Comment real world example, for a change. (Score 2, Informative) 720
That's crap, as are the above comments that chime in about actual savings, true mileage etc, without considering what americans pay for cars, how much gas we consume, etc.
Here are some actual facts:
The average price PAID for a car in the US is about 26 grand. The best selling cars in the US are the Ford F-150, and the Chevy Silverado--gas guzzlers, with MSRPs that start at about 10 grand more.
My parents have a 2003 model prius, which they paid 21 grand for (and the MSRP is still about that). Granted, you can't haul wood in the thing, but it fits 4 adults quite comfortably, has no trouble doing 85 on the highway if need be, and while not a performance hound, it's a fun little drive.
As far as mileage, they put about 12-15,000 miles on it every year, and regularly drive it in both suburbia and on regular 2-3 hour hauls; they also take a couple 7-8 drives hour per year. My father, bless him, has kept a journal of the car's mileage the entire time (along with his other cars), and depending on who is driving--a huge factor, mind you--he has an overall average mileage of 43.7 MPG. (When my leadfoot mother drives, it drops as low as 32 MPG, usually 35 or so, and my dad regularly gets 50-plus MPG, but mostly because he's a passive driver.) That's a sampling of over 2.5 years of driving (and the 2004 model apparently gets better mileage, is bigger, and has a more powerful engine).
Now, compared with his buick century, which remarkably gets 22 MPG on a good day, and that's substantial. He admitted the first year he bought the Prius that he was only realizing $600 gas savings per year, but now that gas has more than doubled in price since then (and not going to get better any time soon), he's sitting pretty. The government kicked in a nice retroactive tax break for him as well.
So for those who say it's too expensive--you already pay more. For those who say the mileage sucks--you likely get half as much. And it's still virtually emission-free.
Righteous indeed.
Here are some actual facts:
The average price PAID for a car in the US is about 26 grand. The best selling cars in the US are the Ford F-150, and the Chevy Silverado--gas guzzlers, with MSRPs that start at about 10 grand more.
My parents have a 2003 model prius, which they paid 21 grand for (and the MSRP is still about that). Granted, you can't haul wood in the thing, but it fits 4 adults quite comfortably, has no trouble doing 85 on the highway if need be, and while not a performance hound, it's a fun little drive.
As far as mileage, they put about 12-15,000 miles on it every year, and regularly drive it in both suburbia and on regular 2-3 hour hauls; they also take a couple 7-8 drives hour per year. My father, bless him, has kept a journal of the car's mileage the entire time (along with his other cars), and depending on who is driving--a huge factor, mind you--he has an overall average mileage of 43.7 MPG. (When my leadfoot mother drives, it drops as low as 32 MPG, usually 35 or so, and my dad regularly gets 50-plus MPG, but mostly because he's a passive driver.) That's a sampling of over 2.5 years of driving (and the 2004 model apparently gets better mileage, is bigger, and has a more powerful engine).
Now, compared with his buick century, which remarkably gets 22 MPG on a good day, and that's substantial. He admitted the first year he bought the Prius that he was only realizing $600 gas savings per year, but now that gas has more than doubled in price since then (and not going to get better any time soon), he's sitting pretty. The government kicked in a nice retroactive tax break for him as well.
So for those who say it's too expensive--you already pay more. For those who say the mileage sucks--you likely get half as much. And it's still virtually emission-free.
Righteous indeed.
