Toyota: Toyota officials say $1000 for battery replacement

In yesterday's automotive section there was a huge write up about
the 2004 Prius due out next month. It said Toyota officials estimate
the replacement battery would be about $1000. Certainly would be
very nice if this meant the replacement for previous years was included.
The article went on to say Toyota will be making a profit on the Prius
and other manufacturers introducing their hybrids will not. Ford in
particular will lose $3000 per vehicle but a Ford official said it was
worth it because the population would be getting an education by
exposing more people to hybrids.
A few who test drove the 2004 didn't like how the car entered
a curve or how the car leaned. Obviously I'm not a test driver but I
can't see how at 30 mph and no sense of leaning equates to leaning.
I can say this; By the time I make it actually lift up on one side, my
passenger is very uncomfortable. So why drive like that anyway??
It's a careless attitude towards your passenger guests.

Lastly, Toyota officials cautioned that actual mileage will vary. The
columnist wrote his 48 (I think that was the number) wasn't too
shabby. I wish I could just pick up the phone and talk to this guy.
Prius owners know it takes multiple fill ups at the same pump to
come close to an accurate reading. The gas tank's bladder and
a big difference in air temperature or weather in general will
cause inaccuracies. 48 is shabby. He must have punched the
accelerator all the time and kept the juice flowing right up to
the red lights as if he was driving a traditional automatic. If this is
true, 48 mpg isn't too shabby.

Falling asleep through mark_digital©'s post...
 

Damn, I'm running out of room in my sig for owning people.

So, everything I said was 100% true then? Thanks!

--
"If you can't change a tire, you're not allowed to have a beard. It's the
most basic part of a car: If you don't know that much about a car, you
really shouldn't be driving, should you?" - Jimmy Kimmel
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Owner of Henry Cotter, apparently not the first,
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