Am I insane?

[elle]

I got an e-mail from the original dealership today to let me know that my hybrid titanium is in transit.

 

I guess they didn't see the email I sent where I told them I couldn't wait any longer for my Prius value to tank and was going to go ahead and purchase one.

 

But... as I think about the Titanium, and as I think about the fact that mine is one of the lower performing ones on here, mileage wise, I can't help but be tempted to look into trading in the SE.

 

There's a lot of cash in the SE and very little financed. I could likely afford to do this. So I sent him a reply and said I had an SE hybrid, but I'm still interested, if we can do the deal within a certain payment range. What the heck, I'm already overpaying each month to get it down faster. I have wiggle room. And if I end up with a better performing car, I'll be that much happier. We'll see how this works out.

 

 

[jeff_h]

Looks like Acdii has a second user ID :drool:

[GrySql]

Oh spare me, not another 'Want vs Need' thread.... :drop:

However, now that I think about it, this is a special case, you're only going to change your mind once. ;)

 

So I vote ---> Get the HyTi!

Then we'll know if the newer ones get better mpg!

[jeff_h]

However, now that I think about it, this is a special case, you're only going to change your mind once. ;)

 

Once? She changed it twice on the color! I say do what I am gonna do with order #2 - wait for it to arrive at the dealer, go see it and sit in it for a few minutes, then get back in your car and be drive away. There's my vote.

[GrySql]

Once? She changed it twice on the color!

Oh....

But, but, how will we know if the newer ones get better mpg's without any of our own money changing hands?

Get the HiTi, forget what Jeff says, do it for the higher good of the knowledge base on the Forum, you owe it to us to sacrifice yourself.

 

Or not.... :)

[fusionTX]

Oh....

But, but, how will we know if the newer ones get better mpg's without any of our own money changing hands?

Get the HiTi, forget what Jeff says, do it for the higher good of the knowledge base on the Forum, you owe it to us to sacrifice yourself.

 

Or not.... :)

I think Elle's is fairly new, so I think there must be other variables to MPGs.

 

Swapping doesn't make much sense to me.

Not being able to wait for HyTi because your Prius is losing value, only to turn around and sell your new car?

How much value has the new SE lost?

 

But it's not me the deal has to make sense to. It only has to make sense to Elle.

What MPGs are you getting, Elle?

[ace8726872]

I think Elle's is fairly new, so I think there must be other variables to MPGs.

Swapping doesn't make much sense to me.

Not being able to wait for HyTi because your Prius is losing value, only to turn around and sell your new car?

How much value has the new SE lost?

But it's not me the deal has to make sense to. It only has to make sense to Elle.

What MPGs are you getting, Elle?

 

I would have to agree with fusionTX on this. This could easily be a $10,000 splurge. But what is $10,000 compared to being completely happy for years!

[elle]

Well, that's the question. And if the deal isn't good enough to do, I won't do it. My average is around 38-39 mpg right now. I have an 8 mile commute, which doesn't help, but I'm also not getting any benefit of climate-free driving. I run the heat in the morning and the A/C in the afternoon. Welcome to California.

 

The A/C seems to drive down my mileage just as much as the cold temperatures. I do get some good trips, but I also get some not so good ones. I'm not unhappy with the SE, though. Build date on it is 12/19/12. I just don't know if it's conditions or if it's the car.

[ace8726872]

Actually, 38-39 MPG isn't bad at all for a very short commute. What did you used to get with your Prius? I was in San Francisco in Feb to attend a conference. I love NorCal!

[elle]

Prius was getting about the same.

[ace8726872]

So I would say that you won't get any better MPG with HyTi. So the only benefits of getting a new HyTi are

 

Better stereo

Push button start

Better looking tail lights

titanium badge

Different wheels

 

Seems like a bad ROI...

[ace8726872]

Probably not what you want to hear. Sorry I will shut up now.

[Riggo]

You forgot different seats, hd radio, chrome accents on the handles etc etc

[ace8726872]

You forgot different seats, hd radio, chrome accents on the handles etc etc

 

My bad. I guess that makes it a little better... Oops, need to shush!

[elle]

No, it's okay. I probably need to be talked down from this ledge...

[elle]

The chrome handle accents and the cooler taillights combined with the better stereo almost seem worth it to me. Plus, I'd get the color I finally decided I really wanted.

 

Notice I said "almost."

Edited March 27, 2013 by elle

[fusionTX]

Ambient lighting. Very cool!

[ace8726872]

Well, if HyTi has better My Ford Touch / Sync, I will trade in my SE and buy it now. Going out to master reset it again. I guess these types of problems give a car its character. Much like someone being described as having a great personality when asked how one looks.

[TX NRG]

My average is around 38-39 mpg right now. I have an 8 mile commute, which doesn't help, but I'm also not getting any benefit of climate-free driving.

 

You are a perfect candidate for considering an Energi SE or Energi Titanium. With such a short commute, you could stay in EV the whole way. There's the $3750 Fed tax credit, and I think CA kicks in $1500. That's on top of the current $1500(?) Ford incentive.

[elle]

Odd how the Energi seemed so far away when I first started thinking about this car.

[neod192]

I was surprised when you first cancelled your HyTi order ... That said, I think you would be losing too much on the trade-in of your SE to upgrade to the Titanium. A lot more than what your Prius would have depreciated if you waited for the Titanium from the beginning. If that's the case, it doesn't make sense to upgrade.

 

You could also try selling the SE on your own (like acdii) and get more for it than what the dealer is going to offer, THEN upgrade to the Titanium ... Guess it's time to put up a For Sale sign?

[B25Nut]

Elle, if your main goal is to get 45+ mpg, I don't think the Ti will give it to you either. Like me, your commute is too short. The fact that you got the same MPG with your Prius, I think, confirms this. Don't let 39 mpg get you down! I don't think the grass will be greener on the other side. My vote is to keep the SE and just enjoy the ride.

[jeff_h]

I am amending my vote based on something that was posted in earlier posts about you having an 8 mile commute and now the Energi being available.

 

You're gonna take a financial hit on the transaction if you change cars, may be worth considering taking the plunge to an Energi if your electricity costs are not too high. I think my electricity is about 9.6¢ per KwH, however in CA yours is probably more than double that.... but if I had a place to charge at work to start each end of the commute with a full charge I would have bought one... if you got one you would only need to charge at home if the conditions were right, and if not then you're still using very very little gas.

 

So my vote is still keep the SE Hybrid... UNLESS there is an Energi available and it's worth considering.

[storksb]

Hi Elle,

 

Having read your comments and those others in this post I would have to recommend staying with the SE at this stage. The depreciation on it would be huge and not be returned with better mpg. Even if you did average 45 in the Ti you would need to probably do in excess of 100000 miles to recover the loss and the extra cost, certainly does not seem worth it too me. Keep the SE, enjoy it and buy a 2016 FFH in 3years time.

 

Storksb

[acdii]

Looks like Acdii has a second user ID :drool:

:drop:

 

 

 

Elle, the car, depending on options installed, is 24-26K on trade. Are you willing to lose that much? It depends on how much you actually spent on the car, but on mine its at least a $9K loss, which is why I listed mine for sale. I have had calls from various dealers this week on what they are willing to give on trade, and highest on mine was 27,500, and mine is fully loaded.