Ok me and my GF were driving in her 05 BMW 325i today. So she begins to tell me that for 34K (Price of my TCH out the door ) I shouldn't have gotten the TCH. Instead I should have gotten an IS250, TL or 325i.So long story short, she is pretty much telling me how my Camry makes me look like a teenager borrowing my parent's car. I am just wondering about the age of the owners here. For me I didn't get this car to impress anyone. The reason for me getting this car is that no other car on the market right now balances fuel efficiency, luxury features, and The dependability of a Toyota vehicle for under 35K. Too me that is a steal.

 

Fellow 25-year-old checking in, and I agree exactly. I've always valued efficiency, not simply for cars or even technology but just stuff in general. Hybrids are more efficient than regular cars -- they're more expensive, but it's a superior system. Pollution had nothing to do with my decision, nor the price of gas, nor long-term value... I just wanted an enjoyable but fuel-efficient car, ideally with a very long range per tank, and ideally one that I wouldn't have to repair every few months like with the [gas] Jetta I once had.

The TCH delivers.

Ironically, it's actually not a very good family car. The rear windows are way too high for little kids and there's not a lot of trunk space. But it's good for me!

 

I am 33 and my wife is 30...it is her car really. How did you pay $35k for it? We got a loaded one for $30,584. But anyway what does it matter what other people think? We got the car because her previous car was a Maxima GLE which got 23-25 mpg and required supreme gas. When we bought that car it wasn't such a bad thing but with the price of gas having more than doubled in that time and now with her starting a job with a ton of travel, it just didn't make sense anymore. The ~40 mpg we have gotten so far in the TCH coupled with the lower cost of regular gas has just been great. These cars just make so much sense financially.

 

I've seriously considered all 4 cars. Even with Satellite & Alarm, you can't get a TCH above about $32k....not sure how you got to $34k. At $34k, I think the TL is quite a competitor. Great car. I actually found it to be too fake--trying too hard to be a BMW with cheaper materials, poorer (FWD) handling; and too loud--actually louder than the TCH on a freeway. But it is a real competitor to the TCH if you fully-load each. Neither the IS250 nor the '06 325i are in the same price range. If you equip the 325i with the basic stuff you'd be up to about $38k and, frankly, when I configure it with the stuff I'd want, I'm up to $41k. The IS 250 isn't as bad, but close.

Lastly, the IS250 doesn't have a back seat, just a shelf with some room for babies in the back--you could never fit a real person back there. The 325i is larger, you can fit a person, but you wouldn't want to for long. (The TL is just fine for this purpose.)

I'm 34 but was considering some of the same cars. Do what you want, if you can afford it.

 

I'm 25 and If I were given the chance to go back in time I would do the same thing. Buy a Toyota Camry Hybrid

As jhfarr said, these cars just make sense when it comes down to savings over time. Toyota cars are really known for their reliability and resale value, and when you buy a hybrid model of the worlds best selling car, you know if you NEED to sell it later on down the road you're going to get a premium for it, unless you treat it like crap.

The money you will be saving in taxes well makes up for buying the car, especially when you buy right NOW. I will get 2600 back from the fed for buying this car and as long as the ohio bill passes I will get an extra 2000 state tax money back. When you combine that money (since its a CREDIT, not a deduction, which is wonderful ) I can pretty much take 4600 off of the overall cost of the car, which brings this car down to about what the base model camrys cost.

Depending on how you drive, and what vehicle you had previously, the TCH could save you between 3-5,000 dollars in gasoline alone(over about a 6 year time).

Anyone that wants or needs another car that has done some thinking and working numbers should know. This is a GREAT time to buy a TCH. That's why the dealers are trying to jack up these cars over msrp.

I'm not saying that this should be the main reason to buy one. I love the features and looks of the car, and the quality is definitely superior when compared to similar priced brands/models. The cash savings should just be an added "perk".

Just my 2 cents.
Brian

 

Age... 56. Replacing but keeping a 95 Ford Taurus which I bought for 10,000 8 years ago. My TCH comes today, I hope! White, fully-loaded. I have had 10 cars in my life, many were sports cars. With two teenage daughters a family car is the only way to keep peace, single parent.

 

25 over here. I agree with everyone's points above, just lazy re-writing all your qoutes.

I was considering buying a Acura TL as well, 3rd choice was a BMW X3, but after test driving the TCH, I completely fell in love with it with all it's features, options, efficiency and of course the Toyota name brand. I have a 00 MR2 Spyder that I'm handing over to my husband, and never had a problem with it. Forget what other people think, it's what matters to you most that really counts.

 

42 soon to be 43. My second Hybrid, first being a 2004 HCH I bought 2 years ago. I tend to buy cars pretty frequently. Car dealers LOVE me. I'm probably going to trade my TCH for the next Gen Prius, if Toyota hits that 94 MPG goal they have for it. Boo-Ya !!

 

I paid 34K including tax+licenses. The car itself was 31,895. It has all the options excluding the windshield breakage sensors. I originally wanted just NAVI, Leather and Sunroof. But the car had all these options on it already so I just decided to get them.

The thing about my GF that she did not take into consideration was that we got her car for such a great deal. The car has the Premium Package option on it. MSRP on it was about 36K already but since we bought it new at the end of Feb 06 we were able to get it for 30K + Tax&Licenses. Still my car has way more options than her ride.

BJM5499: I think you are right about this being a great time to buy a TCH. I got a call from Hollywood Toyota yesterday because the TCH that I had shopped around for finally came in. But it was a base model Blue Ribbon. I told him I had already purchased a Loaded TCH and he congratulated me on the purchase. He went to say that Toyota is acutually shifting gears and are planning to push out about 3/4 of all TCH's to be base models until September. And that the fully loaded models will be more difficult to find in the upcoming months.

So good news for those seeking just the base models!!!

 

We aren't TCH owners yet, but we will be soon (we hope before Sept. 30). I'm 32 and my husband is 29.