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if you want the car but not the seat-- talk to an auto after-market shop about changing out the driver's seat--
would look odd perhaps and maybe you should do the driver and passenger seat--
cost could be recouped thorugh gas savings I guess since you are getting a better than avg deal on a Prius...
Every single Prius I see on the road is DRIVING ME CRAZY - what's even funnier is other people's reactions to Prius' & their owners! Even at my spiritual centre some folks were talking about how they couldn't stand the piousness & all around self righteous attitudes of Prius owners. I find it all hysterical.
Truth is - how many do you think are doing it for the great looking car? I can tell you they aren't doing it for the comfortable seating (although may be much better for someone without my set of health issues - but still), it can't be a competing with the Jones' thing because most of the Jones' are still buying gas guzzlers of one sort or another.
That all being said, they also aren't doing it for the great price & instant savings on fuel being recouped towards the additional cost of the vehicle itself. Might it be possible that they really are buying these cars because they have the ability to put down extra money to make a financial & ever present statement about their values & ethics? Might it be that everyone who finds them self-righteous & pious is simply speaking from their own place of self-loathing from deep inside at the realization that the only thing they really give a dayum about when buying a vehicle are likely all the things that really matter least & perhaps even worsening the situation?
I'm not trying to be mean - simply stating that I think Prius owners are owed a bit of thanks & "way to go". As, when it came down to it, I could have bought the Camry Hybrid & done what similar Prius owners did - spending much more up front for all the previously stated political, environmental, etc reason stated. As I tried to calculate when I'd break even on the savings on fuel vs the additional cost of the vehicle - let's just say that it almost seemed like my grandbaby may be off to college by then (so, I"m exaggerating a bit... lol) - but for me it was much more than that - it was a statement of my values & I felt strongly that every bit of contribution to "the cause" matters.
I simply found that the additional 8, 9 thousand dollars laid out into my payments monthly just made that decision an unaffordable one at this time & rather unrealistic = maybe even wreckless due to my financial situation.
I did something I thought I'd never in my life do - as I ordinarily find the idea absurd - I purchased a 2009 Toyota Camry & called it a day. Was quite po'ed when I found out that the quoted 25 miles to the gallon CITY was actually an average of the city/hwy averages!!! I asked specifically, saying that I only wanted to know what vehicles met my other "needs" & still got a minimum of 25 mpg CITY - then clarified by saying that I didnt care about hwy mileage or averages of the two - only CITY because it will be the majority of my driving. Signed, sealed, delivered & there it was in black & white - the REAL MPG!!!
Sometimes you just gotta let it go & move on. I was blessed with the assistance to get this one & I need to honour that blessing by respecting my decision & taking good care of what I do have. I never knew there were so very many Prius' on the road until I made my final decision to not get one! It's still a bit like Chinese water torture!!!
Just in fun... thinky
As for changing up the seat or seats - there is actually a disability assistance program of some sort that allows for up to $1000 in adaptations on your vehicle for x,y. & z disability reasons. The problem was that we (me with the various dealers) could not get any answers about whether or not the authorized agencies/companies who do this work would actually be able to accommodate what I needed, for how much, & when could they have it done! Apparently it's not the more common accommodation. I had to let that go - as I had found the Hondo Civic Hybrid & really really really wanted to be able to like it - but the seats had to be some of the worst I've ever sat in - ever!
Instead of a new hybrid I am going to buy a low milage used Corolla. The differential between this car and a new hybrid would never be paid back in fuel costs savings. I cuttently own a couple of high milage cars with moderate fuel economy so I am buying better gas milage and longer life.
PS - I recently drove a new Prius and the seats were fine in the front and rear. I was suprised by the rear seat room and comfort. It also drove just like any small car if you did not pay any attention to the engine noise. I mean you start (turn on) the car and the engine starts and then dies halfway across the parking lot but the car is still working. That would take some time to get used to.
Last edited by GregW; 05-08-2008 at 07:37 AM..
Reason: added line of text
I tried the Corolla. The seat is not bearable for me. Actually the main cars I tried were:
Corolla
Accord
Prius
Camry Hybrid & Standard
Civic Hybrid & Standard
The only ones that met my disability needs without possible alteration were the two Camrys - I laboured over it because I WANTED SOOOO BADLY for better fuel economy but also to do what I considered the best thing that fell in line with my sort of "world view" on the issues involved with driving/purchasing a vehicle.
Good thing my view also includes taking care of my health... lol
Quote:
Originally Posted by GregW
Instead of a new hybrid I am going to buy a low milage used Corolla. The differential between this car and a new hybrid would never be paid back in fuel costs savings. I cuttently own a couple of high milage cars with moderate fuel economy so I am buying better gas milage and longer life.
PS - I recently drove a new Prius and the seats were fine in the front and rear. I was suprised by the rear seat room and comfort. It also drove just like any small car if you did not pay any attention to the engine noise. I mean you start (turn on) the car and the engine starts and then dies halfway across the parking lot but the car is still working. That would take some time to get used to.
The Smart car gets 60 mpg in Europe. The American version, when adjusted for all of our environmental crap-ola, gets in the mid-30s for gas mileage. That's why you rarely see them on the road. You can get a Corolla, a bigger and time-tested car, which gets a decidedly better 41mpg, quite cheaply.
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