How many still own Prius?

Bought my 2009 Prius in December 2016, and it’s driving fine. I was recently told by a service tech “there things last 300,000 miles. Looks like you’re about halfway there” with my car at 172,000 miles. I’ve owned the Prius longer now than I’ve owned any other car, and it’s still got a few more years left in it.

 

I sold my 2008 Gen II - the one in the picture with the extra seating - in 2017 or 2018.

Nothing ever went wrong with it. In terms of ownership experience, I think it was probably the best car I've ever had. And it was so good in heavy traffic: in the days before EVs, there was nothing more relaxing in a traffic jam, especially after the very noisy VW Golf I replaced the Prius with.

The C-class I replaced the Prius with was definitely not as good a car as the Prius was.

The Gen II and III are almost impossible to find here now. All the used ones get bought by people who export them to Samoa and Fiji and Vanuatu and other Pacific islands: fuel is expensive there, and so are mechanical repairs, so a car that uses very little fuel and that needs very little maintenance is ideal.

 

... commuting my '99 Subaru Legacy Wagon, Lancaster to downtown Los Angeles weekdays, circa 2004, was costing me US$450 a month. Bumping in line, arm-twisting for a Prius, my daily commute cost 30% what it once was. Going solo in the HOV lane, here in Los Angeles? Icing on my cake.

If you wanted a nimble daily driver, good for high speed cross-country driving, gen II Prius was a mighty good choice.

Why would anybody with half a brain ever opt, for the Greta Thunberg toaster-oven special, when they could otherwise have a hybrid? -- Samuel '04 Ruthiemobile.

 

Gen2 was a special car, fit like a glove for many.
2008 2009 may be most reliable.
2006 lasted long but had a number of expensive things upon old age: HV battery/COMBO panel/brake thing/etc.
Would have gone for Prius v but they made us opt for RAV4 or Corolla Camry Avalon Sienna hybrid etc.

 

You may be doing it wrong...?

 

I prefer to think I am between Priuses. I sold my 2012 Pip to a friend who needed a good car and I could not bring myself to buy one of those "Hot Wheels" looking cars with all the complicated, funny-looking, and I expect useless styling cues slathered all over the poor sorry vehicles. Thank goodness the 2023 Plug-in has gone back to the classic simplicity of the early Pri. Give it a year or two for used ones to come on the market and I'll be able to get one.

 

I'm not. They're not making a RHD export version, so it won't be sold here.

 

Doing what wrong? Or what would you suggest?

 

I still have my 2012 Prius Plug-in. 170,000 miles.

I bought a BMW years ago, and my son eventually took over the Prius. But then, a friend offered us a 2004 Mini Cooper, which I had to restore. So now we own 3 cars between us.

I live in New England now, so the BMW goes into a garage over the winter and the Prius gets put away for the summer.

By the way, I am 100% DIY and the 75,000 mile 10 year-old BMW has cost over $4,000 in maintenance, including $1,600 in tires. So excluding tires, about $2,400 for oil, transmission oil, a new water pump, belt tensioner, valve cover, etc. Fairly standard items at this mileage which would be murder if you paid a dealer.

 

I was trying for funny. It would appear I missed...

 

I still have 4 of them, and proudly put over 800k miles on them since 2006.. my uncle still rocks his first gen..

 

My Prius adventure began April 26, 2011 when I quite suddenly acquired a daily 140 mile commute to work and back. I am currently on my third Prius and still very pleased with Prius safety and reliability. My total Prius miles to date are 396,335. I've driven to the moon and I'm nearly back home.

 

Bob Wilson

 

The initial posted question might be addressed in a different way. How many 2001 (to whenever) Prius are still registered in the US? For each year. Original purchases in each year are known I think. Getting to the other may be in public domain. Or hack into 50 states' DMVs?

I read recently that US vehicle fleet now has average age of 15 years. Prius longevity could be compared? From the outset nay sayers said 'this thing won't work'. I wonder to what extent it has.