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Highest mileage Super-Prius in the world may no longer be with us but its memory will be for a very long time. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=69175)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Jesse_s_349_500_mile_Prius-I_smashed.JPGWayne Gerdes – CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com) – Feb. 2, 2007

Car Obit with some license, not people! -- Ed.

Final odometer reading, 349,531 miles and a full tank of fuel still left to be driven ...

January 30 - 06:59 PM EST: A very special 2002 Super-Prius was hit at the intersection of Highway 139 and Highway 28 in the Town of Randolph, MA last Wednesday evening. The Prius in question was heading west bound on Highway 139 while a 1994 Mercury Sable was heading east in an oncoming but parallel fashion driven by a male, 17 years of age. Both drivers had a clear view of their surroundings and under a green, the Sable driver decided to make a left at said intersection at the last possible moment -- violating right-of-way for the west bound Prius and driver. The rest is proverbial history.

Left in the collision's wake was a very special but now totaled 2002 Super-Prius with its airbags deployed, coolant and oil bleeding onto the pavement and the infamous triangle of death displayed on its MFD.

When driver Jesse Rudavsky tried to resuscitate the vehicle at the scene, all that could be heard was a gasping, high pitched and erratic whine of electrics trying to boot up and somehow propel the now deceased Super-Prius. Fortunately for Jesse, he was suitably buckled in and the Super-Prius gave up its life with every safety feature at its beck and call activating on cue so that Jesse could continue on unharmed and able to walk away from the scene without a scratch.

The Sable Driver was issued a citation for failure to yield and Jesse was picked up by a friend in a 2005 FEH who lives just a few miles away.

A wake will be held in honor of the fallen Super-Prius at a wrecker yard in the Hingham, MA area sometime later this week :ccry:

Super-Prius’ History

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Jesse_s_2002_Prius-I_history_in_pictures.jpgJesse found his now-deceased 2002 Super-Prius online for $10,000 with 84,000 miles on the odometer. Gas was at $1.70 on that fateful day back in March, 11, 2004 and little did he know how far his own “Wolf in sheep’s clothing” would take him over the next almost 4 years.





Road to Mt. Evans, CO. – 310,823 mile earlier last summer/driving around a parking lot in Madison during a FE clinic ;)









Recent Florida Trip – 333,333 miles late last fall










345,678 miles – Now deceased Super-Prius :(




Many of Jesse’s friends thought he was crazy for taking a "gamble" on a used hybrid with that many miles. I think it can be easily said that this particular gamble paid off in spades. With multiple trips to Florida, the Rockies of Colorado, deserts of California, much of the upper reaches of Canada and even Alaska including all points between, this particular Super-Prius has seen more than most owners -- and certainly more than most any vehicle will see in a lifetime of service.

May the Super-Prius rest in peace …

On a much more positive note, the temporary transportation rental he will drive until the insurance pay-off is complete happens to be a brand new 2008 Toyota Prius-II. Jesse is enjoying that vehicle immensely and from the sound of his voice, I suspect one very much like it will be his own personal ride a lot sooner than later :angel:

We can rebuild him, we have the technology, but I don't want to spend a lot of money.
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/5484/6millxv1.jpg

R.I.P. Super-Prius.:( :ccry: Thanks for protecting Jesse's life by giving up your own.

I'm just glad you're ok, Jesse. Sorry about your car.

And people, whenever you're reporting on someone having an accident, always always always, tell whomever you're telling, whether the person involved is ok or not, in the first breath. Ah, it's ok, only a small heart attack...

-Gren

Hi Gren:

___We did ;)

Re: “Ride of the week” – August 1, 2007. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5719&page=5) and in particular, Re: “Ride of the week” – August 1, 2007 – Jesse appears to be OK. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showpost.php?p=68539&postcount=47)

___If Jesse was hurt in the accident, I would not have taken so much license with the Super-Prius News article. Trust me :angel:

___Either way, it is a sad loss not just for Jesse but for all of us as his steed has been all but buried :ccry: He is now only waiting for the death certificate while we are all left wondering just how far it would have gone :(

___Good Luck

___Wayne

This Prius was not just any car. In my view, it was a very visible rolling ambassador for automotive hybrid technology.

