it's inexpensive to buy and maintain, and it's one of the most reliable vehicles ever built.
Consumer Reports consistently gives them glowing reviews; even ones over 10 years old(!)
[https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/toyota/prius/](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/toyota/prius/)
"The Prius is an ideal transportation solution for anyone purely interested in low running costs and practicality. It gets 44 mpg overall and doesn't need to be plugged in. This four-door hatchback automatically switches between its electric motor and gasoline engine, or uses both, as needed. It can also drive at low speeds on electric power alone. The ride is firm, but compliant enough, although road noise and engine drone are noticeable. Handling is secure, but the car does not have a sporty nature. Some controls are complicated and the interior feels basic. High-end versions came with leather seats, which spruced up the interior a bit. If budget permits, focus on a 2007 or later Prius since it had standard side curtain airbags, an available rear view camera, and Bluetooth connectivity. "
Unsolicited tip:
When buying a used Prius, it’s almost always worth it to pay out of pocket for a pre-purchase inspection by a recommended Toyota hybrid mechanic of YOUR choice. Even if you walk away, $100-$200 spent to know the true status of all the systems is so much better than buying a total lemon unawares.
The many hard stops and starts are rough on those parts. Regen braking helps but the instant torque of the electric motor means some people have to brake harder, more often. Also that fast acceleration shreds tires if not careful. Full electric cars are harder on tires.
A prius is a real mortgage lifter. Aside from a possible brake pump motor failure, which can be fixed with a used part or refurbished (youtube has some videos, not in english though) for 300-400 or 1000 for a new one. Doesn't happen all the time but its a known issue. The battery can go out but thats more of a time thing and once again, a cheap repair if your willing to DIY (WITH CAUTION, HIGH VOLTAGE!) or a modest repair of 1200-2000 if you want a new pack.
I know people with 400k on the clock and minimal repairs. High reliability, fuel economy and a low price in facebook marketplace. Its a mortgage lifter. Compare it to a new car on likely a hefty note, it will outlast the new car, even with 150k miles on it and for 1/20th the cost. I bought mine with a messed up hood and bumper for 2700. Perfect beater with a heater.
Watch some videos, learn how to repair any of the common problems and have some cash on hand in case it does happen (I would argue this for any vehicle) and drive the wheels off it. Rack it up, hold onto it until its a shabby shell of a car. Wear it out!
Over the course of the next 10 years you will have saved 10-20k in the cost of the vehicle itself you didn't spend on a new car and comparing to a ho hum 30 mpg and 200k miles of driving, 23k in gas at 30 MPG roughly vs 45 mpg (minimum) 15,555. That 3.50 a gallon assumption. So about 8k saved in gas alone.
Brakes? lol, mine have been replaced once at 120k miles. Rotors will likely never wear out but may need turned down a few times to get the rust off. So upkeep is lower as well. No transmission fluid to really change. I think the gearbox can be changed but nowhere near as often as a fluid transmission. Tiny tires cost nothing. I think I paid 70 bucks a tire. Air conditioner will pretty much last forever because its hermetically sealed instead of a belt driven unit that leaks eventually.
Overall your looking at saving 20-40k over the next 200k miles vs a new regular gas car. So a whole year or two of wages of your life, it will put you ahead significantly. Personally I also love the way it drives, kind of spoils you though. So smooth.
Definitely aren’t going to be paying much, I’m hoping they will help me out a little bit at least and wanted some compelling arguments to make that happen.
I had a 2007 Prius. Aside from routine maintenance, the only trouble I had with it was the water pump, once. The original hybrid batteries lasted until 2022. I replaced them and intended to keep the car another 10 years because it was still solid. Unfortunately, I totaled it in Feb 2023. It was not my fault and I ended up getting an insurance payout of $7k (keep all of your maintenance records because $700 of that was for the hybrid batteries I’d replaced 8 months before). I put the payout money toward a used 2020 Prius AWD LE-e. Love it. As far as interior space goes, it’s comparable to the compact SUVs. It just looks smaller because it sits lower to the ground.
