I'm in the camp of passing on it, though if your father took great care of it and kept up with the regular maintenance schedule then it's worth considering. Has the water pump been replaced? Spark plugs? How much oil does it burn? How's the AC? Struts in good shape? Did he ever clean the EGR? How old are the tires? Lots of variables here.
Where is the car located? Do you know anyone in that area who could check it out for you? How far do you have to drive? If your dad took care of it, with those miles, he probably did, then it should a safe car. Like someone said, AAA, and a cheap air plane ride, and it would probably be worth it.
anyone can have 'someone else' do their repairs. but unless you know a reasonably priced hybrid mech, it is a very expensive proposition.
Sure, many people would, and most would end up just fine. But a certain fraction of folks will get hit with a worse situation than what you characterized as "worst case", and deal takers should be aware of such possibility. My own spouse, in a previous life when it came time to either retrieve her old car on the other side of the continent or just sell it in place, was one of those victims of something worse than that supposed "worst case", when it suffered an engine failure in the mid-West and took a significant time to repair, longer than the temporary registration that it was using for the trip.
what if you hop on the plane, and it crashes? now that's worst case. someone else is gonna get your car.
Take it! If you wont then I'll drive and get it and give a thank you card! Lol.. but no seriously mine has 368,000 miles still runs but got the read triangle of death now and then, BUT if you had to get a new hybrid battery I'd open it up and just change the bad ones for fraction of the price, so far it's been a good car I like it, either way I'd take that offer in a heart beat!! Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
Now that I won't be receiving a free prius, in your shoes I'd tell him to sell it as is. Many folks come in here post, prius has been all great until today with a CEL. At that mileage, you have a greater chance of that happening. And if you don't have thousands saved up for repairs when car is in your possession, and with breakdowns being big liabilities then this plan is on it's way straight into a wall.
is that why you buried your father in a BMW? I listen to CarTalk every monday on my commute home. At least once a month they have a caller that is taking a crappier car than a 200k+ prius across the country. 9 out of 10, their advice is: Change the oil, inspect the brakes, if the car has belts...pick up some extra belts, and go for it! Obviously this entire thing hinges on what the OP can do. If he can take the time to drive it and bank extra time for any misfortunes. Can he afford to buy a plane ticket on a whim if the car craps out. I know my wife would pass as she would have zero interest in the possibility of dealing with a problem and the logistics of a plane. I, on the other hand, would welcome the adventure. To each his own.
Nobody really can predict reliability on 9 year old vehicle with 230,000. I mean, that is, what it is. But since nobody ever offered me a free car, what's the discussion? Free is a very good price. If your looking for some statement of "guarantee" of reliability, I don't think anyone can give that to you. But if I was given a chance to get a Prius, reportedly well taken care of, even with 230K and nearing a decade old, for free? I'd be very happy.
In 2006 I picked up a 1985 VW Golf in PA from my Dad to bring home for my son. In a bit of rough shape. Had a shop change out a wheel bearing and fluids before I left, then drove it home exactly 1,000 miles non stop. 17 or 18 hours, about 95F outside, no A/C. That was a memorable trip and I don't regret a minute of it.
free is when your neighbor offers it to you. flying to cali and driving it home (hopefully without incident) is not free
Flying to Cali: $579 Driving across the country: $317.54 Being the OP of a very dipole discussion: priceless For everything else there’s EGR cleaning. Don’t leave home with a dirty one. -Spiral