This is a great loss indeed. :(


Cheers;

MSantos

Jesse glad to hear that you're o.k.
Sorry to hear about super Prius. I guess we will not see it at Hybridfest, eh?

It's so sad it had to go at the hands of some idiot kid. Who knows how far it could have gone? I feel like somebody has to go farther. Maybe I'll get there in...uhh...16.5 years?

Glad Jesse's ok! I hope someone (perhaps at Toyota) takes this opportunity to study the HV battery's condition. Or maybe there is a museum that would like some of the Super-Prius' parts?

cheers,
Bill

Hi BillLin:

___I am going to send a link of this thread to some of Toyota people on Monday and maybe they can help Jesse get into a new Prius-II without so much out of pocket or something? He is not a Millionaire of course and any help they could provide would be a service to Jesse and to us all …

___Good Luck

___Wayne

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/350_000mile_prius.JPG
July 2007 in Madison, WI

Dang it! I loved the story of it's endurance

I just saw it a week ago in Miami :(

http://images.kodakgallery.com/servlet/Images/photos4855/1/37/22/80/67/9/967802237111_0_BG.jpg?a=7

http://images.kodakgallery.com/servlet/Images/photos4855/1/37/22/31/4/7/704312237111_0_BG.jpg?a=7

.... oh no... how sad. I definitely enjoyed reading his updates on how his mileage continued to rack up. Hopefully he'll get something new and continue racking up the mileage.

Hi Wayne,

> ___I am going to send a link of this thread to some of Toyota people on Monday and maybe they can help Jesse get into a new Prius-II without so much out of pocket or something? He is not a Millionaire of course and any help they could provide would be a service to Jesse and to us all …

I was wondering the same thing. I just started listening to a radio show called "This New Car" (archives actually) and one of the hosts is Gilles Labelle, founder of the Hybrid Center at Westboro Toyota (Westborough, MA). He's a great advocate of hybrids and with his Toyota connections, perhaps he can help. I'm hoping to meet the man one of these days but am presently unknown to him, so don't even say that I sent you. :-)

cheers,
Bill

Gilles is the guy who sold me my car, convinced me to go
to my first Tour de Sol in May '05, and basically created
a monster. He's a riot, definitely go chat with him.
.
_H*

Jesse,

Really sorry to read about this, man. Was a privilege to meet you and your car last summer! Glad you're safe.

peace,
Linda

Hi All:

___I asked Jesse to snap and send me a few more pics of the Super-Prius this morning …

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/Jesse_s_-_2002_Prius-I_at_349_531_miles.jpg
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/Jesse_s_2002_Prius-I_Interior_after_the_crash.jpg
Final odometer and Interior :(

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/Jesse_s_2002_Prius-I_Drivers_side_after_the_crash.jpghttp://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/Jesse_s_2002_Prius-I_Passenger_side_after_the_crash.jpg
Drivers and Passenger sides of the vehicle - Post crash :ccry:

___Good Luck

___Wayne

:ccry:It's even more painful after having seen the car last summer Jesse. How are you feeling? How are you enjoying the '08?

Wow, sorry to hear of this.

I've referenced this vehicle several times in conversation, mostly to contradict the common belief that hybrids won't go the distance.

I really got into it with a Volvo salesman at the auto show last weekend. We were asking about Volvo's FE plans, and he brought out the old canard about hybrids being horrible for the environment because of the nickel mining. Then he tried to tell me hybrids have horrible resale value and presented some anecdote about the only one (an HCH) they ever got in in trade and how none of the dealers in town wanted to pick it up wholesale. I asked him how long ago that was, and whether it was an HCH1 with MT. He was unable to answer those questions, so I'm pretty sure we know the answer. To even suggest that hybrids have lousy resale is the height of idiocy.

Then he said hybrids wouldn't hold up, at which point I mentioned Jesse's vehicle on its first pack and also the HCHI referenced here recently with nearly 600k on the clock with its second pack. I also lectured him about the fact that both diesels and hybrids are good and what an idiot he looks like bashing what the competition offers simply because his company doesn't. I don't know what it is about car salesman. Seems to be a common personality trait.

[/rant]

Still feeling dissapointed but coming to terms with the fact there is nothing I can do. I realize it could have been worse. I am really enjoying the 2008 prius rental car.

