Should I buy a Prius?

[proud2BlibKansan]

Poll question: Should I buy a Prius?

The Toyota dealer is calling. They have a few they need to get rid of. They are promising me full blue book value on my trade in plus a special deal on financing. And I have been itching to buy a new car.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. I heard some real estate agent in San Diego sell his real cheap.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Oh yeah I saw him on the teevee

I'm not sure I am crazy about the color of his car.

[Lithos]

2. Yes

I hear the used car market has a lot of choices...

:evilgrin:

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Used? Hell no. The lot is full of brand new ones

:)

[still_one]

3. I have a 2004 Prius, absolutely no issues. The only thing you need to be aware of

is do not put hard plastic floor mats over the carpet floor mats on the driver side. If they warp or get near the accelerator, it may get caught under the pedal. Toyota has already flagged this error, which incidently also could occur in any car

Use the floor mat supplied that uses the hook on the floor

You may also want to check out the Honda Insight

Right now the deals are pretty agressive from Toyota because of the bad press

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Those Insights are too small

I have a Scion now and I want something bigger with a trunk.

[still_one]

70. I agree, it is not as comfortable, but if you haven't tried it you should in my view

just to give yourself options

[divideandconquer]

7. Prius has to use slave labor to make it profitable

NEWS » JULY 16, 2008

The Dark Side of the Toyota Prius
By PAUL ABOWD

The National Labor Committee (NLC), a New York-based human rights group, has been investigating working conditions at Toyota Motor Corp., and the labor used to produce its best-selling Prius hybrid cars.

In its 65-page report released in June, NLC includes first-hand testimony of factory conditions in “Toyota City,” outside of Nagoya, Japan — less than 200 miles southwest of Tokyo — where the largest auto company in the world employs some 70,000 people.

The report alleges that Toyota exploits guest workers, mostly shipped in from China and Vietnam. According to the NLC, these workers are “stripped of their passports and often forced to work — including at subcontract plants supplying Toyota — 16 hours a day, seven days a week, while being paid less than half the legal minimum wage.” Workers are forced to live in company dormitories and deported for complaining about poor treatment, the report finds.
--------------------------------------------------

<http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3796/the_dark_side_of_the_toyota_prius/>

[Bluebear]

8. Make sure you're not "overhauled" out of a job first.

[divideandconquer]

11. Chevy Malibu is UAW built right in Kansas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Fairfax_Assembly_Plant

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Sorry no GMs

Swore off them after a series of cars that sucked.

[Bluebear]

26. I actually was referring to being a teacher and being "overhauled" out of a job :)

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. If I was losing my job I wouldn't be buying a car

[divideandconquer]

But they build good cars now and strong unions help liberals

Toyota helps the reichwing agenda. Another sunshine liberal?

[divideandconquer]

77. But they build good cars now and strong unions help liberals

Toyota helps the reichwing agenda. Another sunshine liberal?

[blue_onyx]

81. And yet you are considering,,,

a car that is being recalled for a problem which currently has no fix? Yep...that makes sense

[Greyhound]

9. I've rarely found the hit on a new car to be worth it, and especially

when 'regular' cars nearly equal the performance (MPG) without the 'prestige' markup.

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. Other cars get 45 mpg?

[galileoreloaded]

52. Many of them. Some even more. n/t

[spoony]

103. Is that really your only criteria

Not, like, issues about safety, slave labour, unions...

[usregimechange]

10. Waste of $ to buy a new car imo, plus economy stinks, might want to save

[Fumesucker]

12. Do you drive enough to make the price premium of the Prius worthwhile?

If you have a long commute or otherwise drive a lot a Prius may well be a good buy for you.

If your commute is short and you don't do a lot of driving some other car would probably give you more value for money.

Keep in mind that the Prius excels at high efficiency in stop and go driving and you lose a good bit of the added efficiency of a hybrid out on the highway.

Don't buy any new car on your first trip to the dealer, play them like you would a fish on a rod and reel, leave and go have lunch or something, let them think you are looking at different cars at different dealers even if you aren't, when you come back they may well be more amenable to your terms.

