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Talk me into the Prime please :)

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Husker4theSpurs, Aug 27, 2017.

  1. Husker4theSpurs

    Husker4theSpurs Active Member

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    OK guys, former Prius owner ... had a 2008 Touring and 2 - 2010s Tourings (one was totaled in an accident). My wife and I just moved into a new home to be closer to her work. She was driving 40 miles one way on the Interstate so we had a diesel BMW 3-series wagon for her to drive. We both feel strongly about being eco-conscious and now her commute is 8 miles one way, so it feels like a return to a Prius by way of the Prime might be warranted. Our car is paid for currently, so we could just keep driving it easily but I'm kind of itching to have a Prius again.

    I am strongly considering flying out to New England like many on here have and driving one home. We are seeing deals that are very attractive ... approximately $29,000 for an Advanced. Add in the tax credit and I can't imagine it will ever be a cheaper time to purchase a Prime. I doubt they'll make the error of sending as many to the Northeast part of the US next model year and who knows how long gas will stay this cheap?

    Electricity rates are favorable here. Some of my concerns include giving up the AWD of the BMW and the cargo space. We are expecting our second child so I was thinking we might want a mid size and a larger SUV. Currently it seems like whoever is driving the child has our crossover SUV so we can get away with having a smaller cargo Prius. It is nice that the Prius has some luxury features found on not many cars its price (HUD, heated steering wheel). I do think we will miss the memory seat function. With my wife being pregnant again, she would appreciate being up a bit higher in the Prius than the BMW.

    Also, we would then likely sell our BMW privately, so that is a bit of a hassle but I think we could come out a minimum of $8,000 ahead after selling the BMW. So my head says we would be driving a car we moreso believe in driving (we had never had a BMW prior and it doesn't really fit out personality to drive one but we wanted a diesel and some niceties), we would save money on both insurance and registration not to mention coming out ahead after selling the BMW as well as less cost to drive in general. The BMW currently has 38,000 miles and we were likely getting rid of it after the warranty expires at 50,000 miles anyhow.

    I have the time to fly out and drive back and we're in a decent financial position to make the move. Anyone have anything else to add to help me make this decision? I suppose posting here in the Prius forum is looking for the answers I want ... I would guess the response would be different in the BMW forums :)

    Thanks in advance!
     
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  2. heiwa

    heiwa Active Member

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    Sounds like you already know what's best for you and your family. The Prius Prime is an amazing car that may require one to have certain perspectives to see its beauty. It does not appear you need someone to tell you what they are. Enjoy!

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  3. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    ...even when a person on Prius Chat says they are 50/50 on something but have a certain preference, it's usually impossible to shake them from their initial preference, so it sounds like you already know what you want. I would say regular Prius is more a family car when you stuff in strollers and related things...we got 3 child car seats across our 2006. So as long as you realize the other car will be your family car, you are OK. and with 2 kids you are still OK in the Prime. You gotta promise 2 though.

    (that's funny I said "g-o-t-t-a" but the website software changes that to "got to")
     
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  4. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Taking a test-drive is the ideal, you find out quickly how nice Prime is. Lacking that, I'm building a collection of videos so people can experience ordinary drives vicariously. Here's the latest...

     
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  5. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    See if they have an end-of-lease BMW i3-REx on their lot or nearby. It sits higher than our Prius Prime for getting in and out. You might be able to get a very favorable trade-in:
    • 72 mi EV range
    • 39 MPG using REx (@70 mph or less)
    There is a strong BMW i3-REx community who knows how to check the options (i.e., dynamic cruise control and collision avoidance, optical, but good enough) and code the car for better cross-country performance: (1) enable engine operation sooner, and (2) expand usable tank size for more range.

