I am looking at a used 2016 Prius v with 45k miles, asking price is $16.4k. It has a clean record, one owner. I live a few hours away from the sale location and I'm not sure if I'll be able to find a mechanic in that area that knows Priuses well. I'm wondering what to ask for in the pre-purchase inspection. Is there a way to test the battery health, and any tips on other things to be looking for? Thanks!
the big thing is a clogged egr circuit and blown head gasket. my main concern would be if someone rolled back the odometer. if it really only has 45k, you could get a hybrid battery health check at a dealer. but keep in mind that many of these engines burn oil, and the egr circuit needs to be cleaned every 50k or so.
Many gen3s blow head gaskets (easily hidden by sealer for a couple of months), have brake by wire master cylinder failures and can have inverter failures. There are really no pre purchase inspections that can pick up sealer or potential master cylinder or inverter failures. If you keep the car a few years the hybrid battery will need replacing on your watch. It's easy to roll back the odo; a guy on this forum does them for people by mail. Don't buy the car to save money on gas. First the mpg of a v is 42mpg max, less than a standard Prius. Any single repair above will negate gas savings. For $16.4k it's not a risk I would take.
You can check the condition of the high-voltage battery using the Hybrid Assistant or Dr. Prius programs by installing them on your phone. You will also need a good OBDII adapter. You will hardly be able to determine the condition inside the engine, EGR, or brake system by eye. This requires a more thorough approach. Rolled back mileage? But where was this car serviced? There must be some history, insurance, etc.
