cjh.

Don't feel bad, I sold my GL for a C class after I realized having a full-sized SUV made no sense. Fell in love with the C when it came out. Gas mileage is better...but that's not saying a whole lot.

Post pics when you can. I like Priuses (Prii?).

StevethePilot

Autotrader and the phone. Hey, at least he came through!

StevethePilot

Well, here's the deal: I'm not doing long trips on the highway any more, I'm doing a lot of city driving. My buddy with an '09 Prius who lives on the other side of town from where he works tells me his highway MPG is amazing if he keeps his speed down closer to the limit, and no diesel beats any car when it's broken, which mine was way too much.

StevethePilot

What happend the last time I bought a first-year car?

Besides, a lot of the numbers are better on the Prius than the CT, oddly enough.

StevethePilot

I'll tell you what, if someone brings a non-BT turbo diesel hybrid to market with a plug-in add-on, it's going in my garage.

It still doesn't make sense to me why we're not all on 5ppm diesel like the rest of the world (well, western Europe at least). The efficiency is much higher than petrol. If we don't put molten salt thorium reactors in our cars, uber-clean diesel hybrids should be the wave of the future.

StevethePilot

Oh, yeah, for sure. To paraphrase Fred Willard in "Roxanne", "I'd rather be with the people of this forum than with the finest people in the world!"

AsianML

My Camry Hybrid averages just north of 42 mpg on highway trips at about 75-80mph with a family of four and a weekend's worth of luggage. It may not run on all-electric power at highway speeds, but you've still got an efficient Atkinson-cycle I4 coupled to an eCVT transmission to get you going at those speeds.

I've been reading your posts on and off since you joined, so it's sad to see that you had to make the call to sell it. I like the Prius - a lot of tech for the money.

Brocktoon

I still hate you.

StevethePilot

Yes, I know. I don't blame you, I kinda hate me, too.

Brocktoon

Where are you gonna be hanging out? Priuschat? The forum is ok, but they have some strange ideas about tire inflation and stuff that they promote on their podcast that is downright dangerous. Maybe you could go over and set them straight?

StevethePilot

Ha! Me, set them straight. The extent of my modifications was a steering wheel, chrome fins, and chrome door handle cups. I am Mister OEM.

robalo220

Steve, hate to see you go. I have enjoyed reading your posts as well. Have you looked into the cost of disassembling your Prius in about 5-7 years to replace the batteries? They are built into the frame (undercarriage?) of the car. Last I heard, it was north of $2500 last year when I heard someone do it. Are you planning on keeping it long term? I dont want to be a negative Nellie, but I'm just not sold on the extra cost to make a car a hybrid vs a similiar car in diesel. Yes I am sorry you had so many issues with the GL, but did you even consider a VW TDI? Heard they are decent. Anyway, keep us informed of how your Prius holds up and please correct me if I'm wrong about the batteries on your ride. Also, what is the maintainance on the braking/charging system? I

Cheers,
John

AsianML

Maintenance is no more extensive or expensive than a regular car. The batteries can last a while before they absolutely need replacing. I worked at a Toyota dealer for a while and we've had countless Priuses with well over 100k miles come in time and time again. We had a 2006 Highlander Hybrid come in with 275k miles and a handful of examples similar to that.

blittle

Steve.... I am enjoying Prius #2..... bought the first one in 2006 and traded on a 2010! I never get less than 46 around town and on trips have gotten as high as 56!!! Generally my average is 47. It's no Merecedes BUT it IS outstanding technology!!!

robalo220

Thanks for the info Asian. I'm not really up on hybrids. Just interested in learning. Hope Steve has better luck with his hybrid than he did with his GL CDI.

John

Wolfgang

some comparo, from the EPA.

BJ021

STP - Thanks for all the guidance and help! You always knew there would be sound assistance and humor along the way with Steve!

Feels like a eulogy page, 'cept the dead guy keeps chiming in!

