Looking to get a new Prius, something that is 2016 or newer (I had an 06 and I want a decade upgrade). One of my stipulations is I only have $7,000, but also want a clean title ~75K miles on odometer and body. The question which I think I already know the answer to, am I cooked? I have a year to hunt for it, and perhaps someone wants to offload their car quickly and price low, but half off??? I don’t think so. Am I better off buying an 09, I don’t want to buy Gen 3 for the head gasket issues.
A Prius that is capable of saving you money on fuel & mechanical whoopsies will cost a lot to purchase. In many cases, choosing a Prius does not lead to saving money overall. You're just changing who you're paying. Sometimes this is still a good enough deal- a steady payment on a new or newer one vs. random surprises out of an older one might be more palatable to some. Take a good look at your driving needs first. The easiest way a Prius can deliver big savings is if you drive quite a lot of miles.