Author Topic: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?  (Read 29569 times)

mtnrider

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #50 on: May 15, 2015, 07:17:14 PM »
Thanks everyone!

So consumer reports now pairs with truecar for pricing info, and truecar gets its info from the dealer.  Does anyone have suggestions for a good independent pricing agent?  Fightingchance gets good reviews, but I don't see how one guy can know the invoice, holdback, dealer incentives, and so on, for the entire US.


Sid Hoffman

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #51 on: May 15, 2015, 10:16:28 PM »
Just start contacting dealers via email.  Tell them you've got one dealer who can sell you it for $X, where $X is the pricing you get from CR/Truecar.  If anybody contacts you with a better price, then great.  If nobody else has a better deal, then the CR/Truecar price is what you go with.  There's no substitute for contacting local dealers once you know what a fair price is to begin with.  Most people go in already having no idea what they are supposed to be starting at, so you're already 90% done by having an aggressive starting point that you know is workable, and not nonsense.

Travis

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #52 on: May 15, 2015, 10:26:01 PM »
(buying advice)

Would you recommend the same tactics when pursuing a used car?  I have a few examples of the same model in mind, but they're different years and mileage and so have a range of prices.

Faraday

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #53 on: May 16, 2015, 06:56:22 PM »
(buying advice)

Would you recommend the same tactics when pursuing a used car?  I have a few examples of the same model in mind, but they're different years and mileage and so have a range of prices.

Travis, you can compare non-like vehicles in the used market, but that complicates things a good bit. I have a buddy who regularly pits Honda against Toyota, but he does a tremendous amount of up-front research comparing similar models, and he's always prepared to walk away from either one - in other words, they are truly interchangeable to him.

I think Sid was saying this earlier: It's to your advantage to make the car a fungible commodity. That way all sales compete on equal footing and can distinguish only on price.

Another Reader

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #54 on: May 16, 2015, 07:21:46 PM »
Using Truecar will guarantee you will overpay by thousands of dollars.  Truecar gets the info from dealers, who have zero incentive to report accurately.  You want to be on the lowest price end of that bell curve.  If you use Tomsang's approach, you will get the best price with the least hassle.  I have done this for decades, and with the internet it is a lot easier now than it was by telephone.

Travis

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #55 on: May 16, 2015, 07:41:04 PM »
(buying advice)

Would you recommend the same tactics when pursuing a used car?  I have a few examples of the same model in mind, but they're different years and mileage and so have a range of prices.

Travis, you can compare non-like vehicles in the used market, but that complicates things a good bit. I have a buddy who regularly pits Honda against Toyota, but he does a tremendous amount of up-front research comparing similar models, and he's always prepared to walk away from either one - in other words, they are truly interchangeable to him.

I think Sid was saying this earlier: It's to your advantage to make the car a fungible commodity. That way all sales compete on equal footing and can distinguish only on price.

I had a feeling it wouldn't quite work since the vehicles aren't interchangeable.  I'm looking at Priuses across a 5-year spread of model years and the mileage goes from 100-200k with prices from $7-$10k.  I'm somewhat hampered by lack of inventory since quite a number in the area are either newer or more expensive.  Am I being unreasonable trying to buy one within that year/mileage/price range?

Faraday

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #56 on: May 16, 2015, 08:09:42 PM »
I had a feeling it wouldn't quite work since the vehicles aren't interchangeable.  I'm looking at Priuses across a 5-year spread of model years and the mileage goes from 100-200k with prices from $7-$10k.  I'm somewhat hampered by lack of inventory since quite a number in the area are either newer or more expensive.  Am I being unreasonable trying to buy one within that year/mileage/price range?

I did a quick check of www.carmax.com near me and a 2007 Prius with 70k on it can be had for just under $11k.  One of my sons bought a 2005 Prius with about 160k on it for $4800. (It had prior fender bender but it wasn't awful. ) I don't think you are being unreasonable about THAT mileage/price range, if that's what you mean.

