Hi everyone, Really need some advice here. I am looking at an 01 prius from a local used car dealer, it seems to be in nice shape, the guy told me he refurbished the battery a couple months ago. We started it up and it had a misfire which goes away instantly as soon as you press the gas. He got his code reader and it said misfire in cyl 1, he says he is going to replace the plugs and wires, he said "not a big deal I most definitely wont sell it to you without it working properly". I looked underneath and there is no hint of any oil leaks. or scrapes. Engine and transaxle has not been washed off to hide anything either. The mileage says 106,000mi, however the guy is not sure if that's correct since the person he got it from had the ecu replaced but traded it to him because the main battery was bad(He has then since rebuilt the battery pack). He thinks 200,000mi, but I don't know because the car looks really good to be having 200,000mi. He wants $3250 obo, so my question is, is this a good deal, I moved it around the lot and everything seems to work and the engine does not smoke or tap, The computer shows its charging and discharging when the engine is on and when the motor is powering the wheels, Computer says battery is half charged. I will be test driving it Saturday(I was on my way to work when I found this car) and wanted to get some feed back. So my question is, is this a good deal, and what should I watch out for. This would be my first hybrid. I.also have been reading about these converters and bad battery ecu and ecu in general. Im a bit skeptical. Thank you, Scott Read more: http://priuschat.com/threads/looking-at-a-2001-prius.112725/#ixzz21k9YCxnz
Without instrumentation, there isn't a whole lot of details. But this would be my short list: listen for a speed related "humm" - at about 30 mph, shift into "N" and listen for a distinct, speed related hum. There is a powerful motor generator (MG2) that can slowly burn out. With instrumentation, you could read the engine, MG1, and MG2 temperatures and they should always be ICE > MG1 > MG2. But when MG2 is going bad, MG2 gets hot and makes a humming noise. It is the closest thing to a bad transmission. Replacing a bad transmission is a $1,200-$2,000 expense depending upon availability of used parts. inspect edges of tire treads, all four wheels - you are looking for uneven wear or scalloping. I always assume the tires on a used car are bad but the wear pattern lets you know how bad the alignment has been. It can also give clue about a body frame problem. inspect the rubber boots on the shafts from the transaxle (ugly, dirty job) and MacPherson strutts. Look for seepage indicating they have blown their seal. at walking speed, do a wheel stop-to-stop turn. You are looking for smooth operation of the electronic steering assist. If you are not desperate, I would recommend looking for the 2004-09, used Prius. A lot of weaknesses in the 2001-03 Prius were fixed in those models. For example, the 2001-03 doesn't cruse well above 65 mph and especially in hilly areas. It also is more sensitive to cold weather although there are some trick that work. In contrast, the 2004-09 does very nicely at higher speeds and has an engine coolant thermos to rapidly warm up the engine. Our first Prius was, still is, a 2003 model now with 150,000 miles which we bought used with 49,000 miles. It is my commuting car so I'm comfortable with running it until the wheels fall off. But in 2005 when we bought it, there weren't many 2004-09 models around in the used market. We've gotten good service but the 2004-09 is much better and the 2010-current is sublime. Bob Wilson
Hi everyone, Really need some advice here. I am looking at an 01 prius from a local used car dealer, it seems to be in nice shape, the guy told me he refurbished the battery a couple months ago. We started it up and it had a misfire which goes away instantly as soon as you press the gas. He got his code reader and it said misfire in cyl 1, he says he is going to replace the plugs and wires, he said "not a big deal I most definitely wont sell it to you without it working properly". I looked underneath and there is no hint of any oil leaks or scrapes. Engine and transaxle has not been washed off to hide anything either. The mileage says 106,000mi, however the guy is not sure if that's correct since the person he got it from had the ecu replaced but traded it to him because the main battery was bad(He has then since rebuilt the battery pack). He thinks 200,000mi, but I don't know because the car looks really good to be having 200,000mi. He wants $3250 obo, so my question is, is this a good deal, I moved it around the lot and everything seems to work and the engine does not smoke or tap, The computer shows its charging and discharging when the engine is on and when the motor is powering the wheels, Computer says battery is half charged. I will be test driving it Saturday(I was on my way to work when I found this car) and wanted to get some feed back. So my question is, is this a good deal, and what should I watch out for. This would be my first hybrid. I.also have been reading about these converters and bad battery ecu and ecu in general. Im a bit skeptical. Thank you, Scott Read more: http://priuschat.com/threads/looking-at-a-2001-prius.112725/#ixzz21k9YCxnz
Where are you located at? I think you can get a service history at Toyota Owners Official Website: Service Coupons, Owners Manuals, Service Scheduling and More. I'd at least run a Carfax to figure out what the mileage should be. Ordinarily, I'd say stay away from Gen 1s.... and I'd still be pretty hesitant to buy. See Going to be looking for a 2001-2003 Prius...Seeking some tips. | PriusChat (oh, ignore tpfun, the former resident troll).
I am planning on test driving it saturday, so I will get a vin and call my local toyota dealer. the service manager told me they are reliable cars, and that most owners are very happy with theirs. my budget is not that great, I dont think I can afford an 04-09.my budget at most is 5k my current car is worth $4200
Well, the reasons are cited in my posts and Patrick Wong's (a resident repair expert here). Perhaps you should look into other cheap reliable econoboxes? (Don't bother w/Honda hybrids, BTW.) See Best Used Vehicles Under $20,000 - Consumer Reports, for example. Hope you can see the list.
I only have a few things to add to what others have posted: listen for a speed related 'humm' - get up to 25-30 mph and shift into "N". If you hear a humm that seems to follow the speed, this could be a failing transaxle ($$$) or a wheel bearing ($). Without a Prius aware, OBD scanner, it is hard to tell. parking speed, stop-to-stop steering operation - at parking speed, a very slow walk, you'll put the maximum stress on the electric steering assembly and look for any instability or vibration. Repairing a failing steering assembly is ($$). check the boots where the drive shafts come out and the MacPherson struts for leaks - caught early, not so expensive. Caught late, ($$). check the inside and outside edges of all four tires, front and back - you are looking for evidence of misalignment or possibly a bent frame from an earlier repair. This can and should be fixed before cycling through tires ($). do you have back-up transportation - older cars will be down for maintenance and having back-up transportation means you can keep your job and/or fetch parts for repairs. could we talk you into looking for a 2004-09 Prius? - a lot of weaknesses in the 2001-03 were fixed in the next model and many of them became available with the 2010-current and newer Prius models. BTW, I wrote up a suggestion on who should not buy an NHW11. We have a 2003 Prius with 150,000 miles that was bought with 49,000 miles in 2005. It remains my primary commuter car except when temperatures are above 95F or below 40F or I'm running a short errand. My wife's ZVW30 (2010 Prius) is our other car. GOOD LUCK! Bob Wilson
