[vegas1]

I'm sure everybody is using and enjoying their Prius. But where do you all live? Where are all the Priuses that have been sold such that there are none on the dealers lots?

I've been looking for one on the road for the past 7 days, and I have spotted none, not a single one, not weekdays nor weekend. And it's not like a Honda Hybrid that looks like a regular Civic, the new Prius should be easy to spot. I thought LA is the new-model capital in the US. You can spot on the freeway practically every model sold in this market, from Kia to the newer Scion, from Bentley to Ferrari, even the Viper gets driven around on weekends.

Let's see..hmm...So 10,000 is made a month, if 1/3 goes to the US that's 3,300 or so (Toyota USA planned for 36,000 for the US market in 2004), distributed evenly to 50 states (not even scientific, it seems half of the population lives in CA) to give 66 new cars a month in CA, divide evenly to Northern and Southern CA, that's 33 new cars a month. It's September, 33x8 = there are 264 2004-model Priuses in LA/OC. Too few to be spotted regularly on the freeway?

 

[wombatua]

Sure, I drive it - it's the only car I have. Unfortunately, you're not very likely to see me; Dayton isn't close to California. I'd agree with the senitment, though - seeing a driftwood '04 out of the window while at work on Friday (it had Wyoming plates) was my other Prius sighting of the week.

 

[karenann]

It is hard to believe but since June I have seen a whole bunch of Prius in the St. Louis, Clayton, University City MO areas. More than I could believe. Even in my own neighborhood I think my neighbor has a blue one! (Saw one in his driveway.) Even I could NOT believe all the Priius cars in this area.

Happy driving.

 

[Daniel]

... Too few to be spotted regularly on the freeway?

Yes, probably. What's the population of the U.S.? 400,000,000? maybe 100,000,000 households with 2.5 cars per household = 250,000,000 cars, and 27,000 of those are Prius (3/4 of your 36,000/year figure). Roughly one car out of every ten thousand is a Prius. How many cars do you see in a typical day on the freeway? A few hundred, that you actually notice? One thousand? If you actually see and register 1,000 cars you could expect one to be a Prius. People do report seeing them. But they're not common by any means. This is still a very low-production car. I've seen three: The one I test-drove, the one I bought, and one other on the street, in the 10 months since I first saw what they looked like. I think there might be 8 or 10 in or around Fargo, but I've only seen the one "in the wild."

 

[AgentElrond]

No, I don't drive it; I keep it in my sock drawer where it's safe. :wink:

Yes, I drive mine, and my wife drives hers. This is mostly to/from work, and we both tend to detour down side streets; not so much to encourage stealth mode, but in my case my detour lets me avoid several stop/go intersections that I otherwise inevitably seem to hit (every one). We somewhat "take turns" on weekends for trips to Costco and the post office, but beyond that we don't otherwise just get in the car and go drivin' - not that I wouldn't want to in this car, mind you... 8)

 

[Saruman]

I can understand the perception. In driving my Prius around Richmond VA and up interstae 95 and over interstate 64, I have never passed another one yet.

About 1,000 miles so far and 52mpg... yes!!!!

 

[ALoLA]

I usually see 5 to 10 per week, and that's not including my coworker's Prius. If you're out by the west side of LA, like Santa Monica or out by UCLA, you'll see a lot more. Everytime I'm out there, I usually see at least 5 in a single day.

 

[vegas1]

Ahh...I should have known. I'm in suburbia Orange County where one is more likely to see a soccer mom driving a minivan, or an old yuppy with a big SUV. And the nearest college town is Irvine with UCI, not exactly a hotbed of modern liberal thinkers, it's more of a case of an Asian college kid and his or her BMW. :roll:

PS. In case some of you didn't get the attempted humor , UCI is known around here as the University of Chinese Immigrants. And I'm Asian so I'm allowed to poke fun.

 

[Gurmail]

Here, around San Francisco area, I see dozens of Prius everyday. There are more than 10 around my block alone!

