Has anyone done an analysis or have any thoughts on whether its better to purchase a 2017 prime plus vs 2018 prime plus taking into consideration the current incentives for the 2017s and the depreciation rates of the prime I tend to keep vehicles about 4/5 years. The 2018s are hitting my area the first week in April. Current incentives for the 2017 is approximately $1100 off sticker with another $4500 Toyota cash. Dealer does not have any info on incentives for the 18s. At what point does it make sense to purchase a 1 year old(or more) model new car?
Toyota has divided the US into different sales divisions with differing incentives. States have differing incentives too. Without a more precise location, nobody here will be able to give much useful information.
One thing to consider is buying a new car at the end of the model year gives you a car with one year less miles on it at sale or trade in time later on.
Agreed. $5600 off plus fed tax credit, I would go for the 2017, no question, esp if there are no discernible differences between the 17 and 18.
I am guessing that you live in either Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York or Vermont as those are the only states that I know of currently offering the $4,500 Toyota incentive. Unless you live somewhere else and were planning to travel to one of those states. It's sort of a bird in the hand worth two in the bush situation. Incentives for 2018 will likely appear later this year after the 2017's are gone, but that is not something that you can count on. But we saw for almost all last year the $3,000 incentives on the Prime expiring each month, with people worrying if they will renew the next month, and they always did. And as the year progressed the incentives kept getting higher, eventually reaching $4,500 in January. So it's likely there will a similar pattern for the 2018's later this year since presumably the situation in the CARB states still exists for Toyota, but no one knows how long that will last. As mentioned by Mark57 you will have more resale value in a 2018 than a 2017, although if you are selling in 4-5 years that difference will not be anything close to the huge incentives currently out there for the 2017.
If you can wait for 4-6 months then get a18. Otherwise a 17. Also do you homework to find all the possible rebate. Very regret my homework was not thorough enough. My county provides a $1000 rebate but must apply before actual purchase. It is hidden somewhere and very hard to find this rebate form, so I lost $1000 and kicked my nice person times... PG&E gives $500, however California has a ceiling of family gross income for $1500. F**k that stupid rule which is opposite to Federal's tax credit. In California, you can get $1500x2 if your income is low enough. That is very unfair. You pay tax and you get tax credit, but in CA it is not like that.
I thought you had to be wealthy to afford to live in California. Either that, or an illegal undocumented immigrant.
Just need to wealthy to buy a house there I think. The means based incentives might be meant to hurt Tesla. Really, a rebate or subsidy to the manufacturer is a better way than a tax credit if you want to get plug ins into the hands of more of the public. Increasing that incentive for those with lower incomes further expands the potential pool of people to get one.
Agreed on going for the ‘17. Actually, I believe if you call around you should be able to do better than the $1100 off as well. I drove from Chicago to Buffalo, NY to take advantage of that $4500 dealer cash in January and I believe I was around $1700 additional off the sticker price of the car (Advanced). I would think with large inventory (I’m assuming you’re somewhere on the northeast/east coast) that now that the 18’s are out the dealers would further discount the 17s to get them off the lot. No changes from the 17 to the 18 Prime that I’m aware of so why pay more for the same vehicle?
No, you just have to want to live in a place with great weather and beautiful beaches, instead of some place that has snow and the weather sucks half the year, comparatively speaking of course. And please, this is a forum about cars. Why do you have to make it political and take a jab at undocumented immigrants, isn't that what Facebook is for?
I just traded my 'o4 Prius for a '17 Prime Advanced. Incentives were too good to pass up, plus 18, I am told, is the same car
Unless you need something specific that is new for 2018 (I don't think there's much difference if at all), and you are planning to keep the car for a while, you should go for the better price. 4-5 years from now, the model year will probably matter less than the number of miles on the car anyways, and most people shopping smart would know there's no difference between 2017 and 2018.
