My Car
I drive a 2003 Toyota Prius...
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| This is not my actual Prius, but mine looks exactly like this. |
Yes, I drive a hybrid vehicle. I bought in May of 2003, and I gotta say, I love it
I didn't know much about the Prius before I bought it. I was actually looking for something a little sportier, like a Mitsubishi Eclipse, or something like that. I had been driving a 1992 Volkswagen Jetta that I bought for $1500 when I moved out here, and I thought it was time to step up to something better.
So you're asking yourself... "Hybrid, huh? Has Chris become a tree-hugging hippie since moving out to the left coast?" Well, no. While I believe a lot of the "theories" on global warming are junk science, I do believe that smog and pollution are big problems in a lot of metropolitan areas, like Seattle or Los Angeles. The Prius is classified as a Super Low Emissions Vehicle (Su-LEV), and contributes little pollution to the environment. Because of this, I got a nice $2000 tax break.
The Prius gets phenomenal gas mileage. Right now, I'm averaging 48.5 mpg. That's right, 48.5 MPG!!! With an 11.9 gallon tank, that gives me more than 577 miles for a single tank. Now, when I bought the car, gas prices around here were hovering about $1.70 / gallon. It's averaging about $2.50 now. Now, considering that I'm certainly not paying less for gas than when I first bought it, I'm at least paying less than most of you yahoos.
It's also the first car I've owned that has power windows and power locks. It also has a touch screen. That's right! A freakin' 5 inch touch screen! Use it to change the radio station, and look at the energy consumption and distribution graphs. Also, the speedometer and the other dashboard info is in the middle of the dash. Check it out.
You can also see the full details of the option package I've chosen here, although I couldn't get the blue (I'm happy with the silver, anyway!). Document is in PDF format, and I didn't pay that much for it, either!
The second generation Prius has been available since late 2003, and I know several people that have one. Here are some of the new and improved features in the current generation.
- Hybrid Synergy Drive - Toyota improved the fuel efficiency and the engine output
- More controls on touch screen - Climate controls have been moved to the touch screen
- Start button - No freakin' key to start the car, you push a button!
- Bluetooth - Yeah! Bluetooth! You can use your car as a hands free device for your phone!
In February of 2008, I paid off the load of my car, effectively eliminating my debt (excluding my mortgage, of course). I also found out that the third-generation Prius cars should be available by the end of this year. They boast 20%-30% more fuel efficiency, more interior space, and a sleeker new look.