Brainstorming Session

Hello! I need some input on what I should do with my Prius.

So I have fairly unique job where I have to commute a lot for work, approximately 70,000 miles per year. I have a 2013 Prius C that is sitting at just around 200,000 miles. I'm trying to figure out what I should do at this point as some of the components of the Prius are getting older and I'm already looking at repairs for it. These are the options I think I have:

1) I could buy a new Prius. My boss buys a new one every 4-5 years due to the driving. I don't have the salary to do this so I'm leaning toward not going this route. But it would be nice to have a new vehicle that I know would be reliable, as I'm commuting anywhere from 3-5 hours each way to/from work and it's in very isolated areas with limited phone coverage.

2) I could buy a used Prius. I thought this would be a more viable option, but the used car market is insane right now. I'm finding a 2017 Prius C with 100,000 miles for $15,000. Maybe if I keep looking I could find a good deal with low mileage, but I don't want to drop $15,000 on a vehicle (with 100,000 miles) that I will put an additional140,000 miles on in 2 years.

3) Repair my current Prius. I was looking at used engines at the website "car-part" (forum won't let me post the website link) and I could get one for $800 with 13,000 miles on it in my area. I'm assuming with labor, another $3,000? That could get me another 3-4 years out of the vehicle hopefully. However, I would assume I would need to replace the transmission and hybrid battery at some point as well. Would there be any other major parts which would need replacing? I figured if I kept the replacement parts under the used car prices, I would still come out ahead as I have "newer" parts replaced in the vehicle.

Honestly though, I'm not sure which way to go. This was my wife's Prius originally and she put ~130,000 miles on it in 10 years and I just put an additional ~70,000 miles on it in 1 year. I really need a reliable vehicle for work, because if I can't commute to work, I don't get paid but at the same time, I really can't be shelling out five figures for a vehicle right now too.

With the hours I spend in the car, I've been going back and forth on all of these options in my head but it would be great to hear other peoples opinions on the matter.

Thanks!

 

I have a leaking head gasket and worn engine mounts, per the first mechanic who looked at it. I also had it confirmed by two other shops. I also need to replace the control arms and struts (I already have that lined up to be fixed in a couple of weeks). I was looking at the cost to repair the head gasket and mounts, and it just seems more logical to replace the whole engine for the price. But I want to try and get the most out of the current engine before I have to do that. Thank you for the insight on the hybrid battery as well!

I wasn't aware of this, thank you for the insightful information!

Unfortunately, this is not an option.

I have been doing a marked amount of maintenance on it, I think it has been helpful with extending the life of the vehicle. With all the driving too, I get an oil change every 2 weeks. Great advice on saving up! That is a great way to frame things! Thank you!

Unfortunately, not at this time.

Great advice! I will look into getting an OBD2 reader. Thanks!

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Also, to add more context, this vehicle is put through some tough conditions as well. As previously noted, I'm commuting to/from work 6-10 hours per day. Temperatures ranges vary from 15-120 degrees fahrenheit throughout the year (including snow). I am routinely driving from 1000-7000 ft of elevation multiple times per week. I have to drive hills with 5-16 grades, multiple times per day. I drive mostly on one lane highways, which means I am passing a significant amount of vehicles like tractor trailers, which is a lot of accelerating and braking. Also, that 70,000 mile estimate was driving 4 days per week, I will be increasing it to 5 days starting next month, which means approximately 85,000 miles per year of driving. This Prius c has been nothing short of amazing but I definitely see the writing on the wall in the near future, which is why I am trying to figure out the most ideal solution so I can begin planning for it.

I think with how high used/new car prices continue to be right now, I'm going to try to get the most out of this engine and just replace it. Thank you all for the advice, insight and help! I really appreciate it!