Keep 3rd Gen Prius V or Start Fresh (opinions)

As I recall, my payments were 360.00 per month. That's perhaps due to the fact that I did not have to add the negative equity from a trade-in into the equation.

 

The idea is to KEEP the payments high so that you're not in debt for a long period of time.

$500 car payments sound scary - because they are!
The last car I bought was in 2012, and the payments were $530, but after I got out from underneath those payments, (in 2016, IIRC) the payments dropped to zero.
I have that car and the two I bought before that...and I would drive any of the three of them anywhere in the US...right now.
Since I've made car payments to ME for the last 3-4 years I have enough money in the bank to write a check for a traction battery....a motor...or even enough to pay off "Suzy the White Whale."

The only reason that I'm saying all of this is to try to loop you into the fact that many people LIKE ME usta be where YOU ARE NOW.

As a matter of fact.....I was worse off in my 30's because I did it with stupider cars!!!

Suzy is a damn good car.
If you take care of her she'll be a damn good car 10 years from now, and you can USE HER to help lift you out of the bonds of indebtedness so that you don't find yourself using phrases like:

Or.....

The 30mpg not working for you might be from you're being 'woke' about the evils of fossil fuels, but SUNK has a special meaning for a mariner...sub or otherwise.

Outside armed conflict do you know what makes ships sink?
Hint:
It's almost always NOT a storm, a lot of water at once, or a loss of propulsion.
It's usually little things....
Several, sometimes MANY small things that are ignored because of fear, ignorance or pride until it's too late.
I'm reading Korsten's "Into the Storm" which details the El Faro sinking during Hurricane Joaquin in 2015.
The parallels are......interesting....

One other thing.
You used the word "I" in every one of your posts except for one when you mentioned a "We."
If the "we" indicates a domestic partnership, then I would be having this conversation with the other half of that partnership in addition to soliciting for comments on an internet forum.

There is no I in 'team" and two people working together to right a financial ship that is foundering are much more effective than two individuals.

Good Luck!

 

yeah, 72 month note. I did not wait to pay it off though even though it was zero interest. Out the door cost was roughly 26,000.

 

I bought both of my Prii on a low note (with a decent down payment) and then sold the old cars myself and further paid the loan down. The trick is ensuring you get several thousand more than the trade in value since you end up paying additional sales tax without a trade. In Texas a $10,000 trade will save $625 on the new car sales tax.