That's great information guys thank you. Anyone have input about the financial ramifications of this decision? On one side we have keeping the 176K mile v wagon with recently redone suspension and 4 new tires. I honestly don't know much longer it could last, I see people with 250K on the v wagon, but I have also seen people discuss the fact that the 2012 models burns up oil and doesn't do a good job holding up over the long run. I'm not too much of a DIYer, but I have been pretty good about changing oil every 8,000 miles with synthetic. My worst fear is having a repair happen within the next calendar year and it costing anything more than $1K to repair. On the other side we have investing in the Prime which we could probably walk out of the dealer with around a $15K balance on a car loan. I'm thinking since we will be the original owners of the car we will have a much clearer understanding of how well it is holding up over the course of ownership.
Even the worst case scenario, strictly from financial stand point, repairing your V is always going to be less expensive than buying a new car. $15K car payment on PRIME is far more than whatever you may have to pay to fix old V, I would imagine. Of course, there are other reasons you want a new car. I understand. I bought my PRIME when my Gen3 was less than 3 years old. Financially, it made no sense, but I am loving my PRIME. No regret.
Toyota Hybrids do well when driven regularly as you do. It keeps the hybrid battery healthy. You could use the Dr. Prius app combined with an OBDII bluetooth dongle to do an estimate of hybrid battery life. I bet yours is in good shape. Sure, there is a risk of problems with the gas engine such as blowing a head gasket but I'd say keep it. It is serving you well. Depreciation from here is very little per year.
Also check your area for EV incentives and rebates. This might swing your decision to get the Prime Based on your location on your profile... Electric Vehicle Charger and Installation Rebates-New! | Lodi, CA Drive Clean in the San Joaquin | Rebate
Is over 20k miles a year still being put on the car? If so, I'd actually look into getting a BEV for commuting, and keeping the Prius v for trips. There is probably a good selection of preowned BEVs in your area. Split the miles between two cars, and they will both last longer. Checking the oil level and topping it off isn't hard, and is something that should be done regularly on all cars. The exact financials need to be researched, but the increase in insurance and registration will be somewhat balanced by lower maintenance and fuel costs. If two cars isn't something that works, and you've settled on a Prime, I'd wait until next year. Get some use out of the new tires until the newness of the 2020 wears off. Then better prices might be found.
I didn't know about either of these savings from Local government! Thank you very much Utsug for helping us even find more savings with switching over to EV!!! Thank you royrose for the suggestion. I have a regular OBDII scanner that's not bluetooth, but it might be something to look into if there are companion apps that relate well with hybrid vehicles. Salamander_King and Trollbait make very good arguments about the purchase.and I'm inclined to keeping the v wagon. It never makes sense to purchase a new car while your current one is functioning well even with all the miles and the car being worth $7500 right? I mean the largest repair bill we could possibly see is probably $2000 at most right?
I'd say it's the largest that's likely all at once. It's possible to get hit with a traction battery, brake accumulator, and an air conditioner in quick succession. Perhaps not statistically likely, but definitely possible. That would hurt, but it's low risk.
OP, Maybe I missed it, but have you gone on a solid 30 to 60 minute long test drive in a Prime that has a full charge on the battery ? If you haven't, you should. Rob43 PS, I also own a 2013 Prius v, I always choose driving the Prime over the Prius v by 2:1.
All REALLY good points everyone. So my wife and I have decided on us getting the Prime if we are able to private sale the v wagon by Christmas. I already have offers on the v wagon, but just waiting to meet up with the potential buyers around a busy schedule. When we do sell the Prius, we'll be making our way to the dealer to purchase our Prime. I have got a couple of out-the-door prices for the 2020 Prime and it looks like the best one is $28,000 flat out-the-door which is pretty good between the 5 dealers I have communicated with. Thanks for all the assistance and what a great forum to discuss and collaborate on this decision!
Cool! Is that price for an LE, XLE, or Limited? I don't remember if you mentioned earlier which one you wanted, but it's nice anyway to have that info here on page two.
Just FYI, assuming the trim level options are the same in 2020, LE which use to be the base model PLUS has 1 door SKS (not 3 door SKS) and no power seats (thus no lumbar support). As much as I hate the large screen and Softex on my Premium (now XLE) trim, I am glad I have those two features on my car which were not present in my previous Gen3 Two.
$28k OTD for an LE isn't a deal. I messaged you for some encouragement - Prius Prime - official prices paid thread | Page 159 | PriusChat