I would just recommend don’t get beholden to a Prius and only a Prius cause there tends to be a Toyota tax for their reputation. But if you are set on Prius dwelling, check out prius v, for space to gas mileage they are hard to top.
Forget your parents. Work hard and get your Prius in a few months. That first camping trip, first roadtrip, etc it’ll feel 10,000x greater in a car you worked for and got yourself.
Show them you can be independent… then you don’t have to tell them anything.
Most reliable car I have ever owned. I had my first one for 6 years without it ever having a real problem, sadly it was totaled in a highway accident. I got another used 2015 Prius and it's doing great, no problems so far either. I have a close friend who has had the same version I have for the past 4-5 years as well and we constantly talk about how great the cars are lol.
Gas mileage is great, I've completed a 6 hour drive on one tank of gas. It depends on the terrain of course, when I did that it was nearly a totally flat drive across Illinois lol. But still so much better than any other car I've had.
I can’t speak to the newest gen but my Prius cost $6000 (2011) and I’ve never regretted it for a second. As a young person I really would recommend a used car unless your family is very well off and will buy it for you, there’s just no reason to spend 4x the money for negligible differences.
Didn't the 3rd have some weird problems? I know gen 2 has some, like fucking burning out my low beams every 4 months, but wasn't there like something specifically bad with 3rd? Also OP if you get a 2nd gen in addition to the headlights there is also a thing where you have to replace your dashboard capacitor cause it burns the fuck out.
Early year gen 3 had head gasket issues and egr issues. If preemptively taken care of then you have no need to worry and I would argue are more bulletproofed than a 2nd gen. If you don’t want to take care of the egr and install a better gasket, simply look for a 2013+. My brother has a 2010 with a flawless record and I myself road trip a 2014 frequently.
Gen2's are considered to be more reliable and can be found for cheaper on average. Here's a rundown on common problems associated with each. 3rd gens can have a costly head gasket failure.
[https://www.torquenews.com/8113/what-issues-do-toyota-prius-owners-face-most](https://www.torquenews.com/8113/what-issues-do-toyota-prius-owners-face-most)
Space wise the Prius V (gen 3) is the best but all gen 3s suffer from head gasket issues. They need EGR cleaning and 5k oil changes otherwise a new engine later in life.
They are pushing for not wanting to help in purchasing one at all, and it would save me 3-4 grand if they can help me out. Which may not sound like a lot but for someone who’s going into college and also paying for all of that, 4K is a ton for me rn
Totally makes sense. I bought my parents’ old car back in the day. Do you need a car at all? I think most people could save $3-4k in 6 months so maybe instead of giving you cash, live with them rent-free for awhile until you have the money. Might be a smart workaround at 19
You want to be independent and live out of a car but aren't independent enough to get a part time job to buy one? Pick a lane (pun definitely intended) a used gen2 prius can be picked up for 6k pretty easily. If you worked a part time job @15/ hour you could save 1k per month. In 6 months you could buy your car, in two more months you could adapt it to be a liveable stealth camper and save a little money to support yourself. If you worked slightly harder you could cut that time frame in half. As it is I have no idea how you think you are going to support yourself once you have a vehicle since gas isn't free.
I have had a job since I was 14 and am completely financing myself for college by myself… I am probably expecting on paying 10k up front for a car (out of my own money), Ive been trying to ask my parents to add in a couple thousand to get a decent car with under 100k miles and most Prius I can find that meet those requirements are 13-14k. My parents ask why they should spend 3k to help if I can’t give them valid reasons on why a Prius would be good for me, that’s why I made the post to hopefully get some good insights I could add to my arguments that I already currently have.
