Comments on: 2010 Toyota Prius Images Leaked

By: rick

rick — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:37:45 +0000

While I am awaiting a car with a plug, be it a Volt or otherwise … I’ve been driving my Prius for over 4 years, averaging 50 MPG.

Some folks like to poo-poo the Prius. So be it … but I’ll take 50 MPG until such time as a better alternative actually becomes available.

By: dagwood55

dagwood55 — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:00:56 +0000

Steve Corneliussen, If it’s true that you do about 5 miles/day in routine, then there’s no Volt payback for you. You are far better off buying something like a Yaris.

Yaris = $13K. Yaris fuel = ((5miles*365days/year)/31mpg)*$4/gallon) = $235/year

Volt = $40K. Volt fuel = $0.

The acquisition difference of $27K has a simple payback of… ummm… about 120 years. If, instead of buying a Volt, you buy a Yaris and invest the $27K difference in acquisition cost at 5%, you’d earn $1300/year. That pays for your fuel and you’d have $1000 or so left over to enjoy. Every year.

By: Steve Corneliussen

Steve Corneliussen — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:04:58 +0000

My typical round trip from my house is under 10 miles. More like under 5 miles. I very RARELY go farther than a 40 mile round trip. My guess is… maybe 4 times per year I would even need the gas motor in the Volt. I arranged my world so I do not have to drive much, at all. Even counting my job, trips to the store, friends and relatives, I am usually within 5 miles of my house. I drove 6,000 miles this year… yet I own 2 cars. One newer and nicer car for highway trips… and one “City car” … an old beat up Toyota that has paid for itself ten times over in fuel savings. (And never needs repairs.)

So, for me… the Volt works…. because… for me… basically… the car would be used as a pure electric 95% of the time. The gas engine has me covered for the remaining 5%… so I can make those rare longer trips, when needed.

I think… hidden in a mountain of average statistics out there… there are more than enough people like me to make the Volt a smashing success!

I also think research may underestimate how many people have a second car… or a “city car.” A role the Volt could fill, very nicely, and be 90% electric. The catch with those existing city cars is the reason they are for local use only is they are cheap, old, beater cars that you do not DARE to go far from home in.

The catch is getting people to replace that second car… which is usually old and cheap… with an expensive NEW car… of any type.

There needs to be a DEAL to get people out of those older, second cars!

Depending on fuel costs going forward… maybe the older second car will be the GAS car… and the primary driver be something like the Volt.

In my case… I could easily do that… keep my big Taurus around as a “highway car” for long trips… etc… because it is REALLY comfortable on the highway…. and use the Volt as a daily driver.

What I am really getting at… is… your GM Marketing department needs to figure out WHICH car this will be for people. Primary? Daily driver? City only? Will they be replacing their NEWEST car? Or the old Beater? THAT information will help put the finishing touches on this incredible car!

Anybody who is selling a “car for everybody” is doomed. That is just nonsense to cover up the fact that the marketing department did not do their homework!

This is a great concept… you just need to get the Marketing right!

By: Fahrvergnugen Fanboy

Fahrvergnugen Fanboy — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:28:40 +0000

“Early in 2009 a further two engines will join the Scirocco line-up: a 1.4-litre TSI 160 PS petrol and a 2.0-litre TDI common rail diesel unit with 140 PS and a combined economy of around 52 mpg. Both will come as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the 1.4-litre TSI will also be offered with Volkswagen’s new seven-speed DSG ’box.”

But not here in the U.S. Sigh. Sniffle. Whimper.

By: carcus

carcus — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 03:41:50 +0000

#140 Jeffhre,

You bet. I’ll just need a $500 processing fee up front.

By: Jeffhre

Jeffhre — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:57:06 +0000

119 carcus

I’d like to be optimistic. But that went out the window when $25 Billion of my money…

Hey, before you shoot that 25 bil. to big brother peel off a few mil. for me and I guarantee I’ll use it more efficiently!

By: Dave K.

Dave K. — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:03:11 +0000

hi Evan #138,

I am happy you like your car choice.

If GM plays their cards right, all Americans will have a good shot at buying a ‘no gasoline for 40 miles’ vehicle. I realize many Americans will be happy with the ‘gasoline all the time’ option.

In 2006 I went to a Toyota dealer to look at a Prius. The Prius is cheaply built and uncomfortable. And (in my view) offers little in pride of ownership.

Especially for $23,000 (base) or $26,000 (with the GPS).

I am happy you like your car choice.

=D~

By: Evan

Evan — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:24:58 +0000

BTW, the dash is quite informative and inventive IMO….and you ignore the multi-display secondary data info.

By: Evan

Evan — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 19:14:17 +0000

#136 =D~
We’ve tried that philosophy in the past…the big “Buy American” campaign of the 70s and 80s. It failed miserably. Quality went way down…Detroit has only in the past few years gotten their quality on par with their foreign counterparts.
In theory I agree with what you propose, but I will not butress inferior companies with my money only to watch them take advantage and let quality go down.

Give me two similar choices and I’ll choose American every time…but the Volt v. the Prius are not similar/equal for my needs and there is nothing produced in the US that I consider comparable to the Prius for quality, performance, fuel economy, emissions and customer service.

I think GM’s headlong rush to get the Volt to market failed to take into account some of the things that make the Prius so successful…specifically it’s versatility as a family and cargo vehicle. Style will get you only so far. When it comes to families practicality and utility are huge. If I’m a single man with no kids in the forecast that lives in an urban or large suburban area the Volt is the way I’d go in a heart beat. But I’m neither of those things and the Volt may as well be a Corvette for all the good it would do me.

By: Dave K.

Dave K. — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:30:08 +0000

hi Evan #135,

I think we can agree that the world economy is not doing great now. And since we live in the USA (and Canada), we need to start thinking more about Detroit and less about Aichi Japan and Namyang Korea.

Spend $30,000 for a state of the art American car and let the Japanese spend their $25,000 for the new 2010 yaris/prius design.

As I mentioned in a prior post. I am open minded but will not pay over $22,000 for a plain Jane Japanese econo box. The Prius dash looks like something you could get from Pep Boys Auto for $89. I wouldn’t let my wife buy one.

Prius dash display: http://garfwod.250free.com/Photos/Prius%20dash.jpg

BTW: You can add a GPS display to what you see for an additional $3000.

=D~