Interpretation of Dealer service record

it's about the price of the traction battery...

 

One thing I found with mine, all service was done at a local dealership so I went there and they gave me a detailed report of all the info. on the toyota owner website, it has limited space so alot of the dealer info gets cut off.

 

Very likely true, but you've got to love their language: there's no intelligible interpretation to this service writer speak.

 

Don't buy the car until you have it properly scanned. It may be something minor, but the online service record may have originally been "estimate $3500 customer declined repair". If you like this car, it is worth $100 or so to have a Hybrid friendly shop do a pre-purchase inspection....I'm sure you wouldn't want a $3500 repair right after you buy the car.

 

good advice.

 

Agreed, get that thing scanned. find out whats going on there. one thing you can do is ask to take another test drive. and watch the battery monitor. if it discharges and charges very quickly, like it moves up and down constantly as you drive it. thats bad. my hybrid battery rarely moves from 3/4 full to half. if you drive it and it starts moving all over, you better get that dealer to check it out or get that car for very cheap. as you can get a rebuilt pack for about 1200 to 1800. What are they asking for the car?

 

Personally, I wouldn't buy a used Gen 1 Prius. Raise your budget and look for a Gen 2.

See my post at Buying used 2004 Prius with 160k miles | PriusChat. Unfortunately, the links to the specific posts are busted now due to the Priuschat software change. Patrick Wong is one of our repair experts. Look for his posts, amongst others.

 

Let me tell you about my own experience that I posted here back in august. I was in the market for a prius and found one for 3250. first thing that happened was the misfire at startup. then check engine light. the car moved without shudder or stalling. the dealer put his code reader on it, only thing was on there was the misfire. then after restarting, the triangle light and the warnings came up. I took it for a ride. and watched the battery monitor. i drove it about 15 miles about a 20 min test drive. the battery monitor moved up and down constanly from 3/4 to half to 1/4 then stop let it sit and it goes back to 3/4 within a minute. not good. I told the dealer and said I would check back to him. said I believe its the hybrid battery. it would up that he knew about the battery and said he had replaced some cells in it. obviously didnt do to good of a job on it. so I said I cant give him 3250, because of the battery issue. so I said ill call him back with an offer. I offered him 2000 for it and planned on replacing the battery. I even told him this and he said he was going to give it to his son to fix it. BULL CRAP. i knew that too. I saw the car sit off the lot for about a week then it was gone. who knows what happened to it. Watch yourself. take it for a 20 min drive and see what that battery monitor does. If not than take it to a toyota dealer and have it checked, you will pay for it but at least you will know what your getting into.

How many miles are on it also?

 

The way to tell a transaxle failure, take it for a drive. if in neutral at 45mph you here a hum, bad. if you put the car in reverse and drive backwards about 20 feet and it shudders, jerks all the while. bad. if none of the above, transaxle is ok.

 

Used car dealer? I'd say the latter...

Where is the car located? Someone here may want to pick it up as a project if the price is right...

 

Too far away for me to get involved, and I generally don't like "snow belt" cars because the are a PITA to work on...most every fastener is a clump of rust.

Chances are the used car dealer will just clear the codes, take it to the dealer auction and pass it along to another used car dealer. That car is worth less than $2000 as it is...could be a good deal for someone in the area who likes to tinker but not if you have to pay shop rates and/or ship the car out of the area.

 

i sold my 04 with 95,000 miles in perfect condition for $6.000. can't you find something more reasonable?

 

I wouldn't buy a Honda hybrid unless it had its battery recently replaced or you have lots of warranty left on it. See Salvage Traction Battery | PriusChat.

 

I got our 03 Prius in 2005 using a Ebay search. In our case, I had plotted completed sales and Blue Book values. When one came available for ~$1,000 under the average, I was ready to buy. But I did buy from a dealer who had taken it in as a trade.

Another option, call AutoBeYours. They may not have everything in stock on their web page. They have a good reputation for rebuilding salvage Prius.

Bob Wilson

 

Just bought yesterday a 2002 Prius from a local 'discount' dealer. I checked all the sources as best I could and had an independent Prius shop, Jim's Automotive, here in Albuquerque give it a pre-purchase inspection. For $4600 we got a local, one owner car with 130k. Records show that the HV battery was replaced at 113K, the inverter pump at 98K and the transaxle at 87K. Its going back this week to Jim's for the new struts (front and rear), outer tie roads, new tires (I'm going to try out Cooper GFEs 185/75 R14) and a 4 wheel alignment. It will also get the drop-the-pan-and check-for-crud transaxle fluid change, inverter fluid change, coolant change and new brake fluid. we may need to do work on the bearings but won't know for sure until we get the crappy tires replaced. Jim did find these codes from the power steering unit - C1521/21, C1522/22, C1523/23 and C1524/24. He test drove the car and checked the alignment and we're going to watch the steering as he can't tell how long the code has been there. Oh yeah, and I'm installing a elearnaid Optima kit.

I'd welcome any additional suggestions on services to be done at this point. I wondered about the PCV valve and when they get replaced.

A shout out to Larry Miller's Albuquerque Toyota for only taking a week to send me a copy of the service history they have on the car! It's now going on 2 weeks since I sent the same request to LHM American Toyota, the other dealer here in Albuquerque. This is the dealer who originally sold the car and did most of the service on it over the past 11 years. I may have to go up and get it in person.

I think there are still a few good buys on Gen Is for anyone interested in them. I'm pleased to have a car that will still get over 45mpg in town.

Ed K
2007 Certified, everything but the leather seats bought 11/28/07 - my wife's car
2002 dealer demo bought 12/31/2002 drove it till I sold it to my niece in 2009
2009 bought new, no navigation, no leather seats, 3/31/09 drove it till I sold it to my sister when I lost my job
2002 used bought 2/23/13 on behalf of her Grandmother for another niece who may choose a 1984 rabbit convertible instead!
what do I drive? a 96 subaru Legacy station wagon - where I'm ecstatic to get 20mpg...