Just picked this up - Prius C

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by tk1971

The Yaris quote back in early 2011 was for a 5spd 5-door hatch (apparently very difficult, if not impossible to find - so I believe they just made up a high number to discourage me from looking for that exact configuration). After getting off the phone with them (the only dealer to call me back - I had reached out to several for this specific configuration), I went to my local CarMax and got a used 08 Base Yaris 3-door / 5-spd for about $12.8k out-the-door with 17k miles. Not a great deal by any means, but better than new for sure. I'm still enjoying my Yaris and have already hit "gravy" over whatever cash (<$3k) I shelled out for it minus my trade in. When it's all said and done, my Yaris is the best <$3k car I've ever owned. Filled up today and calculated 41.5mpg even with occasional A/C use.

BTW, my wife is really enjoying her Prius C. She can't drive stick, so the CVT works for her. I don't get what all the complaints are about on this car. The premise is to put a proven but slightly scaled down Prius drive-train into a less Prius-looking Econo-box body in order to keep the MSRP of the base model a hair under $19k. This is what we got for that MSRP that I don't see in other "Base" cars: Bluetooth/CD/MP3/USB/Aux input, projection halogen headlights, LED tail lights, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, digital instrumentation (speedo, fuel, etc), steering wheel mounted controls for the radio/bluetooth, automatic climate control, keyless entry, power door/windows, side mirrors with integrated signal indicators, stability/traction control, Vehicle Proximity Notification System (VPNS), hill assist, ABS, and the 3.5" TFT multi-information display.

I believe the critics of this car are short sighted and don't see what's really going on. Toyota set the bar very high for their latest high-tech econo-box. In a couple of years, when they really start churning out the C, it'll be a better deal than it is now (currently MSRP only). I believe by then, the econo-box expectation will change and it'll be everyone else who will have to "catch up".

Im not a critic. It is what it is. With me its all about bottom line. Right now the Prius C is the loser when it comes to a Yaris in that department.

Its not in my interest for cars like the Prius to do well. I dont want Toyota to make cars I dont want to buy. I want Prius's to sit on the dealers lot and rust. I want Toyota to lose BILLIONS of dollars making the PRius. So I have to tell my side of it. I need as many people who think like me as possible.

I must crush the Prius anyway I can.

I want a small car like maybe the iQ that weighs less than 1800 pounds and has a 1 liter or less GASOLINE engine, costs less than $15000 and gets 50 MPG. I could live without airbags, crush zones, ABS, traction control, and a lot of other things I cant think of. I bet without those things like car would be <$12000.

Its nothing personal.

If gas goes over $5 you will do very well with the Prius. You will have made a wise choice. We need to drive cars that get better than 50mpg on a large scale and bring the oil companies and the hostile foriegn countries that hate us to their knees. The Prius does that.

Unfortunately it just give the money we would give to our enemies to Toyota.