buy new or used

Another car that goes for about 25K is the A3. If I were doing a lot of
highway,
I'd go for the turbo engine instead of the Hybrid.

Pars

 

Less so.
[/QUOTE]


in europe, even the acuras have honda namebadges.

 

perceived cost of maintenance is higher, thus a higher depreciation
rate. whether or not it's true is irrelevant.

 

I echo Timothy Lee's comment: Use www.edmunds.com , for one, especially to
appraise used cars based on mileage, condition, and features. It will also
at least generate relative price differences between new models and IIRC
cost per mile of operation.

Hybrids are so new that their longevity isn't established. There is chatter
on the net about the battery packs and how much they'll cost to replace. I'd
wager at best hybrids last as long as strictly gasoline engine Hondas, but
possibly at a higher maintenance cost, because of the battery packs. Sorry;
I don't see much concrete info beyond this right now.

I still think the April "car buying" issue of Consumer Reports is very much
a worthwhile read, to build confidence in what you're buying. Understand
that it reviews several years of /each/ model of car for reliability in
specific areas and presents it in easy-to-read format. I believe it also
gives new car prices. Lastly, it may have some good info on the Hybrids'
reliability, at least for young hybrids.

 

i like em, but i like 4 door hatches, and the prius has all the gizmos.
only way it would be worthwhile would be IF it was "carpool lane exempt".