Should I replace my Accord with a Prius

[glenk]

I've owned four Accords since 1977 with a combined mileage of > 500K and still have two. Do you know how hard it is for me to break with Honda and buy a Prius? However, the Prius is a very special car with nothing close to it in terms of environment and technology. It is about to make a die-hard Honda fan switch sides.

My opinion is that after the 98 model, Accords are getting too big. I do prefer the smaller, nimbler car like my 87 Accordl so in 2000, I bought a Civic instead. I was looking forward to the 2006 HCH but I still believe the Prius is the better package and design.

[dvdirv]

In June I traded in my '05 Accord EX for an '05 Prius which was 8 months old and had 10,000 miles on it.

I would have bought a Prius in the first place, but allocation was so tight in October that the dealers were telling me a 6-8 month wait.

I received close to $19,000 trade-in and traded up to the Prius for just under $5000 which was almost like getting a discount on the Prius. Those Accords really keep their value.

[Technogeek]

Hi cdavid,

You could try renting a Prius for a couple of days from a Toyota dealer. Not all dealers rent them so just call around first. When you get the Prius rental, drive your normal commute and compare the fuel economy. Be sure to get a recent measurement from your Accord because all vehicles experience poorer fuel efficiency in the winter. Don't compare the winter MPG of a Prius to the summer MPG of your Accord. The comparison should be made at the same time of year.

One of the Toyota dealers in my area rented a 2005 Prius to me for 2 days at $30/day. It was really great because I could take a closer look at the car and experience my commute to work, the grocery store, local restaurants, etc. I was able to drive the car at night to experience the HID headlights, as well as during the day, on interstates, on neighborhood roads, etc. I played around with the utility of the vehicle (folding rear seats, hatchback, etc). Be sure to try all of the buttons on the steering wheel - you will love their convenient placement there. The keyeless entry will spoil you. Good luck with your evaluation and decision.

[cdavid]

Thanks for everyone's comments. I'll report on my decision soon. Please feel free to add any further thoughts.

[geologyrox]

Originally posted by cdavid@Dec 21 2005, 09:41 AM
Thanks for everyone's comments.  I'll report on my decision soon.  Please feel free to add any further thoughts.

[snapback]176760[/snapback]

I think the suggestion of trying one to see what kind of milage you get (especially this time of year) is a good one. It breaks my heart to see some of our northern friends be honestly disappointed with the choice. If you live in cold climes, it's especially important. Your commute sounds ideal, so I don't think you'd run into the 'I only get 30 mpg!' problems, but people in the far reaches just won't get the kind of numbers we in warm flat Florida can hope to get.

Aside from that, <surprise!> this girl posting on PriusChat thinks you should get a Prius =) The tax break (if you qualify) really makes the decision easier - I've got a perfectly functional 96 camry, and truth be told, it would likely only cost a few thousand in maintenance to drive her for a few more years, and thats certainly a better deal than getting a car loan =) If I sell this one, though, I can get a few grand for her, save a few grand in maintenance, and a few grand in taxes. I like thinking of it as a really inflated tradein value, as long as i can do it before the tax breaks end and before she breaks something *else* of value.

Edmunds says your car is worth about $18k (not counting leather), and the tax break is worth another $3k, so you are talking about the difference between $21k and the cost of a package 8 (I don't even consider leather, so I don't have a clue what it runs)

$600 a year savings is probably not enough to tip the numbers in 'your' favor, but it might be more fair to compare it to the pricing of a Non-nav model - and consider the fact that you are getting the top package for part toy value.

I hope you choose a prius now - but if you don't we'll happily welcome you back in a few years =)

[Spunky]

Husband Dan is a mechanical engineer, turns 49 next Spring. He traded in an '03 Passat - with all the bells and whistles- for an '04 Accord. Big Red doesn't have as many toys as his Fraulein did but he got as many as he could.

