Poll: Are you buying a Plug-in Prius?

Why does there have to be a "savings?". Gasoline is only going in 1 direction, when the global economy recovers (if it ever does), and thats up and onward, as oil becomes increasingly scarce and more expensive.

There are environmental benefits to the PiP as well, such as your ability to "make your own electricity", if you own a PV or Wind system, you can't "make your own gasoline"

There is also "energy security", if gasoline is rationed again, or becomes scarce, you will at least have some ability to do some local shopping on electricity. Again, this is not a purely monetary benefit, and I don't think everything has to be.

For those of who who are only trying to justify the PiP on money saved, please stop that comparision, as it will NEVER be cheaper, than using what you already own, so its a meaningless argument, and one I am sick of seeing.

 

Just an interesting comment, while the poll has the majority of people on the list as registered and buying, the majority of people who commentedare saying they aren't buying.

My biggest problem is that I don't really like any of the colors. I was really hoping for the gold color on the current GEN III but that's not being offered. I will probably have to settle for White as a color I can live with.

I was also a bit dissapointed with the price, $40K for the top of the line model makes it more expensive than the Volt after the Fed tax credit.

I noted only one person on the poll that said they were not on the list but buying. Personally I think it's a bit tacky of Toyota to have people sign up for early order status then allocated additional cars to their dealers so people can get cars while those with priority ordering have to wait. I was told that if you want to get a car reasonably early you need to jump on the ordering system within the first few hours of it opening. Given the issues I've had with priority ordering I don't see that happening with me but I plan on changing out my 2005 next year so if I can't get a Prius soon enough I will have to go with something else.

 

I've had two Prii since we had carpool lane access on August 11 2005. In my case, with my commute over the past six years in the same direction up the same freeways, the car bought me time. Less time on jammed, slow moving freeways and more time at home. Or, less hassle getting somewhere when everyone else was parked on an LA or OC freeway. From the purchase of my first 2005 in August 05, to the subsequent purchase of my 2007 after giving my 05 to my mom, I've had my money's worth ....just in less traffic time. I put 36k on my 05 in the 2 years before my mom got it and have 155k on my 07 right now.

The 07 back then in late 2006 cost me over 30k out the door with the warranty and while I could have spent half that much on a Corolla or Yaris, and probably gotten similar fuel economy, I chose my cars for the carpool stickers. I've grown addicted to the gas mileage and very much appreciate the durability of these cars under the hard commute conditions I go thru.

If you make it only about the money, there are betters buys of course. I chose to make about the one thing you can't buy: time. It felt like the only way to do that. Still does.

The hov stickers being good till 2016 are a blessing to me. The new green stickers are what makes this deal for me.

 

I answered "I'm on the list, I'm planning on buying."

I'm disappointed by the color options, and the huge price differential between the base and the advanced model. Which in turn, makes the buying decision a bit difficult.

However, my current Prius has over 150K miles on it, is nearly 7 years old, and is no longer eligible for carpool lane usage, so being able to get a new car & have access to the HOV lane again is very compelling. I could probably be very happy with the base model if I could get the HomeLink auto-dimming mirror swapped in for the regular mirror. While the other features in the advanced model are nice, and appeal to the geek in me, I'm not sure I can really justify the $7.5K increase for them.

Ah, the price we pay to be early adopters...

 

Living in an area regularly socked in with fog, I have a slightly different issue with the color choices. They are all the color of FOG.

All of them seem to have been carefully selected to minimize the visability of the car in foggy weather. No bright colors at all. No reds, bright blues or greens. Even the Winter Grey will just be a slightly darker blob against a foggy background.

While I'm not a fan of dark cars with dark interiors, I'm going to have to go with the Winter Grey just because all of the others will essentially be invisible where I live.

 

If I have a choice, and get to pick, I will either choose gray or blue this time. I can't handle the green with dark gray interior.

HOWEVER, being that I really want the HOV stickers again due to my commute... I gotta say, I truly won't give a fat rats a$$ what color it is once I am back into the diamond lanes... that's my reality!

