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Hello, Im new

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Sytex, Aug 20, 2010.

  1. Sytex

    Sytex Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2010
    44
    3
    2
    Location:
    BC Canada
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi everyone, Im new to the site, and dont own a prius.
    I own older 1990 gas guzzlers, that I basically get for free...
    I drive about 75 km to work and 75 km back, every day...
    That costs me about $25-$35 a day in gas...

    Im really interested in getting a prius, for the substantial gas savings could theoretically pay for the car.

    Im curious to know, what other costs will I have to deal with as a prius owner... Is maintenance any more costly than a regular car?

    Also would you guys recommend buying a brand new prius, or a used one, is there any worry about the batteries getting old and having to be replaced, and what would that cost...

    okay... you know what... Im going to stop asking questions and start reading haha...

    Thanks for the forum guys, Im glad to find all this info... its just a little daunting at first :)
     
    #1 Sytex, Aug 20, 2010
  2. lunabelgium

    lunabelgium Member

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2009
    269
    21
    17
    Location:
    Belgium (Liège)
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi and congratulations to be interested in getting a Prius.
    The Prius is the best Toyota's car and here is Europe it's proved that the maintenance of a Prius is less expensive than another car : for example a maintenance to 30,000 km (18.641 M) costs around 200 € even less (In Europe a maintenance is provided every 15,000 K).
    Personally I prefer to buy a brand new car but that depends on the amount one has.
    If you are not in a hurry why not wait until the Prius PHV is on the market, that will make an additional choice.
    Best regards,
    Guy
     
    #2 lunabelgium, Aug 20, 2010
  3. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,121
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Hi

    You don't say what car you're presently using but I am pretty sure you will save with a Prius. There are quite a few Canadian members on this forum who will be happy to give you their experiences of their Prius.

    I use my gen3/2010 Prius as a taxi in England and am saving loads of money, though petrol is rather more expensive over here. My fuel economy is averaging at 49 uk mpg, 41 us mpg or 5.8 l/100 km. Now I know it doesn't sound fantastic but this is my average for a car used 10 hours a day in heavy start stop traffic. If I get out of town on a run I get 60 uk mpg 4.8l/100km with ease.

    I don't have any worries about the batteries failing, at least not before 200k miles. In fact there is a Canadian cabbie on here who has run his Prius cabs upto that sort of mileage. The only problems he's had was on an accident damaged Prius that should have been written off by the insurers - and eventually was.
     
    #3 GrumpyCabbie, Aug 20, 2010
  4. Sytex

    Sytex Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2010
    44
    3
    2
    Location:
    BC Canada
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Well currently Im driving a 93'ford explorer, but really, I change cars every couple months.
    And for instance today, I drove 150km, and it cost me $35 (gas costs about $1.10/L here)

    so I guess its about 20L/100km...

    so I would probably save over $20 a day in gas if I switched to a prius...

    Im hoping that by the time I get a down payment ready to buy this thing that they make the Prius a Plug-in EV/Hybrid; so Im aiming to buy the 2012 Prius, I hear it can drive up to 100km/h in ev mode, and is plug in. For me the range of the battery life would not last...

    Is it possible to add on batteries for better performance over long distance, or I hear something about battery swapping somewhere? Im not kidding when I say I drive 100-150+km/day... thats just to and from work...



    Im really very impressed with what I hear about these prius cars... I dont know why everyone doesnt drive one... Most people I talk to about getting a prius, they try and talk me out of it, they say things like why dont you just get a cheap little car like a Fit... they just dont get it... For me, if the gas savings are what they claim them to be, the car will basically be free...


    what about brakes... I heard that your brakes rarely wear out due to some kind of battery charging engine brake... that true?
     
    #4 Sytex, Aug 20, 2010
  5. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,867
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    I drive 30,000 miles a year and I save about $1000USD a year in gas compared to a Matrix, not enough to ever pay for the whole car, but more than enough to pay for the difference in price.

    I pay $46USD every 5000 miles for oil, filter and tire rotation. A 2010 uses synthetic oil so only needs oil and filter every 10,000 miles, but it is pricier oil.

    My understanding is that the Toyota PHV will have a 13 mile range as an electric car.

    Your brakes will last so long the salt air will be the reason they failed, unless you are in the interior, in which case salt on the roads.
     
    #5 JimboPalmer, Aug 20, 2010
  6. ksstathead

    ksstathead Active Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2007
    1,244
    243
    0
    Location:
    Kansas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Fuel savings.
    Maintenance savings.
    Time savings on trading cars and getting them tagged and insured.
    Environmental benefits.

    Vs

    Purchase cost
    Higher insurance cost versus clunker (you'll surely pay more for higher value car, unless you go with older used one and drop collision/comprehensive.)

    I have no regrets changing from Tacoma to Prius, and I doubt you will either. But there will be tradeoffs, at least if you jump to a new car.
     
    #6 ksstathead, Aug 20, 2010
  7. Sytex

    Sytex Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2010
    44
    3
    2
    Location:
    BC Canada
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Definatly want to get myself one of these cars...
    like I say gas costs me $25-35/day right now, running cars that get about 20L/100Km
    since the prius is supposed to be under 5L/100Km I should save something like $600 a month on gas...
    Im excited... cant wait to get my hands on one of these cars...

    btw, what is usually required for a down payment? 5-10k?


    thanks for the info guys!!!
     
    #7 Sytex, Aug 21, 2010
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