I'm more deserving of getting my hybrid totaled....technically it was the other guys fault in all five collisions, but to be honest, alert and non-speeding would have avoid four of them. Then there is the spinout at 60mph that was utterly stupid on my part.

I hope you go 350K and beyond next time.

Dang, that really sucks. I suggest you salvage what you can. Your battery packs should be fine, so you could think about transplanting the entire array into your next Prius and doubling your battery capacity and getting even more mileage out of it.

I loved the continuing story of the "Super-Prius", and I used it more than once to stop hybrid-bashers in their tracks. Glad you are OK though, and here's to 500K+ on your next one. :cool:

The insurance company has payed off. I got my check today for just under $13,000.

Have you decided on a replacement?

The insurance company has payed off. I got my check today for just under $13,000.
<Preaching to the choir about to begin.>

To the pundits who suggest that hybrids don't hold their value: Take that! A 6-year old car with almost 350K miles nets about 65% of its original MSRP. Heh!

Not yet, still have another 18 days left with the 2008 prius rental car. Have test driven several cars including a 2004 manual HCH with 39k miles, a 2005 manual HCH with 67k miles, two brand new 2008 HCH's along with a fully loaded 08 Nissan Altima hybrid.

Not yet, still have another 18 days left with the 2008 prius rental car. Have test driven several cars including a 2004 manual HCH with 39k miles, a 2005 manual HCH with 67k miles, two brand new 2008 HCH's along with a fully loaded 08 Nissan Altima hybrid.

speaking as one who has one, my 2005 MT HCH is a wonder. i have gotten 60+ in the winter here in minnesota. and as we speak it's in new york waiting to drive across country. it's got about the same mileage as the one you listed. hey, wait, you haven't been in new york have you???

it's just a crying shame about yours, but to retain that much value is amazing....may you get as much use from your next choice.

So how did you rack up all of those miles. Does your work require long trips or do you have plenty of free time and love to drive?

Its more that I am afraid to fly. But yes I do love to drive. I actually drive a tractor-trailer for work.

13K? That's *awesome*! There are plenty of people who would
have glanced once at the mileage and thought negative value.
And we can certainly still use the story to stop the hybrid-
bashers, it's just got a senselessly tragic ending now.
.
I've always been really paranoid about opposing left-turners,
possibly because of the suddenness with which they could leave
you no options...
.
Any news on what becomes of the remains, btw? Or which salvage
company would haul it off?
.
_H*

The Zhang Heng was indeed privileged to share the Hybrid Owner's booth with the Super Prius last fall. R.I.P. and good luck to Jesse for your future ride.

Hi Doc Willie:

___On a kinder and friendlier note, Jesse called last night and is picking up an 05 w/ 84K on the ticker for $13,900 on the 20th to replace the Super Prius. Maybe we can inaugurate it as the Super Prius-II :D

___Good Luck

___Wayne

This is wonderful news! I'm glad he has found a suitable replacement vehicle. :D

Hi Jesse,

Get that baby retrofitted with the up and coming, Toyota-supplied, 2nd NiMH pack & plug PHEV-7 that most of us with a 2004+ Prius II are antsy for, and that ICE may never even make it to 100k while your odometer is sitting at 345k once again. :):):)

sorry to hear about the demise of the Super-Prius, and it even happend in my hometown, what a shame. I had a similar incident by the Bob's Store on RT139, person decided to make a "left" turn, when the signs clearly are marked "right turn only" she was cited, and I even showed up at the court case, as she was contesting the ticket :) My 2004 Prius was damaged to the tune of about $7-8K, but was repaired by the insurance company.

Good luck with the 2005 Prius, you will find it even smoother than your 02 (I too had a 2002 Prius)

mitch

So far so good with 2005 model. 97k and counting 2nite.

118k tonite and so far so good.

Good to hear from you, Jesse!

Still like the car?

138k tonite and counting. So far so good.

Are you just running laps around the state to try and get back to the 349k mark?:p Good luck with it and happy driving!

Whoa, 20k miles/month. Good thing you're racking up those miles in a hybrid!

Are you just running laps around the state to try and get back to the 349k mark?:p Good luck with it and happy driving!

He's a storm chaser so there is a lot of driving for his job.

It's the right tool for the job. I know many out there would choose something huge and thirsty for a job like that.

Thank you, Jesse.