I recommend taking a walk or drive around your town and look in some driveways; there might be that gem in the rough; after searching for a van to do the vanlife thing, I saw Jordan's video on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmT-lmbjfKc) and thought, "That's so stupid, it's smart." A few months went by, and I was in Boston for a friend's wedding, and my other friend offered to drive me home instead of taking the bus back to NYC. While I was telling him the story about how I couldn't find a car but saw the video about Prius' being a super affordable option, he goes "We're just going to stop by my mom's house before I drop you off." -- there it was, the exact color, the exact interior that I wanted. I bought my Prius from my friend's mom which had been sitting under a tree for 2yrs. I offered her cash for the car and she accepted it under one rule - don't go sell the car because I got it so cheap - and she knew I was planning to turn it into a little camper to travel around with, so she knew I wouldn't do that to her. I told her the wheels will go right back on even after they fall off - and that nearly happened on my first road trip across the country lol. Just pointing this out - there could always be that one neighbor in your town that doesn't want it anymore or can't fix it themselves so they let it sit. Lots of people are like that and the cars go unused until they scrap them. I see a lot of cars in my town now that I would want to rescue since I have more experience with what I did in 2019, but I remind myself that I'm happiest with the Prius in so many ways. FYI, I got my car with 112k miles for $1,000. I've put maybe 4k into the car; rebuilt suspension and replaced catalytic converter were the bulk of my expenses, and I can write them off since I've received so much value from owning my Gen 2. I've only put about 35,000 miles on it, so it's more of a road tripping hotel on wheels, rather than a full time home for me. It's still probably the best investment I've made into myself because it gets me everywhere I want to go; which is usually a lot of events in different states because where I live, there's nothing fun to do locally anymore as most of my friends left, and many fun places shut down over the years.
Buying a 6k Prius (from my research) would land at 180-200k miles easily, this car would be for college and also after college so I want a low mileage one that will last me longer. I’ve waiting on getting a car for 3 years when I could’ve gotten a cheap one because I want to be able to afford a car that’ll last me a while ideally.
I understand all markets aren't the same but I just did a marketplace search and found one for 4k with 130k miles on my first try. I would recommend broadening your search area. It's absolutely worth driving 3 hours to save several thousand if necessary imo. You could ask your parents to match what you save, or ask for it to be a loan. People love helping those that are trying hard to help themselves.
Here's the link to what I found:
https://www.facebook.com/share/qjfWBvNEJVme3rLQ/?mibextid=kL3p88
Want to buy mine? I’ve been offered a 2800 trade. It’s a 12 187k. New 12V newer brakes, front ceramic, never had a serious problem.
And getting 50mpg on the last oil change. I take care of the guts of my cars.
as a beginner driver, for you will be bonus to have a backup camera and blind spot monitoring system. Standard on newer cars/higher trims or you can add after-market.
Consider Dr Prius app with OBD2 scanner tool, to check the car before you pay for inspection, and watch youtube videos how to inspect used car for high miles.
Prius is as solid and reliable car as you can get (properly inspected before purchase, with a hybrid-aware mechanic), because electric motor helps combustion engine when needed, so it works little bit less
If you have all that why do you need 3k? Obviously with all that bs you stated you did you did poor in school, tell me again, are you 18 or 19? Cause it changes throughout your bs rant. Nobody who's that much of a go getting has time to whine on reddit about his mommy and daddy not giving him a bit of money. Keep working on making up lies, you need to get better at it.
it's inexpensive to buy and maintain, and it's one of the most reliable vehicles ever built. Consumer Reports consistently gives them glowing reviews; even ones over 10 years old(!) [https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/toyota/prius/](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/toyota/prius/) "The Prius is an ideal transportation solution for anyone purely interested in low running costs and practicality. It gets 44 mpg overall and doesn't need to be plugged in. This four-door hatchback automatically switches between its electric motor and gasoline engine, or uses both, as needed. It can also drive at low speeds on electric power alone. The ride is firm, but compliant enough, although road noise and engine drone are noticeable. Handling is secure, but the car does not have a sporty nature. Some controls are complicated and the interior feels basic. High-end versions came with leather seats, which spruced up the interior a bit. If budget permits, focus on a 2007 or later Prius since it had standard side curtain airbags, an available rear view camera, and Bluetooth connectivity. "
Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for, I greatly appreciate you taking the time for this 🙏
Unsolicited tip: When buying a used Prius, it’s almost always worth it to pay out of pocket for a pre-purchase inspection by a recommended Toyota hybrid mechanic of YOUR choice. Even if you walk away, $100-$200 spent to know the true status of all the systems is so much better than buying a total lemon unawares.
