1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

buy a prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by lilparsnip, Feb 8, 2017.

Tags:
  1. lilparsnip

    lilparsnip New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2017
    1
    0
    0
    Location:
    Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    hey nerds! i'm sure you've all heard this question in a million different forms (i've perused many an old thread about potential prius purchasers) but you also seem to love giving people car advice so i'm hoping you can help me out.

    i'm looking to buy a car to get back and forth from a job that starts in ~3 weeks, with a budget of about $5000, though i'd love to pay less. i'll unfortunately be driving a lot, 4 days a week, ~30 miles each way.

    i hate cars and everything they stand for and the only way i've been able to make myself feel at all comfortable about this development is by narrowing in on a prius which is at least not a fuel-burning nightmare box. i honestly really wanted a Gen I because they're so tiny and sweet and i wanted to drive one of these brave hybrid pioneers to into its grave, but research has shown me that they're a pretty shakey investment in the year 2017 especially for someone who hates cars and doesn't have a backup option for their commute.

    so i've been craigslisting around looking for potential prii that could make my heart sing, and Gen IIs seem to satisfy my requirements as far as budget and relative reliability.

    thanks to the years of compiled advice on here, i know to get the VIN and check the carfax, ask about the status of both batteries, and make sure that common trouble spots (transaxle, shocks, salt stuff, etc) have been adequately fixed/maintained across past owners.

    so, for a complete car & prius rube, i just wanna know: is craigslist the best place to look? how do i make a seller sweat? any clear signs of nastiness i can spot just by popping the hood, or taking a test drive? how do i know if a HV battery is on its' way out, aside from 100,000+ miles with no replacement, or slowly reducing mpg? any other advice to offer me, even if it's just to run away now and buy a frickin honda?

    or if any of you reliable car-genius types are considering selling your prius in illinois/indiana/wisconsin: can i buy your car?
     
    #1 lilparsnip, Feb 8, 2017
  2. luv2spd

    luv2spd Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2016
    6
    2
    0
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    My only advice is that if you want to buy a Prius, you can also check out the Lexus ct200h which is based on the Prius but looks a bit better and uses a bit more gas. That way you might have more used cars to choose from when buying used. Also, newer the car the more likely it is safer, to some people safety is important.
     
    #2 luv2spd, Feb 8, 2017
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,133
    50,050
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome! at under 5k, you're between a rock and a hard place. no pub trans in chicagy?
     
    #3 bisco, Feb 8, 2017
  4. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2006
    7,028
    1,116
    0
    Location:
    South Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Look at http://www.cars.com. You may want to search by price to see what $5000 will buy.

    Check out how owners rate their cars on TrueDelta -- Real Car Owners Driving Real Car Information. (I'm one of them.)

    If you are looking to buy a Honda the fuel economy of the Gen1 Insight (last model year 2006) is very hard to beat. The hybrid system is different so the car can still run with a bad pack but expect 35mpg. Can you drive a stick?

    Age and mileage aren't reliable indicators of how long a battery will last. In some states the warranty is 8 years/100000 miles while in others it is 10 years /150000 miles. Very few batteries fail under warranty but the only guarantee is that every battery will fail--some day.

    Consider the fuel economy of the cars that you are looking at. Commuting 12000 miles/year burns a lot of gas. You'll also be spending a lot of time in the car so you'll have to learn how to adjust. The attitude "I hate cars and everything they stand for" will have to change as you become "tech support" for whatever you are driving. Either you will learn to start doing things yourself or you will be paying someone to do them for you. The alternative is to find a SO who is a mechanic or join one of those van pools.

    Keep us posted and happy hunting for whatever you can live with.
     
    #4 JimN, Feb 9, 2017
  5. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,855
    6,658
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It's what we live for.
    Proofreader for the Trib?
    Shift key installer?
    You're better off spending $5000 on a non-hybrid.
    You're better off spending $5000 on a non-hybrid.
    NO!
    It's where people who can't sell cars to people who know about cars, try to dump a car onto a rube with a new Prius song in their heart....
    If you insist on a CL sale, at least do the deal in a public place.
    Tell them you have 3 brothers: A cop, a mechanic, and a parolee out for murdering somebody who sold your mom a defective toaster.
    1. Run away now...and buy a Corolla

    It's out of your price range.


    Good Luck!
     
    #5 ETC(SS), Feb 9, 2017
  6. luv2spd

    luv2spd Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2016
    6
    2
    0
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Usually if your budget is $5,000 for a used car; it's best to get one for $4,000 and put aside $1,000 for repairs. But there are not many good used cars out there for around $4,000.
     
    #6 luv2spd, Feb 9, 2017
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)