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IntelliChoice Value Rating
The chart above shows the purchase price versus ownership cost for each car from a specific vehicle class. The cars with better than average ownership cost/purchase price correlations are the best values, and these best value cars are represented by the dots below the curve. (i.e. the cars that have a lower ownership cost compared to its purchase price.) Those cars, which are worse than average or poor values, appear above the curve.
One way to view the graph is to draw a vertical line through any purchase price. You may see several dots that fall on this line - each of which is a car with a similar purchase price. However, notice the difference in ownership costs of each car represented by the vertical position of the dot. Two cars with the same purchase price can have thousands of dollars difference in ownership costs. This is what separates "good value" cars from "poor value" cars.
What is a good car value?
A "good car value" is one whose cost to own and operate is less than expected. The lower the cost to own and operate a car compared to what is expected, the better the value of that car.
But how do we know a car's "expected cost"?
For each car in the class, IntelliChoice plots the car's purchase price against the total five-year cost to own and operate it as determined by IntelliChoice research. Each dot on the above chart represents a specific car. Generally, we find that as the purchase price of the car increases, the cost to own and operate that car increases. This is why the dots on the graph tend to rise upward and to the right. This phenomenon also makes intuitive sense - as the purchase price rises, financing costs tend to rise, as do insurance, depreciation, taxes, and most other car ownership costs.
This is an important concept. It's normal for car ownership costs to rise as purchase price rises. Therefore, we can't just establish one "average" ownership cost number for each class, since cars in the class have different purchase prices. (This is why the "Relative" shown on each chart is different for cars in the same car class.)
Using statistical techniques, IntelliChoice "connects the dots" to form a curve that defines, for this car class, the relationship between the car's purchase price and car's ownership costs. This curve is our "expected cost" curve. The curve defines, for any car in the class, the five-year ownership cost that we would expect to see at each possible purchase price. If every car in the class were an average value, then all the dots would fall exactly on the curve. However, it's rare that any dot is exactly on the curve. Some dots are a little higher or lower, and some are a lot higher or lower. The dots that are a little lower are better than average car values, while the dots that are a lot lower are excellent car values (A dot that is a lot lower than the curve has ownership costs much lower than expected for a car of its purchase price). Conversely, a dot a little higher than the curve is a poorer than average car value, while a dot that is much higher than the curve is a poor car value.
Value is a relative term, not an absolute term. It is performing better than the logical expectation.
So is a Mercedes-Benz E320 expensive to own and operate? Certainly in an absolute sense. Most other cars cost less. But, when its cost to own and operate is plotted against cars with comparable invoice prices, the E320 costs less. So the E320 is not expensive to own and operate - it is a good car value. The Mercedes does not have low ownership costs, but it has low ownership costs for its invoice price.
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2008 Toyota Highlander Packages & Options
2008 Toyota Highlander Packages
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C7
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Convenience Accessory Package (PIO)
- $403
Sport exhaust pipe; Front and rear mud flaps; Removable roof rails; Excludes: [2R] All Weather Floor/Cargo Mat Set/3rd Row Mat (PIO) And [3Z] First Aid Kit (PIO) And [CT] Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set/3rd Row Mat (PIO) And [GN] Cargo Net (PIO) And [Z2] Preferred Interior Package (PIO) And [MF] Mud Guards And [E5] Exhaust Tip by Valor (PIO)
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NV
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Navigation & JBL Premium Audio
- $2,505
Navigational systems : information type: full map and voice and touch screen controls DVD; Nine upgraded speaker(s) JBL; JBL RDS audio system with Disc Autochanger and four-disc remote changer; Disc autochanger dashboard, 4 and CD; Hands-free cellular phone Bluetooth; Wireless connection Bluetooth; Excludes: [EJ] JBL AM/FM/6CD w/9 speakers and Bluetooth
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Z2
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Preferred Interior Package (PIO)
- $353
Includes: [CF] Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set (5 or 6-piece) (PIO) And [GN] Cargo Net (PIO) And [3Z] First Aid Kit (PIO); Excludes: [2Q] All Weather Floor And Cargo Mats (5pc) (PIO)
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2008 Toyota Highlander Options
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28
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Shift Knob - Chrome Finish (PIO)
- $75
Luxury trim chrome on gearknob
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2GRFE
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3.5 liter V6 DOHC Engine
- $0
3,456 cc 3.5 liters engine 2GR-FE
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2Q
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All Weather Floor And Cargo Mats (5pc) (PIO)
- $185
Plastic/rubber floor mats; Cargo mat; Excludes: [CF] Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set (5 or 6-piece) (PIO) And [CT] Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set/3rd Row Mat (PIO) And [2R] All Weather Floor/Cargo Mat Set/3rd Row Mat (PIO)
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2R
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All Weather Floor/Cargo Mat Set/3rd Row Mat (PIO)
- $230
Plastic/rubber floor mats; Cargo mat; Excludes: [CF] Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set (5 or 6-piece) (PIO) And [CT] Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set/3rd Row Mat (PIO) And [2Q] All Weather Floor And Cargo Mats (5pc) (PIO)