Good luck with the new....golf cart. :-))

BJ

StevethePilot

Thanks for the info, Wolfgang. As for you BJ021, don't you like hearing from the recently deceased? I tell ya what, the temporary I got - a 2001 Honda Hybrid Insight - is a heck of a lot more golf-cart-y than this Prius. Hot ******* it through the hills at 80-85mph back from Utah (there's several portions of 80mph speed limits on 15), then down through Las Vegas (yes, I know, NevadaJack, I didn't have time for anything but a night's sleep and then home), I got around 49mpg. This is with a very nice JBL stereo, a GPS that is so weird - you have to touch the screen and there's no one-character-at-a-time joystick or wonderfully unintuitive interface - radar cruise control and lane assist with an actual servo to help push you back in the lane if you go to sleep, a USB port that can handle both an iPod and any other MP3 player and charges the unit (in the very odd little arm rest), another power adapter in the arm rest for one's cell phone (I can't seem to find the BT puck but the BT still works, so strange), voice recognition (honestly still a friggin' gizmo, even on the Japanese cars), XM with XM Traffic (instead of Sirius), LED tail lights and auto-leveling headlights, keyless go, autopark, backup camera ... I'm sure there's more.

Here's what it doesn't have, for those who may feel I'm being bitter: diesel. Also it doesn't have the GL's road solidity, though it isn't too terrible. There's seating for four-and-a-half (they say five, maybe really tiny people). There's no towing. It's front wheel drive and the ground clearance is ... a hybrid.

BJ021

Ahh, you know it was just a friendly needle, right!?!

It does sound like a very nice golf cart though!

StevethePilot

Oh, no, don't worry - despite the certainty of needling from friends and strangers alike, I will not become a hybrid apologist (or a Prius apologist, to be specific). I knew you were just being funny, but honestly there is a lot to like about the car. If I wasn't headed downtown a lot and needed to (hopefully) get the carpool lane license plate, I am pretty sure I would've gotten like a Tundra or something.

Anyway, the drive down was nice, trying like hell to get more than 9 gallons in a nearly empty tank is nice (though going nearly 800 miles on a tank was pretty darned nice, too). It has minimal sound insulation for weight purposes, and it's ... well, it's a huge 9-volt battery with wheels. 0-60 is about a second faster than the GL320 (and to the GL we must add turbo lag to get real numbers), but there is none of that "pull" feeling I get having all that gorgeous torque. C'mon, Mercedes, you used to be one of the most reliable brands out there, you can do it again!

Oh, one last thing for Mercedes - I know the last time you guys got together with the Japanese things didn't work out so well, but seriously, they've got these electronics down, they know what they're doing now. Just try their GPS once. My JBL sound system in my Prius has a really nice kick.

Happy Cinco de Mayo, let's all remember to tell those French where they can stick Archduke Maximillion from Austria by drinking Amercian brewed "Mexican" beer and eating Tex-Mex food! Yee-haw!

Nevada Jack

I was surfing various sites I have not been to over the past year or more and saw your post. Sorry you had such a time with the GL. I know the gang on this thread will miss your input and comedic entries but even a Honda owner will be welcome I am sure.

I am taking delivery in about 2 hours of my latest MB. Trading the 2010 E350 Sedan for a 2011 E350 Cabriolet. Greg is delivering it by truck to the front door... love that kind of service. I know Nish will be have deep breathing events as he reads this... since I told him about a month ago that the E350 Sedan would be my last new one. I will be posting some pics on the Cabriolet A207 site in a few days.

Glad I stopped by. As most know who visit and post on this thread the quality of site is the best forum site that I have seen. All great people with many have social contact during the years.

Take care Steve and the best to the family...

Jack

StevethePilot

Well, the Honda's going away and the Prius is staying.

As for my experiences with the truck, it is a damned shame because I loved it so much. I have read in many places the sedans are doing much better regarding reliability and cost of ownership than the trucks, in particular the C and E classes. I could be wrong of course (heading off the flame war!) but I can't wait to see the pictures. I do wish I'd been able to stop by but I got in late and had to head out early to get home.

Best to you!

Steve

blittle

Steve..... I now have the 2011GL and the 2010 Prius..... and I really believe that I have the best of both worlds!!!

scottybdiving

Well it's been over a year and I assume that STP is no longer checking in since he in not a MB owner. Does anybody know anything about Nevada Jack. I always looked for his photos in the different forums and noticed he has not posted since shortly after his last post in this thread. I hope all is well.

BTW, we still have our 08 320 CDI, 94K miles. Just replaced the front struts. Other than that it has been trouble free. Waiting on the availability of the GLK 250.

JimBarnhart

He Scotty! Good to hear from you. Blittle and I are still around, I have a 2013 GL350 now and he's waiting for his on order. Stop on over to the X166 forum once in awhile.

I'm wonder about NevJack too. I looked at his posts awhile back, didn't really see a 'see ya' note like STP has here. Haven't seen much of Oknish either as he was one of the originals too. I supposed we could PM and see if there's a response?