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I would scan your local Craigs list, just to see whats available and at what price. Prius comes in 4 variants, Prius 2,3,4,5. The higher the number the more goodies. Somewhere on this site you can find a list of what options go with what numbers. It seems that dealers both new and used seldom know what thy have (I'm talking non Toyota dealers) So you have to look at the cars yourself and know what should be on each model. In the Gen 3 their was a mid cycle refresh between 11 and 12, probably better off with a 12 or newer. Good luck. PS Smart key is on all models 2 thru 5. There is a model one, but only for fleet and taxi sales, no smart key on those.

 

welcome!
and there is one door, or 3 door sks, depending on package and year. i don't think you can go wrong with 2012 and newer.

 

Prius 1 is pretty rare. It may have been a 2nd generation (2004-2009) without smart key that you saw pictured. With those, you actually slip the remote into a slot where the ignition key would be on older cars and then push the start button.

Have fun exploring the countless combinations of features over the models and years.

 

I have seen some Prius one for sale as used from a car rental company. I have also seen people here with Prius One.
When you find a Prius if a certain year, you can use Google to search for the sales brochure for that year. It has a chart showing what features were on what trim level and what optional packages were available.

 

2009 should be a lot less than 15k.

 

Cars that have been in floods can have all sorts of hidden water damage like rusty wheel bearings, mildew in the hvac system, electical corrosion, and so on. How Stuff Works has some tips. Should you ever buy a flood-damaged car? | HowStuffWorks

As for getting something under $15k, there should be plenty of 3rd gen available in that range. 2nd gen batteries are famous for durability, but so are 3rd gen and the younger the battery, the better your odds, everything else being equal. A shop near me has a couple 2015s for $14k.

 

Many people here are cautious of salvage titles too. The condition varies greatly on the skill, ingenuity and workmanship of the person who repaired it. There could be some issues with insurance.
Remember, some insurance company determined that proper car repairs were too expensive. Unless somebody got some good, inexpensive used parts, the salvage title car has not likely been repaired properly.

 

if you have 15k, and are in it for the long haul, i would spend as much of it as necessary to get the newest, lowest mile, best condition car you can find.
i wouldn't fiddle around with cars that don't have owner and service histories. you should be able to find a one owner car with complete service records. after all, there's nothing but oil and filters with the mileage you're looking at.

 

Entune's no biggie.
Nav is never as good as good ole smart phone.

Imo, don't get the newest you can afford. Why overspend?! Anything 2 years old or newer is overpriced due to paying to much on depreciation.

Instead, 2012-2014 is the way to go for your situation imo:
- got the mid-gen refresh
- cheaper per- year cost if owner ship - aren't paying for new-ish car smell that 2015-16 would cost you.
- dangerous floor mat situation from 2010 gen is already fixed with the mid-gen refresh

The C is annoyingly small.

Btw I have the solar roof/a/c thing. Kinda nice on a hot day.

Make sure you drive it in power mode. So much more responsive, but shouldn't have a mpg hit.

 

Did you really mean a solar sunroof or did you mean a moonroof that is like a window on the roof that opens?
The Prius had a solar roof option to power a fan to help keep the interior cooler when parked in the sun. It had solar panels on the roof to produce electricity for the fan.

 

You might be correct. I see the option package varied depending on trim level.
Here is the brochure for 2012 that lists the details. https://www.toyotacertified.com/assets/ebrochures/en/2012_prius_ebrochure.pdf