Weekend new car ads saw many Toyota dealers offering the Prius Hybrid at a discount, marking the first time production has caught up with supply. Ironically, the engineer known as the "American father of the Prius" was killed in a light plane crash the same weekend.
Some dealers are marking the Prius down by the amount of the tax credit recently lost when the number of Toyota hybrids sold exceeded the limit set out by Congress in establishing the hybrid tax credits.
The discount is roughly $1,500 depending upon the dealer. The weekend discounted sales marked the first time since the hybrid arrived in the U.S. that the supply of the little car has kept pace with demand.
Prius Engineer Killed
In Los Angeles, the man often described as the "American father of the Prius" was killed in the crash of his experimental airplane.
David Hermance, 59, was among the country's top experts on gas-electric hybrid vehicles.
Fire rescue officials said his Interavia E-3 aircraft crashed in about 60 feet of water off San Pedro Sunday morning. Witnesses said the plane came straight down in a steep dive.
Hermance had been with Toyota since 1991, working in the company's Los Angeles technical center. While much of the Prius' technology was developed in Japan, Hermance played a key role in adapting the car to the American market and acting as an evangelist for the gas-electric hybrid concept.
"He was widely recognized as the most authoritative individual on hybrid power vehicles in the U.S.," GM spokesman Mike Michels said.
It's perhaps a tribue to Hermance that the Prius has built such a loyal following among its owners, many of whom take any criticism of their little car as a personal affront. In this politically correct age, it may be time to add the Prius to the list of subjects best avoided in polite conversation.
But, just as balding white males, let's say, can get by with making disparaging comments about other balding white males, it's OK for Prius owners to be critical of their little buggies.
Seething
Becky, of Corvallis, Oregon, is a Prius owner who is also a Prius critic.
"Every day I am expecting someone to say that instead of being the best car in the world for fuel efficiency, that the Toyota Prius is one big public scam," she fumed.
Becky joins a growing list of Prius owners who complain that the car does not get "anywhere near the 60 miles per gallon in the city and 50 mpg on the highway that Toyota promises, yet they keep being allowed to advertise it over and over."
To put it mildly, Becky, who drives a 2005 Prius that has been recalled twice is not happy with her hybrid.
"The paint is cheap, the seats are cheap, and there is absolutely nothing remarkable about these cars," Becky wrote ConsumerAffairs.com.
"Toyota should be forced to stop advertising those faulty big gas mileage claims. If GM was lying about their gas mileage to that extent and had two recalls in a year, the public would be up in arms."
Smitten
On the other side of the country, in Augusta, Maine, Heidi is in love with her hybrid.
"I just want to be sure all sides are heard on the Prius." Heidi wrote. "I bought a certified pre-owned 2004 model and have no complaints."
Heidi was happy with her Prius even after she ran out of gasoline on the highway.
"The only problem I had with the car was that, in spite of the add fuel alarm reminding me to get gas several times, I failed to do so and eventually did run out of gas," she wrote.
While Heidi was waiting for her roadside assistance she "remembered how the car is essentially silent when first started because it's only drawing power from the electric motor and decided to do a little experiment."
"I turned the ignition switch and, as usual, the READY light came on. I put the car in drive and touched the accelerator gently. Without a sound or even a shudder, my Prius pulled back out on the road and I was able to drive half a mile to the closest gas station."
Heidi concluded with "I LOVE MY PRIUS even though I don't get the 60/51 mpg the EPA says the car is capable of getting."
