http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JDiiXr57KQ&mode=related&search=

THEY SUCK!!!!!!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Gee! I knew there was a reason I didn't buy one of those. First off, It doesn't have one of these nifty aiming devices on the hood.

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Current Stable:
01 ML55 AMG
92 500E (a few mods)
87 300E (lots of mods)
00 Chevy 3500HD Diesel Box Truck
68 18' Donzi Marine
06 GT i-Drive7 1.0 Mountain Bike (with GPS!)

PREVIOUSLY OWNED:83 300SD, 87 420SEL, 88 420SEL, 90 420SEL, 86 560SEL, 86 190E 2.3-16V AMG, 94 E320

Well, when you equip a reshelled Toyota Echo with eco-tires that have a low friction rubber compound, expect low friction.

Toyota usualy gets stuff right so its fun when they screw up.

Remember the golden rule:

When you buy a Lexus a cute puppy dies! When you buy a Mercedes a hot girl gets breast implants!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

i've driven one, while not my cup of tea i still didn't think it was all that bad. The time has come to be concienscious of our fuel consumption, inevitably some ideas will work better than others, but i don't see this being a bad start. Knock it if you want, but at least toyota is trying to do something to lessen our dependency on oil.
Ryan

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83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

Check out this video of a lithium-ion battery exploding!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS2hGoJVmlA
I'd imagine the 600 LB Li-ion battery in the Prius would put on quite a show.

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Current Stable:
01 ML55 AMG
92 500E (a few mods)
87 300E (lots of mods)
00 Chevy 3500HD Diesel Box Truck
68 18' Donzi Marine
06 GT i-Drive7 1.0 Mountain Bike (with GPS!)

PREVIOUSLY OWNED:83 300SD, 87 420SEL, 88 420SEL, 90 420SEL, 86 560SEL, 86 190E 2.3-16V AMG, 94 E320

Benz doesn't use lithium-ion batteries -yet. But there have been problems anyway.
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2002/01/25/035042.html

i know its not a toyata prius but a customer of mine had a honda hybrid that the computer went out in and it cost about six thousand dollars to fix at the dealer. needless to say i believe that the fuel saved driving that didnt outweigh the extra cost of the car plus the new computer.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

It's rare for Clarkeson to misrepresent a car so badly,,,, he doesn't display the kind of knee-jerk aversion to anything Japanese that you fine gentleman do,,, but his summary of Prius' economy was a bit misleading.

The sum total of his comments regarding fuel economy revolve around a 70 mile thrash down the M1 motorway/freeway to London. The Prius shines in city driving,,, not highway. We know that,, Clarkeson knows that,,, seems he has a pretty low opinion of Brits if he thinks they'll be suckered by that review.

Save your flames,, I think they're poorly-built crap as well,, but even crap has it's uses and they should be extolled honestly.

I saw someone blazing on the freeway with their Prius going 90mph on the freeway today. Agreeably there is no way that is efficient in that sort of freeway cycle. It does excel with the stop and go commuter driving. Hybrids clearly aren't efficient for all purposes. That's the reason why there are different types of cars.

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

Come on, you expected Clarkson to like a Prius? That would have been more James May's speed, if you'll pardon the pun. But no car enthusiast is going to get off on a hybrid that focuses on fuel economy as a main selling feature.

Speaking of the Prius, I saw an interesting story on the weekend that looked at the total environmental footprint that the Prius causes, from absolute birth to death, and found it to be much more damaging than people want you to believe, and it is all about the batteries. The nickel mining process is not even remotely environmentally friendly, nor is the production of the batteries (in China, that bastion of environmental protection). When you factor in the disposal of the batteries at the end of their life-cycle, this article claimed that a Prius has a total cost per mile of something like 30% more than a Hummer H2, which uses more gasoline but isn't anywhere near as destructive in production or disposal.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

I hope that driver purchased some carbon credits so offset that horrible waste of fuel.

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'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder

I can't see it- I'm at work dang it. Hatt- how was the bachelor party? Sorry for the Hi Jack....

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

Damn... that was ruthless. I drove one to Nebraska and back last month, and it was OK. I wish I'd taken my TDI, though -- more comfy (for the driver, though back seat space is better in the Toyota), same overall fuel mileage, but diesel was much cheaper. Plus, the Prius has VERY hard plastic rails along the window edge, so if you drive with your elbow propped there, be prepared for some discomfort. Strange that they wouldn't pad it somewhat.

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

Dig the Michael Nyman music they used for the segment!

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)