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. Yes I have a commute every day

[TheDebbieDee]

13. Get a Ford Focus or Fusion..............

[MannyGoldstein]

29. +1 Just Got A Fusion

Great car, good gas mileage, cheap. Have had a Focus almost 6 years - it's been awesome.

Formerly drove Acuras, Hondas, and a VW.

[skipos]

101. I took a Fusion hybrid and a Prius for a test drive and liked the Fusion way better

I like the fact that the Fusion feels and handles like a nice sedan. The Prius felt like an economy car to me, and I could never handle it on long drives. I know that everyone is different on what they find "comfortable"in a car, but I found the Prius to be surprisingly uncomfortable.

I bought a Fusion Hybrid and love it.

[motorcity]

104. I am really happy with my Ford Fusion hybrid, the Prius was too cramped for me

I wanted something that was really fuel efficient, but I also wanted something that was roomy. I didn't like anything about the Prius other than the fuel efficiency but I liked everything about the Fusion. Have you checked one out?

[saltpoint]

14. Call Volkswagen and ask them if they can match or beat the deal

with a model of theirs you like.

[tammywammy]

16. I'd go with the Jetta TDI over a Prius any day.

:)

[saltpoint]

17. Hi, tammy. Me too.

They're snappy little rascals.

[tammywammy]

18. Okay, I'd prefer the Golf to the Jetta

I'm a huge VW fan, currently driving a Tiguan after I traded in my Beetle TDI back in Sept. :)

[saltpoint]

19. Sounds to me like you know what you're doing. I'm a fan also

and don't blame you one bit.

I'm not specifically against Toyotas, but I just love VWs.

[tammywammy]

22. Agreed, I love the way they drive

I have friends that love their Toyotas/Hondas, but they were just "blah" when I test drove them. I also test drove a Ford Escape before I got the Tiguan, and it just wasn't for me. I think they're good vehicles, but not what I was looking for. I love my Tiguan and I loved the Beetle, so much fun to drive. I'm probably forever a VW nut. :)

[saltpoint]

23. As afflictions go, being a VW nut is a really good one to have.

I wouldn't get it treated either -- it's indication of a sound mind.

:thumbsup: :hi:

[tammywammy]

27. I'm excited to see what VW starts making at the new Tennessee plant.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/12/first-sketch-emerges-of-volkswagens-new-mid-size-sedan-from-ten/

[divideandconquer]

78. Got to make sure corrupt Senator Bob Corker makes money on his land deals

[Grand Taurean]

83. So would I.

VW makes good cars.

[proud2BlibKansan]

46. My sister loves VWs

She's never bought any other make.

[saltpoint]

51. I can understand that.

When the bug was returned with a new design I was pleased with VW's ad for it:

"When you were really good in a previous life, you come back as something even better."

[flvegan]

15. Well, does it fit your needs?

I'd not have a Prius if the keys were handed to me for free (short of selling it to buy something else). But, if you're looking for a four door "hatch" that gets great mileage but have resigned yourself to driving beige, then by all means.

Just make sure you have proper insurance, considering.

[proud2BlibKansan]

42. It's pretty much exactly what I want

[flvegan]

43. Then have at it.

I'd go for a used Prius (economics major). Buying brand new is a fool's game.

[proud2BlibKansan]

45. I've been buying new for about 20 years now.

I put a lot of miles on a car. I like getting a lot of years out of my car. Hubby buys used though. He refuses to buy new.

[apocalypsehow]

20. I only buy Union-manufactured American cars. You should, too. n/t.

[proud2BlibKansan]

33. I've considered that

For many years I did drive only American cars. Then we had one bad GM after another. That's when we started buying Toyotas and Hondas and we've had great luck with them. Plus many are made in the US now.

[Brickbat]

35. Buy a Focus. They're awesome, union-made in the U.S.A. and get excellent mileage.

Mr. Brickbat regularly gets more than 35 mpg on his Focus; the vast majority of our driving is on the highway.

