Forbes top ten residual - Prius not on the list

[sorka]

Forbes did an article a few weeks ago on the top 10 cars with the best residual values. The prius was on the list.

But now they have a new list for the best residual values and the prius, which has a resale value of over 100% after 3 years previously only matched by collectible cars, is not on the list. The top of the list in this article is the Mini with a residual of 62%. I think we can all agree that the Prius has over 100% after 3 years.

Top 10 Vehicles with the Highest Resale Value

[Godiva]

The article lists these:

• Audi S5
• BMW 1 Series
• Dodge Viper SRT10
• Honda Civic Hybrid
• Infiniti G37
• Jeep Wrangler
• Mini Cooper
• Scion xB
• Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible
• Volkswagen R32
• Scion xB

Style was listed as one of the criteria. Maybe they think the Prius isn't stylish and so it was disqualified.

[PriusSport]

Always thought that guy Forbes was a jerk. Running for President on "simplifying" income taxes. Trying to save himself a few hundred million.

Prius is the top car in the market on resale value. Mine is currently worth 20% more retail than what I paid for it. No other car can match it, Mr Forbes.

[sorka]

Originally Posted by Godiva

The article lists these:

• Audi S5
• BMW 1 Series
• Dodge Viper SRT10
• Honda Civic Hybrid
• Infiniti G37
• Jeep Wrangler
• Mini Cooper
• Scion xB
• Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible
• Volkswagen R32
• Scion xB

Style was listed as one of the criteria. Maybe they think the Prius isn't stylish and so it was disqualified.

They may list all the criteria they want, but the vehicles with the best resale aren't a matter of opinion, their a matter of fact. No mass produced consumer oriented vehicle has ever had a resale value higher than it's purchase price 3 years later....not until the Prius that is.

[Rybold]

The Prius is the first new car to considered an "investment."
Consider a traditional car lease where you pay to use the car for 36 months, then give it back to the dealer. Now consider that if you bought a Prius in 2005, you could have driven it for 36 months, then sold it for MORE than you paid for it!!! I'd like to see you try that with any of the cars on that list. Good luck!

[Prius_Gnome]

That's weird. When I click on the article, it gives me a different list (Forbes actually ranked it by "Residual value after 3 years"):

10. Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible (55.8%)
10. Audi S5 (55.8%)
9. Nissan Rogue with all-wheel drive (56.4%)
8. Honda Civic Hybrid (56.8%)
7. Scion xB (57.8%)
6. Honda CR-V with all-wheel drive (57.9%)
5. Volkswagen R32 (58.8%)
4. Jeep Wrangler with four-wheel drive (59.0%)
3. BMW 1 Series (59.6%)
2. Infiniti G37 (60.0%)
1. Mini Cooper (62.7%)

OK, first off, I could have sworn the Nissan Rogue was a new model. I remember a coworker talking about it when she wanted to buy a new car and I remember seeing their commercials touting "the all new Nissan Rogue." So I looked it up. The Nissan Rogue was "released September 2007 for the 2008 model year... [It] made its debut at the North American Internation Auto Show in Detroit in January 7, 2007." source: (Nissan Rogue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
There's no conceivable way Forbes got an accurate 3-year residual value for the Nissan Rogue which is in its debut year.

Where do they get these writers...

[apcpa2000]

I agree, They are using residual values that banks are assigning for leases. These have no bearing on reality. Both the Rogue and the Audi S5 are new models for 2008.

Lots of companies are getting stung by leases right now because they overinflated the residual values at the front end. I have a 2004 volvo which sticked for $42,000 and they gave is a $25,000 residual after 4 years!! That almost 60%. I took the car to car max a year ago (3 years into the lease) and it was only worth $21,000 at that time. With everything going on with SUV's now, I would be surprised that when the lease is up in 4 months if the thing is even worth $15,0000.

But I guess that's the beauty of a lease I can walk away without that lose.

And roll into my second prius in the family, a black with bisque package 6 on order...

[pewd]

most stuff written by the press is faulty when it comes to numbers.
check most articles in a newspaper - you can find illogical math in a few minutes usually.

[zenMachine]

A friend at work just traded down his 06 with only 17K for a less expensive car which is saving him about 60% on monthly payments (but only getting 25/33mpg EPA).

While not criticizing his financial calculations (since everyone has different priorities), I was shocked when he said he thought he had a pretty good deal when the dealer offered him $2,500 less than what he paid for the Prius.

I'm pretty sure a used Prius with only 17K miles can command a pretty high premium these days. I showed him one on Carmax with 22K that was asking for $28K. He wanted to cry...

[robbyr2]

Maybe the computers can't deal with a residual value above 100%!

I'm betting the Civic Hybrid is doing better than that nowadays (love my Prius!).