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I think I just sold my Prius, sigh (sad face)

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Geek_Law, May 23, 2011.

  1. Geek_Law

    Geek_Law Lead Foot

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Cornelius, Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Well, I have a cash deposit in hand and I believe that I just sold my '10 Prius III. He's coming by tomorrow with a cashier's check for the payoff amount, and a second cashiers check for the balance owed to me. Sold it for $24,500. Its all but new, with only 8,950 miles or so on the clock.

    I'm kind of sad about it. I bought the car on a whim last year thinking it was a basic commuter, and I turned out to absolutely love the car. It's not just for hippies! Even a selfish prick like me can enjoy the Prius!

    At the end of the day, the car isn't getting used now that its summer time. I have motorcycles which have been beckoning all winter, and I'll be riding those through September.

    So another person can love my Prius (upon proof reading, that sounds really bad), and maybe even do better than the ~34.5mpg or so that I saw with my lead foot and insensate speeding :) Reportedly a shockingly bad average.

    Local folks will stop getting passed by a Prius, which I always considered a funny and a bit ironic, and instead be passed by some prick on a motorcycle, which seems just plain predictable.

    I'll be back though. I really want a PHEV prius, or a leaf, or a volt, so we'll see. Right now I cannot buy any as they are not freely available, but I won't need a new car until the fall. Maybe a Prius will re-visit my driveway, maybe another car, such as a Soul, a Cube, or one of the above, if they are miraculously available. We'll see.

    It's been fun. Thanks for the great forum all!

    -GL

    Oh, here's my ad that got the car sold in less than 24 hours. I use this format everytime I sell a car, though the note to to the dealers at the top was special for this experience (I unexpectedly had dealers contact me, then proceed to low-ball me). There were also pics and the formatting was better.


     
  2. 2011v

    2011v Member

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    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Congrats on the sale! I too can relate to this sadness as I felt the same when I sold my second generation touring model. Buyer paid above market and its one of the few times while selling a car that I actually drove the vehicle for two years and made a profit - all things being considered. I ended up passing on the frenzy surrounding the roll out of the third generation and waited on the 2011. Took delivery and life was once again good. I often drive like yourself and still average 43-45 which I'm comfortable with as I do have those fill ups where I challenge myself to achieve 55+. Word of advice, your Prius withdrawal WILL bring you back, eventually. The bike is great but the drawbacks are greater. The Prius gets even better mileage than the bike with creature comforts and security. I've been there too..... Good luck on your sale!
     
  3. Geek_Law

    Geek_Law Lead Foot

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    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Holy smokes! Nice work on making a profit after 2x years. I'm basically a wash on my car, but I got to drive a car for a year for free, so that's pretty cool in my book.

    Regarding the withdrawal, I suspect you are correct. One of my favorite cars ever. I always felt like I was beating the system by driving like a psychopath, and then paying just $30.00 to $35.00 to fill up.

    As for the bikes. Well, I have five motorcycles and I love them dearly. That said, my supercharged Triumph Rocket only gets 18-24mpg city/frwy ... so the Prius wins that battle. The other bikes however get the same or better, but none are fun in the snow and cold.

    Here's a pic of the aforementioned beast (my favorite of the lot):

    [​IMG]
     
  4. 2011v

    2011v Member

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    Prime Advanced
    Nice Bike! Here was what I made the decision to give up after seeing two friends go down in accidents.
    [​IMG]
     
  5. twittel

    twittel Senior Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
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    Model:
    III
    Congrats on your Prius sale. If for no other reason, it's good to get out from underneath a lease! In my opinion, leasing is not a viable alternative to ownership for most consumers.
     
  6. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
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    Surely if you knew what some of us leased ours for last year you'd have a different opinion :)
     
  7. Geek_Law

    Geek_Law Lead Foot

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    Ah. Great bike. I loved my CBR. I sold it and have a ninja now, which I like, but I think I prefer the CBR. Anyway, sorry about your buddies. I've been riding for 20 years, and have never gone down, but I've had some scary close calls. One close call a year and a half ago freaked me out so bad I didn't ride for about 6 months.

    Thanks. I think leases are bad for some, but good for others. It depends on what your priorities are. For me personally, the lease was convenient and easy and ensured an easy out after three years.

    I'll lease another car this fall after the riding season.
     
  8. That_Prius_Car

    That_Prius_Car Austin Kinser

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You'll be back. :)
    Once the Prius grabs hold, it doesn't let go...
     
  9. mrudidit

    mrudidit New Member

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    Location:
    l.a. county
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Congrats on your sale. I sold mine last week. Got full asking price of $26,500. I always wanted one and held off for the body design. However the small cramped, hard seat and lack of lumbar made it increasingly uncomfortable. I miss her and hope to one day get something similar but definitely more pleasing to my body. And like you, the Ninja gets some love this summer.
     
  10. Geek_Law

    Geek_Law Lead Foot

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    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Its official. Got the check and the guy drove off just a bit ago.

    Dang. $26,500 eh? I asked for $24,900 and sold for $24,500. But I knew that was an aggressive price and I sold it within 24 hours. Also, mine didn't have the moon-roof.

    Ah, C'est la vie. It is done.

    If the prices are normalized this fall, I'll very strongly consider another Prius. If not, I'm thinking of maybe a soul, or maybe even a Sonota.
     
