James

Yeah, dumb title. However, my dad is planning on trading in my TSX for a PRIUS... and I personally think that this is kind of cool. I've had my TSX since June '03 (an oldie here..) and love it, but i think a Prius would be pretty sick... Anyone have any opinions about this...

I know the penalties of getting the Prius. I wont be driving a super fun car, I wont have the "speed" blah blah blah but I really need a second opinion.

LannyM

I guess the question is..........................why?

Do you put on so much mileage that a Prius or other high mpg car is necessary? I would think, from the reviews I've read, that you will be getting in the low 40s, vs low 20s for the TSX, in mixed driving. I suppose if gas hits $5.00 a gallon after Rita hits that you would see a big savings if you did a lot of driving. Not to mention that you should be able to get into the Prius for minimal $$ over a used TSX.

I would hold off until 2006 though. The tax laws are changing, and currently ('05) there is a $2000 tax deduction, which would net most people around $600.

For '06, there is slated to be a tax credit, which will vary from hybrid to hybrid, depending on a few factors. The Prius is estimated to be eligible for over $3000 in credit, right off the top.

vidgamer

It has seemed to me that gas would have to be much more expensive and stay there to actually save money with the Prius. Otherwise, you'd be better off with a different small car, like a Civic (which still have a lot of room) because it'd be thousands less right off the top, cheaper to maintain, probably more room, etc.

Aside from that, I know people with one, and they like it. I think it has a lot of "save the environment" factor, or even, "stop buying so much foreign oil", so if that's important, I say go for it. But for me, if I was worried about gas, I'd be driving something more like a Civic. The TSX still gives me great milage (25-28 mpg?!) and is a lot of fun.

dontcare4urshyt

sick prius?? ????

dom

fdl

foolioness

I was thinking trading my TSX for a Prius also but after a heavy consideration and calsulation. It is not worth it for me to make such a move. Here's a brief reason why:

1. Most of Prius in the market today are sold MSRP or higher. With the options that they throw in there, it cost as much as a TSX.

2. I now drive an average of 12k miles in a year. After calculation, unless gas cost $5.50 it will actually cost me more to pay monthly on a prius + gas then to keep the current TSX payment + tax.

3. The carpool pass is worthless to me because this car will be my weekend car.

4. I heard that if I don't use the car (prius) for a couple of days, the battery will die on you (the big battery) I cannot confirm this but as I mentioned before it will be my weekend car.

5. For a weekend car, I want something fun to drive where I can unleash the best within

Calculate it out first before you trade your TSX

BusyShifter

It is pretty cool if I have a new car to drive every year and don't need to pay anything out of my pocket.

ACURACL3point0

Do your Research people. I read that the government was looking into Toyota because they have had 12 cases of the prius's gas engine stalling at highway speeds. In the 12 cases no one has been hurt though, but that is crazy!!! Plus I read how much it would cost to replace batteries on those suckers they said $2,000-$4,000 depends on which hybrid prius to Lexus rx. Even though it's under warranty for 8 years 80,000miles think about how that will affect resale value.

crisco

words I never thought I'd see together...

waterrockets

Prius is pretty cool, and it's been a long time since I've driven one, but I think it's got a lot more room inside than the TSX.

What you find yourself doing is challenging yourself to get the best gas mileage or to keep the gas engine from starting up. It's like performance in a different vein than the TSX. The feedback from the computer is awesome, and you end up living by it.

It's totally a drivable car, and if you need to pass you can.

As others have said, actual savings are minimal unless you're in constant stop and go traffic.

All that said, I could have bought any mass-produced car I wanted back in June, and chose the TSX...

joerockt

You guys gotta be nuts to think this bloated beetle "is pretty cool"

virtualbong

I don't care how many miles it gets. Until they come out with a nice looking hybrid, I ain't paying for that shit.

CarbonGray Earl

Depends on your motivation....I've got friends that would have me shot if I got that, but I still like Priuses (Pri'i?). Different motivation - I like the tech stuff, the environmental stuff, and the decreased dependence on gas, but they don't like the looks. I'm not looking for a chick magnet or status symbol, just an interesting experience from my transportation.

It does remind me of a Pontiac Aztek though.

PS Interesting note: My wifes company has an eccentric owner that'll give his employees $10k to buy one of these. He's one of the quietly richest people in the United States, so much so that he drives a 1st gen Prius and won't upgrade to the newer offerings.

You have to be on his good side and catch him while he's on-site (and in a good mood), but thats not that difficult. Their parking lot is filled with hybrids. For 10k, I can see myself driving one of these.

