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Prius Plug-in vs Buying Regular Prius with Solar Roof

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by rose123, Sep 13, 2015.

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  1. 2013 Solar Roof one with 32k miles and lots of options

    71.4%
  2. 2014 Plug-in one with 25k miles and less options

    28.6%
  1. rose123

    rose123 New Member

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    I am really torn. I found a used prius plug-in with 25k miles and a used prius with 32k and solar roof. I dont know which one to get. they are both about the same year. But the plugin one has less features, and is $2k more than the one with the solar roof. my commut is only 20 miles total, per day. is the plug-in with less options worth more?
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    In Arizona, you might be better off with the solar roof and lower cost
     
    rose123 likes this.
  3. priuskitty

    priuskitty PIP FAN

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    #3 priuskitty, Sep 13, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2015
    rose123 and Potorap like this.
  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    and you think with a 20 mile drive, there will be enough savings by paying $2000 more? And you think living in a climate that averages 110+ degrees in the summer would not benefit from having a solar roof?
     
  5. priuskitty

    priuskitty PIP FAN

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    :)
     
    #5 priuskitty, Sep 13, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2015
  6. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I didn't know this thread was about you
     
  7. priuskitty

    priuskitty PIP FAN

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    #7 priuskitty, Sep 13, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2015
  8. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    whereas the non plug in uses the HV battery. what's your point?
     
  9. priuskitty

    priuskitty PIP FAN

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    #9 priuskitty, Sep 13, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2015
  10. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I don't have anger issues, your 2 cents relates to you in Michigan
     
  11. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    I've had both a PIP and the non-PIP. I get better mileage with the PIP, even when the ev is gone. It has a greater tendency to glide, even when the EV is used up. The base model you are looking at does not have the nicer drivers seat of the advanced PIP. I'm guessing the solar roof car has a nicer interior and probably a nicer stereo (and NAV?). It's probably not possible to justify the higher cost of the PIP in this case, given how few EV miles it has.
     
  12. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

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    I would get the solar.
     
  13. dbcassidy

    dbcassidy Toyota Hybrid Nation, 8 Million Strong

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    Try to test drive both of these cars. Do NOT simply purchase a plug-in based upon "free" charging stations. That is a rather foolish basis to purchase the car. Rather, if it has a good reliability record, properly maintained, and suits your needs, pay an independent mechanic or someone who knows about the Prius and offers their opinion, then go for it.

    DBCassidy
     
  14. -1-

    -1- Don

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    :)Go with the regular (solar) Prius. Save on initial purchase, more options, and you'll still get excellent mileage without the need to charge.
     
  15. Fore

    Fore Don't look back!

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    My recommendation is buy the cheaper one because these cars depreciate in value very fast!
     
  16. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    The Plug-in is interesting as you could maybe do lots of miles of miles on electrons. But I think you should only buy a plug-in if you are committed to the concept. In other words, if you have to ask, get the regular car. If I got a plug-in I would think about hooking up some solar to get free electrons, but what I am saying is you need to have some "drive" for the plug-in. PiP is plug-in-lite so it's basically plug-in optional. But you lose a spare tire and a little space. It might not give you as high as MPG as it is a heavier car, so I would not get it unless I planned to try plugging in. Exception is CA where the green HOV sticker is the priority for many.
     
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i would only buy the plug in if you want to drive ev, it will cost you more money, not save it.
     
  18. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    The OP didn't say whether she had an apartment or house. If she lives in apartment, then its a no brainer. Get the Prius with the Solar Roof. It would get a little irritating to have hunt for a plug all the time if she can't easily charge it. And the PiP has no spare. Apartment living makes DIY a little more challenging. She also didn't say whether her commute is mostly highway or across a city. For mostly highway and living in an apartment then again a regular Prius with the Solar Roof makes more sense.

    But none of this really answered her question,
    Yes the PiP is worth more because well it's a PiP and there's just not that many of them, so it would be somewhat of a novelty. It's also newer and has fewer miles. So in the long run it'll bring a better trade-in value.
     
  19. angelahortega

    angelahortega Junior Member

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    I have a pip but I would say it depends on your commute
    If u do a lot of in town driving like I do back and forth to work I think getting the plug in is great
    If the commute is a lot of highway driving go for the regular one
    But test drive both they r a lot cheaper now.
     
  20. Redpoint5

    Redpoint5 Senior Member

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    My initial thought was to get neither and buy a regular Prius, thinking that was the more economical way to go. However, some quick math...

    If you pay a $2,000 premium for the PiP, then at $3 per gallon that would buy you 666 gallons of gas. At 50 MPG, that $2,000 savings will get you 33,333 miles on gasoline.

    If your electricity were free, your payback period would be at 33,333 EV miles. The payback period will be higher if you have to pay for electricity.

    In my case, I have on average paid 6.84 cents per mile driven on gasoline ($3.42/gal divided by 50 MPG) in the Prius. At my 8 cents per kWh for electricity, I pay 1.71 cents per mile driven on electricity. Electricity is 1/4 the cost of gasoline in my region. I would have to drive about 39,000 EV miles to recover the $2,000 price premium. At 14 miles per charge, it would take me 2,786 charges to go 39,000 EV miles. If I can charge twice per day, it would take me nearly 4 years to recover the price premium. Likely longer since I don't always use 100% of the EV range every time I drive.

    From a financial standpoint, it depends on if you can charge at work, how long you intend to keep the vehicle, and what electricity and gas has historically averaged. That said, people don't really make financial decisions so much as emotional ones. Get the vehicle that will give you the most happiness per dollar.