đź“° Auto News 4-Time Tesla Owner Opts For New Toyota Prius Prime Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicle

Yaj Yak

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There are a few common phrases Tesla owners like to use when discussing how much they love their cars. One is, "Once you buy a Tesla, you never go back to ICE." Another is, "Tesla is ten years ahead of the competition." While there is certainly an element of truth to both of these common phrases, social media clubs are now full of Tesla owners posting up images of other green vehicles they have just purchases instead of another Tesla.

The most recent that caught our attention was at Teslamotorsclub.com. A member and owner of four past Teslas boldly created a post explaining why a new Prius Prime PHEV was the replacement for a well-worn Tesla Model S. We won't divulge the member's name and background - you can join the club if you wish - but we did check that the member was not new, and had been active for many years.

The reasons that this long-time Tesla owner opted for the Toyota Prius were of interest to us, and maybe you will find them interesting as well. They include:
- The Prius having a greener carbon footprint overall
- Poor Tesla customer service
- Prius Prime's Apple and Android CarPlay connectivity
- "Out of control" Tesla insurance costs

There are more reasons listed, but again, it's a club you can join if you so wish.

If you follow Torque News you know that we view Tesla as the industry benchmark for electric vehicle excellence. That is why the current trend of Tesla owners departing the Tesla brand when they need an additional vehicle or replacement vehicle is newsworthy. At least in our view. Feel free to post yours in the comments below. Here are some related stories to give this one some added perspective.
 

Yaj Yak

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Genny Chirdon wrote on March 30, 2021 - 7:58amPermalink
Our family has a Tesla Model 3 and a Prius Prime. I prefer the Prius Prime hands down. More economical, and the Central PA/Northeast OH area, where we do most of our driving, makes supercharging a headache when away from home.


Ty Fawkes wrote on March 30, 2021 - 10:14am
We've been driving a non-Tesla, 100% BEV for many years. We love our EV but to be 100% honest road trips can at times be a real pain. We have a few friends and know several others with Teslas and they are as annoyingly happy as people with a Apple Mac addiction. So, we consider getting a Tesla almost weekly based on range alone. While it would also be wonderful to have access to all the charging infrastructure options driving a Tesla would afford, the insurance rates are prohibitive to the point of seeming punitive. When we got our EV WAAY back in 2011 our insurance actually went down from the ICE vehicle we were driving. Over the years insurance rates have climbed, but are still in line with what our family members pay for their ICE vehicles. Our friends who drive Teslas tell us their insurance costs are outrageous. Maintenance for our EV has always been very cheap and almost unnecessary as everything 'just works'. While none of the Tesla drivers we know has had any major maintenance expense, many have had minor annoyances of one kind or another. Most were in warranty issues, but the time and effort inconvenience for service itself has a cost. A nickle here and a dime there add up. Do I still want a Tesla and would I buy one knowing all that I do? Damn skippy! In a heartbeat. But I'm still hesitant for one reason: Volkswagen. The only vehicle we've ever loved almost as much as our EV is the Jetta that served us so well for years. The fact that Tesla owners are choosing a Prius over another Tesla speaks volumes to consumers like me. Hopefully Tesla will take notice.


Al D wrote on April 1, 2021 - 6:49amPermalink
I never had an interest in a Tesla or any EV with the current battery. However, when I read the specs on the RAV4 Prime, it shot right to the top of my wish list.


Dave C wrote on April 1, 2021 - 11:53amPermalink
I traded in my model 3 for a Hyundai ioniq plug in. My driving needs are much diminished, I've had horrific tesla customer service and my car stranded me overnight on a trip from Buffalo to Pitt on a cold day because I could not get battery warm enough to supercharge.. 2 hours in and supercharger set as destination. The myth that Tesla is so far ahead is gone, customer service is going to be their downfall. As the competition catches up and closes the gap these things will matter more and more. Full self driving is a 10k sham that will also turn a lot of owners into former owners. Writing is on the wall for Tesla to slide.
 
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Gone_2022

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I agree insurance can be all over the damn place. It’s gotten a lot better but it’s still not right.

For instance I had geico. They wanted something like 180 a month to insure my Tesla. I don’t have any tickets or accidents in the last 5+ years. No claims or anything to artificially inflate it.

I shopped around and I now pay 80 dollars a month for 2 CARS! With progressive. Same exact coverage. 500 deductible for collision for both cars full coverage.


Shits wack
 

Gone_2022

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In regards to the customer service it has slipped a bit.... it really depends a lot on how good your service center is, very much like other car dealers. Tesla is a great car, but like GM or Ford or whoever.... joe shmo dealer can ruin the brand for you.

Something Tesla does really good that other manufacturers don’t is their mobile service. That has been amazing. Not having to leave my house to have things serviced on the car. Not having to leave work or have to schedule around dropping off a car and figuring out a loaner is amazing.

They grew and got really big really fast and put more effort into the cars and Superchargers than they did service centers. I hope that changes in the future I think it will. They are already building 2 new ones in the chi area which will also increase mobile service capacity.
 
