Off Topic Prius?

[MaryA]

WAY off topic, except for that I spend a lot of time in the car running my kid (and others) to and from gymnastics, but one of our cars has finally reached the "not worth fixing" stage. In fact, when the mechanic told us what all needed to be done to it so it would pass inspection and we told him to go ahead and fix it (because it was easier and cheaper than buying a new one) his response was "Really????" Never a good sign. So, we came around and are seriously considering a Prius. Any comments? Suggestions? Positive or negative comments about Prii ( what is the plural of Prius anyway?). If anyone knows of a good used one anywhere between PA and Utah, we might be interested...

 

[wallinbl]

People I know that have them love them. I'm still a little leery of something with really expensive rechargeable batteries, but I have no real basis for that.

 

[gymdog]

The new Prius C (smaller ones) are very affordable for a car in that class. But I am intrigued by the new Prius V which is a larger, family sedan. Now they all have good safety ratings in terms of their size, but this is going to be the safest model because it is a midsize sedan rather than a compact car. And of course they have more room for a family.

Hyundai Sonata Hybrids are new to the market but the first to guarantee the life of the battery, so that's interesting. Most warranties cover the battery for 100,000 miles or some number of years, so if you buy used you'd just need to be aware of what is still covered under the warranty. Certified used may be the way to go.

 

[MaryA]

We were thinking about a "c" but I want to "c" one in person first to make sure they carry 4 comfortably and still have room for at least a weekend's worth of luggage. We saw the "v" and I loved it, but our other car is a station wagon, and when it dies (in the not too distant future, I'm afraid) we'll probably replace it with a minivan. If we can find a good used Prius, that would be our preference, but it seems like the used ones on the market have all of the bells and whistles that end up putting them in the same price range as a brand new "basic" model. Unfortunately, since our current minivan's inspection expires at the end of the month, we don't have a ton of time to wait for the perfect deal to fall into our lap.

 

[Azgymmiemom]

Hey, Mary. I know they hold their value and resale well. Any specific questions you have and want honest answers, pm me. My dh manages a Toyota dealership.

 

[gymdog]

We were thinking about a "c" but I want to "c" one in person first to make sure they carry 4 comfortably and still have room for at least a weekend's worth of luggage. We saw the "v" and I loved it, but our other car is a station wagon, and when it dies (in the not too distant future, I'm afraid) we'll probably replace it with a minivan. If we can find a good used Prius, that would be our preference, but it seems like the used ones on the market have all of the bells and whistles that end up putting them in the same price range as a brand new "basic" model. Unfortunately, since our current minivan's inspection expires at the end of the month, we don't have a ton of time to wait for the perfect deal to fall into our lap.

Ah, that does make it tough. You could try the Rent to Buy thing as they seem to have Priuses...though the mileage is usually around 20,000 to 30,000 so depending on how much you drive per year, thinking in terms of the warranty you'd have to decide whether to take the risk. Even with the battery thing as the hybrid market picks up people are forecasting that the batteries won't be so expensive to replace...of course you can't tell when that will happen in relation to when you might need it.

 

[shelovestoflip]

My reply got lost...so not sure if this will be a repeat...

I may be the only person who didn't like the Prius....owned a Subaru for 7 years and was a Toyota girl before that.

I wanted to love the Prius...especially as I drive about 600 miles a week with work/gym shuttle!

My friends in GA, CA and NC loved theirs (read, places with no snow)

I live in New England....we get snow! (well, not this past winter!)

My first winter with the Prius, I hated it! I felt like it wasn't safe. It just never seemed to grip the road.

My other complaint was in stop/go traffic (I live in the city and there is a lot of that...but commute and get stuck in traffic, too)
There were times I was 'almost' stalling....

So, after 8 months, I traded it in (and didn't lose anything), got another Subaru (Forester, which is what I had before) and I'm a content all season commuter/taxi driver again.

My 2 cents!