Driving an SUV is less expensive than driving a hybrid car

Original op:

Here's an equation you might not have figured in but one we think of daily down south here. What happens if a Cat 5 hurricane hits say Miami head on. Please lord I hope that doesn't ever happen as gas would almost overnight go
to $ 7 a gallon. Just because.
That kinda turns your car into something you cannot afford to even start up.
Who's the dope then?

Plus
I require having at least one brand new vehicle in my house. A worry free car that momma can get in and take the dog to California if need be tonight without a worry in the world.I was going to buy a new car anyway.

I looked at other cars first. At $23,000 the Prius was not a bad buy.In fact one year later I think its an excellent buy. Toyota quality...nice mechanical smooth ride with the cvt ....awesome ac...cool techie car that I love since I'm an Engineer..and of course excellent gas mileage and great warranty. I lurked here for about 6 months and saw what everyone said about the car and most love it. I now know why.

 

another thing to consider is present day toyota and 80- early 90s toyota are practically two different car companies, in my opinion. back in the day toyota was really cheap about putting their cars together, all the suvs and pickups were all bare boned with little or no options available at your local dealer.

airbags is a good example

even something simple like a rear bumper was considered optional equipment

the federal goverment requiring a 3rd brake light since 1986, but toyota waiting until 1995 to put one on a pick up

it wasn't until late 90s toyota even gave you a passenger side mirror., because it wasn't required by the federal goverment

they gave you a ashtray as standard equipment, and the center console was wired hot and ready to go for the 12v outlet, but did they actually spend the $2 to install the socket so you can use it? NOOO!!! did they put a screwy connector on the hot wire so you had to
use the official toyota part or cut the wire? yes!

 

Apologies to all for even getting into a thread started by a kid on break from juvie, but this topic is of some interest to me. Reason? I have both an SUV and a Prius.

I bought the 2002 Exploder back when gas was moderately-priced and when I was in the act of moving from the DC area to Michigan. Previously, I had an Explorer and was pleased with its performance and roominess. So, I bought another one. I still have it, it runs great when it runs at all, and I have it sitting in my garage waiting for winter to begin.

I bought the 2005 Prius when I needed to replace a car and when it was clear to me that Middle East politics (if nothing else) would drive up the price of gas. This little beauty is the machine which gets us around here most of the time and for very little cost in operating expenses. The Big Girl and I love the Prius. We fill it up happy in the knowledge that we have 500 miles in the tank for less than half the money it takes to fill the Explorer.

I will gladly let others do the math and make all the objective arguments. What I can tell all of you is that I have a lightly used SUV that treats me well during inclement weather. I have a gas-sipping Prius that treats me well during the rest of the year. This is a formula that works for me. It may be different for others. I just love it though when I sail past all those gas stations that I once frequented so more often.

Until something much better comes along, they can have my Prius only when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers. Oh wait, that's another arguement - but you know what I mean.

 

I must say that this is one of the most creative responses to a troll that I think I've seen around here. Thanks for the chuckle!

 

Hi Troll, or OP!!!

I have a large SUV (paid off too!) and a Prius. Since your situation differs from mine, you may think that you have a good deal with your 4-Runner. Hopefully, you don't have to find out the hard way how your 4-Runner does not exceed the Prius as my friend did. He had a 1997 4-Runner that flipped onto its side and killed him instantly (no side airbags & higher rollover rate!). Enough said! Even if I roll the Prius, which is highly unlikely, I feel protected unlike you will. Prior to my Prius, I had a 2004 Tacoma 4door 4WD that I traded in. You will see the light....It's okay! Safety exceeds everything else. For those snowy winters or vacation getaways with the kids, it's good to have a 4WD SUV. Otherwise, the monthly cost doesn't affect me like it does you. So, go back to your trailer park and get away from the library where computer access is free.

And......I'll bet that my Prius could blow your 4Runner away from any stop light or in traffic. They are not slow vehicles:boxing:. Some people just drive them like that, but old people drive Crown Vic's slow. So what! Us Prius people love our cars...Try going to a 4-Runner forum when you go to the library next time. Is the monthly payment on your double-wide cheaper than my house payment too? Probably so.

 

I came from a 2005 Toyota Tundra V8 to a Prius. My payment is $175.43 a month. I spend $28 a week in gas, just imagine what it would be driving a truck that i don't need.

 

What happens when gas goes up to $4.679, you drive 450 miles a week, and you are rationed Not To Exceed 10 gallons per purchase IF you can find a station with petrol? If you're an SUV owner, you ask the Prius owner, "How's that thing work?" or, "How's it ride?" or, "They can't be safe," or "What do they run?" and a whole bunch of other questions which, when translated, mean: Dammit.

