Prius Without an HOV Sticker

Yes, you worry too much.

Is the car worth it without the stickers? Yes. You'll save on gas. And your commute will probably be less stressful. Many drivers have found that they relax and enjoy driving more. (I do.) It could be the transmission or it could be the MFD screen that teaches you to ease up to save fuel.

If having HOV stickers is so important, you can look into a used Prius, but you'll pay more than a used car without stickers.

But even without, it is worth it. Gas isn't going to get any cheaper. It will fluctuate a bit but you're not going to see $1 gas again. Even if it dips into the $2 it will say in the high $2 and it won't stay there that long. And as gas climbs higher in coming years, cars with really good mileage will hold their value. The Prius is also built very well. As for both mileage and emissions, the Prius already meets whatever changes the Feds or California may wish to enact. It's already there.

Will the Prius become obsolete? Maybe somewhat compared to a future plug-in Prius with LiI batteries. But my current Prius will still be way ahead of a lot of other cars out there. So while it may be obsolete compared with a future Prius it won't be obsolete compared to a LOT of other cars out there.

Now worry about color and interior and package.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TheJoelster @ Apr 20 2007, 05:23 PM) [snapback]427083[/snapback]</div>

Welcome to PriusChat Joel.

You are considering buying a new car. For the next five or ten years of ownership, would you rather have the high gas mileage afforded by the current model of Prius, or that from your pick #2? None of those other new cars come with the HOV stickers either, so that isn't a consideration.

After that five to ten years, do you think someone will pay you more for your higher MPG Prius, or your pick #2? The then newer models of high MPG cars will make all current models look pathetic . . . at 50+ MPG, the current model Prii less so.

Considering what future gas prices may be, I'm not worried about Prius resale value.

 

I am feeling a tad the same way, not that it's not worth it, but more annoyed that I missed out on something so great. However it's still worth it to me b/c 75% of the time I have kids in the car with me (and why children qualify as carpool buddies, I'll never get but I'll take the pass!).

If I were you, with that commute, I'd pick up one of the slightly-used slightly-inflated ones off of craigslist so it comes with the HOV stickers.

Just my 2 cents.

 

For me the HOV sticker wasn't worth getting. I see myself as giving someone who really needed it a chance.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Apr 20 2007, 05:48 PM) [snapback]427089[/snapback]</div>

I'll second that. I was in stop and go traffic a few weeks ago (not Southern California, but near the Bay Area), and averaged slower speeds on the freeways, than I did through the towns. I was intrigued by the highest gas mileage I'd ever gotten on the highway. Granted, I didn't get where I was going very fast, but found the gas savings sufficient to reduce the irritation. In cases like that, I'm sure that the Prius gets 4 times the mileage of most non-hybrid cars.

Dave M.

 

My reply depends on whether your alternative is getting a different new car, or staying with your present car.

If you decide to buy a new car, you cannot do better than a Prius. No car will have the HOV sticker now, so that's irrelevant at this point. No car will compare better in 5 or 10 years with what's available then. And you can always get something better by waiting. But by that logic you'd never upgrade.

On the other hand, if your alternative is to stick with what you've got, then it depends on your finances and how happy you are with your present car. The cheapest transportation is to drive an econo-box until it falls apart, and then buy another used econobox. If you're happy with your present car and you would have to borrow money to buy the Prius, you'd be better off to keep your present car (if it's a decent car) and make "payments" to yourself into a separate bank account, and buy the best car you can afford once you have enough money saved up.

As for the Prius itself, there are cars that handle better in a very strong cross-wind at freeway speed, because the Prius is light and has a high profile. But it handles well, and while it is not as comfortable as a Lexus, it is reasonably comfortable. And you will burn about half as much gas as most of the alternative cars. You cannot go wrong buying a Prius now, unless you have to go into debt to do it. I always advise against debt.

I am extremely happy with my Prius, and I would not trade it off for any other car. I could afford a Lexus if I wanted one. But for environmental reasons, I prefer the Prius. On the other hand, I have just ordered a Zap Xebra, which will become my primary car for in-town transportation. The Prius will become my secondary car for out-of-town travel. It's not the cost of gas that bothers me, but the gas itself.