Sid Hoffman

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #57 on: May 17, 2015, 05:07:19 PM »
Shopping used cars is not the same as new.  With new cars, all the advice given here is very valid because you're getting the exact same car no matter who you buy from, and it's a car that hasn't been used and potentially abused.  With used cars, you really have no way of knowing what's going on with it.  If you buy CPO, you're getting a car that has passed a lengthy inspection and carries a warranty.  Sometimes that warranty is quite good, even, like another 5 years and perhaps 50,000 miles or so.  Typically it's at least 2 years and 24,000 miles powertrain, often with a 1 year bumper to bumper.

Carmax does a major inspection and reconditioning on any car they sell.  I've taken the tour of one of their reconditioning centers even and it's pretty impressive.  I've also purchased a car through Carmax and it was immaculate.  They come with something like a 7-day refund policy and 30 days bumper to bumper warranty, and have relatively affordable extended warranties available.  Similar to buying CPO, you are paying for all that inspection and warranty too.  A CPO or Carmax car will always cost you more because it's been reconditioned and carries that warranty.

The odds are generally in your favor to buy a high quality cheaper car private party or through a no-name dealer, but you then assume all risk upon yourself.  It comes down to how comfortable you are with risk.  The Prius, especially if you buy '07 or later (they revised the battery logic around then) or buy an '04 or later that's already had the traction battery replacement done is generally a safe bet on two fronts.  First, they're very reliable cars to start with.  Second, they're very boring cars to drive and thus generally only owned by adult drivers who don't beat on their cars.

So the odds are in your favor, but it's up to you to decide how comfortable you assuming the risk for yourself.  In the case of the Prius, I know that in my area I can generally find a 2nd gen Prius with 150-250k miles either with a replacement traction battery or an 07+ model for $6-7k in what appears to be relatively good condition.  By good, I mean I'm willing to overlook some paint damage, a few serious but non-punctured dents, and heavy wear in the trunk and/or back seats.  Meanwhile a CPO Prius with 90k miles or a Carmax Prius with 120k miles could be $10-12k.  For me, I'd rather spend less and roll the dice again, but then again I only drive 4000 miles a year and do not currently use my car to commute to work, so I am not at risk of having a broken down car prevent me from getting to work on time.

mtnrider

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #58 on: May 29, 2015, 08:12:50 PM »
To bring some closure here, and get my mustachian creds back...

I ended up NOT buying a new car.  In fact, I found a way to fix the old car somewhat inexpensively.  It's a bit of a gamble but I'm crossing my fingers that it will hold up through the next winter. 

Thanks to everyone for your advice - it will be used, but hopefully not before next year.

Faraday

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #59 on: May 30, 2015, 09:00:37 AM »
To bring some closure here, and get my mustachian creds back...

I ended up NOT buying a new car.  In fact, I found a way to fix the old car somewhat inexpensively.  It's a bit of a gamble but I'm crossing my fingers that it will hold up through the next winter. 

Thanks to everyone for your advice - it will be used, but hopefully not before next year.

Wait a minute, wait a minute...


Driving profile: I walk or ride a bike to almost all of my local destinations - work, shopping, etc...   But I actually drive a few hundred miles a week - mostly due to family obligations.  That'll be true for the next four or five years.  I live in a small New England city.

The old minivan is 15 years old, has about 200,000 miles, and it needs a new torque converter+tranny, rear brakes/rotors, windshield, and a handful of minor things (rear wiper motor, power window motor, door rollers, struts).  I did a lot of work on this beast in the past myself, but my current landlords don't allow repairs - plus I don't have time to pull the tranny anyway.    The KBB value is around $1000 and we're talking about probably >$4000k to get it to pass inspection.  (And although I try practicing non-attachment, I love this minivan.  But I need something more reliable.  It's the failing transmission that pushed this over the edge.)

