SOLD: 2004 Prius, 66k miles, one owner, $6,000 obo, Houston

It's been a year since we got our new 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, and my wife is finally ready to let her baby go out into the world to someone who will love it as much as she has. We have sold all of our previous cars over the years using Craigslist, and that may be an option too if this is not successful. We didn't want to trade it in at the time we bought the new CCH, and selling it outright to a dealer may be another option if no takers here. Since joining this forum, it seems like there are many loyal Prius owners out there, so hoping this one goes to someone who is as enthusiastic about hybrids as are we. Now for the listing, which I have been fine tuning for months ...

2004 Toyota Prius (Hybrid), 4 door Hatchback VIN JTDKB20U840058977

Metallic silver exterior paint, grey fabric interior. Approximately 66,000 miles. Came equipped with Package #6, which included Rear Intermittent Wiper, Driver and Passenger Side and Curtain Air Bags, Smart Entry & Start.

Other features include 4 cyl, 1.5 liter engine, Automatic transmission, Front Wheel Drive (FWD), Traction Control, ABS, Power Steering, Tilt Wheel, AM/FM Stereo, CD Player (single disc), Air Conditioning (A/C), Power Windows, Power Door Locks, Cruise Control, Rear Window Defogger, Carpet Floor Mat Set (5 pieces), Cargo Net, Fabric Guard, Rear Cargo Cover. Two remote key fobs included (one has been in wife’s purse practically the whole time, so in much better shape) and one emergency plastic key to unlock door only.

One owner, two drivers, non-smokers, no children, no pets. Seats covers have been installed on all seats since purchased. Front passenger seat cover was removed for pictures of original upholstery, and has since been reinstalled. Seat covers included. Items in storage tray (above spare tire) are NOT included.

Always kept in garage at night from 2004 until 2010 while it was a daily driver to and from work, and kept in garage full time (except when driving, travelling, or parked at airport) from 2010 to 2023. Since October 2023, has been parked in open air carport, as our newest car (a Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid) gets the garage.

Original high voltage “traction” battery (the battery used to propel the front wheels). Have had no issues with this battery.

Auxiliary 12V battery was replaced 12/29/2021, and then it was replaced under warranty in July, 2024. Warranty replacement battery does not extend warranty, which is 3 years from date of purchase, or until 12/29/2024.

All 4 tires replaced 6/27/2020 @ 56,421 miles. Original compact spare.

Drive belt replaced 3/31/2020 @ 55,647 miles after annual State Safety Inspection noted some cracking.

Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) module replaced 11/9/2022 @ 61,966 miles by Benson’s Wheel and Tire in Webster, TX.

DC-DC Converter Inverter Assembly was replaced on 9/12/2024 @ 65,785 miles with a used unit, salvaged from a wrecked car. Unit had to be replaced because it was no longer charging the 12V auxiliary battery like it is designed to do. Hybrid vehicles typically do NOT have alternators like gas only vehicles.

Multi Function Display unit was replaced on 10/1/2024 with a used unit, also salvaged from a wrecked car. The original unit was still completely functional, but the LCD screen had become clouded or fogged, making it difficult to read under certain lighting conditions. After removing a few pieces of the dash, it was a simple matter of unbolting the unit and disconnecting three wire connectors. “New” unit is much improved over original with its damaged screen.

Oil and filter changed on average once every year, usually less than 4k miles between oil changes.

Our driving has been a mix of relatively short trips on side streets, highways, and freeways. Our lifetime gas mileage average is 45.7 mpg.

Never in an accident or flooded. Air bags never deployed . Original paint*. A few minor parking lot dings and scrapes. Clean title.

Known issues:

One very small chip in windshield (passenger side) that hasn’t changed in almost 20 years, after a home DIY repair kit was used to seal it. (See pictures)

Air damper that switches between fresh air and re-circulated air makes slight noise as it tries to fully close.

*One recent scratch on right front fender was repainted using rattle can DupliColor Touch Up Paint and looks reasonably good. And, for a lot less than the $500 to $600 quoted by two local shops. (See pictures)

KBB estimates the Private Party Value in Very Good condition between $4,770 and $6,889. Asking $6,000.00 OBO.

Willing to let a certified, qualified mechanic of your choice inspect the vehicle at your expense before you purchase. Car is being sold “AS-IS”, with no warranty, written or implied.

Reasonable Best Offers will be considered. Certified check only, and prefer to meet at local courthouse to transfer title at time of sale.

