Prius

[super duty]

A co-worker is considering buying a prius. Here in town the 2013 models loaded are down to $22,700 and the 2013 wagons are $25,200. He said the batteries are down to $900 and most ppl getting 150k miles. In europe the come with a 150k warranty.

 

[highdesertranger]

can you plug into a sagebrush or a pinion pine.  $22,000 plus,  how much fuel will that buy and how much can it haul.  highdesertranger

 

[vantexan]

The hybrid version doesn't need to be plugged in to charge it. Charges itself with the onboard gas engine. I know from past experience reading other forums that most folks that are into this lifestyle are very much against purchasing anything new. To me it's a matter of usage. If I were going to live in one city and not move the vehicle very much then I'd want the ability to stand up with a little elbow room. Could make do with a regular van but feel I'd last longer as a vandweller with a little extra space. As a retiree however I'd want to travel. As I would have time on my hands I could set up a camp in free camping areas using a good tent that I could back the vehicle up to. So a car for sleeping would be fine. But that vehicle that I'd use to live in a city would eat me alive on fuel costs. Yes, that new car price would pay for alot of gas with a used van. But that's why I'd buy a Prius if I were traveling. I'd make up over the life of the Prius much of the price of the car with fuel savings. And the Prius has proven to be one of the most reliable vehicles available today, important if traveling extensively. So yeah, I'd take the hit financially to buy a Prius outright. Am I rich? No, my company terminated our pension plan in 2008 and replaced it with a "cash balance plan". I'll receive a lump sum at 55 that'll cover the cost of the car. And what I accrued on the traditional plan before it was terminated will provide enough income to get by living cheaply. Am I lucky to have that? Perhaps, but I worked hard for a very long time for a bunch of BSers to get it. Besides the fuel savings and reliability, the Prius runs it's air conditioner off it's large battery. The engine kicks on to charge the battery as needed. This will allow alot of freedom to travel to wherever you like instead of always seeking out mild weather locations in the summer. If you want to be on the beach on the hot Gulf coast the Prius will allow you to sleep in comfort. You can do the same thing with a generator and a window a/c in a van but then you'd have to worry about the generator walking in the middle of the night, plus the high cost of driving to the beach. Sorry for rambling, very sold on the Prius, wouldn't try fulltime traveling without one as I can't afford the upfront costs of a decent RV and they are way too expensive to travel with on my budget.

 

[bk2valve]

I have friends who have owned Prius cars since about 2004 and love them. I know that Suanne has driven hers and lived in it for months at a time. <br><br>I am told by my local friends that own them, they are getting 250K miles from a battery set so battery replacement in the time you will be driving it is a non-issue.<br><br>If they can buy a new one outright it is a good deal but my friends buy a CERTIFIED used vehicle so they can buy a maintenance agreement with it. There is not much the average person can do to them except change the oil and filter...<br><br>In my view, any time you have to buy on credit, you are making a mistake.<br> JMHO and YMMV as usual...<br><br>Bri<br><br><br>

 

[Suanne]

... As a retiree however I'd want to travel ... So a car for sleeping would be fine ... &nbsp;I'd make up over the life of the Prius much of the price of the car with fuel savings ...&nbsp;Besides the fuel savings and reliability, the Prius runs it's air conditioner off it's large battery ... If you want to be on the beach on the hot Gulf coast the Prius will allow you to sleep in comfort ...&nbsp;

<br><br>Wade,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; Having a Prius myself, I think you made some strong points for living out of a&nbsp;hybrid car&nbsp;if your primary goal in vehicle dwelling&nbsp;is&nbsp;travel.&nbsp; If, however, one needs the&nbsp;ability to move around while standing up&nbsp;inside your vehicle, then a car wouldn't be the best choice.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp; My Prius is an '04 (puchased new in Nov'03).&nbsp; At the time of my retirement in mid-'08, I had 100K highway miles on it .&nbsp; Since then, I've put on an additional 80K, which includes many rough backroad miles.&nbsp; I've gone through one conventional&nbsp;starter battery and am about to get another. (My hybrid/drive train batteries remain good.)&nbsp; I'm on my 4th set of tires.&nbsp; I get regular oil changes (every 5K),&nbsp;and tune ups (every 40K).&nbsp; I've had a right front rotor go out (while still under 100K warranty), a brake sensor fail, water pump leak,&nbsp;and I've needed a fuel sensor cleaned ... all at the dealer.&nbsp; Both HID headlight bulbs (expensive)&nbsp;have needed to be replaced, which I did myself.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp; I get my oil changes done at Walmarts, Jiffy Lube and the like.&nbsp; Tune ups and repairs I get done at a Toyota dealer.&nbsp; Although the dealer's work is more expensive, hybrid technology is still relatively new and I want the work done by trained technicians.<br><br>&nbsp; I've researched quite a bit lately about what vehicle I want to replace my '04 Prius with.&nbsp;&nbsp; Because I'm more about traveling frugally than I am about being able to stand up in my vehicle, I'll get another hybrid hatchback.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;If I had to get a replacement car today, I'd get a low-mileage certified '09 Prius.&nbsp; The 04-09 model is the 2nd generation and the front/back seat arrangements changed in the 3rd generation so that the seats don't lay down flat&nbsp;ffrom the hatch to the front.<br><br>&nbsp; But, my '04 is running fine, so, I won't be getting a replacement vehicle today.&nbsp; Between now and the time I'm ready to buy, I'm hoping that the market will have a hatchback as dependable and flexible as&nbsp;my '04&nbsp;Prius, but with higher clearance.&nbsp; It's a bummer to bottom out or need&nbsp;turn around because the road ahead is too rutted.&nbsp; I hear Subaru has plans for a hybrid.<br><br>Suanne