For non-hybrids, I've thought about used with the Civic, the Fit, and a handful of other cars, but they don't fit me well and aren't priced all that competitively either.  The Prius itself is a compromise - I'm tall, and I sometimes sleep in the back.  Actually, the 2015 Fit would work for driving, but not as much for sleeping.  I was surprised about the Prius - I'd driven a 2002 and a 2005 before, and they didn't fit me vertically, but I just squeeze in for the >2010 models without a sunroof.

I'd really like a used Prius, but the pricing (!) - they're asking $24k for a 2013 Model Two with 11k miles.  Or $12k for a 2010 with 100k miles.  Granted that we're talking about the "asking" price, but they're "asking" around $3k MORE than a new one than a 2013!  Overall, it appears to be a very efficient market with something like 10 cents per mile, with no huge depreciation.  (Partially due to the price incentives from Toyota, but with a new, more efficient Prius model coming out next year, I have to wonder if there'll be a depreciation hit then.  Not that it helps me now.)

I'm trying to look at other aspects too.  Insurance seems to be on par with other smaller cars, as is reliability and repair costs.

So, you have a 15 year old minivan with 200,000 miles on it that needed a new transmission/torque converter, rear brakes/rotors, and things like struts and power door hardware. That sounds like about $8000 worth of work. (BTW: Those sound like classic DODGE minivan problems.)

You did a GREAT job if you figured out a way to fix the vehicle inexpensively, but what did you do to get all those horrible, expensive things fixed?!?!

FWIW: I just resurrected a 15 year old Honda insight hybrid (instead of buying a Prius). I'm happy that I achieved it, but it took me a month of work in my spare time and I'm still fixing things I would not consider within the capability of the average shadetree oil-changing owner. I put about $3.3k into the car and I'm getting payback at between 7-10% monthly.



mtnrider

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #60 on: May 31, 2015, 08:27:55 AM »
So, you have a 15 year old minivan with 200,000 miles on it that needed a new transmission/torque converter, rear brakes/rotors, and things like struts and power door hardware. That sounds like about $8000 worth of work. (BTW: Those sound like classic DODGE minivan problems.)

You did a GREAT job if you figured out a way to fix the vehicle inexpensively, but what did you do to get all those horrible, expensive things fixed?!?!

FWIW: I just resurrected a 15 year old Honda insight hybrid (instead of buying a Prius). I'm happy that I achieved it, but it took me a month of work in my spare time and I'm still fixing things I would not consider within the capability of the average shadetree oil-changing owner. I put about $3.3k into the car and I'm getting payback at between 7-10% monthly.

1) I got lucky.  2) I only "fixed" it enough to keep it going until next year.  I hope.

I spent a day googling the transmission issue.  It's not unusual for Hondas to develop a problem with the torque converter lock-up solenoid, which turns on the CEL with a transmission code.  I had a mechanic fix that for a few hundred, and the CEL hasn't come on for a week now.  It was a gamble, but it seems to have paid off.

Everything else isn't fixed.  I still need a new windshield to pass inspection.  One or both door rollers may fail entirely eventually, but then I'll keep them closed.  I'll keep the power windows mostly closed to spare the motors.  The rear wiper is too weak to move heavy snow now, but it's still OK for rain.  The struts are weak, but good enough as long as they pass inspection.  And the rear discs have enough surface area to last another winter.

It's a short term solution.  In the meantime, I'm keeping my eyes open for a good deal.

BTW: I'm jealous of you pulling apart your Insight!  How do you find working with a hybrid?  I've only spent time with combustion engines and I admit that all the "high voltage" warnings worried me a little.


Syonyk

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #61 on: May 31, 2015, 12:15:30 PM »
BTW: I'm jealous of you pulling apart your Insight!  How do you find working with a hybrid?  I've only spent time with combustion engines and I admit that all the "high voltage" warnings worried me a little.

