200K Miles, ONE Prius & ONE Owner

Do not move this thread to the completely worthless 200,000 Mile Club sticky or it will be deleted, just so you know.

This is not a 1992 Tacoma or Ford pickup truck. Nor did I buy this Prius with 112,000 miles on it and only put on the last 80,000.

This 200,000 miles is also not the cumulitive total of my previous X number of vehicles whether they were Prii or not. I mean seriously why would you even post something that ridiculously stupid in a 200,000 mile thread about Prii? Seriously?

Anyway, for those really interested in the history of a Prius with 200,000 miles under a single owner with every tank of gas documented please read on. I have to track mileage for work so know exactly how much gas I have gone through.

Pretty historic moment on July 4th, 2010 for Ema. She rolled through the 200,000 mile odometer reading so I thought I would take the time and write a little update on it.

Lifetime MPG = 47.12 (Recorded from 431 fills over the past 4+ years)
- Purchased on March 28, 2006.
Lifetime Maintenance = $6,712 (See Below)

Maintenance costs include some “upgrade†costs as well. These are as follows:
Dice iPod Interface = $160
Tom’s Tower Brace = $200
BT Skid Plate, BT Stiffening Plate, GMuff Sound Spray = $1,137
Dynamat Extreme Bulk Pack (2) = $1,046
Engine Block Heater (Not yet installed, lol) = $60
Prius Custom SunShade = $30
Navigation DVD Upgrade = $250 (Version 8.1 – Probably will upgrade again this fall.)
ScanGauge - $160

Total “Upgrade†Costs = $3,043

If you subtract the cost of the Michelin Harmonies that replaced the Goodyear Incrappities at 77,675 miles (another $650) that would bring down maintenance to $3,019 for the past 4+ years or about $750/year for a little less than 50,000 miles/year.

Routine maintenance for me is the following: (All done by my Toyota Dealership)
Every 5,000 miles – Oil & Filter Change + Tire Rotation (Still using standard aka Dino not synthetic oil)
Approximately every 20,000 to 30,000 miles – 4-Wheel Alignment Check, shimmed as needed.

Engine Air Filter – I do this myself and usually every 20K – 30K miles.
Cabin Air Filter – I do this myself and usually every 50K miles or so.
Windshield Wipers – I do this myself and usually very 20K – 30K, if not sooner depending.

At 30K – I did the “max†factory service package, which really isn’t necessary.
At 60K – I dint the “min†factory service package, which again probably wasn’t really necessary.
At 78K – Integrities where replaced with Michelin Harmonies in the 195/60R size.
At 100K – I did the 90K factory service including throttle cleaning, new fluids and other stuff.
At 120K – I did the 120K factory service including new spark plugs and other stuff.
At 130K – I did my first ATF WS change. Should have read more on PriusChat and done this sooner. I changed again at 169K and will from now on every 30K – 40K.
At 130K – The left front axle seal was replaced because it was leaking.
At 158K – New D4R bulbs were installed. Purchased from eBay, installed by Toyota Dealership.
At 165K – Repaired a broken speaker wire in the driver’s side door. Freeman’s car stereo.
At 170K – The serpentine belt was changed.
At 196K – New front brakes L I wanted to make 200K but didn’t want to push it.

Upcoming Maintenance:
Replace Coolant Heat Storage Pump
Replace Inverter Coolant Pump
Upgrade to Prius Touring Suspension Package (Shocks, Springs, Stabilizer bars, etc…)
Replace Spark Plugs (2nd Set for Ema)
Replace Battery with Optima Yellow Top
- All this additional maintenance will probably be done when the next major service count hits. Probably at the 220K – 240K mark. If this isn’t before winter this year I will definitely do all this late Fall for winter.

Overall this has EASILY been the best car I have ever owned. At 47.12 MPG, navigation, Bluetooth hands free, backup camera, smart key system, etc… what isn’t to love? At 6’2†I don’t have any trouble driving Ema long distances, obviously, and although the seat is beginning to sag and the center and door armrests are showing some age I plan to drive her for another 200K.