    My experience: Why the BMW i3-REx | PriusChat

    BTW, there is a CCS charging station at Ashland, midway between Lincoln and Omaha.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #5 bwilson4web, Aug 28, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2017
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  6. PT Guy

    PT Guy Senior Member

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    Have you spent time in a Gen 4 Prius at your local dealer? Do that and see if the car is right for you. The Prime is a better Gen 4 car...even after the battery is depleted, it's a better hybrid due to that larger battery taking a larger regen charge, then giving it back while driving. That plus the tax credit makes it even more worthwhile. Could the wiper-less rear window be a problem for you in snow? I coated my windows with Aquapel, and the rain drops blow right off; I think snow would do the same.

    Many current brands have the driver assist features you mention--HUD, self-braking, lane keeping, radar cruise control, blind spot warning, etc. Toyota doesn't do as good a job here as some others--our Mazda (better lane keeping, blind spot warning, & HUD), a friend's Honda (even better lane keeping), are two examples. The heated wheel is really nice--we miss that on the Mazda.
     
  7. KennyGS

    KennyGS Senior Member

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  8. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I appreciate the report:
    Harvey has not left the stage and Labor Day is coming up. It is not just a question of staffing the refineries but oil imports are also needed. It is a case where tapping the strategic reserve may make sense.

    Bob Wilson
     
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    agree with trying to find one locally for a test drive before committing to flying east.
     
  10. JMalmsteen

    JMalmsteen I love my Prius!

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    Why to buy a Prime:
    1) Toyota reliability- our 2007 Prius has 473k miles, you read that correctly!
    2)Fuel economy- on my first 60 mile commute to work, with only 5 miles of charge, I got 88.4 mph, with no charge, I got 70.3 mpg
    3) Technology- the car can park itself, almost drive itself (adaptive cruise control), lane assist, blind spot alert, rear cross traffic alert, crash prevention (it will try to stop the car)
    4)Price with incentives- we paid $28k for an Advanced including doc fees, there's a $4.5k fed tax credit, possible state credits
    5) "The Environment"
    6) HOV lane if that applies to you

    Disclaimer- if this was my only car, I wouldn't buy it. The car can't get out of it's own way. If I was going to have one car, it would be our WRX, and I would get 30 mpg and pay more for gas and not care.
     
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  11. Kramah313

    Kramah313 Active Member

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    If you're going to come out ahead from the BMW, you are in a rare position of buying the car that it sounds like you want is a financially "smart" decision (I hate that term, people tend to throw it too much in my opinion). The only thing you are losing is driving a nice BMW, but it doesn't sound like you care too much about that. I definitely would recommend a test drive for that reason though. While the prime seems to be nice I'm guessing there is a difference and a test drive would tell you how accustomed to the BMW you have become. That said, you have already driven a Prius so you know what they are, and the prime should be nicer than any previous Prius (I have not driven one). If you like it, I would do it sooner rather than later, as your BMW gets older you will come out less ahead and gas may go up with the hurricane. You could try a gen 4 test drive to get an idea of what you'd be working with if there are no primes available. Good luck!
     
  12. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Prime isn't anywhere near as fast as many guzzlers, but that isn't a factor of necessity. It's simply the desire to accelerate quicker.

    For me, you see my commute on that video. My trips out to Wyoming at 80 mph are no big deal either.

    Where would you drive wanting more power?
     
  13. JMalmsteen

    JMalmsteen I love my Prius!

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    Go test drive a new corvette and get back to me. Either you are into that kind of thing or you aren't, which is fine. Nothing beats a powerful manual car. It's fun. Why do most things in life? I commute to work with a Prius also. The Prius is a great car but doesn't do it on that visceral level.
     
  14. jaqueh

    jaqueh Active Member

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    The Prius is my only car because I don’t want a gas guzzler that destroys the world. Electricity is the future but I can’t plug in at home. I want something affordable but still handles well. The prime fits these criteria, but yes acceleration is terrible.
     
  15. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    If it is like the Gen 4, take it our of Eco mode. Try PWR mode for acceleration.
    I run Normal mode on my Gen 4 because Eco mode is so sluggish.
     
