Help me with buying a used Prius, please

I have a question also about purchasing a new prius. do you really need the extended warranty? if you purchased the extended warranty, did you get a good return on your investment?

Thanks!

 

Hi 1newyorkguy and jack99934,
I see these are your first posts here.
Welcome to PriusChat.

First, with buying any used car from someone you don't know, get the car's history. I get a Carfax and the service records if available.

Second, have a mechanic look over the car. Being a Prius (hybrid) none better than your local Toyota dealer's Prius mechanic . . . but "total confidence" is a tough nut to crack.

How long is left on the batteries? Nobody knows. They last a longgggg time. For instance, in California and the other states which use California's pollution regulations, the Prius battery is under warrantee for 10 years or 150,000 miles. I don't think you need to worry about the battery. It will probably outlast the car.

Regarding purchasing an extended warranty when you buy a new prius . . . DON'T!!!!!!
You have up till the original 3 year / 36,000 mile warrantee expires to purchase that thing.
Look here for BIG SAVINGS . . .
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=3...ended+warrantee
This is no joke . . . but you may laugh when the dealer tells you how much they will charge for what may be an inferior warrantee. JUST DON'T MENTION THIS TO YOUR DEALER!!!!

 

I bought my '05 used. I bought it from CarMax and I had a mechanic from the Toyota dealership look at it before I paid. My '05 had 35,000 miles on it, and the information I made sure I had first was that mechanic's report, the service history and the CarFax report.

I love this car. Get yours checked out and then buy it.

 

I would start by knowing what I could buy a brand new Package 1-3 for.

I have seen many talk about buying a couple of year old used car for damn near what a new one costs.

You can always add after market leather and Navigation. I would rather get a new one with the camera and additional airbags. Not to mention fresh upholstery.

I don't see how some of these cars are a good deal since they have miles, don't qualify for low interest loans, and the price of a Prius has gone down.

Price Would be a big factor, as well as the ability to be in the 3 year, 36000 window to purchase a warranty.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmaybe @ Jun 19 2007, 09:48 AM) [snapback]464742[/snapback]</div>

If the car has freeway stickers, it may be worth it to him, otherwise, I agree. Why buy used when the price difference is so little? Gas prices are going down, and the Prius as a volitile commodity (based on gas prices), may be a better deal new, except for the HOV sticker. Used or new, just do it!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jun 19 2007, 02:29 AM) [snapback]464524[/snapback]</div>

I just bought a new Prius/package 5 last Sunday. I wasn't going to buy the extended warrantee based on conversations here (for the $990 deal) until the Oakland Toyota dealership sold me on the Platinum Extended warrantee for $825 (!) because they wanted to really sell me on something extra. I bought it only because of the fact that they beat the $900 price here. But now I'm hearing I should wait to buy Platinum Extended - and wait until right before my 3 yrs/36 is up. My question for all of you is: Does the standard warrantee that comes with the car for 3 yrs/36 cover EVERYTHING that the Platinum extended warrantee covers? Or is the Platinum warrantee more extensive? I am wondering if I should be double protected since hybrids are still unknown quantities when it comes to parts going bad. -- Or do I not need 'extra' protection with the Platinum because the standard 3 yr/36 covers everything the Platinum does for 3 yrs only?

Also, does the 7 yrs cover the car being 7 yrs old - or if I wait to get the extended past the 3 yrs/36 will it add on 7 years more for the extended warrantee?

Thanks!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(madelynex @ Jun 19 2007, 01:03 PM) [snapback]464848[/snapback]</div>

There are a couple of extra things, like a guaranteed rental car if warranty work is performed, and a limited lodging benefit if you have it repaired out of town. You can wait until just before the 3-year or 36,000-mile deadline to get the extended warranty.

The warranty doesn't add the number of years to the original warranty. IOW a 7-year/100,000-mile warranty is good until the car itself is 7 years old or has a total of 100,000 miles on it, whichever comes first. You're actually buying a 4-year/64,000-mile warranty.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mcbrunnhilde @ Jun 19 2007, 10:06 PM) [snapback]465038[/snapback]</div>

Ah, got it. So really I should try and get the dealer to refund this (though I must admit, $825 was an awesome price) and then purchase around something like 2 yrs 8 months to get the maximum benefit of 7/100,000 miles. I hope it's not a difficulty getting them to refund it. Is this a legit thing to do?

 

I see no reason to wait to buy the extended warranty.
It isn't that you will get an ADDITIONAL 100,000 miles, it is for the actual 100,000 miles that the ODO will have (or, the 7 years, if that arrives first).
Buy the extended warranty whenever you like, as long as you get it BEFORE the 36,000 mile warranty expires.
Besides, the extended warranty does cover stuff that even the 36,000 warranty doesn't, so it COULD be useful, even in the first couple of years, should something happen.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Jun 20 2007, 12:29 PM) [snapback]465310[/snapback]</div>

Chances are with me, I will not be at 100,000 miles in 7 years. I mean, my last car, a Chevy Malibu was 7 years and only at 50,000 miles. So I don't expect to use that first - more like the years.

But, yes, my initial question was, is the extended warrantee more useful incase something major goes wrong with the car right now.. something maybe anomolous - or say an expensive part goes. Or would the warrantee that comes with the car actually cover those type of pricey expenses? Sounds to me like the extended warrantee covers everything that the 3/36 one does only beyond the 3/36 miles - but additionally it includes extra perks like towing - ala AAA type stuff. In which case, if that's all it includes extra - I could wait on the extended warrantee and pay a bit later.