What to look for when buying a used Prius

[user removed]

At 300k miles, you might consider the CRX HF in the for sale section on this forum. The problem is trying to bring a car up to a reliable state of condition. If you KNOW the maintenance history from day one maybe, but I have always told people that when you are talking about older higher mileage cars, the best choice is the minimum complexity.

The most modern car I would put in that category is a Toyota Echo, and many members here do very well with them.

Some members here amaze me with their dedication to their vehicles. I was there a while back but that dedication faded with age and aches.

regards
mech

[Cd]

So what is the cheapest 2nd generation Prius you guys have seen that didn't need a new engine, or wasn't over 250,000 miles ?

I can't find any under $5-6,000. I saw one that had crash damage in the rear and thought ...boattail it !, but it most likely has frame damage.

[MetroMPG]

(Moved your question to this "used Prius thread".)

I've been watching for a few months and have seen two somewhat local 2nd gens with cosmetic damage (crushed rocker panel damage on one, cold-shattered front bumper cover on the other) and only moderately high kms for $3k & $4k each.

I called on the rocker panel one, but it sold within hours of the ad going up. I snoozed, I losed.

Another undamaged '08 with 300k km / 186k mi. sold quickly (within half an hour) at $3k.

Those are the exception, though. I have also seen some very high miles or ones with more than minor collision damage for much more than that.

But deals do come up once in a while. (And yes, I check the ads every day.)

A more typical price: there's an auction site for former Canadian federal government equipment I've been watching, and there's currently an '05 on the block with lower than average kms for the year. Starting bid is $5k. We'll see how that ends up. (I'm just watching.)

[Cd]

Thanks Darin !
So I'm also wondering what kind of warranty Toyota has on the battery of these cars.
I found this link :The Ultimate Guide: Toyota Prius Battery Life, Cost, and Warranty

[MetroMPG]

I believe it's 8 years / 100k miles in the States.

EDIT: your link says it's longer in California emissions states. I've read that elsewhere.

"The battery pack in any hybrid Toyota is warranted either for 10 years or 150,000 miles (in states with California emissions laws) or 8 years or 100,000 miles in all other states."

[War_Wagon]

Can I ask why 1st gens aren't interesting to anyone? I fully admit I have one that I have neglected, but you never seem to see anyone looking for them. I like my Hondas and don't know much about the Prius, but the 1st gen Prius was so nerdy cool I couldn't resist. Was there something about them that the 2nd generation totally fixed that makes the 1st gens not as desirable?

[MetroMPG]

I've seen some horribly rusty 1st gens, but no rusty 2nd gens. Material or design in that area is better. Not something you face on the wet coast!

Also there seem to be more battery failures in the 1st gens.

And -- NERD ALERT -- better EPA ratings! Gen 1: 41 mpg US combined vs. 46 mpg for gen. 2 (50 for 3rd).

Also, there just aren't that many around here. All that said, I'd probably get a 1st gen if the price was right and it wasn't swiss cheese.

[California98Civic]

A friend told me that the first gen still had belt PS or AC or both, whereas one or both ofnthose are electric on the second gen.

[MetroMPG]

So, I've been actively hunting at the bottom end of the Prius market for a while now, and can confirm planetaire's observation: Recent work on the older ones seems to include new 12v batteries.

Also: new front wheel bearings have been mentioned in a few ads.

---

There was one '08 for sale with body damage for $4k that I would have picked up in a heartbeat if it were closer. It had stem-to-stern dents/scrape along the driver's side, including a busted off mirror and broken driver's door glass.

And there was a cosmetically fine '05 with 300k kms / 186k mi. for $3k that sold within 2 days. Another case of I snoozed, I losed. "I'll go look at it on the weekend" has not panned out for me on the handful of $3k Prii that have come up.

I've nerded out and started a spreadsheet. Of 24 ads I've recorded for "bottom of the market" cars within 500 km (300 mi.), the average asking price is $4623, with an average year of 2004.9. (That's CAD, which is about 80% of USD right now.)

Still watching...

[Cd]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

And -- NERD ALERT -- better EPA ratings! Gen 1: 41 mpg US combined vs. 46 mpg for gen. 2 (50 for 3rd).

Actually, that reason makes sense ! For me, it really is a NERD ALERT : the second generation has a lower drag coefficient