Should I buy a prius with 137k miles?

Check out two Prius Chat surveys:
Traction Battery Survey. | PriusChat
Hybrid Battery Survey-Gen2 Prius 2004-2009 | PriusChat

PS- The big Consumer Reports survey is excerpted in my conclusions Post 108. I believe the CR survey results were not in the hard copy of the mag, just online version of the Auto Issue of 2014. Also the results were posted here on PriusChat at the time. I did not see any similar survey in 2015.

 

The survey here will be heavily biased. Most people don't go online to report their positive experiences, usually it is to report a problem or failure.

 

...that's what I said in the survey conclusions. The truth is we do not know.

UART tried to word his survey to minimize bias, but obviously we are not professional survey folks here. I don't want to speak for UART, but I think he felt the incidence of failure was under-reported.

By the way, we've had a whole lot more Gen2 batts replaced since the Consumer Reports survey 2 or 3 years ago. It would be great if they would re-do it.

 

Oh c'mon!!! The "survey" here at PriusChat only got a whopping 120 responses. There are 5.2 MILLION Prius !!!
I did find Consumer Reports chart that said the 2007 might have a 1% failure rate. The worst math was for 13 year old cars (as reported by those few who bother to complete their burdensome and lengthy auto report) was still a remarkably low 5%. As much as I generally trust ConsumerReports, we also have no idea of how many Prius were actually part of that survey. FWIW: We sold our previous car, a ten year old Altima with 100,000 miles when pretty much everything needed work. Our 2005 Prius may need brakes this year or next. All else, so far, is flawless. I might start thinking about a new car in 5 years.The truth is critical when attempting to cite flawed data to advise potential buyers of used Prius.

 

You are suggesting PriusChat is an untrue parallel universe where car problems are over-reported. Therefore, per this theory, we here should refrain from suggesting used Prii are anything but the world's most reliable *used* car.

The PriusChat surveys at least show a lot of Gen2 participants here have batt problems. Furthermore, the PC surveys were conducted 2 years ago, and since then (eg; 2006 model year) batteries have been failing more often.

There could be some element of truth that car problems are over-reported here. I've said that myself in the survey 2 years ago. But as I recall if you look at Consumer Reports, they no longer recommend used Prius in the 2006 range as their recommended used cars to buy. Also for the Prii model years series CR's "black circles" for unreliability accumulate considerably as they get into the 8-10 year old range. You may have to go to CR on-line version to get some of these data now.

It's definitely a hypothesis of mine, that 2006 was a worse model year for the HV batts. If 2007 and 2008 MY are listed by Consumer Reports as recommended used cars, that's fine with me. If I recall, but do not have time check at the moment, CR mainly has the Gen3 on recommended to buy used cars.

To sum up, I am thinking our sometimes here luke warm reception to *well used* Prii is not too far off target.

 

without going through all the posts I'll give ya 1 basic answer about the repair damage. If you have to ask this, you're not qualified to take the risk.

As far as mileage goes,, 137K is reasonably low for these. However, it takes a really good EXPERT, and I ain't talking about some dope body shop and or 90% of the dealers to inspect if the damage was repaired properly. They'll paint up and hide what they can't fix, and you need to understand and hunt every square 1/8th inch of the entire body, frame and parts. what kind of paint and the process used to apply, it's a very extensive list. Personally I've never seen one that was repaired properly, unless it's in Japan because by law it's perfect or scraped. I do not inspect cars as a pro, only those I'm interested in so it's not like I've checked a kabillion, but I have many for years. And it takes me no less than 2 hours to go through a car. Some only 15 minutes, because I spot the flaws in engine, frame etc quickly, others, as I move along my personal inspection, up to 3-4 hours till I walk away. I.E if you were to hire somebody for a proper inspection, and they're not charging for 3-4 hours to do it?? walk away.

Design specifics, even if they get the wheels balanced right, (most people expect that's the sure test but that's the 1960's deal).. Today design has to do with less weight and engineered angles where, if the tiniest spot is not right, if it's hit again, it'll go right through the body and framing. That's the discounting in price you need to consider: What is the value of risking injury due to flawed repairs?

 

LOL Paying someone 4 hours for a used car inspection. Ya right, like that is ever gonna happen!!!

 

1) Let's keep to simple, verifiable facts: a couple dozen reported battery replacements here, is NOT "a lot" when there are 5.2 million Prius. Any guess that batteries have "been failing more often" lately, is pure supposition.

2) ConsumerReports, wisely, doesn't guess about things that have not been proven. They NEVER recommend a new model in it's first year. And they won't/shouldn't do the same for used cars newfangled technology until the facts prove otherwise.

3) When we bought our 2005 it was a bit of a risk not knowing what would happen after ten years. And for millions like us, it ended up being a very VERY good risk.

Bottom line is that nobody knows how long the Prius battery will last for 95% of owners older than 14 years, but the risk, so far, is very low.

 

Many of us including me feel the *new* Prius was the best car choice we ever made.
It's the folks who buy *well used* Prii over the 8-10yr warranty/100-150k mile that may not be quite as well rewarded.

 

Agreed. A ten year old car certainly ain't new and might have hidden problems. If the car is so great, why is the seller getting rid of it? But that is the problem with buying ANY used car.

 

You take that risk with any used car but I think you take a little bigger risk with a more complicated car like the Prius. It simply has more of the expensive things that might go wrong and Dwight is not in a financial position to deal with them.

As an example, we bought our Prius in June with a nice CarFax report from a small local used dealer we've dealt with before and trust based on our past history and others' past history with his cars. But, you never know. We did the major 120k service at 120k and replaced the 12v battery and trans fluid as preventative maintenance. Then, despite absolutely nothing indicating there could be a problem, three thousand miles later the hybrid battery plus the touch screen unit went south in rapid succession.

The hybrid battery was replaced for free under warranty and we had a refurb MFD unit put in but we made sure we had the money to cover those things in full before we purchased the car. We had that money as our insurance so we were comfortable buying the car. Dwight doesn't seem to have that luxury.

I stick with my suggestion that Dwight go with a less complicated car like an Echo, Yaris, Corolla, Civic, etc. and save the Prius purchase for a few years from now when he can afford a nice and clean Prius without a lot of wear and tear on it.

 

Not that used car dealer should EVER be accused of selling lemons. Used car dealers are famous for their honesty and integrity. Always!

 

I bought 05 with 161k on it, carfax clean, serviced at toyota dealerships, 46 records of it, all regular maintance. My budget was 5k, paid 2k, so I still have 3k for suprises, time will tell if I made a mistake

 

Only 2K? WOW! Welcome to the club! Now learn how to "pulse and glide"

 

This is pretty good. In my area that would be worth over $3k in Fair condition, according to kbb.

 

Hey Dwight how much are they asking for Prius you are trying to buy?

 

Congrats, Dwight. You even got it in my wife's favorite color, too!