Powered by Honda

NEW CIVIC HYBRID HAS BETTER FUEL ECONOMY THEN THE PRIUS!!!!

Honda already did a test against it. Prius is finished.

h_curtis

Lots of very immature replies as far as I am concerned. It all depends what you want. I have tons of respect for those people that drive a Prius. They are not driving it to impress anyone. Leonardo Decaprio drives one. He can buy and sell anyone on here many times over I suspect. Anyway, there are many different reasons to buy a Prius other than fuel economy. Some people car about the air we breath. They call us "tree huggers". I take it as a compliment. I live in the 3 or 4th most polluted city in the US. I have a right to be concerned over what air I breath. Lots of cancer in my area. Duh, I wonder why?

Anyway, I think it is cool that he wants one. It makes a statement about someone that they car or maybe they are tired of making all the oil people rich. They are not cheap and I think people just look at how much they cost and say it isn't worth it. Or people need to have Hemi written on their car or truck to act like a big hero or something. A Prius driver doesn't have time for that.

Hope he gets one. It is a pretty cool thing to do IMHO.
Curt

Powered by Honda

Isnt the TSX emission Ultra LEV-2? Isnt that pretty clean. Sure its not AT-PZEV. But I dont think switching from TSX to Prius is going to help clean the air.

Maybe switching from a 1965 Stingray to a prius will help the air.

I hate SUVs but I dont think they act like a hero with the word hemi on their truck?

Immature responses? That statement above is immature.

I think you are acting like a hero for driving a prius. Snobby prius tree hugger.


It goes both ways.

dom

Link?

And I agree with curtis. There are more reason's to buy a Prius than simply fuel economy. I mean I'd never buy one but there's a reason Toyota is raping Honda when it comes to Hybrid sales. People want to look green, you can't do that in a Civic or Accord Hybrid.

Powered by Honda

Link www.Thestar.ca

The Toronto Star wheels section last saturdays. Good luck finding it.

But I'm sure it will become more public if Honda wants it to.

Basically it won by 2-3 mpg over the prius.

Honda says toyotas method is not good for highway and that their method is superior. I'm gonna have to agree after the results.

CarbonGray Earl

I agree somewhat, although Im don't consider myself a tree-hugger by any means. From a slightly different perspective, I like the fact that car companies are looking at different technologies that have an effect on so many things. The most rudimentary argument in favor of hybrids to consumers is that as gas prices go up, you have a chance to save money using a more fuel efficient car. Saving at the pump is a directly felt effect. Also from the consumer perspective, for some this is an against-the-grain status symbol that allows them to make a statement in environmental conciousness and/or a nod towards a lifestyle in moderation or frugality. Does Leo DiCaprio or Ed Begley, Jr. need to save money at the pump? No. To them, this "looks" just as good as a Ferrari F430, etc.

However, if I bought one, it is a "vote" for intelligently designed technology or advancement of the 4 wheeled transportation past the internal combustion engine. I think of it more in this way, that I would like to see manufacturers think outside the box rather than keep refining the old engine designs. I think this is perspective not espoused by any marketing materials, but its the primary reason why I like the Prius.

ianS

If I am living in downtown, I would like to have one too. Actually, my brother bought one last year. He is so happy with the it. It is not fun to drive like TSX but at least it has no more black smoke, choking tranny, leaking gasket, malfunction electronic on his old car - 99 Audi A4 with 120000km.

h_curtis

Excellent comments and good points.
Curt

h_curtis

If the Prius gives off less harmful emissions then it is better.

As far as SUV's and pickups, I ride a bicycle all the time. 50-100 mile stuff and have been doing it for years. Believe me, if you were on the road as much as I am riding a bike, you would notice that many more SUV's and pickups are much more aggressive drivers. It is uncanny how when I have any problems with a vehicle it is either an SUV or pickup. I can tell you that till I am blue in the face, but it is something you will just have to live to really see I think.

I don't drive a Prius. I just have respect for people that do. I don't see those kind of people tailgating all the time and bulling people on the road. I do see huge SUV drivers do it all the time. Not all, but quite a few.

I don't think it does go both ways. If you drive a Prius you are being more considerate to those around you. If you drive a huge empty Diesel truck you don't or just are too uneducated to know any better.

Respectfully,
Curt

CarbonGray Earl

Thanks, just wanted to add my 2 cents. As a whole, this board is mature, but the subject of this particular hybrid can be pretty polarizing. Speak of Honda's future plans for an SH-AWD TSX/TL/RL hybrid, and views might change.

