Hope I'm making the right decision

After lots of deliberation, had the new car narrowed down to a Civic, Insight, or Prius.
Honestly, the higher cost of the Prius made it a longshot.

When I looked at the mileage, internal size, driveability, features and gas mileage, the Insight started to fall back in the pecking order.

Although I'm a little ways away from making the decision, started getting an advanced case of buyers remorse. Some of the concerns were raised by reading threads here.
Issues:
Prius battery needs replacing ($$) after 100k miles, about 5-6 years.
The mpg is hard to amortize in comparison to a car that gets 35mpg.
There are some very expensive things that can go wrong with a Prius.
Can no longer bring it to my down-the-street garage for servicing.
Needs special motor oil.

Am I off base with my concerns and is a Prius going to cost a LOT more money on a 5-6 year basis in comparison to a Civic over the same period of time?

Thanks, this isn't a troll, but its hard to synthesize all of the info I've received from the many posts on this board.

The Prius hybrid system has a 100,000 mile warranty. That doesn't mean that the batteries need changing at 100,000 miles.

And I believe this same hybrid system has a 150,000 mile warranty in California, so I think it's safe to at least 150k unless they give the CA folks the cream of the crop batteries. lol

I was in a similar situation when I bought my Prius. I traded in my 2006 non-hybrid Civic for the Prius so a Civic wasn't even a consideration. Besides I wanted a hatchback for the space.

I generally keep my cars for about 6 or 7 years. The reason why I decided to get rid of my Civic was because I felt there was a technical problem with it where it would crank and not start even though the battery and starter was cranking pretty hard. It didn't happen very often but everytime it did, I was thinking of trading her in.

A friend of mine also has a 06 Civic and his was just stalling out while driving. Even on the highway. The combo of his problem and mine made the decision for me to trade her in.

I knew I wanted a hatchback for the extra space and a hybrid of some sort. I test drove the Prius & Insight. I'll never consider an American car at this point in time.

The Prius felt more refined and was suprisingly quiet. The Insight felt a bit rough around the edges.

I felt the Power Mode on the Prius made it feel quicker to the point I felt like the Insight was slow. The Insight wasn't quite as slow as the Honda Fit (which I wished there was an opening on the Driver side floor board so I can push the car faster like the Flinstone's car). Prius edged out on this for me.

I liked the dash color (blue and similar to the Civic) and design of the Insight better but the Prius dash is very useful and the interface is cutting edge when it comes to usability. No clear winner for me.

I liked Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system better than the Honda's Integrated motor assist hybrid system. Synergy Drive will cut off the engine while Honda's IMA system seems to never shut off the engine.

Fuel economy on the Prius is slightly better but its probably not enough to be a big factor especially when factoring in the cost.

Insight clearly wins the price war by about $2k but you can tell Honda put a budget when designing the car.

Prius wins the "cool stuff" award. My favorite thing is the Smartkey system and the way you grab the handle to unlock the car and to lock the car, keep your finger on two little notches on the door handle while the Smartkey is in your pocket. I also like the electronic transmission knob (not sure what its called). Most are very mechanical. There are alot of other things that the Prius has on its base model also.

Both Toyota and Honda have outstanding reliability records. All my previous cars have been Honda/Acura's and I've been happy with all of them. No clear winner here for me.

Insight and Prius reputation: The Insight first gen car came out in the 90's but was discontinued in the US shortly after. Prius also came out in the 90's but has stayed with us for a while now.

Bottom line, drive the two cars and see if you feel the Prius is worth the extra $2k. If you do, go with the Prius. If not, go with the Insight.

DO NOT BUY A HONDA INSIGHT.
I was so discontent with mine after 10 days. I tried to trade back and get the Prius v. The dealers wanted me to take a $5000.00 loss for ten days. Now that is expensive!
Toyota Quality is right up there. Your happiness and driving a reliable car is worth the cost up front. Remember the Prius III is around 23-24K. That is a lot of car for the money.

The Insight has a LONG long way to go. I own two other HONDA and they are very good.
I think they just puts parts together to get the Insight II out there to compete with the PriusIII. There are big problem too many that I noticed to discuss here. I bet Honda is re thinking this car and you will see them scramble to get it right.

The Prius does not need special oil. You can take it to any gas station. The battery is designed to last the life of the car. It's a great car.

