[3aidlillahi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P')urchasing a Prius is akin to giving the town drunk your sandwich every day. Now that he doesn't need to buy as much food, he can increase his expenditures on alcohol. Your Prius will merely enable somebody to fill up his SUV a little bit more. My vehicle gets 70mpg/city

[stonecypher]

So what should a moderate Green like myself purchase for a good used hatchback with high MPG instead of a Pious? (Thank you for the laugh, Schmuto.)

Knowing that a new car depreciates like a thousand percent the minute you drive it off the lot, I'd like to be able to respect myself in the morning after I sign my name on the dotted line.

[mos6507]

A new car of any kind is a bad use of money. The only bad thing about used cars is the anxiety over higher maintenance bills. If you get a reliable car that isn't too old, that should hit the sweet spot. Get something that will do 30mpg or more and then keep it parked as much as possible. My 2004 Mazda 3 is paid off and only has about 35K miles on it. If I do regular maintenance on it and don't put on a ton of miles it will probably be the last car I ever buy before TSHTF.

[argyle]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Outcast_Searcher', 'M')attduke said:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')y vehicle gets 70mpg/city, and cost me $2800.

[mattduke]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('3aidlillahi', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P')urchasing a Prius is akin to giving the town drunk your sandwich every day. Now that he doesn't need to buy as much food, he can increase his expenditures on alcohol. Your Prius will merely enable somebody to fill up his SUV a little bit more. My vehicle gets 70mpg/city

[Schmuto]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('OP - Outcast Searchdude', 'I') never said a high mileage hybrid was a perfect solution. However, in the SHORT TERM, it seems like a reasonable TRANSITIONAL solution that a HUGE number of families could take advantage to to alleviate the oil crunch. I was trying to start a rational conversation about why so few people seem to be willing to take advantage of that concept.

[Ibon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Schmuto', '
')
That's why it's the ultimate douchebag liberal driving machine - because like many things liberal, it's not about the actual, it's about the appearance.

[AgentR]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'T')he car gives great mileage. It saves folks money. It is also subsidized by the Toyota Corp. and is thus a winning financial move.

[AgentR]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'I')s the Yaris really equivalent? Does it weight as much? Offer as much safety and luxury?

[rangerone314]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', 'A') new car of any kind is a bad use of money. The only bad thing about used cars is the anxiety over higher maintenance bills. If you get a reliable car that isn't too old, that should hit the sweet spot. Get something that will do 30mpg or more and then keep it parked as much as possible. My 2004 Mazda 3 is paid off and only has about 35K miles on it. If I do regular maintenance on it and don't put on a ton of miles it will probably be the last car I ever buy before TSHTF.

[3aidlillahi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') suspect the author read a serious study published several years ago which looked at cradle-to-grave energy consumption used to develop, build, and dispose of the cars. You can find it at PO.com by searching the forums on Hummer and Prius.

[Outcast_Searcher]

Thanks for the input folks. I DEFINITELY appreciate the rational, generally constructive tone the conversation took on pages 2 and 3. That's exactly the kind of frank, thoughtful input I was looking for.

First, I think I potentially owe everyone an apology by the thoughtless use of the title of this topic. I was thinking "stupid" about our SOCIETY choosing such a low mileage fleet in general, vs. a high mileage fleet. I absolutely was NOT thinking "stupid" about any individual that may choose another type of car for rational reasons, many of which have been presented in the posts.

Second, the bulk of the objections seem to be economic. As a libertarian ( who in principle HATES government redistributional programs - so NOT a flaming liberal at all, FWIW) - I very much respect the economic argument.
Until I was able to retire and make choices like paying more to get much better mileage - the economic choice was first for me in almost all purchases, and all major ones.

Third, for the folks who think one should go to some extreme measures like live in a low-energy commune, not drive, etc. if one claims to care about the earth, well:

a). I am looking for viable options that might make a real difference overall - this means that can expect to be adopted my MANY millions of people over time.

b). In the real world, people have to contend with health issues, taking care of parents as they age, supporting their family, etc. This may well NOT let them move to some low energy community and ride only a bike (as in my case) - but it doesn't automatically mean they want to screw the planet. In my case, I can fulfill my ethical familial obligations and "waste" a few grand once a decade or so to do the right thing - if I consider it green enough. (Since I'm NOT "rich", I assume many others could be in the same boat).

.......

The comments about using a traditional small car like a Yaris to get good mileage at "half the price" have enough merit to be worth investigating. ( I like to buy a new car, take care of it, and drive it until it is unreliable - 12 to 13 years for me on average -- right or wrong, that has worked well for me).

So, I'll do some more research, but I EXPECT based on my admittedly subjective observations so far - that the price based on reasonably comparable features, that the safety via relative size and weight, and the real world mileage for stop and go traffic (90%ish of my driving) will all be SIGNIFICANTLY more in favor of a new 3rd gen Prius vs. a new traditional small car than the assumptions most folks are making in their posts.

I'll post again when I compile some meaningful data from Consumer Reports (which I trust), to test my currently subjective evaluations of these factors.

[outcast]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') had hoped to actually learn something from moderate minded folks about why hybrids are so scorned, yet seem so logical -- that's it.

[Schmuto]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Outcast_Searcher', '
')b). In the real world, people have to contend with health issues, taking care of parents as they age, supporting their family, etc. This may well NOT let them move to some low energy community and ride only a bike (as in my case) - but it doesn't automatically mean they want to screw the planet.

. . . I EXPECT . . . will all be SIGNIFICANTLY more in favor of a new 3rd gen Prius

[VMarcHart]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Outcast_Searcher', '.')..there is so little interest in high mileage hybrids.