The limiting factor will probably be the transmission because of not changing the ATF soon enough to start. Knock on wood but even running “standard†oil and not synthetic I don’t anticipate having any issues with the motor. The other issue would be the hybrid battery but even if I replaced the batter with a brand new one this would be less than $3,000 easy. If all other major components are still in working condition this would be something I would most likely do.

Favorite Upgrades:
1. Dice – Driving as much as I do the iPod interface is a must.
2. Tom’s Tower Brace – The increase in handling is HUGE.
3. Michelin Harmonies – Over 120K miles on these tires with half tread left. Impressive.
4. Dynamat – Making the interior more quiet helps with driving.
5. Navigation DVD – Nice to have updated roads but darn expensive.
6. Shark Fin Antenna – Nice look and you don’t have to worry about car washes.
7. BT Skid Plate – I did this because I took a tractor trailer tire tread to the undercarriage on I85 in South Carolina and it ripped a bunch of plastic up BUT I wouldn’t install this again. The cost is high, dealers don’t like dealing with it and I simply don’t think it is that superior to the plastic piece from Toyota to justify the cost.

Favorite Standard Features:
1. MPG, MPG, MPG!!!!!
2. Navigation – I like the Prius Nav and actually think it is superior to the Garmin that was built in with DNX5120 system in my Tacoma. The simply reason is Garmin’s talk to damn much and they don’t give the split screen on interstates that show the exits like the Prius Nav.
3. Smart Key System – It is so convenient to leave your keys in your pocket and still be able to open the doors and start the car. If I didn’t drive so much for work this would be #2.
4. Bluetooth – Yes it picks up road noise even after tweaking and even if you install a second microphone in the overhead but with so many states making phones illegal and more to follow in the future Bluetooth is a necessity anymore.
5. Overall Interior Space – The Prius IS a mid-size no matter what the morons at Ford would like you believe. I have had not 1 or 2 but dozens of people get in and say “Wow, this is bigger than I thought.†Which is usually followed by “and more comfortable too.â€
6. Hatchback – The storage in the Prius is excellent and again surprises people.
7. Carbon Fiber Dash Accents – They look cool and make Ema a little different J

Least Favorite Features:
1. The gas tank bladder!!!!! Ohhh this is so freaking annoying I don’t know where to begin!!! Argggghhhhh!!!!!
2. 106 Nav Points to register. I have hundreds of customers throughout the Southeast alone that I would like to program in. Why are we limited to only 106!!!! Annoying!!!!!
3. Radiator Fan Cut in/out. My radiator fan runs freaking continuously compared to my wife’s 2007. The water temp shows 190F at most on the scangauge so it really doesn’t need to run 24-7 like it does. Again annoying.
4. Loss of brakes when the traction control kicks on. This is the issue that the 2010’s were recalled for and isn’t as bad in our Gen II’s but is still there. I think this is an issue with any regenerative braking vehicle unfortunately. Mine seems to be getting worse with the higher mileage however.

I think that is it for the “dislikesâ€. Like I said a couple of pages ago this has been the best vehicle I have ever owned so there really shouldn’t be too many dislikes.

Hopefully she will be running still in another couple of years and I can give you a 300K update then. If anyone has any questions please feel free to drop me an email or PM.

- CBarr31 7/5/2010

 

SageBrush,

Thanks for the comment I appreciate it. The last time I took the time to look at the 200K thread it was 11 or 12 pages and you had to read to page 6, I think, before you actually came to a Prius that had been driven 200,000 miles. I think there were only 5 or 6 posts from people that had driven the 200K themselves at the time.

That seems "a bit gratuitous" to you? That is a lot nicer and more PC than I would be, LOL. Thanks but no thanks I don't want anything to do with that thread.

Happy driving,
Chris

 

Patrick,

As always your responses are EXTREMELY helpful and one of the reasons PriusChat is such a great site. THANKS!!!!

I don't want to deal really with taking the inverter out to access the temp sensor. I would think this is something a Toyota Dealership can read with their scantool the next time I take it in? Fair assumption?

