Advice Searching for Used Car

[NewBuyer]

Hi all.

I would love to buy a Toyota Prius, but I'm not sure I will be able to do so or that I should.

So I'd appreciate feedback from those knowledgeable about Priuses and other cars I'm considering alternatively.

I am a grad student on a very small monthly fixed budget looking for a stable, reliable, low repair rates and costs, holds its value well, good gas mileage/good for the environment USED car to finance. I'd also consider it a significant plus to be able to drive in the HOV lane, particularly on the clogged I-17. I expect to drive it gently, defensivey with lower than average yearly miles.

I am mainly considering cars rated as used car good values, high reliability, low repair needs, etc from Consumer Reports. I need a fairly low monthly payment and cannot deal with large repair/maintenance/replacement costs on my small fixed budget (for at least the next 3 yrs). (I also want to minimize my risk of being swindled by a repair shop/dealership for nonwarrantied costs, as I am not that knowledgeable about cars!)

Therefore, I am considering only Japanese cars, 2001(more expensive cars)-2005(least expensive cars), primarily the following:

Toyota Prius
Honda Civic
Honda Accord
Toyota Corrolla
Toyota Camry
Mazda 3
Nissan Altima
possibly other Toyotas/Hondas

I would most love to own a Prius, and am considering having to spend more time looking for a decent car and deal among the used ones. But I am worried about and unknowledgeable about the following in a Prius:

*battery life & replacement costs, post warranty

*over 50, 000 miles: what life the car has/what repairs costs might arise; how high is not worth it/problematic in buying a used Prius

*higher insurance costs?

*higher replacement/repair costs/repair-tuneup labor costs?

*other hidden costs

*theft potential? high or low? vandalism?

*power of the vehicle: passing other vehicles, hills/mountains, snow/ice, contents in the vehicle

*differences between older and newer Priuses (ditto for Civics)

*anything else I just don't know about in having never owned/driven a hybrid car

*I read here the HOV plates will be gone in 2 weeks? And will the government discontinue this program anyway?

It seems like my choices end up being buying one of the oldest Priuses w/more miles vs. newer model regular Civic w/fewer miles, for similar prices.

Recommendations? Prius or other cars mentioned?

Thanks -- I really need the help! :-)

[NewBuyer]

Hi all.

I would love to buy a Toyota Prius, but I'm not sure I will be able to do so or that I should.

So I'd appreciate feedback from those knowledgeable about Priuses and other cars I'm considering alternatively.

I am a grad student on a very small monthly fixed budget looking for a stable, reliable, low repair rates and costs, holds its value well, good gas mileage/good for the environment USED car to finance. I'd also consider it a significant plus to be able to drive in the HOV lane, particularly on the clogged I-17. I expect to drive it gently, defensivey with lower than average yearly miles.

I am mainly considering cars rated as used car good values, high reliability, low repair needs, etc from Consumer Reports. I need a fairly low monthly payment and cannot deal with large repair/maintenance/replacement costs on my small fixed budget (for at least the next 3 yrs). (I also want to minimize my risk of being swindled by a repair shop/dealership for nonwarrantied costs, as I am not that knowledgeable about cars!)

Therefore, I am considering only Japanese cars, 2001(more expensive cars)-2005(least expensive cars), primarily the following:

Toyota Prius
Honda Civic
Honda Accord
Toyota Corrolla
Toyota Camry
Mazda 3
Nissan Altima
possibly other Toyotas/Hondas

I would most love to own a Prius, and am considering having to spend more time looking for a decent car and deal among the used ones. But I am worried about and unknowledgeable about the following in a Prius:

*battery life & replacement costs, post warranty

*over 50, 000 miles: what life the car has/what repairs costs might arise; how high is not worth it/problematic in buying a used Prius

*higher insurance costs?

*higher replacement/repair costs/repair-tuneup labor costs?

*other hidden costs

*theft potential? high or low? vandalism?

*power of the vehicle: passing other vehicles, hills/mountains, snow/ice, contents in the vehicle

*differences between older and newer Priuses (ditto for Civics)

*anything else I just don't know about in having never owned/driven a hybrid car

*I read here the HOV plates will be gone in 2 weeks? And will the government discontinue this program anyway?

It seems like my choices end up being buying one of the oldest Priuses w/more miles vs. newer model regular Civic w/fewer miles, for similar prices.

Recommendations? Prius or other cars mentioned?

Thanks -- I really need the help! :-)

[Tideland Prius]

[quote=NewBuyer;557786]
*battery life & replacement costs, post warranty[quote]
The hybrid warranty lasts for 8 years or 100,000 miles so you're covered in that area. The hybrid bit covers the battery, inverter and electric motors.

*over 50, 000 miles: what life the car has/what repairs costs might arise; how high is not worth it/problematic in buying a used Prius

I'll tell you in a bit. I'm at 75,000kms. So far, I haven't had any major problems. Most are just minor annoyances

*higher insurance costs?

compared to what? A Camry? an Accord? I'd think it's about the same size they're classified as midsize cars

*higher replacement/repair costs/repair-tuneup labor costs?

