Keep 06 one owner Prius Base 82k Miles or swap for Brother’s 12 Prius C with 130k mikes?

the c will probably last longer before major repairs, if that matters

 

There is something about buying cars from relatives.

 

I agree with the above- the c is practically guaranteed to give you more years of service before the battery chokes. And that it's bad to buy cars from relatives.

 

If I were you I'd stick with what you already got... An 06 Prius is so common that you can get used parts to keep it on the road at minimal cost. Take a couple thousand of the money you'd spend on the Prius C and set it aside for a new battery when it's needed in years to come.

The Prius C may be newer and shinier, but it's smaller and more problematic then a tried and true Gen2 and if you crash it or it gets stolen or too many parts breakdown at once you can get the same car for $5K from a private seller on craigslist... You can't do that with a Prius C.

 

With an 06, you will soon need a new hybrid battery, inverter pump, brake actuator, combination meter, and other parts. Those will just fail over time

 

Its a tough choice...the 2012 qualifies for extened warranty but only til 150k miles so not much left. Sounds like your bro puts on a lot of miles. But the newer is probably better....

 

The prius C does not get 10/150 warranty. Only 8/100 warranty

 

OK so even there

 

lol... don't listen to 'em... The Gen2 is one of the most lasting and reliable that rarely if ever get any of those maladies way past 200K miles... The Prius C is a newer upstart and far fewer have been produced compared to Gen2. Five years from now the better price on parts and ease of repair will be the Gen 2.

 

In the long run, caring for and sustaining a healthy HV battery pack is way more straightforward with a real Prius rather than a Prius C

 

The cars are over 10 years old, parts fail. I've experienced everything that I mentioned in my prius cars. Even transaxle failures

 

+1.

Just because it is a Prius doesn’t mean it is zero maintenance or problems. As things age, things fail.

The question is when and that is a tough multivariable differential equation. No way to know exactly when. But it will happen.

 

An 82k mile gen 2? As long as the body and interior were in great condition, I'd be all over that like white on rice. But, I am a DIY kind of person. I have minimal experience with the C, so I have no input on that..........

 

You'll definitely have better luck with a lower mileage gen2 but you also need to be a DIY person to get into an older hybrid. HV batteries, combination meters, and brake actuators can fail over time, regardless of low or high mileage on a car. The HV battery and brake actuator can easily exceed that car's value once they need replacement.

 

+1

If you don't DIY, take the c.

 

My sentiments exactly.... So sick of all the irrational nervous nellies on Prius Chat forever getting their bank account drained by making a molehill of easy repairs into a mountain of excuses for prepetually upgrading to newer cars that are way, way, way more expensive than just sticking with your same old Gen2 Prius for as much as two decades. Many of the Gen2 still on the road can go as much as 300K miles with not much more than filters, oil and tires.

And with all the articles of Gen3 engines blowing head gaskets, leaking oil from timing chain area, electronic door lock failures... Yuck!

Anyone want to bet $10 that Gen2 Prius will have a longer lifespan than Gen3... Sounds like a winning bet to me!

 

but is it worth it on a 12 year old car?

 

While I don't know how problematic the failed EGR design in Gen3 Prius engines is overall, I do know that building an ICE engine this late in the game that's prone to blow a head gasket is the exact kind of car I'd never, ever want to own. Heck, I don't even know if I want to work on them for my friends. All that nasty oil and gunk that needs constant cleaning compared to my Gen2 with 232K miles and nothing more than a clean air filter every once in a while?