On Mon, 12 May 2008 13:07:14 -0500, RPS <rps@null.void> wrote:

>Elmo P. Shagnasty <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote:
>
>: Well, you may be thinking that it's "too expensive to buy". It may or
>: may not be too expensive to operate.
>:
>: The up front cost is only one of the many costs. You buy it once, but
>: you operate it over and over again. You must look at an overall cost,
>: per mile, to come to any conclusions.
>:
>: I'd compare similarly equipped Corolla and Prius...
>
>Just using round numbers, the price difference appears to be $6000.
>
>If I drive 12000 miles per year, Corolla (30 mpg) would need 400
>gallons of fuel. Prius (40mpg) about 300 gallons. Difference is 100
>gallons, let's say $500.
>
>That would mean 10-12 years to merely recover the extra money you pay
>upfront. So, I am not saying Prius is not a good car, but it has become
>something of a fad/fashion too and I don't see the economy: I give them
>$6000, and hope that maybe I'd earn it back by 2020?
>
>So, I am inclined to stay with the best of conventional cars. Trying to
>figure out which one!


Ok, I'm biased since I own 3 Corollas (one tho is a 1992 but in great
shape). I won't get into which one is the best because of my bias
but how can you go wrong with any of your choices? Even if you did,
how bad could it be compared to your other choices? I say rather
than beat your brains out, buy the Corolla (is my bias showing yet?)
and enjoy it for 200,000 miles or more.