I’m looking at three scenarios on used cars to purchase at about the same price range of $12-$15k. The car will be for my daughter going off to college.
1st car - 2014-15 Lexus CT200H with 110,000 miles. 2nd car - 2015-16 Prius or Prius V with 120,000+ miles. 3rd car - 2015-16 Corolla (non hybrid) with 85,000 miles.
Which car would be the best choice for ownership for the next 5 years?
I realize I may have to replace the hybrid batteries in the next few years.
I appreciate your expertise and telling it how it is! Keep on wrenching.
For that age of hybrids, I would pick the corolla most any day.
You did not tell about what she would be using it for, but I am guessing normal driving to a job and getting to college?
Your safest and less repair maintenance bet would be the non-hybrid Corolla. Those are resilient little cars.
If the Prius was maintained well, I may consider it. But it will need a little TLC. The third generation prius has some known but solvable problems. Oil burning due to a clogged PCV valve, change out the PCV valve, and you should be good. Brake booster assembly may eventually go bad (Toyota might cover it if under 150,000 miles). And some had head gasket problems, but those were most likely the earlier models of that generation. The hybrid battery would eventually need to be changed out but it probably has 80,000 miles - 100,000 miles before needing replacing.
I’m not too sure about the CT. It may fall under the same boat as the Prius, as they are the same platform. But not certain.
Corolla
Corolla