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<DIV><FONT size=2>Package 6 or 7 in any color except black, red, or purple.
They'll call when they find something and I'll probably make up my mind on the
spot, can't decide on the nav 1900 bucks. I don't think I need it. I got racing
in my family, too. Dad way back when, and my brother. I just got a lot of
speeding tickets. Here's my brother <A
href="http://www.nwpro4trucks.com/number00.htm">http://www.nwpro4trucks.com/number00.htm</A> he
builds 'em. Has a hardwood floor biz. Floor It Racing. I feel great about my
decision, in more ways than one.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">Farrell</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, May 03, 2006 4:30
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Prius for Piano Tech?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fenton,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Congratulations! You'll enjoy the little fella.
Now you need to go to </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://priuschat.com/">http://priuschat.com/</A> and click on
"forums" in the upper left corner. There you can learn all sorts of fun things
about the Prius. I highly recommend paying special attention to the various
techniques for stretching fuel mileage. You can get 45 mpg if you drive it
like a pig, or you can get 60+ mpg if you learn techniques like "pulse and
glide", etc.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I used to be into drag racing when much younger.
Now I have as much fun trying for increased fuel mileage as I used to doing
burn-outs and chirping the gears!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fire away with any questions. I'm happy to try
and help.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Which package did you buy?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=fmurray@cruzio.com href="mailto:fmurray@cruzio.com">Fenton
Murray</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, May 03, 2006 6:10
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Prius for Piano
Tech?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Prius ordered today for piano tech! Volvo for sale. Thanks
in large part to this thread I started. Thank you all. 1 to 4 month wait,
salesman seemed like he could care less, what does that tell
you?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Fenton</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=vbela@MIT.EDU href="mailto:vbela@MIT.EDU">Victor Belanger</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, May 03, 2006 8:57
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Prius for Piano
Tech?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Hi Michael,</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>My first experience was in a couple of feet in a storm in Dec. and it
managed quite well.</DIV>
<DIV>The different thing with this car is that it does not spin or rev. So
one has to rock it. Being that it is not a straight ahead transmission
(<FONT color=#000000> Electronically controlled continuously variable
transmission (ECVT<FONT face="Lucida Grande" size=-3>)</FONT></FONT>), it
is easy to rock. On the gear shift all you have is Park, Reverse, Neutral,
Drive, and B for brake driving. Kind of a low gear when going down long
hills.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>But I was in Wellesley Hills, and some of the hills that some cars
could not make it, I went up without effort.</DIV>
<DIV>I made it on purpose to try to go through a snow plow pile, and it
did not go through ( two plus feet). But I was able to rock out of it with
not great difficulty.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Other than that it manages quite well in wet weather; rain or
snow.</DIV>
<DIV>I do have to be more careful than if I would have my Subaru. The all
wheel drive is just awesome. That is really what I miss from that
car.</DIV>
<DIV>There is also a traction system called Vehicle Stability
Control.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>It manages sharp turns very well, and can take corners without
effort.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>6" fresh wet snow for me found that it could take it. It was a pretty
mild winter here this year.</DIV>
<DIV>There is a little bit of more contact with under the car since it is
lower. A lot of of area under the car there seems to be shielded. I know
that when some storms that it turned rough and icy it was fine.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Hope this answers your questions.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Victor</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>From: "Michael Spalding" <spalding48@earthlink.net><BR>To:
"Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org><BR>Date: Wed, 3 May 2006
05:32:56 -0600</DIV>
<DIV>Reply-To: spalding48@earthlink.net, Pianotech List
<pianotech@ptg.org></DIV>
<DIV>Subject: Re: Prius for Piano Tech?<BR><BR>Victor,<BR><BR>How does it
handle in the snow? Say, 6" of fresh
wet?<BR><BR>thanks<BR><BR>Mike<BR><BR><BR>> [Original Message]<BR>>
From: Victor Belanger <vbela@MIT.EDU><BR>> To:
<pianotech@ptg.org><BR>> Date: 5/2/2006 6:19:29 AM<BR>>
Subject: Re: Prius for Piano Tech?<BR>><BR>> Hi
Folks,<BR>><BR>> Forgive me to be so late on this one. I was backed
up on reading the list.<BR>> I bought a Prius in Nov. '05.<BR>> I am
very pleased with it.<BR>> I am also a double bassist, and that was
VERY important for me to<BR>> have room for my bass and amp.<BR>> My
bass is 45" tall with its case, and the diagonal measurement in<BR>>
the Prius with the seat down is 48'.<BR>> So I can put my bass, my
amplifier, and have room for two passengers<BR>> plus me (seats are
40/60).<BR>> You can't do that with the Subaru as you need to put the
whole bottom<BR>> part of the seat down in order to lower back rest of
the seats.<BR>> As someone said that there is a lot more space inside
than it how it<BR>looks.<BR>><BR>> I have put a grand action
diagonally with the seat down. Along with<BR>> my tools, a Dampp chaser
grand kit in its box, and did not need to<BR>> put both seats down in
the back.<BR>><BR>> The rationale that it gets better mileage in the
city that on the<BR>> highway is not true for me.<BR>> I get roughly
47mpg at the moment but expect 50'ish in the summer.<BR>> I have done
as high as 55.6mpg on the highway.<BR>> I did a long trip from the
Boston area to Vermont (Brattleboro) which<BR>> is roughly 250 miles,
and it only took half a tank! It is an 11 Gal.<BR>> tank. That was
impressive in my book.<BR>> for California, MA, and VT the battery has
a warranty for ten years.<BR>><BR>> As far as energy pick up,
it is very fast. As you have the 4 cylinder<BR>> and the electric motor
pushing you at the same time. Acceleration is<BR>> quick. Like
acceleration in an electric tram bus, or a subway train.<BR>><BR>>
Is it a bargain? No. But based on doing something good for the<BR>>
environment it is very fulfilling.<BR>> Something like that, personally
is not about how much it costs.<BR>> If cost would've been the issue, I
would have gone on the cheaper<BR>> side, and there are many cars out
there that fit the bill.<BR>><BR>> I owned a Subaru Outback before.
I miss that car. Especially the all<BR>> wheel drive!<BR>> But I
really did not need that big of a machine. Neither does the<BR>>
majority of the society.<BR>><BR>> I commend Toyota and Honda for
coming out with the hybrid system. It</DIV>
<DIV>> has been wayyyyy too long for something like that to come out!
There<BR>> is certainly something political on that part.<BR>> The
fact that at a stop sign, cars are idling is pretty silly once<BR>> you
own a Prius, and notice that my car is dead quiet at a stop sign.<BR>>
In heavy traffic the engine barely starts. In small acceleration
the<BR>> gas engine does not go on.<BR>><BR>> I could go on and
on but that is enough.......This is my experience<BR>> with the
car.<BR>> I hope this helps.<BR>><BR>> Best.<BR>><BR>>
Victor Belanger</DIV>
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