pls advise on buying used Prius

alief · 04-04-2007, 12:37 AM

OK, Prius Gurus, input please...(I'm not sure I'm posting this in the best spot so please forgive if not)
I've been lurking on your site for some time now, yearning for a Prius. I've saved up my meager pennies and am going to start my active search. I need some advice on geography and package options.

GEOGRAPHY
The reason I'm asking about geography is COST. Are there parts of the country where used Prius tend to go for less? I'm thinking SoCal with HOV sticker would obviously cost more and not benefit me at all. As I search Craigslist, CarMax, Ebay, etc, I thought I might hone in on areas where they tend to resell for less. I'm in Phoenix but think it might be a fun roadtrip to pick it up somewhere else (say Floriday while visiting the grandparents or Texas) and drive my new baby back here.

PACKAGE
I don't really get excited about the bells and whistles - except for safety features. I want every airbag known to man to pop out in the event of an accident - think being in the center of a giant marshmellow. Is the Vehicle Stabilily Control a must have?
I tried to make a little chart (I'm a nerd) of the option packages on the '05s & '06s but don't know what's what on '04s. Do all packages have electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock brakes (ABS), head-protecting curtain air bags, side air bags?

For the humorous part of today's post, I should tell you that my ballpark price for a 2004 (or newer of course) is....are you ready...around $15-$17k. Thanks in advance for any input you can give me.

willha418 · 04-04-2007, 12:44 AM

I'll sell you my 2004 Prius with every airbag for $17,000. Pm me if you are interested. Car is a clean title with no accidents. I just had the service done as well. If you lived in California, you could take advantage of the carpool stickers that come with the vehicle

Pm me if you are interested.

Thanks

mywhitenoise · 04-04-2007, 01:07 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Homer_Simpson @ Apr 4 2007, 12:44 AM) [snapback]417456[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I'll sell you my 2004 Prius with every airbag for $17,000. Pm me if you are interested. Car is a clean title with no accidents. I just had the service done as well. If you lived in California, you could take advantage of the carpool stickers that come with the vehicle

Pm me if you are interested.

Thanks
[/b]

Dude, I wish I knew that a few weeks ago. What color, and how's the mileage?

I bought a used 2005 with 63,500 miles in Roseville, CA for $17,500.

willha418 · 04-04-2007, 01:12 AM

57k miles. Car is well maintained. I basically have every single record for the car. Car has the xenon lights/fog lights/smart key/tint/sharkfin antenna. Beautiful condition! Silver on Grey interior with the burgundyish/black dash.

CMonster · 04-04-2007, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Is the Vehicle Stabilily Control a must have?
I tried to make a little chart (I'm a nerd) of the option packages on the '05s & '06s but don't know what's what on '04s. Do all packages have electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock brakes (ABS), head-protecting curtain air bags, side air bags?
[/b]

The Highway Safety Administration thinks VSC is a must have. At least starting in 2012. Might as well get it now if you can.

ABS and traction control were stanadard on the 04, but VSC was an option. Same with newer models. Side airbags are standard in the 07, but optional in earlier models.

mcbrunnhilde · 04-04-2007, 12:55 PM

I believe there were only two packages in 2004 that had VSC--#7/AM and #9/fully loaded (don't know the code). It is absolutely a must-have safety feature, and I would never get a car without it. (I also count Smart Key as a must-have feature, just 'cause I adore not having to get keys out of my purse!!!!!)

luckyboy · 04-04-2007, 01:55 PM

You can get a new 2007 base Prius with no package for about $20,500. It has all the side airbags, package #2 with VSC would be about $1,000 more. Personally with the used market still fairly inflated, I rather go new than save a few grand gettting a car with lots of miles.

Highly ImPriused · 04-04-2007, 02:50 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mcbrunnhilde @ Apr 4 2007, 01:55 PM) [snapback]417703[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I believe there were only two packages in 2004 that had VSC--#7/AM and #9/fully loaded (don't know the code). It is absolutely a must-have safety feature, and I would never get a car without it. (I also count Smart Key as a must-have feature, just 'cause I adore not having to get keys out of my purse!!!!!)
[/b]

This is a curious comment. How long did you drive cars that didn't have VSC? Sure, it could save your life but the chances of that coming into play are very very small. I don't doubt that it's a reasonable safetly feature, but to call VSC "absolutely must-have" when 99.9% of the car-driving public did just fine without it for 100+ years seems a little over the top to me.

