What wouldn't I like about a 2019 Prime, as compared to my '13 PIP?

There is a '19 Prime for sale locally, with 9 K miles on it, they are asking 27 K+, and I would offer 25K. I took it for a ride today, it was in town, the battery was expended, and I was kind of over whelmed by the unfamiliarity of it all. I've put 50K miles on my PIP, it now has 82 K total, and love it. I use it to haul my ebike and am not afraid to take it on gravel roads, always have the back seat folded down, and took the passenger seat clear out. I have camped in it, and like the room. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Prime's aft deck is higher, for the bigger battery? Would those rear sensors (whatever they do...) be screwed up by being blocked by a rack carried fat bike? The Prime seemed a LOT more techy then the PIP, and I understand it has more bells and whistles, heated steering wheel and power seats come to mind.

Any regrets, those that have traded up to the Prime series from a older plug in?

 

I will start reading Jerry 's multi page thread, looks like it will answer my questions!

 

Good info! Here in Idaho there are no benefits, just penalties (higher annual registration fees) for going even partial EV. I would have to assume the federal benefits would apply though, as last time I checked, Idaho was in the US. This car is at a GM dealer, on their used lot, my local Toy dealer is just down the road from them, and I was just there the other day looking at a used RAV4 hybrid, (27K) and a brand new Bolt (27 K out the door), when last there I never asked about any Prius in stock, as I was there for the Bolt. The Bolt is pretty cool, but not the road trip car of course any Prius is, comparing the two is problematic and makes my head hurt.

The only brand new vehicle I've ever bought was from this same local dealer, a 1990 Toy pickup. This started my love affair with Toyota's, I put 235 K HARD miles on it ( I was a building contractor back then, and always had it loaded down), and to this day I still see it occasionally, as it's been owned by a succession of Hispanic roofing and concrete contractors. It STILL always loaded down, and as I built the the custom flatbed on it, and the lumber racks, I always feel obliged to go over and check my welds and ask it's current driver how it's running. "Bueno", is always the response. This dealer is a pillar of our community, a good guy, and I'd rather give my money to him then the GM guy down the street. Turns out, I have a crane job (my biz) right down the street from them tomorrow, I'll stop by and compare brand new local pricing to used local pricing. Going to New Jersey ain't going to happen, but thanks for the heads up.

 

I had a epiphany today, while on a return visit to the car lot. While looking at '19 and 2020 regular Prii, I noted they looked a lot more familiar to me....I guess I didn't fully realize how much different the Prime is, besides the bigger battery, all the little styling cues and extra "stuff." At one point I was thinking that what I want is a "regular" looking Prius (those Prime tail lights, down low on the bumper, seem like a accident waiting to happen) but it has to be a plug in....and then it hit me: I already have one! The Prime is too fancy for my tastes, I actually prefer the more utilitarian and simpler model, LIKE I HAVE NOW! I had a suspicion the ground clearance seemed a bit lower, thanks for confirming that Jerry. That alone is enough reason for me to back off, if you all saw where I live you'd wonder how and why I can even drive a Prius here in the summer, much less the winter. And the high rear deck and the rear seat folding thing, a lot to give up. So, I have a renewed appreciation for my '13 PIP, and will keep abusing it (not really, but it isn't a city slicker for sure) while enjoying my mid to high 50's MPG per tankful. My local dealer had NO new Primes, and more or less said they don't expect any, this area is just not for them I guess, or maybe they are all going to other states.

 

I am STILL thinking about it, darn it! Here is a link to what I can get local, 15 miles away, and in my part of the country they are very rare, Prime that is. In the 4 years I've been driving my '13 PIP, I've yet to see one other.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/823614072/overview/

It would appear it has most of the bells and whistles? I could offer them 25 K and write the check out, (but that's not a plus, they want to finance it I'd imagine, cashing it out would be a negative probably) but after lurking here, it sounds like I'd still be getting screwed?

 

Thanks for that, but I am too busy in my day job (a crane service, and my work is often unexpected/short notice, and being out of town for 2 or 4 days could easily cost me more then any savings) and with only 9K miles on the one I'm looking at, and considering the overall reliability and longevity of any Toyota I've ever owned, I'm not too concerned about buying slightly used. BUT, in further negotiating with the salesman, I will use that as ammo! I offered 25 K, they said they'd think about it, then called back and said come on in, which could mean anything of course. I will hit them at some point with the fact that my 25 K offer includes the 6% Idaho state sales tax, we'll see how that goes over! I am a amateur, they are pro's in this wheeling and dealing, but I can try. My one strength is I am not in a hurry or desperate for wheels, and I guess it wouldn't hurt to wash the '13 and park it where they could see it, just to make that point. I'm sure they will be real impressed!

On another thread, I posted about what a big fan of Michelin IceX tires I am, getting a bit over 45,000 miles out of my first set (45 psi, rotated every 5K miles, kept on year round), and at one point I was bent over trying to make out the Prime's tire size etc., to see if I could swap my 1 week old X's over off my gen 3, when I realized, it HAD X's on it already!

 

On a second test drive visit to the lot, after I told the salesman the day before to plug it in and get it fully charged, I arrived at 1:30, and was told he'd plugged it in at 11:30. OK, enough of a charge to get a bit of a drive in EV, but it turned out he hadn't pushed in the charger all the way! No green light, and i wasn't much help as on my '13 PIP it's idiot proof, just stick it in. It still wasn't charging until we turned the car on and figured out how to tell it to start charging. I'll stop by tomorrow, and see what's up. Right off hand, I like the display of my '13 better, (speaking of the energy used/regen symbols) though until I get to see what things look like with a charged battery, I'm just guessing.