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Newbie Owner - But Do you have regrets not getting the Volt?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Tony Prius, Sep 28, 2013.

  1. iluvmacs

    iluvmacs Member

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    I just got a PiP, and my dad just got a Volt. He wasn't too excited about the Prius, and the Volt doesn't suit me well. So I have a great case study in my own family of why each car serves its purpose. My driving in the PiP is either very short or very long (our Leaf handles nearly all of our in-town driving), and I demand the highest MPG on gas possible, so the Volt would have been a "downgrade" from my previous Gen2 Prius. Also need the larger space of the Prius (the Volt is a surprisingly smaller car). Yeah, I wish it drove like an EV like the Volt does, but I get that excitement whenever we drive the Leaf, so that's okay.

    But hey, now there are THREE plug-in vehicles in my family; how awesome is that?! We had them all on display together at our local National Plug-in Day event this past weekend :-D
     
  2. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    Not holding my breath on that.
     
  3. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Trying to recall NJ incentives, but I guess NJ gives nice incentive sales tax exemption for 100% EV, but not for PiP nor Volt I assume. So you would need to go RAV4 EV, Leaf, or Tesla to benefit from NJ incentives.
     
  4. iluvmacs

    iluvmacs Member

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    ... or Ford Focus Electric, or Mitsubishi iMiEV...
     
  5. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    To put it more simply, the only thing wrong with Toyota cars is that you have to buy them from a Toyota dealer!
     
  6. Ken Blake

    Ken Blake Active Member

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    I've owned 8 Toyotas and one new GM. I won't be repeating the experiment with the GM. "screw me once..."

    To the OP: You did well. I worked in the parts department at a "Good" Toyota dealer for 4 years. The only thing I ever sold Prius owners were light bulbs and wiper blades. That's a big part of what caused me to buy one. Also, they will hold their value a lot better than a GM. It's still a depreciating asset, but the value won't drop like a rock, unlike the GM.
     
    SJ PiP likes this.
  7. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    Or a fuel cell vehicle.
     
  8. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Divorcing myself from the debate of PiP vs. Volt, I'd say that reading the OP's original post, it sounds like he made the decision to buy the Plug In Prius based initially- primarily on the fact that it's cheaper to buy a Plug In Prius. Now he seems to be having second thoughts as to whether he "owns" the vehicle he actually wants.....

    Again, not wanting to actually get into which is better, for whatever situation, I'd say if you are having second thoughts this early? If every time you see a Volt on the road you are thinking "Wish I had A Volt".

    Then I'd have to say, you did not buy the vehicle you most actually wanted.

    In my experience things like this don't get better. You are going to constantly thinking about "The Volt", seeing them, and imagining a greater ownership experience with the Volt, even if the truth is the Plug In Prius may be the better tool for the job.
     
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  9. Tony Prius

    Tony Prius New Member

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    Thanks for your response. Actually, my feelings after posting on here are quite the opposite. I think the PiP was the best fir for me adn I'm very happy with my selection. In fact, each day that passes I get a little happier about my decision.
     
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  10. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Whatever you say.

    But I point out that you also made a Freudian Spelling mistake.

    " Every time I see a Volt on the rad I wonder if I should have gotten the Volt instead of the PIP. "

    You obviously, subconsciously think the Volt is more "Rad"....

    Face it....the Volt is calling to you....
     
  11. Tony Prius

    Tony Prius New Member

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    Lol. Well done...
     
  12. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

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    The truth is...people will always want more/better than what they have. Most people anyway.
     
  13. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    I wouldn't mind seeing a Tesla in my driveway, but I'm quite content with the PiP. :D
     
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  14. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    In my dreams Elon Musk drives a Telsa Model S over to my house and gives it to me free for helping to get stores open in Virginia. Problem is I think he needs to also give me $70000 to keep me even on taxes! ...around this time I wake up :(
     
  15. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    Screaming? :p
     
  16. Michael33

    Michael33 Member

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    The purchase price off lease for our PIP is just over $17k. That's a damned good price for a used car that you got to break in and use yourself. What's the typical residual on a Volt?
     
  17. zhenya

    zhenya Active Member

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    A good residual is not what makes the PIP cheap to buy. High residuals typically make for low lease payments, with high payoffs. The PIP has low payments because Toyota is fronting so much cash to knock down the cap cost. The payoff is low on the PIP because the residual is relatively poor compared to most other Toyotas (~51%). That's partially because the future value of these is less well known than a more standard car, partially because the residual is based off MSRP which few people pay, and partially because there is an expectation that new plug-ins will be better in 3 years time, making used ones less appealing. For the record, the Volt has exactly the same residual, ~51% for the same reasons.
     
  18. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Well it's rather obvious you're going to get positive reinforcement within your own tribe.

    So, you didn't do your due diligence and test drive the Volt?
     
  19. Rav

    Rav Member

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    No regrets at all. The Volt takes considerably longer to charge and the gas mileage sucks.
     
  20. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

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    This is absolutely false.

    Yes, if you have to have it go to full every time it takes longer. But it will take roughly the same amount of time to charge enough to get 12 miles of range in the PiP as it would in the Volt.
     
    zhenya likes this.