  11. 2011v

    2011v Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Congrats! You are in the drivers seat now and time is on your side. Lots of new offerings coming. Personally, I would pass on any of the plug in varieties and await a 7 seat offering or a possible hybrid pick up Ive heard whispered. Good luck!
     
  12. Geek_Law

    Geek_Law Lead Foot

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    III

    Ooooh, that would be cool. I have not heard those rumblings.
     
  13. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

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    Location:
    Delawhere
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I've heard lots of sport bikers love the CBR and GSXR the most. At least, those that I've talked to. I went from a Sportster to Street Glide. Looking at an 09 Suzuki cruiser (apparently they didn't sell well, as a place here has NEW 2009s left!?!?) for the more localized riding - the SG is mid 30s around town plus premium fuel.

    My friend's brother was killed last summer on his bike in AZ. Don't believe he wore a helmet, though. That's one thing I will ALWAYS ride with.
     
  14. Geek_Law

    Geek_Law Lead Foot

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    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III

    Oh man. The thing that any motorcyclist hates to hear or see is another getting hurt or killed in an accident.

    If you are looking for a cruiser, here's my opinion:
    [] 1100cc Honda Shadow - Extremely comfortable bike, especially with the Aero trim level, if they still have that. Good gas mileage. Rock solid quality. Inexpensive. Will get up and go pretty good. Probably the most comfortable bike I've ever had. I kind of regret selling mine.

    [] Honda valkyrie: This is a bigger bike, has good oomph, and is rock solid dependable. Pretty heavy and intimidating though, depending on what you are used to. It will make that sportster feel like a kids toy. You cannot throw it around obviously like the sportster. But a seriously great bike. Some people don't like the looks. They don't make them anymore, so you have no choice but to go used.

    [] Triumph Rocket III: Not super comfortable. Not super reliable (as are honda cruisers), but this is one insanely fun bike. Extremely unique looking, but folks either hate it or love it. Heavy as sin and so like the Valk, takes some confidence to handle. However, this thing will keep up with a 600cc sport bike in terms of balls out accel. It handles pretty well, but there is no doubt its a big heavy cruiser.

    Anyway, there's a couple of suggestions you may consider based on your budget and preferences. The Shadow is pretty tame and easy. The Rocket will get you tickets or a pass straight to jail if you are not careful. The Valk is in between.
     
  15. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Thanks for the suggestions. I've got a 1600cc (roughly, HD uses cubic inches) big touring HD. It weighs over 800 lbs I believe and is a very nice ride. Sounds great with the Rush pipes I had put on, too :). But, it's hard to justify riding at 35 mpg and premium fuel vs what the Prius does on my local commutes.

    My budget is under 8k. The suzuki's aren't as powerful, but around town, don't really need it - heck, I could get by without it on the highway to an extent. I think the Suzi's are like 800cc but only weigh around 600lbs. I figure I can pull 40s around town on them, easily. I figure if the place still has 09s on hand that are new, they may be willing to bargain pretty nicely just to get rid of them. Cost of carry for old inventory isn't exactly good for a business.
     
  16. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

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    That is brutal. $4 in foam could have made the front seat way better.
     
  17. Tonic

    Tonic New Member

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    Im about to do the same but its to get the Lexus CT200h!
     
  18. twittel

    twittel Senior Member

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    Skoor...In my area Toyota had a $165 per month lease deal which is fabulous as far as payments. I don't think that deal is not around any longer? My objections are about lease-end equity as far as open/closed end lease liability, mileage restrictions, lessor inconsistencies for assessing wear/tear charges, and the lease end hurdle of either leasing again, or needing a big pile of cash to buy out the lease or get out of the lease cycle and into a purchase.

    Now, with all that said, if a buyer finances for 48-60 months and is buying a new car every 3-4 years, than ownership was never an issue, so why not lease and pay for the use of the car? I know the advantages of leasing, and how it works for some people, but I just don't care for it.

    In the final analysis, take a Prius any way you can get it: lease or buy, but if the choice is mine, I prefer to own.
     
  19. JimEshleman

    JimEshleman New Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Atlanta, Georgia USA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Own vs. Lease? No question... lease is better! Especially with the Prius which is often worth more at the end of the lease than the buyout price. Monthly payments are lower with a lease than with financing, and after three years you have the option of leasing a new car again. The value of the car easily offsets mileage overruns if you decide to turn the car in.... I can go on and on.

    I leased a new Prius for $1999 down and $189/mo. Love it. Oh BTW, my company car allowance pays for the car, and after turning in my Scion TC after it's lease expired, my car insurance dropped $400 annually.
     
  20. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
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    Model:
    II
    As dead as the do do bird. If it were still around I assure you my signature would show a 2010 Prius II and a 2011 Prius II. There are definitely many factors to consider. I no longer care about equity in a car. The moment I had a switch in my head away from seeing them as anything but an expense I no longer cared about equity (they aren't an investment), so cost per month or over a certain number of years is all that really matters.

    We got ours for $1500 out of pocket to cover various fees and then about $170/month for 36 months. We literally save that amount of fuel in gas each month. I spent a week mulling over the decision to get the vehicle a year ago when gas was under $3. You can imagine how I feel about that decision now.

    Many complex parts to the math, though, such as what are your tax rates, is it a new model (e.g. do you really want to buy a 2011 if 2012 represents a new model year of a car), etc. And of course what are the lease rates at the time. Is there an incentive or not.