[proud2BlibKansan]

38. But the Prius gets 45

And it is way more cool looking.

[Brickbat]

40. I think they're ugly as hell, myself.

In my family, union work in the USA trumps mileage. Your mileage may vary. :rofl:

[proud2BlibKansan]

44. I love the look

The union made factor is a dilemma for me. Nothing but really bad luck with American cars. It's such a major purchase. I finally gave up and bought a Honda about 10 years ago. We've owned only Hondas and Toyotas since then and have had great luck. Better than any of the American cars we've owned.

I have looked at the Focus. I'm considering it. I was going to wait till summer and buy one. But they're practically giving away Toyotas now :)

[Brickbat]

47. I started buying Fords in 2000 after the first (and only) Toyota I ever bought threw a rod and the

dealer wouldn't do right by us. Mr. Brickbat and I have had four Fords since 2000 and we've loved all of them. Mr. Brickbat came from a Chrysler family and surprised himself by switching to Ford. I highly, highly recommend them.

[jmowreader]

49. Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder in this case

I don't like the looks of the Prius either. Others think it's way cool.

Then again...I still like old Bugs, and I would LOVE to have a Scirocco. It would be sweet to buy a Scirocco, pull the gas engine, slip in a TDI (it will fit) and run it on biodiesel.

[tammywammy]

66. mmm, Scirocco

What a beautiful car. Wish they sold them here.

[ingac70]

67. .....

http://green.autoblog.com/2009/04/28/ford-fusion-hybrid-tops-80-mpg-1-000-miles-with-1-3-of-a-tank-l/

[Kalyke]

95. Are you Glenda the Good Witch?

She's the only person I can imagine liking a bubble over a stylish and better-made automobile.

[ingac70]

65. Prius ain't one of them. n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

94. I have to agree on the Focus...

I had requested a full size car from Enterprise, but due to short notice a Focus was all they had. Driving at speed of 70-75 mph for 300 miles each way, averaged 37MPG, and car was comfortable. Union made, and Ford didn't take any bail out money. I may buy the wife one.

[unkachuck]

21. are these....

....the cars that accelerate wildly on their own to high speeds, then kill you? Do they come with a wreath?

[pipoman]

24. Toyota has been advertising 60 months, no interest in my area

and that is Toyota Corp ads, not a dealer.

edit.. I guess my area is your area..:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

34. They have been inundating me with calls and emails

[Maat]

31. I love mine.

Mine's a 2006, and I've had absolutely NO problems with it. I've never gotten a tank under 45 MPG.

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. Buying a Prius is like becoming a teabagger?

:rofl:

[Dreamer Tatum]

59. When did the Teabaggers go from Hummers to the Prius?

I must have missed that.

[divideandconquer]

84. A lot of teabaggers are toyota fanboys, they hate unions

They call GM and Chrysler "government motors", I guess they haven't figured out that toyota is Japanese/confederate government motors

[Dreamer Tatum]

87. I see. So again...did they turn in their Hummers and get Priuses all at once?

Or was it, like, a grassroots movement?

[divideandconquer]

88. I know dozens of Teabaggers and none own Hummers

Plenty of them are Toyota proud and hate government motors because of Obama and their free market absolutism. Hell most them couldn't afford a Hummer.

[Dreamer Tatum]

97. I seriously doubt you know dozens of teabaggers

but nice try.

I'm Toyota and Honda proud, and I could not give a fart in the breeze about what anyone thinks of it. My cars were made in the early and mid 2000's, and I have had exactly zero problems with either vehicle. They were bought at a time when American cars were still, in relative terms, pieces of shit.

[spoony]

91. Yes, it's an interesting sort of dissonance from the "patriot" crowd

You'd think they would buy American, but I guess it's not like they're not hypocrites in every other area of their lives.

[jmowreader]

37. Buy one, but put one of these on it...

http://www.jegs.com/i/Simpson/856/42060YJ/10002/-1?parentProductId=760730

And if "your accelerator gets stuck" just pull the ring and...

