|
In the Youtube video, Scotty Kilmer talks about how replacing the generator on the Prius is an expensive repair, but I'm not sure if that is a common failure mechanism on the Prius. No one in this thread has mentioned Prius generator replacement.
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2021 12:53
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 9, 2024 20:14 |
|
|
The Prius doesn’t have a conventional generator/alternator, it has two motor/generators that are an integral part of the whole drive system. I’ve been a mechanic for 35 years and have never seen one fail. The whole transmission/electric motor/generator/inverter assembly is pretty trouble-free. The 12V battery can cause some weird codes when it’s failing that confuse people into screwing around with the inverter, though. Toyota has sub-codes in addition to the usual trouble codes, and unless you have a very good code reader, you won’t be able to drill down and get useful information from codes. Just using a cheap code reader will give you codes that aren’t very helpful, like ‘P0AA6’, which tells you there’s a voltage leak somewhere. It can be in the hybrid battery, transaxle or AC compressor, which is ridiculously vague. The main failure points are that brake actuator that someone else mentioned, the A/C motor/compressor(highly dependent on what the climate is where you live) and the Gen II had some LED taillight issues that were expensive to fix, IIRC. As far as batteries go, you can usually fix them piecemeal indefinitely if you’re reasonably good mechanically or know a mechanic that doesn’t mind working on them. Be careful though, follow all safety precautions. Other than that, they run forever, generally. I wouldn’t own one because they’re the epitome of bland, monotonous boring transportation, but if you want a reliable vehicle that gets great mileage, you can’t beat ‘em.
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2021 13:38
|
|
|
KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:it's a probabilistic question - there's a certain risk of capacity degradation that increases over time and there's a certain small risk of complete failure that also increases over time. silence_kit posted:In the Youtube video, Scotty Kilmer talks about how replacing the generator on the Prius is an expensive repair, but I'm not sure if that is a common failure mechanism on the Prius. No one in this thread has mentioned Prius generator replacement. JnnyThndrs posted:The Prius doesn’t have a conventional generator/alternator, it has two motor/generators that are an integral part of the whole drive system. I’ve been a mechanic for 35 years and have never seen one fail. The whole transmission/electric motor/generator/inverter assembly is pretty trouble-free. sweet, thanks for the replies. so as someone primarily interested in getting a simple A to B car and not looking to impress anyone, this seems like i should take it then, yes?
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2021 08:05
|
|
|
Yes, there's a reason Prius is the default recommendation. Buying anything else is pretty much "why won't a Prius meet your needs".
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2021 08:19
|
|
|
It used to be the title, why change?
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2021 16:14
|
|
|
Just a simple Prius/Miata flowchart.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 00:23
|
|
|
Hey thread. Is there any best practice that you all like to use for 'car affordability' ? Meaning, maybe in terms of % of total income, yearly or monthly, something like that. I am seeing for example, a responsible % of your take-home monthly income should be something like 10%. (https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/auto-loans/much-spend-car) Just wondering if that is a normal %, conservative, or if AI people tend to spend more than that while still being responsible. For reference probably not relevant, but I am considering the monetary sacrifice of a 2022 Genesis G70 3.3T AWD Prestige  
Inner Light fucked around with this message at 02:55 on Nov 12, 2021 |
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 02:51
|
|
|
hey its me the guy immigrating to the US again. I'm looking through used car ads and I think I found something nice. ( P R I U S ) https://www.edmunds.com/toyota/prius/2014/vin/JTDKN3DU9E1780509/?radius=50 This might be okay too. https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used-Toyota-Prius-Las-Vegas-d15_L21230#listing=313359325/FEATURED discount options https://www.edmunds.com/toyota/corolla/2012/vin/JTDBU4EE1C9176564/?radius=50 https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used-Toyota-Prius-Las-Vegas-d15_L21230#listing=315717823/NONE I'm interested in opinions from people who actually know what they're talking about. Imagine that I could buy any of these cash right now if I wanted to. Methanar fucked around with this message at 03:47 on Nov 12, 2021 |
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 03:42
|
|
|
I am confused and scared by these asking prices. I've sourced a 2010 PriusV for $10k with 95k miles, 4 years ago.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 04:13
|
|
|
Inner Light posted:Hey thread. Is there any best practice that you all like to use for 'car affordability' ? Meaning, maybe in terms of % of total income, yearly or monthly, something like that. I am seeing for example, a responsible % of your take-home monthly income should be something like 10%. (https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/auto-loans/much-spend-car) It really all comes down to personal finances, taste, and budget. I love cars, but gently caress ever having a car payment again. My newest car is ten years old, and I'll drive it until it falls apart. That said, I have four cars, and my wife tells me when I'm spending too much on car stuff. If you can swing it, and you like the car, and you can plan your finances around the life of the car (are you going to need expensive repairs in 5 years? will you want to trade it in?), go for it. The Genesis is a rad car. e: I should clarify, I have no idea about what percent of our budget car stuff is, but my wife is cool, so I'm cool
