Deciding between a 2005/07 Gen2 vs 2010/11 Gen3. OPINIONS PLEASE!

the 2010 would still be under warranty in a carb state. but the '05 is a great deal with such low mileage.

 

Your older Gen II will not necessarily cost more in maintenance. These things do fine with simple oil changes every 5K miles and filter changes annualy. But, there is some 100K mile maintenance that should have been done: spark plugs, transmission service, etc. My vote is to avoid any financing and get the older one.

 

From a GenII owner that has been recently shopping for a GenIII, hands down... I'd go for the newest generation.

BUT your situation is unique - it sounds like you might have really high insurance premiums and some other factors that could make buying the newest generation a financial difficulty for you. IF thats the case, go for the newest GenII you can afford. My 2007 has 97,000 miles on it and has been absolutely, positively bulletproof. I cant speak for the design (I really like the GenIII looks too!) but I can definitely speak for its reliability and durability.

Shameless plug: If you lived in Michigan, I would sell you my Level 5 with added heated leather seats & a spare set of winter tires on steel rims..

 

It is a buyer's market so don't be too much in a hurry. As a general rule, closer to the end of the month, the prices get softer. Also there are some non-traditional places to consider, eBay.

I voted for the 1.8L Prius hatchback as the larger engine tends to have an easier life and a lot of technical improvements over the NHW20 (2004-09), such as:

• no belt - an electric water pump, the last belt driven accessor so it doesn't rob the engine of excessive water pump load
• cooled, exhaust, recirculation - this keeps the engine efficient at high power settings instead of having to enrich the mixture to keep the exhaust cool enough for the catalytic converter
• exhaust heat capture - shortens warm-up without the thermos bottle

But in reality, the NHW20 is a very good car too. If you have the option, avoid 2004-5 due to a latent solder quality issue good Prius Friend Hobbit identified. Also, the last model year, 2009, has every improvement incorporated in the factory in that series.

If I were comparing them, the NHW20 is an A- and the ZVW30 an A+ compared to anything else on the market.

Bob Wilson

 

That means owner did not go to Toyota dealer for any maintenance. Maybe they did maintenance at home, or at small dealer that does not report it, or did not do anything . Inspection is needed.

Alex

 

If you can afford the GenIII, I would go for that car.

1. It's newer so you won't have to worry about the HV battery for a couple/few years. You should be on your feet by then.
2. You already don't like the GenII
3. You won't have to upgrade quite as fast on the GenIII, you can bank the savings for a few years and upgrade when you feel more comfortable. Upgrade on your own terms, not because the car broke down and you need another.

 

From a guy who just purchased a 2005 Prius this summer with all the options and 150,000 miles for $6,000, your Gen II option sounds like a good buy at only $5,500. Add to that the fact that you won't have to pay interest on a loan.
Your transition into the real world may strain your budget. Being a tightwad in my 50's, I still hunt for the sweet spot where you get the most for the least, so I have to share my thoughts.
To address your points above:
1.) The insurance will be less costly for the Gen II. Its money you can't avoid spending, and (hopefully) will never get back, so why not minimize it.
2.) The depreciation on the Gen II has bottomed out much more than the Gen III. You will lose more money when you resell the Gen III than the Gen II.
3.) You worry that the Gen II will cost more to maintain than the Gen III. My experience is that the recurring maintenance costs will be the same. With the same mileage on both cars, random mechanical failures will be comparable, most likely nearly zero, unlike with a non-Toyota. So I don't see any difference/advantage for either car.
4.) This is a matter of taste, but I prefer the Gen II exterior design. It is cleaner and likely to age better. Regarding the interior, the Gen III center console crowds me, and the controls and displays are less ergonomically optimal. If you find a 2006-2009 car, the center display will be higher resolution, and most packages come with a backup camera, which you can't get in a Gen III unless it has Navigation. I would add that the 2004-2005 Gen II doesn't have Aux In for the stereo, 2006-2009 does. Its the one thing I wish I had, but a cassette adapter lets me connect an MP3 player, so I don't mind. Gen III has bluetooth audio (Gen II bluetooth is for phone only), USB and mini stereo jack. These evolutionary improvements over the 2004-2005 models are good, but not $5000 worth of good.

