Toyota Prius

[MossRoad]

I'm pondering such a purchase as well. VW reliability is way up over the past five years and the folks in Chattanooga are doing a nice job. Real world mileage tends to be higher than EPA figures too with averages in the high thirties combined and high forties highway. Now, if only it looked like the new Mazda 6....

Regarding real world mileage... I've been speaking with a co-worker that is a big VW fan. Her husband has a Jetta and she has a Passat, both TDI. They travel a lot between the east coast and Michigan and she said they get high 40's touching 50 depending on wind direction and if she can keep her foot out of it... she likes to drive fast. That's impressive.

 

[forgeblast]

Any word on the mpg on the 14' ram 1500 eco-diesel?

 

[tcartwri]

Any word on the mpg on the 14' ram 1500 eco-diesel?

The Grand Cherokees are just hitting the lots now. The 1500's will follow in a couple of months. Supply problems.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I commute about 125 miles per day. It would be economic insanity to buy a new car, or a high priced used car. Depreciation can easily be as big a cost as fuel if you buy a high priced vehicle and put tons of miles on it.

I looked long and hard at VW TDI's. The things that scared me away were, high used price and cam belts breaking or needing to be replaced every 60K miles (I know it is longer now). Diesel priced higher than gas almost 20-30% here. Could not fit it into my parameters.

I love the Prius, but can't fit my family in it easily. Also a bit shy of maintenance with the hybrid system, and battery replacement. I do like to do my own mechanic work as much as possible. I would still like to own one despite the aforementioned stuff.

If I had a $100,000 to spare, I could buy a Tesla and not buy any gas for my commute, and with the leftover money I could get a decent solar panel setup for my home to not have to pay the electric bill. Only a $100,000 to become relatively energy independent.

Or I could bring an old electrolyzer and fuel cell home from work.....with a few solar panels.....hum.

 

[IslandTractor]

I commute about 125 miles per day. It would be economic insanity to buy a new car, or a high priced used car. Depreciation can easily be as big a cost as fuel if you buy a high priced vehicle and put tons of miles on it.

I looked long and hard at VW TDI's. The things that scared me away were, high used price and cam belts breaking or needing to be replaced every 60K miles (I know it is longer now). Diesel priced higher than gas almost 20-30% here. Could not fit it into my parameters.

I love the Prius, but can't fit my family in it easily. Also a bit shy of maintenance with the hybrid system, and battery replacement. I do like to do my own mechanic work as much as possible. I would still like to own one despite the aforementioned stuff.

If I had a $100,000 to spare, I could buy a Tesla and not buy any gas for my commute, and with the leftover money I could get a decent solar panel setup for my home to not have to pay the electric bill. Only a $100,000 to become relatively energy independent.

Or I could bring an old electrolyzer and fuel cell home from work.....with a few solar panels.....hum.

I think you may be exaggerating the costs of ownership for both a TDI VW and a Prius. Both hold their used value very well, much better than average. Even with diesel coating 20-30% more, 45mpg means lower fuel costs than almost any ordinary modern gasser. And, the battery replacement bugaboo on the Prius is just that, almost no one needs to replace a battery even after 100,000 miles.

For a 120 mile commute, I cannot imagine any other vehicle that makes more sense for daily fuel costs. I suppose a used depreciated Corolla or something like it might do better in the short run in total cost to own.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

125 miles per day plus a bit of personal driving quickly equates to roughly 40,000 miles/year.
Buy new TDI, $25000 make payments and drive it for 5 years (200,000 miles). You save about $1380 per year on fuel compared to gas car that gets 25 mpg, but at end of 5 years TDI is worth only about $8000 with all the miles.
Depreciation = $3400/year plus interest

Best cost effective solution IMO. Buy used common sedan that has decent low problem history for $7500. Drive it until antenna is sticking out of dirt. Dig it out, fix it and drive it some more. Brings cost of commuting as close as can be to fuel, tires, oil changes, batteries and cost of repairs/maintenance.