Possibly yes because the panels are aluminium or ultra high-tensile steel, both of which are more expensive to repair than high tensile steel. Our Camry was totalled even though the car wasn't heavily damaged (airbag didn't even go off). I suspect the huge aluminium hood and front passenger door had something to do with it.

No tune-up costs since the engine isn't run as often as a regular car.

*other hidden costs

Well tyres are cheaper because they 185/65R15 tyres. The inverter and PSD fluid apparently need replacing around 60,000 miles. I'm not there yet so I'll let someone else answer it. Those two will cost a bit. Regular maintenance costs are the same as any other Toyota

*theft potential? high or low? vandalism?

Low. There isn't a huge black market for Prius parts.

Vandalism? depends if your neighbourhood is anti-Japanese or anti-hybrid. My city is ok although I had a young punk scratch my car while I was sitting inside!

*power of the vehicle: passing other vehicles, hills/mountains, snow/ice, contents in the vehicle

Similar to a Corolla but passing power is gonna be quicker because there is no need to downshift and power is delivered instantly. Hills/mountains aren't a problem. Just note that you'll be using most of its power (compared to say a V6 or V8 powered car which will only use a small percent of its available power going up a mountain).

Snow/ice isn't a concern although I would trade the factory tyres out for something grippier.

*differences between older and newer Priuses (ditto for Civics)

2001-2003 Prius models were sedans. They were the size of a Corolla (both inside and out). They're slightly less powerful and have a slightly smaller trunk but they have an extremely tight turning radius. They run on 14" XL tyres (so keep that in mind when replacing tyres). Mileage isn't too bad either. They have the usual equipment - power win/locks/mirrors, cruise, automatic climate control, lightweight alloys, keyless entry, Cass/CD (depending on year), traction control, ABS and side airbags (depending on year). The A/C will cut off when the engine shuts off (unless you have MAX A/C in which case, the engine will continue to idle). There is no folding seats in the US version.

04+ models are the hatchback ones that you see. They're considerably larger inside (although it's still 3" shorter than the Gen 9 Corolla). They have more toys (nav, bluetooth, backup camera, SKS etc) and more safety equipment (VSC, Brake Assist, side curtain airbags, HIDs). Also the A/C is now electrically operated so you can get cold air with the engine off.

Civic:
03-05 Civics have a rather anemic hybrid system. They have similar equipment to the 01-03 Prius. Not to familiar with the US versions for these years

06+ models have a larger, more comfortable interior. It still doesn't have folding seats so the Prius is the one if you need to carry larger items. They're fairly efficient and almost match the Prius in fuel economy. The hybrid warranty is a bit shorter at 8 years or 130,000km (80,000 miles?). It's much improved over the first gen HCH and is quite a bit sportier to drive than the Prius. Like the Prius, it qualifies for the HOV stickers too. It has fewer toys than the Prius and no VSA. But as a hybrid, it's well executed esp. for those that want to remain anonymous.

*anything else I just don't know about in having never owned/driven a hybrid car

They're not too different from regular cars. If you've never driven a car with a CVT, that might need some getting used to. They are no gears so power delivery is smooth and instant. Just punch it and they'll go. Both the Prius and HCH-II have cool dashboards that don't look like anything else but they work effectively by bringing the important stuff closer to your line of sight. Also, depending how old you are, you may recall cars that stall so if the engine shuts off, don't freak out.

*I read here the HOV plates will be gone in 2 weeks? And will the government discontinue this program anyway?

Don't know. I'll let an American answer that.

It seems like my choices end up being buying one of the oldest Priuses w/more miles vs. newer model regular Civic w/fewer miles, for similar prices.

Recommendations? Prius or other cars mentioned?

Given the choice, I'd get the newer Civic only because it's newer so that delays the possibility of any extra costs associated with an older vehicle (hybrid or not).

Other cars I'd recommend looking at include the Yaris, xA, xB and the new xD. They're inexpensive to purchase, low insurance cost and ridiculously cheap to maintain. I don't know about the US but on the Canadian site, the Yaris has no major costs until 96,000kms (60,000 miles) which is when you change the automatic transmission fluid.

However, if you're on the highway a lot, I'd recommend a Corolla. It's a little larger and uses a bit more fuel than the Yaris but it is quieter and more comfortable. I think you can get base CEs for US$11k new (the 2008 ones) because they're clearing out for the 2009 models (which are much improved but a lot more expensive and should be at dealers already). So shop around and see which dealer can give you the best deal on an 08. Ditto the 08 Matrix if you want a hatchback/wagon instead of a sedan.

I'd avoid the Mazda3 and Altima only because they use more fuel than their Toyota/Honda counterparts (Civic/Corolla and Camry/Accord respectively). I don't know about insurance costs.

Hope that helps!