suggestions on used prius shopping

Hard to answer, due to many factors to consider when purchasing a used car. Would not go any older than 2012 the mid cycle refresh. You get LED DDLs and styling improvements.

Look at cars that have service history. Have been driven at least 10K a year. This assures that the hybrid battery has been exercised. Be aware that the EGR System is the weakest link to G3s. They are prone to clog up beyond 150K. Therefore needs to be cleaned by 120K, the same time for major service. There are other factors to consider like any used car.

Good luck with your car search and keep us posted.

 

I personally would look for 2010+ with low miles and Package 5 if you want heated seats. If you cant find one if your price range, then look harder! They are out there! If you need help looking, then ask for help!

 

If you don't find anything your looking for and would consider a Prius C. Mine is for sale.

2016 - just hit 28k
Package 2 - so no push button start & no heated seats though. I'm not too far from you. I'm actually looking to get into a Civic. But it's a logical choice for me - my sons a Master Honda tech...

WP_20180609_11_12_09_Pro by dubit posted Jun 9, 2018 at 11:58 AM

 

get another civic

 

Or a Fit, I have a soft spot for those, not sure why.

 

I thought your soft spot had a Jeep in it.

 

I used a car buying service provided by my insurance company for both of my Prius purchases. Both were lease returns and my 2011 was a Toyota Certified Used Vehicle, but be careful with that designation. When I checked it over at home I found various things, like only 22 psi in the spare tire. At my insistence they re-did the check. I still have them do most of the routine maintenance on the vehicle, which is approaching 200K now.

 

Unless your occasional road trips include cross country treks, that's not a lot of miles in a year. Not enough to warrant the extra expense of a hybrid IMHO.

Your commute accounts for less than 5K miles/year -- assuming you have 8-10 holidays and 2 weeks of vacation/year. At that rate, a 40mpg car vs a 30mpg car will only save you $125 per year. (based on 5K miles driven and $3/gallon gas)

Is your commute mostly highway or city driving?

How often are your occasional road trips, and how far do you go?

Your short commute puts you squarely in the pool of people who should seriously consider an electric car -- like a Nissan Leaf. I have a 20 mile round trip commute each day. I have a garage and we're a two-car family -- my wife has Prius V wagon -- so if we need to travel a long distance, we have a car capable of doing that. If I didn't need to have tow vehicle for my camper and my boat, I'd have a pre-owned Nissan Leaf in the driveway instead of my 4Runner.

In your case, if you only road trip 4-5 times/year, you could rent a car for those times and be way ahead. Again, IMHO.

 

I am also looking for a used Prius. A dealer lists a 2011 Prius v, (yes lower case) but was this the wagon, or a roman numeral 5? Carfax says it was originally shipped 10/29/2011. Any help?

 

Fusion gets very high ratings.
They haven’t sold well and are being discontinued and heavily discounted.
I wouldn’t hesitate to buy, but the price should reflect all that

 

The Prius v is the wagon. But you could buy my 2016 Prius C. There is a picture of it earlier in this thread.

 

I have no experience with the Fusion, but personally, I wouldn't want to own a Ford. If you don't need the space of a Prius hatchback, the Prius C mentioned elsewhere in this thread would be an excellent choice. I would also consider non-hybrid offerings from Toyota or Honda:
Honda Fit or Civic. Toyota Yaris, Matrix, Corolla.

 

On a newer used Hybrid, unfortunately the desire for heated seats, really bumps up what trim levels you're looking at.
Would you consider used Prius c's?
Would you consider a heated seat pad?

If you are willing to look at slightly more "basic" trim levels, and maybe even a Prius c, then you could look at "newer" potentially lower mileage vehicles at a lower price.

My opinion is that heated seats and push button start, is great. BUT, IMO they are niceties not necessities.

 

Got your msg & replied with the info you asked about. Also included a pdf which contains the VIN# & build specs.

 

I added a seat heater to our c-two. Very simple cushion-and-backrest pad with good adjustable straps and a non-slip backing. It fits the seat well and we barely notice it anymore. It was trivial to attach the control pod to the console near the emergency brake handle. Whole thing cost less than $40 and took 20 minutes to put in and adjust properly. Toasty. And when it burns out (because they all burn out) it'll only be another $40 and 20 minutes to replace it, unlike the built-in kind.

Regarding the rest of the car? I suggest that you seek newer rather than lower miles. Age seems to cause more problems than usage.

You buy a Prius to save at the pump. You buy a Civic to save at the mechanic. Gas is cheap lately. Just sayin'.