# [2010] New Prius



## KarenLK (Sep 3, 2010)

Picked it up last week...and had rented one in Vegas last year, so was familiar with it.

Are there any tricks I need to know about??


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## Luanne (Sep 3, 2010)

Do you mean a Prius?  

I have a 2008 and love it.  I don't think it has any tricks.  It was just kind of interesting to get used to not having a key, and also how quiet the engine is.


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## Passepartout (Sep 3, 2010)

Congrats! We love our '05. We rented a '10 in Las Vegas and the only thing I thought was 'different' was the switch that controlled 'economy' or 'performance'. I drove it most of the time in 'economy', but for accelerating to freeway speed 'performance' makes a difference. I think it changes how the transmission allows the engine revs to go higher for performance.

Jim Ricks


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## Rob&Carol Q (Sep 3, 2010)

All I can claim is that I sat in one...I'm 6'3"...pretty tight fit.  We were in the beginning phase of our "2nd car" search.

I'll probably buy a Corolla as my next commuter car later this Fall.


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## Luanne (Sep 3, 2010)

Rob&Carol Q said:


> All I can claim is that I sat in one...I'm 6'3"...pretty tight fit.  We were in the beginning phase of our "2nd car" search.
> 
> I'll probably buy a Corolla as my next commuter car later this Fall.



Interesting you're finding more room in the Corolla.  I find the Prius to be quite roomy, and I feel like there is more "head room" in it than the Corolla.


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## Passepartout (Sep 3, 2010)

Rob&Carol Q said:


> All I can claim is that I sat in one...I'm 6'3"...pretty tight fit.



I'm only 5'10" with relatively short legs and our '05 is not too generous with legroom. Headroom's no problem. The '10 seemed to have longer seat travel... Jim


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## Dori (Sep 3, 2010)

Karen, just make sure you point your new Prius in the direction of Toronto for our next TOTUG meeting! We missed you at the spring get-together.

Dori


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## pwrshift (Sep 3, 2010)

I heard that Mercedes luxury level S-class has a hybrid now and is $20,000 less than their gas model but still has the same long body and all the gadgets.  I thought hybrids usually cost more than their gas models, even tho the Mercedes is a 6 cylinder rear wheel drive compared to the gas 8 cylinder 4-matic.  Apparently they use the lithium batteries which go in the engine compartment because they take up much less space and will last much longer than hybrid batteries in other makes.

The salesman said battery life is important as hybrid battery replacement after warranty is so costly it is lowering the resale prices now on Prius, etc., and they don't expect that to happen with lithium being used in Mercedes.  Is this just sales talk or true? 

Brian


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## Talent312 (Sep 3, 2010)

I test drove a 2010 Prius, and while it is an impressive feat of engineering in an affordable package, I could not pull the trigger. I have the utmost respect and appreciation for those who do, but for me, it felt more like a golf cart on steroids than a "real" car. Sorry, but I'm still stuck on driving cars that drive like cars.


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## Chrisky (Sep 4, 2010)

KarenLK said:


> Picked it up last week...and had rented one in Vegas last year, so was familiar with it.
> 
> Are there any tricks I need to know about??



 Excellent.  We own an '06 Prius and just love it.  Love the fuel economy, love how it handles and were amazed how much room it had with the back seats down when we loaded it up for our move.  There is a Prius chat forum where you can get excellent information about how to increase fuel economy and anything else that comes to mind.  One thing I'd suggest is that you read your manual.


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## "Roger" (Sep 4, 2010)

KarenLK said:


> ...Are there any tricks I need to know about??


My wife just loves our.  

