The Let's Buy a New Car Thread

I have a 2000 Subaru Legacy that's been giving me nothing but trouble in the past year and am in the market for a new car. As a BDay gift from the folks, they said they'd help me buy a new one up to 18k (we aren't rich, they just sold their house in NoVA and are moving to Alabama, where they'll be the only Puerto Ricans for miles).

Anyway, I've been looking at three cars:

2005-2007 Scion tC

2005-2007 Toyota Corolla S

2005-2007 Toyota Prius

I really, REALLY want a Prius. It is one of the most fun cars I've ever driven, and I can realistically afford about 5k on top of the money my folks are generously giving me. I'm open to hybrids and regulars, I know a little bit about cars, but probably not enough to make a 100% confident decision without outside input, and I know there are more than a few car guys here on the BBS, so any help would be appreciated.

My stipulations for the car are:

• Must have an average of AT LEAST 26mpg (I live in the DC Metro area for God's sake)
• Must have alloy wheels
• Must be reliable, Consumer Reports recommended
• Preferably 23k or under
• Compact, no boats and no sub compacts

What do you all think of my choices, and can you recommend any other models?

You can't go wrong with *any* Toyota, those cars are stone reliable.

Where in Alabama are they moving BTW?

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Originally Posted by 68k

You can't go wrong with *any* Toyota, those cars are stone reliable.

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QFT...if you want a prius, get one. see? car question solved :D

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Originally Posted by 68k

You can't go wrong with *any* Toyota, those cars are stone reliable.

Where in Alabama are they moving BTW?

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Outside of Huntsville, my Dad's agency is moving out there.

For about half of what they paid for a house here in NoVA, they bought a really nice one story house on the water down in Huntsville.

Thanks for the posts guys.

I'm going to suggest a Mini Cooper.

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Originally Posted by Lets Gekiga In

I'm going to suggest a Mini Cooper.

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Too expenisve for what he is looking for. Toyota and Nissans are bullet-proof.

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Originally Posted by Lets Gekiga In

I'm going to suggest a Mini Cooper.

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I looked at the mini coopers and used ones were within budget, only problem is the side impact safety ratings are terrible.

Also, my g/f said she would leave me if I bought a cooper. :)

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Originally Posted by Highlander67

Too expenisve for what he is looking for. Toyota and Nissans are bullet-proof.

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He said 23k or under. A brand new 2007 Mini Cooper goes out the door for $19k. Even a Mini Cooper S starts at $22k.

Also, a Mini maintains its value better than a Toyota or a Nissan would. That's why you see so many used Minis going for the price of a brand new one.

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Originally Posted by BoriquaSNK

I really, REALLY want a Prius. It is one of the most fun cars I've ever driven

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:spock:

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Originally Posted by BoriquaSNK

I looked at the mini coopers and used ones were within budget, only problem is the side impact safety ratings are terrible.

Also, my g/f said she would leave me if I bought a cooper. :)

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Does your gf have something against BMW or Mini or both?

Consider a Saturn as well, I paid $5000 for my '98 a few years back and it has been insanely reliable. It sips gas, insurance is cheap, and parts/maintenance is cheap.

You could get a newer Saturn well within your budget.

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Originally Posted by Lets Gekiga In

Does your gf have something against BMW or Mini or both?

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I've had two BMWs, and while they are great cars, they require a little more expensive maintenance that he is willing to put into a car i'm sure.

Thought about a Honda Civic?

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Originally Posted by 68k

I've had two BMWs, and while they are great cars, they require a little more expensive maintenance that he is willing to put into a car i'm sure.

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I'm not so sure. Have had literally no issues with my sister's Mini.

I think the hybrids right now aren't worth it. For having a separate motor in there, you just don't see enough of a difference in mileage. Too many would-be hippies in Hollywood or otherwise have already been appeased by a negligible improvement. I'm waiting for more plug-in hybrids. Those have an all-electric mode for in town.

I currently have an '04 Corolla LE. It works fine. I've always sort of wished I'd gotten the S. My parents also have a new LE and a Highlander.

