Toyota Pruis

I love playing with you people, but it just makes me tired when everybody argues.


Go girl!!!! The one thing I love most about this board is friendly banter.

That Accord sedan looks more like a Buick from those angles.

I love playing with you people, but it just makes me tired when everybody argues.


Go girl!!!! The one thing I love most about this board is friendly banter.

I just wanted y'all to see Britney trying to be me in her car. (Mine has a black interior and no baby.)

Thanks Bob!

Makes more sense than most of the arguments on Sowal and the guy has definitely got the credentials to back it up!

Excerpt:

Robert James Woolsey Jr.-Jim to his friends-isn't your typical Prius driver. Educated at Stanford, Oxford, and Yale, he was facing down the Russians in the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks of the late 1960s before he was out of his 20s. He's held a series of senior government posts; the walls of his office bear signed photographs and messages of thanks from every president since Nixon. In 1993, Bill Clinton made him director of Central Intelligence, giving him control of the CIA's $30-billion annual budget and its network of tens of thousands of agents and a brief to run covert operations against America's enemies, whoever and wherever they might be. His diaries probably read like a Tom Clancy novel.

​

Since he stepped down from that assignment, he's become one of Washington's most hawkish hawks, agitating early for the removal of Saddam Hussein, pointing a finger at Iraq in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, and calling for the bombing of Syria. By rights, Woolsey ought to drive a big, bad Hummer. Instead, he drives a Prius, and he says that if you live in a country dependent on imported oil, it's your patriotic duty to do the same. His argument is simple: It's a bad thing for transport to depend on oil when the great majority of that oil lies in volatile parts of the world whose governments are hostile to the West. Moreover, he argues that, by making the Middle East so wealthy, we're indirectly subsidizing terror. For Woolsey, the cash register at your local gas station is a collection box for Al Qaeda. "We're paying for both sides in this war, and that's not a good long-term strategy," he says. "I have a bumper sticker on the back of my Prius that reads, 'Bin Laden hates this car.'"

Stanford, Oxford, Yale, Head of CIA...leftist,tree-hugger, girly boy,look-at-me, right 6thGen?

Joe,
I don't pay for Lexis-Nexus, but I've proved my point beyond reasonable doubt that the Prius is an environmental status symbol. Whether some internet poster looks at it that way won't change that fact.

Bob,



Mango,

That Accord sedan looks more like a Buick from those angles.

Yes, the coupe is much easier on the eyes. The sedan is their sales leader, so they dial back the fun factor sheet metal to produce the everyman mobile. Still, 180 hp 4 cylinder, made in Ohio, top safety specs for around 20k, and you can see why everyone benchmarks this car year after year. If you want fun, the Cooper drop-top is funnnnnnn! Notice in the accord shots, there's duct tape hiding alot of the styling cues/lights

Note to self...don't ask questions about gas saving cars OR guitar lessons on sowal.com. :shock:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18800305/ NYC Yellow Cabs to go hybrid, forget fuel savings, think of the status.

Joe,
I don't pay for Lexis-Nexus, but I've proved my point beyond reasonable doubt that the Prius is an environmental status symbol. Whether some internet poster looks at it that way won't change that fact.

Should we call for a vote on that?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18800305/ NYC Yellow Cabs to go hybrid, forget fuel savings, think of the status.

Yea, New York City doesn't care about its image, and the City is a model for management of its finances.

Sorry about the accident KB. My sister owns a civic too and she was just hit where the gas nozzle is at about 40 mph. She got away with minor injuries, but the car was looked totalled. After arguing with insurance adjuster for the last 3 weeks, they decided to total the car but they were really trying to avoid paying because the car holds it value so well.

Yeah...we were actually very impressed at just how well they hold their value. My 2000 civic was paid off when my accident happened. I paid approximately 13,000 for it in 2000. It had 120,000 miles on it and the insurance company totalled it and gave me 7,000 dollars. Amazing.

Should we call for a vote on that?

Sure. I'm sure we can find an untainted jury.

If Chickpea wants to immediately start saving money on gas, she has to spend more on a vehicle, no matter what she recoups later. It wouldn't be different than purchasing a $5,000 gas card when you buy a car unless you look at the car as an investment. Also, considering until a few years ago I had to drive 30 minutes to a decent grocery store, the city argument doesn't work for her since she lives in the "30-A Corridor". I'm not criticizing the car, I just know it's more of a status symbol than it is a great car, and there is nothing wrong with that. I'm guessing it became a namebrand out west sooner than it did here, but I first noticed it as a such when Larry David started driving one on Curb Your Enthusiasm, specifically when he was b*tching about having to wave to fellow Prius drivers.

