I am considering a 2007 Prius. It is my first shot at a hybrid. What are the key things I need to understand regarding battery-life, maintenance etc. Just the potential big costs ahead. The car has only 48k miles and looks well-cared for. The Carfax shows a rear-end accident 4 years ago (no word on how severe), but the car has no outward signs of the accident and has passed all inspections since. Finally, what kind of mileage should I reasonably expect from this car? Thanks.
rear alignment might be a concern, how are the tires wearing? does the hatch work well? any signs of rain infiltration? how is the 12v battery area? strip out the rear end and have a good look around. can you get the details of the accident and repair? major problems down the road are unlikely (outside of the accident repercussions) are you covered by the original warranty? all the best!
+1 on the rear alignment. It's non-adjustable. If it's out you have to get an entire new rear axel beam! Most other things relate to the hybrid drive which are pretty difficult to detect unless the warning lights are on.
