Picked up a 2007 Prius with 270k miles any advise?

Bleeding the prius brakes are not as straight forward as other cars. It's a good thing you didn't go through with it, it would have been an expensive mistake.

Toyota uses techstream software to do the brake fluid changes, the brakes are electronically controlled. I seemed to have remembered Toyota advising against the fluid changes because it contributes to the brake actuator failure

 

Check the 12 volt battery well to, both of my 06 had water there

 

The best advice you can take it to check the oil and coolants every time you fuel up. That way you will see the oil consumption/coolant use and be able to top them off before they get damagingly low. Never fuel the car without this check!

 

I replaced my front struts on my 2008 at 99,000 miles. I had never heard of one failing at such low mileage and the parts stores didn't even stock them. When I said it failed, it blew all the oil out and was everywhere under the car.
Front wheel bearings seem to have an occasional failure. They get real noisy rather than fail. If it starts sounding like a four wheel drive truck with big tires you need to check your front wheel bearings.
HID headlights were my number one problem though. They go off and then when you cycle the light switch off and back on they come back on for a while. Bulbs are expensive but are getting cheaper as time goes on. Only the higher lever Prii had them.

 

My wheel bearing had no slop in it, it just got noisy.

This is my YouTube video of a noisy right front wheel bearing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TTVE-x0888

When I changed the front struts I bought the whole complete assembly with the springs ready to install. Everything is already assembled and everything is new when you are done. If any of the other parts are bad and you start buying them individually they start getting expensive. It makes it a simple job and saves a ton of time messing with spring compressors and such.

 

What do you think about the quality of the struts? The ride is pretty good?

 

OEM struts are high quality and they are cheaper than KYB. Most dealerships have online stores, where you can get the parts at very competitive prices

 

Everyone has their own ideas about quality. I don't remember the name of the company and they weren't on the car that many miles before I traded the car in but the car rode like stock and how good they are I will never know. If the car were newer I would have probably bought Toyota OEM and from what I read they are pretty much bullet proof and the fact that my local parts store didn't even stock aftermarket struts for a Prius says it all even though one of mine failed.

 

I got a great deal on rock auto for all 4 struts I think it was only around $300 at that price a no brainer. might as well order new springs and isolators (the dust boot is molded in). My car was sagging a bit in the rear turned out to be a broken spring, Moog springs fixed that and the car handles much better too.

 

Not a lot of weight. That's not much different than having a few things in the trunk and 3 adult males (over 200lb each) in the back seat. Or no?

 

It's nothing. These cars are rated for towing in other countries where the lawyers have less power. In the US, being risk averse is required. Damn lawyers. Where's my settlement?????

 

I pulled a bit heavier last time, about a 800lb trailer and a 500lb motorcycle on top if it. The Prius handled it ok but it was definitely at the limit of what I wanted to ever pull.