We're haven a hard time deciding on a 10

I wouldn't buy a new car that had a paint repair done. It's not like these (or any) cars are in short supply. Of course the dealer will tell you it's no problem (I had one try that on me once). I'm sure the dealer will get another one in your color combination in soon, or else can do a dealer swap (write down the VIN of the damaged car so you know they won't pull a fast one on you ).

 

Buying a Prius is not like buying a one of a kind Mona Lisa. If you don't feel right about buying a new car right now, don't do it. When you find the right car, at the right price then consider buying it.

Remember when buying a car, you are in the driver's seat - not the salesman.

Keith

 

this is a big change from a maxima make sure you're comfortible before pulling the trigger. perhaps rent a II and a III for a week each. i think the happiest prius owners were committed to high mpg's, the environment or technology. people who aren't quite sure seem to have the most buyers remorse. as for the scratch, if that is ultimately the car you want, have them fix it a knock a few hundred bucks off the price. after you have it a while, the other scratches will make you forget all about it,

 

I wouldn't buy one that had to have a paint repair unless I was offered a significant discount.

I don't know how far you are from Kenosha, WI or what your price was, but Carmax there has a III for $22,998. They'll pick you up at the airport and you can drive it home. http://www.carmax.com/enUS/view-car...8+15+9&Q=4de18f4c-5781-46c5-8a1c-b9dbaf4fbd35

 

So the price on the II was 21,998?

 

I agree with tech_guy

If you've driven it and you don't feel comfortable, wait. in fact this might not be the car for you. If you are having doubts now, whats going to happen after the papers are signed and you can't just return it. If you feel uncomfortable because of the sales person, leave take your business elsewhere.

 

This is an extremely "funny" thread.

Last week we got our Prius II and I'm about to part with my much beloved 2000 Maxima. I bought it 7.5 years ago and have loved it for 100k. I loved it so much that a couple years after getting it I bought a 97 and had that for a year and a half before replacing it with a van.

I was HEAVILY on the fence with this purchase. I only looked into it at all (otherwise was going to wait a couple years and get a used G35/7 since Maximas aren't in manual transmissions anymore) because the rates were so damn good. The reason I looked into it is because despite the Max being overall very reliable, when I ran the numbers and reminded myself how I am tired of maintaining two old vehicles (our other car is a 2004) I thought it was a good opportunity to "buy some time".

If you're like me I wasn't on the fence because I hated the Prius but because I loved my Maxima. I sell it private party tomorrow (couldn't get much trade-in).

The pros with the Prius are that it will be reliable and predictable, but it's massively slower and it is smaller. Also I realized that despite my car being a decade old I still feel cool (sue me, I'm lame) when I fill it up with gas; it's a nice looking car. I will never have that with the Prius unless gas hits $4 again and cool for a different reason. It is very utilitarian while not being quite the "I am poor and just out of school" that a Corolla is.

Run the numbers on depreciation, insurance (about the same, smidgen higher on new Prius), gas, likely repairs/maintenance and all that and they'll come out a little higher on the prius but not much (in our case $100/month or less but with that we buy total reliability and no issue on long trips is realistically possible).

I still do want a G. Perhaps the G37 sedans will be readily available cheaply used in 2-3 years and I'll get rid of my van for one. Or perhaps later. They sound awesome. Fast cars are fun in a way a Prius never can be, but the hybrid tech of the Prius is cool. Even just to drive it with the stuff it's doing is nifty.

If it's any consolation, I would do private party on your max. Not just because you'll make a lot more on it but because to trade it into a dealership almost feels like cheating on it. If you like your max like I like mine and you find a good new home for it you can be ok with the purchase. People who've never owned a maxima maybe can't understand I feel in a way that Nissan betrayed me with no longer having manuals in their maximas. I know the numbers don't back it up on the market and most maximas were selling with CVT but it still pisses me off, frankly. And the current gen of max looks gorgeous, too. But if no manual I may as well drive, well, a Prius.

 

Here's what I'd do ... bargain like hell on the scratched one for a substantially reduced price!

I came out of small SUV, and it took me about 6 weeks to 'like & enjoy' the Prius drive. It's different, but that's what I wanted. Otherwise, I would have gone with an Outback. I fold the rear seats down for; dog, bike, surfboard(s), & stuff.

Oh, and 1st 2,900 miles at 48.5 MPG - Actual, based on fill-up calculations (computer is about 5% higher). The EPA tests these things indoors on rollers, so can't blame Toyota.
Bart in SoCAL

 

Go to www.aaa.com to build a car & get quotes. If the dealer (or port) repainted or replaced the bumper cover before you saw the car would you have been interested in it? They are going to fix it anyway so keep shopping. In NJ repairs this large are disclosed during the purchase process.

How are you going to feel about the car when you find that first scrape or dent?

A base II is $21997 here. Invoice is $22597.

 

Had a Maxima '01, bought a Prius II in 2004, and delighted to find trunk size was larger. Now even happier with a 2010. But I'd try to find a clean new buy at the right price, not compromise.

 

I wouldn't go for a "scratch and dent". My dealer didn't have a red with dark gray interior in stock, so we said "thanks, we'll go to where that are selling one", and then we stood up to leave (you have to stand up to show you are serious). Like magic, the next day a red with gray appeared. We purchased for $21,400 (with mats and applique). If they think you are leaving, they will find the vehicle you want. This is still a buyers market.

 

Wouldn't you have to cut into the door panels to mount tweeters?

And wouldn't you have to pull off trim, pull up carpet to wire in an amp which the III already has?

I lean towards a system built into the car from the factory. I wouldn't trust some non-Toyota shop ripping my new car apart to put in a system which has no acoustic engineering for the car it's going in.

The III has speakers on the dash which is probably effective for bouncing the sound off the windshield. You're not going to cut into the dash to mount speakers there.

I believe they do some sound engineering with these JBL systems. The III sounds pretty decent to me. It shakes the rearview mirror plenty.

Or am I off base?

 

Yeah the place I test drove at was not giving me much good over the phone. Said the managers need a person to come in. I said that's strange another local dealership didn't require that and gave me such and such price. Guy's tone on the phone immediately changed. I had better numbers soon enough. And over the phone. I don't want to sit in a showroom while the manager "runs the numbers". I'd rather take part in electroshock studies.

 

If you know what you want you can do the shopping & negotiating with the Internet Sales Dept by e-mail or phone. The trip to the dealer should be to inspect & accept the car & sign all the papers.

 

cars with "blemishes" are repaired at the port all the time by all manufacturers.



most of the time you'll never know they did it