One "trick" (not really a trick) with regard to gas mileage:  While you don't want to do jackrabbit starts, you end up with better gas mileage if you get up to speed reasonably fast and then maintain that speed as opposed to slowly accelerating up to the desired speed.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 4, 2010)

How is it for short drivers with short legs who want pedals with in easy, not highly extended leg stretch? It is on our list of "If we buy a car, what would we buy?"
Liz


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## Passepartout (Sep 4, 2010)

Liz Wolf-Spada said:


> How is it for short drivers with short legs who want pedals with in easy, not highly extended leg stretch?
> Liz



Liz, My DW is 5'2" with very short legs/arms. She doesn't use the farthest forward position and is able to maintain a safe distance from the airbag (important!). She also informs me that the seat belt rides on her chest where it's supposed to rather than cutting across her neck as it has in previous cars.

I'd say a Prius is worth keeping on your 'try it' list. Some 92% of people polled say they would buy another one, and over 90% recommend them to their friends. 

Jim Ricks


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## KarenLK (Sep 4, 2010)

Roger, that surprises me...I would have thought a steady, slow acceleration would be better.
Whoever suggested reading the manual, it is almost 500 pages long!!
I will look for the message board.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 4, 2010)

Thanks, Jim. That is great information.
Liz


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## Chrisky (Sep 4, 2010)

KarenLK said:


> Roger, that surprises me...I would have thought a steady, slow acceleration would be better.
> Whoever suggested reading the manual, it is almost 500 pages long!!
> I will look for the message board.



Here is the prius chat forum I mentioned.
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-fuel-economy/
There are also sections there about maintenance & troubleshooting.  
Yes, it's a huge manual, but there are certain aspects of this car that are different than what you've been used to and IMHO at least a general perusal would be beneficial.  Yes, definitely a quicker acceleration is optimal as well as what is called a 'pulse & glide'.  You will also find that this vehicle will glide more, therefore you can take your foot off the gas pedal more often and glide more into a stop.


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## KarenLK (Sep 4, 2010)

Chrisky, I started to read the manual...it is pretty complicated, especially in the first section. Thanks for the link.


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## Chrisky (Sep 4, 2010)

KarenLK said:


> Chrisky, I started to read the manual...it is pretty complicated, especially in the first section. Thanks for the link.



No problem.  Enjoy your car.


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## mrsstats (Sep 4, 2010)

Due to jo change DH decided we needed one for the gas mileage.  We sold my Sonata and leased a Prius.  He liked the idea of saving so much money on gas, we traded in the Santa Fe we had that was only 1 year old and still had 5 years on a loan.  Got our 2nd Prius, with a 5 year loan with same payments we had and no saving gas.  Had them for about 1 month.  LOve the savngs in gas.  The back hatch area is about as big as the Santa Fe just not as high.


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 8, 2013)

*Newish Pruis.*




KarenLK said:


> New Pruis


Keeping intact our record since 1963 of buying only used cars (newish lately, but still used), yesterday we drove 400+ miles to a neighboring state to pick up an outstanding 2012 Toyota Prius V (station wagon). 

On the return trip, I drove our old car (2010 Nissan Cube, bought used in 2011) while The Chief Of Staff piloted the hybrid Toyota, which she says is a comfortable, nice driving car. 

This is not our 1st Toyota.  When the kids were school age, we had an outstanding (used) 1977 Toyota Corolla station wagon (5-speed, air conditioning, AM-FM, etc.).  When the kids outgrew the back seat of the Corolla, we sold that car & bought an OK (used) Pontiac station wagon.  We stuck with station wagons (Chevrolet, Ford, Plymouth, Dodge, etc.) until the advent of minivans.  Since then, it's been Dodge Caravan & Plymouth Voyager & Chrysler Town & Country ever since (except for 1 Chevrolet Lumina APV).  Now, with the 2012 Toyota Prius V, we once again have a station wagon side by side with our minivan out in the driveway.   

