posted 12-13-2005 09:31 PM         

We were extremely excited to see this Toyota Prius Hybrid and after test driving it we were very impressed with the quality and performance of this car. After several days of discussion we decided to buy a Hybrid. Our only problem was there are extremely hard to find. Most dealers have an add on mark up for these cars, and several dealers add additional items to increase the sticker price.

After calling 20 dealers today with no luck, I became extremely frustrated that I could not find the color she wanted and the package she preferred. At around 2pm I received a call from a Toyota sales person, that the car she wanted had just arrived. I jumped in my car, drove 70 miles and there was the car. About 1 1/2 hours later my wife was the owner of a new car.

I am very happy I purchased this car as it has been a long time since my wife had a new car, and also she can cut about 45 minutes off her daily commute each way. The Prius also gets great gas mileage.

If anyone on this group has a Toyota Hybrid I would be glad to hear from you.

Thanks.

posted 12-14-2005 08:18 AM         

quote:

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Originally posted by Bob Miller:
Did they ever get around to paving the roads down around Marshall?

Hey Fat Pat, I remember growing up Blue Springs was considered the boonies.

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posted 12-14-2005 08:32 PM         

Sorry to rain on your parade..but please find the article Quincy posted a couple of weeks ago related to the Prius..I think the Prius thing is yuppie BS and I've got more respect for owners of gas guzzeling Hummers..Don't be mad..it's just my opinion..

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Dear Valued Hybrid Customer...
The Wall Street Journal
By Holman W. Jenkins Jr.
Nov. 30, 3005

We at the Toyota Motor Corporation are writing to address certain misconceptions that have arisen about your Toyota Prius model, which we are proud to note is driven by many celebrities, including Prince Charles and HBO's Larry David.

Our pioneering gasoline-electric hybrid, introduced in 1999, has become an object of adoration to the world's enlightened car buyers. Our competitors, including America's Big Three, are rushing out hybrid vehicles of their own. Unconfirmed media reports say that we at Toyota intend to double our hybrid output to 500,000 vehicles next year. Along with other members of the auto industry, we will be lobbying for tax breaks and HOV privileges for hybrid vehicles.

However, any romance entering its seventh year tends to go stale. Some purchasers have begun to question the practical value of our Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. You may be aware that a survey by Consumer Reports found that our vehicles achieve considerably less mileage (some 26 percent less) than the sticker rating implies. This has led to some unflattering media stories.

Let us assure you that the Prius remains one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the road. Toyota applauds your willingness to spend $9,500 over the price of any comparable vehicle for the privilege of saving, at current gasoline prices, approximately $580 a year.

And should the price of gasoline rise to $5, after 10 years and/or 130,000 miles of driving, you might even come close to breaking even on your investment in hybrid technology.

We recognize that our customers have an "emotional" relationship with their vehicles. This transcends even the regrettable truth that driving a fuel-efficient car does not yield any substantial benefits for society if it doesn't save the owner money.

Contrary to any loose statements made by our marketing partners in the environmental community and media, petroleum not consumed by Prius owners is not "saved." It does not remain in the ground. It is consumed by someone else. Greenhouse pollutants are released. Also, please note that the warranty and owner's manual say nothing about reducing America's dependence on foreign oil. This is not an oversight. The Prius is an "oil-dependent" vehicle. It runs on gasoline, supplied by the same world market that fuels other vehicles.

The Toyota Corporation regrets any misunderstanding our marketing may inadvertently have caused (or may cause in the future).

We share your belief that the days of the internal combustion engine are numbered. Further research by our economists suggests this will happen when the price of gasoline rises high enough to make alternative technologies cheaper than gasoline-powered cars.

We at Toyota want you to know we recognize this effect and have taken steps to compensate with the rest of our vehicle lineup.

Our 2006 Tundra pickup will be equipped with Toyota's new eight-cylinder engine, making it every bit as much of a gas guzzler as any American pickup. We are also redirecting our efforts to use our Hybrid Synergy Drive to increase power output rather than reduce gasoline consumption.