 

[SLowen]

Here in the Washington DC area, I do not think you can get on the road at any time day or night without seeing at least one.

I have heard that Southern CA and the DC area are getting a much larger percentage of the cars than some other areas of the country. I think they are trying to impress the politicians and entertainers.

 

[ehurtley]

Let's see. Not including the three owned within 4 blocks of my house, I saw four today, three yesterday, two on Thursday (I only drove four miles on Thurs,) and seven on Wednesday (well, six Priii, one Insight.)

I don't know why you see so few.

 

[KiwiPrius]

It may be a quirk of statistics but in the city I live in, with a population of 300,000 more or less, the Prii seem to be everywhere. We get an allocation of only 30 a month (I think) for the whole country. I see 2 regularly in my immediate neighbourhood and often 3 others on the way to work each day - I live about 9 km from work.

Love this car..........!

 

[singpilot]

I agree with AloLa. I see several every day here on the Westside / South Bay.

 

[deh2k]

There are two Prius that live in my neighborhood. I hope to make it three soon.

 

[ilaranang]

I had the same question...

I am getting my Prius in a week. I have waited since Feb.

I had not seen one. No dealership within 180 miles even had one on the lot. Mine is the only one coming into the dealership, although the saleman ordered one for his mother-in-law, right after my order.

The first time I talked to the dealership, 16 others were coming in with mine. Maybe they were all destined for Houston, where they hit dock, rather than the local dealership...hmmm.

I was hoping to be the first in my town of 10,000. Spotted a phantom silver twice in my neighborhood, in the last few weeks.

I had ordered RED to be noticed. I have educated everyone in my office. They can't wait either.

I walk to work and back, as it's only 15 min. away. However, twice a week,my work related drives and a night class (120 miles a week), make me anxious to get my Prius.

I had a blowout in my "95 Cougar, Fri.. That made me more anxious for delivery of my hybrid. (red face) Yes, I own a V8. I have to admit loving the way it jumps out there when I excellerate. I have owned 3 V8s! I feel, reading all the Prius websites and customer loyalty...obsession...that I will have no regrets.

 

[jshore]

Here in the Washington DC area, I do not think you can get on the road at any time day or night without seeing at least one.

Yeah...I noticed that! Here in Rochester, I saw exactly one Prius on the road from the time I ordered mine in mid-November to when I visited my parents in the D.C. area in late March. Then, in the 3 days that I was there, I saw 3 on the road!

I am beginning to see them around more often in Rochester now. In fact, there is even another one in the parking lot at work. (Admittedly it is a big parking lot...Perhaps a thousand cars!)

What Daniel said is right. There still aren't very many Prii out there in a country with on the order of 100,000,000-200,000,000 cars on the road. And, they tend to be much more prevalent in some areas than others.

 

[jimb]

I've been looking for one on the road for the past 7 days, and I have spotted none, not a single one, not weekdays nor weekend.

How's your vision? I am on the 5 & the 405 & the 91 daily in LA/OC, I see 4 or 5 Prius everyday. Stayed home most of the day today as it is Sunday but did have to run to the store, about 7 miles total drive, saw a black one parked in the parking lot. Everyday I see them.

 

[jimb]

I usually see 5 to 10 per week, and that's not including my coworker's Prius. If you're out by the west side of LA, like Santa Monica or out by UCLA, you'll see a lot more. Everytime I'm out there, I usually see at least 5 in a single day.

I agree with that, I was in Santa Monica and saw more than ever. Lots of liberal tree huggers live there. Okay, flame suit on, fire away :lol:

 

[vegas1]

jimb: I'm a bit of a car nut and pretty good at spotting cars. Will look out for your car on the 405. What color is yours?

 

[jimb]

jimb: I'm a bit of a car nut and pretty good at spotting cars. Will look out for your car on the 405. What color is yours?

October, tideland pearl.