How realistic are the benifits of owning a Prius?

Rogerfan · 07-17-2007, 02:29 AM

Just a quick quote i came accross from a reputable motoring news website in Australia:

"..It takes 22 years and 10 months of driving at 20,000km a year for the $37,400 Toyota Prius to finally equate to the price differential of the $19,990 Toyota Corolla, assuming $1.20 a litre for petrol."

(Prices are in $AU)

Petrol prices in the US also work out to be far cheaper than here is Aus, so perhaps that would take even longer for a Prius to pay itself off over there?

Has anyone worked out how many km's you have to cover in order to return the increased intial outlay of walking out of the showroom with a Prius instead of a Rolla?

Sufferin' Prius Envy · 07-17-2007, 02:43 AM

Oh God! Not this baiting troll again.

These are all of his posts . . .
http://priuschat.com/index.php?act=Search&...s&highlite=

IGNORE and
DO NOT FEED! <_<

Rogerfan · 07-17-2007, 03:02 AM

what the hell? How am i a troll? And how am i baiting? I just want your points of view, is a comment like the one i quoted utterly false?

I have made no offensive or nasty posts so i don't see why you would treat me so badly when i try to raise what i believe to be potentially a pretty lively discussion!

jiepsie · 07-17-2007, 03:03 AM

A few comments:
It's not that simple to compare one car to another. To do it right, financially, you need to work out the cost per km. How much will your Prius be worth when you sell it? Depreciation on a Prius is less per km than a Corolla, here at least. Don't simply use the price difference, the real cost of buying a car is the cost of depreciation plus interest (on the whole purchase), not simply the sticker price.

Another factor is whether two cars are really comparable. That is mostly a personal matter, only you can decide whether you'd buy a Corolla instead of a Prius. I wouldn't have, my second choice was a Mini - and most people would say that's not a comparable car. So compare it with YOUR second choice, not the choice of some journalist. Include all the options and gadgets you'd buy in your comparison. And remember: very few people make their choice on a purely economical basis. If we really did, we'd probably all be driving 15 year old Toyotas.

As for me: my two other choices were the same or more expensive to buy, would have depreciated much quicker and would have had higher running costs (taxes, insurance, fuel etc.). Prius is not THE most economical car available, but the most economical on my short list. My signature needs updating, savings are more now :-)

Rogerfan · 07-17-2007, 03:08 AM

Ahk, i didn't think of depreciation and what input it throws into the mix. In the US what are the resales like on corollas vs Prius'?

I compared the Corolla to the Prius as i was under the impression they are essentially the same car as far as trim/specs etc goes, and made the most sensible comparison being a Toyota as well.

JimboK · 07-17-2007, 03:09 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 17 2007, 02:43 AM) [snapback]480105[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Oh God! Not this baiting troll again.

These are all of his posts . . .
http://priuschat.com/index.php?act=Search&...s&highlite=

IGNORE and
DO NOT FEED! <_< [/b]

Thanks for the heads-up, Patrick. I was mentally preparing a response until getting to your post; his seemed pretty innocent. As one who chooses not to feed trolls, I tuned the other thread out pretty quickly, and the user name didn't register. Now, if others would only take your advice ....

Rogerfan · 07-17-2007, 03:18 AM

I don't understand? Like you said all of my posts are totally innocent?

jiepsie · 07-17-2007, 03:21 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ Jul 17 2007, 09:09 AM) [snapback]480115[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Thanks for the heads-up, Patrick. I was mentally preparing a response until getting to your post; his seemed pretty innocent. As one who chooses not to feed trolls, I tuned the other thread out pretty quickly, and the user name didn't register. Now, if others would only take your advice ....

[/b]

I noticed it too late, but I'll leave my reply there for what it's worth. Should have seen it though, he's not trying to decide whether to buy a Prius, but trying to decide whether you guys should have bought one. What's the point in that? End of feeding session.

Rogerfan · 07-17-2007, 03:25 AM

i don't want to undermine anyone's reasons for buying the cars you did! I just want to know if this quote is nonsense or not! Look through ALL of my posts and you will see i'm not here to cause trouble. For the last time i am NOT ROGERCORDIA you can run my IP if you want ffs, i signed up before he did anyway!

