Lexus IS350 to 2010 Prius V w/ Nav - newbie here

After watching the oil spill in agony for weeks and weeks and being more and more disgusted, I just couldn't sit around and do nothing. I've always kind of sat on the sidelines looking at the Prius and the Insight and being one of those people who says "wow, this vehicle is ugly". The truth is, the new 2010 Prius is so much sexier, especially with Package V, then the previous generations. Granted, they still aren't pretty, but let's face it, until there are huge advancements in the engine technololgy, aerodynamics are a must, and that's why the Prius looks the way it does.

So, I may very well be one of the younger Prius buyers (34), and my friends are definitely scratching their heads and laughing at the same time, but I don't care. I had to do something to minimize my consumption of fossil fuels and pollution of the planet, and combined with less driving and other lifestyle changes, I think I'm on the right track with my new Prius.

The good news, coming from a former Lexus owner, is that with the Package V, I don't feel like I am taking a huge step down by driving a Prius. The Prius rides smoother and quieter then my Lexus did (granted I did have the IS350 which is a sporty performance tuned model of Lexus that does have a rougher ride and is a bit noisier due to the low profile tires)... And I feel like I have most of the creature comforts that my Lexus had. I think, in fact, so far, the only thing I really feel like I'm missing are two things. I do miss the auto tilt down electrochromatic driver and passenger mirrors. I also miss the Mark Levinson audio (sorry the JBL isn't as good, but it's NOT bad either). And on a hot day, I'll probably miss my vented seats. However, those are minor sacrifices to make to help do my part to save the planet. I'll also miss going 0-60 in 4-5 seconds. However, I figure if I ever NEED to go that fast I can just rent a sports car from Hertz to fulfill my urges, but on a daily basis, I can no longer justify consuming that much gas (and Premium at that!)... So, consider me a happy Prius owner.

By the way, on the same day I bought my Prius, I also test drove the Insight and the Civic Hybrid. The Insight, with its lower price tag, definitely feels substantially cheaper, smaller, and underpowered compared to the Prius. There is also a lot more wind noise and vibrations on the freeway compared to the Prius. The Civic is a bit better then the Insight, it has more power, feels more solid, but still doesn't ride as nice or quiet as the Prius, and doesn't have the power. In addition, with the Civic Hybrid, the seats don't fold down, which was a no-go for me since I have a mobile DJ company and I needed the cargo room. So, in the end, the Prius purchase was a no brainer.

I may be prematurely posting this, but I do have a few issues to work out with the dealer tonight. They let me drive the car home and they had me sign the contract, but there are some issues with my trade (aparently they claim they found body damage which is news to me since I have never been in an accident - but perhaps the dealership I bought it from didn't disclose it to me??!) ... And also, there is a slight issue with the credit score.

However, I do have to ask, if I have a signed, sealed, and delivered contract with the dealer and I drove the new car off the lot, can they really renig on the deal?

I guess this will all be sorted out tonight when I go down to talk to them... So keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow I will still be driving my shiny new black 2010 Prius V with Nav.

 

Wow Tumbleweed, you NAILED it head on! Do you have ESP? Or maybe you work for Bob Baker Toyota so you know what happened?! LOL

I spoke to the sales manager last night, and he told me that they ran a AutoCheck, which aparently has more info then CarFax, and the auction lot that the dealer I bought the Lexus from reported the car as having "Frame Damage" when they sold it.

I went down to the dealer this morning, and he showed me the AutoCheck report. He also took me down to his shop and showed me underneith my car. Sure enough, there were a few parts on there that looked newer then the rest of the parts on the car, like they were replaced aftermarket. In addition, the tires unevenly wore towards the inside of the vehicle. Looking at the outside, and the tread on the tires, you'd think there was at least 5000 miles left on them (keep in mind the Bridgestone Potenzas on the IS usually only have 20-30k of usable life on them when brand new). But on the inside, they are worn down to some metal showing... YIKES!

So... The game was like this. He said he would have to reduce my trade by 2k, and I'd have to either give them the money or they would have to re-work the financing. I said no, so he took the Prius back. Interestingly enough, while in the F&I office to sign the Prius back over to the dealer, the sales manager called in and said "I just talked to my boss, and we'll keep your Lexus for $1500"...

At that point is when I realized the whole thing was a game.. Sure, possibly my car might have an issue, but isn't that amazing they wasted FIVE HOURS of my life selling me the damn car, only to ask for it back the next day, trying to swindle an extra 2k out of me.

So no Prius for me yet.. I guess I'll go back to the dealer I bought my Lexus from last year, and see if they will make this right.... They should have disclosed that the vehicle was in an accident and had major work done on the frame.

 

Tredstone, you may envy your coworkers IS350, but own it for a year and look at how much money it costs you, and you'll start to wonder. I sat down and did the math - my IS350 was costing me $868 per month. Breakdown was $478 for payment (I bought a 3 year old used one), $200 (just to drive to work and back - not even including any road trips!) a month in gas (requires premium and avg about 21mpg with a mild leadfoot), $100 for insurance, $40 for registration ($500 a year), and about $50 for maintenance ($33 a month for tire wear, $17 for scheduled maintenance).

I'm not sure what your Prius costs, but I guarantee you when you see the total cost of ownership on an IS350 you'll think twice about buying one - unless of course money is no object.