Hey everyone, my wife got in an accident and our 2008 prius was sold to a taxi company. I bought her a mini van and since we have a baby on the way we are going to sell my 2 seater Honda insight and get my a gen 3 prius. Budget it 5-8k We went and looked at a Gen 3 with 85k mile model 2 I believe. He upgraded and installed fog lights and added door trim. Salvage/rebuilt title but exterior and interior are in perfect condition. Everything seemed to check out great. Negotiated asking price was 7500$ what do you guys think?
i think i wouldn't touch a salvage title unless i was a highly skilled diy'er, and the price reflected the potential for future problems. they always make the body look good, but shortcut repairs don't always last. how does the price compare to non salvage similar car?
Non salvage similar car is 10-12k here at least. I am a pretty skilled DIY when it comes to mechanical work but not so much body work. Everything mechanically was good to go and frame wise everything checked out as far as I could tell. The salvage title was from hail damage.
the only other thing i can think of is reset a trip meter, take it for a good long drive under varied conditions, and see what she returns for mpg's.
What @bisco said. Drive it at least 15 minutes to warm it up, 30 minutes is better. Check mpg, see how the battery level acts, listen for sounds a Prius shouldn't make (it makes lots of odd noises, though, as you already know). I was going to suggest steering clear since it's salvage. But just for hail, not so scary. Good luck!
I'm test "owning" a 2010 Prius, trim level v with 83,000 miles tonight. I'm getting it for $9500. Any advice and does this seem like a good price? Anything specific to check? Thanks for your help!
only concern on the '10's is oil burning, but idk how you can check it. price seems high, but if it's the best you can find, it's the best.
Is the 2010 a base V? Does it have the NAV or Advanced Technology package? The car should have leather and fog lights. If it doesn't, then it is not a V. The switch for the heated seats is very low to the right on the lower dash. The AT package will have a 2D emblem on the nose and "rivets" along the bumper cover. Late 2009 production will have a USB port inside the arm rest and the Safety Connect panel on the ceiling next to the mirror. You may or may not get a set of floor mats and one for the deck. The retractable cover for the deck is standard. It could be stowed under the deck. Pull everything out from under the deck. Look for evidence of leaks. Make sure you have the spare tire and the tools. Take a look at the 12v battery in the right corner for a manufacturing date. Register the VIN at http://www.toyota.com/owners to see dealer service and recall history. Record the original in service date. 2010 was a long model year. Search for and download the 2010 sales brochure so you can see what was offered in the different trim levels and option packages. Don't pay the price of a V for a II. http://www.truecar.com has a 2010 V with 73601 miles in NJ for $8995 but it isn't a V because it has fabric seats and the three cars listed in Virginia are also bogus. So, I can't offer an opinion on price since I couldn't find a V offered for sale within 250 miles of my location. As bisco said, the price is the price. Only you can decide if the car is worth it.
...strange tyre wear? (alignment might have taken a hit) ...all the stuff already mentioned! ...er, that's it! Good luck! BTW, Welcome to PriusChat! The perfect place to learn all you're ever likely to need concerning Prii!
I think you should buy the car after your baby is born. Heaven forbid there are any complications, you'll be glad there is an extra $7500 in the kitty. You said you already have the minivan so there really is no need to buy the Prius now. Yu our wife might take 3 months off. 3 months + 9 months = 1 year. A 2010 Prius now will be that much cheaper in 2018.
Thanks for the feedback everyone. It's a true V. Leather, safety assist, foglights, USB and aux in the armrest. It drives great and the stereo rocks. I'm going to pay close attention to the oil level and see what happens. I've got 500 miles and a week to decide if I want to keep it, and a 4500 mile bumper to bumper warranty if I do. I know it's not much, but hey its better than nothing. The Only thing I noticed tonight was that it sounded a bit loud when going up a hill, seemed like the transmission was "growling" while under strong acceleration load. Anyone got any thoughts on that?
Can't help with the noise as I haven't heard any growling even going up the mountains in PA. Make sure you get two working fobs. The manufacturer's warranty may still have some life.
Here is what I would check: - remove back storage spare wheel and carpet to see if this car was rear-ended and fixed up. you should see non-factory fix and paint touch ups. If that is case then likely car may have alignment issues or other possibly frame related... - check front/back fender gaps, look for not standard screws/bolts applied, under front hood main-frame joints and see if non-factory fix, touch-ups and paint touch ups . If so, the car might be in major fender-bender.
