Is a new Prius right for me Please Help!!

It would work of course but seems overkill. Do you need the room of the Prius? How about something like a Civic or Yaris?

Welcome aboard by the way!

 

I confess I have my worries.

All those high mileage Prius Taxis that last forever? Their batteries are being charged almost 24 hours a day via computers that tune them constantly..
In your scenario above, the computers that watch over battery life will be off for 5 days at a time. (If you buy a plug-in, no such problems)

For your scenario, I would buy a '40 MPG Highway' normal car that had a cheap 12 battery.

5000 miles a year / 50 MPG is 100 gallons of gas a year
5000 miles a year / 40 MPG in 125 gallons of gas a year

It will not waste that much more gas and it will be better designed to sit around all week.

 

welcome to priuschat! i agree with spidey and jimbo, but if you want a prius, i don't think sitting around a few days a week will matter. get the new one if you can afford it.

 

Isn't it odd to come to a website that are all enthusiastic about their car, but not such fanboys that the answer to everything is not 'Buy this car!'?

The Prius is a great car, but there are edge cases where it just is hard to make sense, you are near the edge.

http://priuschat.com/forums/newbie-forum/94450-considering-prius.html#post1334003

If you want a Prius, go for it, but you are certainly nearly not using it enough to keep it well maintained.

 

It is unusual that I completely agree with every post .... great advise.
There is no way that I am going to advise you to buy one ... all most of us can/will do is share our experiences. Mine are all positive. Great vehicle, great fuel efficiency; great comfort; great reliability. I have driven it across the country three time since we purchased it, and numerous short trips. It now has 45k miles.

I suspect .... that you would find yourself driving it more than you expect. Mine is in the garage right now with 57.7 mpg showing on the gauge (actual will be about 3 mpg less). My wife says, how about a drive in the country; or to see our daughter; or an unscheduled shopping trip? Sure. With that economy, why not ... we drive more than we would if it was a guzzler.

Good luck.

 

I don't think your intended use will harm a Prius. From a cost basis, buying a another vehicle may make more sense. However, cost isn't the only basis by which to choose a vehicle. Some folks like to drive a full-size pickup. Others need the rumble of a V8 muscle car. Then there are those like to roll through the neighborhood in stealth mode.

 

stealth mode is my favorite. i can't wait for the plug in, 14 miles of stealth!

 

I'd get a new Prius if you need the room, don't mind a few rattles and can afford it, or a Honda Fit if you want something cheaper, simpler and (in my opinion) built better. The Fit Sport is lots of fun to drive and has won numerous comparisons. It's also huge inside and makes a great stuff hauler.

 

OP - with the very little amount you drive it seems like you would be a better fit for a car sharing service like Zip Car than a Prius. If you buy a Prius you will not be taking advantage of the main benefit - the mileage. For similar money you can get something quite a bit more luxurious. Or spend quite a bit less for a non hybrid - the Fit has been mentioned -it is a terrific car. Another to look at is the Mazda 2 - the reviews say it is a blast to drive.