(no subject)

[nolly]

My insurance says the truck is totaled; hers hasn't looked yet, but I'm sure they'll concur. So, I'm taking suggestions on my next car! 2-4 years old, probably, fuel efficient but zippy enough for SoCal freeway driving, not too expensive. I prefer something aesthetically pleasing, but I'll take what I can get. I know some of you are car people; any tips on what to look at?

Comments

Re: For the cost of a used Prius...

[tkil.livejournal.com]

Yaris Liftback and the Yaris Sedan don't share any components except the engine and transmission, which is the same one as the Prius in both cases.

Pretty sure that's false. It might use the same 1.5L block, but even that is unlikely (since the Prius uses an offset Atkinson 4-stroke cycle, not the typical Otto cycle).

And the Prius "transmission" exists only in the joining of the electric motor/generators and the internal combustion engine -- hence, you can't get "a Prius transmission" without also getting a hybrid.

Don't get me wrong; I feel that, if you can afford it and if it fits your lifestyle, the Honda Fit / Yaris liftback / Nissan Versa are all great bets (pretty much in that order, though, if I recall the Consumer Reports list correctly). Sadly still in the 10-15k$ range, which might be more than nolly is looking to spend.

And used Prii are hideously expensive, and likely to just go up in value (given that SoCal will be staring down 4$/USgal gas this year). If I didn't love my 2005 so much, I'd try to sell it at the peak of the summer market -- expensive gas, and I have the HOV stickers. :) With 50k miles, I might still manage to get close to 20k$ for that combo. :-/

Re: For the cost of a used Prius...

[wolfwings.livejournal.com]

Sorry, reversed two words, meant 'transmission and engine, which it shares with the Prius' because except for the crankshaft (which will work in the Yaris engines, some enthusiasts have done the swap without issues) and the programming on the ECU, the Yaris engine is mechanically the same as the Prius.

You're right though, the Prius has no transmission as such. =^.^= And considering the Yaris can out-do the Prius for many people on highway trips, they're selling used with 12k for a one-year-old for as much as they sold for new at the dealership, from what I'm seeing on-line in many places. =O.o=

Re: For the cost of a used Prius...

[tkil.livejournal.com]

Sorry, reversed two words, meant 'transmission and engine, which it shares with the Prius' because except for the crankshaft (which will work in the Yaris engines, some enthusiasts have done the swap without issues) and the programming on the ECU, the Yaris engine is mechanically the same as the Prius.

I'm not meaning to hammer on you, but can you offer me a source on this? My understanding is that the current (2004-present) Prius uses the Atkinson 4-stroke cycle, which no other production vehicle does. So "mechanically the same" would have to exclude crankshaft offset and camshaft timing (let alone the iVVT magic that the Prius includes).

And again, let me reiterate that I'm not anti-Yaris; for its segment, the Yaris and the Fit are both excellent choices, and I will happily applaud anyone who chooses economy and fitness-to-task over "i have an SUV, hear me roar!" status/image bullshit.

When the rubber hits the road, however, I expect a Yaris to turn in about 40mpg on the canonical tkil SoCal commute, while I reliably got 50mpg in my 2005 Prius. (Ocean Beach to Rancho Bernardo, 25mi each way, net 600ft gain, I can offer you as much data as you care to digest on this topic.)

Does nolly commute enough for that 10mpg to make a difference? Does she ever carry enough people / cargo that the compact Yaris is insufficient compared to the mid-sized 2004+ Prius? I don't know. I do know that I'm completely satisfied with my 2005 Prius, and if someone has the funds to afford it, and a lifestyle that fits it, I have no reseverations at all to recommending the current Prius.

(If anything, the indecision now is whether to wait for 2009 or 2010 models that might have Li-Ion batteries and/or plug-in ("PHEV") capabilities. In the face of "what can I buy this week", however, recent Prii are still excellent options for people with long, predictable commutes, especially in temperate climates.)

Re: For the cost of a used Prius...

[wolfwings.livejournal.com]

I'll leave the individual MPG's up to you, I've clocked in 49MPG once in my Yaris on a pure highway trip, usually I clock in around 45. Many people have broken 50MPG in them, so I've seen evidence that the Yaris Liftback is able to keep up or out-do the Prius in longer-distance drives. Not always, not by any stretch.

As for the engines, that part's easy. They both use the 1.5l Toyota NZ-series engine, with the Prius using the same mechanism as the VVT-i components to highly retard the intake cams, which is how it does it's Atkinson cycle. The Yaris (and most other 1NZ-FE engine vehicles) uses the same mechanism to vary the cam timing for more even torque across the board and across various loads.

Re: For the cost of a used Prius...

[nolly.livejournal.com]

My current commute is ~ 20 miles each way, El Cajon to downtown La Jolla. Basically, the full length of 52, with a few miles of surface street at each end. I've been doing this in a Ranger that averages 17-18 mpg overall, which means I'm spending $250-$350 a month on gas, roughly. (depending on the prices) I'd like a much more efficient car both because it's easier on the planet and because the fuel savings can offset the car payment.