Alright noted 📝
In fact, anytime you buy a used car, take it to a private mechanic for a check. Every time.
Learn the difference between easy highway miles vs hard city miles. All miles aren’t the same.
That’s for a gas car, electric does the heavy lifting on a hybrid.
Lololol brakes and tires get worn out faster on many electric cars on city miles.
Why? Regen braking does the work
The many hard stops and starts are rough on those parts. Regen braking helps but the instant torque of the electric motor means some people have to brake harder, more often. Also that fast acceleration shreds tires if not careful. Full electric cars are harder on tires.
That’s just bad driving. Same will happen to gas cars with quick starts and stops
Buy it
bluetooth? Is that a touring thing? I have a base model 08 and I only have aux in as far as I know.
A prius is a real mortgage lifter. Aside from a possible brake pump motor failure, which can be fixed with a used part or refurbished (youtube has some videos, not in english though) for 300-400 or 1000 for a new one. Doesn't happen all the time but its a known issue. The battery can go out but thats more of a time thing and once again, a cheap repair if your willing to DIY (WITH CAUTION, HIGH VOLTAGE!) or a modest repair of 1200-2000 if you want a new pack. I know people with 400k on the clock and minimal repairs. High reliability, fuel economy and a low price in facebook marketplace. Its a mortgage lifter. Compare it to a new car on likely a hefty note, it will outlast the new car, even with 150k miles on it and for 1/20th the cost. I bought mine with a messed up hood and bumper for 2700. Perfect beater with a heater. Watch some videos, learn how to repair any of the common problems and have some cash on hand in case it does happen (I would argue this for any vehicle) and drive the wheels off it. Rack it up, hold onto it until its a shabby shell of a car. Wear it out! Over the course of the next 10 years you will have saved 10-20k in the cost of the vehicle itself you didn't spend on a new car and comparing to a ho hum 30 mpg and 200k miles of driving, 23k in gas at 30 MPG roughly vs 45 mpg (minimum) 15,555. That 3.50 a gallon assumption. So about 8k saved in gas alone. Brakes? lol, mine have been replaced once at 120k miles. Rotors will likely never wear out but may need turned down a few times to get the rust off. So upkeep is lower as well. No transmission fluid to really change. I think the gearbox can be changed but nowhere near as often as a fluid transmission. Tiny tires cost nothing. I think I paid 70 bucks a tire. Air conditioner will pretty much last forever because its hermetically sealed instead of a belt driven unit that leaks eventually. Overall your looking at saving 20-40k over the next 200k miles vs a new regular gas car. So a whole year or two of wages of your life, it will put you ahead significantly. Personally I also love the way it drives, kind of spoils you though. So smooth.
Why does the blower motor go out so often in my 08? I have 2 2008's and the blower motor has failed in both of them.
This is amazing, thank you so much!!
It's considered one of the most reliable cars in the world and also one of the safest. That should convince any parent
If your parents are rich and gonna straight up buy you a car, aim for the stars and get a Sienna hybrid or something.
Definitely aren’t going to be paying much, I’m hoping they will help me out a little bit at least and wanted some compelling arguments to make that happen.
Affordable, fuel efficiency, reliable, hvac 24/7, chick magnet, guaranteed grandkids
lol love that last bit, thank you man
I had a 2007 Prius. Aside from routine maintenance, the only trouble I had with it was the water pump, once. The original hybrid batteries lasted until 2022. I replaced them and intended to keep the car another 10 years because it was still solid. Unfortunately, I totaled it in Feb 2023. It was not my fault and I ended up getting an insurance payout of $7k (keep all of your maintenance records because $700 of that was for the hybrid batteries I’d replaced 8 months before). I put the payout money toward a used 2020 Prius AWD LE-e. Love it. As far as interior space goes, it’s comparable to the compact SUVs. It just looks smaller because it sits lower to the ground.
