Before owning one I thought the Prius was all hype and that people weren't saving any money by buying or leasing a new hybrid. Any savings in gas was offset by car payments. I still believe that, but I think if you can afford a new hybrid, or better yet find a used one for fairly cheap, the savings in gas will actually mean something.

After buying a used first-gen Honda Insight, I can't think of ever going back to conventional gas engine cars. I get average low to mid 50s in the city and upwards of high 70s on the freeway. My fill-up intervals are 5-6 weeks. Now with gas prices in SoCal going up again (what's up with that?), I think a hybrid is the way to go. When I see big single-occupancy SUVs or big pick-ups, especially lifted up ones--I don't mean work SUVs or trucks that people use because they need to but those that are status symbols--I think to myself "suckers"

But I still want an SL500!

I like those first gen Insights. Very cool cars! They aren't bad on a twisty road either huh? Love lightweight 2 seaters.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Meh gas isn't that expensive, I rather just buy a diesel MB I can live with 30mpg in a full size, powerful, comfortable car.

Fuel isn't a huge expenses, even my truck only burns about $2,300 a year at 15mpg.

When it hits $10 a gallon than something like that would start to make a lot of sense, well I'd buy an electric car at that point and just rent a gas car for trips.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I have read recently that hybrids only save money when gas is above $4/gallon. Not sure why more people in the US don't look at the diesel alternative, as that would be my choice over hybrids. If you look at Europe, about 50% of vehicles are diesel.

"High 70's on the freeway"? I doubt it. If it were true, Honda wouldn't be able to keep up with demand for that car. Also, hybrids typically get better mileage in local driving, as they use regenerative braking, which doesn't exist on the freeway when the gas engine is the sole source of power.

I don't drive one, but the cat lady down the street has a sparkly new Prius. She used to give me a dirty look and thumbs down every time I drove by in the 420SEL.

I stopped all that when I did a burnout in front of her house one morning with my ironhead Sporty running straight pipes.

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"I was a dirty bird, Carol's not grungey - she's *****in" John Milner....American Graffiti

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lhPNw0fcJQ&feature=related

Hybrid? You mean a British car with an American engine?

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Rscurtis, go to InsightCentral and you'll see what I mean. Actually, Honda's hybrid system is slight;y differnt than Toyota's. Where the Prius excels in city driving, Honda's IMA system (at least to my understanding as it pertains to the 1st-gen Insight) excels on the freeway. I think the reason the Prius gets better mileage on city roads is that it can run on electric under certain mph and therefore can offset gas useage quite a bit while driving farther. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Here's proof of my 70+mpg on the freeway.



Keep in mind that mine is a CVT (auto) and the 5-speed manual can get insanely high mpg! No joke.

I'm still a car guy, so I don't look down on non-hybrids nor do I tell everyone what a good person I am by driving a hybrid or tell people to get one. I know it's not for everyone. And I still don't think it may not make economic sense to buy one when whatever you save at the gas station is made pointless by what you have to pay to own and drive the car.

Anyway, the first Insight is pretty sporty and rides like a sports car. All aluminum with trickle-down build technology from the NSX and in fact comes from the same factory that built the NSX and S2000. I knew nothing about this car when I decided to buy one. My choices were actually the Audi TT, Porsche Boxster, S2000, and the '96-00 SL500.

I do have a diesel alternative and I got it only because I was doing a lot of long distance travel of 150-200 miles a day. Today, if I had to get another vehicle, it sure as hell won't be a diesel since my commute is much shorter regardless of what Europe does, wants to do or doesn't do.

1. Fuel price can fluctuate by up to 10 cents from place to place. Gas price is more stable.

2. Fuel stinks and you have to wear gloves. No such issue with gas.

3. Second class citizen at the pump. So few pumps with diesel and so many more with gas and some azzhat blocking your pump.

4. Pump areas are usually dirty including the nozzle. See #2

5. Diesel has gelling issues when it gets too cold.

6. Every fuel station sells gas. Not ever station sells diesel.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

I drove one for a week, an Enterprise 2010 Toyota Prius. Nice cabin space for a compact car; decent acceleration but there's no escaping the handling and relatively light feel of a compact car. Not particularly confidence inspiring cornering and subject to being tossed around a bit by crosswinds.

Only Siths deal in absolutes, Darth Aklim. I pass by a fuel station along I-70 in PA. It only list the price of diesel. I think it only sells to semi-trucks.
As for the milage claim of 70 mpg, I don't trust the electronic fuel monitors. So, fill up your tank. Then drive it. Record the miles and fill up. Divide miles driven by the gallons to fill it up.
I do know someone with one of the early Insites. He does claim 65 mpg or so. The car does look very aerodynamic. So, I am not discounting, that it can/does get this milage. Also, a variant of the Geo Metro, the Pontiac Fire Fly was suppose to get 65 mpg or so.
Tom

A friend of mine has had a couple of first-gen Insights, both 5-speed and CVT. He has never seen 70MPG highway. Mid 60s, yes, but not 70.

There is a very simple reason why demand for that car was so low. It isn't very useful as transportation. It's a small 2 seater with very limited luggage space. Essentially, you can carry yourself and a briefcase, that's about it.

Those first insights were very efficient, but at the cost of performance IIRC. Being a bunch of old diesel owners (among other vehicles) I don't think the performance would be a deterrant for us. I have ridden in several new prius' and haven't seen above 32mpg on any of them because the drivers have no clue how to get good mileage through their right foot.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

A MT 1st gen Insight gets better highway mileage because it has lean burn and because it's much smaller. In general a Prius gets better mileage in the city because the transmission they've used/patented is better than anyone else's layout. It offers the best mechanical efficiency and allows the engine to consistently run as efficiently as it can, something that other parallel or series hybrids cannot do. They can do one or the other, but they can't offer both because Toyota pretty much dominates hybrid patents.

I do think many licesnse Toyotas patents. Ford claimed the milage award with the Fussion Hybrid. Although I don't know what real world milage is on any of them. It will be interesting how the Chevy Volt and others like it perform in the real world.
Tom