WHat would you do - Gen II used vs Gen III

If you have not made your mind up yet, I vote for a Gen II. I find the MFD location and functionality perfect as is, where it is! As McMaster05 notes, you could always wait for a Gen IV. Having driven both, I like the II better than the III, but, I would rather have a Tesla Roadster if I had the loot!

 

for option 1:
Normal/regular drivers will get better fuel efficiency with a gen3 than a gen2 -but a skilled or expert hypermilers with a scangaugeII can often get the same or better fuel efficiency from a gen2 than a gen3 (because the gen2 is lighter and has a less sophisticated onboard throttle controls). The gen3 has a much better stereo and its seating is also better - which makes the gen3 a better super highway car. The gen3 has a regular gastank instead of the gen2 bladder tank so the gen3 fuel gauge is more accurate than the gen2 fuel gauge. The gen3 has more power too. A type three Prius has bluetooth ( a must for hands off cell phone usage). For people who don't have a scangaugeII - the new HSI display does a reasonable job at guiding a driver at how to efficiently drive the gen3 and is less distracting than the gen2 LCD display.

for option 2:
The real advantage of a gen2 is that its more DIY accessible since the gen2 is more like a conventional car and it has normal/regular tech manuals. The gen3 tech manual is the size of an encyclopedia - and access to Gen3 tech is via an internet subscription to a search engine portal. The gen2 also has a coolant heat storage(CHS) tank that stores hot coolant into a thermos bottle that can make the gen2 more fuel efficient when driven in a series of short-medium trips that are separated in time by short stopovers ( less than 120 minutes) - the gen1 and gen3 does not have a CHS tank. So far, the lifespan of the HV battery appears to be atleast 10 years if not more - but other things could go wrong - but you are in luck since you live in the San Fran Area and there is a very good prius expert in your area called - luscious garage[1]. If you decide on option2 before you lay down your cash have luscious garage check her out and give you the thumbs up first.

[1] Luscious Garage | Hybrid Specialists

 

i am reading the LG message board and it seem to me that the Gen II are starting to see problems.. especially for people who drives alot of miles..

 

For that difference, there's no question - go with the newer car. Aside from the many improvements in the redesigned model, it's four years and 40,000 miles younger.

 

Agree about 20 years but totally disagree about 10 years given figures like those at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/a...nger-200000-is-new-100000.html?pagewanted=all

Yeah, I know that BMW types you're talking about along w/some of the VW/Audi fanboys. There's at least one wacko on my350z.com who always asserts Audis are reliable. It's because he buys them new and doesn't even keep them for 3 years.

 

Eh. I kept my Audi 10 years with only routine maintenance. At the end it needed 1 cat conv.
But :focus: I would go for the newer model because it implements what Toyo learned, younger and fewer miles as posted above. $5k isn't enough difference to warrant the other car.
But I'd also keep looking for a gen 3 that has everything you want, if you're in no hurry.

 

congradulation.. how much did u get ur prius or is it forbidden to say it here? i sat in a hybrid camry and they have adjustable lumbar in the regular seat. Still debating whether to get a prius or a hybrid camry

 

My first Prius replaced a 23 year old Honda, which still ran acceptably well (and cheap to operate) but was too far behind the safety curve. That three year old Prius was traded in only because of a surprisingly low cost of an upgrade opportunity.

My attempts to persuade DW to replace her 23 year old Acura (really Honda), for the same safety reasons, continue to be unsuccessful. But I'm not even close to ready to get rid of the other household vehicle, a 15 year old Subaru.