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Yaj Yak

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I agree insurance can be all over the damn place. It’s gotten a lot better but it’s still not right.

For instance I had geico. They wanted something like 180 a month to insure my Tesla. I don’t have any tickets or accidents in the last 5+ years. No claims or anything to artificially inflate it.

I shopped around and I now pay 80 dollars a month for 2 CARS! With progressive. Same exact coverage. 500 deductible for collision for both cars full coverage.


Shits wack


interesting.

of course apples to tomatoes and oranges here without knowing what kind of coverage but my truck was 100/month with 0$ comp and 250$ coll deducitbles and 500k in liability coverage iirc.

i just asked how different like a 2014 or 2015 model S would be compared to it. will report back.
 

Yaj Yak

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In regards to the customer service it has slipped a bit.... it really depends a lot on how good your service center is, very much like other car dealers. Tesla is a great car, but like GM or Ford or whoever.... joe shmo dealer can ruin the brand for you.

Something Tesla does really good that other manufacturers don’t is their mobile service. That has been amazing. Not having to leave my house to have things serviced on the car. Not having to leave work or have to schedule around dropping off a car and figuring out a loaner is amazing.

They grew and got really big really fast and put more effort into the cars and Superchargers than they did service centers. I hope that changes in the future I think it will. They are already building 2 new ones in the chi area which will also increase mobile service capacity.


absolutely, right now my wife's honduh has a recall and im loaaaathing taking it in anywhere because i haven't found a decent dealer. motorw3rks had her sit and wait one day like 8 fucking hours and wouldn't give her a rental when the car was nearly new... gurnee left a bad taste in my mouth... but here my local GM dealer i know my shit will be quick and done right. i can totally agree depends how good your service center is. for sure.

i do think some high end brands will do free/pickup dropoff for maintenance...
 
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Gone_2022

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interesting.

of course apples to tomatoes and oranges here without knowing what kind of coverage but my truck was 100/month with 0$ comp and 250$ coll deducitbles and 500k in liability coverage iirc.

i just asked how different like a 2014 or 2015 model S would be compared to it. will report back.

Insurance was all over the place with my model S. Same thing with my Model Y.

Really like all things you just need to shop around. The cost is just a much larger difference than other cars. My coverages are similar to yours. Uninsured motorist coverage, 500k liability, medical coverage bla bla bla. Nothing special.
 

Yaj Yak

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Honestly it’s not as bad as they are making it out to be.... and again they are taking forum posts as “news” lol.

Shit come to tcg. We would be front page for a lot of things.

Example “lose your Supra over a broken airbag bolt” lol


they were taking owner feedback directly and sharing it- i mean it's the title of the thread.
 

Yaj Yak

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Insurance was all over the place with my model S. Same thing with my Model Y.

Really like all things you just need to shop around. The cost is just a much larger difference than other cars. My coverages are similar to yours. Uninsured motorist coverage, 500k liability, medical coverage bla bla bla. Nothing special.


i mean... model y reported to be highest insurance costs...



MoneyGeek found that, depending on the model, the cost to insure a car can change by almost $1,800 per year. For our sample driver, the cheapest car model to insure was a Jeep Patriot, at a cost of $1,085 per year, while the most expensive was a Tesla Model Y, which cost $2,878 to insure.
 

Gone_2022

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they were taking owner feedback directly and sharing it- i mean it's the title of the thread.

No I know. I was just saying I take it with a grain of salt. I’ve always been open about the shortcomings of the company and car, and what I think they could do better.

What they do really well however makes up for the shortfalls. That along with zero competition right now helps them. Which I think was called out in your post.

For them I would like to see more focus again on the consumer. Like in the beginning with the S and X. When those were their only cars customer service was second to none. Since then it has tumbled
 

Gone_2022

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i mean... model y reported to be highest insurance costs...



MoneyGeek found that, depending on the model, the cost to insure a car can change by almost $1,800 per year. For our sample driver, the cheapest car model to insure was a Jeep Patriot, at a cost of $1,085 per year, while the most expensive was a Tesla Model Y, which cost $2,878 to insure.

Which makes zero sense. It shares nearly all the same parts as the model 3. Why so high? Where is the data to support such a high insurance rate? Accidents? Wreck less customer base?

There isn’t any, they simply threw a number at a wall because no one knows what to do with these cars.

I can say that with confidence because having a lot of EV knowledge has actually got me a good promotion at work. Simply for the fact most people know Jack shit about them and a lot of meetings have been “well we are new at this let’s give _______ a try”

I can’t tell you how many meetings I’ve been in where I’m just shaking my head.

That seems to be the motto for a lot of companies new at this. “We will try this or put this car here and see where the chips fall”
 

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Which makes zero sense. It shares nearly all the same parts as the model 3. Why so high? Where is the data to support such a high insurance rate? Accidents? Wreck less customer base?

There isn’t any, they simply threw a number at a wall because no one knows what to do with these cars.

