Anyone having 2nd thoughts about buying a 2010?

I'll wait until I need to replace a car.

 

well i am in market for another car of one type or another. but one thing is certain, will not be getting rid of Pri i have now so the 2 Pri household will definitely be a strong possibility.

barring a complete collapse of the EV market, my next car WILL BE PLUGGED IN.

i am fairly confident that the 2010 bells will be a very tempting option. we are definitely in for pleasant surprise.

now on what level, we will soon see, but i bet for techies, it will be very compelling.. which means Tom; your chance of not getting one is about the same chance you have of going a WHOLE WEEK WITHOUT SNOW (knowing you live in the Great Lake Effects area also known as the "Snow Belt)

 

The substantial drop in the value of personal savings has me reconsidering whether to buy a new car, at all. I'm getting 30 city and 40 hwy on our current car, a 2001 Civic with 180,000 miles. I'm starting to have to repair it more frequently, but that is still far cheaper than even the most basic new vehicles.

Even so, with 7 years and nearly 200,000 miles, I have concerns about long road trips, especially after a breakdown en route to in-laws who consider 80,000 a cue to trade in.

I need a vehicle to carry three adult-size and one infant with cargo space that gets high mileage. I don't want to buy anything that gets less than our Civic. In addition to the Prius, I am considering the Honda Fit with a m/t and would take a look at larger diesel vehicles that are coming along, such as the Accord. I would also like to see the new Insight, and the Camry hybrid is on the list, but i worry about trunk space.

I have had a Prius on order for six months. The dealer called yesterday to ask how much I could compromise on trim and color. He said in any case, there is no way to get a vehicle before 2009.

He said I could wait for the 2010s, and that they probably would not be priced higher in the current environment.

 

Look outside your immediate area. With the economy in the dumps, lots of dealers have 2009's on the lot and at less than MSRP.

The leg length of your 3rd adult sized person (for as long as you own the car or until s/he heads to college if a teen) will help determine your next car. The Prius has 4" more rear legroom than the Civic or Fit.

The Prius even has SLIGHTLY more rear legroom than the Hybrid Camry. Besides that, you are already getting better mileage than the HCH unless almost all your driving is city.

 

Your spousal unit has good taste

I'll pass on the 2010. Barring an accident, shouldn't need a new car for 4 more years, minimum. If Toyota pops up with a 30 to 40 mile EV PHEV before then, I might be tempted, especially if they get rid of the console arch and redesign the cockpit for FUNCTIONAL use. Granted we've only see some pictures of the 2010, but every new area I see looks like it has some decreased usability compared to the 2004 - 2009.

1. Too many buttons on the MFD surround, getting smaller and HARDER to hit (ESPECIALLY in winter with ANY type glove on) without looking for them.
2. Buttons shown on the steering wheel - same problem. Temp up/down, recirc, trip and display all on one circular button with recirc in the center. ugh.
3. Maybe the dash display pictures are showing more than will actually be there at any single point in time, maybe not, but it is getting really busy.

 

I don't know. My wife might need a new car but I may be changing jobs to one with a car provided. I love the look of the new Prius from what I have seen and that bridge affair where the shifter is mounted is growing on me.

 

Yea, it is growing on me too. The cupholders are higher so it is easier to reach for the drinks. The buttons are easier to reach too. There seems to be a lot of buttons but I think it is better than soft buttons on the MFD. You don't have to go through the menu, just hit the button you want easily.

Under the bridge, you can still put stuffs with the "bulit-in" purse tray.

 

Will the interior go black when I select power mode then back to grey or what ever in economy mode?

 

I really think the low gas is short lived..... Not only is cheap gas helping the economy climb out... but its choking the Arab nations.... "poor beggars"
They live in a desert... without big bucks for oil.. they don't fare too well.
The powers behind the wheel turns the gas prices which way they want.

At any rate, that topic is better left to Freds..
I have that nasty disease that causes me to have to have the latest techy toy gadget. The prius is just plain fun to drive as well as actually accomplishing something good while doing it.

I really can't imagine not driving a hybrid anymore as it would just be flat out boring for me, and I love getting better gas mileage than everyone else even when I'm driving like a madman across country.

Unless the 2010 does a GM trick and ends up being the same car with a different body and interior styling.... Its gonna be very hard to resist if the technology is truly better "especially plugin/Lithium/Higher rpm etc!".

Imagine if it has even more power when you really want it, yet even more efficient when you don't need that power!... We may get the better of both worlds!

I got a suspicion it could be very nice since the competition is starting to nip at Toyotas heels.

Something you may not have thought about too..... if gas prices can stay low till then... we may be able to buy these at a good price as demand will drop. It would be nice not having a 6 month waiting list and some decent prices!

 

The 2010 model was my original plan to purchase a Prius. With today's economy + my house purchase this year (mortgage) + my nine year old Saturn is still running, I plan to delay for at least another year. We have some home improvement work scheduled for the spring, too.

I try to reason with myself that by waiting, I can also avoid possible first-year issues, although it pains a techno geek like me to wait.

 

I like the sportier looks of the sneak preview version of the 2010 that I saw, but I'd consider trading my 2006 w/HOV stickers in for a 2010 only if it's a plug-in with at least a 40 mile (but preferably greater) range. Otherwise, it makes more sense to just pay $8-10k to install the Hymotion or Plug-in Supply PHEV system.

 

well said it a million times, my next car, barring a major major MAJOR EVENT!!, WILL have a plug. be a plug in hybrid or 100% EV, it will plug in. it will get me at least 8 miles (preferably 50 miles on a charge) on charge.

 

A major event, Dave? :huh:

 

As a matter of fact: if you check Consumer Reports, a Prius has more rear legroom than any Cadilac tested

 

major event like unforeseen accident for example. there is not an EV that fills our longer distance and passenger needs. the Pri fills that need right now, but if wrecked, we would be forced to replace it immediately

 

I would expect a plug-in Prius to have a notable jump in price, maybe starting near $30k. The word I hear associated with Li-Ion batteries is ... Expensive.

 

You would think the price would jump... but not really.... the price of batteries have dropped big time for a given type of technology.

Unless they make some very big strides in gas mileage, the only incentive for buying new is if its plugin.

 

i actually dont think the price jump wont be significant until we can get better than say 20-30 miles of EV range. batteries are getting better and cheaper. also with more options, i think the price will be controlled less by patent rights

 

I drove my Mitsubishi Mighty Max for 20 years; Do you think I'll trade in my 2008 Prius for the 2010 model?