Keep Scion xA or higher mileage Prius?

MAnthony – If a 2006 Scion xA (27/30/35 MPG, Fuel Cost $1,100/year) is “a wee bit too small for our family,” then I think the cabin space and cargo carrying volume of “an older (than 2006) Prius (liftback)” would similarly be “a wee bit too small” for your family, as well.

The 2012 Prius v Station Wagon is the first Prius model with a larger cabin, more passenger space, plus a 50% increase in cargo carrying volume over the Prius sedan.

IMHO, if, in 2015, you need a vehicle offering more room for your family, and also want the fuel-sipping benefits of a Prius hybrid, I would set my sights on wrangling a good, MAnthony car-budget matching deal on a used 2012 Prius v Station Wagon.

We likely will be having “$2± Gas” for the next nine-months or so, before Prices-At-The-Pump, once again, start climbing back toward and to $3.50 >>> $4+’ish per gallon prices and beyond. This will tend to depress and down-spiral prices for, and keep demand dropping for, used Prius hybrids. Therefore, the used car market price for a 2012 v(vee) Station Wagon (44/42/40 MPG, Fuel Cost $800/year) will likely drop, hopefully, down into the range of your car buying budget.

 

MAnthony - I would say that you are somewhat incorrect in thinking that “the combustion engine in a Prius is used less than in my Scion (making it), in general, more reliable than our car.”

The internal combustion engine (ICE) in a Prius hybrid only runs, is “fired up and/or rotating” just marginally less then the gasoline engine powering the Scion XA or other non-hybrid vehicle. Therefore, as regards ICE “reliability” for a 1.5-Liter I4 “Atkinson Cycle” powered 2004-2009 GEN II Prius hybrid versus a 1.5-Liter I4 “Otto Cycle” powered Scion xA non-hybrid, the xA would have a slight “reliability edge,” advantage. This because, among other factors, the ICE in a Prius is caused to have multiple Start Up-Shut Down Cycles as part of normal operation and functioning of the Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) System, whereas, in the Scion XA or other non-hybrid, the ICE only turns on and shuts off, only once per each use/driving of the vehicle. Add to this the added complexity of the MGen Sets, Traction Battery, T-HSD Control Software, and overall Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) System parts and pieces in the Prius, the Prius would tend to be slightly-to-moderately less reliable than the somewhat simpler design of a conventionally-powered 2006 Scion xA operating with its 1.5-Liter I4.

 

A Prius is a choice, and it is larger inside than an XA, but when Prii break, they can be expensive, and your talking about buying one totally out of warranty. You might also consider a Matrix, probably not much more money for one with the same mileage as your XA, or better yet, save some money so you can buy a newer car.....

 

Lower operating cost is one of the reasons I bought a Prius. The Prius just doesn't have some of the parts that can fail or need to be replaced on a conventional car. The oil change interval is 10000 miles. I have 93000 on the original brakes. I don't care what the price of gas is--the only cars with higher fuel economy are plug in hybrids & EVs.

I suspect a 9 year old Scion with 90000 miles isn't going to be low maintenance or cheap. What is due to be replaced on that car in the near future?

Do you fit comfortably in a Prius?

 

My 2004 XB had 250K+ and needed hardly anything until 230K. I think if you maintain it properly you could get another 100K out of the XA. I would keep it. With gas prices this low I would wait.

 

Every time you buy or sell you pay for the transaction in commissions, taxes, etc. The cheapest car is most probably the one you have because you know the most about it and its maintenance history and thus have the most insight into its longevity by knowing the way you have maintained it.

But if the family size no longer fits, then you are forced to change.

Buying any used car is a gamble, try to get records of the maintenance history of the car so you can see from the standard maintenance schedule what is going to need to be done.

I don't see a lot of Prius cars or wagons in my dealer's stalls for anything beyond an oil change. Son has 110k miles on his, me 20k+. Neither has had any problems.

Buy something out of fashion but still mechanically reliable and economical.