I was thinking about buying a Prius??

Question

I want to know the pros and cons to owning a hybrid car. I like to drive my cars for 8+ years. My current car (Hyundai, Elantra) has 110,000 miles. Can I drive a hybrid that long? I heard that you don't do as many repairs because there aren't as many moving parts as the standard engine

Answer 1

A VW diesel? Please. Volkswagens have horrendous reliability. The Prius has been reported as having outstanding reliability in Consumer Reports.

As for fuel economy in hybrids only being equal to regular ICE cars, a person only getting 40mpg in a Prius or Civic hybrid must live in a very hilly environment or must not be driving the car correctly. You do need to change your driving habits with a hybrid. In fact, the change you need to make to get the most MPG in a hybrid is a change you should make with every car. No jackrabbit starts, only give the car enough throttle to maintain speed, and coast to stops. In Suburban Chicago commuting, my 2007 Prius delivers 54-61mpg.

I test drove the 2007 Civic Hybrid and found it was difficult to get it to run in electric only mode. In fact, I don't think I ever did get it to run in electric only. The engine was always running. Electric-only capability was just added for the most recent generation of Civic Hybrid. Today I drove my Prius on the same stretch of road where I tested the Civic. I was running on the electric motor about 50% of that stretch of road, whereas the Civic had its gas engine running 100% of the time. Honda's Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system isn't as advanced as Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system. HSD is more of a true hybrid system, whereas IMA in the Civic and Insight is just an electrical assist that helps the smaller-than-normal gas engine.

If you purchase a hybrid car, I think you would be happiest with a Toyota, but I don't think you will be terribly disappointed if you go with a Honda hybrid.

Oh yeah, about the air conditioner, the old Prius Classic needed the gas engine running for the A/C to work. The current Prius's air conditioner is electrically driven so the engine does not need to be on. I've sat at stop lights and in parking lots with out the gas engine running and the A/C kept me nice and cool.

Answer 2

I have had a Prius for 2.5 years and I highly recommend it. I'm an engineer and the technology and economy and the environmental impact is what interested me. It does cost more up front than a similar car that doesn't have the new technologies. It takes a while to get that money back in gasoline savings - but its possible to do that.

If you keep a Prius for as long as you kept the Hyundai, then I think you will end up saving enough on gasoline to financially justify the extra money for the technology. For me its been wonderful and fun and I wouldn't change my choice.I've got 24K miles on it. Still runs like new and I've never had a problem.

As for how it drives - just like a regular car for the most part. You put a little gas in it and drive away. You don't have to plug it in ever as some people might think. You still need to change the engine oil, the filter and get regular maintenance on it just like a regular car.

If you don't change your driving habits you won't get anywhere near the EPA mileage on the Prius. I have the tires pumped up hard and I drive at or below the speed limit and accelerate very slowly. I use synthetic motor oil. (Don't know if that actually helps with the mpg, but its one of the few extras that I do for the car). I use the cruise control any time that I can set it for more than a handful of seconds. I get around 50mpg on average. I have had it do in the upper 50's on cross town trips where I could set the cruise and leave it for most of the trip across town. One of the things that I find brings the gas mileage down on the Prius is short trips where the car doesn't have time to fully warm up. Those individuals that don't change their habits might only get in the low 40's, but if driven with a new mindset of economy, the car can do much better.

If you feel you are interested, go take one for a test drive and check out all the neat little features on this car. They are more roomy than a Corolla and almost as roomy as the 2003 Camry that I traded in on my 2005 Prius. I highly recommend the Prius.

Cheers,

Timothy D.

Answer 3

A hybrid like the Prius or Civic hybrid will last just as long as a regular car. The battery is under warranty for 8-10 years (10 in California, 8 elsewhere) and is designed to last the lifetime of the car. Priuses used as taxis have over 200,000 miles on the original battery.

Your information about fewer repairs is also correct. An electric engine has fewer moving parts than an internal combustion engine (ICE), for one. A hybrid also has an ICE, but uses it less often. The regenerative braking system also saves on your brake pads so they probably never have to be replaced, and a hybrid only needs oil changes every 5,000 miles.

