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What to get and how much?

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by rugrat, Apr 10, 2012.

  1. rugrat

    rugrat New Member

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    Hello all,
    I am new here so I suppose this is the right place to post.
    (sorry for the length apparently I like to write too much)

    I am off to college this summer and a car seems to be in order. I am going to a place that does not have a college campus and so I actually need to have a car. So my parents are doing something they have never done for any of my older siblings they are getting a new car for me to use (I will probably have to pay for it in a few years), but I get to pick it out nice parents :)

    I have been driving either a 2004 subaru WRX (that thing got 15 miles a gallon! :eek: the little guzzler although there was a fuel tank leak) or sometimes my mom's Toyota Avalon. This last summer I had driven my older sisters Toyota Yaris for a bit.

    I really liked that the Yaris was cheap to fill up and could fit a ton for the small car size. You guys should probably know I am musician so space is a necessity. :drum: I could fit a full drumset, my half stack bass amp, my bass, electric guitar, bass, electric amp, and big hand drum in the Yaris... (somehow)

    Anyways my main goals for a car are something reliable, great mpg, and lots of space!.

    My dad would like me to consider a 2011 Honda fit or 2011 Toyota Corolla. The fit I could maybe see, but the corolla doesn't have enough space. Back to the music thing I do own a fullstack bass amp. For those of you who are not musicians that is a really big amp about 4.5-6 feet tall. I was able to fit in the Yaris. So anything with fold down seats would work. I have never gigged with it as of yet (it weighs a 150lbs!) :faint2: but I would still like to be able to fit it in my car... so hence after all of this my heart has been set upon a Toyota Prius for some time...

    So where exactly is the best place to get one for on the cheaper side of things? Would it be absolutely impossible to find a 2010 for $15k or pretty close? Or should I be going with a 2009? For close to or under 15k what would you guys do? :spy:

    (Well now that guys know pretty close to my life story:D )

    Shalom,
    Matthias
     
    #1 rugrat, Apr 10, 2012
  2. massparanoia

    massparanoia Active Member

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    Matthias,

    For at or near 15k you should be able to score a pretty decent used Prius. Check New Cars, Used Cars - Find Cars at AutoTrader.com for cars in your area. Just to give you an example I did a quick search and found these three within about a 10 mile radius of me.

    2008 Toyota Prius Hybrid - Mechanicsville, VA - Mechanicsville Toyota

    2009 Toyota Prius Hybrid - Mechanicsville, VA - Mechanicsville Toyota

    2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid - Mechanicsville, VA - Mechanicsville Toyota

    Best of luck in your search.
     
    #2 massparanoia, Apr 10, 2012
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Let me put on my parent hat for a second, they want you to have a new car in the optimistic belief it will give you no trouble, making you appear more reliable. That is why they recommended sturdy, dependable cars, rather than a Fiat 500 or VW New Beetle.

    A used car (even a Prius) defeats this goal, but a new Yaris or Matrix upholds it.

    [​IMG]

    Matix interior, think Corolla Station Wagon - 21 city/29 highway

    (I bought my teens ex-patrol cars but I had a 'fully depreciated' theory. oregonmotors2000 | eBay)
     
    #3 JimboPalmer, Apr 10, 2012
  4. rugrat

    rugrat New Member

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    @massparanoia

    I have been looking and found some nice 08's in my range. Is there a huge difference between 08's and 09's.

    My dad is by the book... and by the book I mean he lives by "Consumer reports" :D:D:D So I told him about 9 months back I really wanted a Prius and he was like "I don't know" then he checked it and it was the best one in that issue.

    @Jimbo
    Well my dad does want a reliable car, but he doesn't care if it is new or used. Nice pic :)


    So I am looking at getting a 2008 probably. Is there a big difference between touring and regular?
    or I could try and get a 2010 (before 2010 there isn't the brake enrgy collection "thingy" correct?)
    I saw a 2010 got wrecked and is missing the back hatch. It is only around $10k... but maybe I could get it down to 10k even.... and I know a guy that works on cars for a living and he is really good. So I would be looking at about $2,000 probably for repairs... that car other than that is supposedly in great condition and it only has 22k miles.
    What should I go for?


    Now my last question and maybe this should be a seperate post in itself I was going through my craigslist rounds and an ad caught my eye...
    a prius with a 120mpg or above.... This is part of the guys ad

    "I am selling my 2011 Toyota Prius with 18K miles. I This is not your typical Toyota Prius. I have added a supercharged ion battery in the trunk, and also inserted a seperate alternator which draws electricity to the spare battery. Last winter I typically got 60-80 MPG and have gotten up to 125 MPG last summer."

    :eek::rolleyes:;):confused:
    SO has anyone on this forum done this? Is it legit and just how do I do it? How much would a mod like this cost?

    Thanks,
    Matthias
     
    #4 rugrat, Apr 10, 2012
  5. krazypriuslady

    krazypriuslady Member

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    re your 125 mpg- there are people here who know more but I'll suggest he was all in battery mode- which may mean he abused his battery.

    also it would be true if he tracked his mileage coasting downhill for a mile in electric mode and saw it said 125 mg- but is it reasonable to expect it full time, I don't like sellers who go right to the edge with claims and you have to ask just the right questions to get a full story

    plus i bet that mod voids the warranty big time. I'd run away from that car
     
    #5 krazypriuslady, Apr 10, 2012
  6. krazypriuslady

    krazypriuslady Member

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    why don't you look at the prius C?
     
    #6 krazypriuslady, Apr 10, 2012
  7. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    It would be difficult to find a C in the 15k range bc its still so new.

    If mpg is important, I did see a clean title 2010 CPO Honda Insight EX with 16k miles, $16,000 at my local dealership last month. I think that's a cheap and good alternative to a prius. About the same size as well.
     
    #7 p00kienrayray, Apr 11, 2012
  8. rugrat

    rugrat New Member

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    I was just wondering about the battery. Ok thanks I wasn't looking at buying the car I was just interested in what they had done. The Prius C is a little too new to be cheap...
     
    #8 rugrat, Apr 12, 2012
  9. rugrat

    rugrat New Member

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    @pookienrayray
    I looked up the insight. I found one for $12,500 with only 22k miles on it.
    (link coming in two posts)

    So I am going to go car shopping and probably get a car tomorrow. 2008 Prius or 2010 Honda Insight... I know the Prius is reliable how about the insight?
     
    #9 rugrat, Apr 12, 2012
  10. rugrat

    rugrat New Member

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    -post- so I can put up link
     
    #10 rugrat, Apr 12, 2012
  11. rugrat

    rugrat New Member

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    #11 rugrat, Apr 12, 2012
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