Prius proud

The Prius (2005) is my first car ever. My boyfriend and I bought it used about 4 years ago. In the 4 years we've been driving it, we have not had a single issue with that car. Not one. Okaaaay, it's really not that good-lookin' (there, I said it). But what it lacks in aesthetics it makes up for in smarts. And it stretches our gas money like nobody's business.

The impending recall affects the 2010 cars. A software glitch leaves some lag time between the switch from regular to ABS brakes, when encountering bumpy or slippery surfaces (I actually understand this problem, because when the car kicks into ABS mode, you definitely feel it switch over. In our car, the turnover is half a second at best.)

Allow me to clear up some common misconceptions:

Some think of the Prius (or hybrids in general) as a computer on wheels. They wonder why you'd put your life in the hands of a thing with the brain of a coffeemaker (if only it made coffee too!) Yes, there is an electronic component, but it's more sophisticated than that. Been in an airplane the last 20 years? Same concept. Aircrafts use 'fly-by-wire'. Hybrids use 'drive-by-wire'. It's a technology that reduces the number of moving parts; which means greater accuracy, reduced weight and less maintenance checkups.

Another common misconception is that the Prius has no mechanical brakes. It does. The 'first' line of braking is an electronic one, which provides energy to the battery - increasing mileage and efficiency. Braking harder and faster overrides the electronic system and goes straight to hydraulic mode just like a "normal" car.

Of course, the bottom line is, any software is only as good as the programmer that designs it. Having said that, in many cases the driving is only as good as the person behind the wheel. Case in point - do you know how to stop your car if it suddenly accelerates? Brake, switch to Neutral, coast to safety and turn off the car. Neutral isn't just for Switzerland anymore. And if more people learn THAT as a result of this mess, then that's not so bad (the car-stopping part, not the Switzerland part).

I'm certainly not discounting the claims against Toyota. Obviously, mistakes were made that need to be accounted for. It's just that, as a very satisfied Prius owner, I most certainly trust the technology. And I would hope that the media frenzy doesn't cause too much undue panic (H1N1 anybody?). Remember, there are 5 other major car companies in the game loving the opportunistic consumer feast. Google any one of them and they've each had their fair share of problems, including the ones Toyota is facing now.

What bothers me most is our likely lower resale value, since we planned to upgrade this year. But, on the bright side, maybe that means we can get a newer model Prius cheaper too! So, don't worry about me out there on the roads. I wouldn't be behind the wheel if I didn't feel safe. I'd be more cautious of those jerks still blabbing away on their cell phones.