Remember this also - you should keep about $2-3k on hand in case the high voltage battery craps out. Be sure you can handle that if you choose the more expensive car.

Finally, above, bwilson4web mentions the MFD solder joint issue on the oldest Gen IIs. My take on that is, if it were going to fail, it would have by now, so don't let that concern you. I do agree that if I were to spend a little more on a Prius than I did, I would look for a later Gen II because of the (subtle) evolutionary improvements that they have. But I found my 2005 in nice condition for cheap, and I like the headlights and taillights style on the 04-05s the best, so life is good. No matter which way you go, you will have a solid, comfortable, practical, economical car for years to come.

 

wow, waited a long time to write this first post.

 

How about driving? How much do you expect to drive?

 

Ha, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I think the gen 2 has much nicer lines, but alas.

I'd wait until the budget allows a new hybrid, getting one with over 100,000 miles might not be in your best interest, a corolla, several years newer with less mileage for the same money won't upset you with blinking red lights on the dash at exactly the wrong moment.
I voted for the 11 then I saw the mileage, yes hybrids work, but get a new one

 

Yeah, obviously I'm not in a hurry to be eligible to have a signature... but six months in stealth mode is a long time, especially for someone like me: car guy, engineer, like to think I know what I'm talking about before I speak. I've learned a lot here, enough to weigh in on this. Especially since having just gone through the same debate myself, and still pleased with the decision six months later.

By the way, I am driving a 2014 Prius (rental car) this week because my baby is in the body shop (due to my bad). I do like the power and smoothness of the Gen III powertrain, but I look forward to getting my baby back. Fringe benefit of my collision - Bling! I'm replacing the body-colored grille with the chrome one used on the 2006-09 Gen IIs.

Two more posts and I can have a signature, which will look something like this:

2005 Prius, 152,000 miles, Salsa Red Pearl over Dark Brown/Ivory w/Cloth Seat Trim, Option package #6 AKA BC: Anti-Theft system, Homelink, JBL AM/FM/Cassette/6-CD changer with 9-speakers, SE/SS (Smart-Entry, Smart-Start), Navigation System, Bluetooth, VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), HID Headlamps, Foglights

 

I'd consider getting the Gen II - (i) you won't have monthly car payments, (ii) Gen IVs will be out soon, so Gen IIIs will no longer be the most current version, (iii) insurance will be lower, (iv) you may be able to resell somewhat close to the price of purchase if you take care of the car and keep her clean and well maintained, (v) the Gen II may last you until the Gen Vs are out, and by then the Gen IIs will be a collectible classic (it's the Gen IIs that popularized the classic Prius lines which following generations have maintained)!

If you start with a well-maintained GenII, then you should do fine. All the best! - Godzuki

 

I hate this question because depending on what side of the bed I wake up on, my answer changes. But for now, I say go with the one you can afford, the II. I think my only exception is that if you already have a job offer with Intel in Silicon Valley which will be paying you a 6-digit income in a few years. In that case, you can buy the III and drive a better car for those few years until you are rich and famous and can afford whatever you want. But if you will be working for $30K per year and have student loans to pay, keep ALL of your costs down. Maybe even take the bus.

By the way, I have a saying that pretty much anybody can afford to buy almost any car, within reason. However, the problem is keeping it on the road. Insurance, gas, maintenance, repairs, etc. That's what kills you.

Mike

 

I also vote going for the Gen II. Based on what info. you have provided - I think it is a better "fit" for you and your situation.
I would not be "afraid" of the miles on the II - we bought one used (with over a 110K miles) and proceeded to put almost another 100K on it before we traded for a used 2010.