I'm in the market for a used car and I'm debating between purchasing:
1) 2004 Prius ~150k miles for $6000
2) 1998 Subaru Outback ~130k miles for $3000
I don't drive much now, but my circumstances will change as I'll be relocating to Southern California where a car becomes much more important as the public transportation/biking is not as practical due to distances and time.
From a fuel standpoint the Prius would win as 45 mpg>25 mpg.
Opportunity cost: the Subaru has the advantage due to the lower cost and the lower cost of insurance. I would be paying cash for either vehicle.
Maintenance: difficult to determine an advantage, maybe the Subaru due to the hybrid system, but then again, the Subaru is older.
I'm leaning toward the Prius due to its reputation for being reliable and the MPG, but hesitant due to the difference in price.
Thoughts? What would you do in my situation?