Many car shoppers are on the hunt for a great deal. If you happen to be shopping on a budget you may want to consider buying a used Toyota rather than a new one. Yes a new Toyota may be ideal, but it wouldn’t hurt to save a dollar. You’d still be getting the quality vehicle Toyota has been manufacturing for years. Even if you’d like to purchase a hybrid, you can still buy used. A used Toyota Prius is an excellent option for the used car buyer.

Prior to visiting a Spirit Toyota dealer you may want to research the Prius vehicle from home. The most obvious differences between an older model and a new one, is going to be the price. Though an older Prius will be cheaper, you’d get more out of the battery warranty for a newer Toyota Prius. Toyota offers an eight year or 100,000 mile warranty on the Prius batteries, so the newer the Prius and the lower the mileage, the more you will get out of the warranty.

As with any used car purchase make sure you thoroughly inspect the Prius. You should not feel it shifting as this may indicate a need for a new transmission. A new transmission for a Prius can cost you up to $10,000. Also, if you are debating a 2004-2006model and the Check Engine light is on, it may be due to a sticking coolant control valve. This is an easily fixable problem that can be addressed at the service department of the dealership.

You can rest assured knowing you can get an affordable used Toyota through a trusted dealership and still do your part to control unhealthy environmental emissions. The fact that the Prius launched the hybrid movement and is still evolving today, indicates it is a sound machine with effective fuel efficiency.