Talk me out of buying a Prius....

I love my Prius, but I will speak a bit about the "other side"

Techies, please correct my errors as I'm sure I'm about to make some.

Reasons NOT to buy.

1) The batteries will EVENTUALLY degrade. This does not mean you have to replace them though. There is much press about the belief that the Prius battery will degrade, but none go into what would happen if your battery did start to degrade, and generate a memory. From what I've gathered, your Prius will begin to loose FE, but should drive just like an under powered Echo/Scion xB/Yarvis. The Prius carries the same gas engine as these but without the Otto timing (Prius uses Atkinson timing and possibly CAM). So as long as you have some function of battery capabilities you should be able to start and drive your car. Now the eventually is the number that gets thrown around, but you should be safe for, I'd guess (total guess actually), 10 years without any worry. 20 years from now you will probably have some wear, and 30 years from now you may be in an early pre-failure. 40 years from now the engine may be close to failure, so you might consider a replacement at that time. Any thoughts on how long you might keep it? I wouldn't mind driving a Yarvis, so if my Prius goes Yarvis-like in the next 50 years, I got no problem with that, Plus my scheduled retirement date of mine is Jan 2017.

2) The tax credit is a bit of black magic. There are two terms to watch for. The first is eligible, the next is qualify. You may be eligable for a $1.5k tax credit but only qualify for $700. This is because of AMT. If you bought turbo tax and have filed, I'd open up your tax file and pretend you bought a Prius in Dec 2006. Then based on your income and dependents you should figure out what percentage of eligible you qualify for.

3) Rattles. All cars rattle, none are quiet enough for you to hear them. When I first got my Prius I was plagued with rattles, but I've either gotten used to them or they've broken in. I could only hear them when the engine cut off and the windows were up (the car is the quietest), so I figure all cars rattle, but this was the first car quiet enough for me to hear them.

4) Possible resentment issues? I haven't had any problems, but on other forums people like to throw around that South Park episode about SMUG. Most of these guys are just as vehement towards drivers of other Japanese cars, so I don't think this is really isolated to the Prius, just focused upon it. In actuality most people are more hostile to me when I drive my Odyssey than when I drive my Prius (guess no one wants to drive behind a minivan). Most of this could be countered if you Pimped your Prius (actually love to see that).

5) Guages. If your guage crazy, you will have to get a scanguageII ($150). The prius does not have oil pressure, temp, or RPM guages. Just fuel and speed. I'm a guage nut (so I got a SGII) but since most of it is idiot-light driven, I guess it doesn't really matter. I think toyota did the right thing removing them because the interface is much cleaner, but it may be a surprise if your not used to it.

6) Breakin. You may be frustrated on your first tank with your MPG. The breakin hits at around 3000 mi. I've seen about a 30-40% increase in FE after breakin (but I'm an efficiency phreak)

OK.. flame away

(Actually most on PC are fairly nice )

11011011

 

Does GM and Ford make cars in the US that can be exported?? Or are the cars they make here so bad in fuel economy that they can't be sold overseas. Perhaps, GM and Ford should address that aspect to help our trade deficit??

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dan. @ Mar 29 2007, 12:39 PM) [snapback]414256[/snapback]</div>

I haven't heard any rattles in my Prius -- maybe it is just on specific vehicles; or maybe my hearing is damaged from driving a GM minivan for the last 6 years.

One reason not to get a Prius - I still worry that my engine has died when it shuts off at intersections. The split second of worry isn't good for the heart. I am sure that I will get more used to it though!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prickly commute @ Mar 29 2007, 12:54 PM) [snapback]414273[/snapback]</div>

I wish I could answer your question on the backup camera (05's didn't come with that great feature). You can open the door by lightly touching the door handle (as long as your key is within a 3 foot range) and lock it by pressing the black button. Just after 2 days of having my Prius I was pissed that my house didn't have a Smart Key system

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prickly commute @ Mar 29 2007, 01:54 PM) [snapback]414273[/snapback]</div>

I'm sure someone will chime in with a picture relatively soon, but until then: the backup camera is directly above the license plate on the left (driver's) side.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mywhitenoise @ Mar 29 2007, 01:06 PM) [snapback]414283[/snapback]</div>

I will admit that it has taken me nearly two months to learn the smart key system. The backup camera is in my opinion a must have - I don't know how I can drive in the city without it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Mar 29 2007, 10:25 AM) [snapback]414196[/snapback]</div>

Translation: Support the poor, downtrodden GM executives.

 

Ahh a Texan.... I didn't pick that up at first. For the seat comfort issue, look at the "Port Leather" (NOT factory Leather). It's leather that is put on in the Port of Houston before it gets distributed across the South West. They put something in called Liquicell and it makes a HUGE difference in comfort. The option code is "L2" and it's put on by Gulf State Toyota. Available in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Check out my profile for the marketing name and code.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prickly commute @ Mar 29 2007, 08:18 AM) [snapback]414114[/snapback]</div>

My geek and economist had the same duel. The geek won with the following argument (economist didn't know about the AMT sinkhole yet).

- Take the total price of the car 'P' and deduct incentives 'I' and tax credits 'C'
{P - I - C}
- Lookup the Kelly Blue Book trade-in value for a like equipped Prius with 1 mile on it, call it 'K'
- Now compare the numbers. You'll be amazed that you can buy a Prius below it's trade in value. A testiment to how low the depreciation is.

For me IF I get the full tax credit, my car had a trade in value $150 above what I paid.

K > (P - I - C)

or

150 = K - (P - I - C).

