Toyota Prius, Honda Insight or Citroen C1?

Would you rather buy an older Toyota Prius with low mileage or a newer one with high mileage? Would you go for the Prius or a Honda Insight or a Citroen C1? My insurance for the Prius is very high, also I can get an new C1 for the money I buy a Prius, so I would like to hear your input on this. I went to a car dealer. He had a clear HPI check, but I could see the mileage was not real. How do they do this? And should I be suspicious if there is just one key?

Asked on 6 September 2012 by RY, via email

Answered by Honest John

Always buy newer with higher mileage, and better a Prius than an Insight. New C1s are now under 100g/km and VED free, but they tend to fall apart with clutch and waterpump problems after three years. See: www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/citroen/c1-2005/?sec...d Also consider a Volkswagen Up!, a Skoda Citigo or a SEAT Mii.

Never trust a dealer HPI check. Always pay for your own. Then you get some sort of guarantee. If just one key, then someone, somewhere, has the other one and can take the car.

Tags: buying a used car hpi dealers reliability

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