JimboK · 07-17-2007, 07:10 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rogerfan @ Jul 17 2007, 03:18 AM) [snapback]480117[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I don't understand? Like you said all of my posts are totally innocent? [/b]

I didn't say all of your posts are innocent (I'm not going to waste my time looking for others); I said this one was. But your sig screams "troll."

07-17-2007, 02:29 AM	#1
Rogerfan Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 17 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Just a quick quote i came accross from a reputable motoring news website in Australia: "..It takes 22 years and 10 months of driving at 20,000km a year for the $37,400 Toyota Prius to finally equate to the price differential of the $19,990 Toyota Corolla, assuming $1.20 a litre for petrol." (Prices are in $AU) Petrol prices in the US also work out to be far cheaper than here is Aus, so perhaps that would take even longer for a Prius to pay itself off over there? Has anyone worked out how many km's you have to cover in order to return the increased intial outlay of walking out of the showroom with a Prius instead of a Rolla? __________________ Gutted cat, external wastegate not plumbed back, 3 inch exhaust dumping before diff, aftermarket ecu, 550cc injectors and all emissions gear removed. My car negates the green benifits of all your hybrids on it's own. The environment is going down. Picture me, sitting on the back deck of my fibro and asbestos beach house, sinking tinnies and smoking a cigar - eagerly awaiting the onset of global warming for the best Australian summer yet.

07-17-2007, 03:03 AM	#4
jiepsie Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 267 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	A few comments: It's not that simple to compare one car to another. To do it right, financially, you need to work out the cost per km. How much will your Prius be worth when you sell it? Depreciation on a Prius is less per km than a Corolla, here at least. Don't simply use the price difference, the real cost of buying a car is the cost of depreciation plus interest (on the whole purchase), not simply the sticker price. Another factor is whether two cars are really comparable. That is mostly a personal matter, only you can decide whether you'd buy a Corolla instead of a Prius. I wouldn't have, my second choice was a Mini - and most people would say that's not a comparable car. So compare it with YOUR second choice, not the choice of some journalist. Include all the options and gadgets you'd buy in your comparison. And remember: very few people make their choice on a purely economical basis. If we really did, we'd probably all be driving 15 year old Toyotas. As for me: my two other choices were the same or more expensive to buy, would have depreciated much quicker and would have had higher running costs (taxes, insurance, fuel etc.). Prius is not THE most economical car available, but the most economical on my short list. My signature needs updating, savings are more now :-) __________________ Fuel money saved so far (one year): roughly €1000 / $1350

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07-17-2007, 02:43 AM	#2
Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: USA Posts: 4,012 My Car: Other Non-Hybrid Package: N/A Nominated 15 Times in 1 Post TOTM Awards: 1 Friends: 0	Oh God! Not this baiting troll again. These are all of his posts . . . http://priuschat.com/index.php?act=Search&...s&highlite= IGNORE and DO NOT FEED! <_<

07-17-2007, 03:02 AM	#3
Rogerfan Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 17 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	what the hell? How am i a troll? And how am i baiting? I just want your points of view, is a comment like the one i quoted utterly false? I have made no offensive or nasty posts so i don't see why you would treat me so badly when i try to raise what i believe to be potentially a pretty lively discussion!

07-17-2007, 03:08 AM	#5
Rogerfan Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 17 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Ahk, i didn't think of depreciation and what input it throws into the mix. In the US what are the resales like on corollas vs Prius'? I compared the Corolla to the Prius as i was under the impression they are essentially the same car as far as trim/specs etc goes, and made the most sensible comparison being a Toyota as well.

07-17-2007, 03:18 AM	#7
Rogerfan Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 17 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I don't understand? Like you said all of my posts are totally innocent?

07-17-2007, 03:25 AM	#9
Rogerfan Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 17 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	i don't want to undermine anyone's reasons for buying the cars you did! I just want to know if this quote is nonsense or not! Look through ALL of my posts and you will see i'm not here to cause trouble. For the last time i am NOT ROGERCORDIA you can run my IP if you want ffs, i signed up before he did anyway!