Hello! I have a huge decision to make in 2 days. I just bought a certified 2012 Prius v (base model) with 48k miles for $17,400 out the door from a dealer. I purchased this because it because of the common reasons for purchasing a Prius and it fits my wheelchair. However, I have 14k left to my name and am currently unemployed. I love it so far, but my other option is to get a cheaper, uncertified car like a 2010 Pontiac vibe with 80k miles for $10k. My reasoning for keeping the v is that the certification, fuel economy, and low maintainance cost may make this car be of better value for the long term. Was this a good deal? I have two days to change my mind. The dealer wants me to decide by Monday on the certified platinum vsa for $1700. This would only last until 2019 and the certified warranty that comes with the v lasts a year. I called the dealer from MN mentioned in the forum. He said that I have a year to decide on the certified platinum plan and my dealer disagrees. My dealer also wants to sell me the 4 year maintenance plan for $810. Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Vehicle service agreements can be purchased online for cheaper than the list pricing, just search around. Maintenance plan seems not worth it just from the price, but you did not specify a mileage, which would help us better give you an answer. If you are considering the specific model 2010 Pontiac vibe, I would check carefully the warranty on that first. I know GM started switching to a 100k 5 yr powertrain warranty around that time, which would give you very little left and/or 20k miles left on the powertrain depending on when it was first put in service. Just a little perspective of mine. I did not buy a warranty, but did search for a seller that provided some sort of free lifetime powertrain warranty with the purchase. (To be honest, I'm not sure how good these type of warranties are though....)
Thanks. The 20122 v has 48000 miles on it. I live in Portland, OR and the $17,000 did seem to be a good deal. There are a few 2013 v's with around 15000 miles for around $23,000. They are the 3s but I don't think a navigation feature is worth another 6k.
The problem is that the dealer is telling me that I don't have the option to shop around for a used certified platinum plan. He said that I have to decide by Monday. However, I've been told that the dealer is lying and I have a year or 12,000miles to decide when the certified warranty expires.
If it was a good deal for YOU, they wouldn't be selling it to you. Bank the $1700 and the $810 and go find a different dealer to work with in the future. The hybrid system is covered anyway.
Searched Toyota certified and came up with Certified Used Toyota Vehicles | Pre-Owned Cars, Trucks, SUVs & Hybrids. Without purchasing anything else, you seem to have 1 yr/12000mi comprehensive and 7 yr/100000 powertrain, but the hybrid powertrain I believe is even longer than that. In fact, I just searched and Oregon follows CA strict emissions rules, which makes your warranty even longer because the hybrid system affects emissions I believe. With this new knowledge I'd pocket the warranty and service money....
Just to get an idea, I searched for the applicable warranty coverage and found this: http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms/T-MMS-12PriusV/pdf/2012_Toyota_Prius-V_WMG.pdf Note on page 24 a list of things covered by the long-term emission warranty, which includes even the AC compressor, condenser, and evaporator, along with other items..... I agree with rdgrimes. Most of the times the dealers use warranties and stuff to earn money, especially if they give you a good deal on the vehicle. My mother purchased gap coverage at a high price, but I found out the PenFed credit union loan automatically includes gap, so we ended up cancelling it.
Be careful of the dealer, there are a few rebuilt Prius v's around there, I think Portland and Sacramento both have rebuilders of totaled off Prius's. Check for clear title and history.
The Extended Warranty cost you pay pays several commissions, several administrative costs, etc and doesn't cover everything. Consumer Reports said that the typical policy pays out only around 35% in actual repair costs. Like in a casino, a very few will save big, a few come out even but most warranty buyers must lose for this model to work. The insurance company doesn't create these warranties to lose money.
It was a one owner leased vehicle according to carfax. Could a rebuilt vehicle get through the Toyota CPO process?
Not 100% sure, I know not everything gets reported to Carfax. I am not knocking Carfax, only heard there are ways around it. I have used Carfax, it gives a good general indication. Yours sounds good, but do you know what state it came from? Flood or semi flooded, most cars are traded in for a reason. I am very cautious because I have seen a lot.
