It doesn’t happen often, but this is one of those times… Demand for Prius and Civics with carpool stickers has leveled off from the frenetic pace of May-June. Meanwhile, we have been acquiring cars and our inventory has grown, AND we have a chance to pick up another batch of 7 cars next week. It all adds up to the perfect ingredients for a special sale through the end of July, Thursday, July 31st.. We marked down all of our cars by at least $500 for this event, and are prepared to accept your best offer to make deals happen this week. So if you’ve been thinking about getting a carpool hybrid to save gas and time, don’t miss this event!

As always, to see our current list of cars for sale, click on the Inventory tab.

Be sure to call Gene at (510) 864-1792 to answer any questions or set up an appointment.

As of this moment, we have seven Prius with HOV decals on our lot and available to purchase. We are expecting another batch of three next week. This is the largest supply of Prius with HOV stickers that we’ve had in months. That means a bigger selection and softer prices for you, if you act fast.   As always, to see our current list of cars for sale, click on the Inventory tab.

After the frenzy of May and June, things seem to have slowed somewhat in early July. Whether it is the recent holiday, or the summer vacation season, or the fact that gas prices may have peaked, we are seeing more orderly demand for Prius. Or it could be that rising prices have finally reached a level where demand has descreased to match supply. Whatever the reason, we now have over 10 carpool hybrids in stock, with a good selection of options and colors. As always, to see our current list of cars for sale, click on the Inventory tab.

A few words about mileage… Most people look for cars with “low miles”. But when shopping for a carpool hybrid, there are a few facts to keep in mind so that you don’t wind up looking for the wrong car, or paying too much.

First, the Prius because of its high gas mileage, is generally purchased by people who drive a lot. This is not a car that owners keep in their garage and only drive on Sundays. And the Prius with a carpool sticker is especially likely to have been owned by someone with a long commute who drove it a lot. Kelly Blue Book estimates that the average annual mileage of a Prius is around 25K miles per year, much higher than most other cars. So it is typical to see a 2006 Prius with 50K -60K miles, for example.

Second, the Prius, in addition to being one of the most efficient cars on the road, is also one of the most reliable. When properly maintained, they can be expected to go 100K-150K before a major repair.

Finally, keep in mind that the HOV carpool stickers expire in January, 2011. In addition, it is likely that Toyota will have introduced the next generation Prius by then. So don’t think of this as a car you will purchase with very low miles and then drive forever. Instead, it is wise to think of a purchase of a carpool hybrid today as a 2-3 year vehicle, because you will likely want to replace it by then.

Of course, you can search until you find that rare Prius with carpool stickers and less than 30K miles. But you will end up paying a large premium for it… or wasting a lot of time searching for it, when you could have already been saving time and money. In short, the best way to get the most car for your money is to purchase one with typical to higher miles, such that your anticipated driving will allow you to have 150K miles or less by 2011.