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Ready to buy a Prius or Civic hybrid.....which one, where to buy it?

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buycitgo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 05:58 PM
Original message
Ready to buy a Prius or Civic hybrid.....which one, where to buy it?
anyone have either?

know anything about them?

like which is more likely to last, with less repairs?

I already know the Prius gets better mileage, costs more, has more of a waiting list

what I'm interested to know:

is there anywhere to get more specific info (been googling) on which part of country they'd be

A) available sooner
B) appreciably cheaper

taking vacation, might as well to someplace where I can get a better deal

what else to I need to know?

any advice would be greatly appreciated

thx

PS think Larry David would give me his? he can afford it
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:02 PM
Response to Original message
1. My mother has a Prius
and when we travel together - I always drive it. Great drive. Comfortable car. I can't compare (haven't been in a hybrid civic; at the time Honda only had the smaller and less comfortable hybrid) - but I can put forth a positive vote for the Prius.
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buycitgo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:05 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. thanks.....driven a Honda.......owned an Accord for fifteen years
haven't seen a Prius yet, but lean that way, as I have a 97 Camry that I like better than the Accord

not as good mileage-wise, though

any idea where to find out which part of country car prices are cheapest?

I saved over a thousand bucks by driving to Bel Air MD, from DC area in 86 to buy the Honda


wonder how to find out that info
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:08 PM
Response to Reply #3
6. No idea... you might want to check on availability
when my mother bought her Prius two years ago, there was a four month wait-period - there were not enough in the country to fill the order.

No idea how to check for prices. There used to be a TV ad for a website for checking comparative car prices - have no idea what it was, however.
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buycitgo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:12 PM
Response to Reply #6
9. I'll be doing that soon, but this is more fun.......
as well as potentially more reliable, maybe
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happyending Donating Member (294 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:03 PM
Response to Original message
2. network news
Last night on one of the network news shows it was said that gas mileage claims were not met. Like, the EPA numbers were 60 mpg and in reality 35 mpg was what one really got.

Dunno how accurate such a report might be. I don't believe much that I see on the TV news anymore. ;)

But that's what they said.
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buycitgo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:07 PM
Response to Reply #2
5. same here
website comparing the two said the Prius got about 55, the Honda 48

it seemed unaffiliated

have site at work (don't tell anybody!)

don't remember it now, offhand
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Philostopher Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:09 PM
Response to Reply #2
8. Somebody else posted a link to that yesterday.
I admit, I didn't have time to read anything but the headline. The report was about one of the Honda models, though, I'm pretty sure -- I think it was the Civic, right? Haven't heard of any dramatic differences between EPA estimates and the mileage on the Prius so far, and Consumer Reports hasn't brought it up.
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Ready4Change Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:31 PM
Response to Reply #2
12. They probably drove highway miles.
Hybrids are different. They get their best milage in urban environments, where speeds are lower and they can utilize their regenerative braking systems. On highways the gasoline engine is running 100%, which is their least efficient mode.
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salin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:37 PM
Response to Reply #12
13. actually we get better highway mileage
Edited on Sat May-29-04 06:38 PM by salin
on the prius - can average 50+ mpg on the highway... closer to 40s mpg in the city.
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NashVegas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 07:47 PM
Response to Reply #2
16. YMMV
Edited on Sat May-29-04 07:49 PM by Crisco
According to either Honda or Toyota (can't recall which), some people need to readjust the way they drive to get the high city mileage.

'Rolling' stops and last-second stops supposedly take away from the action needed.

So they say.

http://www.wired.com/news/autotech/0,2554,63541,00.html

While many hybrid owners gleefully report that their cars get upward of 55 miles per gallon of gas, owners of underachieving vehicles are flabbergasted as to why their autos don't measure up. Honda and Toyota say it's natural for lead-footed drivers and adverse conditions to cause a huge gap in fuel-efficiency.
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Taverner Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:06 PM
Response to Original message
4. I'm probably going to buy a used Prius this week
They're cheaper, get similar mileage and you don't have to wait 6-8 months for them.

If you want a brand new one - you have to wait 6-8 months unless you want one fully loaded (which can run 30K). The dealerships are really screwed up about this. They know theres a demand, so they create a false shortage, then the ones they do get they stock with everything they can and charge top dollar. If you want one below that price, you have to wait, and your order goes to the bottom of the pile.
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buycitgo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:09 PM
Response to Reply #4
7. thanks! meant to ask about that, and now about the phony shortage bit
but why would somebody get rid of one so fast?

makes me wonder......

bought the used Camry two years ago, and am amazed at how high resale is on the Japanese cars
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welshTerrier2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:12 PM
Response to Original message
10. 3 "must see" car info websites
http://www.edmunds.com
http://www.kbb.com
http://autos.msn.com
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buycitgo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:15 PM
Response to Reply #10
11. thank you! will check them tomorrow, while.........
nursing tonight's looming hangover

going over to friends house to watch Daily Show tapes and let them listen to me rant about the chimp

they think I'm amusing when I get going

up to a point
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Ready4Change Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 06:37 PM
Response to Original message
14. New Prius's are latest technology.
While I'm usually not a fan of first year run cars, since hybrid tech is developing, I say get the most recent model you can. The new Prius is getting great reviews, and I'd guess Toyota would want it to reflect their reliability standards as well as be fuel efficient.
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physioex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-29-04 07:43 PM
Response to Original message
15. Consider a VW TDI...
It stands for Turbo Diesel Injection. You can run it on Diesel fuel or Biodiesel. It is mechanically simpler than a hybrid and will offer excellent fuel economy. Look for a site biodieselnow.org, they have links as to where you can get the fuel.
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