Looking to buy a prius based soley on economics

from a right wing conservative, I am the last person that I thought would ever drive a hybrid. I initially made the choice to trade my 05 Dakota quad cab V8 magnum for purely economic reasons.

A month in, I really like the gas savings, but also to positive green impact. My daughter thinks I am the coolest thing on wheels now that I have a"nature friendly" car.

My conservative buddies initially made fun, but now are jealous of the savings.

If I save a buck or two and it helps the environment, makes my daughters world a better place.....not a bad thing.

Damn, did I just really write that. Time to turn in my rebublican card...........nah..........enjoy the ride

 

The earth, as well as our lungs don't know the difference between Democrat or Republican. [Progressive/Conservative]

Good choice

 

Remember the oil embargo of the 70's (I do)! I'm waiting for my Touring package 6-gray interior with any color choice (except black). If the "allocate" fuel I'd much rather have a 50 mpg vehicle vs a 35 mpg or an SUV. I currently have a Dodge Diesel and was waiting for the new Jetta...but that idea is scrapped! Just in savings I calculate about $300.00 reduction in monthly fuel with the Prius.

 

Here's a thought, what about a used Prius? Plenty of people have car leases and turn them in after one to three years. That's how I got my 2005 Prius. It was a year old, had 24,000 miles on it, in pristine condition. I didn't get the tax break, but I saved about $4K buying used.

I traded in my 2003 Tundra and my '98 Corolla. I had no use for the truck anymore, but it was a lot more comfy than the Corolla for commuting. So I compromised on the Prius. It's more fuel-efficient than the Corolla, and as comfortable as the Tundra.

Economically, it was a good move for me. I drive 25,000 miles a year. And I have a quiet, comfortable car that gets awesome gas mileage and helps lower my carbon footprint. My employer also offers big discounts on GM and Ford products, but my experience, as a woman, has been that the service department at my Toyota dealer doesn't stick it to me for repairs or jerk me around.

As far as service goes, with the extended warranty (which I highly recommend), my Prius has ended up costing way less than any other car I've owned. Maybe it's because you only have half a gas engine. Much of the service I used to schedule for my Corolla, I don't have to schedule for the Prius.

I'm not sure people buy the Prius because of the economics of it. There are certainly cheaper ways to go. I'm not sure there are better ways, though.

Maybe the thing to do is start socking away money for a year or two, and see what else comes out.

Bonnie

 

Given your situation, here are my recommendations:

1. Do nothing. Keep your Exploder, and just pay more in gas, rather than car payments. This is your best option, economically speaking.

2. Ford Focus.

3. Ford Escape Hybrid.

4. Pontiac Vibe.

If you decide that you just have to buy a car, and will forego the domestic car discount, go buy the cheapest new Corolla or Civic you can get. If you finally decide that you just want the Priss, do not get Package #6 ... is makes no economic sense. Get the base model Package #2.

Good luck. I vote for "buy nothing."

 

You really have to drive a lot of miles (15 K or more) and be coming out of a gas guzzler to justify a Prius purely on the basis of mpg. At least at $4 a gallon for gas. If you think gas is going to get even more expensive, that increases the incentive.

If you decide to buy a Prius, my advice is to get the cheapest one available--in the low 20s, if you can find one. Forget all the frills, which have nothing to do with the basic state of the art car. Except maybe the smart key and backup video. That's worthwhile for $575. You'll never get your money back on the more expensive options--even the Touring model, which is very hard to get these days and requires a longer wait.

 

Gas will not be $4.00 a gallon forever. It will be MUCH more than that. Supply + Demand - Production capability + a do nothing congress will = $7-12 dollar gas in a few very short years. Most of the rest of the world is already paying $8.00 a gallon. Only the scrap dealer will give you money for your guzzler when that happens.

Buy the highest MPG car you can get your hands on...ASAP. When the 100 MPG Prius comes out, trade up to that!