"Don't be stupid" covers an awful lot of territory with vehicles and high voltage. :)

DeltaBond

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #62 on: May 31, 2015, 01:31:46 PM »
Someone mentioned the environmental impact of the Prius, and its definitely not the greenest car, by any stretch.  If you're wanting to spend less at the pump, why not just go all electric.  Anyway, here's my humble forum information... a friend was in a wreck in a Prius, that wasn't even that substantial of a wreck, but the Prius deflated like a balloon and here we are 6 months later and most of the bones have healed, but a lot of the pins have had to stay in her arms and legs.

Now for deer, another friend in a more substantial car hit a deer at a low speed of around 40 mph, as in, not highway speed, and she is still recovering 4 months later - punctured lung, broken rib, broken legs, and top it off with a stroke that happened on the way to the hospital.

mtnrider

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #63 on: May 31, 2015, 05:09:19 PM »
Someone mentioned the environmental impact of the Prius, and its definitely not the greenest car, by any stretch.  If you're wanting to spend less at the pump, why not just go all electric.  Anyway, here's my humble forum information... a friend was in a wreck in a Prius, that wasn't even that substantial of a wreck, but the Prius deflated like a balloon and here we are 6 months later and most of the bones have healed, but a lot of the pins have had to stay in her arms and legs.

Now for deer, another friend in a more substantial car hit a deer at a low speed of around 40 mph, as in, not highway speed, and she is still recovering 4 months later - punctured lung, broken rib, broken legs, and top it off with a stroke that happened on the way to the hospital.

Sorry about your friends.  :(  'round here, the moose will kill you, the deer just maim you.

About the Prius itself - yeah.  It isn't the safest car available.  I think a big machine with a full frame, wide stance, and many airbags protect best.  My van is relatively safer (modulo stability control) than a Prius.  But the Prius is a relatively safe car for the size.  See http://www.informedforlife.org/

I'd really like an all-electric car - but it just isn't practical for me - solely in terms of range.  There's no convenient quick chargers in northern New England.

Maybe if I extend the life of my van long enough, I can buy a Tesla X.  :)










Dicey

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #64 on: June 01, 2015, 07:50:31 AM »
Following for tomsang's excellent advice...I might buy a new car some day...

KCM5

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #65 on: June 01, 2015, 07:58:31 AM »
Someone mentioned the environmental impact of the Prius, and its definitely not the greenest car, by any stretch.  If you're wanting to spend less at the pump, why not just go all electric.  Anyway, here's my humble forum information... a friend was in a wreck in a Prius, that wasn't even that substantial of a wreck, but the Prius deflated like a balloon and here we are 6 months later and most of the bones have healed, but a lot of the pins have had to stay in her arms and legs.

Now for deer, another friend in a more substantial car hit a deer at a low speed of around 40 mph, as in, not highway speed, and she is still recovering 4 months later - punctured lung, broken rib, broken legs, and top it off with a stroke that happened on the way to the hospital.

Sorry about your friends.  :(  'round here, the moose will kill you, the deer just maim you.

About the Prius itself - yeah.  It isn't the safest car available.  I think a big machine with a full frame, wide stance, and many airbags protect best.  My van is relatively safer (modulo stability control) than a Prius.  But the Prius is a relatively safe car for the size.  See http://www.informedforlife.org/

I'd really like an all-electric car - but it just isn't practical for me - solely in terms of range.  There's no convenient quick chargers in northern New England.

Maybe if I extend the life of my van long enough, I can buy a Tesla X.  :)











The Prius does have stability control! (if that's going to be a selling point for someone).

I can see how knowing someone who has been in an accident in a certain car can color your view of that car. Glad to hear that the friend is getting better, Delta Bond. I think in general it's pretty important to look at crash test and real world rating when it comes to purchasing a car. And, most imporatantly, set your life up to limit your driving - can't crash a car you're not driving.

bryan995

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #66 on: June 01, 2015, 09:11:13 AM »
Datapoint for you:

I paid $25K OTD for a brand new 2012 Prius three a few years back. 

