I bought a 2009 Prius with 230,000 Miles.

Welcome!
Four grand seems high to me unless it's hyper clean and has every bell & whistle Toyota offers. And 230k miles is more than I'd like to buy into, but sometimes the budget demands otherwise. I think he might come down. Aside from battery and other drive train concerns, if it's a Michigan car with eight years of road salt exposure, then I'd think he'd need to come way down. Here's a link to where I shop for some comparison prices. Listings - Tampa Hybrids Inc.

 

I suggest you look at kbb.com as another source of used car valuations. I would say that $2,500 would be a fair offering price.

There are many prior posts about how to evaluate the condition of a used Prius, and I recommend you look for those.

Also, this is not the right car for you unless you are able to DIY significant repairs, such as traction battery replacement. You need to expect the traction battery will fail in the near future and have a plan to deal with that eventuality.

Who knows how much longer the engine and transaxle will last. That is partially dependent upon how often the engine oil/filter was replaced, whether the transaxle ATF was changed out periodically, etc.

 

Your offer? Whatever the seller will ultimately accept. Your bargaining skills will determine the final price. Let's assist you with that.

The HV battery will need replacement/repair eventually but it's not easy to determine when. Plan on it anyway. You have many options here but the best is a brand new battery from a Toyota stealership. It's about $2100 if you DIY but that will be a lot of work. $3500 at a stealership.

Minor fender bender? That's subjective. Do your best to find out what happened exactly. When you test drive it make sure it goes straight down the road. Examine the the treadwear pattern on the tires for cupping or anything unusual.

Make sure there are no warning lights on the dash - ZERO! Do you have a DTC reader? If not get one, they're handy.

Drive another Gen 2 from a stealership to compare it with the one you're looking at

What is the KBB and Edmunds TMV for this as a trade in? Use this as a starting point for your negotiations.

I'd start at $3000 and go up from there. Be careful not to insult the seller by low balling them too much. They will tell you what they'll accept, so don't try to push them because they might tell you to drop dead even before you get to see it.

 

Get the VIN number and check the Toyota owner's site to check on routine maintenance and recalls performed by Toyota. If it hasn't been well maintained, I'd skip it at any price.

 

Walk away. Keep looking there are better choices out there.

Edit: For example, this one was owned by PC member jerrymildred and just posted a few minutes ago, is the same price but way less mile. I know its too far for Simba to consider; just an incentive to keep looking.

Lutz FL - 2005 Toyota Prius Hybrid 6 Leather Navigation JBL Bluetooth Smartkey 149k Miles - Car for Sale - Tampa Hybrids Inc.

 

You have to take into account that a 7-year old car will have many failings. Some will be from the 230,000 miles of use, such as suspension parts, tires, brakes, drivetrain, and mechanical parts such as pedal interfaces, bearings, etc. Others will be from the aging of plastic and rubber parts that deteriorate over time, even if the car is garaged. And it appears that you are in Michigan. Salt damage should be a consideration, as well. For me, I'd not even look at such a vehicle.

 

Agree with William and Doug above. If you're not into diy projects, I'd advise against this one. If it doesn't need work now, it probably will need it pretty soon.

 

Don't forget that AVERAGE means that 50% of the sales are higher and 50% are lower. Paying $2500 does not necessarily equal a good buy. Don't forget that if 0.0005% of people die from gunshot wounds inflicted by a dog carrying a pistol in its mouth, it is still 100% for the those that die that way.

 

According to Edmunds.com, the only car pricing site I trust, a 2009 Prius in average condition with the amenities and mileage you listed is worth $3000 from a private seller. It sounds like it's just about fully loaded with options!

2008 & 2009 models have done the best so far regarding hybrid batteries. Since batteries wear more based on time and environment than miles driven, my guess is you've got three or more good years on the car before that even needs to be a thought. Also, 2009 Prius models have one of the highest reliabilities of any model year Prius. That's why I got a 2009 model a few weeks ago myself.

The downside in your case is the high mileage and the possibility if structural damage from the accident where the owner replaced the fender. If the car has a salvage title or similar, I'd walk away. It would also be worth it to have it checked out by a Toyota dealer to check if all recalls have been performed and to check the mechanical and structural condition of the car. If the Toyota dealer passes it, you've got a good car. If not, walk away.

 

1000 at best

 

Late to the party as usual.

 

Bob Wilson had his 2010 with 73k miles listed for less than $5800

 

Why so "cheap"? Something must have been wrong with it.

 

No way.
Run.....
Quickly.

 

go for it, you only go around once!