Buy a Toyota Prius New or Used
According to USA Today and Kelley Blue Book, a used 2004 or 2005 Toyota Prius can sell for $1,000 to $3,000 more than a new Prius.
There is a waiting list for new Toyota Priuses, so those who want one right away are willing to pay a little more for instant gratification.
The USA Today article describes some people who are quickly turning over their Prius, like some do with real estate, to make a quick small profit (or break even). Many people are buying the car to minimize the effect of high gasoline prices on their wallet.
The car has a big following on the internet based around PriusChat, a message board and news website for all fans of the hybrid.
For those who don't want to wait six months on the list and don't want to pay the used Prius premium, there are some alternatives.
Cheap Gas is a marriage between Google Maps and Gasbuddy, the database of gas prices by city. If you select a city from the list available on Cheap Gas, you will be provided with a map with the station locations highlighted. Read
Last night, I wrote another check for my car insurance premium. So far this year, I've paid about $1,650 for car insurance to New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company. Read
As I recently passed 20,000 miles on my 2004 Honda Civic, I decided it was time to take the car in for regular maintenance. The dealer suggests maintenance after every 7,500 miles, but I try to stretch it to every 10,000. Read
