Prius Fever is the new phenomenon sweeping the country–with Toyota’s green model in short supply and gas at $4 a gallon, car dealers are prepared to offer ridiculous terms for a used Prius. Local transportation activist Bob Richardson and his partner bought a new Prius in 2006, when gas was $2.60 a gallon. Thirty months later he is convinced he made the right choice, having just been offered a 1998 Volvo S-70 GLT sedan in mint condition with the works, in a car-for-car exchange. 
The first showroom Richardson walked into, a dealer offered $22,000 for the car. But the offers kept getting better and better, he says. Then, the Prius Fever hit Richardson. “It was time to sign on the dotted line, but I got a knot in my stomach. I couldn’t do the deal,” he says. “I had become emotionally dependent on the car, more so than I could have imagined.” So he’s keeping the Prius. What would you do?
Matt Davis was news editor of the Mercury from 2009 to May 2010. More by Matt Davis
Sell the Prius, buy a bike.
And a yacht.
Already have a bike, don’t need a yacht — wouldn’t fit in the driveway. 🙂
Buy a pedicab and hire a part time personal driver.
I just wanted to add one detail that is missing from the post… the offer was for the Prius, minus what we still owe on our original loan, with a swap for the Volvo. If you look at book values, etc., it was a fair and rational offer (although it took a lot of negotiation to get there.)
Buy me a yacht.
Problem solved. Next?
Keep the Prius and enjoy the high road. You deserve it for seeing as far as 2 years into the future!
Sell the Prius – Ride your bike – Buy solar panels.