Thanks for your post, Richard

I am sorry that I did not have time to also state in the first post
that in January of this year "Betsy" needed $3,000+ in repairs (3 oil
leaks, replacement of high pressure brake line, water pump, timing
belt, assorted hoses, struts, etc.

I really gave a very serious thought to getting a new car then (my
Toyota dealership had a couple of 2005 Prius's available.

Unfortunately, I could not spend the time & effort to pursue this due
to the fact that my wife had some serious health issues that needed my
up most attention. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of
2005 and was starting up her 2 months of daily radiation treatments at
the end of December of 2005

She also was starting  physical training for her left leg in which
both of the leg bones fractured at the ankle attachment in September
of 2005 due to her many years of taking an anti-epileptic drug who's
side effect is a weakening of bone and the Chemotherapy sessions for
her breast cancer. BTW, she has been given very good prognosis of no
recurrence of cancer and the leg should be, more or less, up to near
100% healed by the end of this year.

So, due to the increasing cost of upkeep for the Camry and the not so
insignificant expenses incurred due to my brave wife's time of need
(and 2 of our 3 cats who passed away around Christmas last year - one
who had bone cancer of the mouth) it was time to cauterize the leaky
wound (The Mobile gas station mechanic said to me in January that
Betsy is good to go for another 2 year of service)

So I do agree that it would be cheaper to keep the 91 Camry, it has
reached the point where I needed transportation that I can re lie on
for myself and my (still healing) wife.

The tale of the Prius test drive will follow in an updated post!

    >moderate snipping<

Hi, Mark. Thanks for the post!

I do intend to do my auto services at Toyota City in Mamaroneck, NY ,
but I am getting ahead of myself...

Today my wife and I went to East Coast Toyota in NJ to test drive one
of the 2 Prius's that were on hand. We left after work but arrived
later than planned due to the tremendous thunder showers that were
occurring in this area of the country (again!). Waited in the 91 Camry
in their parking lot until the rain slacken somewhat. Noticed that a
Red 2007 Camry kept going around inside the parking lot several times
(guess the Toy sales rep refused to allow the potential "Pigeon" to
take it onto a very wet, busy, rush hour Route 17 traffic flow, he
he).

The rains slacken and we went inside to do a test drive. In addition
to the 2 Prius's at the lot, 3 more were just off loaded that same
morning - or so they claimed  = :-o

One of them was almost exactly the way I would like the car configured
(option 3 with VIP plus security system, wheel locks & rear bumper
application) for a price of $24,417. The Toy guy went back in to get
the keyless fob but brought the wrong fob - it was for a $22,000+ base
Prius that was on the other side of the Barcelona Red Metallic Prius
(pant, pant - sigh - that one was listing for over $28,000 - Ouch!)
the 2 other Prius bracketing the Red Menace were both silver - I guess
I should not be picky since these Prius's were available NOW...but we
do like blue...could paint it later???

Got into the driver's seat with the fob and was told to press the
brake pedal & push the "Start" button!

Well, it did not start, of course. I was told to press harder on the
brake pedal ( I have been driving for over 25 years so maybe he
thought I didn't know what I was doing?!?). We switch seats and he
tried - no luck there. Finally he inserted (?) the fob into the dash
and it finally did start!).

I jumped into the driver's seat and away we went (no, we did not go
around in the lot!, shame on you!). The A/C was on (It WAS cold at
start up!) so I didn't really hear any engine noise. Even when we were
on Route 17 I didn't hear anything other than the a/c.

BTW, the a/c was causing the driver and front passenger windows to fog
up with condensation on the outside of the car and I was having a hard
time seeing the outside mirrors. Also, the view outside the rear
window was rather small (well, compared to my 91 Camry, all subsequent
Camry's I have driven had ever decreasing views outside the rear
window - haven't had the pleasure of driving the 2007, though).

Did a couple of clover leafs and was back at the dealership (about a
few miles). Stopped the car and was told to position the dashboard
shift (! weird !) up for park. He opened his door but the car started
to move forward! (I guess "park" is not up on the shift! - but that is
what he told me!!!) Tried again and put it into neutral and this time
the car was rolling backwards! I put a stop to this nonsense and
engaged the parking brake and we all leaped out of the car, where the
Toy sales guy asked another "younger" Toy guy to park it (he he).

He asked me how it was (it was kind of exciting) and wanted to write
me up for a sale as soon as we got back inside. I reminded him that I
have told him earlier that I also wanted to look into 3 other cars
(Camry 2007, Honda Civic 2006 and the Subaru Forester - with all that
rain I should have driven the Subaru first!) I guess he was kind of
flabbergasted that I did not insist on seeing the manager of the place
and offering one of my kidneys to hold da car!

We talked some more (after he calmed down) and told me that in all
likely hood all of those Prius's in the lot would be all gone by
Sunday (I believed him, especially after reading some of the "waiting"
posts in this group). I did put down a "good faith?" credit card
deposit of $2,000 after he came back from the "manager" who wanted him
to ask if it could be raised from $500 to $1,000 when the Toy guy
asked me the first time. Filled out some paperwork and prepared to
leave. The Toy guy thanked us and did tell us that we could still take
the Silver Prius tonight. I said no (!) and would come back tomorrow
morning to finalize the deal, If we were still interested (!!). He
asked what time (!!!), I said, maybe early - what time does the
Dealership opens? (8:30am). He said he could come in earlier than that
(!!!!). I told him that I would call in the morning before I come in.
Sheesh!!!!!

To be fair, the Toy guy (not the one that I was originally going to
see) is somewhat older than I am (I'm 49) and most of the other staff
are mostly YOUNG (It's not a very old dealership). He was not shown a
lot of respect from one of the "Young Thugs" who bitched about leaving
the licence plate on his desk with us instead of returning it to where
it belongs.

Sorry for the long winded tale...to be continued!!!