Ok, for several reasons I won't be able to get an '09 Prius (not the least of which is the fact that they raised the price by $400 a month ago, and now Toyota's raising the '09 pricing by another $500 - puts it out of the range of the already stretched budget). With that said, with the ideal situation now out of the question, there are essentially two choices: The first is a 2005 Prius Pkg 5. Obviously we'd lose the backup camera, MP3 AND aux input vs an '09. We'd gain navigation, but would probably never use it. That car has 82,000 miles on it, and is a private sale with obviously no warranty remaining - $18000. The other is a 2007 Camry SE 4-cylinder - with 32,000 miles, and certified, for $19,300. Insurance for an '09 Prius was going to be about $400 per year more expensive than the Solara I just sold. The '05 Prius and the '07 Camry are both about $40/yr cheaper on insurance than the Solara was - basically negligible. Tough decision obviously. The only real reservations about the Prius are the mileage and the fact that there's no warranty. The mileage could theoretically become a problem since we want to keep the car for a long time - could anybody tell me what kind of maintenance costs I could expect as the car approaches the 200,000 mile mark? I drive between 15k and 20k per year, so the Prius would probably save about $700-$1100 per year in gas.
What car are you driving now that you HAVE to purchase a different car? What's the remaining balance to pay off the car you have, how many miles on it, what's the annual maintenance cost?
Well right now I'm driving a 1995 Mercury Tracer with 113,000 miles. Got it as a temporary car to drive while we were waiting for the Prius. It gets good mileage, and is mechanically sound, but you know how it is - mid-90's American cars weren't exactly the greatest safety-wise, etc. I think it's still on the original clutch so that'll have to be replaced at some point. Basically, I was only OK with it because it was temporary - I'd never buy anything but a Toyota as a permanent vehicle.
If you were already that close to the edge of afford ability, then I would suggest that a used Prius is not the answer for you. Since you are being driven by economics, you'd save more money by buying a used Civic. If you want a new car, you might consider a Scion Xd. You can actually get deals on these below MSRP and those that own them seem to really like them a lot. Additionally, owners are reporting much better fuel economy than the 33 EPA estimate. Most are reporting 40+ on freeway commutes.
I tend to agree with the other posters. I question paying a premium for a certified Camry from a dealer. The Camry is such a reliable car that I would consider buying from a private party. As for a used Prius, I would wait until the hype dies down to buy one. Right now, the used Prius market seems to be inflated (just my opinion). From reading this board, the Prius seems to be a very reliable car. However when it breaks, it can be very expensive. The hybrid parts can only come from Toyota. Also, in most areas, you will need to go back to the dealer for hybrid repairs. There are stories here about $4000 inverters, $3500 batteries (not counting installation), $800 MDFs and $2000 catalytic converters. These appear to be RARE repairs but you indicate you hope to go 200K+. If you are one of the unlucky ones, can you afford it? Personally, I would consider the other cars the other poster mention.
You might want to consider the other cars and wait for a few years to buy something in the hybrid or plugin type. It sound as great changes will be made in future to improve mileage.
California, the most strict smog state, doesn't even smog Prius's, so how could a new cat have been required? How would you know you needed one?
I would drive the Tracer until you actually need a car. The Mercury Tracer is the same car as the Ford Escort and Mazda Protege. They are good cars and quite reliable. You may be surprised at how long it lasts. BTW, I have 172K miles on the original clutch in my VW. Clutch life is dependent on how you drive. If you know how to drive a stick I wouldn't worry about it. A clutch is only $500 anyway or a bit more than a single car payment. So drive the Tracer and sock away that $335 to $400 car payment in the bank. Every month you drive the Tracer is money in the bank. BTW, the 1995 Tracer scored 4 stars for both driver and passenger in the NHTSA crash tests. That is the same as the 1995 Toyota Corolla and better than a 1995 Honda Civic. The Civic only scored 3 stars for the driver side.
Good advice. Drive the Tracer until it becomes problematic. It will probably last many more miles. Prius's shouldn't be bought by those that are financially challenged. There will be many more hybrid choices and fuel efficient non hybrids including EV cars in the next 5 years. I'd wait until the then. The Tracer already gets pretty good fuel economy.
