Prius Prime vs Rav4 Hybrid

now you're talking

 

The best way to keep a car for 35 years is to live in an area where the elements aren’t at play.

I’d snatch up a corolla or Camry if I was looking for a reliable 35 year car.

Just saw a mid 80’s corolla on the way back from the state fair today, so they’re out there.

 

sounds like prime then

 

You’ll find as time passes, your taste in vehicles changes.

I went from coupes and a Jag to the Prius and now a Prime .

New car features (particularly safety ones) once you have more disposable income can tip the scales away from keeping something for a long time .

 

I know I had to move in and out of a whole lot of dorm rooms in college... However it would have barely fit into a gen-2 Prius, but maybe not into a Prime.

 

Another not-bad possibility might be a Prius V.

 

I would avoid a hybrid if you want a 35 year car. Batteries won't last that long, etc. I would get a Corolla or something similar.

I expect my 2006 Miata to last me 35 years, but not my 2018 Prime.

 

You seem interested in fuel economy, so if your stuff will fit in it the Prime is the choice. it will get significantly better mileage than the RAV4 and has the ability to charge from the wall.

 

Here's my take: Vehicles built 35 years ago were not super reliable initially (you had to "work the bugs out") but they were much less complex than the ones made today. So you can keep replacing parts and rebuilding components on those old vehicles at a reasonable cost.

Today's vehicles tend to be quite reliable initially but if components start going out in 10, 20 or more years, They could get very expensive if not impossible to maintain.

Then there is rapid tech change to consider. Car manufacturers are expecting big changes in the next 5 to 10 years. So I think it is unrealistic to expect to keep vehicles bought today for 35 years.

 

Don't forget the Toyoya Celicas with the 22RE and 24RE engines. Just sold mine 2 years ago - 32 years old - still passed smog (Celica GT, 24-RE engine). 80 MPH on the freeway no problem.

Never rebuilt the engine, no transmission issues (manual) - biggest repair was changing out the brake master cylinder which I did myself. 230k miles.

 

That 91 Corolla in the above pic does ok on the freeway, but it’s the 3 speed auto trans, so it’s a bit loud at 65-70 mph .

But no shaking, so you just turn the music up.

 

I really wouldn’t recommend keeping a car for 35 years. Automotive technology, and especially ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) are improving too rapidly. You should avail yourself of advancements in driving safety once every 10-15 years. Those advancements are too valuable to ignore!

 

We tend to keep our cars for 20 years plus in general. It's why we buy Toyota I guess.

Pay more upfront now (Toyota), spend less time writing checks to your mechanic later. "Boring" cars compared to say, BMW, but comparing mechanic's bills between the two after 5-10 years of ownership - no contest IMO.

You expect Toyotas to have no major issues up to 10 years/120k miles. Can't say that about many other brands.

 

I'll disagree with that. Many of the new "advancements" are not much of an advancement. Many seem to be bandaids for bad driving. I would estimate that I am safer in my 2006 MX-5 than in my 2018 Prime on the road. Better visibility, better handling, better brakes and better tires on the MX-5. The radar cruise, backup camera, LKA, stability and traction control, and the other "aids" on the Prime do nothing that I can't do better with the MX-5.

 

Hondas are very reliable. We had a 2006 Civic with 145K miles, it was totalled by a stolen car while parked in 2017. In 145K miles, the sum total of maintenance was three sets of tires, one set of brake pads, one set of plugs, regular oil and filter changes, one headlight bulb and one taillight bulb. Never touched the brake fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, shocks/struts, ball joints, exhaust, etc.

 

The 91 Corolla is showed above was a gifted car.

And so far it’s cost $400 due to:

• New shocks all around (28 year old shocks don’t ride or function well)
• New front brakes
• New passenger side half shaft
• New trans fluid

Every car will have costs as they age.

But Toyota’s are a good bet to last that long with low maintenance costs.