Regarding our acquisition of a car featuring advanced gasoline-electric drive train, it's just the latest example of heeding advice from Alexander Pope (1688-1744), to wit*:* 

_Be Not The 1st By Whom The New Are Tried, 
Nor Yet The Last To Lay The Old Aside._​
-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Passepartout (Feb 8, 2013)

Alan
Welcome to the Prius family. Enjoy thumbing your nose at other folks at the gas pump when you pull in after your nearly 400 miles and can barely squeeze in 8 gallons.

I wonder how it came to pass that a 2012 ended up on the used-car lot? Just curious.


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 8, 2013)

*Purchased From Estate Of Decedent.*




Passepartout said:


> I wonder how it came to pass that a 2012 ended up on the used-car lot?


The original owner, who bought the jet-black Prius V in December 2011, passed away last month.  His estate faced the need to pay off debts (including car loan) & liquidate.  Fortunately for the executor, whom we've known since all our kids were little, we wanted to buy the 2012 Prius V & were able to send a (cashier's) check for the full amount, greatly simplifying that piece of estate business.  



Passepartout said:


> Welcome to the Prius family.


Thanks.

Although we are latecomers to the high-tech car party, we have been in the Prius extended family ever since the original Prius came out -- you know, the curvy model that looks so much like the other small Toyota conventional (non-Prius) cars of that time.  Our son & daughter-in-law had 1 of those, then that car plus 1 of the 2nd Prius version that came out in 2004 or so -- a 2-Prius family.  They sold off both of those & sprang for a pair of Chevrolet Volt plug-in gasoline-electric cars, which are extremely popular in our extended family.  The Chief Of Staff's sister has a Chevy Volt & so does our nephew (Chief Of Staff's sister's son).  The plug-in feature is handy, but the Chevy Volt itself is cramped by comparison with the station wagons & minivans that we're used to.  



-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 17, 2013)

*Not Yet Driving Near-New Pruis.*




AwayWeGo said:


> Purchased From Estate Of Decedent.


We do not yet have the signed title certificate.  Not sure what's causing the delay.  Something to do with loan payoff & lien release, no doubt. 

Signed bill of sale alone cuts no ice with DMV, so the car will just be sitting there outside for a while longer. 

So it goes.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Chrisky (Feb 17, 2013)

Congratulations.  We also upgraded to a newer Prius.  We had a 2006 and even though we didn't have a lot of mileage on her, decided it might be a good time to change.  We purchased a silver 2012 Prius that someone else had put a down payment on the vehicle but couldn't come up with the financing.  This turned into an excellent deal for us as most dealers in our area were selling used 2010 and 2011 for much more than our purchase price for the 2012.


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## pwrshift (Feb 17, 2013)

I leased the one mentioned in post 8 and love it.  Just drove from Toronto to Orlando on $145 worth of gas...which is so cheap in USA compared to Canada.

Brian


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## Beefnot (Feb 17, 2013)

I just don't get the styling of Priuses. Gives me shudders.


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 18, 2013)

*Styling Upgrade.*



Beefnot said:


> I just don't get the styling of Priuses. Gives me shudders.


Our old car is a Nissan Cube. 





-- hotlinked --





-- hotlinked --​
-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Beefnot (Feb 18, 2013)

AwayWeGo said:


> Our old car is a Nissan Cube.



I think the Nissan Cube is the most horrendous looking car ever foisted upon mankind. Okay, you upgraded with your Prius...


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## Passepartout (Feb 18, 2013)

Beefnot said:


> I think the Nissan Cube is the most horrendous looking car ever foisted upon mankind. Okay, you upgraded with your Prius...



Awww, c'mon. The Cube is kinda cute- if you're into refrigerator boxes. Our '05 Prius- now that's homely! They improved it for gen 3 in '10. And if you get the handling package with 17" wheels it loses some of that 'roller skate' look.

I've been surprised that given the 'cultish' status of Prius. Toyota hasn't come out with interesting paint schemes- like the Mini's- or aftermarket outfits haven't produces graphics packages. Priuses (Priuii?) are just plain plain. Nice, dependable, cheap to own and operate, but plain.