[proud2BlibKansan]

41. LoL

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

82. That.is.COOL

But I feel sorry for the tailgaters :rofl:

[krispos42]

48. Do you need a new car?

Keep in mind that every month you keep your old one is money in your pocket. No car payment and cheaper insurance, for example.

OTOH, if your current car is giving you problems it might be time to think about it.




Will a Prius or other hybrid serve your driving needs? If you do a lot of city driving a Prius or other hybrid will save you $$$. But if you do a lot of highway driving then something in a small turbodiesel will get better mileage and put out less CO₂ per mile than a Prius. And be cheaper to boot.


Do you need a 2-wheel-drive sedan, or do need something with all-wheel-drive? Family come with you a lot? Do you haul around a lot of stuff? That might mean picking a different model and making compromises.

[proud2BlibKansan]

50. Just started having some problems with my car

It will be time within 6 months to replace it. Just about when I make the last payment:) But that's how it seems to go.

I drive half highway and half city streets to work every day.

No more SUVs in this family. Kids are grown and they are gas guzzlers.

[krispos42]

54. Then it sounds like maybe this is the time to do it then.

I take it you don't drive very far to work?

Just keep in mind that it will take a while to recoup the extra expense of the hybrid system with increased fuel economy.

[proud2BlibKansan]

55. About a 40 mile round trip commute every day

[krispos42]

75. Hmmm... probably doesn't matter in terms of fuel savings.

The Prius would cost extra for the hybrid mechanicals and such, but you'll be helping to push hybrid and electric cars.

[AdHocSolver]

68. What kind of problems does your car exhibit?

If the car is generally in good condition, it is usually less expensive to fix the problem, rather than buy new.

What model Scion do you have? What year is it, how many miles does it have on it?

Describe the problem. Did you have a mechanic check it out?

The April issue of Consumer Reports is available and it is the issue devoted to automobiles.

Descriptions of just about all available models, pros and cons, recommendations, safety records, and frequency-of-repair records for earlier editions of most models. It is a valuable tool if you are in the car market.

[HuckleB]

53. Meh. You really want a car payment?

[proud2BlibKansan]

56. I've had one for 20 years

Pretty much a fact of life.

[HuckleB]

62. It's awesome not having a car payment.

We've gone three years without one now, and had another period of three years without one about ten years ago. Oh, the things we can do with that money!

Cheers!

[proud2BlibKansan]

63. I dont have a house payment

I also don't have any credit cards. So a car payment is no big deal for me.

[fujiyama]

57. It sounds like you're set on getting it

Economically, Toyota resale values have also taken a hit, so a used car may be a good deal, though there are some good deals on new models. Of course, likewise as mentioned resale values have taken a hit, so if you plan on selling it sooner rather than later, Toyota won't get you the kind of money it used to.

Just make sure to follow up with any recalls if you get used. If you get new, shop around at several dealers and pit them against each other. Definitely don't jump at whatever deal they give you at first. Take the time to look and you'll be more satisfied in the end.

One thing that would still make me hesitant in buying a Toyota is that I just don't think the problem is solved - and the engineers there don't seem so sure what the problem is. OK, so they really doubt it's the electronics and they could be right, but considering reports of problems even after getting the vehicles serviced, I just wouldn't feel very confident in them.

I'd personally wait several years before getting a recent model Toyota (at least those that are affected by the recent recalls) but statistically I doubt much will go wrong. I just would prefer waiting for the dust to settle on the whole mess first.

One last thing. Yes, the Prius is the most fuel efficient car out there, but I think it's important gauge driving habits as well. Do you drive mostly city? Highway? Do you have a long or short commute? Do you actually like how it drives? I'd consider other alternatives out there as well made by Ford, Honda, and GM, among others...

[proud2BlibKansan]

58. No not set at all

I had planned on waiting till summer to buy a new car. But I am tempted because of the good deal I am being offered.

[fujiyama]

64. Yes, summer typically offers some good deals

It's impossible to gauge the prices especially for Toyota at this point. If their sales are still floundering due to bad press and lack of consumer confidence in the summer (and by that I mean both based on the perception of Toyota vehicles and the general economic trends), you'll see some great deals on 2010 model year vehicles because they'll be doing whatever they could to clear them out.