  16. jaqueh

    jaqueh Active Member

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    I run it in normal mode. It has the same throttle mapping as my gen 2 so I know how far to press to keep it in ev mode. Also I find the different drive modes to be pointless as they don’t do anything besides change the way the pedal feels.
     
  17. Husker4theSpurs

    Husker4theSpurs Active Member

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    Hi guys,

    Thanks for all the feedback! Yes, I have test driven a Prime and regular Prius so I kind of know what we're getting into. I think my main problem may be getting my wife to sign off on me being gone for two and a half days to pick this thing up :) She is pregnant and has nauseousness often right now so watching our 17 month old by herself feels like asking a lot.

    I am sure we will miss some things about the BMW (memory seat ... 360 camera) but we really feel kind of awkward driving a BMW.

    It does seem strange to have buying a car be a good financial decision right now, but that's kind of what it is. We recently built a house so the extra money will be nice to have after that expense as well.

    The deal isn't sealed yet, but we are getting closer and have some backup plans for other dealers just in case. A few dealers have offered me a slightly lower price but I like the dealer we've been talking with overall.

    Again, thank you all for the feedback!
     
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I d u n n o, second child on the way, flying halfway 'cross country to pick up a bleeding edge four seater, with a significant reduction in hatch space? I'll be Sam Spade for this one: get a regular Prius. Better yet, stick with what you've got. All you have basically is an itch.
     
  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    What you'll gain


    • 25 mile EV range (though people here have gotten more in the summer and as low as 20 miles in the winter)
    • The latest in Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive (reading the slightly more technical notes from the media release in Tokyo made me appreciate the efforts Toyota put into the Gen 4 Prius/Prime that a normal US media release doesn't cover)
    • Ridiculously good mpg in hybrid mode
    • Sophisticated vapour-injected heat pump (for better cold weather performance - more efficient heating, lower loss in EV range)
    • Carbon-fibre polymer rear hatch with dual wave design
    • Full LED exterior lighting (except reverse light)
    • 11.6" full HD MFD
    • Colour HUD (vs. the monochrome in the Gen 3.5) with speedo, nav, HSI and other alerts
    • All-speed DRCC
    • PCS w/ Pedestrian Detection (25mph for vehicles, 18mph for pedestrians for full avoidance)
    • LDW w/ SA (so-so)
    • Auto High Beam
    • Intelligent Clearance Sonar (smart backup sensors that include auto-braking)
    • Intelligent Parking Assist (upgraded from Gen 3 supposedly. Also includes Exit-Assist for parallel parking)
    • Much improved comfort and handling over Gen 3 - no comparison
    • For me, the front seats are comfortable and supportive (like a glove almost)
    • Acoustic windshield and front door glass (Gen 3 and lower Gen 4 models only had an acoustic windshield)

    What you may miss

    • Cargo space (I mean a wagon is going to carry the most amount of stuff)
    • AWD
    • BMW handling
    • Diesel-like torque (Yes there's instant torque from the Prime's electric motors but that feeling is fleeting)
    • Rear wiper
    • Fully adjustable power front seats (Prime only comes with a 10-way power driver's seat)
    • Driver memory function
    • HK audio (if equipped)
    • Owning a BMW (It must be said, it is nice to have a BMW in the driveway :) )

    What you may not miss

    • BMW repair and servicing costs (I do believe Toyota's hourly rate is lower...that and less frequent trips needed)
    • Fuel costs (you said electricity costs are favourable - couple that with ridiculously good mpgs and ownership costs should be lower)
     
  20. Husker4theSpurs

    Husker4theSpurs Active Member

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    I hear you clucking and you have a good point. There's a chance this will be a third car and practically solely used as my wife's commuter unless best for another situation. I do think you're right that this is more an itch than anything. My wife is suggesting we wait to see how we feel after the second little one shows up.