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## Elan (Feb 18, 2013)

Beefnot said:


> I think the Nissan Cube is the most horrendous looking car ever foisted upon mankind.



  You must be forgetting those beauties manufactured by AMC -- the Gremlin,






and the Pacer


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 18, 2013)

*Ugly Is As Ugly Does.*



Beefnot said:


> I think the Nissan Cube is the most horrendous looking car ever foisted upon mankind.


Some ugly car superlatives have also gone to Pontiac Aztek. 





-- hotlinked --​
-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Beefnot (Feb 18, 2013)

Wow, the Pacer might just take the cake.




Passepartout said:


> Awww, c'mon. The Cube is kinda cute- if you're into refrigerator boxes. Our '05 Prius- now that's homely! They improved it for gen 3 in '10. And if you get the handling package with 17" wheels it loses some of that 'roller skate' look.
> 
> I've been surprised that given the 'cultish' status of Prius. Toyota hasn't come out with interesting paint schemes- like the Mini's- or aftermarket outfits haven't produces graphics packages. Priuses (Priuii?) are just plain plain. Nice, dependable, cheap to own and operate, but plain.



To me, both Honda and Toyota make highly dependable yet plain or borderline ugly vehicles. I suppose there is a tradeoff.


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## Elan (Feb 18, 2013)

While not really a "looker" either, the Ford C-Max Hybrid is better looking than the Prius, IMO, and offers the Toyota some pretty stiff competition in terms of performance.


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## Passepartout (Feb 18, 2013)

Elan said:


> While not really a "looker" either, the Ford C-Max Hybrid is better looking than the Prius, IMO, and offers the Toyota some pretty stiff competition in terms of performance.



It is kinda cuter, and has some nice features- like the foot operated tailgate (though I really can't think of when I'd use it) but Ford is having difficulty explaining why they are claiming 49mpg and owners can't seem to get 40 in the real world. Maybe they've found a test track that is 100% downhill and downwind and 75 degrees ambient temp. It will be interesting to see how C-Max does when there's a larger number of them on the road for several years. Prius has been in the hands of consumers for 14 years and 3 incarnations. Each one an improvement on the last. So far, it's the gold standard.


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## Elan (Feb 18, 2013)

Passepartout said:


> It is kinda cuter, and has some nice features- like the foot operated tailgate (though I really can't think of when I'd use it) but Ford is having difficulty explaining why they are claiming 49mpg and owners can't seem to get 40 in the real world. Maybe they've found a test track that is 100% downhill and downwind and 75 degrees ambient temp. It will be interesting to see how C-Max does when there's a larger number of them on the road for several years. Prius has been in the hands of consumers for 14 years and 3 incarnations. Each one an improvement on the last. So far, it's the gold standard.



  It is what it is.  I'm not _predicting_ anything, and couldn't care less which vehicle sells better.  Just reporting that every review I've read states the C-Max is a better drive than the Prius.  Some people see vehicles strictly as transportation, which is fine.  I'm not one of those people. YMMV, so to speak.


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## momeason (Feb 19, 2013)

pwrshift said:


> I heard that Mercedes luxury level S-class has a hybrid now and is $20,000 less than their gas model but still has the same long body and all the gadgets.  I thought hybrids usually cost more than their gas models, even tho the Mercedes is a 6 cylinder rear wheel drive compared to the gas 8 cylinder 4-matic.  Apparently they use the lithium batteries which go in the engine compartment because they take up much less space and will last much longer than hybrid batteries in other makes.
> 
> The salesman said battery life is important as hybrid battery replacement after warranty is so costly it is lowering the resale prices now on Prius, etc., and they don't expect that to happen with lithium being used in Mercedes.  Is this just sales talk or true?
> 
> Brian



Mercedes quality has been poor in the past 10 years or more..check Consumer Reports.
As far as battery life, Prius batteries are outlasting predictions. Consumer Reports found many at 250,000 miles and still going strong. If you do need to get a replacement battery, you can buy from a salvage yard at a big discount. Probably will not need a replacement battery though. Prius was the first mainstream hybrid and is still an excellent choice. Prius has the highest customer satisfaction rating of any car, hybrid or not, among its owners.
I have had mine since 1-1-2006. I still love it and I love to maximize my gas mileage. The little screen makes it a game.