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Originally Posted by Neo Alec

I think the hybrids right now aren't worth it. For having a separate motor in there, you just don't see enough of a difference in mileage. Too many would-be hippies in Hollywood or otherwise have already been appeased by a negligible improvement. I'm waiting for more plug-in hybrids. Those have an all-electric mode for in town.

I currently have an '04 Corolla LE. It works fine. I've always sort of wished I'd gotten the S.

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The S is just a body package. You're really not missing out on anything.

It was the XRS that was worth it, but that is now discontinued. It had a Celica GT-S engine and a six speed. I also think it had a tighter suspension as well.

Civic SI. Or Corolla S. How about the Mazda 3?

Mazda is bad news.

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Originally Posted by Lets Gekiga In

The S is just a body package. You're really not missing out on anything.

It was the XRS that was worth it, but that is now discontinued. It had a Celica GT-S engine and a six speed. I also think it had a tighter suspension as well.

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I know, but I wanted to splurge on useless body packages, just to make it feel a little younger. I thought the S looked cool. I have the rest of my life to be boring. I ended up going for the LE because I wanted a bunch of features like the premium audio system and the side airbags that were harder to find all together on the S. The Corolla is a boring car anyway no matter how you slice it. I hate the design of all pre-'03 Corollas because they are like the most common used car/hand-me-down from parents on the road.

The XRS doesn't get as good mileage.

Do you have 5k now for the Prius plus 5k a few years down the line when it needs new batteries?

You'll see nearly the same gas mileage during regular driving in the Corolla S which is what I would go for.

All your choices are a bit too small for my taste, but the new Corolla S's look nice and sporty.

But if you really want the Prius go for it. Just don't do it for the wrong reasons (like gas mileage and helping the environment both of which are something of a myth for the Prius)

I bought a Honda Accord a few months ago. I've really been enjoying it.

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Originally Posted by Neo Alec

I know, but I wanted to splurge on useless body packages, just to make it feel a little younger. I thought the S looked cool. I have the rest of my life to be boring. I ended up going for the LE because I wanted a bunch of features like the premium audio system and the side airbags that were harder to find all together on the S. The Corolla is a boring car anyway no matter how you slice it. I hate the design of all pre-'03 Corollas because they are like the most common used car/hand-me-down from parents on the road.

The XRS doesn't get as good mileage.

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Maybe the information I have is wrong, but according to KBB, the EPA MPG is exactly the same on the XRS as the regular Corolla LE or S models.

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Originally Posted by 68k

Consider a Saturn as well, I paid $5000 for my '98 a few years back and it has been insanely reliable. It sips gas, insurance is cheap, and parts/maintenance is cheap.

You could get a newer Saturn well within your budget.

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FUCK saturn. I had an '02 SL1 before my Acura... that car is such a piece. I swear its made out of tupperware. I loaned it to a friend one night, he clipped a curb and bend the damn frame up! Off of a curb! Aside from teh build quality being rediculously crappy, and it being made out of platic, the thing started burning oil at 50k miles. Also, it would randomly not start in teh winter. Mind you I dont' beat on my cars either, I baby them.

-B

Hey, if you're able to buy a new car, you're doing pretty well.

Anyways, any of those are fine, but given what you've said I'd prefer the Corolla. Prius is great and gets whatever status but the track record is short.

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Originally Posted by lithy

Do you have 5k now for the Prius plus 5k a few years down the line when it needs new batteries?

You'll see nearly the same gas mileage during regular driving in the Corolla S which is what I would go for.

All your choices are a bit too small for my taste, but the new Corolla S's look nice and sporty.

But if you really want the Prius go for it. Just don't do it for the wrong reasons (like gas mileage and helping the environment both of which are something of a myth for the Prius)

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I checked up on teh battery thing since that was a prime concern of mine and was told that there hasn't been a single battery fail outside of warrantied coverage since 2004 (as of the beginning of May, maybe a bunch will fail this week). When I pressed on how much a replacement battery was outside of a warranty, I was told it was currently under $2,000.

