Looking for help with Decisions

All families need a mini van. Selling a town and country probably will net you very little to put towards a prius.

Even at 18mpg, you are probably spending $4 more per day, $80 a month, $1000 per year.

Not enough savings to be spending $15000 to ultimately save a few thousand.

 

You will still almost fill up weekly with the prius. Just fill up less gallons.

Anyways you'll need to look for a prius 4 for the leather option.

After market classio leather will run you $500 if you get a cheaper model prius. If a rear camera is 100% necessary, then you would want to avoid prius 2, unless it's from 2015.

Tampa prius has lots to choose, Google him, his name is Todd. A forum contributor here

 

Welcome to Prius Chat !

How many kids and the ages? I have a 5 and 4 year old and the 2010 Prius II just meets our needs.

If you have more kids than that, stick with a van or if you really want a Prius, the v is an option as it has a larger storage area in the back. It gets lower mpg though.

Is the 20 minute drive mostly highway or in town? What is the average total mileage per year you put on the van currently?

Keep us posted .

 

I have 3 kids and I mostly use my prius for transporting them. However I have a Sienna van for those special days that require more than a prius

 

+1 on the Prius v suggestion. You need the extra space and MPG would not be much different than a Camry Hybrid.

 

I believe the Camry Hybrid has lower MPG compared to the Prius. The Camry is a nice, comfortable car though. I miss my 1996 Camry.

 

My son does not have 2 legged kids, but he has small dogs (4 legged kids). When he retired his 2005 Prius, he opted for a 2015 Prius v to get the extra room for dog crates, etc.

 

Backup camera became pretty common in Prius in 2012. I added a backup camera to my 2010, and it's a huge project because you need to replace the entire radio unit AND run a cable from the license plate, up the hatch, thru to the body, down to the doorsill trim, across all the doorsills, up to the dashboard and into the radio. It's definitely cheaper to buy a Prius with a stock backup cam.

Leather seats are another story. They are available only on top of the line models, with lots of other features. Most Priuses don't have them. If the Prius has factory leather seats it will also have the backup camera. But it's also possible to add leather. There's the Clazio method, which covers the existing seat, and there's the more expansive Katzskin, in which the cloth material covering is removed and the leather replaces it, which will provide you a factory-quality, like-new leather seat. But Katzkins cost a little more and they need to be professionally installed. You can do it yourself but it's a project.

 

Looks like the choice is a close one. The Mini van fits the family except for the gas mileage and possible forthcoming transmission issue. I would take a look at the overall cost of owning the Prius over the overall cost of keeping the Mini van. You will easily put on 100,000 miles on the Prius and most likely will only have to do oil changes and one Synergy-Drive fluid change. At worst, looking at maybe $1,000 (most likely $500) over 100,000 miles. Now, if you can go another 100,000 miles in the Mini Van and spend the same or less in maintenance....................?

 

I just went trough a similar process, I was torn between a 2013 model 2 with 40K or a 2011 model 4 with sunroof and 60k. I ended up with the 2011 for $13K + tax, rolling off the lot new this car as $34k.... so it dropped 20k in 5 years ouch... At this price point I put another 100k on it and lose very little. I will do all the fluid, filter, and brake changes myself. I totally love the car, leather is great, sunroof rocks, I love the extra light, eight speakers. I drive over 500 miles yesterday and loved it!

Read up on cargurus and start learning the market, what cars have been sitting around, you will get a better deal on a trade in compared to car bought a auction. It sounds like you are not in a rush so go slow and make sure you get a car you want.

I also looked at the v series, but honestly the mileage sucks and I don't really see the point. I think a civic hatchback would be a better option. Too bad TDI ended being cheats... a jetta tdi wagon was a great option

 

Also read
How to Negotiate the Purchase of a Used Car