Help me choose between two cars

Rereading the original post, if the question is what is less expensive....then the answer will most likely be the 2012. Within 4 years or so, the odds are against the 2012 vehicle's repairs exceeding the difference in price- even if a new traction battery is needed. Not sure if that is exactly what he meant by making sense fiscally. We don't usually have a choice between 2 Prii with $8k difference between them.

 

Since you live in Indiana and driving 25K miles a year, is a lot of miles, I would do this- if you must have a v, find a 2014 model with 36K miles - the 3 yr lease turn ins are hitting the auctions now- find it by recruiting a car dealer to buy one at auction for you, with a set finders fee. Ask them for the current black book (auction) price so they don't pull a fast one on you. It may take a while, but you will find a dealer that is willing to accept a $500 profit with no risk. I think you could find a 2014 for about $14-15K - winter is coming and hybrids don't sell well in the winter in Indiana- if a dealer bought one at auction, it would have to be cheap- to cover the carrying costs until it sold 6 months later. I have done this before and I was satisfied with the cars both times. I drove them 3 years, on 3 yr loans and had a nice trade-in value for my next car. I've owned over 70 cars since 1966- My 1962 fuel injection Corvette, that I bought out of high school in '68, now that was a pos car- nothing but expensive trouble ( the girls were trouble, too)- should have parked it in the barn under a tarp and waited 50 years for my payday- haha
added: I also bought my current Florida retirement house in 2009- a short sale property, as is, sight unseen- never saw the house until we drove down from Indiana to close on it a month later. It was a business decision- it has more than doubled in value.

 

Maybe I take the 2015 then...I am in a rented Camry right now and the trunk is a trunk.
I don't buy many cars with trunks.

 

I am still seeing a few off lease type 2014's showing up for sale at dealers in south Florida- $15,999, 33K miles - ( flood damage inspection would be a must , right now)

*2014* *Toyota* *Prius* *V Two Hybrid Hatchback Fwd* - cars & trucks - by dealer - vehicle automotive sale

 

I always used the one-man type of dealer- $500 is all profit for him.

 

I'd flip a coin...
Heads...go with the Prius v....
Tails....go with the Prius v.....

 

I have a friend of 20 years now, who never seems to make up his mind- he dithers and dawdles with important decisions. I liken it to going down a one-way alley with many doors. He keeps passing up the doors (options) until he gets to the end and there is only one door left, because he couldn't make up his mind on the previous options (which have expired) so the choice is easy= he has forced himself into accepting the last choice, which isn't as good as his earlier options, but he was afraid he would make the wrong choice, so he delayed making a decision.
Right now he is driving a 1997 Cadillac - with over 250,000 miles and also, on it's 2nd engine/tranny. I encouraged him last month when I was visiting him, to trade it in while it is still running with no warning lights. Nope, I know my friend. he will run this car until it has massive failure and is then only good for the scrap yard. He will then be in a bind for a car and with no transportation, he will be forced to buy the first thing ( an overpriced beater with a wax job) he can find on his budget. He is on a first name basis with the salesman at O'Relly auto parts who reads the trouble codes on his car.

 

Since, the main fear that I perceive here, is for future potential expensive repair costs, which I hate too, I will share what I did with my first Prius-
A one man car dealer near me really likes Prius cars and buys them at auction- his prices were at least $4K less than the Toyota dealer- he found me a 34 month old 2007 Prius with 35,000 miles for $13,000. A very good price. (the Florida car rental agencies had dumped all their Prius cars due to the runaway-won't stop Prius newspaper scares)
I took it to the Toyota dealer a couple days later for a 36K service- that afternoon, I called Greenfield Toyota in Massachusetts and purchased ( faxed the service report to them) a discounted Platinum 8 yr/125,000 mile genuine Toyota warranty for around $1600.
I had 4 years of worry-free driving and my only expense was for oil changes, tires and air & cabin filters. I traded it in with 92,000 miles, on my 2014 Dodge minivan and got $8k trade in- being a Chrysler retiree I buy 2% under invoice.
( Toyota offered me a whopping $5K trade on full+ $30,000 sticker price 2014 Prius v) -
And I got some money back on the unused warranty ( no claims) I saved a ton on money on gasoline, too. Now that the need for a family vacation hauler has passed, I am again looking for a Prius.

 

congrats, all the best!

 

Well, the downside, which I am sure you factored in, is the car's 5 yr/60K power train warranty is gone or will soon and in 2 more years the battery warranty will be gone. Otherwise, the ATP cars are nicely equipped- Fives, I think, have heated seats, too.
Back in the day, when I worked as a union electrician, it was nothing to drive 25K a year. It sure pained me to go past 50K in two years on a new 1992 Cadillac. I finally saw the light and got off the road and went to work as an industrial electrician in 1994 at Chrysler - retired now, since 2008

 

Congratulations on your new Prius! Enjoy!

 

Congratulations!
Great price & good buy

 

Interesting as I value my '12 v Three 43k miles with many upgrades (DRLs, 12v, leather seats, full Weathertech, etc) and spotless history at $12k.

"Out the door" could involve taxes and such that should be deducted to arrive at the selling/buying price.