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 19, 2013)

*Outstanding !*




momeason said:


> Prius has the highest customer satisfaction rating of any car, hybrid or not, among its owners.


That's why we are impatient to get ours registered & tagged & on the road -- so we can use it for transportation instead of just decoration. 

Should be good to go by the end of the month, they tell us.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Passepartout (Feb 19, 2013)

AwayWeGo said:


> That's why we are impatient to get ours registered & tagged & on the road --
> 
> Should be good to go by the end of the month, they tell us.



I have a hard time understanding the state's dragging their heels about a private party sale. That's unconscionable. Boo-hiss!


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 19, 2013)

*Not Blaming DMV.*




Passepartout said:


> I have a hard time understanding the state's dragging their heels about a private party sale.


I think it's the bank bureaucracy, not the DMV bureaucracy. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Passepartout (Feb 19, 2013)

AwayWeGo said:


> I think it's the bank bureaucracy, not the DMV bureaucracy.



Mox nix. Still SNAFU. Boo-hiss on the bank.


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## persia (Feb 19, 2013)

I had a Toyota Tarago back in the '90s.  It was ugly...


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## ricoba (Feb 19, 2013)

persia said:


> I had a Toyota Tarago back in the '90s.  It was ugly...
> 
> Not in the USA you didn't.  It was known as a Previa here.  Oh, but I do agree, it was pretty darn ugly (like most Toyota's!)


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 26, 2013)

*Getting Closer To Street Legal.*




AwayWeGo said:


> Should be good to go by the end of the month, they tell us.


Expecting to drive out to the countryside today to pick up completed car title paperwork, then get new title & tags at DMV. 

In preparation, I took the car through required safety & emissions inspections this morning.  (Passed both.)

On the way, I bought a cheap generic front license tag mounting bracket & managed to get that installed without damage or bloodshed.  (Car was previously registered in a state where front tags are not used.)

With a little luck, we'll be on the road in jet-black Toyota Prius V this week. 

Yay. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 26, 2013)

*Good To Go As Of This Afternoon.*




AwayWeGo said:


> With a little luck, we'll be on the road in jet-black Toyota Prius V this week.


With a sheaf of paperwork in hand, we strode into DMV intending to get new title & tags for our 2012 Prius V purchased from the estate of a decedent. 

The agent behind the counter needed 1 more document -- a copy of the previous owner's death certificate.  Because we shrewdly went to an in-state but out of town DMV branch in the estate executor's locality, we were able to get a copy of the needed document in a jiffy. 

Then the agent asked for just 1 other piece of paper -- a notarized affidavit affirming that the sale price on the Bill Of Sale was indeed the true, full, accurate, & complete total amount we paid for the car.  (That's because blue book value was more than what we paid, & when the deal is that good DMV won't just take our word for it, even backed up by a signed Bill Of Sale.  So it goes.) 

Fortunately a branch of our bank was just a few blocks away, open, & with a notary public available.  

Back at DMV 1 more time, all paperwork was declared complete & in order at last.  We paid sales tax & registration fee & title application fee -- got airline miles by putting'm on plastic.  The DMV agent handed over new Virginia title certificate, current registration slip, & brand-new front & rear license tags good for 2 years. 

With that done, we are now good to go in jet-black Prius V. Tags are on. Will start driving around in Prius V forthwith.  