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 04:23
|
|
|
Inner Light posted:Hey thread. Is there any best practice that you all like to use for 'car affordability' ? Meaning, maybe in terms of % of total income, yearly or monthly, something like that. I am seeing for example, a responsible % of your take-home monthly income should be something like 10%. (https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/auto-loans/much-spend-car) It's possible to spend more without making it a lifestyle choice, and you can always lean into the lifestyle choice if you want car life. Either way if you feel restricted by 10%, it's best to look at it from the long term point of view. Assuming you're not about to trade down because you did all this big brain accounting on the front end, the simplest way to look at it is you're going to depreciate 85% or so the value of any car, used or new, that you buy over 10 years or so. Can you account for burning the majority of the price of the car over 10 years? If so you can make the note work. If put against your decade plans you see you're robbing your retirement account etc. thats when you dial it back. Your main goal being not to get tricked by your monthly budget when you've got other things on the back burner that need attention.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 04:36
|
|
|
Nitrox posted:I am confused and scared by these asking prices. I've sourced a 2010 PriusV for $10k with 95k miles, 4 years ago. I read something a few days ago that explained why the used car market right now is insanely expensive. something something nobody is buying new cars so they buy used instead, something something supply and demand.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 04:47
|
|
|
If you want new car right now, best case, you’re paying full MSRP and waiting 3 months for delivery. Part of the used car premium is the “have it now” factor, and not everyone is in the fortunate position of being able to wait 3 months for transportation.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 04:53
|
|
|
Methanar posted:I read something a few days ago that explained why the used car market right now is insanely expensive. something something nobody is buying new cars so they buy used instead, something something supply and demand. They are buying fewer new cars because there are fewer available due to the chip shortage. So used prices go up due to higher demand.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 04:55
|
|
|
Methanar posted:I read something a few days ago that explained why the used car market right now is insanely expensive. something something nobody is buying new cars so they buy used instead, something something supply and demand. New car sales are down because new cars aren't available due to the chip shortage. From your description earlier, you don't actually need a car for a while. The longer you can wait the cheaper it will be. You seem to be really anxious to blow a bunch of money on something that will sit in your garage and not be driven.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 04:57
|
|
|
zedprime posted:10% is on the conservative side, but most people probably need more conservative budgeting to make up for everything else they're aggressive into. So it's gonna be the most common recommendation you see. You will never end up in trouble if you limit your note to 10% without fudging it with long loans. The rule I always used to follow (until I went insane spending several times my mortgage on cars) was half of your gross salary as a total 60 month loan amount. So if you make 100k, you can safely take out a 50k car loan. If you do the math, this works out to... 10% of gross. So that checks out. I think most banks start to get squirmy when you get above about double that (i.e., 100k loan on a 100k salary), but past a certain point, even that goes out the window (if you have a household income of $300k and an 800 credit score, a most banks will happily finance your new $500k Bentley, for instance). All that being said, I had a 3.3T Stinger and I am very pro you getting a G70. They're sick. zedprime posted:It's possible to spend more without making it a lifestyle choice, and you can always lean into the lifestyle choice if you want car life. Either way if you feel restricted by 10%, it's best to look at it from the long term point of view. Assuming you're not about to trade down because you did all this big brain accounting on the front end, the simplest way to look at it is you're going to depreciate 85% or so the value of any car, used or new, that you buy over 10 years or so. Can you account for burning the majority of the price of the car over 10 years? If so you can make the note work. If put against your decade plans you see you're robbing your retirement account etc. thats when you dial it back. Your main goal being not to get tricked by your monthly budget when you've got other things on the back burner that need attention. What if I pay my car off after 5 years and feel the burning desire to go out and buy an even more expensive car because now I don't have that payment but also I'm running out of space in my driveway? Help me, BFC 
KillHour fucked around with this message at 05:27 on Nov 12, 2021 |
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 05:22
|
|
|
