Would you buy a Prius with 100,000+ miles?

In NorCal, they have installers who already have the batteries locally.
Our Installers

 

yes, we have two prius 2004 and 2006 both have high miles and they have been very reliable.

 

I did an 2007 with 98895 miles. For $8800 one owner.

 

Just saw this, presume it was for me? I'll be putting a lot more mileage on my car since I'm transferring colleges soon, so I decided to find something with less mileage & think I succeeded!
Love my Prius, decided to stick with them, can't afford & don't necessarily like the interior of the new ones so 2005-2009 were my search parameters. And then I see where AOL cars named the 2005 Prius the # 1 green used vehicle that can be bought for under $10k (the only car on the list w/a JD Powers 5 out of 5 score for reliability) so I'm happy

 

And since I bought my first Prius w/93000 miles on it, I put an extended warranty on it to cover me through 125k miles. Thankfully, it's been a wonderful car and turned out not to need the extra coverage!

 

So the $1000 you spent on the extended warranty was wasted. Welcome to the club :_>

 

Definitely a waste - unless something major happens within the next thousand miles or so. Now I'm debating whether or not to put a warranty on the new-to-me 2005. It's mileage is so low at 19,000, but it's book value is declining. Any thoughts?

 

Skip the warranty, but take a good hard look at the installed 12V. Spend $100 +/- on a transaxle fluid change, since the powertrain warranty has expired. Also, take it in for the inverter cooling pump recall, if it hasn't yet been done.

 

I plan to have the pump done. I know the prior owner replaced the regular battery since he barely used the car & it had drained (the 12v is the regular battery & not the hybrid, right?) Also, I did read the posts on here about the transaxle fluid. Is that something that should be done based on time or mileage? Or should I just check to make sure it's still pink?

 

Think of a red-colored fruit punch that comes as a liquid concentrate. New fluid will have the look of the stuff that you would drink: red, clear. Used fluid will look darker, thicker, and opaque, like the concentrate. Virtually everyone that has looked at the initial fluid fill, whether at 5,000 miles or 150,000 miles, reports the same thing, that the fluid is much darker than the new stuff. The dark/dirty look is caused by wear metals, which are more abundant during the initial break-in. Basically, if you do a fluid change right off the bat, then you have much better insurance against the $5,000 transaxle replacement later on.

 

Excellent, thank you!

 

Ok, I'm personally in the hunt for my first Prius, and considering anything from 40-100K miles, $8-15K.

It's 2015... did we learn anything?

 

I would personally buy a 100+K Prius at the right price and with the right research into the history of the car. I bought one at 81K and feel that I got a good deal on a reliable car. I've been really impressed with the engineering that has gone into this vehicle. While not perfect, it's a car that makes sense to me and that I'm becoming increasingly confident working on.

My counsel to someone else buying used would be:

(1) research the hell out of the specific target vehicle and get help from trusted mechanics to screen it before purchasing it

(2) be prepared to put some sweat equity into keeping it running over the long haul; as noted above in this thread, taking this to the dealer or even the independent mechanic can be quite expensive...save those trips for those things you really can't handle - associated corollary, buy aftermarket whenever you can and limit your trips to the dealer for only those that have inadequate aftermarket substitutes (there are certainly a few of those)

(3) use this and similar forums to learn as much as you can about how to maintain and do preventive maintenance on your Prius; "pay me now or pay me later"

(4) set aside a trust fund for the Prius because one day the HV battery is gonna go bad - and so is the combination meter

(5) plan on keeping it a long time and driving it and caring for it accordingly

What did I leave out?

 

Wow, it's been almost 4 years. I still have my new-to-me second Prius that I bought 4 yrs ago w/18k miles on it - it now has 90k with all the driving my husband does with it. Oil changes, tires, and air filters is all it has ever needed - so far. I'm about to sell my Honda Odyssey and buy another Hybrid; trying to decide - Honda Civic, Hyundai Sonata, or another/newer Prius.

 

Please don't get a civic hybrid... Nothing but trouble follows them

 

the Honda isn't even a real hybrid. the engine runs constantly-- at least the ones I've had in the shop. seems bogus to me.

 

I vote for a newer Prius!

 

I just bought a used 2006 prius with 142k on it to replace the 2005 my son totaled. The MFD touch screen had been ruined by some idiot using a suction cup on the screen to mount his iphone. Touchscreen dead areas. AutoBeYours repaired/replaced the the unit for $299. The service and turnaround was excellent.

These days, it's not uncommon for any automotive electronics, from any of the major manufacturers, to costs hundreds of dollars, or more. So where's the beef? Not to mention that almost all modern cares have tons of electronics and 'by wire' systems. Any used high mileage vehicle comes with risk, whether it's a Ford or a Toyota.

 

I hope it's a good idea, we just did.

 

if it works out, you were smart. if it doesn't, you come here with a heavy heart.