Preowned Prius - What to look out for and how to shop safely?

[Jakezxz1]

Hi all!

So I've never posted on here before but I've been doing a little bit of reading and I wanted to start engaging a little and perhaps get my feet wet into the community.

I am currently in the process of obtaining my drivers license - Aged 31! - New job has kindly asked and supported me to do so and as such I felt the time is now right to get on the road.

After doing a lot of research, I've almost come to the decision that the first car I want to own is a Prius.

I understand that to some people, a first car should be something "cheap" or in some cases less than £1500 - But the issue here is as such:

A) This will be commuting between cities across the midlands - Motorways and A Roads - A cheap small first car in my opinion does not feel safe on these roads

B) I need something reliable - Of course first time cars in the £500-1500 bracket CAN be somewhat reliable but not in the use case I need it for

C) This will be a car I will be pulling into an office with - I would rather not turn up in something that has dings and scrapes !

To that end, I have been looking at the used Prius - I'm sure I don't need to tell you fine people the benefits of ownership ! ;) 

However, as this will be my first ever car purchase, I am quite nervous that I am entering a total mine field - The fact that it is a hybrid to me makes matters more complicated.

What I would love from you where possible, is buying advice:

A) Are low mileage examples rare to come by?

B) Are Gen 2 (I think) too old now for warranties on the batteries?

C) What issues can I expect to see with preowned examples?

D) If you had to put a number on it, how much would you be willing to pay MAX ?

E) Are there generations that I should avoid / Year I should not look into?

 

I apologise in advanced If there have been countless posts on this topic and will appreciate being told to go there instead of creating a new topic and I thank you for your time!

[Stopeter44]

4 minutes ago, Jakezxz1 said:

However, as this will be my first ever car purchase, I am quite nervous that I am entering a total mine field - The fact that it is a hybrid to me makes matters more complicated.

Hi Jake,

Welcome!

I learned at 26, with an automatic and the car was huge (1972 Cadillac with 8 litre engine!), but where I learned roads were pretty wide and I never had to park on narrow streets, so I think you'll be OK! I learnt again, when I was 42, when I had to pass my drivers license in France.

Many people will have specific input about the Prius, but rest assured a hybrid, mechanically, is less complicated than a normal ICE powered car, and the transmission is particularly robust. Corolla, Auris are based on the same mechanics, do you need a car the size of a Prius ?

You will find links (Carcarenut, weber university on YouTube) to videos that explain how Toyota hybrids work.

[Jakezxz1]

3 minutes ago, Stopeter44 said:

Corolla, Auris are based on the same mechanics, do you need a car the size of a Prius ?

 

Hello and thanks for the reply!

To be honest, I had no considered or was even aware that these cars were based on the same mechanics - I don't have children, just me and my partner! I was just thinking - Hmm, what do I know to be reliable and low road tax.. I know, Prius!

Perhaps I could look at the Corolla and Auris - I am trying understand the best way to get into ownership of a car.

I think I would say if I had to pay cash then I might be able to save about £5K which takes me over to the 10+ year old variants, of which I don't think I could get a hybrid Corolla or Auris in this price range.

However, again, due to lack of awareness, I could perhaps look at lease options or even HP for newer cars if that's a sensible option?

Edited December 10, 2021 by Jakezxz1
Further information

[Stopeter44]

Just now, Jakezxz1 said:

Perhaps I could look at the Corolla and Auris !

You could indeed. These two are equivalent to each other, and as long as you stick to the hybrid, which you seem to want to do, then you are getting the exact same technology as the Prius in a smaller package.

The Yaris Mk 3 is available as a hybrid, and the more recent the Yaris 4 is only available as a hybrid. 

I chose a new Yaris 4, because the tech has evolved since the Yaris 3, and the look and size suited me.

I was resistant to hybrid technology, because, before I researched how it works, I thought it was over complicated, but I think you'll be making a good choice (I suppose it couldn't be any other way, or else I wouldn't be on this forum).

[TonyHSD]

Hi, 

if you are about Toyota hybrids you should look for ones made from 2010 onwards because here is where Toyota made a big change to its hybrid drivetrain as efficiency, performance and drivability., models like Prius gen 3 Auris hybrid and Lexus CT200h, these 3 models only or newer ones from 2016 Prius gen 4 , ch-r, Corolla from 2019 , Yaris from 2020. Again it will depend on your budget, £5 k is all you got then you can look exclusively at Auris Hybrid 2010-> , these are great alternatives to its sister Prius and the biggest difference between is the boot space and some design differences. Yaris gen 3 hybrid also considered 2012-> but its a smaller car from the above models and that may not suit you as much since you said motorway driving. For the mileage, best look for something with average miles and with service history, if it’s around 10 years old 100k miles +/- 10k is very sensible choice, even you go for higher miles car can be still a good choice, these are reliable cars and if maintained well they lasts ages. 

[Catlover]

Hi Jake, over 4 years ago I bought a 2010 Auris hybrid for £6500 from a dealer, 45k miles. The wife now has it, still running very well and looking good, now 75k miles, still doing 55mpg in summer. Privately you may get one for £4K, but used cars in uk are silly high at the moment (short supply of new ones).               
I then bought a 2010 Prius with 105k miles for £5750 privately. Ran beautifully and getting 65mpg in summer.                
As already said, the hybrid elements of these two cars  plus the Lexus CT220H are the same. The Prius, although being the largest, gives the best mpg due to its body shape. It is designed to cut through air.             
I now on my third Toyota hybrid, a 2016 Gen4 Prius and it is amazingly good, but pricy.           
Certainly you looking at good models and I hope you find what you want.

[Jakezxz1]

Thanks all so far for the kind advice, I will certainly keep reviewing my options!

I am yet to decide on the purchase method - Cash, loan, HP, or lease - Unless the latter 3 are the same product packaged in a similar way lol?

I have good credit but I haven't gotten a credit card, never had a need to and was in some ways a little frightened to get myself in trouble! Although Martins Money does give some fantastic financial advice and gives me confidence to make sensible decisions.

I just wonder if getting a loan would be the least favourable since the interest + depreciation of the cars' value might be far too costly long term. I know car ownership is going to be expensive in some regard but I do like to be efficient financially where I can. 

[Stopeter44]

1 hour ago, Jakezxz1 said:

I just wonder if getting a loan would be the least favourable since the interest + depreciation of the cars' value might be far too costly long term. I know car ownership is going to be expensive in some regard but I do like to be efficient financially where I can. 

Only you can know. I fully understand not wanting to get into trouble with credit - I've been there, and done that!

OTOH, it depends how much the loan is going to cost you, and how much you may be able to get by investing your money elsewhere. I don't know, but there are financial products that might get you 5% per year, and your car payment could cost you 3%, so instead of paying cash for the car you could take a loan and the money you didn't put into the car would earn more than the cost of the interest on the car payments. You'll have to put the sums into a spreadsheet, and see what it all looks like.

Having a good credit rating might helpful if you buy a house, or something big later.

[johalareewi]

An older hybrid Yaris would probably be worth looking at. My wife still has a 2012 one working flawlessly and cheap to run.

[Joseph D]

Agee by and large with all that has been said so far.

My only 2p's worth is that if the majority of your driving is going to be distance motorway and A roads, then I wouldn't get anything smaller than a Prius. The Prius is a very enjoyable travelling car and even though it is roomy inside there are very few roads where it is too wide, you just need to get comfortable with it and know its width.  (Unfortunately, taken to the extreme, that might mean a few scrapes here and there!)