Don’t Buy a Prius to Save Money on Gas

Nothing more sublime in afternoon heavy traffic, with the AC wafting a breeze in smooth silence.

 

The total cost of ownership between a Camry SE and Prius v was almost identical for our needs. The Camry wasn't a hatchback/wagon and that sealed the decision for me. A 4cyl Camry SE wagon would probably sway me the other way. It would have the same cost, more practicality, and more fun. The SE is really not bad for a FWD sedan as far as handling and transmission go.

We love our Prius v, though. When we had our daughter, I could sit in the car with her with the AC on, as she was born in August, without running the engine the whole time while my wife ran in to the store to get things. My wife also sits in school traffic, so not getting 0mpg there is great. Plus, my wife beats the EPA rating with ease with her normal driving style. Very pleased all around.

 

Last November I realized that I had been spending approx $500-$600 a month in diesel fuel using my truck as my daily driver.

I'd spent almost $6500 for the year.

Now I fill my truck up ONCE a month for $130 and fill my Prius up once a week at around $35.

So far, the Prius has saved me almost $3,600 in fuel costs.

Yes, yes...factor in the cost of the vehicle... I paid $10k for our GenII...so, over a year that's $4,800 of savings...so in 2 years, it will have paid for itself.

Thank you Toyota!

 

of course, the tesla will never pay for itself over a yaris in gas savings.

 

Don't Buy a Prius to Save Money on Gas | Dan Nagle

If only I had of read this article before I'd already saved over half the purchase price of my (s/h) Prius in fuel costs. But you always learn these things too late don't you.

 

Got lost in those calculations.
"Lets add that 1,163 gallons to the Prius side of the ledger so it can catch up with the Yaris. "

Sounds like the famous "Achilles and Tortoise" paradox approach.

 

I like how he used a regular Prius instead of a more direct comparison like the Prius C. Then there wouldn't be a size difference and the price difference would be cut almost in half.

I do have to agree with the concept of his article, though. Buying a new car to save money doesn't make much sense. But lets run the calculations again, new Yaris vs '04-'06 Prius.

 

In the UK where petrol prices are now around £1.40 ltre, that converts at to days exchange rate to $9.94 per UK gallon. So savings here are huge against most comparable size vehicles.

John (Britprius)

 

AWESOME!

The next time I see an article claiming the Prius does not pay for itself, I'm going to cite EU fuel prices!!!

Bob Wilson

 

This is a solemn reminder that gas prices are not high in the USA if you consider what is paid for similar amounts in Europe and elsewhere. One thing is for certain. The price will eventually climb higher and higher until some sort of alternative comes into play. It is all about supply and demand.

 

All I know is that my former car, a Mazda MX-3 1.6i Twincam used to give me barely 200 miles from about 43 litres of Super Unleaded. My 2nd hand 2008 Prius T Spirit just broke its own mileage record per tankful of fuel (regular unleaded), by gracefully taking me 605 miles for the same 43 litres of cheaper petrol. So, 200 miles in an MX-3 or 605 miles in a Prius for even less money than it costs to fill the MX-3? It's a no brainer I'm afraid.

 

Well done, you are getting the same sort of numbers as myself.
What is the price of fuel in the capital these days. In the sticks (countryside) it is now over £1.40 a litre and is as high as £1.48. I try to arrange my fillings to when I visit the Westmidlands but even there it is around £1.38 litre.
Those in the US do not know what expensive petrol is .

John (Britprius)

 

Thank you John! It's nice to know that I'm getting the same sort of figures as you are. Fuel retails at my friendly neighbourhood Shell Station (Ealing Common) for £1.359 a litre as of yesterday. The price in the countryside sounds horrendous! In a civilised society, there's no excuse for that kind of blatant profiteering .
Anybody in the US who might care to do the conversion calculations would realise just by how much we citizens of the UK are simultaneously scalped, blatantly robbed blind, then held up by our toes, shaken till the last penny drops from our pockets - and the discarded like yesterday's takeaway!! Till they want their next tax mugging. Lol.

 

Could not have put it better myself.

John (Britprius)

 

Don't buy a Prius to save money on Gas? Bwahahahaha! That's the exact reason why I bought mine. Well, it was one of the main reasons - probably number one on the list! Am I pleased with the fuel money saving capabilities of the legendary Hybrid Synergy Drive? You betcha!

I don't think any other vehicle for the year and for the money comes even remotely close!

My "miles out of 43 litres" since my breath taking 605 miles out of a tankful continue to astound! It's gotten much colder of late, coupled with traffic conditions crawling through London reaching truly epic proportions - took me 2 hours 15 minutes to travel 14 miles once.....yeah, THAT bad.....but I digress.

So, my tally so far since the mind boggling 605 miles out of a tankful? That would be as follows;

596 miles (Very close to previous....)

561 Miles (dreadful traffic jams, cold morning starts)

Add to these figures the fact that I've got far more adventurous with my driving and I now tend to drive with a bit more pep, and these are amazing figures!

Truth is, I'd be ecstatic with anything over 500 miles per tankful for true real life city driving.

Am I saving money? Of course I am, that was the main selling point of the Gen II Prius for me, and doing it in style with a top of the range model is the icing on the cake.

BUY a Prius to save money on Gas...!!!

So say we all!!


iPad ? HD

 

I would gladly pay 1.359 per liter if it included universal health insurance

 

Fantastic news. I just managed to buy petrol at an Asda supermarket for the the remarkable price of 128.7 pence a ltre. I have not seen a price that low in years.

John (Britprius)

 

Thank you!

So I take it "Top Gear" is the "Monty Python" of auto reviewers?

I am curious, "Top Gear" appears to be not alone in talking trash about the Prius. Many years ago, the "Sunday Mail" published a subsequently discredited article about the Prius and nickel. Yet you and others in the UK have figured it out. What accurate information sources did you use?



Bob Wilson

 

OK I used my spreadsheet to show 10-year cost of Camry Hybrid vs. Camry regular
Comparison is London vs. North Virginia, 12000 miles per year, $9/US gal gas in London.
>>I do not really know cost of Camry's in London nor sales taxes, so I used US cost and 10% tax.

London
Camry Hybrid $56041 10-yr cost (saves $7000)
Camry regular $63189 10-yr cost

North Virginia (w/ $65/yr hybrid Tax)
Camry Hybrid $42216 10-yr cost (Hybrid costs $1400 more)
Camry regular $40795 10-yr cost

The point is high fuel taxes (EU) probably makes a hybrid pay off much better. Virginia probably has the highest tax dis-incentive for a hybrid, including low gaso taxes. So hybrid cost advantage or lack thereof is going to be sensitive to tax policy on fuel and cars.

 

That would have to be one of the most retarded taxes ever, given that the HSD in a standard Prius is nothing more than a means of making the gas engine more efficient. I mean it's not like there's any alternative *primary* energy source involved, all the energy ultimately still comes from the engine. I see this as essentially no different to say adding a tax on low rolling resistance tires, or for having an efficient direct injection engine, or even for owning a small 4 cylinder over a V6 or V8.

In this day and age there would be very few governments around the world actually adding a *disincentive* tax for better fuel efficiency. It's pretty much the exact opposite of what every other civilized state around the world is currently doing.