Comments on: Wanna buy a Prius? It'll cost you

As more people clamber to get their hands on a Prius, the popular hybrid is getting harder to come by. Jon Oltsik's advice to potential car buyers? Wait.

[Tumara Baap]

This is the wrong criterion in assessing cost. Insurance, maintenance, fuel and depreciation all play a role alongside purchase price in determining cost of ownership. Looked at this way, the Prius even at full MSRP is a wise financial choice. In addition, it is more versatile and spacious than its competitors and boasts a cool factor that simply cannot be matched.

[newgun2000]

What none of the hybrid fools never seem to remember is the cost of the replacement battery. As a tech that works on these I always get the question how long will the battery last and how much. On Inights the average life is 80-100k cost about $3,000
On Civic its about the same. But I also notice alot of CVT transmission and Cat converter failures after 90k. most of these are out of warranty by then. Cost of a Cat about 1400, Note some cars have a NOX cat as well so that will cost you.
Best bet just drive slower and you will save money.

[C433Z]

i'm just waiting for the plug-in hybrids

[ktappe]

The "study" (I use the term liberally) claiming a Hummer uses less energy to manufacture than a Prius and lasts 3x longer is a joke and has been discredited. It was created by a marketing firm, not anyone in the scientific or academic world whose stats could be independently verified. So please do not be misled by that article.

[TheManInDboX]

I drive a civic SI... I have done a few mods to it and am at 201hp at the crank, I am averaging 42mpg on the highway, and around 30-35 city. I get a combo of about 38mpg... (going 70+).. My other car is a car i bought for 500 dollars, it is a 1991 honda CRX HF, i get about 50-55mpg on that, with 230,000 miles... Ill just laugh at the prius buyers, as they get the Thrills of a moped, and the payments that go with a much nicer car...

[rhamer241]

I love seeing all of these postson the "bash Prius" forum! As a Prius owner I can only comment on my experience and it has been good. I bought one Prius for the tax deduction (in 2005) and the better economy. The environmental reasons were secondary to me and I replaced it with a 2006 model and got the tax credit at that time. So far I have saved over $2400 in fuel costs that I did not have to use in the car I replaced before my Priuses. I have almost 40,000 miles on the new one and have had no problems with it. I have an 8yr/120,000 mile warranty on the batteries so that is not a problem either.

Some people may think it is ugly and that is their right. I, however, think it is beautiful and I enjoy driving it. I completely understand that it is not for everyone. We all have to live with the choices we make and I have been happy with mine. I am looking forward to getting a plug-in version in the next few years. I will contemplate getting a Volt or other efficient car if they ever start producing them if it becomes as sound a decision as it was with the Prius.

[unigeezer]

I just bought a prius package 5 with HOV stickers the car in in immaculate condtion. Pain 19k. I'm already averaging 64mpg. I'd like to get that up to at least 70mpg, but 64 isn't too bad.

Great car an blows the honda bybrid away especially since it has a hatchback and loads of room! Also, the prius was built specifically as a true hybrid from the ground up, instead of just a regular car with the hybrid tacked on like the honda.

I got a great price and get astounding mpg. It will take less than a year to break even!

[unigeezer]

I just bought a prius package 5 with HOV stickers the car in in immaculate condition. Paid 19k. I'm already averaging 64mpg. I'd like to get that up to at least 70mpg, but 64 isn't too bad.

Great car an blows the honda bybrid away especially since the prius has a hatchback and loads of room! Also, the prius was built specifically as a true hybrid from the ground up, instead of just a regular car with the hybrid tacked on like the honda.

I got a great price and get astounding mpg. It will take less than a year to break even!