We got a PRIUS!!!

[trof]

It's red!


And it's cool.
Although I don't recommend learning a totally new vehicle while driving home, in the dark, in rat-race Mobile rush hour traffic.
<whew>

About half way in to our 50 mile drive I said to Miz t. "Look in the owner's manual and see if you can tell me how to turn the cruise control on."

There followed a period of page turning and muttering.
"I don't think it HAS cruise control."
"NONESENSE! EVERY new car has cruise control. I don't think you can even order one without it."
"Well, it doesn't look like THIS one does. There's supposed to be a little stalk right there and there isn't one."
"%^&##@#$%%"

We were late for dinner with friends when we got home so it had to wait until this morning.
I got in the car and got the manual.
Sure enough, no cruise control.
I got the dealer's window sticker that lists all features and options.
Lots of doo-dads, but NO cruise control listed.
I called the salesman.

"I don't know what I was thinking yesterday, but this car doesn't have cruise control."
"It DOESN'T? I thought they ALL had cruise."
"Me too, but this one doesn't. Can the dealer install one?"
"I'm sure we can, but let me check."

He called back an hour later.
"Good news and bad news. We can put one in for about $300. The bad news is that's its been in development and they've just finished the field testing. Won't be shipping them for 2 or 3 weeks."

I guess I can make it for that long.
:eyes:

[Breeze54]

1. Congratulations!

Way to go! ;)

[trof]

6. Doin' my part on the War on Oil!

[redqueen]

2. Yay!

Sorry about the cruise control.

I used to have it but bought my new car on the cheap. So it's got NO bells and whistles at all. :(

[trof]

5. This is the low end, bottom line model.

Last year it had cruise.
This year they drooped the cruise and a few other goodies and dropped the price.

[Ilsa]

7. But, but, but, doesn't cruise control save gas? nt

[bullwinkle428]

30. Yes - I think Toyota wanted to sell a "stripped" model at a lower price

so that more might consider the purchase than had done so before this trim level was offered. Ironically, "pulse & glide" is supposedly a more fuel-efficient way to drive than simply using cruise, but I personally couldn't live without cruise myself! I'm making a drive of around 750 miles tomorrow, and couldn't imagine doing it without CC!

[Ellen Forradalom]

3. Welcome to the club!

I love my Prius!!

[trof]

8. I'm getting used to it.

Now I can 'start' it without referring to the manual.
;-)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear trof!

Biggo congrats!

You will be amazed at the mileage!

My husband loves his!

Enjoy, sweetie!

:woohoo:

[trof]

9. And QUIET!

[Ellen Forradalom]

10. Oh, it's FUN!

You can creep up on pedestrians in parking lots and scare the hell out of them!

[matcom]

11. Commie

why do you hate Capitalism so?

:D

[trof]

12. Hitler

:-)

[matcom]

14. so?

:P

[Taverner]

13. Welcome to the club bro!

You'll love your new Prius!

[Xipe Totec]

15. But why didn't you buy the Green Car of the Year?!

Don't you care about the environment?

:cry:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x121650

[trof]

16. Oh. My. God.

:rofl:

[Xipe Totec]

18. Congratulations on your new Red Prius!

You Chose Wisely



:applause:

[GOPisEvil]

17. Congratulations.

I wish I could get myself one.

[Initech]

19. Congrats!

I looked at both the Prius and the Civic Hybrid. I decided against getting both of them because I test-drove an Altima and I liked that one better.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

20. Ironic ain't it?

Cruise control contributes to better gas mileage and traffic flow (if everyone set their vehicle to run at the same speed, no speeding up, slowing down etc) and yet it's an add-on!!!! :wtf:
Ya can't win! :)
Congrats by the way!

[DarkTirade]

21. Nifty. My mom got one a few months ago, but I never thought to ask if it had cruise control. :P

[trof]

22. Kinda interesting coincidence:

We've been married for 38 years.
This is only the SECOND brand new car we've bought.

The first was...
.
.
.
<drumroll>
.
.
.
A 1975 Toyota Corolla Hatchback.
It got rear-ended and was 'totaled' by the insurance company at 150,000 miles.

[Orsino]

23. Cruise control defeats some of the purpose, doesn't it?

Let the car teach you how to drive economically, and enjoy the smugness!