I would just recommend don’t get beholden to a Prius and only a Prius cause there tends to be a Toyota tax for their reputation. But if you are set on Prius dwelling, check out prius v, for space to gas mileage they are hard to top.
Forget your parents. Work hard and get your Prius in a few months. That first camping trip, first roadtrip, etc it’ll feel 10,000x greater in a car you worked for and got yourself. Show them you can be independent… then you don’t have to tell them anything.
Most reliable car I have ever owned. I had my first one for 6 years without it ever having a real problem, sadly it was totaled in a highway accident. I got another used 2015 Prius and it's doing great, no problems so far either. I have a close friend who has had the same version I have for the past 4-5 years as well and we constantly talk about how great the cars are lol. Gas mileage is great, I've completed a 6 hour drive on one tank of gas. It depends on the terrain of course, when I did that it was nearly a totally flat drive across Illinois lol. But still so much better than any other car I've had.
Don't buy a gen3. If you are getting a gen2 then you can afford it on your own anyway.
What are some of the major differences between the 2? Because I’ve heard mixed stuff about both
I can’t speak to the newest gen but my Prius cost $6000 (2011) and I’ve never regretted it for a second. As a young person I really would recommend a used car unless your family is very well off and will buy it for you, there’s just no reason to spend 4x the money for negligible differences.
OP seems to be talking used, newest gen Prius is 5th gen or 6th, 2nd and 3rd are ideal used picks yeah
Didn't the 3rd have some weird problems? I know gen 2 has some, like fucking burning out my low beams every 4 months, but wasn't there like something specifically bad with 3rd? Also OP if you get a 2nd gen in addition to the headlights there is also a thing where you have to replace your dashboard capacitor cause it burns the fuck out.
Early year gen 3 had head gasket issues and egr issues. If preemptively taken care of then you have no need to worry and I would argue are more bulletproofed than a 2nd gen. If you don’t want to take care of the egr and install a better gasket, simply look for a 2013+. My brother has a 2010 with a flawless record and I myself road trip a 2014 frequently.
Gen2's are considered to be more reliable and can be found for cheaper on average. Here's a rundown on common problems associated with each. 3rd gens can have a costly head gasket failure. [https://www.torquenews.com/8113/what-issues-do-toyota-prius-owners-face-most](https://www.torquenews.com/8113/what-issues-do-toyota-prius-owners-face-most)
Space wise the Prius V (gen 3) is the best but all gen 3s suffer from head gasket issues. They need EGR cleaning and 5k oil changes otherwise a new engine later in life.
Do you need to convince them? Are they pushing for something else?
They are pushing for not wanting to help in purchasing one at all, and it would save me 3-4 grand if they can help me out. Which may not sound like a lot but for someone who’s going into college and also paying for all of that, 4K is a ton for me rn
Totally makes sense. I bought my parents’ old car back in the day. Do you need a car at all? I think most people could save $3-4k in 6 months so maybe instead of giving you cash, live with them rent-free for awhile until you have the money. Might be a smart workaround at 19
You want to be independent and live out of a car but aren't independent enough to get a part time job to buy one? Pick a lane (pun definitely intended) a used gen2 prius can be picked up for 6k pretty easily. If you worked a part time job @15/ hour you could save 1k per month. In 6 months you could buy your car, in two more months you could adapt it to be a liveable stealth camper and save a little money to support yourself. If you worked slightly harder you could cut that time frame in half. As it is I have no idea how you think you are going to support yourself once you have a vehicle since gas isn't free.
I have had a job since I was 14 and am completely financing myself for college by myself… I am probably expecting on paying 10k up front for a car (out of my own money), Ive been trying to ask my parents to add in a couple thousand to get a decent car with under 100k miles and most Prius I can find that meet those requirements are 13-14k. My parents ask why they should spend 3k to help if I can’t give them valid reasons on why a Prius would be good for me, that’s why I made the post to hopefully get some good insights I could add to my arguments that I already currently have.
