Justify to me Plz. Purchase of a Prius vs Fiesta. I think Fiesta wins hands down.

[redneck]

Originally Posted by Cobb

I thought it was only available in Canada and over seas?

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They're available in the US now.

2015 Mitsubishi Mirage - Fuel-Efficient Subcompact Car

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[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by FordFiestaS

So again I ask why do folks buy the Prius if the math doesn't work out?

The short answer is if you need a new car, then buying a Prius makes (some) sense. It's a really expensive exercise to trade a 'nothing wrong with it late model' for a Prius. Even if you have a pick up you'd have a hard time making the numbers work.

Why buy a Prius? I don't have one, but I do like being able to move the car around on electric power alone, saves cold starts if all you want to do is move it out of the way. The other big thing in hot climates is being able to run the A/C with the engine off.

Most will buy them for more misguided reasons, since in the hands of the average driver, their economy isn't spectacular considering the price hike over a non-hybrid.

[vskid3]

Originally Posted by Cobb

I thought it was only available in Canada and over seas?

I think you're thinking of the Nissan Micra.

One thing to remember when comparing the Prius to economy cars like the Fiesta and Mirage is that the Prius tends to have more technology and extras standard than the cheaper cars. So while the Mirage may start at $13k vs the Prius' $25k, a Mirage equipped similar to the Prius will be more like $17k. It doesn't make much difference in the break even time, but you have to remember than you are getting more car with the Prius. The Prius C, which starts at about $20k, would be more comparable.

I think you're mainly reinforcing that the purchase price of a car is one of the biggest pieces of the overall cost, especially with vehicles getting well above 30MPG. Which makes used cars that much better.

A big reason I went with a Prius was how effortless it is to get good mileage with it. We've averaged 52MPG over the 14k miles we've owned ours, with almost half of that being highway trips doing at least the speed limit (as high as 80MPH). Plus its bigger than most of the newer cars that are getting 35+MPG. Its not the hands down best choice, but its certainly worth looking at a used one.

[Cobb]

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[Xist]

http://www.zazzle.com/i_drive_a_priu...16241432001881

Honestly, I think that much of life can be explained by people not doing math. I met a young lady over the summer that insisted that her Prius "cost the same as any other car. It costs the same as a Honda Civic and it costs the same as a Toyota Corolla."

I do not have any idea why she claimed that, it was absolutely absurd. At the time, Corollas started at $16,800, Civics at $18k, and Prii at $23k. I remember doing the math and determining that a Prius would break even over a Corolla at 172k, but would probably need a new battery, and the break-even point for that would be 222k, but of course, I cannot find it now.

However, you also pay more interest.

[spacemanspif]

Originally Posted by FordFiestaS

Is it a status thing?

Yes. End of discussion lol.

Most people buy a Prius because it's a car that enables them to drive like typical A-holes but returns good MPG...for them...horrible for people here, but good for them. They also think that they are saving the planet by driving one because Toyota (or the greenies that Toyota paid off?) somehow convinced America that the Prius is going to single-handedly solve the gas crisis. When, in reality, hybrid drivetrains are basically a band-aid to the problem because they enable the auto engineers to not design better, more FE, engines.

Watch the "Smug Alert!" episode of "South Park" to understand why regular people buy a Prius lol.

[H-Man]

The avrage binary driver, AKA those who alternate between mashing the brake pedal and gas pedal until they get to their destination, see a benefit from the hybrid drivetrain because they only see a 70% waste of kinetic energy when doing regen vs 99% on a regular car brakeing while in DFCO plus they don't need to know how to drive a car with a low horsepower engine (I take turns signed for 10 MPH at 30 MPH, 15 MPH at 45 MPH and 35 MPH at 65 MPH, if I can safely see around it and know the car can take it, this allows me to negotiate traffic without flogging the engine, if I had any sway bars I'd likely go faster but my rubber overdrives I have for front tires rub if I take turns too quick.)

[Hersbird]

Remember that SNL skit? Ford... We make hybrids too. That was stinkin funny. If Toyota made a hybrid Prius and a less expensive non-hybrid gas only Prius less people would buy them both combined. Many buy the Prius over any of the other makes hybrids because they are immediately recognized as being a hybrid. The other cars you have to look for a badge or something.

[redpoint5]

Can you sleep 2 people over 6ft tall in a Fiesta?

The reason I'm getting the Prius is cost, reliability, utility, safety, fun, in that order. The strengths in some areas make up for the weaknesses in others.

I can ask why you would get a Fiesta when a 250cc motorcycle would get double the MPG at a fraction of the cost, but the answer would be obvious.

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Can you sleep 2 people over 6ft tall in a Fiesta?

The reason I'm getting the Prius is cost, reliability, utility, safety, fun, in that order. The strengths in some areas make up for the weaknesses in others.

I can ask why you would get a Fiesta when a 250cc motorcycle would get double the MPG at a fraction of the cost, but the answer would be obvious.

No heater, no A/C. Way higher chance of death, gearing up for every single ride, no grocery shopping on anything but a small scale.

Advantages:
Better mpg
Lower insurance cost.
Less for maintenance.

Not worth it.


Anyway, screw the Prius, unless you live in New York, get a G2 insight. Hell, you can find good G1 insights that will knock the doors of a Prius in MPG for 1/4 the cost. And I'm talking about a low mile, pristine condition G1 insight. If you buy a junker like mine and fix it up, savings could be 1/6th the cost of a Prius.