If I were to re-do things I would stick to a used older car.  Or maybe a newer/new corolla/civic with 0% interest.

The prius has served us well, constant 48 mpg and no issues what so ever.  It can also haul a huge amount of stuff.  The back seats fold down flat.

jj20051

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #67 on: June 01, 2015, 09:39:22 AM »
I'd highly recommend buying a 2012 - 2013 ford fiesta (sedan). If you drive like I do you'll get 45+ MPG without holding back on the throttle. It'll run you about $11k - $12k, but it'll have a lot of life left in it (and should be under 30,000 miles).

Sid Hoffman

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #68 on: June 01, 2015, 11:08:56 AM »
I'd highly recommend buying a 2012 - 2013 ford fiesta (sedan). If you drive like I do you'll get 45+ MPG without holding back on the throttle.

Anecdote does not equal data.  The fleet average fuel economy for the 2012-2013 Fiesta is about 35mpg on fuelly.com, which is slightly higher than the EPA combined rating of 33mpg.  Since there is a huge amount of data bias on fuelly.com (only people who care about good fuel economy use the site) I think it's safest to drop the anecdotes and stick to actual data.  Otherwise it leads to all sorts of individual data point decision making, such as people saying that you need to invest all your money in 1 hot stock, because one person made double their money in 3 months by investing all their money in that stock using this one simple trick!

Faraday

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #69 on: June 01, 2015, 07:13:04 PM »
So, you have a 15 year old minivan with 200,000 miles on it that needed a new transmission/torque converter, rear brakes/rotors, and things like struts and power door hardware. That sounds like about $8000 worth of work. (BTW: Those sound like classic DODGE minivan problems.)

You did a GREAT job if you figured out a way to fix the vehicle inexpensively, but what did you do to get all those horrible, expensive things fixed?!?!

FWIW: I just resurrected a 15 year old Honda insight hybrid (instead of buying a Prius). I'm happy that I achieved it, but it took me a month of work in my spare time and I'm still fixing things I would not consider within the capability of the average shadetree oil-changing owner. I put about $3.3k into the car and I'm getting payback at between 7-10% monthly.

1) I got lucky.  2) I only "fixed" it enough to keep it going until next year.  I hope.

I spent a day googling the transmission issue.  It's not unusual for Hondas to develop a problem with the torque converter lock-up solenoid, which turns on the CEL with a transmission code.  I had a mechanic fix that for a few hundred, and the CEL hasn't come on for a week now.  It was a gamble, but it seems to have paid off.

Everything else isn't fixed.  I still need a new windshield to pass inspection.  One or both door rollers may fail entirely eventually, but then I'll keep them closed.  I'll keep the power windows mostly closed to spare the motors.  The rear wiper is too weak to move heavy snow now, but it's still OK for rain.  The struts are weak, but good enough as long as they pass inspection.  And the rear discs have enough surface area to last another winter.

It's a short term solution.  In the meantime, I'm keeping my eyes open for a good deal.

BTW: I'm jealous of you pulling apart your Insight!  How do you find working with a hybrid?  I've only spent time with combustion engines and I admit that all the "high voltage" warnings worried me a little.

It's easy for me, since I'm an electrical engineer by trade and training. When I bought the car in Feb. 2001, I always knew i'd replace the battery when it wore out. I was quite pleased to get 14 years out of the little bugger, and some things I've learned indicate I might have been a little too hasty to replace it - lots of owners are reconditioning the battery themselves. But I'm happy with the swap-out, I got way more capacity in the new battery and it shows in the performance of the car.

Now, let me be honest: I stand on the shoulders of giants with this work. insightcentral.net has boatloads of information on this little car, which was the key to fixing it and getting it back on the road. In addition to the fact that I (and the others on insightcentral) are absolutely nutso about this little car. 

