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Need Advice on Getting New Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Sharanyan Srikanth, Dec 8, 2014.

  1. Sharanyan Srikanth

    Sharanyan Srikanth New Member

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    Hi guys,

    I am a international student on a budget of around 9-11k including buying the car, taxes and repairs. I have been driving Prius ZipCars and i love the concept and the feel of the car. I am fairly certain that I want to get one. Most used pruises though, in this budget range come with 100k miles on them. Some of them even more.

    I am looking at 2007-2009 priuses so far. I need advice on buying them, nice and reliable forums to check for sellers. One more thing I am worried about is if this is a good idea at all. I love the car but when it is used how reliable is the battery pack and what are my chances at minimizing the work on it after buying it?

    I am an international student and I am not too familiar with things in the US. Would love some advice. Thanks guys. I appreciate it a lot!
     
  2. ePriusdotcom

    ePriusdotcom Junior Member

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    Battery failures are quite rare on generation 2 Priuses. Reliability is the last thing you have to worry about. Looks like you live in New York, and that is a California Emission State so any Prius you buy, the warranty on the hybrid components are covered up to 10 years/ 150,000 miles whichever comes first. We have sold over 600 Priuses and a majority of the failures that we have seen are 2003-2004 with 220,000 miles and above so do not worry.

    Common sense is find a Prius in your price range. Drive it and if it feels right, ask for a carfax and service records, then take it to an independent mechanic for a presale inspection. Once you get the green light, you should be ready to buy.
     
  3. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    I feel a note of caution is to be added. We have seen a number of sad stories in these forums, of people on low budgets, buying a used Prius and then not being able to afford any repair, which can be rather expensive if you do not have any DIY skills. (OTOH if you are the type to get your hands dirty with tools, then by all means go ahead.) Yes the Prius is very reliable statistically. All used cars are a gamble. If you don't have a budget for four figure repairs eventually, then I would be hesitant to invest in a Prius. Something cheap, common, and easily fixed might be better for student years. You are not likely to be driving enough distance to make it essential to have the best mpg.
     
    FazilHussein likes this.
  4. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    As mentioned the NY state CARB warranty is a good thing for you, as the Prii will be covered for major hybrid failures up to 150k miles and 10-yrs. But Toyota has very specific rules about which vehicles qualify for the CARB warranty: must be originally sold in CARB state etc so you need to make sure you are covered by it. Also I am not sure NY is full CARB I think its a little special case. See my write-up under CARB Warranty Ins and Outs.
     
  5. Epiphany2000

    Epiphany2000 Member

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    I think nh7o is spot on in his analysis. However, if you do decide to buy a Prius, here's my suggestions:

    As you already touched upon, used Prii are expensive (they hold their value well), and many have high mileage. Be prepared to spend some time every day (preferably multiple times per day) checking for the latest listings in your price range. Good deals will likely go quickly, while poor to mediocre deals will be easy to find. Watch out for low priced, low mileage cars with salvage titles (which I don't recommend buying).

    When you find a deal that looks promising, act immediately. Test drive the car, ask to see the pink slip & maintenance records, ask appropriate questions, and go from there. If you want to go ahead with the deal, do not hesitate. Get (or create your own) sales agreement which locks out other potential buyers and allows the sale to go forward pending an inspection. Make sure the agreement provides for an escape clause such that you can back out of the deal after the inspection.

    I would get the car inspected by a reputable Toyota dealer or an independent shop that specializes in hybrids. I would be wary about Carfax. Only dealers and some independent shops report information to Carfax, so it's possible that the car has sustained major damage despite a clean Carfax report.

    It usually takes time, preparation and persistence to find a good deal on a Prius, but it can be done. Good luck!
     
  6. FazilHussein

    FazilHussein Member

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    Hi Sharayan,

    I would say this is a bad idea; these are reliable cars overall, but if something goes wrong you're at the mercy of your local dealership.

    Let me give you an example; in January this year my Prius required a new aux battery ($200) and a waterpump ($200)...not bad. Thanks to this forum I was able to perform the diagnosis myself and do the repair. If brought to a dealership, this would have been $1k all said and done.

    In May, it developed an intermittent problem....the VSC/ABS lights would come on randomly.....and the car has an annoying alarm that won't shut off.....and you lose the brakes. After a couple of months, I figured it out...a fuse...a simple fuse.

    I have experience with cars and a garage full of tools; didn't help.

    I also have a full time job and refused to bring it to the dealership after reading the horror stories here.

    I assume you do not have a garage full of tools...or experience...or the funds to bring to the dealership....and when I say funds, I mean 4 figures to fix most major repairs (accumulator, transaxle, skid control ECU, traction battery, etc). Even something as simple as the coolant pump will run you $500 at the dealership.

    I love my Prius; cannot find a replacement. But don't kid yourself...when that red triangle of death comes on, the panic and sinking feeling that your account is going to be drained is overwhelming. At the price of gas these days, it's hard to justify the cost and potential repairs down the road.

    Buy yourself a $6k Camry/Corolla/Civic/Yaris/Echo and bank the rest. When you graduate, find employment and have weekends off then get into the hybrid game.

    Faz
     
  7. TampaPrius.com

    TampaPrius.com Active Member

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    With a budget of $9-11k you can purchase a Prius in the $6-8K range and have money in the bank IF there is a repair needed. The Prius is one of the most reliable of all cars.