Best delivery vehicle for Pizza Man?

Ugh...just like yourself, my mind tells me to recommend the Echo. But my heart wants to tell you the Prius is okay. Because it seems the Prius is really what you want.

But I really just can't.

Over $2000 dollar damage done by a deer hit? Is it a clean title?

I've looked at numerous vehicles on Craigslist and anyone and everyone selling a vehicle with a branded or salvaged title or with undeniable damage in it's history ALWAYS say "The Damage Was Professionally Fixed or Repaired". I have yet to see somebody say " The damage was horrific and the repair work was sloppily completed by a one armed drunken Idiot".

So right off the bat, that makes me very nervous.

Plus are we dealing in the minimum with a Car Fax here? Single previous owners? Them giving the definition of "Pristine Condition" is really worthless once you've given them the money and they have handed you the title. Infact I'd say any vehicle 9 years old and with 139K on it, can't by my standards be in "Pristine Condition". No knock on the vehicle, it's just you don't get to 9 years old with a 139K on the odometer and be in Pristine Condition. You can be in very, very good condition for that age, but you aren't going to be in Pristine Condition. The pictures in the ad, aren't representative of a vehicle that is in Pristine Condition IMO.

Also you say new windshield and new tires. If these owners are the only owners, or have owned the vehicle very long at all then I would say after 9 years there should be a lot more maintenance records available. Do they have them? Can they show you all they have done in almost decade? Because it should be more than just tires and a windshield. If it was "Professionally Repaired" after $2000 plus worth of damage? They should have the records for those repairs, where and who did them, and exactly what was done.

If you're still not frightened off? I'd say if it was me? I'd want to have the vehicle inspected before I purchased. Can you afford this? Can you afford to NOT be able to afford this? Because IMO as a older Hybrid that has been involved in at least $2000 dollars of damage, you need it checked out as thoroughly as possible.

If you can get through all these hoops with it? I'd say...maybe. That's as much as my "heart" can give you on this. Because my mind says you are probably safer going with an unwrecked and cheaper Toyota Echo.

 

If your finances will not allow you to accept the risk of four-digit repair bills then you should listen to your brain. The Prius is highly reliable. However 125K-139K miles is near "end of life". It wouldn't be surprising if the traction battery, transaxle or inverter on such a Prius were to fail tomorrow.

Further, you are taking a big risk by buying a vehicle known to have been in a significant front-end collision. What corners were cut in repairing the car for resale?

 

Someone who uses those seat covers cannot be trusted!!!

 

I was a delivery person (chinese food) for 5 years. I delivered 5 nights a week for 5 hours minimum. On weekends sometimes I would work the full 9am to 11pm. For the last couple years I used the Prius and it was the best thing since sliced bread or in your case pre-cut pizza.

One of my favourites was the 3 door SKS. No key required in the vehicle. I could run up to a house, hop out deliver the food, hop back in and be off without ever looking for a key or turning the vehicle off. With the vehicle still in READY, and key in my pocket, a thief would only get as far as the next power off and then it would be stuck. If you do turn it off every time, jabbing a button on your way out and while about to sit down is much faster than a key turning. This saved me a bunch of time. I actually used my remote start on my Honda Civic before to do the same thing. I would pull up to the house, then remote start the car (with the car still on so it would just keep it on), take out the key, deliver, put the key in and drive away again. But putting the key back in was a PITA in the dark or when you have 10 orders in the car, you only have 35 minutes to deliver all of them, and you know there are another 10 waiting for you the second you get back to the restaurant.

The big benefit related to above is fuel savings. On paper for normal people, you will probably save 10mpg. However, for delivery people, you can almost double that. Keep in mind that when you are waiting for some annoying customer to waddle to the door and your engine is idling, you are burning fuel and getting 0 miles to the gallon. With the Prius, the engine shuts off, and you are using a couple hundred watts of battery power that automatically recharges. So all that idle time is reduced to essentially off time. But you don't have to worry about your starter, your starting battery, or using extra fuel starting it up, idling fuel, any of that. It is just taken care of.

