Potentially buying a 2018 Prius Prime Plus Monday Feb. 3, 2025, got some questions

Hello everyone, it has been a little while since I have posted and the first time to post here on the prime part. Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

So here is the question, I have owned a 2011 Prius since it was new. Had some issues. Looking to possibly buy a 2018 Prius Prime Plus with 46,000 miles on it for 21,000 from a Toyota dealer tomorrow Monday Feb 3 in the early noon. I know the Kelly blue book is 20,000 so I am going to try and get them to lower the price. I check the CARFAX it has had one owner and has had all the maintenance. I have several questions since this is my first prime and my first used Prius. Excuse the questions, I just want some answers to make sure I am doing the right thing.

1. I know the infotainment system on the premium & advanced have the bigger screen but I actually like the smaller one on the plus and the physical nobs. Is their any other difference between the one on the plus and the higher trim levels except the size .

2. I understand it has lane assist, adaptive cruise and some other safety features. The higher trim levels have more safety features like blind spot monitoring which is on the things I really wanted on a car. Can be get this put on as an after market option from Toyota ?

3. As I stated above it is a 2018 with 46,000 miles, one owner and all its maintenance. Should I buy an extended warranty from the Toyota Dealer or should I get a 3rd party warranty like Car Shield. I know the dealership is going to try and push me into one. But from my research the 2018 is one of the most reliable years. Also should I do the powertrain, wrap around or should I do any warranty at all.

4. This might be a stupid question but can someone explain the emgh I have watched videos on YouTube from owners claiming that the are getting 80 to 90. I a trying to understand this.

5. I will probably have a few more questions tonight or tomorrow. We are going to do the paper work and all tomorrow afternoon - But I want to know from the experts on the prime here. Is this a good deal for this make, year and model with that mileage

6. last for now can someone give me some advice on questions that I need to ask the dealer.



Thanks in advance for all the help, info and advice you can give me. I really truly appreciate it. FYI as I said I have had a 2011 Prius and always said I would by another prius. Wanted a prime and in the blue. And one just showed up on text alerts Saturday morning. Kind of like a sign. Once again thanks for any help you all can give.

 

Hello everyone thanks for all the great answers alot of useful advice. For those who where asking my old prius was 2012 and it has 178000 miles on it. I error codes of 261B Coolant Pump "B" Control Circuit Performance / Stuck Off and 261C Coolant Pump "B" Control Circuit Low. It drinks water, I can drive about 3 miles and have to stop and put Water into it. During the 3 mile drive before the error code I get the Check Engine light stays on even if I clear the codes and then after about 3 miles the engine temp goes past 210 upto 255, at that same time I will get the triangle of death and the pulll over to a safe place blah blah sign, I forgot what it says but You all know the warning. The gas engine still runs but the electric Engine kicks out. Then just a few yards later the car will just shutoff and cost with the red steering wheel thing over next to the check engine light.I have a friend that works at a Toyota dealship in the repair department has for 20 or so years. He tells me has to do with the water pump and to repair that you have to move part of the engine to get to it. Which I believe is true I have known this guy for about 14 years and you can see the water pump below the engine on the left side. Andhe said you are looking at between 3,000 and 4,000 to repair. So I just figured it is time for a new one.

Once again thank to everyone for all the answers and usefuel advice, my last question is I have always bought the warranty with all my cars and everyone of them have paid off for me. But as I said I purchase my prius almost 14 years ago and things have changed should I buy the warranty they are going to offer at the dealership or is there a third party warranty that is better or you guys recommend like car shield etc ??

 

Thanks to everyone for the answers, I googled the cost of the waterpump replacement and found between 1,000 and 1,800. So I am going to post the situation in repair forum to get some advice. F0r a Paul Harvey, "Now for the rest of the story" The Prius is 13 almost 14 years old with 170,000 or so miles. It has been a tank and a work horse. I am a sports reporter and it has been to hell and back with me. We have been four wheeling, we have driven across a creek with water almost up to the door, I have carried bags of mulch and rock in the back from Lowes. (FYI it will hold 15 bags of mulch if you pack them just right). I have carried 20 postted roses in it, we have popped so many crubs trying to get to parking places when I get to a sold out sporting event. So long story short she is really worn-out. I am single and I take care of my 90 year old mother. So I am going to move ahead to get the 2018 Prius Prime and keeping this one. Thyanks everyone for the info.

 

First , my sales person was amazing they went above and beyond the call of duty. I am not going to name the dealer.

Here is a simple followup, the 2018 had 46,100 miles, single owner, the asking price was 22,600. So acording to the IRS Used Clean Vehicle Tax Credit it quilifies for the 4,000 tax credit which you all know you can toward the purchase of the car or file on your Federal taxes. So when I asked the Toyota dealer the slaes perons told me they didn't know what I was talking about, They went to talk to fiancing and they said finance doesn't do that beceuse it will take a year to get the money, then i sent them back and they came back and told me they will give a bill of sales that I can use, which you all know that isn;t right becuase the dealer has to report to the IRS and give you the proper paper work, then the sales person went to the owner and he said flat out no. Well at that point I was like I am out, they said the will hold it for me a day and then they will have to give it back I was like ok go ahead. That is when I said I have to get my lawyer who just happens to be our state representative. So the sale sperson said she can't talk to me anymore that I will need to the sales manger, not that he would call me but I needed to call him.

During the sales process they were shady, I asked for a PBI and they gave me a hand written paper with scatches and white out on it wihtout their letter head or anything from the dealer on it. They kept on pushng me to do the credit app, but I know that trick as I said I am a sports reporter now, but was an investigative reporter for 10 years and I got my MBA from Vanderbilt School of Bussiness and I was a used car saleman during college so this wasn't my first rodeo.

For FYI they want you to do a credit app once they have the bill of sale so they can look you into that price, because it is diificult or almost next to impossible to go back to the credit company and redo it, The dealer will tell you some bullshit that if we go back with a new price it will have another hit in your credit and we don't want to do that. So fyi don't fill out that credit app till you get to the final price. They kept pushing me to do the credit app.

To go back when I got the bill of sale the PDI and Doc Fee was twice the average of our state, I aksed for a break down of the PDI and Doc FEE and they told me that can't do that because they don't have it. I said you don't even have a general summary. Was told bymy sales person that the sales manager said he has never been asked for that. Excuse me you do have that, that is a basic tennant of business that you know what cost goes into your product before sale. Then I called my contact in the state department of revenue and asked if she could tell me the sales tax and registration fee on the car, she said yes over course. I said will that include the city and county sales tax and she yes it will. So the tax listed on the invoice was 200 more than what the state department of revenue. I told hte sale person she came back and said that the price they gave me doesn't include city and county tax and i said yes it does. She first asked me where I got that info and I said I have my sources, I am a reporter and have been in this city for 14 years. I have all kind of contacts, including the Mayors, Governor, state represnetiaves cell phone numbers. Along with pretty much every princiapl and head coaches numebr in the area. Really. So anyway I just wanted say this to get it off my chest.

Well i went on down the interstate to another dealer who had a 2019 Prius Prime with 2,000 miles less and trim level 3 the advnaced for 800 dollars less out the door. Just saying don't fill out that credit app to you are satifisied with the final price, pay attention, do your research and ask as many question you can. Knowledege is power.

As said at the start my sales person was amazing they went above and beyond the call of duty. I am not going to name the dealer publically, but just know I am in Alabama.