So I effectively made $150 just by buying the Prius. Go figure!

11011011

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Betelgeuse @ Mar 29 2007, 01:20 PM) [snapback]414300[/snapback]</div>

Here's a picture from Darell's website. The backup camera is the black box to the left of the license plate frame.

 

How did this thread get hijacked into a Buy Amurican campaign? Just get the car, you won't be sorry. Its a global economy, get over it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prickly commute @ Mar 29 2007, 08:48 AM) [snapback]414097[/snapback]</div>

At the figures you cited, with $3/gallon gas, the Prius will pay you about $1100 a year in gas savings relative to the Tacoma. Depending on your timeframe for owning it, that can amount to a fair bit of cash. Not to mention a fair bet less imported oil and C02. And less time wasted getting gas.

Even on a year-by-year basis, in a world with low returns on your money, it's as if the Prius will pay you a tax-free-T-bill-like rate of return with those gas savings. I mean, ignoring depreciation and such, you put your 22K into a Prius, you get back $1100 a year in gas savings. That's 5% rate of return from the gas savings, tax-free.

But of course you take a beating on the first couple of year's depreciation. ON that subject, right now, it looks to me like a Prius depreciates about like any other Toyota. A few years back, that wasn't true -- depreciation was much slower. But if the price of gas spikes again, or we get spot shortages (as we had in rural VA after Katrina), you may find them in demand again.

Finally, low ground clearance on the Prius is an issue for some. Snow/mud/rough surface travel is an issue for some. The heat/ac controls are a pain for people like me who want to control them manually (but many here just set-it-and-forget-it). And if you blow the tires up really hard, for best gas mileage, the ride is a bit harsh.

But is still by far the best car I've ever owned. I think it ranked #1 in this year's consumer reports car review issue for buyer satisfaction, and at the top for reliability. So we Prius owners are either smug and clueless, or it's a pretty good car, or possibly both.

 

:lol: FUNNY :lol: ... I didn't name a 'troll' but got a response from someone who apparently couldn't have actual Prius experience since his/her profile does not indicate Prius ownership. Good for a chuckle. :lol: :lol: and I needed a laugh today. THANKS

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(subarutoo @ Mar 29 2007, 03:27 PM) [snapback]414415[/snapback]</div>

Too bad with certain countries the trade only seems to go one way over a span of years and years and in some cases decades. Just coincidence I guess because you said it is a global economy.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Mar 29 2007, 04:08 PM) [snapback]414456[/snapback]</div>

you mean like a country only importing oil and never exporting it ...


back to the original post: You asked for someone to talk you out of buying one. I take the "buy american" response is the only compliant response to that original question. Weigh it against the one others made for buying one and then *you* decide over a nice cup of hot chocolate

What colour are you thinking about getting?

 

Top 10 Resons You Shouldn't Buy A Toyota Prius:

10. It's got gas and batteries, a dangerous mix in an accident!
09. What did Ralph Nadar say about the Prius?
08. The Prius is a womans car
07. Toyota was just kidding when they called the car "Prius" but it stuck and here we are
06. Donald Trump is thinking of buying one
05. When the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, heard about the Prius, he reportedly said he wanted to wipe Toyota off the map!
04. I just love to say "Prius" when I'm all alone...
03. Help Help! My car is making me thirsty!
02. What did New York do with King Kong?
01. One Word: Biodiesel

;-)

Dave

 

I definetely recommend that you use www.edmunds.com You can enter the configuration you want, see what it contains, see the dealer price vs the retail price. In the end Edmunds will give you the average price people have paid. You can compare that to your offer.

You can even have dealers contact you and see if they can beat the Edmunds listed prices. Worked for me like a charm. I recommend taking the printout with you and when the dealer says the lowest he can offer is $xxxxx.00 , you can say, well that is too bad I see that this cost you x and this y so the fair price would be $yyyyy.00

Edmunds gives you a bunch of tips (worth reading) on buying a new car and negotiating the options. Remember you can always walk of the lot (they won't let you without making a counter offer) to find a dealer who *can* give you the price you are willing to pay.

 

I too, love this car. As to the question of whether or not you should buy one, I would typically say that you should consider holding on to your car as long as feasible as it's better for the environment and it's typically better for a person's finances depending on rate of repair, etc. The part of your equation that got my attention is that your wife can't even drive the car that you currently own. So, unless you have another vehicle designated for her, this could be a huge quality of life issue for her swaying my opinion to "Welcome to the Club!".

 

Honda's battery management allows 20% - 80% SOC range, which Toyota
decided was a little too low so they keep it within 40% - 80%. The
Insight as something of a rushed-to-market research prototype is on
the early side for well-debugged battery management systems, and the
"recalibration" events have *always* plagued those cars. The Prius
has an equivalent but you're unlikely to see more than one or two a
year in normal operation, if you even manage to notice.
.
Also note that the popularly bandied-about street price for Prius
battery packs has come from $5000 down to $3000 in under a year,
and is probably even less in real life. The 3rd-gen terminal
attachments aren't prone to the corrosion problems that affected
some of the Classics, which was often misinterpreted as "the battery
dying" even if the cell chemistry was still fine.
.
This is simply not a concern any more.
.
Oh, and to set someone else straight -- a weak battery pack is NOT
likely to affect MPG. It's a storage system for a little of the
energy that comes from gasoline, and it's all about how well you
use it [or don't] that makes the difference over the road. You can
just store a little less energy at a time -- no biggie if you're
driving the right way in the first place.
.
_H*