In the Prius I could also fit 6 delivery bags and 4 2-litre pop bottles on the ground in the passenger side footwell all accessible while driving to bend over and read the hand written addresses. In the GenIII (2010 to 2013) that would be a deal breaker because the bridge is so friggin annoying and in the way. GenII (2004-2009) are perfect for delivery. The seats are bucket seats like most modern cars so I generally had to put a wedge there to make it flat for the extra 4-6 bags to sit flush. Otherwise in the back seat they would go. For pizza, if you use those big bags, you shouldn't have a problem and the hatch is so roomy. You can't do that with quarts of soup though.

Another benefit which was specific to my delivery area was the silence. I delivered to an area where probably 80% of the orders were on a military base. So every time you went out to delivery, you had to wait in a checkpoint inspection line get out open everything up and so on. Gas saved idling there too. But then once on base, the parking lot for a set of barracks would be a football field sized piece of land away in some cases. That extra minute there and back is unacceptable when delivering. So people would jump the curb, drive on the grass and rocks to park right next to the building to get a fast delivery. Pretty often the Military Police (MP's) would catch you and you would get a $50 ticket wiping half your nights tips away like that. With the Prius however, I could turn the lights off, turn the MFD off, hit my EV button and then hop the curb and sneak past the on-duty soldier without making a sound. Delivery my bounty, then race the hell out of there.

The Prius or a similar hybrid is the best for delivering from my experience. Add to that long oil change intervals, no stress on the 12v starting battery like a normal delivery car, great fuel economy, long lasting 100K-200K or more brake pads, the good design, the silence, etc and it is a no brainer.

The traction battery LOVES being used as a delivery vehicle. If the battery could, it would be tendered and pampered 24/7. In normal Prii, it is only answered for 30 minutes here and there for work commutes and a little bit for errands. In a delivery vehicle it gets 5+ hours of nonstop pampering from the Toyota battery controllers keeping it in a perfect state of bliss. It doesn't get hot, it doesn't get discharged, it doesn't get overcharged, it can bleed or charge itself whenever it wants, it is a happy camper. So I would not worry about that.

Having said that, any car with over 100K miles is a suspicious car. And 139K of evil usage, might never be recoverable on the systems. Your 100K+ car has at least 1 reported accident in the front. Lots of very important things in that area. The Prius works perfectly as built in Japan. Get Bubba to hobble some stuff together, and it is not the same. I would fork over some more money for a non-salvage vehicle with lower miles. This car will probably outlast your delivering days.

 

Interesting. I have never heard such a low estimate on mileage life. I have a prius with 166k and drive 20k+ yearly. How long will this thing last?!

It does not sound like you buy used cars too often. Deer damages are frequent around here, and most people are experienced in knowing what to look for. However, hybrids are so much different; it's hard to know what could go wrong with a frontal impact. If it was fixed, I would imagine there would be nothing wrong with it.
Also, I would like to point out that we also have a Tundra w/ 288k+ miles on it - and it still runs perfectly. Original trannie and engine. Nothing except routine maintenance.

To the OP: A Prius would be very nice for your delivery job. BUT, is the extra cost actually worth it? You'd need to sit down with pen and paper and punch some numbers out; short term, long term, etc. That's the only way you'll know.

 

I've purchased plenty of used vehicles in my life and IMO it doesn't matter how "frequent" Deer Damages might be in any given area, an impact is an impact and 2000+ dollars of damage repaired is 2000+ dollars worth of damage repaired.

Yes, anything damaged can be repaired and repaired correctly but if you are on a budget? And pushing the outer limits of that budget the buyer can't afford to leave it to "I would IMAGINE there would be nothing wrong with it.". The OP has to KNOW there is nothing wrong with it. Which is why I suggested he get it professionally inspected. If he has the skills and confidence to do it himself? Fine, more power to him.

