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Prius Prime Lease? Convince me please!

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Metalmanstan, Mar 23, 2017.

  1. Metalmanstan

    Metalmanstan Junior Member

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    How it going everyone!! I'm new to this forum so bare with me.
    I love the Prime. The plug in alone has me bought. But here's the thing. I currently own a Corolla SE leased at $209 a month. Talking with a dealership today, said I could lease a Prime for $344. Now, would the savings in gas alone be worth it? I'll also be saving money on my car insurance for some reason, which is good. My daily commute is 12 miles and I drive to hike 120 miles every week or so. I fill my tank probably every 2-3 weeks and I live in Update NY. Please help me convince me (and mostly my wife) that the $344 will actually be cheaper with all the savings. Thanks a lot!!

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!

    1) how many more months on the corolla?

    2) how many month lease on the prime?

    3) what do you pay for electricity?

    4) 12 miles one way, or round trip?
     
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  3. Prius from Dad

    Prius from Dad Senior Member

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    1. Your daily commute would be total electric, so no gas use.
    2. Your hike trip would be 25+ miles of electric and about 1.5 gallons of gas unless you can charge while hiking.
    3. Tank = 11.3 gallons. So 11.3/1.5= 7.5 weeks per fill up.
    4. Don't think about it, Do it. My opinion only. :)
     
  4. Metalmanstan

    Metalmanstan Junior Member

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    1) 4 months
    2) 30,000 36 months
    3) around 160 per month, do you need more info?
    4) 12 miles round trip

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    How much are you pay for fuel in the Corolla based on mileage? Don't use time because it doesn't give an accurate description of your true cost of fuel. (e.g. my friend and I both refuel our cars once a month and he was wondering why I was refuelling my Prius as often as he was. I reminded him that I travelled twice as far as he did in that same time period and had a slightly smaller fuel tank than he did).

    Then calculate your monthly electricity bill (that $160/month. What's the going electricity rate? 12 cents/kWh? 20 cents/kWh?). The Prime will cost you approximately 6.1-6.3 kWh per full charge.

    So assuming you get the EPA's 25 miles (owners on PriusChat so far are getting anywhere from 21 to 36 miles on a charge with most in the 25-30 range). You have to calculate your cost of a full "battery tank" which will get you 25 miles and multiply that by the number of days you'll have to recharge (12 miles round trip means you're charging every other day since you can go to work twice before needing a charge).

    Use #2 from "Prius from dad"'s post to calculate that weekly hiking trip cost. Remember, if that hiking trip requires going up a mountain, you're getting a free ride on the way down with no engine (assuming it's not during the winter) and you're also topping up the battery as you descend.
     
  6. priuscatprimeguy

    priuscatprimeguy Senior Member

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    And let's not forget there's an additional kw/hr when the traction battery warmer is on during winter months.:eek:
     
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  7. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    If you really want to save money, you purchase the cheapest new Toyota or Honda that you can. They all get decent mileage and a purchase, if you drive more than 10,000 miles a year, is the only way to go. They hold their resale value and you should be able to get most of your price back when you sell the car in four or five years. If you drive 10,000 miles or less/year, then you might consider a lease, but remember they make a ton of money at the dealership from leases and you're the guy that ends up paying for that. If you want a luxurious, very reliable, reasonably priced auto that gets sensational fuel economy, then the Prius Prime has no competitors. And the months and months that it will take you to learn all about it will be lots of fun!

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i would wait the 4 months, unless there's no penalty to cancel early.

    need your total bill and total kWh for month. also, does your power company offer any time of use options, or have any rebates for ev's and/or chargers?

    how many miles have you put on the corolla in how many months?

    is gas around $2.50/gal.?
     
  9. Metalmanstan

    Metalmanstan Junior Member

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    I usually pay around $28-$30 per tank, per 2-3 weeks, usually i get around 310 miles on a full tank

    Electric is probably 12 cents/kWh. I'll have to check with NYSEG about the rebates, they are not cool here...