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## nightnurse613 (Feb 27, 2013)

Alan - I am so jealous  and I hope you enjoy your "new car" - I started saving for one last year (look out 2020!)  In Arizona this would be a sale between private parties - no tax- and I don't think the MVD cares what you paid, the registration is based on a depreciated MSRP??


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 27, 2013)

*Delayed Gratification.  Smart.*




nightnurse613 said:


> I started saving for one last year (look out 2020!)


That is a great move -- saving now for a car later.  Congratulations.  Hope you stick with it.

People apparently mostly buy new cars now & pay for'm (plus interest) over time, which is way more costly than paying in full using saved-up cash. 

Our consistent automotive buying practice has been (a) buying used cars only & (b) paying cash in full up front. 

When we were young & poor, that meant driving around (trying to) in a succession of klunkers.  In our maturity, we now buy better & newer used cars -- haven't had to put up with a dud in a long time. 

Either way -- beaters or smooth rides -- we have never owed money on car loans, never made monthly car payments.  Plus, by not borrowing money on cars, we have not had to spring for expensive "collision" car insurance, just basic liability + low-cost comprehensive.  If I run into somebody else's car, I'm covered.  If I smash my own car, I pay for the damage myself.  (Fortunately, I have not wrecked any cars -- just a few fender-benders over the years.)  

With all the money we've saved by not making car payments, we've been able to buy other cool stuff -- e.g., French horns, timeshares, airplane tickets, dinky non-traveling travel trailers, & I don't know what-all. 

Is this a great country or what ?

_Full Disclosure*:*_ Our 1st car was our only new car.  The 1st car The Chief Of Staff & I had after we got married was a cute little 1963 Chevy II 4-door that the Chief Of Staff bought brand new.  To get the money, she took a year off college to work full time in an office job while continuing her college work at night school, living at home with her mother & dad.  Over 1 school year + 2 summer sessions, she saved up enough money to pay cash for her beautiful new compact bright blue Chevy.  When she sold it 4 years later (because she moved to Alaska with me when I got transferred to Ft. Richardson), the decline in value of the car really got to her.  The effort of doing double shifts as a full-time student with a full-time job was still fresh in her memory.  The lesson stuck.  Every vehicle we bought ever since has been pre-owned.  

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## momeason (Mar 7, 2013)

*Prius has lowest cost of ownership over 5 years*

According to Consumer Reports, the Prius has the lowest cost of ownership over a 5 year period. This is taking into account purchase price,depreciation, maintenance and fuel costs. The Prius beat all subcompacts and the Prius is not a subcompact. There is lots of room. I have had mine for over 7 years and
enjoy packing it up for all our trips. There is lots of leg room, front and back.
The report on costs of ownership is in the new April edition of Consumer Reports It is the annual auto issue. Go PRIUS!


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## AwayWeGo (Mar 9, 2013)

*Jet-Black Windows In A Jet-Black Car.*




AwayWeGo said:


> With that done, we are now good to go in jet-black Prius V. Tags are on. Will start driving around in Prius V forthwith.


Our 1st road trip via 2012 Toyota Prius V is right now.  We are in Jacksonville FL for the annual Concours d'Elegance classic car show (me) & for some kicking back, relaxing, shopping, & I don't know what-all (Chief Of Staff). 

While I was doing car show stuff this afternoon (with old friends who've known each other since our learner's permit days), The Chief Of Staff was getting the (rear) windows of the Prius V dark tinted at the Pecan Park Flea Market.  The job didn't cost much ($100) & the car looks great -- even better than when we picked it up last month. 

While the job was being done, The Chief Of Staff snagged for me a flea market Conn (Elkhart IN) model 8D French horn -- but that's another story.

Is this a great country or what ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Beefnot (Mar 9, 2013)

Don't those cheap tint jobs start bubbling up after not too long? Every time. See those bubble-ups on car windows, it gives me the creeps.


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## AwayWeGo (Mar 10, 2013)

*Time Will Tell.*




Beefnot said:


> Don't those cheap tint jobs start bubbling up after not too long? Every time. See those bubble-ups on car windows, it gives me the creeps.


