Prius II Lease...

So, that cheap lease I got from Toyota back in 2010, when Toyota was having all that stupid press, is coming due in six or so months, and I've started trying to make up my mind about what to do about that.

The car only has 15,000 miles on it. Initially I drove it a lot, but then I moved where I could walk everywhere. So now I have this beautiful little dust-covered car that I rarely operate, and when I do, it's either short-ish trips (not the best mileage), or long trips (so long that I don't bother with fuel economy, for the sake of getting the trip done).

It seems, according to Toyota Financial Services, to buy it out from Toyota would be about $17000, probably a little less by January, when it comes due and I would be forced to make a decision. About the same as KBB says. But I can't find one for sale anywhere under $20,000, even with several times the mileage, and mine's clean and well taken care of.
I like my Prius, but I don't really drive it enough to make the fuel economy 'work', economically. I suppose it's a function of whether I like it enough to slap a wad of money down and carry on payments with a conventional loan, for a car that's nearly out of its bumper-to-bumper warranty. Of course, extended warranties (aka 'insurance policies') are available to carry on such coverage.

Further confusing matters is my 'self employed' tax status, which allows me to write off a lease, but not a car payment. do not know why. Just the way things work. So leasing again is probably in the stars, if I don't buy something outright.

Seriously, I could live with a new Nissan Versa 1.6s (cheapest car available in U.S.A.) But then I like hatchbacks way better (more versatile - I've put 'amazingly' large or quantities of things into the back of my Prius), but that pushes the price right back into consideration for various cars.
2012 Nissan Versa - Models, Pricing & Information | Nissan USA

So keep it, trade it for some hyper-mile friendly conventional car that won't be used much, lease another Prius, lease something else, or... aliens???

 

Well, I have the cash to buy a beater, or a decent used car, or even a new Prius, if I wanted to deplete savings, and have thought about returning to the beater path. Worst case, I have an even dustier, even less used, ancient Ford diesel pickup that I could drive. Though I would have to get off my butt and put some money and effort into making it start reliably.

The catch is, when I need it, it needs to be reliable. The truck definitely is more of an 'adventure' to operate, and not especially friendly in town.

I'm not broke, or anything. I could go on leasing more Priuses indefinitely, but it seems a waste to spend the money on a car I rarely use. I literally put gas in it about every three months.

If there were a taxi subscription that came with rental discounts, I would probably use that, and not own a car at all.

 

Yup. If it only drives as well as my Prius II, a Prius c II might be just the thing. I see a lot of mixed reviews for it, though.

I could certainly stay on my 'lease habit', especially since the difference in starting a loan to buy the existing Prius, and just leasing another one is negligible.

 

I think it's because I'm not incorporated, only being a 'freelance' game developer thug. For whatever reason the H&R block people write off the lease, but not a purchase. Tax law is a mystery that I leave to the experts.

There are a few sound arguments for why I 'ought to' incorporate, but frankly, I'm a bug.

 

I do not know. When I looked at the zipcar link, it looks worse than renting an economy car. Though I'd have to pay the gas and insurance myself (and my insurance includes rentals), the economy box cars run about $20 a day from a conventional car rental place, and I don't have to take care of them.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car - Rental Cars at Low Rates

Then again, since I could walk to a rental place from my house (as I mentioned, I can walk pretty much *everywhere* from my house - college, stores, restaurants, mall, etc... and various bus stops), it's an interesting idea to just rent a car when I need to go further, on an as-needed basis. Some of them will even bring you the car.

Then I could have some kind of wreck, scooter, or even BEV for routine in-town use.

I could even pay the small additional fee, and totally thrash the rentals. Or take a bus/train/plane to wherever I'm going, and rent a car there.

I guess I just hate driving, really. I consider it easier to walk a few miles than get into a car, maneuver it carefully around every kind of fender bending obstacle, avoid squishing people and animals, observe every kind of law, etc., in order to drive somewhere. Plus, I can pretend that it's 'exercise', if I want to.

There's also my successful 'pedestrian diet'. Don't stock any food in the kitchen beyond some fruit/veggies and lo-calorie drink mixes. If I'm going to eat, I walk there. I ONLY walk there. Eat whatever I like (within reason/affordability) when I get there. At home, the cupboards are bare, so there's no snacking without getting up off my buttocks and going for a walk. Weight loss has been fairly consistent.

 

I'm in Palm Desert, CA. It's been a bit hot now, but most of the year is mild, and many areas have nice sidewalks and crosswalks and bike paths. We only get a touch of the monsoonal moisture, well, later in July and through some of August, but for now the window swamp cooler keeps the place 80-ish when it's 110. Though many people cringe at 'It's a dry heat', it's true. If you don't get yourself used to living in a refrigerator, you can wear a hat and walk in the heat. Though I prefer after sunset.

Mostly, if you're going to shop for a place to live, try 'walkscore'. ESPECIALLY if you're buying. Do a little homework online. There are probably some places in/around Phoenix that are walkable, though you'll pay a touch more and have to shop a little more carefully.
Get Your Walk Score - Find Walkable Apartments and Rentals

I think most cities, you really could survive without a car, but education about how to access public transit is sorely lacking. Every kid in middle or high school should get a quarter-long course for how to ride the taxi, bus, train, etc. Maybe even earlier get a bicycle safety course that teaches them how NOT to get squished like a bug. Most people simply don't know how to access alternate modes of transportation. You look at a bus stop, and it's just intimidating route numbers or colors, typically with little information about where the buses actually go. (Hint: Google it.) I guess teaching kids how to run away from home probably wouldn't go over well, but it's got to beat hitchhiking because they don't know how to use a bus, if they get lost. Many cities also have programs that will collect lost kids and get them home (or help) if they just wait at a bus stop. Some kind of class about all of that would be helpful.

I recall vividly a girl who felt she should loudly announce how she would NEVER take a bus, one day when I was waiting for a bus, and I smiled at her. Palm Springs has a 'Street Fair' every thursday. I could have driven, but then I'd have to PARK somewhere. It's crawling with pedestrians, and there aren't many places TO park, so there are lots of other vehicles crawling around, looking for the same spaces. I took the bus because I was lazy and didn't plan to be out late, and time was no particular object. I'd rather take a nap on the way there or back, and be able to have an alcoholic beverage, if I so choose. And thinking about a beer or meal, I'd rather buy one at a nicer place than hand it over to a taxi driver.

 

Yep, sounds sorta like the explanation. But she may as well have been making goo-goo noises.