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Featured Bought a un-smogable prius under false terms

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by LvxMagick, Oct 22, 2017.

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  1. LvxMagick

    LvxMagick New Member

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    I bought a 2010 prius for $6200 Salvaged title from a 20 year old girl. She said the salvage was from a rear collision, the car looked & felt great driving it. everything seemed normal could'nt even tell it was salvaged. everything seems to be great on the car but 2 days after buying it the check engine light went on.. I personally asked if that would happen when negotiating the price of the car, they said it wouldn't. when I saw the light I got upset & asked if they disconnected the battery & cleared the code to sell us the car under false terms. The smog certificate they gave us was older then 90 days from the sale of purchase of the car, CA law is very explicit in the laws that the seller of the car is required to have & provide a certificate 90 in the time line of selling the car or responsible for the repairs I think.
    the father got involved & basically told me bad luck & its not their problem
    I can't smog the car.. the check engine light was a P0420 cadilatic converter its going to be at least $2500

    Do I have a case because I'm filing a lawsuit tomorrow..

    Please no joke answers..
     
    #1 LvxMagick, Oct 22, 2017
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sounds like it to me, but i'm not a lawyer. is salvage title in manteca pretty much buyer beware?
     
    #2 bisco, Oct 22, 2017
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    ?? If that's the part you need, it's under $1300 at discount, from a Toyota dealer with Toyota's name on the box.

    There's no way the labor to change it can be $1200. It should be fairly DIYable, given some way to raise the car a bit.

    Were there any other codes? I would be curious also about what caused the car to eat the catalytic converter at that young age.

    -Chap
     
    #3 ChapmanF, Oct 22, 2017
  4. LvxMagick

    LvxMagick New Member

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    Guys I actually was able to clear the code.. Wait for it.. I used a gallon of "lacquer thinner" in a half a tank.. drove it 150 miles turned the car back on and the check engine light is off.. After that I put "Cataclean" in.. ran that thru then put Super premium gas.. I'm going to smog tomorrow & I avoided a lawsuit.. BAM!!
     
    #4 LvxMagick, Oct 23, 2017
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  5. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    hmm, wonder how that story's gonna end..../(n)
     
    #5 StarCaller, Oct 23, 2017
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  6. LvxMagick

    LvxMagick New Member

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    Passed Smog
     
    #6 LvxMagick, Oct 23, 2017
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  7. 04priusnow

    04priusnow Active Member

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    Lacquer thinner? Really.. i have never heard of using this...Have you done this in the past?

    Nexus 6 ?
     
    #7 04priusnow, Oct 23, 2017
  8. LvxMagick

    LvxMagick New Member

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    #8 LvxMagick, Oct 23, 2017
  9. LvxMagick

    LvxMagick New Member

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    I watched this & got the idea from him
     
    #9 LvxMagick, Oct 23, 2017
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  10. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You passed smog but in another 3000 miles, your check engine light will return.

    It's always buyers beware when buying used cars, no guarantees the sellers are honest

    I would be concerned on how that catalytic converter failed.....bad engine that burns oil?
     
    #10 JC91006, Oct 23, 2017
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  11. Peter Fanelli

    Peter Fanelli Junior Member

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    #11 Peter Fanelli, Oct 24, 2017
  12. Peter Fanelli

    Peter Fanelli Junior Member

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    I don't know where you got the estimate from but I just had a new catalytic converter installed on my 05 Prius, cost was $542.92.
     
    #12 Peter Fanelli, Oct 24, 2017
  13. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    California emissions very strict CARB have to use factory cat.

    And to the OP you would have lost the lawsuit. Salvage title absolves all liability. Caveat emptor.
     
    #13 edthefox5, Oct 24, 2017
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  14. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    It is not obvious to most of us that the OP is in California. I would have assumed a non-US country or city until the SMOG check was mentioned. I still did not know what state they were located.
     
    #14 Prodigyplace, Oct 24, 2017
  15. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Scotty kilmer is the man!!!
     
    #15 Grit, Oct 24, 2017
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  16. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    More understandable for those located much farther away. But there is only one city listed on the wikipedia disambiguation page:
    Manteca - Wikipedia
    Aftermarket cats are not legal in California.
     
    #16 fuzzy1, Oct 24, 2017
  17. LvxMagick

    LvxMagick New Member

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    If the light goes on in 3000 miles I will have 2 years to figure it out - instead of 30 days & a lawsuit.
     
    #17 LvxMagick, Oct 24, 2017
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  18. m.wynn

    m.wynn Senior Member

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    Nice job sliding through smog. Keep us posted as to when the code recurs. A buddy with an '06 with 185k miles can chase the P0420 away for about a month with Cataclean. Be interesting to see if the Lacquer/Cataclean combo does any better.

    Although obvious, I'd monitor oil level closely for 5k miles. With a cat code in a 2010, chances are good the car moves serious oil.
     
    #18 m.wynn, Oct 24, 2017
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  19. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    #19 JC91006, Oct 24, 2017
    m.wynn likes this.
  20. danlatu

    danlatu Senior Member

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    Big price and design difference from 05 to 10 prius. There are coolant lines running through the 3rd gen 10-15 prius.


    05 prius cat
    Screen Shot 2017-10-24 at 7.35.33 PM.png
    10 prius cat
    Screen Shot 2017-10-24 at 7.32.53 PM.png
     
    #20 danlatu, Oct 24, 2017
    amos, Jayw13702, Mendel Leisk and 1 other person like this.
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