Cancelled My Reservation

[widdle car]

$4000 is alot. That's why my husband hasn't replaced it yet. We just discussed the issue and he NEEDS to replace it instead of driving his Honda Pilot around. Everything else in the car is running fine....In CA. we have a sticker that allows him to drive the hybrid in the HOV lanes (with only one passenger) and the state is not giving out anymore stickers, so he's stuck with his honda hybrid. One reason he may not buy another hybrid is because we don't know where all these used batteries are going. They'll all be piled up in a dump somewhere leaching dangerous chemicals into our ground. When I read about the millionth Prius sold I always wonder where those million batteries will go......into space?

[SmartBob]

Most people don't keep a car long enuff to replace a battery. There are Prius taxi cabs with 250000 miles on them without any problems with the engine or the battery. If you really want to do your research on Hybrids go here: Treehugger.com Some of you people are just rude. Why do you always have to shoot a guy down for making a different choice? smart is not the only answer but then again, what was the question?

[jwight]

Originally Posted by widdle car

$4000 is alot. That's why my husband hasn't replaced it yet. We just discussed the issue and he NEEDS to replace it instead of driving his Honda Pilot around. Everything else in the car is running fine....In CA. we have a sticker that allows him to drive the hybrid in the HOV lanes (with only one passenger) and the state is not giving out anymore stickers, so he's stuck with his honda hybrid. One reason he may not buy another hybrid is because we don't know where all these used batteries are going. They'll all be piled up in a dump somewhere leaching dangerous chemicals into our ground. When I read about the millionth Prius sold I always wonder where those million batteries will go......into space?

Here's a Newsweek article that may help: Hybrids: The High Cost of Low Batteries | Newsweek Voices - Keith Naughton | Newsweek.com

For those unlucky few who have to replace their own batteries, the cost is coming down. On June 1 Honda is slashing the cost of its batteries from $3,400 (excluding installation) to as low as $1,968 on an Insight or as high as $2,440 on an Accord hybrid. Toyota also plans to substantially cut battery prices, which now stand at $3,000 (excluding installation), down from $5,500 on the original Prius. Both automakers attribute the price cuts to improved technology and lower production costs. But some analysts think Toyota and Honda are really trying to get ahead of consumer concerns about battery replacement. "PR is a very important factor in the hybrid market," says J.D. Power's Omotoso. "Honda and Toyota have the oldest hybrids on the road. And when a hybrid gets to be that old, you have to factor battery replacement costs into your purchase decision."

Don't know if the $4K included the install or not, but as of 1 June you may get a lower price.

[rawlus®]

personally i wouldn't be looking for moral support on my decision to purchase another car on a smart enthusiasts forum. not knocking anyone's choices, but if this were the hold-hands-and-celebrate-everyone's-other-non-smart-choices forum it would be called that. ;)

it would be a bit like going on a ford forum and bragging about your decision to purchase a chevy and listing all the ways in which you feel it is a superior decision for you. are the ford evangelists on the forum really going to care about your rationalization? no. lol.

[2smartArizona]

Myself, I think the Prius is a great car. I tried to buy one myself but could not make a deal on the car with the local dealers. They wanted full sticker price plus a 3-4 thousand dollar added dealer markup. Then I checked on my insurance costs for a Prius, and they were going to be significantly higher. When I asked why, they said it was accident repair costs being significantly higher on the hybrids. When I inquired about the cost of battery replacement at the dealer, they quoted me 5,000 dollars. Batteries were guaranteed for 100,000 miles, but that is just four years for me. Ultimately the Prius was just not a buyable car for me, although a friend of mine bought one, for over 30,000 dollars, and he likes it. I drive mostly on the highway, so hybrid technology would be wasted on me. I can fault no one for wanting to drive one though. It is a fine car that makes sense for many people. At least the Prius is a lot more proven technology than the smart cars that we have ordered or purchased. Only time will tell how they do here in America. I have a friend in France with one, a 450, and his results have been less than extraordinary, but I have hopes that when I get one I will have better luck. If it does not work out for me, at least I know they will most likely be popular enough to get most or all of my money back.
I completely understand not being able to wait for the smart. My DDE shows me having an 18 month wait in the end. How many people are really willing to wait 18 months if they need a car now. At least now you can get a Prius without ADM's tacked on them and you can probably get a descent price for your trade-in. I would not be concerned about the batteries ending up in landfills either, as they can surely be recycled, but the question will be how clean the recycling process is.
Personally, if I had decided to buy another car, I would have kept my reservation, brought the car home whenever it arrived, and then sold it at a profit to someone else who was not willing to wait and was willing to pay more for the car. There are obviously plenty of them out there if you have looked at what these things are selling for on ebay. Some people are willing to pay thousands extra now to save hundreds of dollars in fuel and it is unlikely we will see any relief to fuel prices in the future, so this will likely continue.
Enjoy the Prius, it is a car that is not just about saving fuel but has it's own cool to it also. If I needed a car now, I would not have been willing to wait either, and I would certainly not be willing to pay a premium over sticker for anything, even a smart, when there are so many discounts out there on everything else.

[Smart Car Geek]

Originally Posted by 2smartArizona

I would certainly not be willing to pay a premium over sticker for anything, even a smart

I agree. Any dealer that does this is just taking advantage of customers, and they can lose the sale and keep the car in their lot if that's the way they are going to be. Plenty of other cars, and dealers, to choose from ;)

[Smartman]

Originally Posted by Smartman

Easy for you to say. There are twenty dealers within an hour or two of L.A.
I, on the other hand, live in Mobile, L.A. (Lower Alabama), with the ONLY
dealer in Birmingham, and they haven't even finished building the place yet,
let alone getting a config call. As of yet, if I have a problem, besides which
decade I might actually get a car, I can look forward to a nice 5 hour drive,
IF it's even drivable.
A nice 15 minute drive to UJ Chevrolet and an Aveo is looking better and
better.

Well, I guess my above post was too prophetic. My immortal Mighty Max went tits-up the other day, and with the only dealer still building the place, I had to buy the Aveo anyway.
Thanks to all you good folks for the entertainment and advice over the last few months, and if you have one, enjoy it, and if not, don't give up.
SuperGeek, if I see a smart parked anywhere, I'll stop and see if it's you and say 'Hey'.

Take care all, and drive careful. Lamar - Smartman

[bigcritter]

L.A........as in "Lower Alabama".........brings back memories! I spent half of my military career there, stationed at Ft. Rucker, AL near Dothan/Enterprise/Daleville/Ozark! Actually lived in Enterprise! Don't think I could handle that heat anymore, though! Too used to the Pacific Northwest climate now! Good luck with your Aveo. I've had one now for 3 years. Had some problems initially......some of them pretty weird, but they all seem to be resolved now! The car actually LOCKED ME OUT once during the winter. They finally replaced the entire door lock mechanism. Also had a problem with the car not starting after it had been sitting for a few days. They finally replaced the fuel pump after learning that it was losing pressure. It's a fun car, although it seems HUGE to me now after driving my smart for the last few months!

[MichaelJ]

Originally Posted by meaux61

When I reserved my first smart, in March 07, I put the money down and FORGOT ABOUT IT until they actually came out in Jan 08.

Me too - was surprised on (or about) Jan 18th when I got a call that my car was in.