    I've got 27,700 miles in 32 months on the Corolla

    Gas is $2.43 where I live.

    There is no penalty to end my lease early. My remaining total payments will roll over to the new lease.
     
  10. Prius from Dad

    Prius from Dad Senior Member

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    I have a 72 mile round trip commute. I can only charge up at home and I am averaging 910 miles per tank for my first 3 fill ups (and that is in the coldest months of the year). The warmer it gets, the more miles/tank you get (A/C not a big help). You should do a hell of a lot better than that. Your electric cost would be in the range of $2.00- $2.50 per week, mine is about $5.00 at .14/kWh, but I do a full charge 5.5 times a week. Plus the Prime is more fun. :)
     
  11. Samprocat

    Samprocat Active Member

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    Then that way to go less for insurance and possibility to charge free with places they offer...in my little city i have 3 location for free charge..and even with paying for electricity used in my own house ...i still see more beneficial....
    And ability to go entirely on EV for shopping and other little trips....there is plenty ideas how to effectively use HV/EV modes ....you can manage 60 MPG with use of Mr.Bob Wilson idea...look on other posts....
    There is Charge mode also that if used properly will give you advantage depends on how you plan your trips

    And welcome to the Prius Prime club....

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #11 Samprocat, Mar 23, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 24, 2017
  12. Metalmanstan

    Metalmanstan Junior Member

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    Sorry, the lease offered is
    3 year 30,000 $335
    3 year 36,000 $344

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    12 cents / kWh is a great deal. so you would be doing 12 miles a day @ about 50 cents x 250 = $125.
    the 120 miles will be about $6. in gas and electricity x 52 = $312. + $125. = $ 437. vs $900.? in the corolla = around $463. in savings per year / 12 = call it $40. per month savings plus your insurance savings. the lease difference would be $125. minus that number.
    btw, which model prime is it?
     
  14. Metalmanstan

    Metalmanstan Junior Member

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    Im looking at just the Plus. The 11.6 inch screen is just too much for me. Very distracting.

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  15. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    BTW, you can turn it off.
    Check out the the other features of the Advanced; you might find as I did that you can live with the big screen when you factor in the other adds of the luxury model.

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  16. Samprocat

    Samprocat Active Member

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    I have not gone this far.....so how do you turn screen off..
    Manual is so thick I'm at about 1/3 so far

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.








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    That was my feelings also way before i have Prius Prime ...it was in Tesla...and now after getting use to it i will not change for small screen....
    Don't let first impression judge what is actually better

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  17. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    You're like me, I was frustrated by the manuals. What I ended up doing was sitting in the car and screwing with all the buttons Etc. Somewhere on that menu there is a button to turn off the screen. When I had a question about a button I would refer to the manual; that way I got a lot more done. That first night I think I spent over 5 hours messing with that stupid thing. Then I adopted the stoic approach, and decided Well I'm going to have lots of fun for several months learning all about this thing. If something bugged me, I could always look it up in the book.
    If you don't find that button, yell at me and I'll try to see if I can find it again.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  18. Metalmanstan

    Metalmanstan Junior Member

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    The plus is also cheaper than the Advanced and the Premium. I just love the Prius's. Drove one down to South Carolina and back and fell in love with it. Not a Prime though, just a regular Prius. Saw the prime and it looked sportier and liked it. Test drove it today and it felt amazing. Just the $125 more is a lot for me, but if the plug in is saving me just as much, then why not??

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  19. Samprocat

    Samprocat Active Member

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    I was trying side buttons...from what i have learned in other cars holding for couple second...nothing....
    So i guess it is somewhere in the touch screen menu

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
    If you do...save me from going trough all pages...
     
  20. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    Damn straight! Don't be cheap. I mean if you can afford it don't be cheap. Remember, you're going to be stuck with whatever decision you make for quite a few years. Be sure you're considering all the benefits and disadvantages, of course, of a each model. As has been said before on this Prius chat, the rear cross traffic and pedestrian alerts are wonderful. Same goes for blind spot monitoring and the other benes that you get with the Advanced.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.