As for the tires, a 120K on any tire and there are bound to be irregularities but I think the issue with the TC engaging more is suspension related. 200K on the original suspension is WAY to much and the upgrade to the Touring setup really needs to happen sooner rather than later.

Thanks again and happy driving,
Chris

 

The Harmonies are a superior tire in every way compared to the Incrappities. They are significanlty quieter on "good" roads but may be a little louder on "bad" roads. I think it is because of the hard rubber that gives them the 740 treadwear rating. It is hard for me to judge now though since I have 120K on them

Highways that have the larger pebble BCBC (bituminous concrete base course) or a larger quantity of sand seem to make them louder. Both I26 from Columbia, SC to Charleston, SC and I20 from Columbia, SC to Florence, SC are these types of roads. That stretch of I20 is one of the loudest roads for road noise I have ever driven on.

All the NASCAR drivers always complain about tires at Darlington for this same reason. They use a lot of the local sand in the pavement and it really eats at the tires.

Chris

 

I don't have any of the Xgauges programmed in to monitor the battery status. I may do this when I get closer to 300K or so but quite honestly don't really expect to have battery issues, knock on wood.

200K in a little over 4 years means I do A LOT of highway driving at 65 MPH or so. This doesn't tend to have a lot of deep discharge cycles on the battery.

Now the aux battery, yeah that is nearing then end of its life. Down around 12.1 or even as low as 11.9 with IG-On and the lights on. She comes up to about 13.8 when running so she definately is on her last legs and the Optima Yellow Top will be going in before winter for sure.

Chris

 

Hi Patrick,

Heck no, lol. I just drive her I don't like to do the work on her

I did install the Dice, Tom's, BT Stiffening and had a buddy at one of the shops her put her on their lift for the BT Skid Plate and GMuff spray.

Thanks again!!!

Chris

 

Sagebrush,

I honestly plan on keeping her until she needs some kind of major work. Most likely transmission but possibly motor. A new hybrid battery would be expensive as well but the more I think about it, if the other major components are all in good shape the battery is an easy fix and a relatively cheap fix considering.

I thought I would want the plug in version when it came out but driving so many highway miles it really wouldn't help me that much. So unless there is something "revolutionary" in the next couple of years I see driving her for 4 or 5 more no issues at all. Another 10-15 beyond that to get to a million? Wow, never thought about it really. Would be cool but unlikely.

Like you said in an earlier post she is paid for an actually making me money at this point so who knows. All I do know is when I hit 300K and 400K the writeups will be here on PriusChat. Those two numbers seem more and more probable every day, knock on wood.

Happy driving,
Chris

 

Patrick,

I had Ema in to have a bunch of things done this week: new inverter pump, new water pump, all new SLLC, new ATF WS, new serpentine belt etc... All preventative maintenance by the way nothing "failed" just staying ahead of it.

Anyway, I had them check the Cut In/Cut Out for my radiator fan and it came on at 205 F and off at 199 F. A little lower than the specs you gave but nothing odd about those temps really.

The interesting thing is that my Optima Yellow Top came in while they were working on all of the above so I asked them if they would install it for me. For $45 it was worth it to me. They did and now the issue with my radiator fan has seemingly disappeared.

I'm wondering if the "Reset", some call "Reboot", of the various Ecu's with the battery change "fixed" the fan issue? There really isn't anything different that I can think of with the car that would account for the problem going bye bye.

Thanks again for all of your great input to PriusChat and recommendations for my car.

Happy Driving,
Chris

 

Agreed, I have only put on about 100 since all the work and new battery so we shall see. It was interesting that even while I was repacking my car with all my tools, a 10 minute project, in the 97 F Carolina heat that it didn't come on nearly as much either.

I guess another possibility was replacing the pump helped flow? Maybe the old pump hadn't completely failed yet to register a DTC but was "on its last legs" and not providing as much flow as needed.

I will update again after putting some miles on and watching a little closer.

Chris