Is it worth buying a prius when I only drive 25 miles round trip each day?

And prices went down to $1.5 back in 2009 for about a year, good old days

 

Much less than a year IIRC, and related to political BS. The outgoing Republican administration flooded the market with reserves from the emergency system to affect the national elections.

 

CT200h

 

Also, the financial meltdown and housing bust had created a recession, reducing both the demand for fuel, and people's ability to pay for it.

 

Right now ownership of the Infiniti is costing you $0.00 because it's already paid off. Buying the Prius will cost ~$24,000 with taxes. Minus 11,000 when you sell the Infiniti, so you're looking at $13,000 expense to move to the Prius.

So how many years would you have to drive the Prius to recoup the 13 thousand dollars expense? The Infiniti burns $4.86 worth of gas per day, and the Prius about $1.82 per day, so about $3 recovered each day (or $15 per workweek). It would take you 17 years to recoup the 13,000 dollars you spent changing cars.

And now I fully expect people to attack me, but I really don't care. The math holds. You're better off to keep the Infiniti and save several thousand dollars.

 

In NJ.

 

like selling refrigerators to eskimo's.

 

I would vote NO!

Why?

COST! A Prius is very pricy if all you want is an eco-box for going back and forth every day. Technically, you'd really clean up (MPG wise) with a Prius plug in, but that's $3,000 USD EXTRA than any other Prius (more or less). You'd NEVER recoup the investment compared to any number of comfortable ICE-only cars with good gas mileage.

I'm not sure where to find it, but I'm sure someone has done the math to show how many miles you must put on a Prius before it pays for itself in less gas once you factor in the higher cost of purchase (compared to comparably-equipped ICE-only eco-boxes).

 

From a financial perspective, you totally make sense! But it sounds like the OP will be getting a new car anyway, so the 17 year payback is moot. Current car is 8 years old with who knows how many miles and if it were me, I'd be looking for some new wheels too.

 

The car OP has now is fine, he is thinking of another out of boredom. So while he has constraints on how much money he can spend on his hobby, this is in no way a question of least expensive option or frugality.

Kapisch, TH ? The fellow has 5 - 10 k USD he wants to spend on a new toy.

 

Then why ask the question if he's already made-up his mind to make the $13,000 jump from Infiniti to Prius? I assume people ask questions because they want the honest answer, and I gave him one.

 

He has not decided on a Prius, for one; and second, his questions were not about frugality.

Honesty is good, but try to be relevant.

 

Regular cars are usually cheaper. The lowest-price one is a Nissan Versa for 12,000. Other lowcost options are Mirage, Fiesta, Fit, Civic base..... all 15,000 or less.

 

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You might want to check out a Leaf depending on the federal and state tax incentives with as short of a commute you have. In Georgia, both incentives combined net less than 18k on a 29k Leaf.

 

Stratman,
Awesome icon

 

Leaf is good but iMiev is even cheaper: about $14,000:

2014 Mitsubishi i-MiEV Electric Car | Mitsubishi Motors

 

This question or forms of this question have been asked before.

I've given probably better answers before.

But to me? Get a Prius, or get a hybrid, if you really want a Prius or want a hybrid. If you are luke-warm, or indifferent about wanting a Hybrid? I'd say just get something, anything...you really like.

On a daily basis my round trip mileage is probably less than 25 miles a day. I still love my Prius.

The gas mileage is still great in relationship to everything and anything else, outside of Plug-Ins and obviously Full Electric vehicles.

And to me? Even if my weekly mileage is not benefiting from the "best" that a Prius or hybrid can create due to shorter trips? The Prius is still a great weekend or "Road Trip" vehicle.

The Prius, IMO is the best road trip vehicle I have ever owned. I love that trips to the coast or other "longer" weekend excursions are comfortable and economical. I'm not hindered as to where I want to go by gas prices, only time available...and that's great.

There are also other benefits to owning a Hybrid. IMO the operation is smoother and quieter as a whole than most normal ICE vehicles. I also like that.

Now the few times I have been forced to drive a rental or "normal" ICE vehicle the operation seems so jarring and so un-smooth. I really have come to like the "hybrid" start up and acceleration style.

But to me? You really should be purchasing a Hybrid, Prius or otherwise, because you want a Hybrid....for all it offers and represents. If you are questioning whether you should, or need one? Then you probably shouldn't get one. Because bottom line, I want to like my vehicle as much as possible, and if I'm NOT enjoying my Prius/Hybrid ownership because I'm worried my daily mileage isn't allowing me enough benefit to justify ownership? Then I might as well be driving something or anything else.

 

We Californians are jealous, we are the home of $4 to $4.50 a gallon gas for most if not all of the year. Now with theIraq crisis, I'm bracing for $5 a gallon and soon.

 

What about 76 Gas Station at the corner of Wilshire Blvd and 26th St? It was $5 today already.. that station is ALWAYS most expensive gas in the entire USA

 

I went through the same calculation before I traded in my paid off BMW. What you're not considering is the state of his 2005 infinity 5-8yrs from now....let alone 17yrs from now.

Highly unlikely that vehicle will last another 17yrs without any major issues compared to a brand new prius - which you can make a good argument that only routine oil changes are required up until 100k miles. That will take the OP 11yrs to get there. By that point, the infinity will probably have required a 3000 transmission replacement ....amongst other things like wheel bearings, ball joints, etc.