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Practical alternatives to a new Gen 3?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by p00kienrayray, Feb 6, 2016.

  1. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    Hi my sister has asked me to assist her in looking for a new vehicle, and of course, money is the number one factor (other than it being a family car that can accommodate a baby). I'd say $27k is her max, $20k is her target, and anything lower would be even better. She is increasingly liking the standard 2015 Prius over the Prius V because of the current $3k cash back offer, and higher mpg.

    Although I am admittedly biased towards the 3rd gen Prius, I believe that it is the smallest that she can go in being able to accommodate a baby along with baby items (though it will be a tight fit).

    What other practical choices could she consider besides the 3rd gen Prius? I have also considered non-hybrids like the Corolla/Civic/etc., but considering MSRP to fuel savings ratio, she might as well get a hybrid.

    In the end, she will personally have to go to the lot to test drive various cars to see which one fits the bill, but we need a starting point.
     
    #1 p00kienrayray, Feb 6, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2016
  2. kenichols29

    kenichols29 Active Member

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    A camry is a good family sedan. It has a slightly roomier interior.
     
  3. Ashlem

    Ashlem Senior Member

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    If money is an issue, a lightly used Gen 3 Prius will be the best bang for the buck if she also wants to save on gas. With these "low" gas prices, along with the Gen 4 coming out, you can probably snag a great deal on one.

    If you can get a new Gen 3 for close to $20k though, I'd say go for that, if she doesn't need all the bells & whistles.

    A Camry hybrid wouldn't be so bad either.
     
  4. kenichols29

    kenichols29 Active Member

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    Ya the used gen 3s are dirt cheap right now, I've seen them in my area ranging from $9k to $15k. Back when I got my gen 3 in 2014 a used gen 3 was $15k to $19k in my area. The way see it gas will go up eventually so it is worth investing in a prius at the current prices.
     
  5. sillylilwabbit

    sillylilwabbit Active Member

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    For comparison, a little over a month ago, I got my used 2012 PIug In Prius w/ 37k miles for $14,998.

    I am seeing posts that people got new 2015 prius 2 for $17,xxx.


    iPhone ?
     
  6. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    Do you think a used Prius is better value than a new Prius with current incentives? I think my sister is inclined for new because it is easier to search for, and easier to finance.

    She does not need bells and whistles. Actually, she would consider the base model Prius as having bells and whistles. I think $20k for the Prius is the right price for her. We have not shopped around yet, so we do not know how likely we'll be able to hit that price.

    That is a solid price for a used plug in!
    $17k sounds quite low in my area for a Prius 2 even with current incentives and low gas prices. That would be such a win if she nabbed one for that price.
     
  7. Blizzard_Persona

    Blizzard_Persona Senior Member

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    Mazda 3 skyactive hatchback

    Or

    Subaru Forester / Impreza hatchback

    Or

    Ford C-Max Hybrid

    Or......
     
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  8. Sergiospl

    Sergiospl Senior Member

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  9. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    The forester was actually her #1 choice, but she felt that she can sacrifice the extra space and form factor for lower overall cost of ownership.

    We have not looked into the Mazda 3 hatch or the Impreza hatch. I have to see if these are similar in size and costs to the Prius.

    And if I'm not mistaken, the Cmax is more comparable to the Prius V, no?

    She does not own her home, so I don't think a plug in is a practical choice for her :-(
     
    #9 p00kienrayray, Feb 7, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 7, 2016
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  10. Ashlem

    Ashlem Senior Member

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    The advantage of buying new is that your guaranteed to have a car without a "history" behind it. If you've had a series of bad used cars where the previous owners trashed them, then this is a good route to go if you want to avoid that hassle.

    If you can still find a new Gen 3 Prius for $19-21k, and she can get the $1k rebate + 0% financing for 60 months, then that's a great deal. The $2500 rebate is really good too if she can get a loan with a low enough interest rate, usually from credit unions, and you can pay it off within 2-3 years to avoid paying too much interest.

    If there are no new 2015's left in your area, and you don't want to drive a few hours to a smaller dealership farther away, then current deals on the Gen 4 isn't terrible either.

    The good thing about a used car is that they're much cheaper to buy relative to a new one. Getting one that's just a coming off a lease is usually a good buy, as the last person driving it probably didn't abuse it to avoid having to pay extra fees on it for going over their mileage limit, or having to fix it up before they returned it.

    Prices on used Priuses have taken a hit due to the Gen 4 coming into dealer lots, along with this continued "low" gas prices causing everyone else to buy trucks and SUV's. Which means you can snag a great deal on one, and can probably haggle more off than you normally could. Then once gas prices go back up, the Prius buffers against that "sticker shock" at the pump very well.

    A used Plug-in Prius isn't a terrible idea, provided she can live without the spare tire. It still gets the same 50 mpg a non-plug in Prius does. If you guys are living in California, they may still have the solo occupancy HOV sticker on it, though this will add some cost to the PiP price due to said sticker being pretty desirable and increasingly rare. And should she happen to find a public charger, it only takes 3 hours on a 110v to charge it up, or 1.5 hours on a 240v charger.

    If I were in the market for a new Prius, I could live with a Gen 3 if the price as low enough. While I could probably live with the looks of the Gen 4 Prius, it doesn't offer significantly better mpg than the old model. I'm sure it's more fun to drive, but if I have to pay a few thousand dollars more for it, I don't think it's worth it.
     
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  11. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    A Ford Fusion Energy is a great choice and great prices on returned lease vehicles for about 20 to 25 K.
    These are more like Camry with a luxurious interior a full of comfort that the Prius line doesn't have
     
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  12. Blizzard_Persona

    Blizzard_Persona Senior Member

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    Honda Fit is a solid choice too!

