buy 2004 prius with hymotion?

Ask when the Hymotion was installed, to see how many miles are on the battery. If the car was not salvaged, it would be a great deal.

Problem is the salvage title. Especially if it is water salvaged. Water + electronics = bad mojo.

 

Stay away from a salvaged car...!!!

 

Bevert, if the dealer is going to charge the hymotion you should be able to see 80+ IMHO with driving around town for 20 minutes. As for salvage I have no idea. The hymotion can only be 2 years old at the most.
My .02cents USD
Chris

 

High risk, high reward.
Personally, I would only buy the car if I was an accomplished DIY'r able to troubleshoot electronics problems. I'm surprised the previous owner did not keep the HyMotion kit.

 

Are you talking about the Prius in general? If so, then the Prius is by far the easiest car to own and maintain.

Salvaged cars in general are not as easy. But you get a reduction in price for the possibility of headaches later.

Just go buy a normal non-salvaged used prius for less and enjoy.

 

I personally like "salvaged" title; but it helps to know about cars. It all depends on the reason for the salvaging, sometime it is just cosmetic, such as a fender bender. the main thing to watch out for is brake/suspension & frame damage; and of course you want a good engine. Our family just bought 2 salvaged Prii, 2007+68K and 2005+145Kmile; we are very happy with them, each for $8K. Both Prii are getting around 50mpg; though the higher mileage one is better, around 55mpg with the nicer package (gps etc...). One was rear ended right corner, all body shopped repaired and couldn't tell the difference from the outside. I think KelleyBlue probably lists these around $14-15K.

The 07 had only one smart key; but I got one off ebay for $32 + $5 for a new door key duplicate. Have to save up then going to install the Enginer kits next.

 

Now, switching gears (proverbially), is a plug in right for you? What is your typical daily commute like? Do you have access to plugging your car when parked (say at home at night or at work)? From what I've read, you can expect ~20 - 25 miles per charge (varies on speed (load), temperature, etc). If you have a daily commute of 20 miles, this could be a great deal. If you have a 40 mile commute (one way) with no access to charge up, it likely isn't worth it.

 

salvaged cars are sometimes a good deal, but you should NEVER buy a flooded car. No matter how well it drives now, the corrosion has just started and could seriously destroy the car in anywhere from months to years...

 

i would have to say if you are a DIY'er and the hymotion pack is relatively new and it has 58,000 miles on it??

why not. at $12,000 the car is basically free. the hymotion pack costs just about that much. after the initial bugs are handled, the hymotion works great.

if you do a lot of in town driving, have multiple charge opportunities (does your employer allow you to plug in??) then i would have to say, you dont need a resale value, u will make it up in gas if the car runs 5 years.

granted, the salvage is bad. i would get a complete detailed report of who did the work, what was replaced and where the parts came from.

**edit**

just saw your more recent post;

sounds like a decent deal. u live in the area. how deep did the water get?? granted, the level would vary from area to area. find out where the car was. if you know someone who lives near there. ask them, or take a drive. in many cases, the high water line will still be visible on buildings and trees here and there.

its always a gamble when getting a used car, PERIOD. just because there is no reports on a car as far as damage, accidents, etc. the big variance is how the car was driven. the tires are an issue, but i think its due to the extra pack weight of the hymotion. not knowing who installed it makes me think maybe it was a DIY job and they tried to save money by foregoing the suspension upgrade. have you checked that?

 

I believe the earlier Hymotion installs were done in California and Canada, maybe even they'd drive to the location just for that purpose.

For this price, I wonder if hobbit would be interested in something like this? He definitely could tinker with the electronics and isn't too far away.

 

I would buy it. Ask to see pics pre salvage. Go find the repairs and make sure they are done right

 

Before you decide anything, drive it around with a full charge to see if the L5 pack is damaged. If the Prius works fine but the Hymotion is pooched, then you've essentially purchased a Prius with 200lbs of non-removable balast.

Things to look for:
- The touch-screen will show a full-green battery if the Hymotion is working, and those bars will slowly go down to two red bars while the pack is in use.
- Once the engine is warmed up (takes about 5-10 minutes), the car will automatically go into EV mode when you come to a full stop for 5 seconds. (unless you have a ScanGauge or something, you would know though... but he engine would shut-off and not come bac on as easily while under 32mph)
- You should be able to go at least 25/30 miles on the charge.

Personally, I bought my 2004 Prius with a Hymotion kit already installed. It was not salvage, but I haven't regretted the risk... yet