Wife wants new car think I have her talked into plug in hybrid
 

I'm thinking I can get her to buy a plug in hybrid.
Not a new one because I'm cheap. Probably a lease turn in. So I probably need to start need to watching them now, for problems, how fast the price crashes if we are going to buy one in 2020 or 2021.
I'm thinking:
Hyundai sonata plug 2018 or 2019.
Honda clarity plug 18 or 19
Maybe a Toyota prius 18 or 19, maybe a 2017 with the option to plug in.

I don't think I could talk her into a volt, she doesn't like GM cars and I can't blame her.
No euro trash, bmw, VW and such.
Any more?

The plan is to pay cash, I don't really do banks.

The Volts are getting quite reasonably priced if you're looking to buy. The Fusion and C-Max energi are fairly reasonable as well. I almost jumped on a C-Max energi for $8500 a few weeks ago.

Volt,Volt,Volt,Volt, I want to watch and learn from you some more.

I'm pretty sure that I can't talk her into a volt.
Too many bad experiences with GM and Chevy cars.

The Toyota Prime is the 2nd highest selling plug-in vehicle currently (Model 3 has it beat). It's been well received and gets 28 miles on a charge. Biggest gripe is it's a 4-seater despite being the same size as the Prius.

Seems like the Prius is quite an obvious, easy choice, but maybe the Clarity wouldn't be so bad at all. But anyway, maybe something with a more conservative design such as the Sonata or a Fusion Energi would be interesting options too.

One big difference in the way mfg's have done phev's is some will allow full ev and not use gas until the battery is depleted. Others allow ev until you demand enough power then the gas engine comes on regardless of how much battery capacity is remaining.

Just something to be aware of.

(Update)
Notice the volt is the only one that does not say "electricity+gas" under the electric range.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/member-k...ture8180-a.jpg

The only bad thing about the Hyundai is if she gets a 2018 it will be the first year for their plug in.

Oh yeah, how can I forget the Fusion Energi? I've not driven one, but the hybrid is phenomenal. I believe this is the last year it will be produced, considering Ford is eliminating all their cars. Very quiet, smooth and powerful enough ride if your wife is ok with a sedan.

I have driven the Fusion Energi that we have at work. We are a power company so the community relations gal drives it around. It has big green stripes that say plug in hybrid on it. I had only driven an early Escape hybrid back in 2004 at Ford school. This is a very nice ride, it runs on battery for about 20 miles then the engine starts. If you jump on the freeway with a hot plug in pack the engine will start and share with the battery pack. It has a 4KW pack, the car would be great with about 16 KW.

It's sad you can't talk her into a volt. My roommate has a 2013(?) and I have no problem getting 35-40 miles to a charge with the AC on. Furthermore, other than replacing coil packs, and general maintenance, he hasn't had to do anything to the car, and it's at... 150k now? Something like that.

The resale of these things goes off a cliff like a lemmings, mainly looking at the prius prime since it is anot Asian plug in import.
The volt appears to not lose value as fast, so that's a negative for the volt.

I would say out of the lot my wife is most likely to get the Hyundai sonata plug in hybrid.

I wouldn't really hold my breath for that, but maybe the Fusion could remain available. Ford has even released a police-package for it, so I believe they see some perspectives to keep it even if it ends up catering mostly to the fleet market.

I may not have 2 or 3 years.
Her 2008 Hyundai sonata is at the hyundai shop for the transmission acting up and TPMS sensors, I may have wasted around $280 replacing them all this summer with after market ones.
Then I still have an undiagnosed serious engine misfire in the cold on this car and winter is right around the corner.

I would be willing to consider pip since I could get a 3yr old lease turn in today. Only disadvantage is I wouldn't be able to pay cash for it all right at this moment.

She says the prius is too small.

Would have loved to gotten my wife a Outlander PHEV 2 years ago when I had to get her something else before I really wanted to. Cheapest on cars is $28,000, maybe the next one.

Too small as in too low to the ground? The Prius has huge interior volume.

My wager on the misfire is electrical. Spray the plug wires and coil(s) with water and see if you can force it to miss. Often you can see where a spark is escaping and grounding to the engine.

I'd personally never spend more than about $50 on TPMS since I can tell when a car handles poorly due to underinflation, and I check pressures whenever I rotate the tires.

The 2017 hyundai sonata plug in hybrids are already going for $17,000 give or take. I did find a sweet dealer demo car with 500 miles on it for $20k.

Now, the the plug in 2017s are going for no more than $3,000 over the non hybrids.
That's pretty good (for me) considering the plug in hybrid when new was about $10,000 more than the non hybrid.

Catastrophic depreciation is on track or better than my projections.

By 2020 I should be able to cut check for a cherry 2017 plug in hybrid sonata.

I'm still working on this. I told her when the federal credit thing goes away April 1 the price on them will go up pretty much over night.
I told my wife let's get one drive if for a year or 2 and if you still don't like it by then gas should be over $3 gallon and everyone will be losing their minds then resell it.
We get top dollar for the plug in and then some one will pay us to take a newish V6 car like a kia optima or hyundai genesis.

The Prius is huge....but I drive an Insight. :D

The Prius is large enough to fit the needs of most people. Most people don't need the excessive room of a larger SUV.

How about a Honda Clarity? C-max Energi?

Yes we were looking for a Honda clarity but they seem to be rather difficult to locate.
The hyundai and kia plug ins are usually available with some variation of trim and option choices.

Got a white 2016 hyundai sonata plug in hybrid lease turn in.
I was not able to cut a check for the full amount, if I waited another year, sure. We will probably pay it off in a year or 2.

Congrats.

Will you be sharing your driving experience with us, or is it just hers?

I will drive it some. She won't let me put a tow hitch on it so that kind of limits it's usefulness to me.
I pitched in $4,000 for an unneeded down payment but I want to see it paid off in a year.
I realigned assets so I can come up with the remaining loan ballance real quick if it becomes necessary to possess the title for some reason. Because I'll be damed ( by bevers) if I'm going to lose that down payment.
I'm very against car loans, to the point where it's completely irrational if you couldn't tell.

There's much worse things to be irrational about.

I've considered the Sonata before, and I'm sure the plug in version is a great car.

I've got a Torklift (overpriced) hitch on my Prius. I went with that brand because only the square receiver shows under the bumper. The rest of the hitch hides behind the bumper, out of the airstream.

Sounds like the leafs hitch, all but the square tube and chain loops are covered by the rear diffuser.

Looks like this plug in hyundai has about a 10kw pack and charges at 3.8kw just like my old leaf.
It's a 4,800lb car it's going to ride like a lead sled.
One thing I have not been able to find is of the battery has active thermal management.

Well carvana f'ed us.
We ordered a very low miles 2016 plug for $20,000. They got it shipped to albuquerque to one of their hubs and called us and was like, "ummmm it's not a plug in".
They would even lower the price to a reasonable non plug in price. (The plug in version demands around $3,000 more).
My wife was pissed. I offered to rent her a car for a week.
Nope went to the dealer and bought a 2018 non-plug in hybrid for like $27,000.