No, it's not like purchasing a 5k gas card, especially if you do not pay cash for the purchase. You have opportunity cost from the increased interest payments, or for the alternate use of the money if you are one of the few who pay cash, but you have higher resale capture when you exit the vehicle. The difference in price is not absolute unless you drive the car till the wheels fall off.

Sure. I'm sure we can find an untainted jury.

cast your vote now. >>> vote here <<<;-)

cast your vote now. >>> vote here <<<;-)

Quickly, what is your evidence that it's not an environmental status symbol? If I recall correctly, it is the fact that you know people who own one who don't think that it is. Full disclosure, I own a few things that are considered status symbols that double as shirts. Or barbecue grills. Or timekeepers. I could go on, but I think you get the point. Well, probably not.

Quickly, what is your evidence that it's not an environmental status symbol? If I recall correctly, it is the fact that you know people who own one who don't think that it is. Full disclosure, I own a few things that are considered status symbols that double as shirts. Or barbecue grills. Or timekeepers. I could go on, but I think you get the point. Well, probably not.

You are the one who made the accusation that they are status symbols, so proving so is up to you. I am not basing my opinion upon the owners' thoughts, but rather, the thoughts of the people who know the owners. There is a often a huge difference between one's own perception of himself, and the perception of others'. ;-)

You are the one who made the accusation that they are status symbols, so proving so is up to you. I am not basing my opinion upon the owners' thoughts, but rather, the thoughts of the people who know the owners. There is a often a huge difference between one's own perception of himself, and the perception of others'. ;-)

Oh. So it's what you think of your friends who drive a Prius, not what they think of themselves. That refutes all of the articles that proved my point. Thanks for clearing that up. It is shocking to see that I'm losing in the poll, given my perception of what I've proved and internet people on sowal.com's perception of me, uh, I mean, my position. For the record, I've abstained.

No, it's not like purchasing a 5k gas card, especially if you do not pay cash for the purchase. You have opportunity cost from the increased interest payments, or for the alternate use of the money if you are one of the few who pay cash, but you have higher resale capture when you exit the vehicle. The difference in price is not absolute unless you drive the car till the wheels fall off.

OK. So it works as long as you view the car as an investment? What kind of rate of return are we looking at here? I have some status symbols to sell since they are obviously only worth what other people think of them and not what I value them, so I'll need to put my money somewhere.

OK. So it works as long as you view the car as an investment? What kind of rate of return are we looking at here? I have some status symbols to sell since they are obviously only worth what other people think of them and not what I value them, so I'll need to put my money somewhere.

I'm saying you bought depreciating assets that have different disposal values over time. The cost difference doesn't fly out the window until the vehicles have very high mileage or years. You recoup a portion of the cost premium for the hybrid when you dispose of the vehicle. Kelly Blue Book is a great yardstick for this measurement.

6thGen, you are probably right. I bet Chickpea is just looking to buy a status symbol. Her primary interest mos likely has nothing to do with the idea that she wants to try to do what's right for the environment. I bet she is just trying to pump the Japanese economy by looking at the Prius. Everyone knows she should buy a ... remind me again of which American-made car gets 50 mpg. :scratch:

6thGen, you are probably right. I bet Chickpea is just looking to buy a status symbol. Her primary interest mos likely has nothing to do with the idea that she wants to try to do what's right for the environment. I bet she is just trying to pump the Japanese economy by looking at the Prius. Everyone knows she should buy a ... remind me again of which American-made car gets 50 mpg. :scratch:

Are you gonna tell me what's wrong with buying a status symbol? :roll:

Are you gonna tell me what's wrong with buying a status symbol? :roll:

I could think of a few things, but I think I will refrain since the choice to purchase whatever you want is your own choice, not mine. 6thGen mentioned that people buy the Prius for status symbol and I simply disagree, based on the owners whom I know. They reasons they purchase one has nothing to do with the Prius being a status symbol.

Ok you all,

I am interested in the Pruis for a multitude of reasons and could not care one hoot about whether it is or is not a status symbol - holds zero appeal to me and if that were one of my motivations I would be looking at a BMW, Mercedes, Jag, etc... and like I have said (and those who know me can vouch for this!) I actually care a lot about the environment and also am interested in beautiful things and think that many cars look more attractive than the Pruis.

Having said that, I am leaning more and more towards it because I have heard now from a lot of people who have bought them and who love them (like several others on this board). I am DEFINITELY motivated by buying a more sustainable car and count me firmly in the column of those who believe that gas prices will start inching upwards and I have ZERO interest in paying $40-50 every time I fill my car - period - full stop - as simple as that.

Nonetheless it has been tremendously interesting reading everyone's thoughts on this - so thanks for all of you who took the time to answer and to direct me to interesting sites!

Paula: you will need to let me know what you decide - next time you are here and you want a ride in a Pruis you may need to call me!!!

...you rock chickypea!!! Post pics when you get it!