Hello! My name is Will. I am from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I have been learning a lot from reading many posts on Prius Chat. Tonight I read a very interesting long conversation from a lady looking for a Prius. Was really a great conversation. I am wondering if there are any Canadians who might have some advice on Canadian pricing and what to expect when looking for a Prius. I will be looking to purchase a used prius in December. I will have $11000 to $12500 cash to work with which must cover taxes (15%) as well. I am wondering what you think I might be able to come out with. 2009? Will
Hello and welcome to PriusChat! Is the cash meant to be for a downpayment towards the used vehicle? A 2009 (2nd gen) Prius would be about $10-$15k for an average mileage vehicle. Less than $10,000 if it's over 200,000km.
Sorry about that I meant 11000 to 12500. I am hoping to grab one with under 130000 km. Perhaps on my budget 2008 might be more reasonable to shoot for? SM-N910W8 ?
Ohh. Well the 2nd generation spanned from 2004-2009. It was updated in 2006 so 2006-2009 are mostly the same. There are differences in the screen resolution of the 7" LCD display between base 2006-2009 models and those equipped with backup cameras (higher resolution). I would just look for any below your criteria of 130,000km between 2006 and 2009 . Just note that 2008 and 2009 models will have a little bit of their hybrid warranty left (it's 8 years or 160,000km whichever comes first). They're fairly reliable vehicles but I would try to find one that's been driven regularly and one that hasn't been sitting in a dealership lot in a while (they may not take care of the 12V battery or the HV battery and let the car sit for months or years without charging). I would ask when the vehicle arrived at the dealership.
Thank you for you advice! A big concern I have is the effect of the Canadian East Coast winters. We salt our roads and generally vehicle bodies rust out well before engine dies. I wonder if going older than a 2008 will be problematic. I feel if they have rust checked the car each year this will be a great benefit. The more I read about the Prius the more I am surprisingly pulled towards it. SM-N910W8 ?
I see a 2005 Prius with 123 000 kilometres with new brakes , new 2 year inspection, going for $6000 CDN Seems like a good deal. Question. A 2005 with 123000km for $6000 Or a 2009 with 123000km for $1150 All things similar would you buy the 2009 or would you buy the 2005 and keep the $4000 for possible repairs..... SM-N910W8 ?
Cars tend to last longer on the west coast so I can't say. Hopefully someone from ON or QC will be able to help you out (or even a fellow NS). It depends on the package but I would go with the 2009 if it has the Premium Package. (Same name for both years). The reason is that the 2009 includes MP3 CD capability, 3.5mm Auxiliary Jack (to plug in your iPod or phone), bluetooth handsfree calling and backup camera (with higher resolution 7" LCD screen). The 2005 Premium Package (like the one we have) just has a cassette & 6-disc CD changer. Note that some 2009s have 15" alloys and some have 16" alloys. Both have plastic wheel covers (the 15" is a disc, the 16" is a full plastic cover. The alloy itself is actually gunmetal underneath)
Hmm, $4,000 is a good chunk (it's enough for a brand new 7" LCD screen or most of a brand new battery, just to give you a perspective on cost. A refurbished 7" LCD screen is about $1-2k I think and refurbished or junkyard battery is $1,000, half the price of a new one). Regardless of year, I would strongly recommend a 2nd Gen Prius with the Premium package. It adds Vehicle Stability Control, front seat-mounted side airbags and side curtain airbags. The Prius does better in the side-impact crash testing with the side airbags. Of course, stability control is a nice active safety feature in the winter.
