2006 prius 31,000 miles

I would expect the hybrid battery to fail very soon. That battery is over 10 years old and sitting is bad for these NiMh batteries. But it might be worth it since it's almost new, and gen 2 prii are very solid long lasting vehicles.

 

As an owner of an 06 with 54k miles, I can say it will need a NEW battery if it hasn't already been replaced. If so, you MUST verify that's it is a new Toyota pack; many describe used/rebuilt batteries as "new". Buyer beware.

 

I would ask the service department to pull the records on it. The car being 12 years old might go straight to auction

 

is this a toyota dealer?
could be a great deal! nothing else on the car minds the low mileage except maybe the 12v. if you can get the right price and figure in the cost of a potential new battery, you might have a great car.

all the best!

 

If I was getting that car first thing I'd do is use a Prolong Hybrid Battery Conditioning system on it as DIY or have a local reseller who will do the service. The car will last a really long time with such low mileage, but as everyone above says, the 12 volt and to a lesser extent the hybrid battery don't do so good when they aren't regularly used.

 

Something obviously failed in this car for them to turn it in at 31,000 miles after 12 years of ownership

 

little old lady?

 

Yes, but what failed could be as simple as the person who owned it had more than one vehicle and failed to drive it very often. If you've spent lots of time working on Prius and enjoy being a part of PriusChat, the potential issues with this vehicle would very much be worth the risk. There's so many wear & tear issues that this vehicle won't have, that it'd be a dream come true for myself and many others.

 

This should be a hv battery failure issue or brake actuator problem.

The other possibilities are minor compared to those 2. I can't imagine engine or transaxle problem with that low mileage

 

i'm assuming it runs. but what is the easiest problem to hide, bad battery?

 

Well, yea... If you bought it and didn't work on it... But a hyrbid battery pack with only 30K miles in the hands of someone who knows how to do basic maintenance to balance and condition to extend the hybrid packs lifespan... I'd love to work with a pack like that. Way, way better and more promising than a vehicle with hundreds of thousands of miles.

 

I would buy it if I were looking for one. Assuming it had it's regular oil changes and maintenance. If it is clean inside and out I would think it was maintained.

 

I am purchasing an 06 with 82k miles (I'm a newbie to Prius and hybrids). The 12 volt auxiliary battery is from 2008 and I plan to replace it shortly (tested at 12.3v and 320 CCA). $228 from the dealer. I have another 24 hours to decide to keep the car. (dealer has a 5 day return policy) In my case, it was a one owner with 100% of the service done at a local Toyota dealer. I am replacing a 2003 Chevy Tracker (21 MPG) vs a Prius (46 MPG). Figuring 15,000 miles/year use, it would take 2 years to recoup the annual fuel cost difference if a battery was replaced at the dealer that failed prematurely. Our local Toyota dealer quotes $1950.00 for a brand new hybrid battery. Only gotcha? The warranty for this new OEM battery is for 3 years, not 10 like the one put in the car originally. Aside: there is another 06 at a nearby Toyota dealer with 62k miles on it. All other Prius' of this vintage in our area have at least 125k on them, many over 200k miles. And yet, they still hold their resale value.

 

As another mentioned, it could be the driver. A week ago, dad's nice 2005 pickup rolled over a mere 22,000 miles as I drove it home from a service appointment. It is needed to pull a gooseneck livestock trailer, but just sits most of the time as two smaller and much older trucks get beat up with the regular farm work.

And dad himself is no longer driving anything except an ATV, nor further than the mailbox. We don't even allow him on the tractors anymore.

 

They actually shouldn't hold their resale value after 10 years old. Very expensive repairs come after that point

 

Sorry - I'm meaning at least in our area, they sell for $6-9k for an 06. An 06 Corolla or Civic is $3-7k that seems like a comparable non-hybrid. (Real world prices vs blue book). The non-hybrids are definitely less complex which also brings appeal as they age.


iPhone ?

 

someone will get our 2005 dakota with 27,000 miles at some point. maybe it will be 30k by then.

 

My guess is that the retail price of the battery may be $1950, bit you will also have to pay for labor. When Toyota does the job they offer 3 year warranty.

If you get the battery for $1950 from the parts department, and you install yourself, then it is only a 1 year warranty. You will also be charged a (refundable) $1350 core fee.

Whatever the price is on the used Prius you buy, you would want to factor in the battery cost in you "savings" calculator.

As far as I'm concerned, in most cases over it's lifetime, a Prius won't "save" much money compared to a similar non-hybrid vehicle. It will certainly decreaed fuel consumption, but save money? Not so much.

 

agree, especially at 3 bucks a gallon.