If one were so economically conscious of used vs. new, SUV vs. Prius, etc., one would realize that he/she could save in gas alone the price of the car over time, the trade-in value is higher than any other vehicle, the cost of insurance is less than the SUV, the passenger ride is more roomy than an SUV and seats 4 adults comfortably (when was the last time anyone saw 4 adults in a car, anyway?), getting groceries costs less, and compared to a 2005 F-150 FX4, my Prius costs 1/3 the money per mile and lifetime at an average gas price of $3.279 over a year's time.

On the flip side, I understand Yukons are, "Buy One, Get One Free," nowadays.

 

How can you compere the used P.S..t old SUV witn new vehicle? Until we have uneducated idiots like this in this country we will move nowhere. Who buys SUV's now anyway?

 

Looking at pictures and video of the folks waiting for gas in Texas reminds me that there are advantages to having a gas-sipping Prius that are more than just about cost savings.

 

Yes, I realize that it is a troll. And yes, I find humor in these things.

I'm just glad he didn't even get started on the maintenance costs. I mean they must be huge! What with, well, changing the oil now and again. Checking the air pressure. What else are we supposed to do again? Oh! Clean the cabin air filter! Whew.

 

Don't forget brakes pads every 150k miles or so.

 

Re: Seriously...

Agreed.

 

You're an idiot plain and simple. Nothing you said is correct. Not even close.

First, I own a 2004 Dodge Durango Hemi Limited. I'm not selling it. I need an SUV for hauling, towing, and trips when there are more than 5 people. However, that's a fraction of my driving. I drive 30K miles a year.

I bought a Prius for one reason. To save money and still have a mid-sized sedan. It is similarly priced to other midsized sedans of equivalent functionality. I could save more money by buying a smaller car, but I need a bigger car like the Prius. Hint, the Prius has more cargo capacity than our previous Ininiti FX-45. Your comment about the size proves you've never even seen the inside of one.

The Prius was recently named by CR to be the most reliable car in america. The battery is 100% recycleable. The prius reliability and low maintenance makes it one of the cheapest cars to own.

Oh, and the nicest thing is the resale value. If I decide to sell it in a few years, I'll be able to get more for it than pretty much anything else I could buy.

BTW, when you do the math, the amount of money saved driving the Prius 30K miles a year at 50 MPG vs the Durango at 16 MPG pays for the Prius in 4 years out right from the gas savings alone. Another way of looking at it: it costs $30K in gas to drive our durango 120K miles vs $9.6K to drive a Prius 120K miles.

 

Re: Seriously...

I do not know. I'm no fan of responding to a troll with insults.

I'm much more a fan of pulling apart their logic.

Is that also feeding the troll? One gives the troll what they want; one doesn't, at least not as easily.

Anyway, driving an old junker is less expensive than driving an SUV, so I propose all car drivers, Prius or not, stop driving their comparatively new and flashy cars and go hit the classifieds instead. You can feel even better about saving the environment by preventing the manufacture of one more car! And then you can beg people to give you a push.

 

we don't particular care if he doesn't like hybrids, but please trade that unsafe 1995 4runner in for something even remotely safe. we don't want to hear about the time you got into an accident, and found yourself in a coma or worse, based on the lack of modern safety features!

you could trade it in on a 1996, and at least get the air bags!

were only feeding him if he comes back to read the 4 pages of replies...

 

Yep. And BTW, troll, I paid cash for my new Prius 3 years ago. I didn't want to buy a 10 yr old SUV.

 

what he's leaving out is that a 1996 car - 12 years old, maybe 13 - is going to have repairs. Perhaps a lot of repairs. Major parts will start failing.

My Prius? 9 months old. I don't expect anything but basic maintenance for years on this.

 

I see that it's his post No 1 and that his logic is so flawed ( new vs used; insurance; no comprehension of resale values; etc etc ) that I'm certain that he's not done very well during his school years.

Yes, Mr suvdrvr, your understanding of semi-complex issues is not at a 12th grade level. However don't worry you are NOT bound to be condemned to this lower level of understanding for your whole life. You can make up for not paying attention in school by doing more during your adult life.

It's not a terminal condition unless you want it to be.

 

suvdrvr, I too have no car payment and can haul all the crap I want to. It is because I believe this country is full of people like you that I own oil company stock. Thank you for enabling me to laugh all the way to the bank.