I can say that with confidence because having a lot of EV knowledge has actually got me a good promotion at work. Simply for the fact most people know Jack shit about them and a lot of meetings have been “well we are new at this let’s give _______ a try”

That seems to be the motto for a lot of companies new at this. “We will try this or put this car here and see where the chips fall”


the data is in the link i posted.

im betting it's so high because model y's are few and far between still whereas there is a plethora of model 3s

insurance company's pull data for so so so many aspects. not just accidents or a customer base.
 

Gone_2022

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the data is in the link i posted.

im betting it's so high because model y's are few and far between still whereas there is a plethora of model 3s

insurance company's pull data for so so so many aspects. not just accidents or a customer base.

I mean just because a car is just ramping up shouldn’t mean high rates. That’s just ignorance again by these companies.

If a brand new Honda model comes out tomorrow should it warrant a 2,000 a year rate because there are only 5,000 on the road?

Idk it’s just ignorance. And frankly frustrating.

But on the flip I welcome it because it’s helping propel me in my career because the older corporate generation is clueless about them.
 

Yaj Yak

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I mean just because a car is just ramping up shouldn’t mean high rates. That’s just ignorance again by these companies.

If a brand new Honda model comes out tomorrow should it warrant a 2,000 a year rate because there are only 5,000 on the road?

Idk it’s just ignorance. And frankly frustrating.

But on the flip I welcome it because it’s helping propel me in my career because the older corporate generation is clueless about them.


you're missing it.

parts rarity affects insurance costs.

chevy avalanches are a fuck ton more to insure than a similar year, similarly equipped chevy suburban because there were way fewer avalanches. even though at their core they are basically the same vehicle.
avalanches have specialized body pieces. you can't call up bobs junkyard to get a rear bed storage box easily if a bedside gets taken out so shops are forced to either buy new oem or insurance company totals out the vehicle.

it's not ignorance, it's how insurance works.

it's why a corvette is cheap to insure, there's bajillions of them, and bajillions of them in junkyards.
 

Yaj Yak

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I loathe how insurance companies will put used parts on cars when repairing them :fu:


it depends on the part quality used.

i'd rather have an A -graded used headlight than an aftermarket one, which is where a lot of insurance companies go.

lesser insurance company's use worse graded parts.

id have no problem having an A-level used headlight in a car versus a whatever aftermarket headlight.



of course, id rather have new OEM, but that doesn't always happen.
 
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Fine fine... always talking sense into me. The time this bit me the most, was when a huge chunk of ice fell off a building and landed on the back of my Burban, blowing out the back glass and destroying the gate. Insurance put a used gate on it and had to doctor it to get it to fit. Never sealed right after that. Oh well, whatevs.
 
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Regardless, the insurance on our Fusion Hybrid titanium was also sky high for a little while. Told my insurance guy to fix it or I would have to leave. Even after that, its still really high ~$116/mo.

Maybe my rates are jacked cuz we have a BOATLOAD of young drivers on our insurance. Dunno. Looking forward to dropping them all soon! :rofl:
 
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Yaj Yak

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Regardless, the insurance on our Fusion Hybrid titanium was also sky high for a little while. Told my insurance guy to fix it or I would have to leave. Even after that, its still really high ~$116/mo.

Maybe my rates are jacked cuz we have a BOATLOAD of young drivers on our insurance. Dunno. Looking forward to dropping them all soon! :rofl:


okay so let's chat bout this. i really don't know but i know from my firemen buddy's they have special classes in dealing with accidents that have hybrids/electric vehicles and how to cut them open/extract people/etc.

with something like the hybrid- could costs be higher because of the hybrid systems and potential risks to the occupants?

vehicles are a drop in the bucket to repair compared to humans, and humans is where the real cost comes from.

and that's typically why a suburban is more to insure than a comparble silverado- because you can have more people in it and potentially more people to fix if soemthing goes wrong.
 
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Which makes zero sense. It shares nearly all the same parts as the model 3. Why so high? Where is the data to support such a high insurance rate? Accidents? Wreck less customer base?

There isn’t any, they simply threw a number at a wall because no one knows what to do with these cars.

I can say that with confidence because having a lot of EV knowledge has actually got me a good promotion at work. Simply for the fact most people know Jack shit about them and a lot of meetings have been “well we are new at this let’s give _______ a try”

I can’t tell you how many meetings I’ve been in where I’m just shaking my head.

That seems to be the motto for a lot of companies new at this. “We will try this or put this car here and see where the chips fall”

the model Y has a one-piece cast rear frame. I’m betting there is a greater likelihood of a total loss with smaller collisions than a model 3.
they built it to have detachable parts that can be replaced but I’m betting that fast frame is the reason
 

Yaj Yak

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interesting.

of course apples to tomatoes and oranges here without knowing what kind of coverage but my truck was 100/month with 0$ comp and 250$ coll deducitbles and 500k in liability coverage iirc.

i just asked how different like a 2014 or 2015 model S would be compared to it. will report back.


i asked for a quote for this tesla, same coverage as my truck that was $100 a month.

got back $157 a month:


1617372015024.png









FWIW a 2016 bmw 740i i was curious on, with under 40k miles, was going to be $132/month
 
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