I think of those creepy bubble-ups as the DIY tint jobs.   They typically look bad from the get-go. 

The flea market special looks OK -- for now.  Pretty good, actually. 

If it doesn't hold up, we can scrape off the film & get it redone. 

We'll see, no ? 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Mar 12, 2013)

*2010 Nissan Cube Is Out Of Here.*



AwayWeGo said:


> -- hotlinked --​


eBay all the way. 

We bought cars via eBay 2 times (2002 & 2004). 

This was the 1st time we sold a car via eBay. 

So far, so good. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Beefnot (Mar 12, 2013)

And good riddance to that vile looking thing.


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## AwayWeGo (Apr 9, 2013)

*Not So Fast.*




AwayWeGo said:


> This was the 1st time we sold a car via eBay.
> 
> So far, so good.


We sold that car via eBay two _-- 2 --_ times & we still have it, right outside in the driveway, same as if we had never put it on eBay. 

1st buyer showed up, paid cash in full, took the car away via trailer, then called next day to say the transmission was no good & he wanted his money back.  Transmission had just been repaired under warranty the day before the guy showed up to get the car.  We told him Nissan was standing by the CVT transmission & had doubled the warranty to 10 years & 120*,*000 miles, so Nissan would take care of it at no charge for him.  No thanks, he said.  He didn't want to bother with it.  

He brought it back via trailer, collected the refund (same stacks of bills he had handed over to us), & went on his way.  No hard feelings.  Good feedback.  eBay refunded its commission on the sale.  So it goes. 

Next day, we called the Nissan dealer.  They said bring it in.  Easier said than done -- the car (which drove OK after we picked up from Nissan after the eariler warranty repair) would not shift out of 1st gear.  That meant driving it through the neighborhoods & on a few main roads at a top speed of 20 mph.  The Chief Of Staff followed in our other car, 4-way flashers blinking, while long lines of cars stuck behind us waited for their chance to get past us slowpokes.  The 10-minute trip took 35 minutes.  

This time, Nissan did not repair the ailing CVT.  They replaced the whole thing with a new 1.  New transaxle too.  No charge -- all parts & labor covered by warranty.  Plus, they washed the car, which looked pretty shabby when we brought it in, all covered in road film & salt spray residue.  When we picked it up, it looked great inside & out & ran fine.

We re-listed the car on eBay.  After a week, we got a bidder.  Trouble is, the buyer is on the West Coast -- & seems clueless about arranging transportation.  Plus, he didn't have funds to pay -- was waiting for insurance payoff after his old car got totaled.  Worse, he did not come across with $500 deposit due within 48 hours of the close of the eBay auction.   

We put in a non-paying buyer complaint with eBay but have not yet received a 2nd commission refund.  (Coincidentally, a trumpet I sold via eBay the day after the 2nd eBay car fiasco also was never paid for -- buyer said he couldn't pay right away, then sent a later message saying he is unable to pay because of "family emergency."  Sheesh.)

Anything worth doing is worth doing twice -- or, in our case, 3 times.  Who'd a-thunk ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Beefnot (Apr 9, 2013)

Try selling a timeshare on ebay.


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## AwayWeGo (Apr 9, 2013)

*Been There.  Done That.*




Beefnot said:


> Try selling a timeshare on ebay.


Sold 1 timeshare that way. 

Got fantastically good feedback from buyer after walking him through the whole resort transfer & RCI Points transfer process. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## ScoopKona (Apr 9, 2013)

Beefnot said:


> And good riddance to that vile looking thing.



I buy cars based on one major feature -- leg room. I cannot drive a Prius because the car was designed for munchkins. I'm sure it works out great for five-foot tall Japanese drivers. But I need the pedals pushed back more than two feet to even operate the vehicle.

