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Low mileage driver. Which Prius to buy Prime Advanced or Hybrid Advanced Tech?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by Pugwinkle, May 3, 2017.

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  1. Pugwinkle

    Pugwinkle Junior Member

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    Can't join the legal action as I'm in Canada and the lawsuit is in the States. Sunroof ended up being about $2,000. but insurance covered all but my $500.00 deductible. I'm just ticked at Hyundai because I believe they could have handled this situation a lot differently. They kept saying that it wasn't a manufacturers defect because the car is almost 4 years old. Well I guess they will use that excuse for anything that might go wrong. This is suppose to be under warranty for 5 years, not 5 months! Also, the fact that the service manager at my dealership said he felt this was a warranty issue and called Hyundai and told them his opinion but still Hyundai Canada would not help at all with the expenses. I didn't want to go through insurance because it is a known issue with Hyundai and by having to go through insurance, then we ALL pay for that. :(
     
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well you don't drive a lot but you drive regularly, right? (i.e. just short trips each time). It should be ok but like any other car that isn't driven regularly, just ensure everything is well maintained. Stretch it out once in a while on the highway.

    Or so you think.

    The Lexus CT200h starts at $32,900 ($400 more than a loaded Prius Tech w/ Advanced Package). It has a $1,500 delivery credit ($2,000 if you opt for an F Sport package).

    After Ontario taxes, the CT200h (base model) is $38,132. The Prius Tech w/ Adv Pkg is $38,803.

    But yeah of course there's no comparison in features of a loaded Prius vs. CT200h (moonroof, HUD, ICS, IPA, TSS-P, LED low/high beams etc)

    Well what's the point of a warranty. That's too bad.

    Although if it's a rock, it's gotta be bouncing up and over the hood and land on the roof with enough force.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    prime will automatically run the engine every 200 miles of electric driving. toyota recommends not leaving the gas in for more than 6 months. you don't have to fill the tank. just put enough in for your planned long trips. if you decide to take a longer trip, add gas before leaving.

    i have a pip (pre prime) and used 9 gallons of gas in 6 months.
     
    #23 bisco, May 4, 2017
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  4. Since2002

    Since2002 Senior Lurker

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    Not only that Hyundai now even sells a plug-in Sonata in the U.S. with a 9.9kwh battery and a claimed 27 miles EV range. And similar to Ioniq it has a six-speed automatic transmission instead of CVT. I sat in one at the Detroit car show a few months ago, comfortable and roomy interior. Supposedly has a decent and quiet ride, and reviewers like the sound of the six-speed transmission compared to the drone of a CVT (although personally I find the droning of my Gen 2 somewhat charming). The plug-in Sonata however is very pricey even with the $4900 federal tax credit, and only gets 40mpg in HV mode. And the battery is located immediately behind the rear seats, so unlike the regular Sonata hybrid the plug-in Sonata rear seats don't fold down.

    And no you weren't imagining things, for a about two minutes I had Solara spelled as Sonata, which I corrected even before you posted your reply. Notice that even in your quote of my post I had already corrected it.
     
    #24 Since2002, May 4, 2017
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  5. Scuderia Priusi

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    You have good reasons for dropping the Hyundai. You like the looks of both the standard Gen 4 Prius and the Prime. Stale gas won't be an issue with the Gen 4, but potentially could be with the Prime, depending on the convenience of and how often you charge it up. To avoid fuel getting stale in the Prime, you just plug it in on weeknights and run off the gas engine only on the weekends. Your typical use case of about 15 miles per day sound just about ideal for the EV-only range of the Prime.
    So.
    If you need to seat five people, even occasionally, the Gen 4 is the only choice.
    If you do not need to seat five, and your logistics make plugging-in the Prime easy to do 5 to six nights a week, then going with the Prime makes sense.

