensor is on the top of the dash, near the
> >> windshield) -
> >> which I *love* - on my last 2 Corollas. Does the Prius have automatic
> >> lights - no manual turning on & off, except for brights?
> >
> > My '06 does, but it has "Package #8" @ $6890 list.
>
> Ackkkk!
>
> You should go to
> > toyota.com and select the "Build and Price Your Toyota" option. You
> > will be able to view all of the standard and optional features.
>
> I've done that before, but I still don't remember seeing it listed. Maybe
> because it doesn't kick in until the high end pkgs?? I hope not, because
> it's one amenity/detail I'd find really difficult to give up... No more
> accidentally leaving the lights on, no more forgetting to turn them on at
> night in lit parking lots & then driving down the city streets sans
> headlights...
Are you serious? You can forget to turn your headlights on /at/ /night/
!?
> > My dealer knocked $1100 of the msrp. The discount would have been less
> > with a lower-grade options package.
>
> Okay, thanks. So maybe a little wiggle room. Better than paying over
> sticker, at least!
Yes, but I wouldn't exactly call it wiggle room. That was the price,
take-it-or-leave-it.
> >> 8 - The back-up beeper... is it heard only on the outside, or does it
> >> sound
> >> on the inside, too? How loud or soft is it?
> >
> > Inside. Too loud for me, and I'm hard of hearing. I'm 62-years-old. I
> > have driven for many years (I was about 5-years-old when I soloed in a
> > motor vehicle) without a beeper to tell me I'm in reverse, and without
> > incident.
>
> You have me beat out - I'm 56 & have been driving since 16, but also tend to
> know when I'm in reverse. ;-) I can understand the beeper on the outside,
> esp. for parking lots, or if one has little kids - or maybe even pets, as a
> warning in the driveway. But I really think I'd rather silence the thing!
> And I have a long driveway - I'd guess my neighbors would rather it'd be
> silenced, too. Beep, beep, beep, beep.... arghhh.
I forgot to mention that they also have a backup camera that displays a
color image on the navigation/control display. It's in all option
packages, which probably means it's in all Prius's, because you are
unlikely to find a Prius with no option package. It isn't meant to
guide you in backing up, but to show you at a glance if there are any
yard rats or puppies behind you.
Davoud
--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com
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