If you really need a car, and you're set on the Prius, then I suppose it's a good deal. As I said, statistically your chances of really having a major problem is low, but that small probability still leaves my uncomfortable - largely with how they've handled this problem.

Another final point worth considering is the resale value of your vehicle as noted by the poster below. If you buy new, just beware the massive depreciation your car will take.

[DesertFlower]

60. my husband rented one for a day while

his car was in the shop. he liked it. i don't like the vision out of the back window.

i drive an 05 mazda miata. love it.

[TexasObserver]

61. No. Find out what happened to the market for Corvairs and Pintos.

Once a car becomes labeled as having serious design flaws that can suddenly appear with no prior warning, it's going to have a hard time maintaining value. I expect that any affected model will see their resale values plummet from previous levels.

[iris27]

69. No, that's a standard trick they use to drum up business.

"Confessions of a Car Salesman" - http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/42962/page007.html

Verbal promises from dealer salespeople tend to mysteriously evaporate once they've got you down to the dealership and in love with something new and shiny.

[rucky]

71. Get a used '05

Love mine!

[gleaner]

72. You didn't have a poll option for this ...

but I wouldn't buy one until they were completely exonerated of any safety risks. When your dealer says he has some he wants to "get rid" of he is speaking dealerese for having cars on his lot that he can't sell easily. I think the reason for that is that people are afraid to buy them after the adverse publicity.

Before you jump it would be good to check it out with some consumer groups who do not have a vested interest one way or the other.

[spinbaby]

73. I love my Prius

I have a 2007 Prius with about 55,000 miles on it. At the moment I'm busy putting another 2100 miles on it driving to Florida and back. Am I worried about driving 2100 miles in my Prius? Not one bit.

My previous car was a Saturn L series. In the 65,000 miles I had it, it had:

A leaking radiator--took two days to repair.

Broken door locks.

Busted fuel pump that left me stranded by the side of the road and stuck with most of the cost of towing it to the Saturn dealer because the warranty only covered some ridiculously small distance.

Slipping transmission--also took two days to repair after the dealer finally admitted that, yes, it was slipping.

Trouble lights that kept coming on that the dealer never could find a reason for.

After 65,000 miles I traded it in on a Prius both because I couldn't regard it as reliable and because the warranty ran out. No way could I afford that thing's repair habit.

My Prius, at 55,000 miles, has had NOTHING go wrong with it (knock on wood). Nada. Zilch. Not the teeniest thing. It's reliable. It's economical. It drives beautifully. My only complaint is the seats aren't very comfortable for long drives.

[boston bean]

74. I just bought a Subaru Legacy

It's the 2.5i premium model.

I really did not want a new car, but my 2007 Camry accelerated on the highway and the cruise control came on all by itself. Whether anyone wants to believe it or not....... it is the truth.

I really like the Legacy. It has the all weather package, alloy wheels, all wheel drive and is roomy enough.

I am truly po'd with Toyota, the values have fallen, no one would buy your used one, you are left stranded, and they have known about this problem for 5 years.

[ingac70]

76. Glad you got a new ride.

Sorry it was like this, though. Was Toyota dicks with you?

[divideandconquer]

80. Why not buy a UAW car and help unions?

Subaru is part of toyota

[Touchdown]

105. No they're not... well mostly.

Subaru is owned by Fuji Heavy Industries. Toyota made an 16.5% investment in Fuji, and they've cut a deal to build Toyotas in the Subaru plant in Indiana.

Fuji's investors in the past from other auto makers...
Nissan-1968... 20%
Renault/Nissan Partnership.
GM- who bought Nissan/Renault's 20%.

GM held a dominant stake in the Lafayette In. plant (Subaru-Isuzu Automotive until 2005. It is true that it has been under Toyota management since then. I looked to see if they were UAW represented, I got not facts saying one way or the other, so I think they aren't.

