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Please input your comments or advise for buying a Prius C

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by Tekken, Aug 25, 2019.

  1. Tekken

    Tekken Member

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    My sister needs a Prius C 2012 -2015. Does these Prius C have Oil burn, Gasket leak, knock Engine sound, EGR system junk built up or water pump problem or any HV Battery issue? Please input any comment problem or What should I watch out when I go to check the car

    Also, Which model should has less problem

    I currently driving a 2013 Prius has junk built up on ERG system so far.

    Any input, advise or comment are welcome.
     
  2. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    The answer to all of your questions is: NO.
    But most owners of the C get it for transportation, not as a hobby.......so maybe they don't notice some of those things. :)

    The C has a VERY good reputation for reliability if it is maintained properly.
    With a used vehicle, you never know how, or IF, proper maintenance was done.

    Why does she "NEED" a Prius C specifically ?
    And why the choice of model years ??

    The newer the better and the fewer the miles the better......just like any used car.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    don't seem to hear too many problems. early years don't have a jump point under the hood, and there's only an 8/100 warranty.

    mpg's aren't great compared to lift back
     
  4. Tekken

    Tekken Member

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    Toyota advising on Prius C 54 City and 49 on Highway. better with Prius 50/49. Prius C 1.6L engine vs 1.8L engine.


    My sister, Woman wants Prius C, small Car and easy to park. Plus, Prius C value are less on Used vs High on Prius.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    oh yes, it's better, but not in relationship to size/weight. but if she wants a c, it's a good thing.
     
  6. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    My family has LOVED all 4 PC's we've had......but they were bought new.

    There are other good small cars that get great gas mileage, are easy to maneuver and park and are at least as high on the reliability scale.
    And those others don't have the hybrid battery and other electronic "stuff" to contend with.
    That might be important if you intend to keep the car a LONG time.

    Whatever you decide to do, get the newest model with the lowest mileage that you can afford.
    NOT getting a hybrid probably will allow that to be newer with less miles.
     
  7. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Be aware that the optional 16” wheels on the Four trim has a different steering setup and a much wider turning circle. Not as good for tight parking.

    Again, that’s only for certain Four trims that had the optional 16” wheel kit. Something you’d know about on a new car but wouldn’t necessarily notice on a secondhand car.

    We are 15 months and 29k miles into ours, and we love it.

    A Yaris would have saved us more money, but this is a nicer car.
     
    #7 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Aug 29, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2019
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  8. priusCpilot

    priusCpilot Active Member

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    The 16" while have a smaller turning radius offer better traction and handling. It also has a higher steering ratio rack which is more responsive. There is a small impact on MPG. Overall it's a rare option and one I'm very glad I have over all the cons.
     
  9. mikey_t

    mikey_t Active Member

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    Which model of the C is advertised as getting 54mpg / city? The 2019 is listed at 48 city / 43 highway. As far as I know they've all had this rating.
     
  10. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

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    The older models did have the higher 53mpg rating, however in 2015 or something the EPA changed,
    and the mpg ratings went lower. Dont know what year but somewhere around there 15 or 16?

    I will say the C, while some may think the smaller batt is a ridiculous thing,
    The C (2500lbs) is much lighter and peppier than the "tank" of the gen3 (3000lbs)

    The gen3 will give more room and comfort if you have kids etc.
    But for a commute or a solo drive, the C is where it is at....at least for me.


    EDIT: looks like 2017 is the year of the big mpg drop
     
  11. priusCpilot

    priusCpilot Active Member

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    As mentioned by others EPA testing changed. They now give worse case MPG rattings with aggressive driving and AC on high. Most people annual get around 50MPG average based on what I have seen. If you drive a little smarter it's easy to go past 50MPG. Don't run to red lights and use regen only with longer stopping distances.
     
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  12. mikey_t

    mikey_t Active Member

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    Right, the rules were ordered to be changed to be more honest and accurate. I think at the time, gen 3's mpg were rated in the mid-50s. I've gotten up to 56mpg before, but I would never tell someone that's what I average. OP must have been looking at old literature for the C.
     
  13. Talha Maqsood

    Talha Maqsood Member

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    you are right, I had Prius C 2014 model, don't know about its official MPG rating but it was giving me 60-64 MPG, but now i have 2015 model its MPG is lower that 2014 model around 52-55.

    As for Prius C problems, No doubt its very reliable if you have a properly maintained car
     
  14. Dimitrij

    Dimitrij Active Member

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    Is your mpg calculation based on the imperial gallon (4.54L) or US gallon (3.79L)?
     
  15. davidc83

    davidc83 Member

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    The owners manual for my 2015 C level 2 states the weight as 1500 lbs.

    SM-S367VL ?
     
  16. Tekken

    Tekken Member

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    Alright.. Question for you Prius C owner

    I look up a 2016 Prius C has 32,5XX miles. Engine and driving text are good, but the AirBag light on the dash always on. Even on Ready Mode or While I driving.
     
  17. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Which airbag light?

    The car has an amber light to indicate that the passenger airbag is on or off. Drivers commonly misinterpret this as an error of some sort. It is not- you’re just seeing the status of the weight sensor in the passenger seat. If nobody is in that seat, the passenger airbag is automatically disabled to reduce the cost of rebuild after a crash. For whatever wonderful reason, Toyota decided that this simple status indicator should be rendered in warning amber, but it’s actually nothing to worry about at all.

    If you saw a different airbag warning, that’s worth paying attention to.
     
  18. Tekken

    Tekken Member

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    The AirBag light on main dash screen, not the Passerage side.
     
  19. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Okay, sounds like it has a problem with the main airbags, and that’s sketchy. Look for crash damage, run the VIN number through the Toyota website to see the service history, maybe look for carfax, though they miss a lot these days.

    I’d be fairly suspicious of that car unless the seller can explain how the error condition started.
     
  20. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    I wouldn't touch it as long as that light is ON.
    That goes for any warning lights actually.
    If your state has mandatory inspections, it probably won't pass.