Peak,

I was all for the Prius and thought I should do my due diligence and check out the Insight. I ended up putting a deposit down on the Prius from the driver's seat of the Insight in the showroom via cellphone. As always, YMMV; however, for me, the decision was easy the second my tush entered the Insight.

The High Voltage Battery seems to last about 250,000 miles in taxis, I do not think many 'normal' drivers have gotten to 250,000 miles yet. About one in 40 have failed at 100,000 miles. The 12 volt battery has a life of about 6 years, as in all cars. Due to Prius that are totaled in wrecks, a 'cheap' supply of used HV Batteries exists.
Prius battery, buy and sell Parts Accessories, Car Truck Parts on eBay Motors

Buying a new car never makes financial sense, Hybrids do not change this.

There are expensive things that can go wrong with any car. The owners survey shows that in real life, few of those expensive things are going wrong. (But, yes, they can)
2008 Toyota Prius Ownership Costs | 2008 Prius Depreciation, Maintenance, & Insurance Costs at Automotive.com (2008 is the newest year they have for 'used' Prius)

There is no service item on my 2009 that would be beyond the 'jiffy lube' places in the first 60,000 miles. At 100,000 miles someone changes spark plugs, but any mechanic can. It may well be 120,000 before you 'need' to take it to Toyota for a normal service. I have not read the 2010 maintenance schedule in detail.

The 2010 Prius needs Synthetic Motor Oil, Like Mobil 1, in 0w-20.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SKYL9I"]Amazon.com: Mobil 1 Synthetic 0W-20 Motor Oil - 1 Quart, Pack of 6: Automotive[/ame]
$47 would be enough for two oil changes.

To the OP,

The all-new 2010 Prius is a fabulous car. I don't own one, but I own a 2009 and have driven a 2010 V about 75 miles.

The 2010 Prius can really seat 4 adults, all over 6ft. You'd have some miserable 6 footers in the backseat of both an Insight or Civic.

The 2010 Prius has a full hybrid drivetrain and the best fuel economy of any popular car in the US. The Civic and Insight are not full hybrids and cannot propel on battery alone.

The 2004 - 09 Prius has proven to be very reliable according to Consumer Reports and others. I have not had a single 'mechanical' problem in 8,500 miles, although I did have the JBL radio replaced with no hassle under warranty.

2010 Prius made #10 in the entire US in sales for Oct. 09 and it is a very important car for Toyota. They will not let their customers down.

If you're still having a hard time deciding, spend $50 and rent a 2010 Prius from your Toyota dealer. I think that will help you make up your mind.

Good luck

if gas skyrockets again which would you rather have?

"if"???

There is good advise set forth above and I shall not repeat.

I have 6000 + miles on my G3, IV and could not be any happier. It is quiet, economical, fit and finish are supurb, performance is more than acceptable, and I like the interior design and comfort. I have no issues with the sound system, or the NAV.

I have used synthetic oil in my vehicles for years, so the requirement to use it in the Prius is not a negative for me.

It will take a bit of time to learn how to drive the Prius economically. You must understand the prius is unlike any other "conventional" vehicle: the engine starts and stops frequently; the unique heater/cooling system make faint sound at start-up and shut down; the transmission is unlike a conventional auto transmission.

Read enough threads on this site and you will see that a few writers ask why there is no tachometer; they question rpm at certain speeds; they worry about sounds; all suggesting a misunderstanding of the technology incorporated into the overall design.

Good luck.

I do not own a Prius (yet) but I have been following hybrid technologies and the Prius car for several years. I think you will be fine.

1) Use of synthetic oil is common and readily available.
2) The Prius traction battery lasts much longer than 100K (typically)
3) The Prius is a great balance between mileage, performance, cargo, and comfort (my opinion).

I think the above line says it all perfectly.

Is that a documented statistic? Out of 1Million Prius that would be 25,000 batteries that have died. I would think that would have made the news and would indeed be a concern. I don't think I would have bought one myself of 1 in 40 die at 100K miles.

I had read an article about Ford Escape Hybrid taxi's in San Francisco. After 275,000 miles, there wasn't a single problem reported with the hybrid system.
Since Ford "borrowed" the system from Toyota, I'd imagine the same could be said for the Prius.