 

[powerpace]

125 miles per day plus a bit of personal driving quickly equates to roughly 40,000 miles/year.
Buy new TDI, $25000 make payments and drive it for 5 years (200,000 miles). You save about $1380 per year on fuel compared to gas car that gets 25 mpg, but at end of 5 years TDI is worth only about $8000 with all the miles.
Depreciation = $3400/year plus interest

Best cost effective solution IMO. Buy used common sedan that has decent low problem history for $7500. Drive it until antenna is sticking out of dirt. Dig it out, fix it and drive it some more. Brings cost of commuting as close as can be to fuel, tires, oil changes, batteries and cost of repairs/maintenance.

I saw the video. The guy is a idiot that doesn't understand what the Prius was designed to do. It's a hybrid. Gas and battery each has it's strong point at different stages in driving. Uphill gas and battery. Downhill controlled battery charging and wheel regeneration done seamlessly. No gas consumption. or wear on the engine. City driving battery for a few miles up to 30 miles per hour on a flat road. At road speed the engine is operating when needed with a battery assist or regenerating power to the battery or regenerating to the battery when coasting. Actual brake regeneration is rare unless you are pressing the pedal really hard. Most times the brakes are not what slows the car it's the electric motor.

The Prius has little maintenance. No belts to change. Never heard of one needing new brakes. Battery will last way longer than the 170,000 miles warrantee. Taxi companies are reporting 350,000 miles plus before battery is showing signs of problems.

My wife drives 120 miles round trip three times a week in a Prius. We are on our second one with 60 thousand miles in 14 months. The kids bought the first one after we put 200,000 miles on it in four years. Still getting 47MPG at 200,000. They use theirs mainly in town with a few longer trips. The first car now has 245,000 miles on it.

Most conventional used cars that have near 150,000 miles are in the scrapheap because they were too much to maintain and unreliable.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11621992/...r_seat/t/japanese-automakers-sweep-us-rivals/

 

[aczlan]

And, the battery replacement bugaboo on the Prius is just that, almost no one needs to replace a battery even after 100,000 miles

I have a friend who has a early Prius (04?), which they bought new. Well over 200k miles now and still going strong on the original batteries. They had to replace the 12v battery at 4-5 years, but otherwise they love it.

Most conventional used cars that have near 150,000 miles are in the scrapheap because they were too much to maintain and unreliable.

It depends on if you do the work, or take it to a shop...
My current car and its two predecessors are Volvos ('89 740, 93 940, 97' V90). My parents have had several 850/S70/V70 cars, my siblings have had several S70 or 740 series cars and (other than my current V90 which only has 130k miles) all have gone to 150k+ with just normal maintenance. VWs are similar (Dad had a '03 Jetta TDI which was great till we sold it with 205k miles as long as he kept hamfisted mechanics from working on it) as are many Hondas (my little sister has a '89 Civic with close to 200k miles on it that is still going strong).
My inlaws have a '97 Dodge 1500 pickup which is at 197k miles with just normal maintenance.

Aaron Z

 

[troutsqueezer]

Other advantages to a Prius, to name a few:

Constantly variable transmission, engine always runs at optimum RPM for efficiency.
Headlights are self-leveling.
Programmable smart key system.
Touch screen control for heating and air, audio, GPS, more.
Large digital readout speedometer.
Hatchback with rear seats folding flat and inside tie downs.
Hidden trunk under the trunk.
Traction control.
15" alloy wheels.
Full center armrest, rear center armrest.
Inside lights come on when you approach the vehicle.
Same interior space as the Camry.
I could go on but you're already bored...

 

[IslandTractor]

125 miles per day plus a bit of personal driving quickly equates to roughly 40,000 miles/year.
Buy new TDI, $25000 make payments and drive it for 5 years (200,000 miles). You save about $1380 per year on fuel compared to gas car that gets 25 mpg, but at end of 5 years TDI is worth only about $8000 with all the miles.
Depreciation = $3400/year plus interest

Best cost effective solution IMO. Buy used common sedan that has decent low problem history for $7500. Drive it until antenna is sticking out of dirt. Dig it out, fix it and drive it some more. Brings cost of commuting as close as can be to fuel, tires, oil changes, batteries and cost of repairs/maintenance.

Fair point but do the same analysis with a three or four year old used Jetta TDI costing $12K or a used Prius for about the same.