My friend is low-income (on disability) and qualifies for a program where if he trades his '99 Corolla for a plug in hybrid, he'll get $9000 for free towards a down payment. He's not a DIY kinda person. We're in a CARB state so I'm assuming 150k warranty on batteries if they're transferable. The sense I get with used Prii is that they are fairly reliable, but when something goes wrong, it's expensive which probably wouldn't work for a low-income person. For example, I've read here that when the head gasket goes, the whole engine has to be replaced. Or if the battery goes after it's out of warranty, that's very pricey unless you do it yourself. Do I have the right sense so I can advise my friend? Is the PiP more or less reliable than a '15 Prius? I would think bigger battery in the PiP would make it less likely to need replacing, but then again it'd be more expensive to replace. A regular Prius would get him $2k less from the program, but would cost less, I'm assuming.
FYI: he has to pay tax on the $9,000. If you can find a PIP very close in price to the regular Prius, get that, otherwise, if you get a regular Prius, that $9,000 he is getting becomes $7,000 or less. These prius’ are very reliable. I wouldn’t worry out it. Just look for a well maintained, preferably with service records. iPhone ?
pip is very reliable, and similar to lift back. how long miles/years would they like to keep it. after about 10 years or so, when all the warranties are up, they could start seeing some expensive repairs. even before that, we've seen random a/c compressors, brake actuators, inverters and etc. which cost thousands at a dealership. but it is rare. how many miles do they drive per year?
Appreciate the response. Thanks for the heads-up about tax, but it won't affect him with his disability situation. I did mention that a regular prii would give him $2k less. Thanks for the detailed info. Around 5-6,000 miles a year. 20 years
only concern at that mileage would be the 12v, unless he drives every day for 20 years, i would get a corolla, or hope for another 9k after 10.
12v isn't super expensive and he does drive pretty frequently. The problem with a '15 Corolla is it has a little modern marvel called a CVT, unlike the reliable eCVT in Prii. Toyota has been slowly putting out service campaigns for their CVTs for a while, trying to fix a hardware problem with software, and not putting out a proper recall. Though they did put out a recall for the 2019 CVT in some Corollas. I told my friend he should look at a Camry with a proper automatic, but he wants a smaller car. what do you mean by hope for another 9k after 10?
that the program is still in effect and he can buy a new car and get 9k off again. the second 10 years on a prius are likely to be expensive
I used to drive that few miles/year and I do have to caution being careful to not let the main hybrid battery sit idle for too long. My previous car was a 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid and I had its hybrid battery die on me twice. The first time was likely my fault as I didn't drive it for 2 months. Like any battery, if you let it sit unused for too long, there is a chance you could kill it. However: The Prii uses better battery chemistry and Toyota has good experience on battery life As long as you're not like me and drive it regularly (to keep the battery topped up), you should be fine. Driving it at least once a week to the grocery store is a good way to manage it.