That Nissan cube may be ugly, but it has a LOT of legroom. The Altima has the same amount of legroom (only a Jaguar has more), and they offer a hybrid version.


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## nightnurse613 (Apr 10, 2013)

Funny but what impressed me about the Prius was the sliding (and tilting) rear seat that my 6'3" son climbed in and said, let's go!


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## ScoopKona (Apr 10, 2013)

nightnurse613 said:


> Funny but what impressed me about the Prius was the sliding (and tilting) rear seat that my 6'3" son climbed in and said, let's go!



If only I were 6'3".... 


I would gladly have my legs shortened (if such a procedure was possible) so that I could sit comfortably in stadiums, concert halls, airplanes and most cars.


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## AwayWeGo (Apr 10, 2013)

*You Typed A Mouthful.*




ScoopLV said:


> That Nissan cube may be ugly, but it has a LOT of legroom.


You are correct, sir.  Plenty of interior passenger space, surprising for such a small car.  Headroom, buttroom, legroom, etc., galore.  

When we bought Nissan Cube, that model wasn't even on our list as a potential replacement for our 2002 eBay Chrysler PT Cruiser.  We looked at Honda Element, Kia Soul, Toyota Yaris, & some other little doodlebugs -- liked'm all, but not well enough to make offers.  We spied a Nissan Cube on a dealer's used car lot & were so favorably impressed after checking it out that we started looking for better deals & soon snagged 1 from a small-scale independent dealer.  The rest is history. 

We would happily keep on driving the Cube if we hadn't found an estate sale Toyota Prius V.  So what if the Cube looks like it was designed by a cartoonist?  Several car companies have gone with funny-car & retro-car models.  In addition to the ones mentioned above, there's Chevy HHR & VW New Beetle & Toyota FJ Cruiser & Scion sB & I don't know what-all. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Apr 21, 2013)

*Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Doing 3 Times.*




AwayWeGo said:


> We sold that car via eBay two _-- 2 --_ times & we still have it, right outside in the driveway, same as if we had never put it on eBay.


Local buyers picked up the car & drove it away yesterday, with fresh registration & tags & everything.  The car is out of here at last.  Gone.

Buyers brought over the check & picked up the keys & the signed title certificate Friday, intending to get tags & registration 1st thing Saturday, then come over early Saturday & drive away in the cute little Nissan Cube.  They hit 1 procedural snag.  DMV didn't take their word for it, nor ours via the signed Bill Of Sale, that the actual sale price of the car was what they (& we) said it was.  

Sales tax on the transaction is based on the price of the car.  DMV looks up used car prices on their official data base.  If the claimed price is more than a certain amount below book value (e.g., $1*,*500), then DMV requires a notarized affidavit attesting to the truth of the reported price before they will issue new title & registration.  

The extra step was a time-consuming nuisance, but it mainly just means the buyers got a good deal (low price).  Same thing happened to us when we went to DMV for title & tags on our 2012 Pruis V, meaning we got a good deal too.

Is this a great country or what ?


AwayWeGo said:


> We re-listed the car on eBay.  After a week, we got a bidder.  Trouble is, the buyer is on the West Coast -- & seems clueless about arranging transportation.  Plus, he didn't have funds to pay -- was waiting for insurance payoff after his old car got totaled.  Worse, he did not come across with $500 deposit due within 48 hours of the close of the eBay auction.
> 
> We put in a non-paying buyer complaint with eBay but have not yet received a 2nd commission refund.  (Coincidentally, a trumpet I sold via eBay the day after the 2nd eBay car fiasco also was never paid for -- buyer said he couldn't pay right away, then sent a later message saying he is unable to pay because of "family emergency."  Sheesh.)


eBay did not fuss about issuing final value credit for the 2nd sale of the car that didn't go through (same as the 1st that didn't stick), nor about issuing final value credit for the trumpet after the winning bidder finked out.  By me, eBay is a class organization.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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