Am I smart to buy a 2003 model?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(davide @ Jul 30 2006, 07:18 PM) [snapback]294767[/snapback]</div>

No, there is nothing at all wrong with this rosy scenario. I would just check to see what the blue book and real world pricing on the 03 prius that you are looking for is.... I think the 01-03's are highly regarded here. The body styling is a bit older, and they are just a bit smaller..... Some little quirks in terms of the AC shutting off when the car does at stops and things like that. But I think most would agree that it's great car.

The Private Party Value for an 03 in Utah, according to kbb, 50k milage(keep in mind this is pretty rough guesstamits here), is 16,455.

If you could get your hands on a package #1, you'd be into it about 22,000 -3150 and 18,850 for a brand new 06.... This in the end is what you have to weigh.....

 

The more I think about it, the more I've got to wonder why you want a Prius? I'm not saying this in a mean or condecending way.... But think about this. You could get a nice 5 speed 4 door 07 Yaris, that users are saying is returning 39 mpg combined on average, all decked out for about 13,200..... Now I'm 27 make good money, graduated years ago, so the choice was pretty easy for me. I wanted to reduce my CO2 emissions, get a great car that was functional and green. But take me back 9 years, I would go with the Yaris over an 03 Prius any day of the week! No point being poor because of payments if it's only saving you 10 mpg.....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Jul 30 2006, 07:42 PM) [snapback]294781[/snapback]</div>

I agree with you.
you could also get a new hyundai with 10yr/100,000 mile warranty that also gets decent gas milage.

I wouldn't buy a used prius with no warranty, only toyota can fix them and even they have trouble figuring out whats wrong sometimes.
The car is way to complicated for the average repair shop although I am sure they would be willing to learn on your dime.

Look into getting something new.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(davide @ Jul 30 2006, 11:57 PM) [snapback]294893[/snapback]</div>

Well feel free to get the automatic as well. You sacrifice 2-3 mpg on a traditional automatic, and they cost more. To me it's a no-brainer, but hey, people love their automatics. Go to www.fueleconomy.gov and you can compare user fuel economy ratings of almost any car. I like the Yaris becuase it gets killer milage and looks very slick. If you aren't 6'3" or taller, I'd go with that in a heartbeat. Good luck.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Jul 30 2006, 06:42 PM) [snapback]294781[/snapback]</div>

But with that you're still taking a hit on depreciation because you drove it off the dealer's lot. Whereas a good bit of the depreciation of a used '03 Prius has already been taken. Talk to "Mikel 52", he bought a 2002 Prius for under 14K, maybe it was 13K, I can't remember exactly, but it seemed like a good deal to me. Being in the Detroit area like you are, there may not be much demand for used Prii.

I would say, keep your options open, don't get tied too much to one car. A used Matrix would also be a good option, although the average mpg is probably 32-34. I never bought a new car until I was 32 and that worked out well for me. (I didn't think I ever would buy new actually, but I was getting a nicer car each time, and I noticed the price difference wasn't that much for the model I was considering next).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Jul 30 2006, 04:42 PM) [snapback]294781[/snapback]</div>

39? That's even above the EPA's combined estimate (which we know is rather optimistic). Their combined numbers for the auto are 36 and for the manual 37. http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/10...ta-yaris-s.html measured 36 w/a manual Yaris in their testing and in the past measured 42 mpg w/an 04 Prius.

 

One other factor: the market for Priuses in general is still inflating somewhat the value of the Gen I's. I believe this will no longer be the case when the NEXT "Generation" comes out in, what?, '08. At that point, I think ALL the Gen I's will take a "beyond-normal-depreciation" hit. And bear in mind that to most people, an '03 looks like an '01 (as if that weren't obvious!), meaning it looks older than it is (at YOUR re-sale time).

For that reason, if you're pricing only '03s, I'd recommend that instead, you look mainly at odometer mileage and consider '02s as well. Or even an ultra-low-mileage '01.

 

a redesigned Prius wont be out until the 09 model year., and with your finacial situation as you described it, you would be much better off just buying a BRAND NEW Yaris and saving or investing the 4k for a 'rainy day'

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Jul 31 2006, 02:46 AM) [snapback]294945[/snapback]</div>

39 is just what users have reported on Fueleconomy.gov Those numbers have seemed pretty spot on on most makes and models that I have driven anyways. The Yaris is a very effecient car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Jul 31 2006, 07:27 AM) [snapback]294771[/snapback]</div>

I'm driving a '03 and I can tell you that your info. is not correct. The A/C does not shut off at stops, you can see the A/C indicator is still light up. If you set the Fan to AUTO, the Fan speed may regulate to a lower speed when the cabin temp. has met your set temp. This may give you the impression that the A/C is stopped but in fact it is not.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vincent1449p @ Jul 31 2006, 08:37 PM) [snapback]295454[/snapback]</div>

I'm a very happy new owner of an '01 Prius, and I'd have to agree, I haven't had any of the odd quirks that other people talk about. Mind you, I just got my car two weeks ago.

I bought my car at a dealer because i was able to get a special discount from them because of a professional relationship with the fleet manager at an associated dealership. I was debating between a classic prius and the yaris as well. I ended up buying the prius (which was completely certified) for several reasons:

• The cost difference between the yaris (that I wanted) and the classic prius was negligable (+/-$500).
• The true cost to own for the yaris would ultimately be higher (I figured probably around +$100-200 a year for me).
• The Prius was in perfect condition with very low milage.
• It was certified used.
• They were not going to have the options I wanted (specifically four-wheel anti-lock breaks) within my timeframe.

Mind you, I really loved the yaris. The back is roomy and the trunk is huge. If they offered a hybrid version, I'd grab it without a second thought. It does depend on how much you'd use the car and what you'd use it for. If you're going to do a lot of distance driving, the 10mpg difference is going to add up really quickly. If you're going to be carrying a lot of stuff or people then the yaris's trunk space and leg room is going to feel really nice.

 

Look into the Honda Fit as well. It gets 38MPG, cost $14k. It's bigger than the Yaris but slightly smaller than the Prius.

 

I think it all depends on your reasons for buying. I bought a 2001 because it was right around my budget (about $12k) and I wanted to go hybrid rather than a straight gas car. We've had a good summer with it, averaging about 47 mpg despite the brutally hot summer demanding a lot of air conditioning, and we're very happy we went this route.