[redpoint5]

Probably pretty easy to diagnose a bad coil pack. Maybe a 10mm wrench, and move the suspect pack (Prius uses individual ones) to a cylinder that is firing correctly. If the problem cylinder follows the pack, then it's bad.

Asking prices can safely be ignored unless someone says "firm". I tend to put in a lowball offer on anything that I might want to own to start a negotiation, then I work up until either agreeing on price, or moving on. All of this contingent on inspection (by me) of course.

My new theory is you might get a better price by negotiating with someone with an unreasonably high ask. People that don't like to negotiate just pass up those ads, so the person that asks too much ends up generating less interest. Your potential rivals for the car then is drastically reduced, and your offer may go uncontested by others leading the seller to think they better take yours.

The more I think about it, the less the asking price matters. The only thing that matters is what you're willing to pay, and if the seller agrees on that price.

As a datapoint, one ad said "Blowout sale till Oct 31st! $8,500". That was for a 2013 Ford C-Max SEL. I offered $6,500 and the counter was $8,000. I was late replying, and the guy went down to $7,000 without me even rejecting the $8k.

So my lowball got the price from $8,500 down to $7,000. Picked up the car the same day for my friend who was buying.