Quote
I'd really like an all-electric car - but it just isn't practical for me - solely in terms of range.  There's no convenient quick chargers in northern New England.

Maybe if I extend the life of my van long enough, I can buy a Tesla X.  :)

This is precisely why I fixed my Honda - I'd like to put another few years/tens of thousands of miles on the little car and eventually get one of the "Everyman's Teslas", the Model 3, but hopefully one a few years after they have been introduced, on the used market.

Hey, I'm a geek, but no reason to lose my mustachian creds over it! :-)

Faraday

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #70 on: June 01, 2015, 07:19:11 PM »
Quote
1) I got lucky.  2) I only "fixed" it enough to keep it going until next year.  I hope.

I spent a day googling the transmission issue.  It's not unusual for Hondas to develop a problem with the torque converter lock-up solenoid, which turns on the CEL with a transmission code.  I had a mechanic fix that for a few hundred, and the CEL hasn't come on for a week now.  It was a gamble, but it seems to have paid off.

Everything else isn't fixed.  I still need a new windshield to pass inspection.  One or both door rollers may fail entirely eventually, but then I'll keep them closed.  I'll keep the power windows mostly closed to spare the motors.  The rear wiper is too weak to move heavy snow now, but it's still OK for rain.  The struts are weak, but good enough as long as they pass inspection.  And the rear discs have enough surface area to last another winter.

It's a short term solution.  In the meantime, I'm keeping my eyes open for a good deal.

mtnrider, that was EXCELLENT WORK! Congratulations on finding a low-cost solution for the transmission problem!!!

I encourage you to consider fixing each item in-turn - brakes, struts/shocks, door rollers and wiper assemblies are all do-able items, and each one you fix, the vehicle will perform better and better.  There are a number of ways to measure the payback from doing work to fix a car, but no matter how you do measure it, you surely come out better when it's a quality product from the start, like a Honda.

The longer you can wait, the more it works to your advantage. The best thing I ever learned is to never buy a car because you HAVE to, buy a car on YOUR timetable, and put it off as long as you possibly can, saving now for the purchase later.

think about it and consider doing a little more work on that minivan. I haven't regretted one second of the work I've put into my Honda. I'm gonna drive this baby till the wheels fall off or I croak, whichever comes first.

DeltaBond

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #71 on: June 03, 2015, 09:04:59 AM »
People always want to point out "safe car for its size", but we're not on the road with all cars of the same size.  I'm in TN and we have all kinds of vehicles on the road.  Seems people who buy Priuses are mainly focused on the gas mileage as being "environmentally friendly" and aren't paying much attention of the environmental impact of making the car, the batteries, etc... I'll just leave you with this, my '14 Honda Accord, much bigger and safer than a Prius, has a CVT transmission and I get between 36-45 mpgs!

Tesla's, depending on which state you're in... sure, electric is nice in not having to buy gas, but if you're concerned about the environment, pay attention to where your state gets its electric power.  In TN, we have hydroelectric, so its not like other states who use other means.  Something to think about, anyway.  I'd prefer public transportation, honestly.

StacheOfInnerPeace

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #72 on: September 09, 2015, 04:51:53 PM »




Cash will get you a better deal if the dealer is offering the 0% or low percent mortgages. 
[/quote]

Hi -

Can you explain this further? I am considering getting a 2012 or 2013 used Prius, but I am tempted by the very similarly priced new Prius' with 0% financing. I can pay cash for the new or used cars.

I was tempted to use the 0% financing and just continue to invest every month in my typical stock/bond mix...the only downside I can see to this is the slightly higher "longterm"/overall cost of the new car, lost depreciation (although used aren't much cheaper here), and that insurance would be more on a new and financed car than on a used, fully owned car.

Am I missing something here?

Thanks, Stach

Dicey

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #73 on: September 10, 2015, 12:13:18 AM »
Quote
Cash will get you a better deal if the dealer is offering the 0% or low percent mortgages. 
Hi -

Can you explain this further? I am considering getting a 2012 or 2013 used Prius, but I am tempted by the very similarly priced new Prius' with 0% financing. I can pay cash for the new or used cars.

