Gen 1 or Gen 2?

I wouldn't buy a Gen 1.

http://priuschat.com/forums/newbie-forum/100759-buying-first-prius.html#post1427516 should help.

 

Unless you see a Gen 1 with a fresh ReInvolt or other warranted hybrid battery, stick with Gen II. A Gen 1 with low miles is not a great deal at all. Test drive all cars and pick the one that feels right. Let your intuition be your guide.

 

I have a Gen I and a Gen II and frankly I love them both and I see very few advantages in either (I should add I have had no HV battery problems either). It is true that any Gen I that has not had the HV battery replaced is on borrowed time (as far as the battery) but beyond that, they seem to drive about the same and get about the same gas mileage. Here's the way I see it

Gen I
Pros:
Cheaper
Gas Mileage at or near Gen II
Used parts readily available at junkyards and Ebay
Low mileage (<100k) cars available in your range
Operates and looks more like a regular car (ie: shifter, key start, trunk etc)
Easy to work on and modify
You tend to care less if something bad happens to it (ie: fender bender) (My favorite pro)

Cons:
Older technology (ie: cassette deck (Wth), no cruise on some models)
HV Battery corrosion issues reported by some causing failure
More maintenance required (ie: struts, bearings, rotors etc)
Less interior room
Cheap looking 14" rims

Gen II
Pros:
Newer Technology
HV Battery upgrades (fixed corrosion issues on Gen I)
Slightly better aerodynamics = slightly better mpg
Better engine temp mngmt = slightly better mpg
more comfortable and roomy
It is the iconic Prius and there is tons of support out there for it
Easy to work on
Upgraded 15" rims

Cons:
$8500 price range will be high mileage

That's my take (notice no recommendation given). I see very little difference in the drivetrain and both cars drive virtually the same. I love my Gen I and my Gen II. I looked for a good Gen II in the <$10K range for a long time but never found one I thought was in good enough shape. I ended up buying an '06 with just under 100,000 on it for $10,008. That was about 6 months of searching for a good deal. The prices do seem to be coming down on Gen II's but, the mileage is up. I don't really know how significant a factor high mileage is on a Gen II but I see a lot out there with 200,000++++ miles.

 

I know you don't want a car payment...

But if your "used" to putting $4-5K into the car to keep it on the road over two years, and you have $8.5K on hand, and if you can negotiate well on a Gen3 Prius II (lowest end available), you may be looking at about the same "costs"

Depending on interest rate, you could finance the remaining $13-16K over 6 years for about the same out of pocket as you currently spend.

$5K/24 = $208/month

$13K at 5% interest for 6 years, is a payment of $210/month.

Your chance of major out of pocket expenses on the Gen3 for 6 years is quite low.

- Harry

 

This one
Cars for Sale: 2003 Toyota Prius in Scottsburg, IN 47170: Sedan Details - 314433626 - AutoTrader.com

 

The above con can also apply to Gen 2. 04 and 05 models actually can come with a tape deck. I believe it was ditched w/the 06 model year as I have package NL (has every option except for leather; factory leather was new for 06) and I don't have a tape deck. Thus, I believe http://priuschat.com/forums/knowled...andard-optional-equipment-some-countries.html is wrong when it refers to Cassette on any 06-09 models.

As for some models w/o cruise, it looks like you could get some 2nd gens w/o cruise control (e.g. 08 and 09).

Other pros of Gen 2s is that 06-09 models can come w/an audio input jack and backup camera along w/smart key system (love it).

2010+ Prius Model One formerly known as I (fleet only) also lacks cruise control per Prius I Only Going To Fleets, II-V Getting $400 Price Increase - Insight No Longer A Threat? | PriusChat.

Seilerts is one of our repair experts here, BTW.

 

That's too expensive

 

With all due respect to the Gen 1 Prius, it was Gen 2 that became the Icon. The hatchback, the utility, and I think a significant step forward in design and technology. I think I'd always go Gen 2...

 

I agree. See http://priuschat.com/forums/generation-1-prius-discussion/96400-help-2001-prius-advice-needed-2.html (Patrick Wong is one of our repair experts) and the links I pointed to at http://priuschat.com/forums/newbie-...2003-prius-seeking-some-tips.html#post1292679. (I chose to ignore tpfun, the troll.)

 

If you pay someone to work on your car, a Gen2 with high mileage will cost less in the future to keep operating than a Gen1 with low mileage, unless you know for sure the Gen1 HV battery and tranny have been replaced....ask anyone who works on Priuses all day, the Gen2 battery and tranny are much improved over Gen1.

Based on what I've seen over the last 4 years, you are better off buying a 100k-150k miles gen2 than an 80k gen1. I've seen 04-05 Gen2 Priuses sell for $8-$10k, so you might find one in near your budget.

If you like to "tinker", a Gen1 could be a great deal, especially if you get it cheap with broken battery and/or tranny and repair yourself.

 

Haha, both of my 2004 Prius and 1998 Lexus LS400 STARTED at around 110K miles. I had to put some maintenance on Lexus for alternator, timing belt stuff, but nothing on Prius, during the 50K and 70K miles I drove.

 

I bought a 2001 Prius with 85k on the ticker. Transaxle was replaced 10k miles ago. I'll be taking good care of it (dropping the pan, cleaning the magnet, etc) so it can go another 85k. Folks have Gen1s with over 200k miles on them, so I'll see what this one can do.

Being a BSEE student, the traction battery is no problem for me to work on, and also I'm very handy with petrol engines, so in the end, I'm prepared to own it for quite a while!

 

If your neck of the woods is the rust belt, try and buy a used Prius from a state where they don't salt the roads...rust is the only thing that causes premature wear on Prius (mainly things under car like brake parts, exhaust systems, axle level sensor on HID cars)....otherwise they can run forever. Well worth flying one way south or west to buy a Prius, then drive it home.

 

Use your skills to make some money on Prius, not just save money by owning it. I am sure there will be more and more demand on Gen II services, HV battery, maintenance or even modification. I can't find someone in Chicago area with such skills and can save me money on my Gen II.

 

I got a gen1 with 135K that needs some small body work (rear bumper) for 3K. It drives excellent and I got such a good deal that I don't mind replacing the traction battery when the time comes.

If I got a similar deal on a gen2, I would have taken that as I prefer the hatch form factor but I'm pretty happy with the deal I got. I went from a Tacoma that was getting 18 mpg at best to 46.1 mpg which is really noticeable these days...

 

140,000 miles on a Prius is not the same as 140,000 on a regular car. Unless all of your driving is highway miles the Prius engine has not run all the time at highway speeds. Regenerative braking prevents the wear on the brakes that you experience from a regular car. My 2001 went more than 200,000 miles before brake pads needed replacement. With 220,000 miles the only major expense that I have had was a hybrid battery (< $2,000) replacement at 197,000 miles in January 2009.