Should I Consider a 2nd Generation Prius? Help please!

[soyboytrump]

Hi all,

This is my first post here, so I'm not too sure what to expect. I've had a LOT of thinking to do over the last few months. I wanted a second car (my main car being a 56 plate Suzuki Grand Vitara, after not coming across a decent RAV4, locally). I wanted a 4x4 as my drive to work in the winter can be a bit tricky, with winding b-roads and icy conditions making it a hairy 30 minute journey. I come across articulated lorries and the occasional pothole here and there.

I was going to buy a cheap and cheerful runabout for £500 just to keep me going through the summer as the Grand Vitara just wasn't required. 25-30mpg, £30 tax a month and a lack of connection to the car causing me to look for something different to use in the remaining 75% of the year. I bought a Y-reg MR2 about a month ago, costing only £500. I absolutely loved the car, put it through an MOT and serviced it before the torn roof made me realise that another £700 would need to be spewed out in order to be able to use her regularly. A few hefty bills later, I had to sell her and admit defeat, selling her for £1000. The money went straight into the bank and here I am again with the Grand Vitara. It's a good car, but I feel that the running costs are killing me. The MR2 was always going to be a 'project' and a bit of a gamble for what I paid for it. I started lookig at the Auris or a Yaris T-Sport as a second car, due to the fact that I've heard such good stories about older Toyotas.

Then I thought I'd have a look at a Prius as I saw a 1st generation version for sale, fairly local to me. I couldn't believe it was on 200,000 miles and yet looked brand new. It was way too 'boring' for me but then realised the 2nd generation was a car that I ridiculed upon its release and maybe had a slight liking for one of these. I was amazed to see them going for as little as £1500, but more of a miracle was that a few were on 250,000+ miles. I had bought some absolute diabolical cars over the years and reliability had clearly been an issue as I hadn't really cared about what I thought were 'minor' issues. Upon watching every YouTube video I could find on a Prius, I realised that I was actually super interested in considering a Prius of some sort.

Anyway, I'm on the lookout for a 2nd generation Prius and will sell my Grand Vitara to just have the Prius as my 'daily', but this is where the questions come in...

-Will the Prius take on steep inclines and potholes well, without much struggle and fight? (I'm fully aware of the engine noise, I just don't want to look like an idiot if the Prius can't do it but a 1.0L Micra can)
 

-Can the Prius be 'modified' in any way? *eye-roll emoji* (I'd only be looking at potential lowering springs/coilovers and a nice set of alloy wheels to make the car look more modern and unique. I'm aware this will effect the ride and the mpg, but can't be worse than the Grand Vitara, right?

-Due to the fact that I live in Devon, there aren't many examples around, locally. With these seemingly being reliable and fairly straight-forward cars, would it be a danger getting one sight unseen and delivered to my address? I fully accept that it's not ideal, but with the nearest one for sale being about 50-70 miles away (and well outside my budget) I just can't see anything popping-up for sale locally anytime soon. Most of these seem to be ex-Taxis which I suppose either means they've been treated with care and maintained well, or just used and abused constantly with little time to look after?

Either way, I'm just looking for a bit of advice, please. I'm not a 'car guy' so most talk just tends to go over my head and these aren't the sort of cars which there are groups for on Facebook. So, I'm a little bit stuck to be honest.

Cheers anyway. 

[MyOpinionIsWorthless]

A gen 2 post 2012 facelift model (has the daylight running lights) would probably be the best cost/features car T3 is the base model then T4 and the T sprit is the top of the range which normally comes with a JBL stereo and sat nav

[Duffryn]

39 minutes ago, PaulDM said:

A gen 2 post 2012 facelift model (has the daylight running lights) would probably be the best cost/features car T3 is the base model then T4 and the T sprit is the top of the range which normally comes with a JBL stereo and sat nav

That would be a Gen 3, which was produced 2009 - 2015.

[MyOpinionIsWorthless]

2 hours ago, Duffryn said:

That would be a Gen 3, which was produced 2009 - 2015.

Apologies. Gen3. I have edited post 

[MyOpinionIsWorthless]

3 hours ago, PaulDM said:

A gen 2 post 2012 facelift model (has the daylight running lights) would probably be the best cost/features car T3 is the base model then T4 and the T sprit is the top of the range which normally comes with a JBL stereo and sat nav

That should read Gen3.  
the nice Gen2 was post 2007

[Joseph D]

14 hours ago, PaulDM said:

the nice Gen2 was post 2007

The nice Gen 2s were 2006 - 2009, the post facelift MYs.

[MPGBoss]

The only thing about buying a used Prius or any hybrid with very high miles is fixing a failing Battery / systems and the inverter could be quite costly.

[john p williams]

4 hours ago, MPGBoss said:

The only thing about buying a used Prius or any hybrid with very high miles is fixing a failing battery / systems and the inverter could be quite costly.

Oh, ye of little faith !

[MyOpinionIsWorthless]

4 hours ago, MPGBoss said:

The only thing about buying a used Prius or any hybrid with very high miles is fixing a failing battery / systems and the inverter could be quite costly.

Not a general issue until 400k miles.