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2005 w/75,000 miles...what do you think?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by mpg1, Jun 23, 2014.

  1. mpg1

    mpg1 Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2012
    11
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    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Ok...after all this time I think I have a line on a Prius I'm willing to buy. It's a 2005 w/75,000 one-owner miles (guy says it's his wife's car). It has 75,000 miles, all service has been done by the local Toyota dealer (owner says he has receipts). The seller says he recently put 4 new tires and a new 12V battery (within the last month). He's asking $8,300 for the car. I'm not smitten with the color (that green color...whatever they call it) but I can deal with that.

    I've driven the Gen II models and liked it...a lot. I'm a field rep. for an insurance company over a large territory and drive A LOT....the Prius just makes sense. I'm going to see the car on Wednesday. I would be using the car for work...I'm a field rep. that drives 2,000-2,500 miles per month.

    I have a few concerns.

    1. no warranty and low mileage...not good for the traction battery life?
    2. temps. here get to -20 F. (extreme northern Michigan)...I'd probably install a block heater and the car will be kept in a garage in the winter (usually). Can I expect adequate cabin heat when the temps are subzero? I don't like the thought of being cold during long drives in that weather.
    3. winter driving...I'll be installing winter tires...can I expect to get around OK when the roads are snow covered?

    My other option is to look at a newer model for the improvements (better heater, better traction control, better mileage, etc.) but we're looking at twice the price. I'm excited about this car but need to weigh all of my options...thanks for any advice/insights you can offer.
     
    #1 mpg1, Jun 23, 2014
  2. silverone

    silverone Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2013
    84
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    Location:
    Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2014 Chevy Volt
    Model:
    N/A
    I wouldn't have a problem with the mileage. You can budget a hundred or two per month as a battery replacement fund and stop when you get to $2K... I don't expect you'd touch it for more than 2 years on average. Many get 175K plus miles before having battery concerns, especially in colder areas.

    I don't think the heat issue would be that bad for you, but you might look into something like a Dorman Seat Heater install. At around $75 each, it's the second best money I've spent on my 2008. It took a weekend afternoon to complete and is fairly DIY.

    Definitely get some good Winter tires. I got some Blizzak tires mounted on wheels this past year from a PC member, and the difference from the previous year was night and day. I didn't need to have my 4WD truck out for snow conditions even with the worst winter on record in our area. This wasn't the case the year before when I tried to survive on worn all season tires.
     
    #2 silverone, Jun 23, 2014
  3. FazilHussein

    FazilHussein Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2014
    67
    34
    0
    Location:
    Perth, Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    II

    Hi MPG1,

    I live near Ottawa, Ontario....it was -26C (-15F) for a month straight in Jan/Feb this year. Heat sucks, no way around it. It would take the entire 1/2 hr commute to finally get heat in the car. Heat was adequate to keep the windshield clean, but that's it....bundle up.

    For tires, get dedicated winters. I was running Nokian WRG2s; under -10C they were useless. Got a set of Blizzaks, much better. Deep snow, no problem.....but strong cross winds are not your friend.
     
    #3 FazilHussein, Jun 26, 2014
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