Also, my day to day commute is about half a mile to the metro stop, yet this still takes me 15-25 minutes. I think I would absolutely save money on gas, it won't be enough to offset the price of the car but it will definitely be noticeable.

I specifically want a small car, something I can parallel park in the city with no problem. I like the Prius more for its standard bells and whistles (the GUI, reverse camera, airbags everywhere, keyless entry and ignition, etc.) than for the hybrid-ness of it...it's a very techie car.

@Lets Gekiga In - Yeah, I like the Civic, I wouldn't go for the SI, probably the LE or whatever, but it's a consideration.

@Lastblade - The Mazda3 is the only Mazda to be recommended by Consumer Reports, and my lil bro has one. I love it, its a great, quick little car. Only problem is it's expensive new, and it depreciates REALLY quickly...not that that should matter, but it's something I've noticed. If I can find an 05 with 30k miles or less with a moonroof and auto, I'll def consider it.

GTO, mercury marauder. nuff said.

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Originally Posted by Kim _Kaphwan

GTO, mercury marauder. nuff said.

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Haha, if I wanted muscle, I would've gotten the new charger.

::runs and hides from car people::

get a solstice or a sky ;)

2007 VW Rabbit, under $15k. Even a Golf V is around 18 or so.

My soon to be retired MK3 Golf has over 260k miles on it right now, and still gets great mileage.

Quit screwing around with that junky ricer crap :tickled:

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Originally Posted by dubdubdub

2007 VW Rabbit, under $15k. Even a Golf V is around 18 or so.

My soon to be retired MK3 Golf has over 260k miles on it right now, and still gets great mileage.

Quit screwing around with that junky ricer crap :tickled:

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I looked at the Rabbit, bad knocks for brakes, reliability, and for side impact from CS.

It's a shame too because I really liked it, fun to drive.

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Originally Posted by 68k

Mazda is bad news.

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194k miles on my mazda and it runs like a champ.

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Originally Posted by dubdubdub

My soon to be retired MK3 Golf has over 260k miles on it right now, and still gets great mileage.

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My MKIII is about to hit 150k miles. Still runs like a charm.:buttrock:

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Originally Posted by BoriquaSNK

Also, my day to day commute is about half a mile to the metro stop, yet this still takes me 15-25 minutes. I think I would absolutely save money on gas, it won't be enough to offset the price of the car but it will definitely be noticeable.
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You'd really kick but when the Plug IN hybrids come out...

To be honest, Your drive is short enough where no ammount of fuel efficency will make much of a difference. Best case scenario, you are going to save $6.00 a week by going with a hybrid over any new 4 Cyl. car.
Whoppe Doo!!!!

But with work consuming 15 mi a week, you should consider leasing something really nice...

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Originally Posted by BoriquaSNK

I looked at the Rabbit, bad knocks for brakes, reliability, and for side impact from CS.

It's a shame too because I really liked it, fun to drive.

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What about the GTI?

In regards to brakes, just about any car you buy is going to ship with junk brakes. Slotted/cross drilled rotors for any VW will run you under $300.

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Originally Posted by Lets Gekiga In

Maybe the information I have is wrong, but according to KBB, the EPA MPG is exactly the same on the XRS as the regular Corolla LE or S models.

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Nope, because of the more powerful engine, the mileage wasn't nearly as good. It was closer to 30 highway mpg, compared with the 38-40 of the standard Corolla. According to Wikipedia, the XRS had the same engine as the Celica.

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Originally Posted by norton9478

You'd really kick but when the Plug IN hybrids come out...

To be honest, Your drive is short enough where no ammount of fuel efficency will make much of a difference. Best case scenario, you are going to save $6.00 a week by going with a hybrid over any new 4 Cyl. car.
Whoppe Doo!!!!

But with work consuming 15 mi a week, you should consider leasing something really nice...

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That's why I like the Prius. I really feel like I've driving a Transformer when I'm in the thing.

But yeah, I agree that I don't need a hybrid, I just want one.

