Lifespan of Prius? $10-12k for 100k-150k Used Prius: Good or bad idea?

Good point. I think the cat is toasted completely long before I got my hands on it. I've watched the downstream O2 readings, it is pretty much not working. I suspect something like a fuel injector cleaning did it in.

What is your opinion on these aftermarket cats? I've heard bad things from garages, is eastern the better brand?

By the way, I managed to pass my emissions test despite a P0420 coming up every 40 miles, don't ask me how I did it.

 

I think your prices are really high for 300k and 220k. If you really have many $$ thousands in reserve for major repairs, just get a 80-100k for 8-10k.

 

Well the good news is that in NorCal, you are near Luscious Garage, which is probably one of the best hybrid shops in the nation. They can usually get you back on the road with used or rebuilt parts for a significant discount compared to the dealer.

Unfortunately, most cars over 100k are ticking time bombs to some extent as components are approaching the end of their intended lifespan. It is much worse on a Prius, since nothing is cheap when they break.

IMO, these cars are not good "starter cars" for people who just need something that runs and delivers good fuel economy. When they break down, unless you have done a lot of research before hand, it is generally very bad news. Usually people who buy used cars do not have significant disposable income on hand, which can make it difficult to finance to repairs.

 

One of the big problems with aftermarket cats is that they will not last long if the underlying problem that caused the original failure is not corrected. If it was just a fuel injector cleaning gone wrong, that's one thing; consuming oil, blown head gasket, bad O2 sensors -- that is the sort of thing that needs to be corrected.

Pooh, one thing to consider: 94-96 Camry were extraordinarily robust cars. They can be had cheaply, you won't need to bother with collision/comprehensive insurance, and fuel economy is not so bad. For a few thousand, you can get a car that will probably go for another 10 years. Skip 97-01 Camry due to the engine sludging problem.

There is a price floor to a Prius in good working order of any mileage, due to demand for its non-moving parts: inverter, airbags, coolant reservoir, body parts, etc.

 

Why buy used? It would be better to buy a new Prius at the current low rates and keep it 15 years.

 

There are a couple problems with this.

First, how inexpensively will you be able to acquire this "used Prius?" I cannot see it being less than 7-8k for one that is in relatively good condition.

Second, the "major" items are going to be 2-3k. A used transmission will probably cost you 2k installed, if you are lucky. A rebuilt battery is about the same. Then you may have ongoing normal wear items to replace, such as struts/shocks, wheel bearings, etc.

Of course, a conventional used car may also need some work but it eliminates many potential failure items compared to a Prius. Plus for the price of a Prius you may actually be able to get a newer, lower mileage conventional car that won't need as much work to begin with.

Point is, I cannot see this being a good project for 10k. What's likely going to happen is you will end up with a fairly high mileage Prius for 7-8k, spend 1-2k on routine maintenance and normal wear items (struts, tires, catch-up maintenance, etc) and you will be in the 9k range. Then two years down the road you will end up needing to buy a battery and/or a transaxle, and you would've spent more than 10k on this disaster in total.

If you have a limited budget, esp one under 10k, go find a simpler car with fewer miles that has fewer things to go wrong.

 

The best Ban for the buck in Gen II Prius is something like 100K for $10K. If mileage is 150K, you might get it for $8K, but that's a saving of only $2K for 50K miles, not worth it.

Just like everything else, don't go bottom shopping. The best value is always at mid to lower level, not the bottom low.

 

My honest opinion is that some people need to go read the 299,999 mile club post. Many cars are doing this number and haven't replaced a trans/axle or traction battery. Not to mention if I had to put a rebuilt or salvaged battery in my Prius tomorrow much of that cost would be covered when I went to sell it. A new battery in a second gen is "almost" a new car to me as long as its maintenance is on point.

Where is the mass die out of these cars around 100-200,000 miles? It just hasn't been seen.

 

The highest mileage cars are the least likely to have battery problems. Steady state freeway cruising on the flats puts almost no stress on the battery. But you still have a material risk of failure, in the transaxle, especially in a used car where it may have never been serviced.

I suspect many cars in the 150K vicinity get traded-in at the first sign of a major problem. We have seen people report here some utterly outrageous trade-in values ($1500 or less) for a car with a failed battery or transaxle.

Nevertheless, at 200K, anyone buying or owning a Prius at that level needs to have a plan already in place in the case of a failure. This includes: a relationship with an independent shop, and liquidity with which to pay for a major repair.