5 ms·

I want a Prius Prime. With a 44-mile range on battery, the vast majority of my driving would be electric, plus there's zero range anxiety. BUT, I hate hate ha

I want a Prius Prime. With a 44-mile range on battery, the vast majority of my driving would be electric, plus there's zero range anxiety. BUT, I hate hate hate having to go to car dealerships and deal with their obnoxious shenanigans. Wish I could just buy it online for a fair price.

gottorf 3y ago
You can find barely-used Prius Primes on no-haggle used car dealers like Carmax or Carvana. But I guess that depends on your definition of a "fair price" -- no-haggle means you also never get a good deal, merely an OK deal at best.
- LUmBULtERA 3y ago
  I just searched Carmax and Carvana for 2023 Prius Primes and zero showed up on either of them. EPA range on battery between the last model and the current one increased from 25 to 44 miles, so a substantial difference. Also, I don't think there's really much of a discount compared to new for many vehicles right now.
- jerlam 3y ago
  44 miles EV range probably means they want the new 2023 Prius Prime, which is not readily available used. Previous generation only had 25 mile EV range.
listenallyall 3y ago
[flagged]
- mdekkers 3y ago
  > Negotiating with car dealers is not difficult if you can simply act like an an adult and stand up for yourself just a little bit. Would it really be that hard to just give some advice without being condescending and insulting about it? Do you stop to think what kind of vibe you are putting into this community?
  - listenallyall 3y ago
    I'm sorry you feel that way. The advice about emailing the dealers is just the "give the man a fish" half. Deciding to change one's mindset from "I'm afraid to talk to a big bad car dealer" to "I'm an adult and am fully capable of conducting this negotiation" is the more important, "learn to fish" half that will benefit someone who takes that advice (it's not really advice, I'm hardly the first person to dispense it) throughout their professional and personal lives.
    - earthling8118 3y ago
      It's not someone feeling a certain way. You are behaving in the manner described. It isn't a fear of negotiating. It's the desire to not have to do so. I don't want to deal with the shenanigans. I have money, they have what I wish to buy: why should I buy from them when they turn it into a game. It could be simple but it is not.
      - listenallyall 3y ago
        > It's the desire to not have to do so. OK then, simply walk into a dealership and announce, "I wish to purchase this car (point to it) at full MSRP, exactly what is on the sticker, no discount -- it is my desire not to negotiate." Except for rare cases of oversubscribed cars that are waitlist-only, just about any car dealer will be happy to serve you. > It could be simple but it is not. No not really, buying a car is rather complex because it is, by definition, a complex transaction. Are you paying cash upfront with no financing? If so, you're in the minority. Even coming to the dealership with financing already arranged through a third party (bank, credit union) is relatively rare. What level of protection do you want? Some people are OK with the factory warranty and nothing else, other people want more peace of mind and are willing to pay for it. The car will require servicing -- oil changes, tune-ups, belt replacements, etc -- again, some people are fine paying per appointment, others want to just pay one price and have no further financial obligation. When the car is in the shop, will you need a loaner car, a ride home? Will you require next-day appointments? Some people want those things to be guaranteed, others don't want them at all, unless they are free. (and we haven't even discussed leasing) Buying a mobile phone in 2023 is not simple or straightforward, even when you know the exact model you want. How much storage? Do you want a protection plan? Screen protection only, extended warranty, spills and drops also? How about a case? Don't forget a screen protector! And that's if you're purchasing a phone straight up. Phone + plan is crazy complicated -- do you want auto-upgrade after 2 years? 3 years? Pay for the phone upfront or monthly? One line or family? Hotspot allowed? All of this for a $1000 purchase. Now extrapolate to a $40,000 purchase expected to last 5-7 years, a product that requires the owner to keep up with maintenance schedules, that accumulates all kinds of dirt, rocks, gunk, inside and out... you get the idea.
ireflect 3y ago
Consider a used 2017-2019 Chevy Volt for this use case.
imrehg 3y ago
With hybrids like this, my understanding is that the EV range cannot be directly translated into electric-only driving range, because above a certain speed the car does switch back to the the ICE, regardless. It is only in the lowest speeds when it does the EV-only mode operate. Or am I missing something?
- slipheen 3y ago
  You're just a few years out of date. That used to be the case but the plug-in hybrids like the RAV4 prime and the Prius prime can be driven entirely in EV mode. For most people, 40 miles of EV range is going to cover 95% of their trips.
- foxyv 3y ago
  In the new hybrids they can be used in EV mode. At least for Toyota and Honda. > In EV Drive, the Accord Hybrid is propelled solely by its electric motor and the lithium-ion battery pack. This mode can be selected—and used for short distances—by pressing the EV button. https://www.hondainfocenter.com/2022/Accord-Hybrid/Feature-Guide/Engine-Chassis-Features/Three-Power-Modes/ https://www.hondainfocenter.com/2022/Accord-Hybrid/Feature-G...
dzhiurgis 3y ago
Great in theory, but in practice most people don't bother charging them

gottorf 3y ago

You can find barely-used Prius Primes on no-haggle used car dealers like Carmax or Carvana. But I guess that depends on your definition of a "fair price" -- no-haggle means you also never get a good deal, merely an OK deal at best.

LUmBULtERA 3y ago
I just searched Carmax and Carvana for 2023 Prius Primes and zero showed up on either of them. EPA range on battery between the last model and the current one increased from 25 to 44 miles, so a substantial difference. Also, I don't think there's really much of a discount compared to new for many vehicles right now.
jerlam 3y ago
44 miles EV range probably means they want the new 2023 Prius Prime, which is not readily available used. Previous generation only had 25 mile EV range.

listenallyall 3y ago

[flagged]

mdekkers 3y ago
> Negotiating with car dealers is not difficult if you can simply act like an an adult and stand up for yourself just a little bit. Would it really be that hard to just give some advice without being condescending and insulting about it? Do you stop to think what kind of vibe you are putting into this community?
- listenallyall 3y ago
  I'm sorry you feel that way. The advice about emailing the dealers is just the "give the man a fish" half. Deciding to change one's mindset from "I'm afraid to talk to a big bad car dealer" to "I'm an adult and am fully capable of conducting this negotiation" is the more important, "learn to fish" half that will benefit someone who takes that advice (it's not really advice, I'm hardly the first person to dispense it) throughout their professional and personal lives.
  - earthling8118 3y ago
    It's not someone feeling a certain way. You are behaving in the manner described. It isn't a fear of negotiating. It's the desire to not have to do so. I don't want to deal with the shenanigans. I have money, they have what I wish to buy: why should I buy from them when they turn it into a game. It could be simple but it is not.
    - listenallyall 3y ago
      > It's the desire to not have to do so. OK then, simply walk into a dealership and announce, "I wish to purchase this car (point to it) at full MSRP, exactly what is on the sticker, no discount -- it is my desire not to negotiate." Except for rare cases of oversubscribed cars that are waitlist-only, just about any car dealer will be happy to serve you. > It could be simple but it is not. No not really, buying a car is rather complex because it is, by definition, a complex transaction. Are you paying cash upfront with no financing? If so, you're in the minority. Even coming to the dealership with financing already arranged through a third party (bank, credit union) is relatively rare. What level of protection do you want? Some people are OK with the factory warranty and nothing else, other people want more peace of mind and are willing to pay for it. The car will require servicing -- oil changes, tune-ups, belt replacements, etc -- again, some people are fine paying per appointment, others want to just pay one price and have no further financial obligation. When the car is in the shop, will you need a loaner car, a ride home? Will you require next-day appointments? Some people want those things to be guaranteed, others don't want them at all, unless they are free. (and we haven't even discussed leasing) Buying a mobile phone in 2023 is not simple or straightforward, even when you know the exact model you want. How much storage? Do you want a protection plan? Screen protection only, extended warranty, spills and drops also? How about a case? Don't forget a screen protector! And that's if you're purchasing a phone straight up. Phone + plan is crazy complicated -- do you want auto-upgrade after 2 years? 3 years? Pay for the phone upfront or monthly? One line or family? Hotspot allowed? All of this for a $1000 purchase. Now extrapolate to a $40,000 purchase expected to last 5-7 years, a product that requires the owner to keep up with maintenance schedules, that accumulates all kinds of dirt, rocks, gunk, inside and out... you get the idea.

ireflect 3y ago

Consider a used 2017-2019 Chevy Volt for this use case.

imrehg 3y ago

With hybrids like this, my understanding is that the EV range cannot be directly translated into electric-only driving range, because above a certain speed the car does switch back to the the ICE, regardless. It is only in the lowest speeds when it does the EV-only mode operate. Or am I missing something?

slipheen 3y ago
You're just a few years out of date. That used to be the case but the plug-in hybrids like the RAV4 prime and the Prius prime can be driven entirely in EV mode. For most people, 40 miles of EV range is going to cover 95% of their trips.
foxyv 3y ago
In the new hybrids they can be used in EV mode. At least for Toyota and Honda. > In EV Drive, the Accord Hybrid is propelled solely by its electric motor and the lithium-ion battery pack. This mode can be selected—and used for short distances—by pressing the EV button. https://www.hondainfocenter.com/2022/Accord-Hybrid/Feature-Guide/Engine-Chassis-Features/Three-Power-Modes/ https://www.hondainfocenter.com/2022/Accord-Hybrid/Feature-G...

dzhiurgis 3y ago

Great in theory, but in practice most people don't bother charging them