Is buying a Prius used as a fleet vehicle a good idea?

welcome! a loaner car is probably more abused than a one owner car. i don't necessarily think that disqualifies it though. i do think you should get a very sweet deal on it in comparison though. all the best!

 

You'd be under hybrid warranty until 100,000 miles and 8-yrs so it's not like you're buying a taxi with 200k and no warranty life left. We've had some used Prius Plug-ins going for about that price at 75-80000 miles on the odometer, so price is in the ballpark.

 

I've just had my 2013 Prius Two, not II because it is not a 2010, for about a month now. Also a fleet vehicle. It was actually a Hertz rental car. And yes, I was hesitant. But of course I had it thoroughly checked out from front to back. All they could find at Toyota was some routine maintenance that was overlooked. Cabin filter air filter wheel alignment, And they did a brake system flush. Nothing out of the ordinary for a vehicle with 58,000 miles on it. I got mine for $12,900. And after my 10 year old trade-in, tax title and license out the door came to $10,800. So I wouldn't be afraid of fleet purchases. just like with ANY car though, have it checked out beforehand, ask lots of questions. I'd like the guys said in previous Comment, you'd still be under the warranty. I think if it checks out good at Toyota, go for it. They'll put it on the machine, check for codes, check the brakes and all the basic systems. My dealership did that for $65. Well worth it.

And it wouldn't hurt to go online with the VIN. I don't have the website address handy, but there is a site for Toyota where you can punch you in your VIN number and it will show any outstanding recalls or other problems. I did that as well as got a CARFAX. Of course it won't tell you everything so its always good to also have it checked out.

 

Maybe the most concerning thing is the statement "They Bought It A Year Ago at 40,000".

Why are they giving up on it in a year?
What was the ownership situation for the first 40,000 miles?

Might be a palatable deal, but yes, I'd definitely want a good independent check of the vehicle before I wrote a check for the vehicle.

 

Toyota Owners Official Web Site: Service Coupons, Owner's Manuals, Service Scheduling And More will provide dealer service history (don't expect much) and recall status.