We are hopefully adding another Prius, however my preliminary research shows the batteries having a redesign after 03 to lower the temperature. 1. The car I am looking at has 100k miles ($6400), is there a way to test the batteries w/o too much trouble or should we opt for a newer model? 2. What MPG are these older Prii getting with the A/C on? Being new to this forum & Prii language perhaps someone might clue me to previous threads or be able to answer from their own experience, Thanks much!
I can't speak to lowering the temp of the batteries, but uhh, there was a LOT more than just the batteries having undergone changes with the 04 model year. 04 marked the beginning of the 2nd gen and a TON of changes besides more power and better fuel economy. I'd personally steer clear of the 1st gen, at this point. You might find http://john1701a.com/prius/presentations/2004-prius_tech-presentation_01.htm interesting. Also see http://john1701a.com/prius/images/Prius-Generations.png. 2nd gen is Iconic in this table.
01-03 have less reliable transaxle and hybrid battery systems. It is really the transaxle issue that is the most worrisome, since often times you can DIY a battery repair on the cheap to keep the car going. 04 also has some quirks, being the first year of a new model.
Obviously everyone will have their own opinion. I think that overall (compared to most cars on the road) the 03' prius is very reliable. However, it should be understood that the hybrid battery is most likely at the end of its life. You might get a few months or maybe a couple of years out of it if you are lucky. So if you buy it, buy it with the understanding that you may need to sink an additional $2,000 to $3,000 into a new battery. As long as you get the car at a decent enough price, then that is probably fine. I think the comment about the Prius transaxle failing is a bit overrated. Yes, it could happen but it isn't as common as he makes it sound. In fact, I suspect that the transaxle is as likely to fail as any other vehicle (hybrid or not) of similar age and mileage. At least with the '03 you won't have to worry about the other notorious problem of the Gen-1 Prius, which is the power steering failure. That problem was fixed in the '03 model.
The first gen Prius has its own charachter. I personally love mine (an 03) and in some ways prefer it to my wife's 04 2nd gen. It is smaller and more maneuverable. The visibility out the back is better, the temp controls are good ol' fashioned knobs. I have customers that have 1st gens with 200K on them and love them and continue to keep them on the road. The 2nd gen is larger, more spacious, more refined, more comfortable, quieter and the battery and trans axle failure rates are lower. The battery can be a problem at 100k and the transaxle can also be a problem. These can be expensive fixes. The main reason I see folks buying the 1st gen is price point. They want a Prius but they don't have the money to buy a 2nd gen. Or, they find a really good deal on a 1st gen. $6400 for an 03 with 100K miles is not a great deal, its an OK deal if the car is really clean and nice. (at least in my local market, this varies quite a bit from region to region). I recommend you do the following before purchasing the car: 1) Get the vin # and have Toyota give you the service history of the vehicle. 2) If you can find someone in your area with Techstream (or another scan tool that will give you the data on the battery) and the knowledge to use it, it is possible to get an indication of the battery health under load. This wont be comprehensive, but you can get an indication. Also, it will tell you if there are any DTC's stored in the cars computers. 3) Drive the car and put it through its paces, reverse, forward, hard acceleration, etc. and pay very careful attention to any shuddering coming from the transaxle. 4) There's a coolant reservoir in the middle of the engine compartment. The coolant in there should be flowing and somewhat turbulent when the motor is running (or the car is in "Ready On" mode). If it is not, the inverter coolant pump may be malfunctioning. This pump is not terribly expensive to replace, but if it has been malfunctioning for a period of time, it may cause damage to the inverter or transaxle from overheating. (expensive). Best of Luck. Eric Adopt A Part Oh, and a well driven and healthy 1st gen should be able to get 45-48 mpg with the AC on, depending of course on the terrain and driving pattern.