Dan loved the Fraulein's German engineering but balked at $100+ windshield wipers replacements and premium gas prices. He enjoyed switching to Big Red.

My '96 Civic still ran great but Dan was concerned - would Little Red die on a nasty unlit street in the middle of Baltimore on some cold and rainy night - hey, he's an engineer, not a poet. We went car shopping in August.

I wanted to look at Honda's Civic Hybrid and the Prius. Dan was sold on the Prius' little luxuries, size, in-dash computer. I was ready to settle on the cheaper HCH but only the Prius would do, far as Dan was concerned.

Dan spent that first Sunday in the garage, fiddling with Foxy's buttons and knobs. Then he started driving MY car to work every day. "Buy Honey," he'd say, "I have the longer commute so it makes sense for me to take Foxy." I was stuck driving Big Red around town, where I was constantly harrassed by teenagers wanting to drag race off the stops.

The story doesn't end well. Dan began complaining about Foxy. The seat was killing his back. Not enough pickup. He missed the sunroof. The NAV system wasn't just guiding him, it was TELLING him when to turn. Foxy had become the ultimate front seat driver. Her looks began to pale and she was nicknamed The Jellybean.

The weather turned. Dan started driving Big Red to work. "She's the older car, we should drive her into the ground."

It's below 20F this morning. Which car did Dan back out of the garage? The Accord. The "butt burner" switch is on high.

[Drifter]

The prius is a wonderful car, and my husband would much rather drive my prius than his 2001 accord (4 cyl). However your wife should have much more say in buying a new car than anyone on some website, even priuschat. Financially you are better off keeping the accord at least a couple more years. You can't really tell what milage you will get with the prius to calculate gas money 'saved' since it varies so much person to person (mostly based on commute conditions). But you pay a premium for any new car. Keep it a few more years and your average depreciation per year will go down significantly. If the money doesn't really matter (and your wife agrees with this) go ahead and you will probably love it. I just don't want you to turn into one of the posters that regrets buying a prius and sells it after a year, paying another premium for another new car.

[daniel]

The Accord is a bigger car with more power. If you need the size and power of the Accord, that's your easy choice. Personally, I prefer driving a smaller car, because that's what I'm used to and it's easier to drive and to park.

If you don't need the Accord's size and power, then it's a question of finances vs the techie features of the Prius, and that is a very personal decision. What's it worth to you to have the satisfaction of knowing you're consuming less gas and putting out fewer emissions? What's it worth to you just knowing there's all that cool stuff under the hood? What's it worth to you to be able to play Spaceman Biff by putting the car in EV mode (assuming you install the EV switch) and gliding along as quiet as a golf cart? Add those numbers up, plus a little for gas savings, and compare to the cost of switching cars.

[cdavid]

Well, they say they'll take my deposit today on my cc since I'll be stuck at work all day.

They recalled my interest in the hybrid Highlander (4 on the lot) and wanted to be sure it was the Prius I wanted.

Does this deserve a post?

[mehrenst]

Originally posted by daniel@Dec 21 2005, 10:15 AM
The Accord is a bigger car with more power. If you need the size and power of the Accord, that's your easy choice. Personally, I prefer driving a smaller car, because that's what I'm used to and it's easier to drive and to park.

<snip>

[snapback]176864[/snapback]

Actually, the Accord doesn't have the same seatback to steering wheel room as the Prius. It looks bigger and is (kind of) but the interior room in tne Prius makes me believe that Toyota has figured out how to "fold" space.

Don't make the decision strictly on the issue of mileage. WHile some drivers get 55+ mpg a more realistic number is in the high 40's or low 50's depending on how much short trip driving you do. The 25 mile commute will help push your mileage into the low/mid 50's once you get a feeling for the car.

BTW, non-refundable deposit? Prius are still going off the lots very quickly and I would shop around for a dealer that isn't looking to pocket your deposit if circumstances change. There is no reason for any deposit to be non-refundable. (But then it depends on how hungry you are for a new Prius.)