CarbonGray Earl

I'm not so sure it does go both ways. How is driving a Prius only self-serving? Isn't everything that makes a person feel good self-serving then? Then, why not feel good being concious of either the environment, other people, or the advancement of auto technology? There is a definite distinction between the driver in a Prius vs. a driver in a large SUV (espeically if they drive alone most of the time, and live in the city). Just my

itrhybrid

iTrader: (1)

One thing I'd like to point out is that his Dad is trading in the car. Sounds like he has no choice in the matter.

Personally, I drove a Prius for a week or so when our TSX was in the shop for paint work. Nice car to drive, but I would not own one. Just not appealing to me. if I were looking into hybrids, I'd look at the Civic though, just because I have history with Honda.

I ride mass-transit to work to save on fuel and wear and tear on my car. Save me about $300/month according to the online calculator........Beat that in gas savings of a new car!

James

thanks for the replies... i'm going to Toyota on Monday... hopefully they won't have one in stock... jk but i'll tell you guys how it goes...

NFLblitze1

I Just want to say...this whole Hybrid thing will be just a fad, and it will die out not soon...but eventually. Eventually cars will be running off of fuel cells, such as water and using the hydrogen to fuel the car. So im staying away from hybrids until proven otherwise...i think you should stick with the TSX...and if ur actually that hung on getting a HYBRID car...then u should wait for other hybrids

STL

double-

Zasker1

Bear in midn that while you would get better mileage, if you factor in the lost you take trading in the TSX and the new loan structure over a 4 year period you would not realy come out that far ahead.

Zasker1

If you look at the TCO of the two cars over 5 years the tsx is about 6k more to own but if you eat 4-5k on the trade in, you realy only saving a grand. That is such a small amount, you realy need to decide what you want to drive.

sauceman

You would have time to go with a hybrid or any ultra-fuel-efficient vehicle and drive them to the ground before you'd see mass-produced fuel-cell cars on the road, IMO.

Since I'm already into getting an efficient car for my wife, I'm doing all I can to get great mileage with the TSX. I consider that a pretty good change in lifestyle already, but the market will probably someday dictate me an even greener car.

Funny how savage capitalism can show someone the same solutions treehuggers, greenpeace and other lefties wish for.

TSX Hokie

My mother owned a 1st gen and now a 2nd-gen Prius, so I have a lot of seat time in both in addition to my TSX.

Some bad on the Prius:

The steering wheel is clunky, the center-mounted instruments are awkward to see, and the climate/audio controls are way too difficult to use.

The rearward visibility is terrible thanks to the unecessary beam going straight through the rear window.

It beeps at you incessently about everything. In reverse? Just BEING IN REVERSE causes it to beep forever.

The good:

Saeats are comfy

MPG. Duh. Although 43ish MPG is barely better than a regular Civic.

Cargo room is excellent, so its good for haulin'.

Acceleration under 30 MPH is suprisingly good thanks to the electric motor's torque.

No way I would trade the sporty, luxurious, and reliable TSX for an 'economy' hatchback with unproven technology though.

sauceman

Laughable.

See sig.

DaveWhyman

If I lived in the city I'd get a Smart. 70mpg on Diesel. That's where the savings are.

Generally though people need to take a close look at the vehicle that they really need. How often do you drive with more than 1 person in the car, or 2 people. How often to you pull a trailer, go off-roading, do long trips. It's generally cheaper to own a car that meets you needs 95% of the time, and rent one for the other 5%, especially if the needs are diverse.

I will never own a large SUV unless I have 5 kids or need to tow a boat to work.

Mokos23

I would never trade a car in for a Prius, it's small, weird looking, and I don't care about "green" . also, there was a recall on these current Prius's about them stalling on the roads.

Powered by Honda

You make some good points.

I too have problems with SUV drivers. When they tail me to close is when I have to get even. Ah, driving is dangerous.

wclark

are you crazy prius is ugly compared to a TSX.

waterrockets

Prius is bigger. Different car segments: compact vs. midsize

bz268

There is no finanical incentive for trading the TSX with the Toyota. Not to mention that the cost of replacing the battery. I don't think the battery will last over 5 years. If it does, you still have to change the battery no matter what. I am gussing you may have to fork up $5000 plus tax and tips for the battery eventually.

So, $20,000 now and $5,000 later = $25,000

$25,000 + tax and tips is just about the same cost as the TSX.