Betelgeuse · 04-04-2007, 03:16 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Highly ImPriused @ Apr 4 2007, 03:50 PM) [snapback]417770[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

This is a curious comment. How long did you drive cars that didn't have VSC? Sure, it could save your life but the chances of that coming into play are very very small. I don't doubt that it's a reasonable safetly feature, but to call VSC "absolutely must-have" when 99.9% of the car-driving public did just fine without it for 100+ years seems a little over the top to me.
[/b]

So, you'd buy a car without airbags?

Highly ImPriused · 04-04-2007, 03:23 PM

I agree that airbags are a great safety feature and come closer to must-have than VSC. The thing is, airbags will protect you from all kinds of accidents even when another driver is a fault. VSC is primarily going to protect you when you've done something wrong. Anyway to each thier own, but I think the hype about VSC is a little overboard. Nice feature, but not the second coming of seatbelts, airbags, or even ABS in my estimation. And yes I've seen the demonstrations.

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04-04-2007, 12:37 AM	#1
alief Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 7 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	OK, Prius Gurus, input please...(I'm not sure I'm posting this in the best spot so please forgive if not) I've been lurking on your site for some time now, yearning for a Prius. I've saved up my meager pennies and am going to start my active search. I need some advice on geography and package options. GEOGRAPHY The reason I'm asking about geography is COST. Are there parts of the country where used Prius tend to go for less? I'm thinking SoCal with HOV sticker would obviously cost more and not benefit me at all. As I search Craigslist, CarMax, Ebay, etc, I thought I might hone in on areas where they tend to resell for less. I'm in Phoenix but think it might be a fun roadtrip to pick it up somewhere else (say Floriday while visiting the grandparents or Texas) and drive my new baby back here. PACKAGE I don't really get excited about the bells and whistles - except for safety features. I want every airbag known to man to pop out in the event of an accident - think being in the center of a giant marshmellow. Is the Vehicle Stabilily Control a must have? I tried to make a little chart (I'm a nerd) of the option packages on the '05s & '06s but don't know what's what on '04s. Do all packages have electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock brakes (ABS), head-protecting curtain air bags, side air bags? For the humorous part of today's post, I should tell you that my ballpark price for a 2004 (or newer of course) is....are you ready...around $15-$17k. Thanks in advance for any input you can give me.

04-04-2007, 12:44 AM	#2
willha418 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fountain Valley and Downtown L.A. Posts: 64 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I'll sell you my 2004 Prius with every airbag for $17,000. Pm me if you are interested. Car is a clean title with no accidents. I just had the service done as well. If you lived in California, you could take advantage of the carpool stickers that come with the vehicle Pm me if you are interested. Thanks

04-04-2007, 01:12 AM	#4
willha418 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fountain Valley and Downtown L.A. Posts: 64 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	57k miles. Car is well maintained. I basically have every single record for the car. Car has the xenon lights/fog lights/smart key/tint/sharkfin antenna. Beautiful condition! Silver on Grey interior with the burgundyish/black dash.

04-04-2007, 12:55 PM	#6
mcbrunnhilde Opera singin' Prius nut! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 596 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I believe there were only two packages in 2004 that had VSC--#7/AM and #9/fully loaded (don't know the code). It is absolutely a must-have safety feature, and I would never get a car without it. (I also count Smart Key as a must-have feature, just 'cause I adore not having to get keys out of my purse!!!!!)

04-04-2007, 01:55 PM	#7
luckyboy Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 72 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	You can get a new 2007 base Prius with no package for about $20,500. It has all the side airbags, package #2 with VSC would be about $1,000 more. Personally with the used market still fairly inflated, I rather go new than save a few grand gettting a car with lots of miles.

04-04-2007, 03:23 PM	#10
Highly ImPriused Impressive Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Western NY Posts: 233 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #1 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I agree that airbags are a great safety feature and come closer to must-have than VSC. The thing is, airbags will protect you from all kinds of accidents even when another driver is a fault. VSC is primarily going to protect you when you've done something wrong. Anyway to each thier own, but I think the hype about VSC is a little overboard. Nice feature, but not the second coming of seatbelts, airbags, or even ABS in my estimation. And yes I've seen the demonstrations.