Most economical used purchase: Prius, Yaris or Honda Fit?

Hi there! I'm new here, so thanks for having me.

My old beloved 2008 VW hatchback went caput last week, so I'm looking for a new used car on the fly. I make $41k a year as a server, so trying to not blow too much of my savings on a car. However, since I don't know a lot about cars and don't have a great local mechanic, reliability and affordable repair costs are high on the importance list for this gal. And I have a good amount set aside, so can pay cash for purchase. So far I'm considering a 2009 Prius with 135k miles for $7,500, (1 owner, clean records, regular service records at a Toyota dealership), a 2015 Yaris with 35k miles for $11k, or a 2015 almost-new Honda Fit for a bit more, $14k. (The older 2013 Honda Fits get 3/5 star driver's side crash ratings, which makes me hesitant since I drive a lot on freeways). I also need a hatchback versus sedan for transporting furniture.

With the high-mileage Prius' price, I could put a few grand aside for repair costs, (hybrid battery, etc), but I'm still not sure it would be the most economical purchase. I do like the older 2009 body style better than the 3rd Gen, for sure. There's also another 2009 for sale with 45k miles for $11,988. Also a 1-owner on Carfax, which might be a good deal. Any advice for this car buyer? Thanks!

 

Thanks, Bisco! I actually might go look at the other 2009 45k miles $12k Prius. You're right, the 135k mileage just seems formidable for someone on a budget.Thinking maybe I'll test drive the Yaris up the steep freeway we have in our area, that I take every day on my work commute. Want to make sure it can hold up in traffic flow on that considerable incline.

 

Do you think the '15 Fit for $14k is a better investment than the second Prius, 2009 45k miles for $12k? I hear you on the higher resale value for a Honda, but also nervous that with my driving record, and on top of that this busy city, none of my cars seem to survive me :/ My '08 Rabbit went up in flames last week due to a bad mechanic selection the day before (insurance is investigating him), and my Camry before that was totaled.

 

Thanks, Tideland Prius. Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing about the Yaris (Yes hatchback). The 2014 model seems the same as the 2015, and drops at least $1k in price. And I assume an older car will= even lower insurance. And from what I can see on Consumer reports there's not a difference in performance or ratings between the years.

Thanks, Bisco! That simple break-down helped. Off to test-drive more Yaris (Yarii??) tomorrow.

"The Fit will have a lot more space for your furniture than the Yaris. So does a Prius, although very differently shaped (longer but less deep than the space in a Fit)."

Yes, the Fit really is a well-designed car, especially with those foldable middle "magic" seats. The deepness of the cargo space when they're folded is just super impressive. The things I didn't love as much were the extra firmness of the seats (some reviews on Consumer Reports were just brutal, claiming lots of back pain, and saying they're not suited to long drives, so I didn't know what to think about that), and what felt like a lower seat height. Overall I do like the car for sure, but saving $4k to $5k with the Yaris is sounding tempting. I also only have street parking, so whatever car I get will be subjected to all the damaging whims of nature in the form of bird droppings, sprinkler hard water buildup, and errant drivers, so wondering if I will stress less about a cheaper car sitting out in all that.

Thanks, IlUVMyPriusToo! At this point I think I'm pretty set on a hatchback though. I wish they had continued to make the Matrix, which to my understanding was the Corolla in hatchback form. That would've been the perfect car for me! I did look at some used Matrix (Matrices?), but for the price I just want better mpg than 26/32.