Just Bought A 2004 Prius...

[SW03ES]

Well I just put a $500 deposit on a 2004 Prius for my fiance, fully loaded with all the buttons. Really an amazing little car, voice activated nav, SmartEntry and keyless start, HID headlamps, 60mpg! Sales tax exempt, $1500 a year income tax credit, and you can drive in all the HOV lanes even if you're alone.

Just thought I'd share.

[99lsguy]

Sounds like a great little car to get around town in!!!

Keep us posted Steve :D

99

[93LSOwner]

60 MPG with unleaded or the cheapest gas right! Dang.

[SW03ES]

Yep, over 600 miles on one tank of gas.

[steviej]

your fiance is a very lucky girl................and not just for the car. ;)

sj

[VBdenny]

SWO,

What a gentleman, You treat her, like I treat my wife. I KNOW you will have it all superwaxed for her as well. Nice to know there are other considerate guys around.

Excellent vehicle choice, please give details when you drive it. I guess gas milage is starting to become an important consideration again. I do know I just got 36mpg with the 99 Corolla I just bought and that was at my highway speed.

Denny

[SW03ES]

Naa, I'm the lucky one by far ;)

We drove one here, a dealership had a tester. Its a neat little car. Wouldn't be my first choice but its definately very unique, and the features for the money are unreal! The waiting list here is 4-5 months at least, but we found a dealership in WV that should have it in a month. It really is like driving a normal car, the hybrid system is almost undetectable. If you're sitting in it idling and the door is open you can hear the engine click on and off, but inside the car and on the road its like driving any other car.

I can't wait until Lexus unveils all its new hybrids. By 2010 every Lexus model is supposed to have a high performance hybrid version. I'll be the first in line, no sales tax, $1500 a year tax credit, and you can drive in the HOV lanes even when alone? Who wouldn't pass on a deal like that on a Lexus?

[VBdenny]

Is the no sales tax thing a state issue? Also, who gives you the tax credit (something I very much like)?

[silvermate]

hey swo03es,

does that prius have any getup to her??

i've read the first set of hybrid cars had very little power (to merge and such), but they were making the newer models better, as far as getup, just wandering what your take on this was. :D

[SW03ES]

I never drove the older Prius, but the new one has some getup sure. Its similar to driving something like a Corolla or a 4cyl Camry. It doesn't have as much power as the ES though.

vb- I think it depends on the state. We're buying it in WV and the salesman was surprised when I told him they were sales tax exempt in Maryland. Some states have a discounted tax rate and some states don't give you anything I'd suspect. My guess is both NJ and VA offer at least some sort of discount. The tax credit is a federal deduction. Its not really a credit, people just call it that, its a $1500 deduction for driving a clean fuel vehicle.