does the toyota prius gave good resale value?

Answer 1

I saw your question and looked up Yahoo Autos Used cars for Prius 50 miles around my area which is North Los Angeles. It seems the 2003 and earlier models took a hit when the new shape & design rolled out in 2004. These seem to be ranged around $13000 - $15000. The 2004+ models have surprisingly high demands ranging above $21000 given the drop in gas prices and concerns over battery replacement costs. The MSRP for a new one on Yahoo Autos is $22,175. Dealers may still be demanding premiums but they should not have much excuse for that now. So, for now, resale looks real good.

The thing to watch out for is that in the new technology, there is always the risk of getting outdated quickly. There is not that much on the horizon that can disrupt the electic hybrid car market. Hydrogen based cars are years away but there is a possibility that Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), which can plug in for a battery charge and use more electric than the current hybrid versions thus improving MPG to around 100 miles, could make an appearance relatively soon. But I am not convinced that they will be such a disruptive force. To know more why, you can choose to read my following blog entries:

http://americasmpg.blogspot.com/2006/11/hybrid-reality-check.html

http://americasmpg.blogspot.com/2006/11/phevs.html

Answer 2

If the prices for used Priuses is any indication, they have excellent resale value, at least early on.

The unknown with the Prius -- and all other hybrid vehicles -- is the impact of the battery replacement cost as the vehicles age. Currently a battery pack costs over $3,000.00. Most of the manufacturers claim that the battery life is around 8 years but there's no historical data to back that up. They also claim that replacement cost will be much lower in the future as the per unit costs drop with increased production and demand. That's a resonable assumption from a purely economics standpoint, but someone is going to be paying the high price before the numbers are there.

Answer 3

One-year-old Prius models are selling for the same as sticker price on new models. New models are selling for more than sticker price. However, given the fickle buying habits of automotive consumers, this may be a temporary situation. If something better and more attractive comes out, Prius values will drop like a rock.