My 2008 Prius with 160,000 miles was recently totaled when it hit a deer, and the age/miles was supposedly not worth the cost of repairs. Florida has weird laws regarding buy-backs, so I can't really my get it repaired on my own. I loved that car. So, in the market for another Prius. Looking at Gen 3, here is what I've narrowed it down to: 2013 Four 90,500 miles with moonroof for $13,000 out-the-door & 30-day warranty 2014 Two 52,300 miles for $15,900 (not sure if their 12 month certified warranty is extra) 2014 Four 63,800 miles for $14,000 (warranty is extra) Questions: How reliable is the moonroof (not solar - just plain)? While I would love that feature, I like little to the little to no maintenance besides check-ups better. Would the extra 30,000 miles of the one-year older model be worth the $1,000 savings? How risky is buying a certified pre-owned vehicle without an extended bumper to bumper warranty be? I'm on my own here in a new area, so I thought I'd consult the folks who always helped with questions I've had in the past - YOU.
Welcome to Prius Chat ! Seems like you have a decent budget. Some questions: Where in Fl are you located? How many miles do you plan on putting on the Prius annually? Do you do maintenance yourself? Would you consider a plug-in Prius? As far as the moonroof, there have been reports of those in the snowy areas where the weather stripping around the moon roof was degrading. The 2014 for $14k seems the best deal to me. Hope that helps.
I'm in Northeastern Florida near the Georgia border. I was averaging almost 19,000 per year, but since moving, I'm guessing it will go down to 13,000-15,000. I always had service done at a Toyota dealer, but given the closest is now 30-50 minutes away (depending on traffic) I may switch to something more local. I hadn't even thought of a plug in - are they as reliable? I'm guessing with the constant sun (& relatively close to the ocean), the stripping degradation might be an issue here as well. I appreciate your help. Edit: The Prime is way out of my price range.
I was referring to the Gen1 plug in that was made between 2012-2015. Out here in the Bay Area they can be had for ~$13-17k depending on mileage. They are just as reliable as a regular Prius, with the added benefit of ~11 miles EV when it’s plugged in. If sticking to your above plan and not deviating, I would choose the 2014 still as it has lower miles and if you choose dealer maintenance, it has lower miles. Good luck and keep us posted .
You can tell how satisfied I was with my little 2008, I hadn't even heard of the Gen 1 plug in. I'll check into that.