Well, as others have mentioned there are expensive things that can go wrong with any car.

If you are talking about a 5-6 year window, unless you are unlucky, I don't think battery should be an issue. Yes, there has been the ocassional replacement needed just outside of 100,000 miles, because I've seen the posts, but it seems to be the rare exception and not the rule as most people seem to be able to routinely get more mileage and chronological life.

Many of the concerns you have are actual concerns. It's not "special" Oil, but it is a relatively rare weight synthetic, which is becoming more and more common. The bigger issue might be the slightly less Oil needed for The Prius which often results in shops overfilling the Prius Oil when changing. That seems to be a bigger issue than the oil itself. Many owners deciding to change the oil themselves and not trusting outside parties to not overfill.

The engine in a generation 3 Prius is new. Beltless. All accessories being electric, no extra drain by attached belts. No one has owned one long enough to know if the engine being beltless and thus no belts to replace and less strain on the engine will be a long term benefit. It may very well be a plus, but it's yet to be known how well the new electric accessories will hold up. IMO only time will tell. I'd rather replace a belt in 3-5 years, than a whole electric accessory. I don't know, and I don't think anyone knows if this is a plus or negative yet.

Another issue on the negative side that seems to have recently manifested is a lot of generation 3 owners complaining of Squeaks and Rattles from the dash. Again this is an issue just surfacing, some are easier fixes than others and there is an effort to try and trace back if the squeaky automobiles are being manufactured in any specific plant. But look up the threads, you might avoid purchasing one manufactured in the plant that seems to have problems.

In general, I think The Prius is a pretty solid choice as far a reliability goes, especially if you are looking at 5-6 years. You start going beyond that and then as with almost any vehicle you start looking at higher maintenance costs.

Yes it runs on synthetic oil, Zero Weight, and it's required volume can make oil changes problematic. If you keep a Prius long enough, eventually battery replacement will become inevitable. Exactly when that replacement occurs seems to contain variables I don't think anyone can pin down. You do have the warranty period to NOT worry about it.

Others might tell you you don't have to take it to the dealer for a lot of the maintenance, at least on the non-hybrid parts. Well maybe so, but I do think it being a hybrid does make it pre-disposed to ending up having a lot of the work done in a dealership. Due to the Hybrid components, some of your local, independent mechanics can be reluctant or downright scared of working on a hybrid.

If you have a favorite, down the street mechanic or shop, I'd just stop in and tell them of your choice to purchase a hybrid, and then just ask them if they A-Stock the correct weight synthetic and/or would be willing to start stocking it, and B-What level of maintenance support they would feel comfortable providing. This is going to vary from mechanic to mechanic from shop to shop, it really is the only way to know. Dealerships are more or less "supposedly" required to be able to service the vehicles the dealership sells. An independent might have issues dealing with technology that the person might or might not be familiar with .

It's difficult to determine an opinion to offer in a case like this, because it's hard to tell what your comfort level is, and/or what your priorities actually are. Since 2 of the 3 cars you've narrowed it down to are hybrids, I would speculate that owning a hybrid is something you must be comfortable with, and with that choice comes the understanding that owning a hybrid means you are owning a different machine than most of the vehicles on the road, so there are some issues.

If having a car that runs on Electric and Gas, thus a battery that might need replacement someday, plus has attached systems that make it a hybrid and thus in some ways different is too much to worry about for 6 years, then perhaps a conventional ICE choice would be best.

However, a couple million sold in North America, and about a decade of feedback seems to suggest that if buying new you could easily expect good to fantastic reliabilty for the first 5-6 years. For 1/2 that period your covered by warranty anyway. Extended warranties are available, most people look at them as unneeded expenses but if your worried about reliabilty and maintenance costs extending the warranty might be worth it.

Really? What is Toyota going to do to the fact that I got a $25,000 (twice as much as the cheapest cars out there and very close to the low end of luxury cars) that has all sorts of rattles in the dash and doors? Dealers can't help me... If you’re not having such issues or don't mind them, then you are happy, but how about the ones like me who are frustrated with the rattles?

Have a service advisor ride with you and observe the rattles

If needed, have a service manager or director ride / observe

If no response, file a case with Toyota Corp at 800 331-4331 to help things along.

I agree, cannot have a $25k car with bad rattles.