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New Prius C Two, not II, or CPO Prius of similar price?

Discussion in 'Dealers & Pricing' started by RyanMartin, Jul 9, 2015.

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  1. New Prius C Two

    50.0%
  2. CPO 2012 Prius Two

    50.0%
  1. RyanMartin

    RyanMartin New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2015
    1
    0
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    Location:
    Lakewood, OH
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I'm purchasing a Prius. Roman numerals were used for model designation for the 2010 model year. I've spent days and days doing research on everything from reviews to pricing, how to go about buying, what to expect at the dealership, etc. I've basically read Edmunds.

    My problem is New vs. Used, but with a twist. The best offer I've received on a brand new 2014 (never been driven) Prius C Two is $17,849, and that's before I've even gone to the dealership to negotiate. Other offers I've gotten on used Priuses (Not C's, just standard Prius Two or threes) range from 15 to 18k dollars, between 20 and 40k miles.

    Here's my issue: I currently qualify for a boatload of discounts from different dealerships, including first time buyer discounts, recent graduate discounts, 0%APR and "friend of salesperson" (whatever) discounts when purchasing a NEW car. All of these within the context of a standard 60 month financing period. A couple of these are discounts I'm never going to have again. I'm afraid that if I decide to buy a used car that I'm wasting these opportunities. On top of that, the price differences aren't dramatic, or at least what I would consider dramatic. I could be paying as low as $316 a month for a brand new car or the between the same price to ~$270 a month for a used car. This is because on top of the Prius being a more expensive car than the Prius C, I don't get the crazy "new car" discounts I mentioned before, and I don't qualify for 0% financing. I can get 1.99% at the best through the Toyota CPO program itself.

    I'm really stuck on what to do. I like both models of car. Where does the argument on New vs Used stand when the cars you're considering are similarly priced? New doesn't bother me because I'm gonna drive this car into the ground; I don't care about eating the depreciation. How much extra money becomes too much when it means getting into a new car versus a used one? How much would I be losing in terms of MPG if I got a 3 year old Prius vs a new Prius C? Even though I get the benefit of Toyota's CPO policy, would it be worth it just from a maintenance standpoint to get the new car or pay a little less for a car I'll have to service sooner? I'm looking for personal opinions as well as objective ones. Thank you so much.

    Additional Note: I'm LEANING toward getting a used Prius. If I could afford a brand new regular Prius liftback it wouldn't even be a question, but they're considerably more expensive than the C. I'm a very large, very tall person. The C felt ok during a test drive though.
     
  2. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2012
    1,391
    543
    0
    Location:
    Santa Monica, Ca. 90405
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Seems you really want a Prius, so get a low mileage used one and bargain hard, gas prices are low and these cars are hard to move, don't be afraid to make a really low offer, start from the bottom up, not the top down, also get pre approved for a loan before you start the buying process and put as much down as you can, interest owed is your worst enemy.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,707
    49,401
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    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome to priuschat! get the lift back, you'll probably regret the c size. ignore all the crazy discounts, they're mostly a scam anyway. all the best!(y)
     
  4. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2006
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    1,116
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    Location:
    South Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Check out the prices on truecar.com and read through Car Buying Guide for New and Used Vehicles | CarBuyingTips.com. It sounds like that Prius c sat on the lot for some time. The build date is on the plate attached to the driver's door frame. The c should get better fuel economy and the liftback will haul more stuff. Make sure you are comfortable in both cars.
     
  5. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2011
    2,732
    1,703
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    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I'm glad you are leaning towards the lower priced used Prius C. Never ever compare $270 a month to $316. That's how they get you to buy the extended warranty and maintenance plan. Its only a few bucks more. No it's not! It's $16200 used vs $19000 new or $2800 difference. That's how you look at it. At that price difference I could go either way. If I could afford it, I'd get new for peace of mind. If I just graduated college, I'd get used so I can pay off those pesky student loans. I can't afford peace of mind.

    And lastly, I'd wait until the new Gen 4 lift back model comes out and buy a leftover older gen 3 in Dec or Jan when everyone wants the new model and these leftovers are going for a steal at $19000 new or $16200 used. Wait 6 months is what I would recommend. Gen 3's were going for $20000 over July 4, not hard to imagine $19000 in a few months.
     
    ftl likes this.