I do not give financial advice. Even if you accept the analysis here on peak oil, global warming, and clean tech, that is insufficient information on which to base investment decisions — as the financial meltdown of the last few months should make clear.
But I do think the Prius is easily the best hybrid — best green vehicle — on the road if you are looking for a vehicle in that class size (see “Prius, Part 2: Why hybrids beat diesels“). And as much as people tend to be skeptical of an extended warranty, I assume most Prius owners get one because of the somewhat uncertain lifetime of the battery — although they have been holding up quite well.
But my display monitor just failed outside of the regular warranty, and it would have been almost as expensive as replacing the battery if I didn’t have the extended warranty. And since it controls not just the GPS system, but other vital functions like the heating and cooling system, you can’t do without it.
This was one of the cases where the system wouldn’t work except the moment I pulled into the dealership — I guess it kept warming up. The dealer says the service people are incredibly reluctant to replace parts that appear to be working since the parts get shipped back to Japan and if they can’t find anything wrong they end up charging the service people. But I took a digital photo of the frozen screen, and they replaced it without putting up much of a fuss.
Anyway, you can take this advice for what it cost you.
Previous in TP Climate Progress
A hybrid’s complexity will steer me away from them for a long time yet.
There is s a simpler cheaper solution – buy a Corolla and drive less, take a bike or walk and let the car sit.
By doing that I cut my miles in half – therefore, I get Prius equivalency for half the money.
I telecommute.
Car still comes in handy.
If complexity scares you, boy have you landed in the wrong century.
No Rick,
You simply drive less.
That’s not the equivalence of using less oil when you do drive.
Don’t ignore the efficiency of small traditional cars (especially European ones) – many have smaller emissions than the Prius, and use fewer materials in manufacturing.
Yes, if you don’t drive much (our car is mostly used on weekends and holidays) then a fuel-efficient non-hybrid is a better option, both economically and environmentally.
A long journey on the freeway/motorway/autobahn would favour a non-hybrid. Once the batteries had run out they would be dead weight for the remainder of the journey, with little opportunity for regenerative braking.
[JR: That assumes you can't switch out batteries in a quick, practical manner. While I remain skeptical of battery switchouts, a lot of smart people are putting a whole lot of big money behind the idea. You are also incorrect about the opportunity for regenerative braking on the highway. At least in this country, we don't have many perfectly flat roads.]
If one does the majority of their driving on highways were they can generally maintain an even speed (not stop and go Los Angeles commute hour freeway driving) a hybrid would not be the car of choice.
If one doesn’t need to drive they don’t need to buy a car.
If one is going to drive only five miles a week they would be best off, economically, buying a use gas guzzler that someone is trying to off load cheap.
If one needs to haul large loads of crushed rock they should buy a dump truck.
Do some people open threads with the thought “What can I find to be negative about, even if I have to get way off topic ….” foremost in their minds?
This is exactly why I got the extended warranty. Sorry to hear that your display malfunctioned, but I’m glad to have independent evidence that my decision is justified.
This is exactly why I got the extended warranty. Sorry to hear that your display malfunctioned, but I’m glad to have independent evidence that my decision is justified.