    But in the end, you'll probably go which ever one you like the looks of better. And that's cool, too. :p
     
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  6. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I considered the LEXUS CT200h too. Has better driver's seat but rear and particularly boot/trunk is smaller. Insurance was dearer here, but not sure about Canada. It's also based on the Gen 3 technology - which is tried and true. Here, LEXUS has a longer warranty, but service costs are dearer.

    Equipment wise, the LEXUS varies according the variant - with RADAR Cruise and a few other goodies which are on PRIUS not available on the "base" model, and 'tis an older tech version of RADAR Cruise - PRIUS is down to 0km/hr (GREAT!!!), LEXUS only down to about 30km/hr (not sure of the figure) but it cuts out when you get slower in traffic.

    Still - a very nice car, a bit quieter than PRIUS, though I found the FSport version with wider tyres a bit rough riding.
     
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  7. Sooner Al

    Sooner Al Active Member

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    If your only driving as little as you say you do it will not hurt to put STA-BIL in the gas, according to the instructions, every time you fill up.
     
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  8. Pugwinkle

    Pugwinkle Junior Member

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    Yes I don't drive a lot but I do drive regularly.

    I don't like the look of the Lexus. It still looks like every car on the road. I also HATE that front end. Looks like it needs a nose job. :) Or it's going to swallow everything in it's path. Huge front grill on those cars. :(
     
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  9. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    That's one good thing about the Prius Liftback. They "forgot" that ugly big black grill.
     
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  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The boot is definitely smaller (and people think the Prime is small!). It does have an extra year/20,000km in warranty over the Prius and service costs are dearer (I think an oil change or Service A on the CT is almost as much as a full maintenance/Service B for a Prius).

    No radar cruise in our CT so it is missing essentially everything in TSS-P (or in Lexus speak, LSS+). The radar cruise in your CT sounds like the same one on the Gen 3 Prius.
     
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  11. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Yes, it was the limited functionality RADAR cruise similar to other TOYOTAs (Camry & Gen 3).

    It is an $18,700 option on CT200h (OK, it does include other thingies as well).
     
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  12. yeldogt

    yeldogt Active Member

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    your cost of ownership would be higher with the Prius -- you would be better looking at a lease on another type of car.
     
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  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Everything sounds more expensive in AUD lol. $18,700 in Canadian is the price difference between a base and loaded German car. (Or close to the base price of a Civic although I think most compact cars are now selling above $20,000 as the "popular" model)
     
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  14. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    $18,700 is the difference between the Base CT200h and the fully Loaded CT200h, which is the only way to get RADAR Cruise. LEXUS is priced roughly in line with their equivalent German cars here.

    Yes, $20,000 won't quite get you a Civic, but the Hatch hasn't arrived yet, only Sedan and is more "loaded", only Auto - I think is about $28,000 incl 5yr warranty. A Corolla hatch is $22k with Auto. But you can get a Kia Cerato or Hyundai i30 for about $20k, often with Auto.
     
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  15. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    U P D A T E - I was just reading the newspaper over dinner and notice the CIVIC Hatch is here, $25,000 drive-away. well equipped, (but no RADAR Cruise)..
     
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  16. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Oh that's interesting. Cars here have a 3 year/60,000km warranty (luxury makes increase that to 4 years/80,000km). So our Civic will come with 3 years/60,000 new car warranty (powertrain is 5 years/100,000km).

    Base Civic Hatchback LX w/ 5-spd manual is about $26,000 drive-away (less if you live in a province without provincial sales tax).

    Honda Sensing is available on all trims (standard on top Touring) and that comes with adaptive radar cruise with low speed follow, lane keep assist (actively keeping you centred), road departure mitigation and auto high beam. It costs an extra Cdn$2,300 plus taxes.

    So the cheapest Civic Hatchback with Honda Sensing is Cdn$28,874 drive away with the "LX-Honda Sensing". $26,501 if you prefer the sedan (with CVT).

    Not bad. The Corolla is cheaper as TSS-P is standard equipment. Corolla CE w/ Auto and Air is $22,605 drive away.
     
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