    And she would come in under budget..
     
    #12 Blizzard_Persona, Feb 8, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2016
  13. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I can't get a feel how important the vehicle size might be.

    It seems to be a factor, but then "budget" or the expected ability to get a good deal overrides.

    I think you could get a good deal on a Gen 3 Prius right now. BUT....
    I also think starting out ownership of a new vehicle believing it was a compromise due to savings is a bad idea.
    Saving 2-3 grand can make you feel good immediately, but 2-3 years from now if you are feeling you are cramming into a vehicle that doesn't really meet your needs, you're probably going to regret it.

    I don't think a standard Prius is too small for a single child family. But it's not me buying the vehicle.

    So I guess my answer is it's really all up to your sister.
    If she feels a Standard Prius will meet her needs immediately and in the future? Make the best deal possible.

    If she feels it's a compromise in terms of the room she thinks she wants or needs? I wouldn't purchase it just because it's potentially a "good deal" right now.

    I haven't been in the market, but with gas prices low, and the new Gen 4, and sluggish sales of Prius as a whole, I'd think a good deal could be leveraged for a Prius v.

    My bottom line especially when purchasing a totally new vehicle, is be as happy with it as possible the day you drive it off the lot. I think it's generally a bad idea to compromise, it only leads to buyers remorse, or second guessing with the passage of time.

    As far as practical alternatives?
    I own a Prius. But I would also say, with gas prices low, there are a LOT of options depending on what you want.

    I recently went to an Auto Show and was impressed with the Honda HRV. Good gas mileage for a ICE vehicle, and it's kind of like an upsized Honda Fit. That is it has fold up seats, and a flat load floor.
    I'd take a look at one of those. And maybe even check out the perennial Honda CRV.

    But utility family vehicles of this class are plentiful from all manufacturers. All depends on what you want.
     
  14. FroggyTaco

    FroggyTaco Member

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    A new 2015 Gen 3 model 2 or 3 for under 20K is honestly an amazing deal especially with TCO calculated. Unless you can find a good deal used private party with ultra low miles & save on the registration & tax costs.
     
  15. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    One thing to consider is fit of child seats. We currently have 3 grandkid seats across in our Gen2 2006 with one rear facer. I know there are a million child seat threads, some say v may ironically be a little less room. Part of it depends on front seat position, the Gen2 may have the most space of all, but that's partially because the Gen2 front seats do not go back very far (Gen2 design flaw one person said).
     
  16. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    You are right, she is completely compromising for price....

    Her first choice initially was the compact SUV, namely the Forester/CR-V/Rav 4...but then she complained of total cost of ownership. I then brought up the idea of the Prius V which nearly matches the cargo capacity of the compact SUVs and retail price, but beats it in fuel consumption. She liked the idea, despite not being fond of it's aesthetics.

    Then she heard about the current special offers for the standard Prius, and total savings. She reasoned that her single child will eventually grow up, and that she would only need to lug a stroller around for 2 more years. Although I do believe it is a big compromise, she believes that the Gen 3 Prius would meet all her needs, if not her wants. She has ridden in mine enough to make that judgment.

    From the beginning, I told her that she would have to narrow down her choices and select a couple of vehicles that she can test drive, and then I can ultimately pursue. She has not decided definitively yet.

    As much as I agree she should not be over-compromising what she wants out of a big purchase and commitment, in the end it is her hard-earned money, and I'd rather let her be responsible for any regrets rather than myself. One thing that can be considered an important factor, that I don't believe my sister has really thought about is that she actually has a second vehicle that she will keep. She has an early 90's Ford Explorer, in which I believe can assist the Prius (or any other vehicle she chooses) during the rare instances that cargo capacity is an issue.

    Since my sister is moving slow, it looks like this process will not be quick. This is good bc slow and steady allows me to consider all options carefully, but bad who knows how long the market will be at this state, and how long these incentives would be offered.

    I know the future is always unpredictable, but I am fairly sure that my sister will not have 3 children anytime soon or ever, lol. She believes the Gen 3 will be tight for her single 1-year old + clunky stroller + other odds and ends, but she is also convinced that playing with seat configuration for more cargo area is worth her cost savings.
     
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  17. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    I completely agree! I've already brought this up to her, and I believe it would be the most cost-efficient choice. But she says she does not like the way it looks, and that the Prius' size difference is worth the extra costs...so apparently my sister is NOT a complete penny pincher!
     
  18. Kramah313

    Kramah313 Active Member

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    I have a rear facing car seat in my 2012 Prius. It's an infant seat and it works ok, although I'm only 5'8". If I were driving our littlest one around in it a lot of probably put it behind the front seat. The bag seat is pretty roomy. My wife and I have taken the baby and our 2 or 4 year old without a problem. I think 3 would be tight. I fit a fairly large stroller in the back without an issue, although it is definitely a tighter fit than our Honda Odyssey.

    My personal opinion is that my 2012 would be just fine if we only had one kid. For three kids (or even two), I am definitely glad we have the van.
     
  19. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    I agree, two kids is definitely pushing it in the Prius back seat. I have a rear facing seat in the middle seat for my 2 y.o., and my wife accompanying her back there. With a full sized stroller in the hatch, groceries or travel bags usually go in the 3rd seat in the back row, or the front passenger seat. None of which are ideal.
     
  20. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    For me, the Prius' main value is gas mileage, but you have to account for the difference in added cost to justify it.

    Corolla and Camry get good MPGs if you don't opt for a big engine trim level.
     
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