...I'm spoiled with my HOV stickers on my 2004, and it's still running great with 94k miles! Plus, I figure if I wait 'till 2011, I'll be able to buy a 2010 gen lll for a LOT less since the new '11 will be all the rage then! Plus, I transport my mountain unicycle in the back, for my almost daily trail rides, and I hate the thought of getting mud, dirt and debris in a brand new 2010! arty:
The good news is that the resale value on all Prius' even at 94,000 miles is quite good. Overall though I have generally always found that its not worth it to replace a vehicle that is still in good order unless the vehicle no longer meets your current lifestyle needs. (ie need room for more passengers, towing, etc...)
Can you NOT get new HOV stickers for a 2010? In VA, they stopped offering new HOV plates on one of our major commuting routes (95/395) because too many people had them. The people who still have their old car with the plates are grandfathered, BUT, if they switch to a new hybrid, they can not transfer those old plates for that route. On other routes, you can still get new HOV plates. On the route I mentioned, I'm sure many people will be keeping their older hybrids for as long as they possibly can.
In California, the HOV stickers are tied to the VIN, not the license plate. You can only transfer to a new car if you total the old one. Not to give anyone any ideas. :madgrin:
I believe they stopped giving out hov stickers sometime in 2007, and I also heard that the carpool lane privilege for cars with hov stickers will expire in January, 2011. This is another reason I have to wait until 2011, so I can have use of the hov privilege right to the end; there should also be a lot more used 2010 models available, as many will be trading in/selling their 2010's for the latest model. Perfect time to buy a 2010.
Uni: Dumb question here ... in January 2011, will you be able to 'remove' the old HOV decals without removing the paint? Bart
While that's true, CA DMV allows you to transfer the stickers to a new hybrid if you have a totaled HOV-stickered hybrid. That's why you may see some 2010 with the stickers. January 2011 isn't that far away, so just wait a few more months.
