Hi My first post after getting curious about prii, test driving an '08 prius a few weeks ago and falling in love with them! I'm driving a few hundred miles more a month for a job I got a few months ago and are considering the following from a smaller, mom and pop's dealership- '07 Prius black exterior, tan interior 61,200 miles $14,490 The carfax says one owner, is clean and says the car actually was purchased from and inspected by a toyota dealership. It has everything except Nav and Satellite radio (and sun/moonroof if that was even ever an option). Should I be concerned that it's reached the halfway mark of the 8 yr/100k mile factory battery warranty? I would trade in my '06 accord v6 ex-l that I love but it gets half the mileage. I would consider my '06 accord nicer and much more roomier with more power but the prius cooler because of all of its technological function. I work in IT so the tech scores points with me! Although this car would set me back another $3k with a new loan, I'd save like $100/mo on gas and monthly payment would be $20 less than my current loan. I have until tonight to decide. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks! Badi
I believe either vehicle is a good choice. The Prius is nice, good price for today. I personally do not like "black" because of the heat, but that is a personal decision. The car you presently own, the '06 accord v6 ex, is a nice car and it too is in high demand. If you do trade, make sure you get top dollar. The key here is not to rush. Toyota made PLENTY of PRIUS vehicles. So, if you miss out on this one, you'll find another. And the Honda is not going to loose a lot of market value either, you all ready own a nice car. Good luck with whichever way you decide to go.
you need to run AUTOcheck on the vin.. cause car fax doesn't show everything Price is to high.. knock a few 1000 off
I would go for it. We did the same switch from an Accord Ex-L (4 cyl.). It was very easy to adjust, even with the 2 kids. There is plenty of room for the passengers. Access to the kids seats is even easier compared to the Accord. Check the discussion on the 100K miles club and the 200K miles. Also have a look at truedelta.com. Maintenance cost is lower on the Prius. We bought our Prius at 65K Miles and plan to keep it as long it is reliable.the car has 105K Miles. Only maintenance done so far is oil, filter and 1 ignition coil (100$). It is a 2004 and driven trough canadian winters with snow and salt...
As with any purchase, buyer beware. The batteries could be the least of your problems. If I hadn't purchased the Toyota Platinum Warranty, our 2007 would have cost us over $1000 in just the last month alone. A/C compressor was replaced in March (>$1000) and during a routine service yesterday, dealer called to tell us the water pump was leaking (>$500). Component failures of this nature should not be considered normal for any car with less than 75,000 miles. The fuel mileage is spectacular but I'm beginning to doubt this car's mechanical reliability
FWIW, the Prius made it under the Best of the best list at Best & worst used cars and got top pick at J.D. Power and Associates (2007 cars in 2010).
6 months ago I would agree that price is to high for car but in todays car market that is a good price for the car. I would tell you that if the numbers add up the way you showed in your post that to save 1440 dollars a year plus the insurance you will save that it is a good deal that I would not pass up. I also agree that black would not be my first choice. To hard to keep clean.
Do not rely on Carfax - I was burned by a dealer who sold me a 07 Touring that had a clean carfax but had been in a major front end collision. If an accident is not reported, it will not show up on a Carfax. Carfax's "guarantee" policy is worded such that it's difficult at best to be reimbursed on a claim. Is this car local? I would avoid buying a car out of your state as you can have major legal complications if you have any issues. If it is local, take it to a mechanic or dealer you trust and have a them inspect the vehicle. Though highly reliable, the Prius has some very expensive parts (under the hood) that are easily damaged.
The value, if it has everything but the Nav.... is certified $17281, dealer 15668 private party 14221 and trade 12881 according to Edmunds. They are usually a little lower than NADA. That sounds like a reasonable price. If that is the asking price, ALWAYS talk them down. Everyone has a certain amount of leeway to work with. sunroof NOT offered in '07, I have one with everything everything offered that year except touring package. Just check it out thoroughly. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
