Hi Prius guys, We're moving to Maui, HI this summer and are interested in buying a low cost, reliable and economical car. We thought of getting a Prius, and since we're still in the SF Bay Area and there are plenty of Prius' for sale, I wanted to ask what makes more sense on a Hawaiian Island. Should we get the cheapest, 2010s with over hundred k miles or should we aim for a 2015 with low miles? Should we get a plug-in (even though we'll probably not going to plug it in very often), should we aim for a solar / sun roof, etc? Any insight would be much appreciated! Thanks, Gabe
I assume you have never owned a Prius. I would buy the newest low mileage one you can afford. If you moved up to a 2016 you would be getting the current generation Prius with the Lithium battery and maybe a warranty.. The sun roof, others who know that own one will chime in shortly with their opinions and suggestions.
We don't know your needs (family, cargo space, etc?) but Prius liftback is very flexible car in any case. PS- wow Maui ...nice place to have to move to
Judging from the series Hawaii Five-O, I think you need a Chevrolet Camaro. Is the idea to purchase in the SF Bay Area then transport it to Hawaii with you? I might hold off on everything until you are actually living in Maui, then see what seems to make sense to you then. You'll have a better idea of what driving conditions and needs your new local will demand. As far as what you like and want? That's up to you. But I have to say, that Camaro looks like fun to me.
I do not know nothing' about nothing', but Maui seems like the perfect place for a BEV, not a hybrid. No need to worry about "range anxiety", because you can't drive more than about 60 miles!
Hi Gabe, welcome to PriusChat! A couple years ago, I helped my sister look for a used car after she moved to Maui. We found almost nothing but overpriced sun bleached rust buckets. Then she got lucky and found a 2006 Prius (she wasn't looking especially for a Prius) that someone from the mainland had recently brought with them. By mainland standards it wasn't in especially good shape or cheap, but it was a much better deal than anything else we found, especially since gasoline is relatively expensive on Hawaii. The situation on Maui may have changed in the meantime, but nevertheless I agree with looking in to it before you go. Even if you bring a car with you that you later decide you don't want or need, you may be able to resell it at little or no loss, or maybe even a small profit. With a Prius, because of the battery, age is generally more important than miles. So if you plan to keep it more than ten years and don't drive a lot more than average, look for a newer one. If you are a courier or taxi driver, then look for one with lower miles. Do you know the elevations of where you will be living, and driving to? If you often drive more than around one thousand vertical feet up and down the mountain, then a plugin Prius might allow you to recapture a little more energy when driving downhill.
welcome! i'm not sure if a hybrid is the right car for maui. do you have any idea of your commute, or how many miles a year you might rack up? one thing i have read here from hawaiian resident's is the poor service and long wait times at dealerships, and also very expensive. for that reason, i would go as new and low miles as possible, but a gasser would probably be better for ease of local mechanics.
