prius

Due to a divorce, I are no longer have it, but I still highly recommend the Toyota Prius!

In March, 2001, the woman I was married to ordered a new Toyota Prius..... We waited just over 2 months, and it arrived on June 15th. We picked it up at the local Toyota Dealer, Hiland Toyota (where we enjoyed our experience with Tim Miner) on June 16th. The car is excellent... quiet, smooth, and a joy to drive.

Here are some of the first pictures I have taken with the mighty Mississippi River in the background. The suspension bridge is the I-74 link between Iowa and Illinois, and the original (Iowa bound) span was built in 1935. The Illinois bound span (closest to the car) was built in 1959. In the 4th picture, the area across the river is the site of the Rock Island Arsenal, and the bridge is a swing span bridge that was built in 1896! For a history lesson on this bridge, go here.

Incidentally, the house in the 4th picture which is across the river, but towards the left side of the screen is the Colonel Davenport house. A 1906 restoration of a house built in 1833. More can be read here: http://www.ri.disa.mil/docs/history/sites.htm

Eddie Bell
Internet Sales Manager
Metro Toyota
1.800.441.3441 or
216.267.7000 ext.171
http://www.toyotapartsnow.com
WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY PRICE!!

Good prices, excellent service, and we HIGHLY recommend you contact him for your needs.

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Another excellent Prius site is John's site. Lots of great pictures and Prius information can be found here.

On December 9, 2002, we received an envelope from Toyota with a letter and some Prius cards. This image is from a scan of the card, the text from the letter follows:

As a Prius owner, we know you share Toyota's vision for a cleaner world. We're always looking for new ways to build vehicles that have less impact on the planet. And you're constantly doing your bit for the Earth by driving an environmentally responsible car, and spreading the word.

Our owners are the biggest advocates we have. So thanks for your efforts in raising the awareness of hybrid technology and the good it does for the planet.

To support your efforts, please find enclosed informational cards to help make spreading the word a little easier.

In the coming months, look for more exciting news about Prius, as well as other revolutionary developments from Toyota.

Thanks again for your continued efforts to make the world a cleaner, better place.

In December, I replied to a request posted on the Prius list for Prius owners to contact a reporter with The Detroit News who was interested in doing an article on hybrid cars. Jeff Plungis called me, and we had a nice talk about these cars. A couple of weeks later, a photographer called and took some pictures. On January 6, 2003 the article appeared... and a very fine one it was. It was bitterly cold and the winds blowing off of the Mississippi River were very strong the day of the photo shoot. Our endangered suspension bridge, which is somewhat of a local landmark (one side of it was built in the mid-30s) is in the background.

In August 2004, we took the Prius to Tennessee for a wedding. About a 700 mile trip one way. This was our first 'real' Prius trip and it performed excellent. On the return trip, we stopped off in Metropolis, IL and snapped this picture.