new 01 owner

I stumbled over my prius searching on craigslist for used cars under $6000. I always considered pri way out of my price range and had no idea they made them way back in 01.
It has 164,000 miles. Its has a new hybrid battery $2500 and ecu $1500 with receits. Considering the price and the rising price of gas I just couldn't pass it up. It runs and drives like new but being 8 yrs old it has it dings and stains. I get about 45 mpg.
So far I have put 1000 miles on it with no problems. I changed the oil to mobil 1 and it appears to have not used any since I changed the oil 1000 miles ago. I changed the transaxle fluid and the old stuff appeared used buy not dirty. It also had little paint marks on the transaxle pan hopefully indicating it had been changed at some other time and hopefully many. The coolant and inverter coolant look pink and clean.
I know I am taking a risk on a car with that many miles but I figured the batteries and ecu help to justify the investment. I plan on doing all the routine maintenace myself and just keep my fingers crossed none of the hybrid stuff malfunctions for at least another 150,000 (hopefully how long the new hybrid battery lasts).
As far as the actual car goes, it feels just about right for the average driver like myself. You floor it and the electric KERS (kinectic energy recovery system F1 term) kicks in and you go right past the trucks on the highway. It handles good and drives smooth over bumps. The brakes take a little getting used to but if I never have to change them even better. The inside has a surprsing amount of room front and back, but the trunk is a little small for me.
I can't imagine what a 2010 would feel like with that extra power but it kind of disapoints me the mileage hasn't improved all that much since 01.
In my head the cost of the battery is like putting $5000 of gas in the tank for only $2500:
The car gets about 1/3 better gas mileage because its a hybrid so I only used 2/3 of what a normal car would. In 150,000 (lets say the average life of the battery) with gas averaging $3 a gallon and the car averaging 45 mpg (I hope), the car would use 3,333 gallons of gas (yuck) and cost 10,000 if the price of gas averaged $3. If the car had averaged 30 mpg (1/3 less because no hybrid) then it would have used 5000 gallons of gas and cost $15,000. So, a $2500 battery saved me $5000 of gas in the above equation (I think).

 

Well, I was driving to work today and my check engine light came on. I went to OReiley after work and had them scan it. P1436 came up. Looks like a stuck valve in the exhaust. $1,800 for a catalytic converter? I will happily lube it once a month if it means I don't have to pay that. It seemed to operate fine on its own before I lubed it. I knew there would be something. He cleared the code and it hasn't turned back on again. I wonder if the previous owner knew about it and just had it cleared or it happed with me. Know way to tell I guess.

 

Alright, just an update.
So far I have driven the car about 6000 miles. Just passed emissions the other day, but it did spit the code about that stupid catalytic converter (code 3104?) in the report.
I have managed to get about 45 mpg since I have owned it. I can hear what I beleive is slight knock accelerating on the highway. Gona change the spark plugs, maybe even do an induction service. The steering, while it seems tight, has just a bit of a rattle and you can hear it on the country roads going about 30. I also still have not diagnosed the weird squeak sound when I it goes into drive sometimes and when I shut it off. do not know, maybe the inverter coolant pump? Hope its not the transaxle. This is what worries me the most.
Other than that it runs and drives pretty much like a new car. Oh yeah, some of the stupid door locks stick.
Its has it dings and stains in the interior and unfortunately it doesnt look like a prius but I guess I still get an occasional cloud of smug following me. Its neat knowing mine is the very first year of the prius, heh, a true classic. Drove it down the great river road in Alton last sun at 45 mph and I got about 65 mpg.
After I pay it off it might be time to invest into some better tires and wheels. I would really like to test drive a new one, but I would probably fall in love and I know deep down inside I am not ready for a comittment like that.
I am curious to see what the future brings in these hybrid cars. I think a hybrid smaller truck (like the vw) and a super light sports car with prius guts and shifter would be a shitload of fun.
It makes me mad to think of what the US automakers could have done under Clinton and how high capacity battery technology was bought by oil companies and buried so electric cars could not be realized. Almost makes me wanna drive an old mercedes powered by vegetable oil again. Or find one of the original electric cars from the 90s.

 

Well its been a year since I bought the car. I haven't had to fix anything big. I did have a big scare when a pebble got caught in my wheel, I heard this awful grinding sound and thought the trans was going out, but it worked its way out. Keep on truckin on.