To Buy, Is It Worth It?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zacdl @ May 20 2007, 07:39 AM) [snapback]446064[/snapback]</div>

I have 13000 miles on a 2007 package #2, which has all the goodies I need, without adding even more electronics to this incredibly complex car. I paid MSRP, but you can get a better deal now.

There are 2 things I didn't like. One I was able to fix. First, the traction control is a little too controlling. If you dump the throttle in a panic, the power completely drops away for a very scary second before coming back in. I've learned where the limit is in normal driving, so it's usually not a problem, but, in a panic situation...well...don't panic . Second, the car is pretty squirrely in the wind. I solved a lot of that problem by installing a BT Tech stiffening plate [do a "stiffening plate" thread search if you don't know what that is]. It also made the car handle better, something it didn't even need a lot of help with. My little econo-enviro station wagon makes a pretty handy sports car on a twisty road, and this is coming from a former Boxster owner.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zacdl @ 2007 May 20 8:42 PM) [snapback]446408[/snapback]</div>

I'd say it depends on your budget. If you can comfortably afford a $25,000 car, then the Prius is an excellent choice. If that amount is really stretching it and you'd have to borrow most of the funds, then something close to half the price might be wiser.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zacdl @ May 20 2007, 10:42 PM) [snapback]446408[/snapback]</div>

The Yaris and the Corolla are different cars from the Prius. They are less expensive cars that have few bells and whistles and are smaller. If you'd be happy with a Yaris or a Corolla than you should go for it. I'll say this here: you will not make up for the price difference in saved gas if you get a Prius instead of a $13K car. It's just not going to happen unless you drive 75K miles a year and gas goes up to $8 per gallon (disclaimer: these numbers are totally made up and the actual numbers are probably different than this). The virtues of the Prius have been very nicely pointed out in this thread, but it is not the cheapest car out there; I think it's one of the best cars for the money, but it's not the absolute cheapest way to get from Point A to Point B.

There's a lot of speculation but not a lot of information about the next generation of Prii (so this next paragraph will go from pretty solid information - Sentence #2 - to wild speculation - Sentence #4). There will probably be a change for the Model Year 2009 (i.e. coming out in late 2008) Prius; don't expect much before then. There is some speculation that it will have a larger battery and, potentially, plug-in capability (but some say that won't come until later model years). No one knows what the price point will be, but if I had to guess, I'd guess that they might stay the same.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zacdl @ May 19 2007, 02:11 PM) [snapback]445801[/snapback]</div>

Bias aside? This is a Prius board, so there is a strong pro-Prius bias here. I am biased: I love the Prius. Other folks have answered your more specific questions. What I can tell you is that, in my opinion, the Prius is well worth the price. It will not "pay for itself" in gas savings compared to a $13K car. But a $13K car will be an uncomfortable rattle-trap. The Prius is a comfortable and high-tech car, and will pollute less, with a smaller carbon footprint, than any other gasoline-powered car on the road, other than a two-seater Honda Insight.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zacdl @ May 19 2007, 07:07 PM) [snapback]445922[/snapback]</div>

Actual mileage depends on many factors, including climate, terrain, driving conditions, and length of trip. Some people have averaged better than the EPA figures. Absolute worst case is very short trips in bitterly-cold weather. January in Fargo North Dakota with a ten-minute commute I was around 30 mpg. I doubt any other car would have done better than 15 under those conditions.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nark @ May 20 2007, 01:32 PM) [snapback]446244[/snapback]</div>

Because of the unique drivetrain of the Prius, a tachometer really does not tell you anything useful. Engine RPM is almost completely decoupled from vehicle speed, and the computer prevents the engine from being overworked.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zacdl @ May 20 2007, 08:42 PM) [snapback]446408[/snapback]</div>

Bottom line: The Prius is (in my biased opinion) excellent value for the money. However, if you are on a tight budget, and you are just looking for economical transportation, the Prius is not that. With the Prius you are getting, and paying for, a lot more than basic transportation. A five-year-old Civil or Corolla will be excellent, reliable, economical transportation. A Prius will be a fun and enjoyable car. It's just a question of what you can afford, or how much you want to spend to go beyond basic transportation.