If you are leaving your decision in this matter up to "imagining" there would be nothing wrong with it, then I would say you are the one that hasn't bought a lot of used cars, because IMO that's a dangerous approach. Like I said, everyone who is selling a car with undeniable damage in its past says "It was fixed correctly and professionally" but here's a little hint, that doesn't always mean it was fixed correctly and professionally.

 

When I was in college (in the late 60's - 1960s, not 1860s), I delivered pizza in my Triumph TR4. It was economical and quick in turns, so I was the fastest delivery guy for the restaurant.

JeffD

 

+1

 

So what are you delivering Papa Johns or Pizza Hut?

 

Have two clients that use a prius for deliveries. One gets about 36 mpg in his 06 and the other gets about 38mpg in his 08. If the trips were long enough, I would get a prius fro deliveries. Short commutes from here to there kill your MPG. Stick with an echo.

 

Your drivers suck then.

I got mid to high 40's in my Prius when I delivered. 3mile radius from the restaurant was the furthest we went.

 

Hope it works out for you!

Cheesy Bread looks good

 

3 mile radius is pretty big. These guys deliver within a one mile radius in downtown SF. Meals on wheels...

 

You are probably not used to running into deer, then. People around here run into deer all the time. If it were a really big deal (which is sometimes is, don't get me wrong) then it would be hard to live down here. Typically it's just the bumper, lights, maybe the hood and windshield if it gets far enough, or the radiator if it's big enough, stuff like that. Rarely does hitting a deer do something like throw the alignment out, or wreck it. $2k is easy to wrack up for some dents and a windshield.
[If you are leaving your decision in this matter up to "imagining" ...]
Classy...
Anyways, clearly, from the previous description here, I am not imagining. If the vehicle ran, etc. there is a very good possibility that it was still a fine car. There, rephrased. Forgive me for using the wrong verb.

To the OP: Congrats; hope you get it! That is very good mileage for an '04.

 

Okay...you caught me,- I have never hit a deer. And I live in the Pacific Northwest....there ARE a lot of deer. ( I'll keep trying....no, no, that's not right....I didn't mean that...)

I also agree, body work can add up in cost very quickly. I BARELY had my back bumper hit, and when all was said and done it was about $1000 dollars damage.

I just would hope the OP makes as informed a decision about the vehicle he is going to eventually buy as possible.

 

I deliver for Dominos and they pay me about $400 a month average for mileage, 20 cents per mile. I picked up a fully loaded 2008 Touring model with 115k on the odo for $7900. Clean carfax, the engine compartment spotless, all fliuds clean, very well maintained and drives like a new car. I get no less than 38mpg but usually about 42mpg. The car payment is $190 per month for a 4 year loan and adding full cover coverage is $60 per month as an additional vehicle. I spend about $120 a month for gas for deliveries. So basically the car is paid for just from the mileage reimbursement. I use Mobil 1 0w 30 Advanced Fuel formula synthetic oil in it with the Mobil 1 filter, changed every 5k. The car is excellent as a delivery vehicle and has all the toys which makes it a pleasure to drive. I've gotten very good at feathering the accelerator and keeping it in EV mode in the neighborhoods. I drive very carefully anyways so the car is perfect for this task. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is contemplating this decision. Besides that I am already saving a ton in fuel when I use it for non business. READ "Car that pays for itself!"

No need to buy a stripped down beat up piece of junk when there are plenty of good ones to be had. Skip the eco versions and go right fornthe touring with leather. ALSO get 15s for the wheels, mine came those. The 16s use more fuel and there is less meat on the tires to protect the rims. I can tell you that I deliver on some awful roads, part of the business. When I see Prius's out there with 400, 500, and even 600k on them used as taxis, I don't worry about longevity.

Fliuds are the key. Change oil every 5k min and transmission every 40k. Use only OEM fluid, of course.

Love, Love, Love my Prius.


Happy Motoring

 

I would get a Prius but not the one you mentioned. I've seen plenty of bargains on 2007-2008 models from $2500-5000.

Our battery went at 469k miles. I'm not saying that's typical, and we have spent hardly anything on repairs. This has been the most reliable car I have ever owned.

That car you are looking at is worth at most 3k.