Prius or BMW 5 series?

[pshady]

ok i have a real dilemma. i love the prius (i've driven it a couple of times), and it's great value for the money. however, i'm afraid that i would regret it if i bought it. i'm used to driving german luxury cars (i currently own an audi a6) and i was thinking about getting a bmw 530 until i saw the prius.

did anyone else here make a similar leap and do you regret the decision?

i feel like i'm at a crossroads (light = prius, darkside = bmw).

haha....

[LeVautRien]

I had to make a similar choice, though I wasn't dealing with 5's, more like 3's or C-Classes.

In my mind, the Prius is absolutely the right buy. In terms of reliability, Toyota is the best in the business, so you're not trading that off. You get some good options like the nav and the 6-disc if you want, plus the on-the-wheel controls. No leather, sadly, but you can get that done aftermarket if you'd really like, and it'd still be cheaper.

You also have some features that I would definately call luxury-ish in the form of the push-button ignition, something you see in cars like Aston Martins...Smart Entry/Smart Start, which is partially featured in the LS430...the very unique shifting system, which one could maybe compare to that fancy system on the 7-series, and in my mind has some great cool factor, hehe.

Throw in the optional airbags, and you're matched with a 5 for safety too.

Really, if this had the Lexus logo on it, it would have no problems assuming the luxury role. The technology in it is absolutely at a luxury level.

I say Prius, and invest the money you save

[jrawles]

I was in a similar position:

I was driving a 325 and while I was waiting for my 2004 Prius ( I waited 8 months !) I kept looking at the opportunity cost of my Prius and found that I could buy a used 540 for about the same price. What really helped me was renting a Prius for 3 days to really experience the car in the real world. I've had my Prius since May 1st, I've put ~4500 miles on it and I'm very pleased and have no regrets.
I get 45-50 mpg with the AC running and driving 70-80 mph on the LA freeways.

That said, it's no BMW. Not in handling, styling, or ergonomics. The seats are not as comfortable, the interior not as plush, and the performance ? Well, let me put it this way, if you like the M Series BMW's don't buy this car.

But, if you've outgrown you need for speed and luxury and feel a need to conserve fuel, reduce emissions, and you like techno gadgets; then this is the car for you.

J. Rawles, M.D.
Long Beach, CA.

[LeVautRien]

Ah yes, I didn't discuss handling and such.

Well, I'm no fan of amazing performance...at least so far as paying extra is concerned, anyway. I wouldn't know what horsepower or torque means. I figure that's all illegal to use to full potential anyway, hehe.

Of course for someone who does care about this, it's a big choice to be made. I think you need to consider if you really, really want that performance for the extra it's gonna cost you. It definatly carries a cool factor in itself, but so does the Prius...just a different kind of cool factor.

[daniel]

... i feel like i'm at a crossroads (light = prius, darkside = bmw)...

If that's really how you feel, then you clearly want the Prius. It's clean, it's cool, it's comfortable and fun to drive, its performance is everything you need. Unless you're really disappointed with the performance, I'd say get the Prius. (But of course you're going to hear that on Prius Chat. The Folks on BMW Chat are going to tell you otherwise.)

I'll just say that I would not trade my Prius for a BMW.

*pulls on the EV switch and glides silently away*

[DaveinOlyWA]

pshady: the fact that you are here must tell you what you already know.

you want the Prius and you need someone to tell you you are making the right decision because that is where you are leaning and you need reassurances.

because if you came here thinking you would get someone to recommend a german made (or any car for that matter) over the Prius, you are either very nieve or crazy.

i will tell you, ive never owned a luxury car of any type. although when in the air force in germany i had a chance to drive mercedes and i like them, but the car i had was old and had been previously owned by about a dozen or more GI's.

but i have ridden in other supposedly upscale cars, and as far as im concerned, those cars may be twice the money (usually more) but nothing comes close to the feeling i have when driving my Prius.

a mercedes is just a car. My Prius is a Prius, and never will the two be the same.

[Starbug]

I drove a Mercedes once...wasn't impressed (at least not enough to want one). I've been along for the ride in a BMW M3....yummy!! But alas, it's not techie enough (still love it, tho), MPG sucks bigtime, and I can't afford one anyway. Even if I could get one, I would still get a Prius instead. After all, how often (and in how many places) can you really open up a performance car's full potential? If the cops don't get you first, you'll kill somebody when you end up plowing into them due to the fact that traffic is too heavy and slow in most places to be able to go for the kind of joy ride that performance cars are meant for. Mega-HP is wasted these days. There's a different kind of thrill to be had when driving the Prius. More people in the world need to learn that it's not always all about mega-hp. Plus, the Prius gives you all sorts of high-end luxuries at an extremely affordable price, so why pay $50k+ when you can get the same thing for $26k?

It's better on the Prius Side. Go for it. We promise that you'll love it.

[Ken Cooper]

Tough decision. The BMW 5 series is one of the finest cars on the road. Also, did you receive the latest Audi magazine featuring the new Audi A6? Now there's another fine machine.

I switched from an Audi A4 to the Prius. The Prius makes a statement, but then again so does the BMW 5 series (totally different statement). The car you drive says a lot about who you are in the eyes of others. I suspect your final decision will be based on that.

Now, that said, my Prius does not generate the excitement on the mountain twisties that my turbocharged Audi Quattro generated. But then again, how much time is spent on the mountain twisties?

For normal road travel the Prius is a solid, quiet , reliable, and thoroughly enjoyable car. It's also a lot of fun (a technology entheusiast's dream) with all that state-of-the-art technology that's been so masterfully designed in.

One thing I've truly appreciated is the lift-back feature. Heck, since I've had the car I've delivered my own HDTV from the store on one occasion and brought my new Patio set home in this car in another. With the Audi I'd have had to, in each case, pay a rather hefty delivery fee.

With Audi and BMW the dealerships give you a car to drive when you bring your car in for service or repair. The only thing that Toyota provides is a ride to where you're going. On the other hand, the Prius is so reliable that the need for those special service related features are pretty much non-existant.

Hey, if you're a proponent of the environment, if you're a technology entheusiast, or you're interested in reducing our dependance on forign oil .. or .. If the people you'd like to impress in your everyday dealings are not strongly to the political right, I'd go for the Prius. Otherwise, the delimma should be whether you should purchase the BMW 5 or the new Audi A6, both very much sports oriented sedans (I'd probably go for the all new A6).

[Speedracer]

Your compair totaly different group of car. Prius is great ECO car and great commute car. Prius is not like BMW which not able to drive hard and enjoy the driving experiance. Dont get me wrong Prius is great car and I really enjoy my Prius. You have to think what is your priority is fun to drive or save some gas. I uses to drive German cars when I living in U.S but now I relocated in Japan. I love to drive hard and enjoy it, but my priority is changed. Because in Japan gas price is about 3 bucks a gallon. Also for Japanese Prius able to order with trouing pkg wich like say sports pkg for Audi or BMW in U.S. Thats why I choose Prius this time.
Again If you want driving oriented = BMW for you but Gas Saver = Prius for you.

[daniel]

When I first got my Honda Civic (late 1988 - model year '89) the Honda dealer gave me a loaner any time I had the car in for service or maintenance, for about the first ten years or so. Then it stopped. He said it was insurance reasons. I think it was because too much time had passed since I had bought the car.

The Toyota dealer offers nothing more than a courtesy ride, but there's often a long wait, and depending on where the other folks are going, a long and indirect ride. I'd rather pay for a cab.