The Jetta Tdi spanks the Prius Hybrid - Page 7 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

yellowbenz · #91 05-12-2006, 09:56 PM

[
South Park did what had to be the funniest show ever on Prius owners and the results and they were dead on, as usual.

RT[/QUOTE]

That maybe on the coasts but here in the midwest a large number of prius owners are elderly depression era folks who are just plain thrifty with their money.

Kevin
240D
190D

Hatterasguy · #92 05-12-2006, 10:32 PM

I'd rather just buy an E320 that gets mid 20's. Fuel ain't that pricey, good enough as they say.

aklim · #93 05-13-2006, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel Giant

The main fact is that the Prius will not haul 5 fat people and their luggage around and get 45 mpg. Not to mention the stinking battery pack is about 5k to replace.

Or even 5 average people

Diesel Giant · #94 05-13-2006, 01:22 PM

True, true very true!

iNeon · #95 05-13-2006, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellowbenz

[South Park did what had to be the funniest show ever on Prius owners and the results and they were dead on, as usual.

RT

That maybe on the coasts but here in the midwest a large number of prius owners are elderly depression era folks who are just plain thrifty with their money.

[/QUOTE]

What's thrifty about a car with a (conservativly guestimated) $2,000.00-$3,500.00 *wear* part that is also powered by a geoesque engine?

I've had underpowered cars before-- a Taurus with a 4-cylinder engine and now the 240D, these cars have to work hard to get where they're going and it does seems like the Mercedes people worked *very* hard to make their underpowered car reliable-- which surely was not the case with the Taurus. I worry about the durability of the Echo engine they use in it, mostly.

I've had too many notebook computers and iPods to not know the battery replacement story. How do these cars deal with dead batteries, by the way? Can one just drive a pseudo fullsize car only on the gasoline engine if the batteries go out and they dont have the money for replacement, or is the entire car disabled?

This is something I found interesting on Toyota's website-- It is so wrong that by just driving the car, you are qualified to use carpool lanes!

Quote:

Well, several states now give Prius owners carpool lane privileges. And you'll definitely want to read more about federal tax benefits for Prius owners.

yellowbenz · #96 05-13-2006, 02:09 PM

Well, I guess they like the 8 year 100,000 mile warranty that covers the powertrain and battery and the tax write off you get with the hybrid. Also, when the time comes to change the battery (individual cells can be changed out as they fail) perhaps economies of scale will have brought the prices down. Hell, Road and Track just gave it recommendation after spending a year with the car.

Kevin
240D
190D

t walgamuth · #97 05-13-2006, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel Giant

The main fact is that the Prius will not haul 5 fat people and their luggage around and get 45 mpg. Not to mention the stinking battery pack is about 5k to replace.

now i would think it would.

the prius has a lot of room inside, it reminds me of a littel sdl. and extra weight wont make much difference on the highway.

also i may not have it right but i think it may have two batterys. one for the regenerative braking storage and one to start the gas motor.

also i think i read that the big batterys are lasting a lot longer than originally prediceted.

i would prob prefer a diesel though, for now.

tom w

yellowbenz · #98 05-13-2006, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

now i would think it would.

the prius has a lot of room inside, it reminds me of a littel sdl. and extra weight wont make much difference on the highway.

also i may not have it right but i think it may have two batterys. one for the regenerative braking storage and one to start the gas motor.

i would prob prefer a diesel though, for now.

tom w

You are right Tom. About the size of a camry on the inside. Yes, two batteries. One regular battery for the initial start of the engine. But the electric motor restarts the engine when you accelerate from a stop if the engine has shut off. The electric motor uses the big battery for this obviously. Yes, I would prefer to buy a diesel TDI but there are no dealers within a reasonable distance. I've owned older model VW diesels in the past that were as simple as my 240D. My first "big" mechanical project in college was to change the starter on my rabbit diesel (incredibly easy by the way, right up front!). I've got a friend who owns a business that requires alot of travel. He bought three jetta tdi wagons because they have to haul some bulky items sometimes. Couldn't be happier. However, let's face it, VW electronics, air bag sensors etc. are almost Lucas like in their reliablity now and not everyone has that kind of luck. Sometimes you just need a vehicle that is simple, dependable, cost effective transportation and yes, plenty of other cars fit the bill besides the prius. The other stuff is for enthusiasts and most of us fall into that category.

Kevin
240D
190D

aklim · #99 05-13-2006, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iNeon

That maybe on the coasts but here in the midwest a large number of prius owners are elderly depression era folks who are just plain thrifty with their money.

That doesn't mean much. A lot of elderly people are targetted for scams too. I think a lot of people tend to look at the fuel savings the EPA says it gets rather than real life. I am not sure the car is old enough and widespread enough to be able to compute the total cost of ownership when it comes down to actual dollars and cents.

t walgamuth · #**100** 05-13-2006, 07:42 PM

i doubt that most of the hybrid owners made the decision on dollars and cents. i think most are environmentally responsible and that is why.

i was in a new clients house yesterday and side by side were a red prius and a black boxter. so i dont think money was the motivator there.

tom w