[trof]

25. Yeah, but my right leg starts to shake after a while.

It's funny.
For decades I drove without cruise.
But for the last 10 or so years I've had it.
I think my accelerator leg muscles have atrophied.

[Orsino]

27. Well, there you go.

If Toyota makes a cruise control for the Prius, perhaps it's a smart one that doesn't eat MPGs.

[derby378]

26. If you live in Texas, you NEED cruise control

Driving from Dallas to Austin, my right leg sometimes needs a break. This past April, the wife and I drove 8-9 hours down to Corpus Christi and Port Aransas. Cruise control is a must for those journeys.

[derby378]

24. Oh, lucky you!

I love my Camry, although the circumstances under which I bought it were quite rushed (my little green Corolla was totalled when some teen on a cell phone plowed into me). The gas mileage isn't exactly wonderful - I think it gets 24 mpg - but it's very comfortable and a joy to drive.

Now Toyoya is making Camry hybrids, which I'm really excited about, although I have been inside a Prius at the state fair and love it as well. Hopefully, my next car will be a Toyota hybrid of one sort or another.

Here's a little something to consider: if you can afford it, you can now augment that Prius with some aftermarket mods so that you get 100 mpg. That's right, one hundred. Check this out:

http://www.calcars.org/

[trof]

29. Whew...$32,000 for a '30 miles' conversion kit.

Enables you to plug in and go 30 miles on electric motor alone.
I guess I'll pass for now.

[derby378]

31. THAT high? Gee, you're right...

I thought I heard they were able to bring the price down to about 10K for the mod. Oh, well.

[trof]

33. Yeah, $24,000 for the '15 mile' conversion.

Toyota may have a factory plug in in 2009 though.

[Maestro]

28. Congrats!

I think one is in my future too since I have a long commute as well.

[trof]

32. For interested buyers, my take so far & price.

We paid $21,126 plus sales tax & 'document service fee'(?) of $349.

I'm 6'2" and the front seats are very comfortable for me.
No power seats, though. Not available, even as an option.
Not really a big deal for me.
The passenger seat will recline all the way flat, if you trust your driver enough to take a nap.
;-)

The back seat is another story.
It's roomier than I expected, but if you're over 6' tall you'll feel a bit cramped.

There's a decent sized 'trunk' (more of a hatch back) with storage under the trunk floor, which is kinda cool.
The 60/40 back seats fold all the way forward (one or both) to create a really good sized cargo area. All the space I think a couple of people would need for an extended road trip.

Two power outlets, but a cigarette lighter won't work in either.
:-(
And bring your own ashtray, if you indulge.
Roomy double over-and-under 'glove compartments' in front of passenger. Storage in both front doors.
Couple of sunglass storage compartments. 2 cupholders, front and rear, and spacious console/middle armrest storage. Plenty of room for CDs.

I could go on and on about all the info and controls on the center dash mounted touch screen, it's pretty cool.
But a word of caution:
IT CAN BE A REAL (and dangerous) DISTRACTION.
I have to wonder how many Prii(sp?) have been in accidents while the driver was messing with the touch screen or just watching the mileage performance.
During your 'learning phase' it would be best to have a co-pilot to play with the touch screen while you just DRIVE.

Happily, most of the things you'd do on the touch screen you can also do with buttons on the steering wheel while keeping your eyes on the road. Climate control, audio, etc.

One thing I really like: YOU CAN NOT LOCK YOUR 'KEY' IN THE CAR!
The key is actually a small remote door lock control thingy that inserts into a slot on the dash. If the key is in the slot, you can not get out of the car and lock the doors. I tried and they just won't lock.

Oh yeah, to get the cruise control we'd have had to buy one with an extra $3000 package with other stuff I didn't want anyway.
So $300 or so for a dealer installed cruise doesn't sound so bad.

[trof]

34. The owner's manual is 2/3" thick. 508 pages.

I feel like I'm studying for finals.
I wonder if there will be a quiz?

"Sorry, Mr. trof. You flunked the final. You'll have to return your Prius to the dealer."
:-(

[YankeyMCC]

35. Excellent ... welcome to the club :)

I bought one last year. This is my first car with cruise control and I gotta say I do like it more than I expect, it has helped cure my slight case of led foot, that along with the mpg monitor screen.

[trof]

36. If they had autopilot, I'd buy it.

[Poiuyt]

37. Do you know if heated seats are an option?

I live in Wisconsin.