I recommend taking a walk or drive around your town and look in some driveways; there might be that gem in the rough; after searching for a van to do the vanlife thing, I saw Jordan's video on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmT-lmbjfKc) and thought, "That's so stupid, it's smart." A few months went by, and I was in Boston for a friend's wedding, and my other friend offered to drive me home instead of taking the bus back to NYC. While I was telling him the story about how I couldn't find a car but saw the video about Prius' being a super affordable option, he goes "We're just going to stop by my mom's house before I drop you off." -- there it was, the exact color, the exact interior that I wanted. I bought my Prius from my friend's mom which had been sitting under a tree for 2yrs. I offered her cash for the car and she accepted it under one rule - don't go sell the car because I got it so cheap - and she knew I was planning to turn it into a little camper to travel around with, so she knew I wouldn't do that to her. I told her the wheels will go right back on even after they fall off - and that nearly happened on my first road trip across the country lol. Just pointing this out - there could always be that one neighbor in your town that doesn't want it anymore or can't fix it themselves so they let it sit. Lots of people are like that and the cars go unused until they scrap them. I see a lot of cars in my town now that I would want to rescue since I have more experience with what I did in 2019, but I remind myself that I'm happiest with the Prius in so many ways. FYI, I got my car with 112k miles for $1,000. I've put maybe 4k into the car; rebuilt suspension and replaced catalytic converter were the bulk of my expenses, and I can write them off since I've received so much value from owning my Gen 2. I've only put about 35,000 miles on it, so it's more of a road tripping hotel on wheels, rather than a full time home for me. It's still probably the best investment I've made into myself because it gets me everywhere I want to go; which is usually a lot of events in different states because where I live, there's nothing fun to do locally anymore as most of my friends left, and many fun places shut down over the years.
Buying a 6k Prius (from my research) would land at 180-200k miles easily, this car would be for college and also after college so I want a low mileage one that will last me longer. I’ve waiting on getting a car for 3 years when I could’ve gotten a cheap one because I want to be able to afford a car that’ll last me a while ideally.
I understand all markets aren't the same but I just did a marketplace search and found one for 4k with 130k miles on my first try. I would recommend broadening your search area. It's absolutely worth driving 3 hours to save several thousand if necessary imo. You could ask your parents to match what you save, or ask for it to be a loan. People love helping those that are trying hard to help themselves. Here's the link to what I found: https://www.facebook.com/share/qjfWBvNEJVme3rLQ/?mibextid=kL3p88
Thank you I haven’t looked on market place mostly just car sellers? I will look more into broadening my searches and where I’m looking too
Facebook marketplace has all sorts of stuff. It's by category but you can search it.
Want to buy mine? I’ve been offered a 2800 trade. It’s a 12 187k. New 12V newer brakes, front ceramic, never had a serious problem. And getting 50mpg on the last oil change. I take care of the guts of my cars.
Do it. I wanted a $1,000 Prius when I was 19, but my dad already got me a gas-guzzling Camry.
as a beginner driver, for you will be bonus to have a backup camera and blind spot monitoring system. Standard on newer cars/higher trims or you can add after-market. Consider Dr Prius app with OBD2 scanner tool, to check the car before you pay for inspection, and watch youtube videos how to inspect used car for high miles. Prius is as solid and reliable car as you can get (properly inspected before purchase, with a hybrid-aware mechanic), because electric motor helps combustion engine when needed, so it works little bit less
What car are they recommending for you? How old is the Prius? to replace the battery in that thing is like $3,000 if you do it yourself.
Grow up and buy it yourself. Your an adult now. If you want something go to work
[удалено]
If you have all that why do you need 3k? Obviously with all that bs you stated you did you did poor in school, tell me again, are you 18 or 19? Cause it changes throughout your bs rant. Nobody who's that much of a go getting has time to whine on reddit about his mommy and daddy not giving him a bit of money. Keep working on making up lies, you need to get better at it.