I was tempted to use the 0% financing and just continue to invest every month in my typical stock/bond mix...the only downside I can see to this is the slightly higher "longterm"/overall cost of the new car, lost depreciation (although used aren't much cheaper here), and that insurance would be more on a new and financed car than on a used, fully owned car.

Am I missing something here?

Thanks, Stach

Hi Stach, You've just resurrected an older thread. The quote is wonky and I'm not sure who you're quoting. They could be of fishing or flying or something by now. To increase the likelihood of a response, you might want to try PMing the person who wrote that directly.

Sid Hoffman

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #74 on: September 10, 2015, 01:04:36 PM »
On the topic of pricing of current "new" Priuses, the 2016 model was just announced with more features and 10% better fuel economy as well as, ahhh, we'll just call it daring styling.  It's pretty common to have blowout pricing and financing deals on the final months of the old model, especially in cases like this where the new model has a bunch of new tech and gets 10% better fuel economy than the old one.

Syonyk

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #75 on: September 10, 2015, 02:20:27 PM »
The 2016 looks less-ugly than the previous ones.

mtnrider

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #76 on: September 16, 2015, 06:45:55 AM »
I like the 2016 Prius style.  But I also liked the 2015 models.  :)  In fact, I bought a 2015 recently because my van once again needed repairs at a bad time.

For those who are considering negotiating on the old model, I payed $20k for a "Two."  You can do better, if you have time.  I strongly suspect I could have had it for $19,500 if I had an extra couple days to play the extended game - walk out, etc...

So far I have around 52mpg, mostly highway.

Good luck all!

Faraday

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #77 on: September 16, 2015, 01:51:48 PM »
I like the 2016 Prius style.  But I also liked the 2015 models.  :)  In fact, I bought a 2015 recently because my van once again needed repairs at a bad time.

For those who are considering negotiating on the old model, I payed $20k for a "Two."  You can do better, if you have time.  I strongly suspect I could have had it for $19,500 if I had an extra couple days to play the extended game - walk out, etc...

So far I have around 52mpg, mostly highway.

Good luck all!

Yay! It's always good to hear the rest of the story on stuff like that. You did way, way better than I did. I bought my 2011 model at a very bad time, but had no choice, just as you did. (We'd lost our vehicle in a car crash.)

Congrats on the MPG!

Can't Wait

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #78 on: September 17, 2015, 03:37:51 PM »
I must admit that I have not read every post so far.

Having said that - I routinely see higher mileage used 2010 and newer Prius' for sale in the 8-10k price range. I would buy one of those in a heartbeat. They can attain 200-300k miles easily with very little maintenance.

I would take advantage of the stigma against high mileage hybrids now while you can. Replacement battery packs can be had for cheap and can be replaced by yourself. There are a myriad of youtube videos showing you how to do it.

Faraday

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Re: Buying a 2015 Prius Two - suggestions?
« Reply #79 on: September 18, 2015, 03:23:41 PM »
.... They can attain 200-300k miles easily with very little maintenance.

I would take advantage of the stigma against high mileage hybrids now while you can. Replacement battery packs can be had for cheap and can be replaced by yourself. There are a myriad of youtube videos showing you how to do it.

I have both a 2011 Prius and a 2000 Honda Insight hybrid. I just recently replaced the battery pack myself in the 15 year old honda, did it myself for $2000. The new battery has 2Ah more capacity and has been performing STELLAR since I installed it.

The Prius battery is a great deal larger than what's in my tiny little Honda, but what usually happens with those batteries, the connectors on the cells get loose and corroded and have a poor connection. you can remove the battery, take the connectors off, clean them and the terminals, put anti-corrosion goo on them, and reassemble. Your pack will then be "reconditioned" and be in better shape than it was before you worked on it!