Deteriorata posted:From your description earlier, you don't actually need a car for a while. The longer you can wait the cheaper it will be. You seem to be really anxious to blow a bunch of money on something that will sit in your garage and not be driven. That's not entirely true; but I am still working this out in my head and regularly changing my mind. I think I do still need a car because las vegas isn't known for its public transportation. But it can be a 10 year old beater that just gets me to the grocery store and back. I'm not comfortable NOT having my own transportation. I start with the beater, maybe build some credit off it for a while. Sell it in 6-12 months and then buy myself something a little nicer when I have money in the US, a basic credit history, and supply chain issues alleviate.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 05:42
|
|
|
So I am pretty set on wanting a RAV4 Hybrid as a daily commuter, weekend trip/ski/camping car. We currently have a 2001 RAV4 and that thing is unstoppable, it's just getting old. My question is regarding the used vs. new market. After browsing for a few weeks my read on it is that the pressure on used RAV4s has essentially eradicated any value added from buying cars that are 3-4 years old. Private party sales of this particular car appear to be very few and far between. And the "driven-off-the-lot" depreciation discount seems to be gone. It's a toss up at best. I am finding used cars with 30k miles for (approximately) the SAME PRICE as a brand new one. It's really driving me towards buying a totally new vehicle, which I would have never considered before. There does seem to be kind of a "value spike" around ~2015 RAV4s with ~100k miles on em. They can be had for maybe under 20, but they probably have over 100k miles. It's might be an option, but I'm tempted to just go new, and the market in that price range is also very limited. The downside is I have to wait possibly 2+ months for my new RAV4. We are in a position where we can do that. Ultimately my question is: is this an accurate reading of the market and is it wrong to feel there's at least approximately similar value going new vs used given the current market environment? hobbez fucked around with this message at 08:16 on Nov 12, 2021 |
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 08:00
|
|
|
Inner Light posted:Hey thread. Is there any best practice that you all like to use for 'car affordability' ? Meaning, maybe in terms of % of total income, yearly or monthly, something like that. I am seeing for example, a responsible % of your take-home monthly income should be something like 10%. (https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/auto-loans/much-spend-car)  That said I'm not willing to commit even that much and rather drive a 20 year old Miata. Rather than a monthly payment I tend to look at the actual total cost and opportunity costs. Sure maybe I can afford a 50k car but is parking it in a metal box outside for 23 out of 24 hours a day really the best use of it. (Yes I also posted about buying a Porsche here) Regardless, does anyone know what's the actual % that people spend, IRL? Like I think the average new car is like 40k, and the income is like 50? but the average person isn't buying the average new car probably.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 09:20
|
|
|
KillHour posted:What if I pay my car off after 5 years and feel the burning desire to go out and buy an even more expensive car because now I don't have that payment but also I'm running out of space in my driveway? Help me, BFC What are you getting A key driver for me not ever buying another expensive car is the realisation that money could take literal years off the time I have to continue working. Ｐｒｉｕｓ
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 09:59
|
|
|
hobbez posted:So I am pretty set on wanting a RAV4 Hybrid as a daily commuter, weekend trip/ski/camping car. We currently have a 2001 RAV4 and that thing is unstoppable, it's just getting old. Hey you’re me! I just bought a new RAV4 Hybrid even after swearing I would never buy new. I can’t comment on the market but it seems like one of the few times in history where buying new kind of makes sense.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 10:17
|
|
|
knox_harrington posted:A key driver for me not ever buying another expensive car is the realisation that money could take literal years off the time I have to continue working. yeah it's this. my car $ budget on an ongoing basis is probably about 4% of gross but that includes roughly half as completely frivolous toy car spending that i probably ought to kill
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 13:02
|
|
|
Inner Light posted:Hey thread. Is there any best practice that you all like to use for 'car affordability' ? Meaning, maybe in terms of % of total income, yearly or monthly, something like that. I am seeing for example, a responsible % of your take-home monthly income should be something like 10%. (https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/auto-loans/much-spend-car) I'm at 15% with my payment, but then again I bought a shiny new truck in an overheated truck market, so a more expensive vehicle than average. I make pretty good money in a low cost of living area, don't have a lot of expenses, and am generally not a big spender, so I can very easily afford the payments even though they are over the recommended 10% threshold. The sub-3% APR is also nice. I went in with a focus on the truck's overall price and then on the terms of the financing, rather than the monthly payment number, and also brought them financing from my bank to let them try to beat (they did, with a loan also from my bank). mobby_6kl posted:Regardless, does anyone know what's the actual % that people spend, IRL? Like I think the average new car is like 40k, and the income is like 50? but the average person isn't buying the average new car probably. I'm also wondering about this. After reading so many negative truck equity stories in the BWM thread, I feel like an outlier because I can comfortably afford payments and didn't buy too much truck (because I just want it for doing truck stuff rather than being a status symbol/compensation). I've been reading that auto loans are just getting way longer, like 84 months is now common and normal when it used to be unheard of. So that might help keep payments lower, but then you're paying waaaay more in interest and getting hosed long term.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 16:42
