when should you trade in your Prius,before it becomes a money pit?

Where did you find it? Was it a great deal?

 

Were the above terrible experiences with Prius cars?

 

As well as a 90K 2004 Prius I have a Ferrari 355, a '68 Aston Martin DBS and a Fiat Coupé 20vt. I can tell you what a money pit is and it's definitely not the Prius.

 

Thinking about a 2019 Highlander hybrid. With foot surgery coming up I need a vehicle that I can ease out of and not climb out of. Love all my Prius' to death (MIJ). Highlander would be my first American assembled vehicle in a very long time. Really want a RAV 4 Hybrid in March as they may still be MIJ.

 

That post is from 2012. The car was only 4 years old at the time.

 

Hi everyone,

I recently wrecked my 2008 Prius with 248K miles on it. I can definitely say the Prius is not any sort of money pit. Aside form the regular maintenance of oil changes and tires the only "problems" that I had with the 08 Prius was:

TPMS sensors, which I replaced myself for <$100 and a tool. (need to replace these are another debate).
Brakes vibrating at 200K, did those myself for less than $200 all the way around.
A/F mixture sensor (O2) at 200K, drove with that on for almost 50K and didn't even notice a difference in the mileage. Replaced for the cost of the sensor.

All told, I guess the costs started coming around the 200K miles mark, but they were so minimal compared to the awesome fuel mileage.

If the deer hadn't tried to play frogger with me, I'd still be driving it. Replaced with a 2018 Four with all the options. I don't think Toyota Safety Sense will help with the deer, but I'm certain I'll get 200K out of this car before it needs any serious work I won't want to afford or live with.

 

I just got a 2005 w/ 142,000 miles. For the last 3 days it's run great. Half of my first tank of gas is giving me 45-mpgs ave. I plan to drive this car until the wheels fall off ... just like every other car I've had since 1977.

 

I don't know when to trade. We own four... two 2009s (165K and 180K miles), a 2010 (63.5K miles), and a 2015 Prius v (wagon) (62K miles). Overall, I'd say these are the most reliable cars we have ever owned.

Repairs have been minor so far.

The HID headlight housings leaked. That took out both computers, both ballasts, and both lamps, and replacing both housings and the guts sucked $1600 on one of the 2009s... That was the worst. Don't EVER buy HID headlamps!.

I think one of the 2009 water pumps died, a MAF sensor died, a coolant valve died, and everything else has been routine (tires and 12V batteries, alignments, etc.). I've replaced some bulbs, and not much else. Gas gauges are inaccurate on the 2009s, since both bladders are probably popped. Thank god the later models don't use those.

The Entune electronics on the Prius v suck! (The head unit reboots itself randomly).

Neither satellite radio amplifier works (on the 2010 or 2015v). That's okay... Internet radio over T-Mobile iPhones works great.

Strangely, we can't make outgoing BluTooth phone calls in the 2010 or 2015v, but the 2009 with BluTooth works fine. The USB ports don't charge iPhones on the 2010 or 2015v.

The paint on the 2010 rear spoiler is deteriorated, but the paint on the rest of the car is fine.

 

Replacing the water pump 2 years ago and doing the breaks this past fall at 120k miles are the only non-routine costs (oil, tires, 12v battery, etc.) I've had with my 2004 Prius. It's been a great car and still gets ~50mpg on the highway for long trips.

I was tempted to replace it with a Prime this winter with the $5k discounts being offered in the northeast (would have been less than I paid for the current car in 2004!), but would prefer to go full EV for my next vehicle.

 

i am thinking the same. paid 26k for my 2004, 30k for my pip, and could have had a prime for under 20k.

 

I bought my 07 Prius with 80,000 miles. Now have 220,000 miles still running great. I have replaced the brakes at 150k water pump, coolant control switch ect at 200k. Just put in new front wheel bearings and a muffler recently. I have had a hitch and been using this car to travel 3-4 hours away buying atv’s and snowmobiles. I drive it hard 80 miles an hour pulling a sled behind it. It only gets about 30mpg doing that maybe 35. I drive it fast to work too and get about 40mpg. I was working for a power line job and getting paid to drive from one job site to another. Then I drove exactly the speed limit and took bad roads not going over 55mph and got 52mpg. Car still running great. I’m gunna drive the wheels off this car.

 

KBB estimates for the 5 year cost of ownership to be around 50-55 cents a mile for a 2018 Prius at 15k miles a year. My 2008 had been clipping along at 31 cents a mile even after buying a Prolong system for the battery, replacing an HID headlight, a new rear hatch garnish and a few other "unanticipated" repairs. I was also paying dealer prices for most regular services.

This year the price per mile took a real jump with "one time only" or "every three years or longer" services and repairs. New tires, new shocks and struts, replacing splash guards from hitting a dead animal, alignment, 150k service including plugs, brake fluid change, coolant change, etc. and it's up to that magic 50 cents per mile mark. Still under a new one. Considering a lot of what I've done to the car are things not done often or only once the current per-mile cost should drop right back down to the low 30s and the overall average per-mile cost should drop gradually too.

The question marks I see are going to be the battery and the brake actuator. At current prices of $2500+ each (installed), that's when it will become a replace or repair decision. However, those costs are going to be spread out over another 150k miles so they're not that expensive when you look at them in that light.

Another major consideration is knowing what I have in the driveway. Dependability, service history, etc., etc. We buy used so it's always the luck of the draw no matter what we do to minimize the risk.

 

310K miles with Walmart Supertech ($11.77 for 5 qts) it's entire life.

Change your PSD fluid every 60K miles. That's more key than any kind of engine oil you could use.

 

I’m on my 3rd Prius. 300k plus out of each one. Greatest car ever made. End of statement

 

I agree. Is there a lot of TA failure for those who actually believe that the TA fluid is lifetime, as Toyota claims in manual?

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

no, its the most reliable system in the car

 

I just picked up my new 2020 Blue Magnetism Prius Prime Limited yesterday. It is my 4TH new car, my last new car was a 2007 Prius IV which has 43,000 miles on it. The only reason I am replacing that GREAT little 2007 is because of all the technological advances and safety enhancements available on the 2020. A very LUCKY friend will be getting the 2007. I believe it should easily keep going for another 10 or 15 years.

 

So you should like post in the Prius Prime forum, not the gen 2 forum.