[Tesha]

107. Toyota owns 16.5% of the parent corporation of Subaru.

I'm not sure that qualifies as being "part of Toyota".

Tesha

[TexasObserver]

85. "My 2007 Camry accelerated on the highway & the cruise control came on all by itself."

Thank you for posting this. It's good to have these kind of testimonials to rebut the sudden, uncontrollable surges of excuse-making Toyota is experiencing.

[sendero]

79. I think...

.. that Toyota has a software problem causing loss of control of the throttle on CERTAIN VEHICLES. I don't really think the Prius is one of those vehicles, the recent incident notwithstanding.

If you do a lot of city driving, I'd say go ahead and buy it.

[DeschutesRiver]

86. I'd wait until they figured out what is causing the problem

I know this seems like a good deal. But if I am buying something that potentially has a major problem, I want it to be priced accordingly. And they are nowhere near that kind of price yet.

So I'd wait until I was getting what I was paying for, ie a car with no issues of any kind, more less the kind that could cause a fatality if i was one of the unlucky ones.

[spoony]

89. Please read this first

Toyota's human rights abuses:

http://www.nlcnet.org/reports?id=0007

Edit: If nothing else, read the chapter, "4.Overworked To Death At The Prius Plant" since that's what you're considering.

[Urban Prairie]

99. Toyota and any other foreign-based vehicle manufacturer

have no loyalties to the US, and would have no qualms about shuttering their plants here if someday faced with sufficient market share loss, due to the export of vehicles made in China and/or India to the US. That might happen as soon as sometime later this decade.

Those who boast that their vehicle is built in the US by American autoworkers, fail to account for the fact that not only do these companies manage to avoid paying most, if not all federal taxes, due to our leaky tax code, they also are and were given long-term tax breaks and incentives for locating and building plants in the states who have successfully competed for their businesses, as well as all being "right to work" states often with the fewest unionized workforces.

What galls me the most is that the Japanese government has always supported their industries through thick and thin, which RWers would consider to be "socialism" if our government did the same for our industries here in the US (that is, the fewer and fewer that still "make" anything here..dlol). Free trade is global, but FAIR trade is not, and never will be! The Japanese government even taxes the EXPORT profits of foreign-based businesses who design products that are made in Japan and then are sold anywhere else in the world!!

[SmileyRose]

90. If you were a REAL liberal you'd crush the car and buy a bike.

and of course the bike would be manufactured with 100% recycled parts in a factory that is powered by unicorn farts and workers make $80 an hour.

:)


Drive what you want to. You don't need us to tell you what to drive. Fusion is assembled in Mexico but a majority (barely) of the parts are US. Prius is now made in both Mississippi and Japan - and the amount of American parts varies. If you find out the assembly code on the car you can find one made in America. So the "support America" quality is really either/or.

[blue_onyx]

93. The Prius is NOT made in Mississippi now

"Toyota plans to begin pumping Prius hybrids out of its now-idle Mississippi plant as early as June 2011, the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper is reporting, along with Reuters. This could put the Mississippi plant online in time for the first new member of the Prius family (the FT-CH perhaps?)."

http://priuschat.com/news/report-mississippi-prius-plant-open-june-2011

[divideandconquer]

96. Not a single prius has been built in Mississippii so far

[divideandconquer]

98. Not a single prius has been built in Mississippii so far

[Craftsman]

92. Toyota's new motto: Nothing can stop us now. ;)

[mod mom]

100. We're planning to buy our 2nd as soon as hubbie can drive again.

Have been very happy w ours. :hi:

[divideandconquer]

102. Resale on these priuses will tank when the FIAT500, Ford Fiesta,Chevy Cruze hit the streets

When the Prius was the only high gas mileage car, it had a monopoly but more and better competition is on the way. FIAT's new techology can beat prius without batteries and come in $10,000less.

[Touchdown]

106. I gotta spend $700 repairing my 9 year old car.

That's two of this car's previous payments. If it goes for another 3 months without any more need for repairs, then I'm ahead.

I love not having payments.

[EFerrari]

108. I'd wait for the mandate. n/t