Additionally, the Prius was recently determined to be the greenest car on the planet by a Swiss study:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070727/sc_nm/cars_pollution_dc

The only con is the higher initial price. However there's still a $1750 tax rebate on the Prius in the US, and you'll make up the initial cost over a regular car in gas savings over 5-10 years, not to mention the lower maintenance costs.

The Prius also has tons of room due to the hatchback design. I can fit 2 bicycles inside mine with the back seats down. The dashboard computer is also super cool. Prius rules!

Answer 4

I own a Toyota Camry Hybrid. The hybrid system uses the same technology as the Prius. I jjust needed a bigger car so I had to go with the Camry. I love it. It is amazing and great to drive. The hybrid battery comes with an 8 year/100,000 mile warranty. You can drive these cars just like their gasoline only counterpart.

I get great gas mileage (40.5 mpg) and I won the vehicle bigger than the Prius. I will be buying hybrids from now on or until an even better technology comes out.

Also I have never had any problem with the AC or heater. The problem mentioned above when the car is in electirc mode exists in the Ford Escape and the Mercury Hybrid SUV. The technology is different between Ford and Toyota. And trust me I blast my AC all the time.

I did a lot of research on hybrids and found Toyota and Honda to have the best technology. I just like Toyota better.

Answer 5

I would move up from a Hyundai to any Toyota any day. I have had a Hyundai and a Honda, and I won't get another Hyundai.

You might also consider a diesel VW. Diesel cars get better mileage and you could use bio diesel in it.

However, I am not sure the extra mileage is worth the extra cost. You may be better off just getting a regular Corolla or other small, fuel efficient car. Mileage will be almost as good and cost will be less. Check the specifications and prices, and test drive the cars and make up your own mind. Ignore the "hybridness" of the Prius and just go with gas mileage as your green factor.

Answer 6

It is only a new technology in the USA. Hybrids have been on the market for several years now in Europe and Asia. I want to commend you for doing something positive for the environment.

As far as moving parts, the Prius is more complicated than the standard Internal Combustion engine, but as far as reliability, Hey, Its a Toyota, should last you many years and if not it has a great warranty. And with all the money you will save in fuel, even if it needs repairs it is still more economical than a standard Toyota. Enjoy!

Answer 7

Be sure to ask about air conditioner and heater operation when in electric mode. I've heard that earlier models had compressor issues when the gasoline engine wasn't running.

If your current car is in good condition, it may not be economical to buy a new car just for the gas savings. Do a quick calculation to determine how many miles you would have to travel and how long it would take to break even. When I did it, it came out to around 30 years!

You can really improve your gas mileage by driving like a mature adult (I'm not saying you do, but you should see the morons where I live!). I have a Camry >10 years old and I get low 30's/upper 20's MPG.

Answer 8

There are more moving parts. A piston engine is an piston engine. You don't do as many repairs as the auto manufacturers have made it that difficult to change the worn part only. You have to get the whole engine. (just to put it in perspective - you get a flat in one tire....no longer is it patched----you have to buy a set of tires and wheels to fix the one tire with the nail hole)
More profit for the manufacturers, less money in your pocket, more waste in the environment.
8 years? My cars are 25-30 years old and running just fine. Others out there are even older(cars from the 50's and 40's).

Don't expect that to happen as much anymore---the manufacturers have clued in - no need to make them long lasting - it doesn't help our cash flow........Design them to break down.

Answer 9

I'm looking into this too. I subscribe to a science journal that reports both the Civic and Prius cost about $10K more than a non-hybrid equivalent, but the average driver will only save about half that amount (in fuel) if he/she keeps the car for 5 years. They are trying to improve technology/production methods to make it a more economical choice. Unlike another poster, I don't see the cars as status symbols, my interest is in supporting companies that are willing to offer more environmentally friendly alternatives.

Answer 10

I'm sorry i don't drive much anymore i ride my bicycle because there's no need for me to travel far in fact i have a 90 S10 with 4000 miles on it that shows you how much i drive and don't know to much about cars today but are any of those cars that everyone is talking about American made i wonder . I'm just trying to figure out when the next recession is going to hit us if we are not buying American