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Time to Say Goodbye

Discussion in 'Prius v Main Forum' started by Bill_Kelly, Apr 24, 2014.

  1. Bill_Kelly

    Bill_Kelly Junior Member

    Joined:
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    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    No, Bocelli has nothing to fear from me, I will not break into that great song you remember from the Sopranos.
    I have sold my 2013 Prius v (lowercase v) Five, and wanted to say goodbye and share some lessons learned.

    It's a fantastic car. Except for the Navigation and Entune. But, you know that.
    Zaino really makes the paint pop. Worth every penny.
    It is better suited for commuters on highways in flat, warm states.
    I purchased my car in California, with a future of daily commutes, hauling groceries, kids and dog, and the occasional Home Depot visit. Perfect car for that. I lost my job, could not afford to retire in California, and moved cross-country to Tennessee.
    A Prius v (lowercase v) does not sell well in the hill country of East Tennessee. Four wheel drive pickups sell so well, they have to import them daily from other states. My Prius had trouble just getting into my driveway. Snow? Forget it.

    Although the KBB and Edmunds value estimates are generous, you will not likely get that.
    With 15,000 miles, my trade in value was $27,000 by KBB. A dealer offered me $17,000. No bites on Craigslist after a month. So I went to Carmax.

    They offered me $23,000, either to buy the car from me or as a trade in. If I traded it in, they would give me another $1,610 to take care of any sales tax.
    I traded even on a 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche 4WD with 70,000 miles. Much better suited for my use here in the hills.
    Carmax was easy to deal with, no pressure, a huge inventory so you can get exactly the car you want.
    They will list that Prius v (lowercase v) for about $27,000. It's been a great car. If you know someone looking for one, have them try Carmax.

    This has been a great forum, and I learned alot from all of you. Best wishes.
     
    #1 Bill_Kelly, Apr 24, 2014
    Tony D likes this.
  2. priusbee

    priusbee Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You could have sold it here in California to get better price before moving to Tennessee. I am sure the value you sold in California will enable you to travel back in a plane.
     
    #2 priusbee, Apr 24, 2014
  3. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Location:
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    Model:
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    I'm sorry about your losing the job and selling the wagon, but on the bright side Tennessee is just about my favorite state especially east of Nashville!
    GREAT area!
    Keep lurking. You may get a chance to buy a fair weather beater someday.

    Good Luck!!
     
    #3 ETC(SS), Apr 24, 2014
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
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    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i hope bob wilson doesn't see this thread.
     
    #4 bisco, Apr 24, 2014
    spiderman likes this.
  5. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
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    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Good luck. Next time try Ebay, much larger reach than Craigslist for a high end car.
     
    #5 rjparker, Apr 24, 2014
  6. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Southwest Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    Sounds like OP tried his Prius in TN and was not satisfied. Sorry to hear.
    I wonder if a tyre set or two matched to his geography would have worked.

    I seem to remember this past year was atypical weather for TN. A lot more ice and snow. If the roads are not maintained and snow and ice removal is poor (think Atlanta) I can well imagine just about any non AWD, low to the ground car having problems. I personally would consider a 30 mpg Subaru for those conditions, but perhaps OP wanted to fit in.
     
    #6 SageBrush, Apr 24, 2014
  7. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
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    Hey Bill sorry to lose you ...maybe a Tennessee-built Leaf for you with incentives? Interesting you mentioned Zaino...have not heard it talked about here these days, I bought some years ago when it was more popukar here. Hope it ages well. I liked Zaino but getting lazy as the car ages (with me).
     
    #7 wjtracy, Apr 24, 2014
  8. jhinsc

    jhinsc Senior Member

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    Thanks for your perspective on pricing. My other vehicle is a 2007 Avalanche LTZ - great vehicle and very flexible for hauling stuff. I think you were expecting too much for your trade-in. Trade-in value on Edmunds is not even close to $27,000, even with every option package, mats, etc., thrown in. It may be on KBB - but I've never seen a true valuation with KBB. What you got from CarMax was very close to Edmund's trade-in value for similar vehicle in excellent condition, something most dealers won't give. I think you got a very good, very fair deal on the trade. Enjoy your new ride!
     
    #8 jhinsc, Apr 24, 2014
  9. Stevevee

    Stevevee Active Member

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    Sounds about right Bill. They're not the best in winter conditions, but I've seen worse. As far as the hills go, I do concur. Between the lack of power and the gears, my v has some issues, particularly when it's windy out. But I don't plan on living in Vermont that long, and hopefully I won't. A Rav 4 would have been a better overall match for me, rating Number 1 in every category except gas mileage.

    I'm not unhappy about my Prius v, but I can't say I'm delighted every time I go somewhere in it either. But the huge plusses of extra passenger room and a good cargo space make up for some of the downsides. I figured I've saved about $500 in gas so far, which is probably a lot lower than the depreciations costs as compared with a Rav 4 here.

    I'm sure it will be a different story once we hit Florida and the flatlands ;)
     
    #9 Stevevee, Apr 26, 2014
  10. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    Could have driven it to the Upstate of South Carolina, here, just a little over a hundred miles away.

    Not many steep hills, here. Prii sell very well, here. I really don't see any used Gen II's or Gen III's on the lots, but a lot of them on the road.
     
    #10 Mike500, Apr 26, 2014
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