has anyone followed modding the priuses? i've read upwards of 100mpg...

- chuck

 

i haven't done the math, but to play devil's advocate..is buying a high mpg car really going to save you money? What's a new prius? $23,000? I wonder if you'll save 23K dollars in gas to pay for the car. Maybe its just my way of justifying driving my beloved gas hogs everyday

 

I don't believe (currently) there is another petrol car on the market that gets anywhere near the mileage of a hybrid prius or civic - 50mpg is the prius is easy... im currently at 55mpg with fairly normal driving - the most comparable pertol non-hybrid car is about 35 at best... this is 20mpg better... thats extremely significant and the nicer cars many of us may own, don't get beat down by mileage and use... i don't see any bad side to the car, expect is being "not-cool"... but after yo rack up useless miles on your hybrid go and drive your "cool" car and all is well again and if makes you appreciate the fast car all that much more

 

If you're concerned about the cost of the car, just buy a used one. I went out and searched Autotrader and found a lot of Prius and Civic hybrids for under 20K. Most prius' were in the 15-18k range and Civic's were in the 12-15k range for low mileage examples.

 

I agree. Since you own one, tell us what is with the battery change?

 

Haven't read the thread yet but if you don't plan to carry many people/things, you need to check out an Insight. You will have to buy used since they stopped making them in 06, but afaik it was the most fuel efficient car offered here and still is as it is a fair amount more efficient than the Prius. Unfortunately it never caught the environmentalists eye like the Prius did and came along a few years too early as far as gas prices go.

Edit: after reading the thread I still stand by my statement. If it is MPG you are after then an Insight is your answer. Plus to my knowledge they are still fairly reasonable on the secondary market since their name doesn't start with P and end with rius. Another good thought in the thread was to buy an econocar that gets good mpg for much less money than a hybrid. A civic or fit come to mind as they are both allegedly very fun cars for the price.

 

The insight looked way too horrible imo and it was ahead of its time.

The Prius offers much much more than the insight besides the MPG

 

Battery change?

 

Any idea how long the battery lasts and if its warranty covered and it looks like its 8K

 

No idea

 

Hybrid system is warranted for 100K mi including /batteries
Elliot

 

Very interesting discussion I have to say. Truth be told, I've been considering picking up a hybrid for daily driving myself. The Prius is an obvious choice with 50mpg, but I just can't get over the looks. Why do they have to make it so damn ugly?? If I pick one up, it'll have to be black with very dark tinited windows. The less you can see of me and the car, the better.

 

Just Bought one a week ago................I actually love it! My daily driver has been an 07' M5 and I am so sick of filling that thing up 3 times a week at now $80 bucks a pop. 9 MPG's. The Prius costs $40 bucks to fill up and will go 450 miles. I sh*t you not. It took me a day or so to get over myself driving a Prius but honestly, who cares!!

 

Interesting to read this thread; if I had a commute, I guess I might consider thinking along the same lines. As it is, though, I live downtown and walk less than ten minutes to work (or any building in the Loop where I'm meeting clients) and don't really have a need for a car except to "take a drive"... so I guess my walking beats even the Prius's MPG. I maybe drive two days a week, usually at night for fun. Walking, subway, and cabs during the day is the only way to go with city traffic.