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3T
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Cross Bars (PIO)
- $229
Removable roof rails
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3Z
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First Aid Kit (PIO)
- $29
First aid kit
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7R
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Emergency Assistance Kit (PIO)
- $70
Emergency assistance kit
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BM
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Body Side Molding (PIO)
- $199
Body side molding
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CF
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Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set (5 or 6-piece) (PIO)
- $230
Carpet floor mats; Cargo mat; Excludes: [CT] Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set/3rd Row Mat (PIO) And [2Q] All Weather Floor And Cargo Mats (5pc) (PIO) And [2R] All Weather Floor/Cargo Mat Set/3rd Row Mat (PIO)
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CT
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Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set/3rd Row Mat (PIO)
- $275
Carpet floor mats; Cargo mat; 3rd row mat; Excludes: [CF] Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set (5 or 6-piece) (PIO) And [2Q] All Weather Floor And Cargo Mats (5pc) (PIO) And [2R] All Weather Floor/Cargo Mat Set/3rd Row Mat (PIO)
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E5
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Exhaust Tip by Valor (PIO)
- $75
Sport exhaust pipe; Excludes: [C7] Convenience Accessory Package (PIO)
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EJ
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JBL AM/FM/6CD w/9 speakers and Bluetooth
- $630
Nine upgraded speaker(s) JBL; JBL RDS audio system with Disc Autochanger and six-disc remote changer; Disc autochanger dashboard, 6 and CD; Hands-free cellular phone Bluetooth; Wireless connection Bluetooth; Excludes: [NV] Navigation & JBL Premium Audio
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EY
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Rear Seat Entertainment
- $1,780
DVD/VCD; Rear separate audio control; Mains power supply; Display screen single rear middle; 2 wireless headphones; Requires: [SR] Sunroof
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FE
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50-State Emissions
- $0
Emission control level California
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GN
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Cargo Net (PIO)
- $49
Load restraint net
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HD
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Heated Seats
- $440
Heated driver and passenger seat
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MF
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Mud Guards
- $99
Front and rear mud flaps; Excludes: [C7] Convenience Accessory Package (PIO)
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P2
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Satellite Radio (Sirius) (PIO)
- $449
Audio system with satellite; Excludes: [P7] Satellite Radio (XM) (PIO)
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P7
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Satellite Radio (XM) (PIO)
- $449
Audio system with satellite; Excludes: [P2] Satellite Radio (Sirius) (PIO)
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PB
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Power Back Door
- $400
Electric trunk/hatch pull down; Remote control remote trunk/hatch release
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PC
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Special Color
- $220
Multi-coat pearl paint
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QR
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Auto Rear HVAC
- $585
Rear air conditioner; Engine coolant system rear heater; Air conditioning with climate control 3
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RB
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Running Boards (PIO)
- $649
Side platform step
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RF
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Rear Spoiler
- $200
Body color roof spoiler
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SR
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Sunroof
- $850
Glass electric tilting sliding front sunroof with sunshade and one-touch opening
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TO
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Tow Package
- $220
Heavy duty engine cooling system; Auxiliary transmission cooler; Trailer towing preparation; Weights: gross vehicle weight rating (lbs) 5,000; Heavy duty alternator; Pre-wire harness
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U151E
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5-Speed Automatic Transmission
- $0
Automatic five-speed transmission U151E
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V2
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Glass Breakage Sensor (PIO)
- $247
Glass breakage sensor
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V4
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Remote Engine Start (PIO)
- $529
Remote engine starter
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WH
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Wireless Headphones (Pair) (PIO)
- $82
Wireless headphones; Requires: [EY] Rear Seat Entertainment
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WL
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Wheel Locks/Alloy (PIO)
- $81
Front and rear wheels locking wheel nuts
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Z1
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Preferred Accessory Package (PIO)
- $308
Includes: [3Z] First Aid Kit (PIO) And [CF] Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set (5 or 6-piece) (PIO) And [GN] Cargo Net (PIO); Excludes: [2Q] All Weather Floor And Cargo Mats (5pc) (PIO)
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02 Toyota Highlander
My husband and I are considering buying an 02 Highlander. We want the flexibility of the storage capacity, as well as...
09/09/2007 | 02:09 AM | picots
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