Used Honda insight vs Prius

[Mulls bot]

Hi, I'm new to this forum but have been reading and enjoying this blog on a friends recommendation. I was wondering if I could get some mustachian used car advice. We are a one car family and are looking to trade in our old Volvo.

     The car is paid off but is incredibly expensive to repair and maintain. We are currently considering two vehicles. The are both 2010's. One is a Honda Insight with 25,000 miles and comes with a certified used warranty. The other vehicle is a Toyota Prius with 75,000 and a month warranty. The insight is 15,000 and the Prius is 16,000.

     Ugh! It's seems like a no brainer on paper...get the Insight. However we love how the Prius handles and drives as compared to the Insight. Which car would you wise mustachians purchase. Some additional info, we have a toddler and hope to have one more some time down the road. Thanks in advance!

[Cooperstown]

A new prius comes with an 8 year 100,000 mile battery warranty.  The cost of replacing batteries ranges from $3k-$5k depending on if you need to replace them all or not.  Some go at around 100,000 miles others last well past that point you just dont know.  Just something to factor into your decision.  Past that I can't comment as I do not know anything about the Honda.

[frugal_engineer]

I feel like I just answered a very similar question a moment ago:
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/family-car/

There is more to buying a car than to ensuring it has a battery and an electric motor in it.  First determine what exactly it is you need your vehicle to do for you.  Then determine what vehicles fit the bill and make your decision.  MMM visited this topic a few times.  Notice how on

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/03/19/top-10-cars-for-smart-people/

the honda insight does not appear.  Few think the new iteration is a particularly good car.  Also, I think $16,000 for anything with 75,000 miles on it is a rip-off.  When buying a car for reliability think young in miles old in years.  Thats where the best deals will be found.

[Nords]

     The car is paid off but is incredibly expensive to repair and maintain. We are currently considering two vehicles. The are both 2010's. One is a Honda Insight with 25,000 miles and comes with a certified used warranty. The other vehicle is a Toyota Prius with 75,000 and a month warranty. The insight is 15,000 and the Prius is 16,000.
     Ugh! It's seems like a no brainer on paper...get the Insight. However we love how the Prius handles and drives as compared to the Insight. Which car would you wise mustachians purchase. Some additional info, we have a toddler and hope to have one more some time down the road. Thanks in advance!

We're a two-Prius family so I can't claim to be objective.

However Prius vs Insight is a frequent topic on PriusChat.com, and I suggest you post your question there.

$16K for 75K miles sounds like a pretty high price to me, too, unless that Prius is loaded down with every luxury system that Toyota offers.  What are you seeing on KBB.com and Edmunds.com?

[tdbat]

My girlfriend just bought a new Insight for $17,000 (base model) that comes with a full warranty up to I believe 72,000 miles. We love it so far but don't have Prius experience.

[Mulls bot]

Thanks for the responses. I spent quite a bit of time last night reading MMM recommendations for used car buying and looking up kbb values. We have both agreed not to buy either of these cars. Instead we are going to start hunting for an older model year Prius but with low miles. It might take some time to find the right car. Thanks to this forum and your responses, we have cooled our car buying fever for the moment. Thanks so much!

[Honest Abe]

Prius > Insight in every possible way

[Nords]

Instead we are going to start hunting for an older model year Prius but with low miles.

We're very happy with our Prius 2006 and 2005 models (bought in 2008 and 2011).  However as you get above 75K miles you'll want to factor in the cost of a coolant replacement (very finicky refill/venting procedure, recommended for dealers) and a brake job.  No worries about the main battery, though, even above 100K miles.  You'll also be a lot happier if the sellers have records of the recalls being accomplished, especially the hybrid electric water pump for the inverter's cooling system.  That's another finicky knuckle-busting job that you don't want to tackle on your own.

We checked out both of our prospective Prius purchases on PriusChat.com, which is a big help for recalls and repair questions.

[Mulls bot]

Hi Nords, thanks so much for the heads up on what to expect on maintenance.  The Prius batteries don't seem to be much of a concern. There is a bunch of misinformation out there. The sad thing is that a 3000 dollar battery replacement doesn't even phase us, compared to the many thousands we've spent on Volvo repairs. It will be a relief not dealing with european parts! I think we are going to try to find a 2008 with less than 50,000 miles. It's great knowing what to expect around 75,000. Thanks!

[rvanmanen]

Prius > Insight in every possible way

1st Gen Insight > Prius in every possible way (at least for us in a 2-person family). No good as a family car, but not having a family takes care of that :)

From what I have seen regarding the new generation insight, your comment appears to be correct

[Nords]

The Prius batteries don't seem to be much of a concern. There is a bunch of misinformation out there.  Thanks!

Exactly. 

You'll be happy with a 2008, and the more recent models really haven't depreciated very much. 

[Paul der Krake]

1st Gen Insight > Prius in every possible way (at least for us in a 2-person family). No good as a family car, but not having a family takes care of that :)

Honestly, I've never quite understood why having 4-door car is considered a de facto requirement when you start a family. A kid is not going to outgrow the cramped backseat of a two-door car until he or she is at least 10. Is shifting the front seat, wiggling a toddler out of the car and losing 5 seconds that strenuous that it justifies a premature car upgrade?

[Mulls bot]

Hi Paul, sorry but I don't think your comments applies to our situation. We currently have a four door station wagon, so in actuality we are downgrading the size of our car. The reason I included the extra info about our toddler and growing family was to see if people with kids maybe preferred either the insight or Prius.

I have to say I would never even consider a two door car with kids. I'm sure people make it work and it's not a big deal to them. I certainly wouldn't judge someone who wanted to upgrade to a four door that has kids. Car seats today are no joke. I'm not sure if you have wrestled with one lately. Thanks for your comment.

[jpo]

The car is paid off but is incredibly expensive to repair and maintain. We are currently considering two vehicles. The are both 2010's. One is a Honda Insight with 25,000 miles and comes with a certified used warranty. The other vehicle is a Toyota Prius with 75,000 and a month warranty. The insight is 15,000 and the Prius is 16,000.

You have to consider that someone(s) drove the hell out of that Prius for its odometer to be so high for a 2010. Was it a rental car?

[rvanmanen]

1st Gen Insight > Prius in every possible way (at least for us in a 2-person family). No good as a family car, but not having a family takes care of that :)

Honestly, I've never quite understood why having 4-door car is considered a de facto requirement when you start a family. A kid is not going to outgrow the cramped backseat of a two-door car until he or she is at least 10. Is shifting the front seat, wiggling a toddler out of the car and losing 5 seconds that strenuous that it justifies a premature car upgrade?

There is no rear seat in the 1st gen Insight  :)  Its a 2-seater.  Everything about it was designed for ultimate fuel economy and it shines in that respect.