|
|
|
the auto loan thing is a bit overblown, there are certainly much longer loans available but the average length is still under 70 months
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 16:47
|
|
|
Red_Fred posted:Hey you’re me! I just bought a new RAV4 Hybrid even after swearing I would never buy new. I can’t comment on the market but it seems like one of the few times in history where buying new kind of makes sense. Buying new has "made sense" for a lot of people ever since Cash 4 Clunkers.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2021 17:07
|
|
|
Internet Explorer posted:Buying new has "made sense" for a lot of people ever since Cash 4 Clunkers. Is that so? I have been under the impression “buying new” was a net negative in the vast majority of cases. Maybe I’m just overly min/maxing tho
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2021 19:46
|
|
|
hobbez posted:Is that so? I have been under the impression “buying new” was a net negative in the vast majority of cases. Buying a reasonable new car and driving it for a long time has always been a responsible thing to do, as long as you aren't buying beyond your means And now more true than ever with the ridiculous inflation of used car prices and the general longevity of mainstream vehicles
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2021 20:19
|
|
|
In the before times if you are a drive it till it drops purchaser you could maybe save hundreds to thousands of dollars in capital depreciation buying the 2 year old leases and trade ins that are constantly showing up at an average dealer. The difference can generally be assigned to the utility of getting to pick your choice out of a known set of cars or ordering off the factory line to get exactly what you want, getting the absolute newest features and safety considerations, and the marquee new car warranty experience and only 100% trustworthy maintenance history available (less useful with most cars being bullet proof for a decade beside the break in warranty period). If any of that is valuable to you personally, its not like you're losing money. Repeat new purchases have you paying that out more often, which again if that's what you get utility from and you afford and know about it not economically wasted I guess. Its a textbook durable goods market. A robot sees nothing wrong with the pants at the thrift store and the 3 year old used car and gets a great deal on them. But no one is always a robot, and even if everyone was a robot, there's no more used market and the demands collide anyway. Cash for clunkers was the first such period (I was alive for at least) where the demand curves for gently used and new smashed into each other, and the chip shortage is repeating the play.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2021 20:39
|
|
|
hobbez posted:Is that so? I have been under the impression “buying new” was a net negative in the vast majority of cases. I've never actually financed a car, but I have heard that you can get better loans for a new cars vs. a new car. That could be relevant. I think it depends a lot on the make, model, & type of the car too. I remember in 2015, when I used to live in an area where cars didn't rust, used car prices for lightly used Japanese compact cars were shockingly close to new.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2021 20:42
|
|
|
Cash for clunkers decimated an entire generation or two of used cars for a long time. Less used cars mean the value of everything else goes up. When the gap between used and new shrinks, new becomes much more appealing, especially for the average consumer who doesn't want to be in the shop for costly repairs on an order vehicle. Also certain models hold their value so well it's almost not worth buying used. In the Midwest for instance, 200k miles was about the usable lifespan of a vehicle because of the rust and corrosion. You could get more out of it if you kept it in the garage in winter and washed the underside often. The engine might still run fine but the vehicle is literally disintegrating and costly to keep up with. Your exhaust is no longer attached to your manifold. Brackets and fasteners have corroded into dust. Things literally just fall off. Here in the Northwest, I've got friends with early 90s Tacomas and 300k+ miles and they're in excellent mechanical condition and run like new. Without the rust, is amazing how long a well engineered vehicle can live. When we bought our 4 runner it was used, 3 years old with 60k miles on it. We could have bought a new car for what we paid, but the quality and capability of the new vehicle would have been substantially less than the 4runner. Same goes for the resale value. 10 years later, we've rolled over 200k miles and we could still get 70% of what we paid if we sold it today which is mind boggling. In those 140k miles, the only things I've had to fix were maintenance items that needed fixing after 100k. Brakes, shocks, tires. Mechanically, it's been perfect. Regionally speaking Toyotas, especially 4 runners and Tacomas, are the outdoor lifestyle vehicle of the Northwest and hold their value incredibly well. Other areas have their vehicles as well, jeeps, full size trucks etc. It's all dependent on your budget obviously but the traditional "you lose 25% when you drive it off the lot" mentality is not as accurate anymore.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2021 20:46
|
|
|
I really appreciate your guys’ replies because it reflects what I’m seeing in the market. I wasn’t sure if I was just unlucky or too inpatient but you’re all kind of confirming what I thought. Thanks a lot
