My Gen2 was Totalled, hesitant to bite on a Gen3.. persuade me

Some questions:

• What’s your budget?
• How long do you want to keep the new car?
• What mileage limits are you putting on the new car?
• Who does the maintenance on the car?

We have had our 2010 (purchased in August of 2009) for almost 9 years and 182 k miles. The main thing I watch for is checking the oil every Saturday and add as necessary. Our Prius consumes a quart every 5 k miles or so, so not bad.

Good luck with your decision .

 

I plan on keeping our 2010 for at least another 4-6 years as I think there will be some fantastic car choices coming then and no need to give toyota any more of my money in the short term.

So I have done some preventative maintenance to ensure I’ll get their with as little financial unrest as possible.

If you check your oil frequently to avoid the level getting low and clean the egr circuit around every 100 k miles, you’ll be in good shape .

Good luck and keep us posted .

 

if you buy a gen3, get the lowest mile, newest possible. learn how to check the oil and do it regularly, don't wait for the the dealer at the oil change interval, it could be too late.
around 100k, have the egr and intake manifold cleaned. it is not in the manual.
if this is too burdensome, look around for a low mile 2009.

 

I’m with Bisco find a 2009


iPhone ?

 

I love my 10. I bought it in March at 209k. Yes the engine did expire only 4K miles later. I don’t regret a mile of it. Looks like the oil pump chain popped on my engine. And the #1 rod cap broke. No noise or anything. But if you have a 14k budget, there are three 12 or newer Prii in my neck of the woods below or right at 100k. Plus you could buy a new HV Battery outright and STILL have change left to buy tags.

 

The head gasket is a 16 hour job and the parts are $25 hg, $50 cyl head bolts. The inverter is a couple hundred IF it ever goes bad. Otherwise tis' as reliable as a 2nd gen. The 2nd is outdated, lower power, less refined, less qual in elec's. The third handles better and has better rear brakes and more towing capacity, and better fuel econ. The 2nd gen batt is gonna get harder to find. The 3rd has oil burnin issues if you use 0w-20. 0w-40 Is the thinnes thing I would consider. 2nd gen has a cat that goes bad and costs a bundle. Failure to replace puts the car in open loop mode. You can get a 3rd gen for half book because everyone wants suv's just because they have jobs. You can steal a prius for a fraction of list price. Tell salesmen this confidently and walk away. Leave your digits. They will call you.

 

I would not pull the head to do the gasket without doing the timing chain set. You have to pull the chain to do the head gasket might as well do the timing set.

 

I don't know where in Georgia you are, but 14k will probably buy you a 2014 - 2015 Gen 3 with reasonable miles here in Cobb county (north of Atlanta). It's at least conceivable that you could find a slightly higher mileage 2016 Gen 4 in your price range.

I love my 2010, but if I could go back and do it over, I would buy a plug-in instead. Having the option to use electricity instead of gas would be awesome.

Don't forget the sales tax, either. That killed a deal or two for me, since I had a hard upper limit on how much I could spend.

 

Well, If I had $14K, I'd probably try to get something like this:
2013 Toyota Prius Plug-In 5dr HB - cars & trucks - by dealer - vehicle automotive sale

First Choice Autos seems to specialize in used Prii, as does Avalon Auto.

Another option is CarMax, in Kennesaw. This might be a good choice:
https://www.carmax.com/car-beta/16029163

With a budget of $14k, you are right on the edge of being able to afford a 2016 Gen4. The question is whether you want a low-mileage Gen3 or a high-mileage Gen4.

From my point of view, this decision hinges on when you want to buy a car again. Even a good condition 2009 Gen2 will likely need to be replaced in 4-6 years, or else need some major work done, so might not be the best choice. A low-mileage 2012-2015 Gen3 will last at least for 200k - 300k, if you take good care of it, so probably about 8-10 years. A higher-mileage 2016 Gen4 may or may not turn out to be more reliable than a similarly priced Gen3 - it's too early to tell, really. And finding one may be a challenge.

For me, the advantage to the Gen3 is that there are quite a few of them on the road, and almost all of the potential problems have already been identified.

 

Just don't get a Gen 3 Persona or Touring with 17-inch wheels. The ride is extremely harsh and loud. I'd also stick with the most recent years, 2014 or 15, and a base model Two if you don't need the built-in Nav.

 

Two possibilities:

If your budget really is 14k, and you're happy with the G2, then get an 09 and bank 3-4k for issues down the road.
That's not what I would do personally, but you're already familiar with the G2 and they're proving to be phenomenally reliable.
Of course as with any 10-year-old car you'll have to do due diligence and you will require a smidgen of good luck.

What I would do is get a Pip, or Plug-in Prius, as mentioned above.

These are the most reliable of the G3's and since they were bought primarily as lease vehicles and since there was some government cheese involved, they often represent phenomenally good deals for about what your budget is.
You also get more EV only range.....
Toyota Prius Plug-in Review - Research New & Used Toyota Prius Plug-in Models | Edmunds

If you're capable of doing your own maintenance I would check all of the things mentioned above and also probably read up on trans-axle fluid changes.....but two MUST DOs are oil checks every other fill up (or more) and EGR cleaning after about 75,000 miles.

If I had 14 kilobucks to spend on a car that's EXACTLY what I would spend it on.

Good Luck!

 

I bought my 2011 Four for $10k with 90k miles. Don't regret it almost a month later!

Definitely get a 2012 or newer with a backup cam, full bluetooth and heated/power seats. You should have no issues getting a 2013/2014 under 50k miles with your budget.

If going new, the new 2019 Honda Insight for $23k with 150hp and 55mpg is a bargain. It looks amazing.

 

I bought my 2014 last year for 17k from a dealer in N Georgia. It just came off a 3 year lease and had only 25k miles. Superb condition. It joins our 2011 Prius that has 134k miles. I really love the reliability of these cars and recommend a Prius to anyone who asks me.

My biggest complaint is the oil dipstick. When I pull it out to check the oil level the oil on it is splotchy and it's difficult to determine the level accurately. Any suggestions?

 

As pointed out above...
Don't underestimate the improvements that did come with the Gen 3.
And I say that as someone lured to Hybrids and Prius by the Iconic Gen 2, which I think is a great vehicle.

The other truth is, while Gen 2''s are great vehicles, they simply aren't getting any younger.
If I had the choice and the money, I think I'd look at Gen 3's.
I would look at something 2012 or newer.

If you can't afford that, then the in the best shape possible Gen 2 is a good fall back position.

 

Heck 14k would probably get him into my 2016 Prius C (only 22k on it) --- and he wouldn't have to worry about all those other things being it's still in bumper/bumper warranty!

lol - yup, still trying.