 

[vantexan]

Hi Suanne, There are some interesting options coming soon. Ford has a revamped Transit Connect that will do better than 30 mpg with one of it's 2 offered engines in 2014. And Dodge's Ram division is bringing over the Fiat Doblo, a small cargo van, called the Promaster C here. If they bring their small diesels with it then it can do over 50 mpg. A vehicle big enough to have a decent bed in the back and still get that kind of mileage would be worth rigging up with a roof a/c. Until I can see real world numbers though I'll stick with a Prius V.

 

[vantexan]

Got an idea after watching guy on YouTube converting his Prius V into a camper. His solution was to remove rear seats, build a storage box with a hinged board that folded out with front seats pushed all the way forward and straps hanging from headrests to support the folded out part. My idea would be to get a large hard sided suitcase to put in area where rear seats were. Support it with quilts under and around it to keep it stable and flush with rear cargo area. This gives some removable storage. On top of all of this place a cut to fit piece of plywood that has hinged sections on both ends. When in sleeping mode fold out the hinged area by front seats that will be supported by both the suitcase and the center console. On top of the plywood have a mattress that folds. This can be a folding foam mattress or an innerspring mattress specially made by a RV mattress maker. The rear hinged area would be to lift up plywood to access the cargo compartment under the cargo floor.

 

[VanFan]

Question for those of you who have slept in a Prius:&nbsp; Are you able to open the hatch from inside?&nbsp; If not, does that bother you?<br><br>My daily driver is a 2012 Prius.&nbsp; Recently, I killed the "small" battery and didn't have enough power to open the hatch to charge it from the rear.&nbsp; I had to remove some of the interior plastic panels to access a very small release mechanism.&nbsp; I think it would bother me to sleep back there and not be able to get out in a hurry.<br><br>Vickie

 

[Suanne]

Question for those of you who have slept in a Prius:&nbsp; Are you able to open the hatch from inside?&nbsp; If not, does that bother you?Vickie

<br><br>Hi Vickie,<br><br>I can not open my 04 Prius hatch from the inside.&nbsp; But, since I sleep with my head by the passenger doors, I wouldn't use the hatch for egress anyway.&nbsp; And, I've opened the passenger doors when my starter (small) battery went dead.&nbsp; So, I know I could get out or in without that battery power, if needed.<br><br>I did watch a YouTube video a while back where someone had fabricated an access hole (to the opening mechanism) in the plastic cover in order to be able to open their Prius hatch from inside.&nbsp; It didn't look hard to do.&nbsp; Something to consider if that's important to you.<br><br>Cheers, Suanne

 

[VanFan]

Thank you very much Suanne!&nbsp; I haven't thought of turning around.&nbsp; Can you believe it?&nbsp; LOL!<br>Vickie

 

[Offshorenaples]

Prius have serious battery issues in hot climates,battery's are rated in Canada where it's hot 3 days a year. Come to Florida and rate it!!!

 

[vantexan]

Saw Priuses all over Texas and never heard about problems. Consumer Reports rates the Prius as one of the most reliable cars on the road. I'm a native Floridian by the way.

 

[VanFan]

No problems so far here (Texas), or with anyone I know--many of whom have had theirs for a long time.&nbsp; My gas mileage is reduced considerably when I run the a/c without driving, but sometimes it is very much worth it!<br><br>One feature I've enjoyed is remote start air conditioning, which allows running the a/c for up to three minutes before reaching the car.&nbsp; My Prius also came with a solar panel on the roof which passively powers the fresh air ventilation fan, keeping the cab quite a bit cooler while parked.<br><br>I suspect the main battery generates enough eat of its own to be affected only a little by ambient temperature, but I don't know.<br><br>If I run away to join the circus, I'm not sure whether I'd take the van (which I love) or the Prius (which is efficient and reliable).&nbsp; Tough call!<br><br>Vickie