Nobody knows what Toyota will do in the future. They are very secretive. The rumor is that the 2009 model year (available towards the end of 2008) will be a major model revision with significantly better fuel economy and a different profile. The 2008 model year probably will be essentially the same as the 2007.

 

I would not buy a Corolla because this is the current model's last year and you'll get a bigger than average depreciation hit. I would wait and buy a corolla in the fall when the new model arrives. I bet the new model will look nicer and will be loaded judging from the impact the 07 Civic is having.

If the Yaris is enough for you then it's half the price of the Prius. By the time you pay the Yaris off a better Prius will exist and you'll have the Yaris for sale in no time.

I went through this process myself recently and went for the Prius because:

1) The Corolla was outdated, the Civics were going to be extremely popular and I always thought that every Honda has been a slightly sportier Toyota but not sporty enough and not as reliable imo.
2) The Prius is a better car than the Mazda6, Camry LE or Honda Accord for what I actually wanted

The only other car that attracted me is the 2008 Altima Coupe. It looks waaaay sexy but was not available before this summer and I didn't want to wait. It would have been a tough choice between that and the Prius.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zacdl @ May 20 2007, 05:39 AM) [snapback]446064[/snapback]</div>

Dude, I prepaid my mainenance, rolled it into the financing, I don't like dealing with that crap, especially for new technology, You'd give your self some restful nights prepaying like I did.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zacdl @ May 21 2007, 09:17 PM) [snapback]447088[/snapback]</div>

Buying a car has never been about NEED. It is about WANT. There's a thread here somewhere with a photo of a Prius parked behind something half its size. Only you can decide if you will be happy with the $13000 car keeping in mind that it probably won't age as gracefully.

 

a year ago, a friend asked me the same thing and decided no... he got a kia. now he is greatly regretting his decision. he drives about 75 miles a day on average and his kia is starting to fall apart. it still runs ok, but the car has already got buzzes, rattles and etc going on. he now questions whether he really saved money by getting the kia for almost half the price of a Prius.

now he is a mechanic and a fairly good one and he feels based on his experience that it he will start having mechanical problems in the next two years or so. he says its just a feeling he has and nothing specific. now he has ridden in my car a few times but never driven it but is impressed with the gadgetry despite thinking it was a waste of money.

but all in all, you get what you pay for and if money is the only thing you are looking at, you get a decent car and save as much as $10,000 but will you be happy with what you get?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ May 21 2007, 07:26 PM) [snapback]447094[/snapback]</div>

I disagree B) .

Need a cup of coffee (not me). Need a cigarette (not me). Need a good nights sleep (although don't always get it). Yep. Need a Prius. Oh yes!!!!! I do!!!!!!
OK. So maybe I just NEED my WANTS satisfied.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zacdl @ May 21 2007, 09:17 PM) [snapback]447088[/snapback]</div>

It's worth debating, but it's a question that only you can answer, really. I wouldn't buy a Kia (as Dave's friend did), but I think that the Corolla is a solid car and the Yaris seems nice enough (although I don't know that it has been around for long enough for anyone to really know). The Prius has better features than either of those cars, but it costs more money. It's up to you to decide whether those extra features are worth the extra money. I think they are but, then again, I probably wouldn't be hanging out on Priuschat if I didn't.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dmckinstry @ May 22 2007, 01:15 PM) [snapback]447419[/snapback]</div>

This reminded me of a college friend. He had a philosophy that, when it came to technology, he only had two states: "need" and "hate." If he didn't "hate" a piece of technology, he must "need" it. (thankfully, this philosophy did not carry over to other things in his life )

 

I didn't factor the Bluetooth Handsfree feature much into my purchase decision.
Yet it is now my most favoritest thing about the car. Go figure...