GBA's 2017 PriusPrime (and trip report)

[GreatBigAbyss]

If I compare it to the CX-5, which I daily drove up until we got the Prius:  Last spring, according to Fuelly, I averaged about 110 - 120 L per month.  Call it 115L.  What's the average gas price these days?  $1.65/L? 

That's $190/mo, approximately.

[GreatBigAbyss]

Well, I broke down and put gas in it today.  Due to a few out of town trips over the past couple of months, the Prius burned fuel at an alarming rate.  The last time I filled was March 18th, and today it had an 1/8th tank left.  It's going to the mechanic for an oil change and checkup on Tuesday, and I don't want him to think I'm neglecting it lol.  Anyway, we leave for Calgary in the first week of July, so I would be putting gas in it anyway.

3 months, 3 days, 22hrs
3540km
35.978L of fuel
$1.449/l - $52.13 fill.
1.016L/100km avg

[RRocket]

Well, I broke down and put gas in it today.  Due to a few out of town trips over the past couple of months, the Prius burned fuel at an alarming rate.  The last time I filled was March 18th, and today it had an 1/8th tank left.  It's going to the mechanic for an oil change and checkup on Tuesday, and I don't want him to think I'm neglecting it lol.  Anyway, we leave for Calgary in the first week of July, so I would be putting gas in it anyway.

3 months, 3 days, 22hrs
3540km
35.978L of fuel
$1.449/l - $52.13 fill.
1.016L/100km avg

Amazing!! And so, so close to my "record" of 3,889km.....which I think you'll definitely best some day!

[GreatBigAbyss]

Amazing!! And so, so close to my "record" of 3,889km.....which I think you'll definitely best some day!

Damn it, that was the record?  Had I known I was so close, I would have stretched it out another couple of weeks.   I would easily have beat it even with an 1/8th tank left.  I thought it was in the 4000's somewhere, so I didn't bother trying.

[GreatBigAbyss]

So, a quick update on the situation with the Prius Prime I bought from Ron in the winter. 

In June it was hit by a pretty severe hailstorm.  No glass damage, but there are some pretty significant dents in ALL the body panels.  Mechanically, it still runs just fine, and returns just as good fuel economy as ever.  Battery health is excellent.  When I drove to work it was indicating 49km of range (it was a mild morning, so I have the HVAC OFF), even though it's only supposed to have 40km of EV range.  Not sure what that's about, but whatever, I'll take it. 

Anyway, today I got the offer from MPI.  Without talking about all the numbers, if I were to buy the car out, the cheque I get from MPI covers what I paid Ron, and I get to keep the car.  Now, I put put a couple of grand into safetying the car and paying tax, and it probably cost me $1k to fly out there and drive it back.  So essentially, it's like I bought a Prius Prime (with dents) for $3k. 

I'm thinking that's too good to pass up. 

[Firm]

No question. As I've said before...Keep it, drive it, when the hail damage dent repair business dries up (likely in the dead of winter) go talk to your local PDR guy and cut a deal. Leave the car with him for a week and give him $1K or something to tidy up all the dents. Then you're even further ahead IMO.

[Tortoise]

There's something freeing about driving a car in great mechanical shape but not so great cosmetic shape.

Maybe the extra 9 km was due to the golf ball pattern that's now on the Prius!

I think that's a decent outcome overall. It'll likely be harder to sell, but I don't think that will be an issue for a while.

[Tortoise]

Hmmmmmm. That's a tough call. It looks super clean from the photos. Not having 8 years of maintenance records would bug me. If the winter tires are decent, that's a bonus. I would love to have a manual again.

I think if the Prius is well sorted it would be cheaper to run over the next little while. But a some point the age will catch up with it.

Can you get by with a sedan vs hatch?

[GreatBigAbyss]

Sorry, I deleted the post before you responded - you must have been responding while I was deleting it. 

I'll throw the link back up:  https://thecarstore.ca/inventory/2018-subaru-impreza--manual---sunroof---no-accidents/531/

I initially took it down, because I figured it was a stupid idea.  BUT, I'll do a list.

Cons: 
-This Impreza was a $26 000 car when new.  The Prius Prime Tech was a $38 000 car when new - it's a lot more car with a lot more features. 
-Fuel economy.  Nothing compares to a PHEV Prius.  Nothing.  The Subaru will consume gas.  Plain and simple.
-It's a manual - wife doesn't drive it, which isn't inherently a problem, as we have the Mazda, but it would limit flexibility.  It would prevent me for taking the Mazda camping or biking for a weekend, as she wouldn't have a car to drive. 
-If we keep the Prius, we have $12k we can just put right into the bank.  If we go with the Impreza, we are left with nothing.

Pros:
-It's a much lower mileage car.  About 200 000 less kms.
-AWD!
-Manual!  I know I Listed it as a con, but I still like manuals.
-The Prius is pretty rusty underneath (typical Windsor ON rust).  I have no idea on the condition of this Subaru, but it's probably better, depending on where it came from.
-It has a sunroof and Android Auto - these are two features I miss on the Prius.
-The Prius has been 'acting up' on longer road trips.  Nothing serious, but the adaptive cruise will fail, and then I need to pull over and turn the car on and off to reset it.  Not sure if it's a symptom of a bigger problem.  It doesn't occur when I'm in the city, so I've resigned to use the Prius as a city car. 

[Tortoise]

I'm not convinced it's a stupid idea... But your wife not driving a manual really hurts the calculus.

[GreatBigAbyss]

I'm not convinced it's a stupid idea... But your wife not driving a manual really hurts the calculus.

Kinda, yes and no.  The number of times I've taken the CX-5 this summer has been zero, aside from just taking it out for a change, because I wanted to drive it.  My wife drives the Prius, but only because it's the first car that we reach for when we're both home. 

[Firm]

IMO, the Prius is far superior in ever way, plus it comes with $12K cash bonus....no brainer. Keep the Prius. Personally, I'd spend a small portion of that $12K to fix the dents, and maybe even get that adaptive cruise issue fixed, if it bugs you enough, and you'd still be way ahead.

[GreatBigAbyss]

^^^I agree. 

I showed my wife the Impreza ad, and her response was about it being a manual, and how she couldn't drive it. 

So that basically settles it. 

[Blizzard]

Is it just me or is $20K + taxes an insane price for an 8 year old car with 90,000 km that was $26K new?

I'd 10 times out of 10 keep the Prius. It's basically a "free" car at this point and a really good one at that with crazy low operating costs. I agree with Firm - fix the dents, spend a bit of money fixing the cruise control or maybe freshening up the suspension, get a really good detail, and it'll feel like a different car.

Maybe you can swap the Mazda for something with a manual? And then still keep the benefits of the Prius while still having a manual?

[GreatBigAbyss]

The Mazda is more my spouse's car now that I daily the Prius.   Plus I wouldn't want to give up having a larger vehicle in the family (not that the CX5 is a 'big' vehicle, but it's bigger than a Prius).

If we ever replace it, it will be with something like a Rav4 PHEV.