Please Note:

Hybrid vehicles have been proven to be very reliable, but can also be expensive to repair when repairs are needed, unless you are a DIY auto enthusiast and don’t mind tackling some larger or more complex issues. Modern cars in general are complex machines to start with, and hybrids even more so. For example, replacing the DC-DC Converter Inverter Assembly could have cost $5,000 or more, if the work had been done at a dealer or other auto shop. The used part was bought for less than $300 and it took a few hours of my time to research, diagnose, and replace it myself.

The importance of the 12V Auxiliary battery cannot be overstated. If it “dies”, or gets very low on voltage, it can present a lot of different trouble codes, warning lights, etc. If allowed to get too low on voltage, the car will basically begin losing things like power steering, be unable to start, or stay in gear. If you keep a close eye on the 12V battery age, and its health and ability to hold a charge, and replace it before it completely dies, then you can avoid a lot of other potential problems down the road. The voltage of the 12V battery can be easily checked manually (under the hood at a “jump start” location inside of the main fuse box), and also by using built-in on board diagnostic tools.

So, why are we selling?

We are not getting any younger, don’t drive very much (less than 2,000 miles a year since retiring), have no one to “hand-it-down-to”, and are looking to simplify things by having one less car to maintain. This has been a great car that we (and especially my wife) have enjoyed owning and driving, while getting outstanding gas mileage and having a minimal impact on the environment. Hoping it can find a new owner who will enjoy and appreciate it as much as we have.

 

No, no recent jump start attempts before the DC - DC converter failed. Jumper cables were always carried just in case. Not sure why the DC - DC converter failed either, but there are sure a lot of used ones for sale.

 

No, not sold yet. Still only listing here and not on Craigslist or ebay yet.

No real trick to the scratch repair ... just patience and a lot of wet sanding and rubbing compound. And of course, follow paint manufacturer's instructions.

 

Thank you for your reply and please do keep our Prius in mind. If it happens to sell before then, I'll ask the moderator to either mark as SOLD or remove ad entirely. I see from your location (24013, aka Roanoke, VA) that unfortunately we are not too close to each other. Both my wife and I are transplants from 23602 (Newport News, VA) and went to Va Tech in Blacksburg before settling here ... miss that part of the country with changes in terrain and actual seasons!

 

Just a general update, and sharing online value estimate I just got from Edmunds / CarMax.

 

Wanted to add the original Window Sticker to my last post, but apparently the time window for editing a post is pretty short

 

Yes, and thank you for your post and interest. Clicking on "Start a Conversation" will do it. If you don't object, I'll start one with you. Caution: I only use desktop computer for my web surfing and forum reading, so I may not see your reply immediately.

 

Another few updates. In the first post I mention that I am "Willing to let a certified, qualified mechanic of your choice inspect the vehicle at your expense before you purchase. Car is being sold “AS-IS”, with no warranty, written or implied."

1.) If a potential buyer wants to have a Pre-Purchase Inspection done (didn't realize there was such a thriving market for this service), I will apply the cost that the potential buyer actually pays for such a service towards the purchase price of the car, up to $200. Whether the potential buyer actually buys the car or not, I would appreciate a copy of the actual inspection report so I can adjust my ad description and my own evaluation of the car's condition if necessary.

2.) Understandably, the state of the health of the HV battery is something everyone wonders about with any used hybrid vehicle, and whether or not it is about to need reconditioning, repair, or replacement. After doing some research, it appears one of the best apps for testing the health and estimating the life expectancy of a HV battery is the Dr. Prius app. For such a relatively small expense, I plan to order an OBD II tool compatible with the Dr. Prius app and hope to share test results soon. While such a test may not be 100% foolproof, it may help ease the mind of a potential buyer, and either substitute for, or supplement, any Pre-Purchase Inspection findings.

 

After almost two agonizing weeks of waiting for an Amazon delivery, my OBD2 device arrived and I was able to run the DrPrius app and check the health of the HV battery, which I am happy to report DrPrius evaluated as in "Good" condition and passed all of the tests with no trouble codes reported.

I have also posted the results in a new thread in the Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion Forum, as it may be of benefit to other owners who are not looking in this Prius Cars For Sale forum. DrPrius Test Results | PriusChat

Screen shots of my results, with links to full videos of the tests which have been placed on Dropbox:







Dropbox

Dropbox

 

Clarification: I added this comment in the other thread referenced and linked above (DrPrius Test Results), to explain the word "Bad" seen on the last screen shot in post above.

"The "Bad" message partially visible on the screenshot reads in "Bad OBD2, error reading". Not sure why this error message appeared, but it did so both times after I ran this test."

And, here is additional info I just added to the other thread regarding the DrPrius app's guideline for interpreting the Life Expectancy (Battery Capacity) Test Results: