Prius Premium Paying Buyers: Are these people are out of their minds???

[91 s-10baja]

Here's an item that floated to the surface this week in the media:

Gotta-have-it-now buyers pay premium for used Prius

"A used 2004 or 2005 Toyota Prius can sell for US$1,000 to US$3,000 over the sticker price of a new one.
The new car lists for US$20,975 to US$26,640.
Prices are higher for used cars when buyers want them right away rather than going on a waiting list for a new one.
Though it varies by area, Toyota says the wait for a new Prius averages about two months.
In the past, cars that sold for more used than new usually have been sporty models in short supply, such as Mini Cooper,
Nissan 350Z or Mazda Miata, not a tame hybrid sedan rated at 43 mpg in combined city and highway driving.
Still, there's a limit on how much buyers will pay. A Los Angeles area Toyota dealer recently knocked US$5,000 off the US$34,999
it was asking for a used Prius because it wasn't selling.
Soaring gas costs are spurring a backlash. "People try to shift their auto purchases to conserve energy."
"At US$4,000 or US$5,000 over sticker, you're really paying to be the first on your block to have one," he says."

Are these people out of their f***ing minds?

A Toyota Echo gets better highway mileage at half the cost.

Maintenance on these very, very complicated vehicles is going to be phenomenal as they age.

Batteries are worth C$7000 and electric motors run into C$5000.

Maintenance apart, Consumers Reports estimates that it will take 12 years to save enough fuel to pay the price difference between a
Prius and a Corolla.

Most people have experienced the painful experience of a "check engine" light that could only be solved with expensive repairs.

Hybrids are multiple times more complicated than that and at the end of the day, their fuel economy numbers are nothing to write home about.

Not compared with Europe, where there are at least 17 production cars available that will at least DOUBLE the economy of the best hybrids.

On top of all of this, crash rescue teams have been advised to approach rescue from a hybrid with great caution, because there are some
very high voltages involved.

So if you crash a hybrid, you may die before rescue can take place.

So I ask again why the hell would anyone WANT one of these devices?

Except that part of America that always panics.

You know, the same mental populace that started to panic and abandon their homes when Orson Welles broadcast his radio play,
"The War of the Worlds".

PGB
http://www.baileycar.com/baileyblog.html

[pagemaster]

People do what they want with their money.

[goblue]

the answer to the title is yes.

[mbukukanyau]

Gee, I would not pay sticker price for that thing. I hear they are very difficult to get rid of once you've had enough of it. No hippie wants its. They prefer used Jettas

[jinushaun]

That ***** is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S

[GMfan2381]

While I do not feel the need to add anything beyond what was said by our other members, but I will sum up my thoughts.

1. Yes, these people are out of their minds, wayyyyy out
2. The Prius, while nice, is definately not all its cracked up to be.
3. It seems to me that being more conservative with your driving would save more gas than buying a hybrid, but again what do I know.
4. I would feel pretty dumb paying more for a used car than a new one, only to have to take it to the shop for repairs, under warranty or not.
5. Yes, that $#@ is indeed bananas.

[Proetus]

Are people who pay Cadillac $60k for a tarted up Tahoe out of their minds? Where that vehicle gets you 'cred' with the 'gangsta' set and presents a certain image, the Prius serves the same purpose for the environmental crowd.

[jinushaun]

Originally Posted by Proetus

Are people who pay Cadillac $60k for a tarted up Tahoe out of their minds? Where that vehicle gets you 'cred' with the 'gangsta' set and presents a certain image, the Prius serves the same purpose for the environmental crowd.

No, the difference is paying more for a used car than a new one. That's AMAZING resale

[Maverick]

They're pretty popular in the SF Bay Area... you can't go a day without seeing one. It's really all about the snob factor, in the end. I guess there are always a couple people who genuinely care about emissions and the like, but I've never actually met one of them (that drive a car). Can't these people just ride mass transit- apparently they're so "dedicated to the environment" that they're willing to pay Toyota dealers extra in lieu of really helping the environment (as opposed to hurting it less).

[Infiniti Z350]

There's a thread on the Nissan board I visit about some people buying Priuses for the sole reason of reselling them for profit. Someone commented that people are starting their own Toyotathons.

[ghughes]

YESSS - they also might be shocked at the MPG when they use the defroster - saw some prig driving around with a custome license plate - 70 MPG-

[mk1700]

Yes; They are!

[xtremegrandam]

My parents actually considered one I'm glad that I talked them out of it.

[Infiniti Z350]

Originally Posted by xtremegrandam

My parents actually considered one I'm glad that I talked them out of it.

Because of the price?

[GapingOrifice]

Originally Posted by Maverick

They're pretty popular in the SF Bay Area... you can't go a day without seeing one. It's really all about the snob factor, in the end. I guess there are always a couple people who genuinely care about emissions and the like, but I've never actually met one of them (that drive a car). Can't these people just ride mass transit- apparently they're so "dedicated to the environment" that they're willing to pay Toyota dealers extra in lieu of really helping the environment (as opposed to hurting it less).

Don't forget the high concentration of techies in the SF Bay Area. My friend has a Prius, a programmer, and bought it mostly to marvel at the engineering. A lot of the coworkers I'm sure bought it for the high tech geek factor, it's as lusty as a Viper or Corvette for the horsepower gear heads on this forum.

Remember, the full hybrids like the Prius and Escape are best suited for urban stop and go driving. My friend gets an amazing low to mid 50's mpg in San Francisco's hilly stop and go traffic, and gas is $2.79 for regular last week, now it's only $2.73. I only pump every other week, he pumps once a month or longer. And yes, we do use public transportation when feasible, unfortunately, BART (subway) doesn't extend to the southbay, and Caltrains stations are located in the middle of nowhere.