Thoughts on $32K base price?

^^ So will $24k, which is the amount you were thinking about spending just a few months ago for a Prius package 2.

If you are in frugal mode, figure out how much money you have wasted in your car choices over the past 10 years, compared to buying a used Toyota Corolla for $5k. Or take a walk in your 'hood and ask every truck owner how they justified their purchase LOL

 

Great point... a new vehicle is NEVER a good financial choice when your current (paid off) vehicle is still rolling...

I guess it all comes down to how much you are willing to spend to justify the purchase...

Guess I was just hoping that the price would have been a bit lower to "help me" justify it..

 

^^ Never say never ...
But yeah, in general I agree with your sentiment.

The PHV is really priced quite reasonably if you want the packaged stuff in addition to the plug-in, and it is a bargain at MSRP if you live in a place where you keen for HOV access.

 

Not a problem for me especially when you consider the lower emissions. Our '10 is a great car but it was just a temporary 'stand-in' so that we could stop driving our diesel wagon with 330,000 miles on it, while we waited for the plug-in technology to arrive. This is really what I've wanted since the concept was first announced but just couldn't wait quite this long using our older cars.

 

You are still wasting more gas money with your Pathfinder. If you truly want to save, you'll get a used Prius.

 

Here's my thoughts.

32K for a Hatchback is a lot of money to spend. BUT...

I don't expect new car prices to go down, and especially not hybrid or PHEV prices. I enjoy my Honda Fit, but regret that I didn't purchase a Prius about a year and 1/2 ago. At that time supply was abundant and Toyota was suffering from negative publicity, new cars are NEVER good investments, but I could of purchased a Prius at that time that I think would be worth more today. Rare happening in the automotive world.

It's all up to the individual, but I'd suspect that in 5 years, 32K for a vehicle with the technology and capabilities of The Prius plug in will be considered a cheap buy in. As gas prices rise, I just don't see "Prius" getting cheaper.

I could be wrong. Perhaps growing competition from other automakers will create an enviroment that lowers prices.

But at this point, Prius is still the leader in mass marketed hybrids and all other manufacturers seem far behind.

Bottom line? Do you want the vehicle? How much do you want the vehicle? Whether you are buying a Corolla, Prius, Plug in Prius, Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, or Dodge Ram 4 wheel drive Pick-Up...most of us are paying a premium for what we "believe" we want.

If ego, desire, and image projection weren't part of most peoples automotive purchasing decisions then we'd all be driving used vehicles for 10 years or more. Though some people do fit this profile...most of us do not.

32k isn't cheap. I wish the buy in was cheaper. But given tax incentives and I think the long term benefit of Hybrid technology coupled with the Plug In benefit...I think purchase and maintaining a Plug In Prius for a 8-10 year period would be a relatively economical choice, especially in comparison to say the much more common and often similarly priced SUV purchase.

However, if you don't want or feel you "need" the Plug In Prius, then simply standing pat is a perfectly valid position.

I'm waiting for The Prius c...and quite mystified by what the potential product is going to turn out to be....

 

Why do you keep comparing the Prius PHV to the Prius II? They do not share comparable features! It is more like a Prius IV.

 

I'm glad I got my LEAF when I did before they raised the price for 2012 and CA reduced the rebate. The LEAF cost me $25k after tax credits and rebates.

If I bought today it'd cost me $6-7k more, or about $32k.

So to compare with the Prius PHEV, similarly equipped would be about $32k + tax - $1500 CA CVRP rebate - $2500 fed tax credit ~$32k. Or basically the same price as a similarly equipped Prius without a plug.

I'm tempted to sell my Prius for a PHEV - could probably get enough to pay for half the PHEV.

If I was in the market for new car I'd nearly certainly get it. As it is, I'm probably going to wait as I've been really wanting for something more like the Prius v with a plug...

PS - Note that the Prius PHEV qualifies for a $1500 rebate in CA, not $3000 - the rebate amounts were cut in half when additional funding was approved for the program.

 

What, you think my 15 year old Subaru doesn't project an image ? It suits my ego and desires just fine when I go to Lowes, or drive on days with poor road conditions.

As for what other people think of our cars -- well, I really have no idea.

 

In my last 52,500 driven miles, 1/4 of them has been rolled in electric mode thanks to my PHEV conversion.
Come to think about it, I just justified the 2012 Plug-in Prius cost of $32k.

 

"]http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2011/09/toyota-prices-prius-plug-in-at-unexpected-32760/[/URL]

This article sums it up for me. I think Toyota really messed up with a $32,760 starting price. It appears to me like they stated , they would only be slightly higher than a G3 Prius and not a "high premium" for the first model plug in.

From a company standpoint, it appears that they wanted to beat the volt in terms of value/price and that is all. While only selling, in the first early years, at the premium "rollout" pricing. Only going after the initial have to HAVE IT , EARLY Adopters......makes me wonder if they feel like supply is going to be an issue. Because an aggressive pricing structure (small premium over Base G3 Prius) would have made this a smashing hit for them. I will bet my money that they foresee only a limited supply for the near future and have decided to harvest only those willing to pay a premium to have it.

 

That is exactly what I was thinking!

 

The price is almost exactly where I felt it should be. In CA, the price after tax credits will be near the price of a Prius IV. It will sell well in CA. Other states also have tax credits that bring it down near that price.

 

They are only making 15,000 the first year. This is their first vehicle to use Lithium batteries, they are not totally comfortable with Lithium, yet. They probably want a slow, somewhat controlled introduction, to see how they do in the field. This is a redesign, using different batteries than the test mules.

once way to avoid being bombarded by orders is to price it so the early adopters, will buy it (at any price, really), but keep price sensitive buyers away - for now. this is a perfectly acceptable way to introduce a new technology for them.

of course, with the announced pricing, a Leaf does not have much of a price difference, and if you can live with its range, the TRUE early adopters will go for a full EV, at a similar after federal tax credit (PiP will have a $2500 credit, while the Leaf has a $7500 credit). The real issue for many, if they are single car households is, can you live with just a 75 mile range EV, or would the PiP be a better choice, as your around town/low speed driving will use no fuel, yet you will not have any range issues for longer trips.

 

I think there has been a $10k shift in green entry-level car purchases. Volt started it. Green practicality vs price has now tilted the decision to purchase the PHEV for me to no/go. I am back to considering a 2011 package IV solar nav leather. I'm also disappointed my state does not offer any tax credits and no PHEVs will be available at NC dealers until 2013. I like cutting edge, but I can't afford bleeding edge. I've owned a 2001, two 2004s, a 2005 and a 2010 and have only sold one at a loss. I expect the Prius PHEV resale to drop significantly once other choices offer more than a 15mi EV range.

-Bill

 

The target audience for these higher end vehicles is people in the higher income brackets, trust me, $7500 in federal tax liability is not an issue for most of them. In the $80-$120K income targets, there is plenty of Federal tax being paid, to qualify for the $7,500 Federal Tax credit.

 

If you're not making near $100K, you really have no business looking at expensive cars, unless you have a large cash savings, and plan to pay for it, not finance. Sorry to say, this is a case where being well off is an advantage, and almost required. There are a lot of people making over $100K, who are single, or "dinks" (Dual income no kids), they can well afford these cars, and will qualify for the tax credits. I'm sorry if that is not all inclusive, but that's life, really.