After much research, I have decided to buy a Prius. I test drove an '07 with 111,000 miles the other day, and it was love at first drive. It felt like coming home. Dealer is asking $9,200. I'm hesitant because of the age and the miles. Research online seems to show that the '06 is even more reliable and I found one with 98,000 miles and is a few hundred less. I would appreciate any input on which year might be better. I've driven used cars forever and I'm happy with buying old--especially with the reviews--- but I'm torn. The '06 has a small dealer-warranty and has more features added. The '07 is in my color scheme, higher mileage, and the dealer offers nothing. Also, and most importantly, I live on a street where parking with two wheels on the curb is necessary. I've read a few reviews that say the car won't start when it's parked like that. I've been surfing around this forum for a few hours, but have read nothing exact on the above questions. Forgive me if I'm repeating. I'm ready to buy, and officially join the club, but I would love some advice from the experienced!
There is no significant difference between the 2006 vs. 2007 model years. There is no problem parking at the curb.
The 2006 is less miles, less money, more features and has a warranty, right? Seems like a no brainer, assuming general condition is the same. Have you registered at the Toyota Owner site and entered each VIN to see their maintenance histories? What does the Car Fax look like?
Warranty is only a dealer warranty for a month. Less miles, yes. Haven't test driven yet, and have not seen the Carfax. 2007 Carfax was good. Regularly Toyota serviced. Seems like a no-brainer, but I'm being overly-meticulous, I guess. Plus the '07 is red, the '06 is black. I prefer red.
The only thing I'm concerned about on these cars at that age and mileage is the warranty on the Hybrid traction battery. If you in a CARB state, your warranty will be 10 years or 150k miles. I would try to max out on the 10 years and not the mileage. These batteries seem to be failing close to the 10 year mark. Assuming both cars have good maintenance records, I would choose the one with fewer miles, just so I have the assurance of the longer 150k mile warranty. But if you are not in a CARB state, your coverage would only be 8 years or 100k miles. In that case, choose the one you like best.
Thank you so much, JC91006! That's excellent advice, and I am not in a CARB state. Neither car is under coverage at this point.
Check the maintenance records of both cars, the one with a good service history is the one that should win your heart.
Black is a really hard color to maintain as the tiniest flaws are very apparent. Drive the 2006 and see how it compares. If you can't decide between the two cars, maybe you should look further for more alternatives. Once you've decided that you are serious about buying a particular Prius, I suggest you have it inspected by a Prius-trained tech at your local Toyota dealership. You'll probably have to pay for a couple of labor hours but hopefully you will find out if there are any negative surprises waiting for you.
Thanks, Patrick. The '07 has had the full inspection by a Toyota mechanic. It's being sold from a Toyota dealership. I have the records on hand as to what they did to it, etc. The 'o6 is advertised as being cared for by a Toyota mechanic, but I haven't gotten a chance to see the records yet.
Keep in mind there are also different packages that come with the Prius. The options prices can increase the price of a car by upwards of $5000 vs one without options. You can google 2006 and 2007 Prius options packages to see a list of options available and what options the cars have.
As a countering perspective, I usually prefer the examples that are LESS equipped. I believe they are easier and less expensive to own. In the 2nd gen, the lower-trim conventional headlights have been much more reliable (and less expensive to replace) than the HID headlamps in the higher-trim cars. The lower-trim audio systems often sound better (depending on the subjective listener's ears, of course) than the higher-end JBL system in the higher-trim cars. Disconnecting the center speaker in the JBL system tends to make it sound better though. One thing to check when you're shopping...the Gen 2s can develop leaks in the engine water pump. That's the only repair I've had to do so far. It's easy to check for. Look down the left side of the engine for the large, black pulley near the bottom. Look inside of it for pink crusty buildup that indicates coolant seepage. It also sometimes forms a pink line on the underside of the hood. If leaking, the pump can be replaced at home for about $100 in parts/supplies if you're a DIYer. Dealer service departments usually charge about $350.
Any chance the Toyota dealer would throw in additional warranty or pre-paid maintenance on the '07? I think Toyota Certified Pre-owned vehicles can be up to six years old, but I'm not sure how many miles they have to be under. Depending on mileage restraints on CPO vehicles, I wonder if the '07 might have been certified up until the end of December.
ETA: If I were you, I'd probably head around to the service department. I'd loiter around until I could find a mechanic who would chat with me about both cars. They'll be able to give you an honest opinion based on their experience maintaining similar vehicles.
I can't thank you all enough for your help. I found more needed information on this site than anywhere else in my research-- and I'm so glad I plugged in and asked the question just before purchasing today. I'm proud to say, I am now an official Prius owner! I bought the '07, got a great deal, bought a warranty, etc. I've been trying to find reasons to drive places ever since. Ha. It's such a pleasure to drive that I think I may use up any savings on gas just by driving everywhere as much as possible. Thank you again, I'm excited to be part of the club.
Congrats on the purchase. Hope you get lots of trouble free miles and big smiles at the pump! Learn about hypermiling and the different stages of the Prius. Look in my signature below for details. Best of luck to you!
Congratulations and welcome to the club! I've had mine since November and definitely find extra reasons to drive, too! Luckily (amazingly!), I haven't spent more than $30/tank yet! Stick around the site.
I bought my 2008 Gen II in June 2013, and I've been parking it with two wheels on the kerb everyday since then. I've even unwittingly experimented with parking it in the opposite direction. I am pleased to announce that I've never had a startup / boot up failure attributable to parking with 2 wheels on the kerb (US = Curb). Even when my 5 year old 12V battery started to fail, it still booted the systems up on my Prius, albeit with the ominous "Red Triangle of Death" briefly displayed. So, seriously, you should be fine! I think the Prius failing to start when 2 wheels are parked on a curb / kerb might be urban legend created by Prius haters ;-). iPad ? HD
Congratulations on your newly purchased RED 07 Gen II "Spaceship". I know what you mean about trying to find excuses to drive places. It's my day off from work today, and guess what I did? Drove 42 miles round trip to retrieve a.......winter scarf!!! Oh, I could have left it at work till Monday.....BUT.....pass up an excuse to go gliding silently down the street with an undeniably cartoonish smile on my face? Goodness, no!! :-D. It's a bit like riding around on a magic carpet - YOUR very own magic carpet!! iPad ? HD