Take our new hybrid SUV, which produces 38 more horsepower but gets the same mileage as our conventional version. A New York Times reviewer wrote, "One question lingers after driving the 2006 Lexus RX400h: How did it come to this, that Toyota is now selling a hybrid gas-electric vehicle with no tangible fuel economy benefits?"

We hope this corrects any misimpression caused by our latest slogan ("Commute with Nature"). Hybrid technology is not "green" technology. Like heated seats or flashy exterior trim, it's merely an expensive option that generates large markups for the Toyota Corporation and its dealers.

You will share our pride in the latest figures from J.D. Power & Associates, which show that the Prius continues to move off a dealer's lot in just eight days, compared to 36 days for a Honda Civic hybrid. Clearly, our customers are willing to pay handsomely for the privilege of showing themselves behind the wheel of so conspicuously virtuous a vehicle.

But we are also a far-seeing corporation. We recognize that the Prius's distinctiveness may be a wasting asset for reasons outlined in this letter. Other motorists may see the Prius operator and think "sucker." Our lawyers advise us this may affect your car's resale value. Toyota regrets any inconvenience.

We want you to know that Toyota remains committed to advancing hybrid technology just as long as our customers are willing to make it worth our while. Our esteemed competitor, Nissan's Carlos Ghosn, was recently quoted saying, "There's such a buzz today that no CEO of a car manufacturer dares to say his real opinion of hybrid because he's accused of being retarded."

Another esteemed competitor, GM, has suggested that hybrid technology is best deployed in city buses, where large fuel consumption and stop-and-go driving might actually make it economically sensible.

These are just two examples of the short-sighted, stick-in-the-mud marketing instincts of our fellow automakers that are helping to make Toyota the largest car company in the world.

Yours Truly, the Toyota Corporation

posted 12-15-2005 08:31 AM         

I started to write a response to your statements, but I realized you wouldn't understand it. If you want to learn more about Hybrids, please look at this site.
http://www.hybridcars.com/index.html

posted 12-16-2005 06:54 AM         

I read your article. Let's just say we agree to disagree on the merits of most editions of the current hybrids.

posted 12-17-2005 10:45 AM         

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

PS - Az Public Service is raising the electric rates for the power going to So-Cal users, lol.

posted 12-18-2005 08:49 AM         

Having a hybrid is handy when someone comes up to me to complain about my gas guzzling Viper, I ll answer with "My other car is a Hybrid!"

Larry, your electricity rates will plummet soon! Cali will not be using all the AZ electricity, because there are hordes of blue hairs on their way to AZ as I type! They left Cali yesterday, when they heard rain was in the forecast...
Fewer Californians today = A better AZ tomorrow...

posted 12-18-2005 09:16 AM         

quote:

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Originally posted by ALLEY CAT:
.....the blue hairs are being stopped at Quartzite and turned around,,,,,,we don't want any more Cali's here......

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posted 12-18-2005 09:30 AM         

I heard a rumor that Larry's plan is to set off a chain of explosions on the San Andreas fault, so he can have that sweet ocean view from his livingroom...

He'll enjoy the bikini view for 24 hours then sell his property to the highest bidder.

Moving to the next uninhabitable desert awaiting the next big quake...

Larry I ll park the Viper and the Lexus at the top of the property, that way they will be in perfect shape when you come to get them...

posted 12-18-2005 10:07 AM         

quote:

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Originally posted by Kala:

Larry I ll park the Viper and the Lexus at the top of the property, that way they will be in perfect shape when you come to get them.

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Kala - a better idea would be to store the Viper with me,,,,TLC,,,and you could borrow it when you get the feeling to race

posted 12-18-2005 01:56 PM         

quote:

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a better idea would be to store the Viper with me,,,,TLC,,,and you could borrow it when you get the feeling to race

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In case of a large quake that would work, but only if you promise to spank my buddy Ginger's Corvette with it... At least annually... Got to keep her in line...

I think my License plate should read " AntiVet". hahahaha

posted 12-18-2005 02:25 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by Kala:

,,,,,, but only if you promise to spank my buddy Ginger's with it... Got to keep her in line...

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I've been known to spank a few Gingers,,,,,,,,,,lol.

How about VETEATR,,,,,, 92VENOM,,,,, SPANKME,,,oh, not that one