 

Or you could get a really nice looking Blue Leaf

 

Doesn't Blizzard Pearl show up in the fog?? Here in Morro Bay, or Morbid Bay as some call it, we see our Gen III just fine...

 

I'll drive a Nissan when they are putting on parkas in hell. I could have bought a leaf and been in the Hov lanes already but that car is a waste of money for my needs. Anything I can't jump in and go anywhere in without stopping every 100 miles to plug in is worthless to me. Not a fan of its looks either ..... Sorry buddy!!!!

 

The IRS just decided for me that I should not get any plugin car.

Form 8936 Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit

Line 14
If you cannot use part of the personal portion of the
credit because of the tax liability limit, the unused
credit is lost. The unused personal portion of the credit
cannot be carried back or forward to other tax years.

For me this would be most if not all the credit. An extra $2500 is just to much when a Mainstream 2012 Gen III v or V will be available at near invoice in the near future.

Bummer and just when I talked my self into it.

 

I plan on buying one if I can get one here in Los Angeles… Anyone want to purchase a used 2008 Prius?? I will sell it at whatever Bluebook is less 1K plus a full tank of gas… LoL

 

I've got to sell my 2007 with 155K on it. On one hand, it's got lots of freeway miles. And, a new transmission at 120k, a new ECU at about 113k, and a new catalytic converter right around then too. HIDs were replaced at about 90K. They were replaced separately... one went at 88K, the other at 93K. Yes, when it rained, it poured! OK - new wipers too! LOL ... and she is about to get new tires.

It's a package 6 - so it's got NAV & leather and I updated the NAV disc about 6 months ago to the 2011 version ... well, whatever was the latest and greatest for my NAV is what I updated to.

It's silverpine mica (light green) with tan leather. Was rear-ended in Aug 2009 and repaired beautifully. Damage was to the bumper, mostly. A little to the left quarter panel. Still has the very collectible and antique YELLOW Carpool HOV stickers stuck right on it!

Maintained well. I had to rely on it to get me to work ... and travel!
On one hand, it will make a wonderful car for someone who's in need of a great deal on a Prius that's not too old and needs a hatchback version. On the other hand, a small part of me doens't want to sel it to anyone I know because the miles are so high now, I don't want anyone to feel upset with me IF something goes wrong, because there's nothing wrong right now. But, as they say, s* happens!

In CA, wholesale book is $14,150 but it takes a $5950 HIT for the mileage, so wholesale book is $8,200. hey, I got my money's worth :: shrug :: but I need to get a PHEV now...

 

I got tired of waiting and decided to buy a 2012 Prius V… We just picked it up yesterday and I like the extra power and room over the standard Prius..

 

Dianne,
Why your 07' Prius had so many problem? It makes me nervous for my 04' which has 149K now...

 

Unfortunately, as of today, those green stickers are only valid till January 1, 2015. So if you purchase your PIP in Spring 2012, by the time your application is processed you will have maybe 2.5 years of HOV access. Better than nothing, yes, but certainly not long term, unless the program is extended (which I'm not betting on this time around). The green stickers are limited to the first 40,000 applications in CA. Luckily they are in a separate bin from the Leaf which gets a white sticker (also good to Jan 1 2015).

 

Is there anyone that wants to sell their spot on the waiting list? I'm not sure if orders had to be put in by now or not. If anyone has decided not to get one but had a waiting list spot please let me know.

 

Looking at the Ford Fusion PHV atm

 

you can place an order now and receive in about two months according to a poster who did it. also, there is a dealer in l.a. who has three in stock.

 

rider,
I have a PIP that should be arriving in San Diego in late March (according to my dealer).It is the base model in Clearwater Blue. I didn't add any accessories. The only thing I was planning on adding was the floor mats and maybe the Homelink mirror as a "port" installed option.
I am going to PM you.

 

I'm on the list for an advanced package plug in, and still on the fence . . .