Hello! I just joined, as I'm considering a lime green Prius C. I'm up near Ottawa, Canada. I'm trying to figure out if I could fit my pop-up tent in the car if I buy it, which is about 5.5 feet long. I've been doing some research on what to look for when I go looking at the car. Is there anything that is maybe not a common thing to look for? Anything you wish you'd known about before buying used? I will look at the battery fan. I don't have much of a budget, I'm looking at one that's a little over $6000, over 200,000 miles. I believe it's a base model with some upgrades, as there's no moon roof, and it's a keyed start, no heated seats. For the other Canadians, are there any forums ect you'd join to find others looking to sell? There's a zillion groups for Honda Element owners, I'm surprise there aren't as many Prius related. Am I missing something? Thanks!
welcome! prius c battery doesn't typically last as long as the lift back. plan on a replacement in your budget just in case, and do the research on replacement costs before buying.
Welcome; The Prius C is pretty cramped if your planning to live in it. It has the smallest battery out of the entire lineup. It is also very expensive to repair; especially when it's past 200K - when everything starts breaking. If you don't know how to fix cars; I would steer clear because an unscrupulous mechanic or someone that's not familiar with this kind of car will just aim a parts cannon at it. Next thing you know; that cheap car will exceed the price of a new one. Just my 2-cents......
I would hope you are not planning on living in it as it is small and has virtually no insulation between you and the outside. People think a Prius is a great vehicle for a hybrid hobo because it can be left on to provide heat, ac and some power with the engine cycling a few times a night. In reality constantly on (Ready mode) will cycle the engine several times an hour and may keep the engine on constantly for heat since heat depends on engine coolant temperature. As a normal vehicle it is one of the simpler hybrids although many shops won't work on hybrids even though many things are common to a regular Corolla or Yaris. Perhaps my biggest concern on a 2016 Prius c for $6k is why it is selling for less than half of typical value in the middle of a gas pricing crisis. Salvage, wrecked, major engine, hybrid battery issues or some combination?
I'm a fan of the Priussy but I'm wondering why you're considering THAT car for camping - or at all for that matter with only a $6000 (C$ ?) budget...... I'm leaning another way with a 6K budget until I know a little bit more about how deep you are for maintenance and repairs.