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Originally Posted by Neo Alec

Nope, because of the more powerful engine, the mileage wasn't nearly as good. It was closer to 30 highway mpg, compared with the 38-40 of the standard Corolla. According to Wikipedia, the XRS had the same engine as the Celica.

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I really wouldn't listen to Wikipedia's information about cars unless it is sourced.

But I'm pretty sure it's a detuned Celica GT-S engine. The same kind they use in the Lotus Elise.

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Originally Posted by dubdubdub

What about the GTI?

In regards to brakes, just about any car you buy is going to ship with junk brakes. Slotted/cross drilled rotors for any VW will run you under $300.

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slotted and cross drilled rotors have a tendancy to warp and crack. you would need to get rotors that are actually cast this way, which you most likely wont find for a car that didnt have them factory.

they should offer increased performance but they definitely will not last as long, and will eat up pads much faster as well.



if youre only going half a mile why would you need a car?

get a bike or at the most a scooter.:emb:

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Originally Posted by Lets Gekiga In

But I'm pretty sure it's a detuned Celica GT-S engine. The same kind they use in the Lotus Elise.

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Yep, that's what Wikipedia says. I remember looking at the XRS when it first came out, thinking I should have bought that. I was immediately turned off by the mileage when I consulted Toyota's official site.

I also wanted to mention that just because an engine is more powerful doesn't necessarily mean it has worse gas mileage. The Corvette gets the same mileage as a Saab 9-3 V6 (2.8 liters), 28 mpg highway, but the Corvette has a 6.0 liter V8 with 400 hp compared to the Saab's 250 hp.

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Originally Posted by Lets Gekiga In

I also wanted to mention that just because an engine is more powerful doesn't necessarily mean it has worse gas mileage. The Corvette gets the same mileage as a Saab 9-3 V6 (2.8 liters), 28 mpg highway, but the Corvette has a 6.0 liter V8 with 400 hp compared to the Saab's 250 hp.

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This man is correct. Going by engine displacement as an indicator of fuel mileage is silly.

PS. liter for liter a more efficient engine makes more power so such an engine would be more desirable.

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Originally Posted by Lets Gekiga In

I also wanted to mention that just because an engine is more powerful doesn't necessarily mean it has worse gas mileage. The Corvette gets the same mileage as a Saab 9-3 V6 (2.8 liters), 28 mpg highway, but the Corvette has a 6.0 liter V8 with 400 hp compared to the Saab's 250 hp.

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Saabs get terrible milage... Much of it has to do with the turbo...

The engine that you mentioned is a opel engine isn't it?

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Originally Posted by Lets Gekiga In

I also wanted to mention that just because an engine is more powerful doesn't necessarily mean it has worse gas mileage. The Corvette gets the same mileage as a Saab 9-3 V6 (2.8 liters), 28 mpg highway, but the Corvette has a 6.0 liter V8 with 400 hp compared to the Saab's 250 hp.

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yes exactly, plus a corvette gets you much more pussy than any saab. lesson learned buy a vette.

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Originally Posted by BoriquaSNK

That's why I like the Prius. I really feel like I've driving a Transformer when I'm in the thing.

But yeah, I agree that I don't need a hybrid, I just want one.

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The bluetooth bit for cellphones is really neat. I'm a sucker for features like that.

Forget it man, if you want a Prius and have the cash, just buy one. You won't drive it forever anyways. Most likely something 10x cooler will be out in 5 years and you'll sell it and get something else.

oh the assumptions people make based on brands.....

dependability is more platform related than brand. toyota is neck deep in Tundra failures. look at the specific model, and especially the same platform. You wouldnt compare an 06 mustang to a 04...






and the assumptions people make on hybrids....


hybrids can actually be less fuel efficient than their gasoline counterparts, depending on if you are city traffic/highway. Money you save on gas better go into an account for when it breaks. Diesel gets more mileage.....

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Originally Posted by BoriquaSNK

Also, my g/f said she would leave me if I bought a cooper. :)

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Sounds like you need a new GF to go with the new car, IMO. :)

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Originally Posted by 68k

Mazda is bad news.

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Good. Someone said it before I had to. I own two. I won't buy another one. Don't buy a Mazda.