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2021 01:25
|
|
|
Keep in mind, due to the internet/access to knowledge, globalization etc, now everybody everywhere can see what cars are worth for better or worse. You can compare multiple of the same vehicle from different dealers and use that to your advantage as leverage from one dealer to the next. Used cars on a dealer lot will almost always be more expensive than Joe shmo selling it privately because of overhead. I would always negotiate with a dealer and have a number in mind before going on the lot. Their job is not to help you. If you want a car for 14k, it's listed at 17 go in at 12 or 13 and walk away if you can't get to at your price. Be firm and to the point. "I saw this car, I want it for $xx out the door and if you can't do that I'm leaving." Be patient and they'll likely call later. They know how much they can wiggle and there's always room, especially if a vehicle isn't selling. Space on their lot is valuable, they don't want to sit on something for months. They need numbers and movement to make money. With the dealer you can finance etc for vehicles you don't have cash for, but you can always do a private auto loan as well. Dealers claim to have gone through the car mechanically but it's usually just a detail and oil change at best. You can however negotiate some wiggle room since dealers get tires etc for cheap and don't skimp. I got our 4 runner nearly 4k less then they were asking and with brand new bfg all terrains installed. I said my number (lowball) knowing I had a higher number in mind I was comfortable with. They called me twice saying they couldn't do it. But then why would they keep calling saying so? They wanted it gone. On the third call they got down to the number in my head. I agreed so long as they included new tires (bfg all terrains) at that price and I could pick it up next day. Deal was done. Got the car for what I wanted to pay and with brand new premium tires.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2021 02:08
|
|
|
When did you buy that car, because that is not the current reality at all right now. I’m seeing lightly used 4Runners, Tacomas and Tellurides going for 5 to 10k over original MSRP right now and that’s if you can find a dealer with one. There’s no way your walking onto a lot right now and negotiating for any sort of in demand used or new vehicle. I’ve bought maybe 12 or 13 cars from dealers so far in my life and I’ve never seen a sellers market like this.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2021 02:24
|
|
|
skipdogg posted:When did you buy that car, because that is not the current reality at all right now. This is my impression as well. I poked around a Toyota dealership the other day and we couldn’t even test drive the model we wanted. Their lot was about as sparsely populated as you could imagine. Gently used cars are going for above MSRP because a) they are baking in the hidden shipping/handling fees associated with ordering a new one and b) they’re available now. I was told to expect waiting two months for a new rav 4 and frankly I’m anticipating it could take longer then that Useally what OP is saying about negotiating is great advice but it’s kind of hard to do when the lot is empty because they’re all sold as soon as they hit the lot. hobbez fucked around with this message at 04:23 on Nov 14, 2021 |
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2021 04:21
|
|
|
skipdogg posted:When did you buy that car, because that is not the current reality at all right now. Yeah, seconding all of this. I mean, you can make an offer on a car on a lot... but right now the market is so hosed a dealer might literally laugh at you for it. I've been quarter-assedly searching for a new daily driver among a fairly wide range of vehicles and price points for months now, and the only cars that are sitting on the lot longer than about two weeks are ones that are extremely overpriced at BHPH type dealerships. Even in a buyer's market those fuckers are the type that won't negotiate because eventually someone will come in with a two-digit credit score and a paystub that still gets them a 25% note on a car priced 2x what it should. Even with all the "well it sometimes burns to the ground along with everything around it" publicity, Chevy Bolts have climbed nearly 50% in the last year and any of them below $20k sell within a couple of weeks. I bought my Canyon at a goddamn Carmax in February 2020 and even with 40k more miles on it now, I couldn't replace it for less than $5k more than I paid for it then.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2021 04:50
|
|
|
Will the market be better in 6 months?
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2021 04:53
|
|
|
skipdogg posted:When did you buy that car, because that is not the current reality at all right now. Ah yeah that's true, it was a few years ago (2014 maybe) so the landscape has changed since then. Since the chip shortage and covid complications this last year or two especially, including the container ship constipation, everything's a poo poo show now. Verman fucked around with this message at 05:08 on Nov 14, 2021 |
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2021 05:04
|
|
|
Methanar posted:Will the market be better in 6 months? Basically, this is impossible to know.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2021 05:08
|
|
|
Methanar posted:Will the market be better in 6 months? Better for whom
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2021 05:11
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 9, 2024 20:14 |
|
|
Methanar posted:Will the market be better in 6 months? It should be. There are indicators that suggest we're past the worst of the supply chain issues, but it may take a while yet to get back to something closer to normal.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2021 05:20
|
|