To Prius or to wait?

I ran some numbers, it looks like you would save about $1600 a year on fuel, seems like you drive about 50 miles each day, 350-400 a week. That is based on your 55000 miles over 3 yrs. Using about a $2.15 / gal figure, you save about $1600 in fuel cost per year

You're saving about $130 each month on fuel, now if you keep paying the note and forget the Pri., you then have a guzzler in 2 yrs worth $10,000-12,000, where as you trade in NOW, hopefully get about $6000 trade in diff using your figures, get the sales tax deduction, get a $2000 deduction from income (about $500). Thing is you also saved 2 yrs x $1600 gas costs too. Yea the payments on the Pri would probably equal the ones you pay now, but at the end of 5 yrs the fuel savings will add up, and that is assuming gas stays around $2.10-2.25, I also factored only a 40 MPG performance, whereas many are getting 45-50 MPG., this can depend on weather, and driving style and location. At the end of the day, and 5 yrs later, I would say you would be ahead of the game. IE the gas guzzler would be next to worthless, and the good old Prius still worth something, gas savings would offset more of it. Question is do you still need the truck part in your life..cause the PRI ain't no truck now..It is big, but not a truck. I had a similar quandry..finally just decided to go ahead and I will get an old jalopy for the off and on errands ( a REAL cheap one). I always try and maintain a trade value in my auto's to offset the new costs. True I wind up with car notes, but usually never breakdowns and repairs. when you factor in the costs over the years and the depreciation of the auto's you find that trade in's every so often is not as bad. In this case the Prius may offer a car you can keep longer because of the FUEL COSTS. At the end of 3 or even 5 Yrs this car may be worth more in trade or outright sale then a conventional gas guzzler. So my vote is GET THE PRIUS.

 

ps DON'T know about your current payments, but you can count the FUEL savings as lowering car costs. Also if you get lower payments, you could also control payments and lower the term to 48 or even 36 months. Generally F-150 super crew payments are probably a little over $400/month I would say. if the pri you get is around $26000 out the door (TTL everything included) figure $20,000 note, what did you pay on the F-150, what did you trade or put down ?? Maybe you can also put some down...seems like you will probably wind up with a similar amount for payment each month.