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Originally Posted by BoriquaSNK

@Lastblade - The Mazda3 is the only Mazda to be recommended by Consumer Reports, and my lil bro has one. I love it, its a great, quick little car. Only problem is it's expensive new, and it depreciates REALLY quickly...not that that should matter, but it's something I've noticed. If I can find an 05 with 30k miles or less with a moonroof and auto, I'll def consider it.

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Please see my previous comment about not buying a Mazda. Also, you're dead-on about the depreciation. In addition to having horrible support from the manufacturer, they lose a positively ridiculous amount of money instantly upon purchase (even more so than most new cars). It's not even funny. Sure, this shouldn't make a difference, and it didn't to me when I bought my MP3 but it sure makes a huge difference later on if you want to refinance or something. In short, fuck Mazda.

Why not another Subaru? The basic 2.5i sedan starts at $18k and it's a damn nice car, IMO.

Also, a friend of mine owns a Honda Fit and he's pretty happy with it. Lots of bells and whistles, small car, and relatively cheap. It's not the fastest thing in the world but it's a good compact.

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Originally Posted by Murray

Sounds like you need a new GF to go with the new car, IMO. :)
Good. Someone said it before I had to. I own two. I won't buy another one. Don't buy a Mazda.
Please see my previous comment about not buying a Mazda. Also, you're dead-on about the depreciation. In addition to having horrible support from the manufacturer, they lose a positively ridiculous amount of money instantly upon purchase (even more so than most new cars). It's not even funny. Sure, this shouldn't make a difference, and it didn't to me when I bought my MP3 but it sure makes a huge difference later on if you want to refinance or something. In short, fuck Mazda.

Why not another Subaru? The basic 2.5i sedan starts at $18k and it's a damn nice car, IMO.

Also, a friend of mine owns a Honda Fit and he's pretty happy with it. Lots of bells and whistles, small car, and relatively cheap. It's not the fastest thing in the world but it's a good compact.

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I like Subarus, but they're ridiculously expensive to maintain ($3k in 4 months) as they get older. Granted, I've got 115,000 miles on the damned thing, so it's near its death nell anyway. Also, the mileage isn't great, and since VA/DC/MD don't get all that much snow, I don't really need the AWD either.

That new Legacy is sexy though...

EDIT: I looked into the fit as well, but it's just a tad too small for my taste. The bump up to the Civic is reasonable and the Civic is a whole lot safer.

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Originally Posted by BoriquaSNK

I checked up on teh battery thing since that was a prime concern of mine and was told that there hasn't been a single battery fail outside of warrantied coverage since 2004 (as of the beginning of May, maybe a bunch will fail this week). When I pressed on how much a replacement battery was outside of a warranty, I was told it was currently under $2,000.

Also, my day to day commute is about half a mile to the metro stop, yet this still takes me 15-25 minutes. I think I would absolutely save money on gas, it won't be enough to offset the price of the car but it will definitely be noticeable.

I specifically want a small car, something I can parallel park in the city with no problem. I like the Prius more for its standard bells and whistles (the GUI, reverse camera, airbags everywhere, keyless entry and ignition, etc.) than for the hybrid-ness of it...it's a very techie car.

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I see, I'll be honest a lot of my Hybrid preconceptions are based off the Honda Insight which must have either had a much shorter warranty or much crappier batteries, because a few years ago I thought they were neat and did some reading on them and the battery complaints scared me away. So maybe Toyota can do it better than Honda, if so that's great.

Like I said, if you want the Prius which it sounds like you do. Go for it, just don't be like the save the world hippies that don't realize their car has a metric ton of nickel stripped mined out of the Earth in it ;)

/exaggeration

Or get a Saturn Sky Red Line

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Originally Posted by Lets Gekiga In

I'm going to suggest a Mini Cooper.

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Just bought one myself yesterday. Hella sweet.

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Originally Posted by RevQuixo

Just bought one myself yesterday. Hella sweet.

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They are an absolute blast to drive and hold their value extremely well.

Very wise investment. :)