Lease up 23 months. Either get rid of then or keep for several years past it. Leaning strongly toward keeping it. I could also see getting a used one soonish and then when lease is up on this one going for a highlander hybrid for wife to drive.
I used to get upgrade fever but I kept my last vehicle for 10 years. I'm hoping to pay this one off and enjoy the heck out of it for several more years or until my bad knee gives out from lack of support in the seat. Have I mentioned the Prius seats suck? I'm used to 6 way auto adjust with memory...
Till I loose my job, some cretin turns 'my' car into salvage yard fodder or my company decides to get me another one. We usually keep company cars until they reach voting age and/or lunar mileage. I trade my personal vehicles out when they become problematic, which for me means about 200-250K, although if fuel prices rise much above about $8 per gallon I might have to rethink the TCO thing for my 09 Pickemup truck. I only have to drive about 20 miles per day, and I have two motorcycles...so I have time to let the dust settle and the smoke clear if gas suddenly goes well north of $5 per gallon. You don't have to... I have to sit on the (expletive deleted) things every day.
I would like to keep mine for 10+ years, but I have a feeling I'm going to love the next Gen Prius and I'll trade it in.
Mine will be kept about 10+yrs and by that time it'll have about 250k miles unless Toyota actually release a coupe or that looks very close to Prius C show car with 60-70mpg.
5 years so far, probably another 5 (my son will be driving in 4 years, so he may use it for awhile). Kinda depends on garage space, the economy, what my wife eventually replaces her 8-year-old car with (6 years to us), etc. I only put about 8-9K miles/year on it. Right now I'm putting money into my recumbent trike. Maybe put an electric motor and full fairing on that, then I won't need a car for anything around town. I plan to never buy a vehicle that gets less than 40mpg (or gallon equivalent) ever again.
I'd like at least 7 years of my ownership (it was already owned three before me), though preferably way longer, till a very expensive problem comes along. I figure if we can't lambast Hummer owners (as much!) about consumption if we purchase a new car every 4 years just for the hottest technology.
You will make the next potential buyer very happy. A perfectly good used car that you already took the most deappreciation cost. If I were you (assuming already retired since >68), I'd rather spend the money on enjoying life/traveling. Well if you are sitting on a ton of money, then it would not matter either way.
I had my last Toyota for 10 years and 305,000 miles with less than $1,000 in total repairs. These are the pics I used to sell it on Craigs List. 4Runner Pictures taken 09-30-09 I was able to get $5,000 for it. I plan on doing the same with the 2010 Prius. It currently has close to 60,000 miles with zero repairs. I feel bad for all the people that wasted money on an extended warranty.
Heck, just ride the motorcycles! Down there you have nice enough weather to do it just about year round! Even the larger bikes can still pull 40 MPG highway riding so that beats the pants off the truck
I'm keeping mine until I can afford a Porsche. It's been 6.5 years already so I'm looking at another 5+ years
My last Toyota was in the family for 20 years, I expect to drive this one 12 years then offer it to a descendent.