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Your opinion on financing... 2012 Honda Accord V.S. 2012 Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by That_Prius_Car, Feb 25, 2013.

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Keep the Accord or get the Prius?

  1. Get the Prius!

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  2. Keep the Accord.

    1 vote(s)
    100.0%
  1. That_Prius_Car

    That_Prius_Car Austin Kinser

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    Hello everyone.

    Well, I have a new friend who has a 2012 Honda Accord Coupe EX-L w/ Navi. He has about 1,100 miles on it since yesterday. When I first hung out with him, he made fun of the Prius, then test drove one, and loves it & wants one. He said "I wish I would have driven the Prius before the Accord."

    Now, we went and test drove a 2012 Prius three with solar from Love Lexus/Toyota. They're offering a 1,000 dollar rebate because they're trying to move the 12's. They did some numbers and came back saying he would have to carry over $4,000 to get into the Prius. Plus, his interest rate on the Accord is 1.75% & he may get a better interest rate on the Prius because his credit is excellent, plus the rebate.

    My friend just doesn't want to go belly-up too much, but he wants a Prius. Which, compared to other new cars priced like the Accord that lose their value much faster like the Impala, etc, which can make someone trading soon like this go belly-up 8-10k dollars, $4,000 isn't bad.

    My friend also trades cars often, but also, he plans to travel this summer and he is only averaging 20mpg out of his Accord & we never know what gas prices will do. He thought about keeping the Accord and paying it off a little more, but then if gas prices go up, the Accord will depreciate even more and the Prius will go up in price. I also assume he'd keep the Prius for a good while too.

    Advise?
     
    #1 That_Prius_Car, Feb 25, 2013
  2. Bob Hahn

    Bob Hahn Wingman08

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    Financially, absolutely NO he should keep the Honda. Way too much loss to ever recover. If he has money to burn, then it doesn't matter, Accord has more comfort, larger, really reliable car.
    I've own a bunch of them. Great car. However, today I love my Prius, but I would not be willing to take that hit. I'd wait for he Gen 4, in a few years and then upgrade.
     
    #2 Bob Hahn, Feb 25, 2013
    That_Prius_Car likes this.
  3. That_Prius_Car

    That_Prius_Car Austin Kinser

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    Thanks for the reply, I guess it boils down to what he likes most and what he wants. The Prius has a back-up camera, smart key, push button start, Entune system, and it's larger and more practical than his Honda. So it's really what he thinks fits.
     
    #3 That_Prius_Car, Feb 25, 2013
  4. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Prius is more practical with its hatchback, but it's not nearly as large as Accord, nor does it have the load capacity. I'm sure the Accord eats up highway miles much better than Prius.

    I'm on a kick of trying to get people to consider another car besides Prius.

    Camry hybrid made huge gains from 2011 to 2012 -
    * lost 200 lbs
    * gained 13 HP
    * went from 33 mpg combined to 41 combined (LE model)

    * As a car to drive and fit in better with traffic, it's much better than Prius. I had one for two days last week. It zips and turns well.

    Prius is a good car, great on gas and practical, but not that much fun to drive. I think it's a wee bit overrated and in need of a redesign.
     
    #4 cycledrum, Feb 25, 2013
  5. Bob Hahn

    Bob Hahn Wingman08

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    Is there a reason your on this "kick"?
     
    #5 Bob Hahn, Feb 25, 2013
  6. That_Prius_Car

    That_Prius_Car Austin Kinser

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    Well his Accord is the coupe, so the Prius does have more space. Plus, his accord is only averaging 20mpg.
     
    #6 That_Prius_Car, Feb 25, 2013
  7. mrstop

    mrstop PWR Mode

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    It probably is dumb move financially, but I would work the numbers out yourself to see what the dealer is trying to do.

    Some questions to determine, is the $4,000 to make up the difference in sticker or due to depreciation off the Accord off the lot? How is sales tax being factored? Can you get a better deal than $1,000 off rebate on the Prius (I would think you should by now on a 2012)? Experts will say start with figuring out the new car price, then negotiate the trade-in.
     
    #7 mrstop, Feb 25, 2013
  8. Maroon

    Maroon Member

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    $4,000 buys a lot of gas, even at 20 mpg. Bad, impulsive move for your friend.
     
    #8 Maroon, Feb 25, 2013
  9. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Yeah, because I drove a Camry hybrid LE rental for 180 miles and got 46.7 MPG at the pump. Not here to trash Prius, but 200 HP is a lot more than 134. Prius can get the city / hwy job done, but Camry hybrid is a better car to drive.

    btw, in previous post I changed 'not that great to drive' to 'not that much fun'.

    I've never heard a professional reviewer refer to Prius as 'fun to drive'. Consumer Reports refers to it as 'secure, but not agile'.

    I would like to see some type of multi-link rear suspension in 4th gen Prius, but we'll see.
     
    #9 cycledrum, Feb 25, 2013
  10. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    If it's a 4 cylinder Accord coupe, 20 mpg is too low. I had a 2011 Accord coupe 4 cylinder and 26 to 28 mpg was common.
     
    #10 cycledrum, Feb 25, 2013
  11. Bob Hahn

    Bob Hahn Wingman08

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    We can agree Prius is not the most luxurious vehicle out there. Most cars aren't built for that. Not trucks, or SUV or most small or compact cars. I mean this in a general way. There are a few exceptions to that comment. Over all people tend to look at their needs then pick a car. Jeep, truck, 6 cylinder, what ever.
    I wanted high mileage, I wanted room, I love hatch backs. I want realibility, and as little maintainence as possible. I bought the 4 so it is very comfortable. Has a good stereo, and some other features I really like.
    So 27,4 isn't bad for what I got. As far as the mileage on that Camery, you'd have to drive a Prius in the same area to get a better idea of the difference.
    Your right 20 mpg is too low, that number as me scratching my head .
     
    #11 Bob Hahn, Feb 25, 2013
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