Looking for a Prius

Perhaps your local market is messed up. With Internet search other cities and fly one way and drive home. You can probably negotiate via email and just show up and drive home. Used car consider a Toyota certified with Platimum extended warranty.

May want to look at a Honda Civic. About the same price as a new C . They start at 17,000

2013 Honda Civic Prices: What Others Paid | U.S. News Best Cars


True car web site may help

 

The last 3 cars I purchased I used the Internet. I got $3,000 off list on a $33,000 car. Just low ball offer them or ask them for best and final

 

This is my opinion. That us a low price and if it is within your budget that it should be ok. However that is a very high mileage.

If your putting 12,000 to 15,000 miles a year the car should last awhile. If your doing 30,000 plus miles a year that may be a problem.

Try and get a new or certified used with Toyota Platinum warranty

 

ou should know that in the 2010-2911 models a Prius 3 can bwe equipped either with or without Navagation and rear view camera (Nav was an option in those years). My 2011 2 is for sale and in your price range with 34000 miles, but the geography doesn't work, I'm in Southern California. I would suggest trying for a private party sale, prices should be lower, but I would imagine finding one with an extended warranty would be a stretch, I would think most of those cars will be kept by the first owners for a long time. Good luck in your search…..

 

Definitely keep your Loan payment very low. Good credit is your best friend.

 

At only 200 miles away, I'd find some way to go and look at the car and drive it. Especially on e-bay where you could get burned. It's risky not to see the car, and would be even better if you could have a good mechanic look it over.

Use caution going forward as you already said your credit is crap. You can't afford to make a major mistake on this.

 

I would inspect the car before any purchase if dealer or private party

The Toyota Certified is under 50,000 miles and a mechanical inspection and 1 year warranty

Toyota Certified Used Vehicles

If you buy from a dealer try and get them to throw in the Toyota a Platinum warranty

 

If you buy new inspection is still required but much less to worry about

 

Is it common for some dealers to agree to throw the platinum warranty in? I'm also considering a CPO Prius, and the first dealer I visited was pretty frustrating when it came to discussing warranty. Every time I'd ask them for details on what the standard CPO warranty covered, they'd respond by trying to tell me about the extended warranty they wanted to sell me. They seemed more interested in selling the warranty than in selling the car, so I'm wondering if it was just that dealer or if this is what I can expect from most dealers when discussing CPO's.

 

There is plenty of markup in warranty. I recall someone writing about it something like pricing varies from $1,200 to $3,500.

 

1.) Where are you?
2.) Would you consider a low mileage second gen?

 

I'm in San Diego. I like the Gen 2's, but really want to make sure I get the standard CPO warranty + a good amount of time on the powertrain/hyrid warranties.

 

When I was car shopping, I found this site to be helpful: Used Cars, New Cars, Reviews, Photos and Opinions - CarGurus as well as autotrader.com

 

I found mine on cars dot (you know. I am not allowed to post it apparently...). I was lucky the dealership was having a $3000 internet discount and was pretty much asking for straight KBB (which ended up knocking a whole year off my financing). Looking at their oil change sticker, it has been on their lot for at least 6 months- hence the drop, especially for end of the year.
December is actually the best time to buy since dealerships want them off their lots so they don't have to pay taxes on them. Depending on your credit/money down, you can probably really haggle them down some more.