"New" Gen 3 prius with busted HG

Sorry it has been a while, I resolved the water pump issue. I had been using the water pump that came with the newer engine, but upon putting in the one that originally came with the car all of my problems went away. I hear that usually the actually circuitry in these pumps doesn't go bad, but I guess this was an exception.

 

This car (the silver fox) has been running like a champ, and other than a wheel bearing and spark plug seals it has needed very little since I bought it 16mo ago. This past summer I bought a 2011 prius (190K) with a blown engine and replaced that with another JDM. That project cost about $4000 total, and it went to a friend in dire need of a first car. About a month ago I found a 2012 Plug in Prius with a blown headgasket (250K) and bought it for $1400. I am interested in trying to get this car going and to eventually replace the silver fox. I am trying to assess what I might be able to get for it.

I have undercoated it each winter, and have used a grid charger at least every summer. There are little scratches, but no large dents or issues on the outside, and no visible body rust (topside). It had a new 12V battery when I got it, and has had 5K oil changes since I bought it. The engine had "less than 70,000mi" on it, so if you believe that the engine is now 90K. It now has 250K on it, and has not had any notable MPG decline other than the usual seasonal variation, including a significant decrease when the snow tires get put on.

Kelley Blue Book says $4,200-$6,550

JD Power says $5,967 - $7,133 from a dealer

I just do not know if these are realistic values or not. I put in $6000 total on the silver fox. It would be great to recoup that, along with some extra cash, but obviously it is only worth what someone will pay for it.

Anyone have any thoughts on what to try to get for a prius in great condition with a newer engine in it?

 

Nope!

 

This seems contradictory. I would love to count my labor, but I spent at least 40hrs getting this car ready for the first inspection, which at $20/hr is $800 (as I handyman I charge more in the $50-$60 range). As I say, I would like to get a bit more than I put into it, but $7000 may be too much for the market.

 

No, my time is not worthless, but under these circumstances it seems unlikely that I will get those hours paid for at all regardless of the rate.

This is good advice, thank you! If we do end up deciding to sell I will report back how it went. Before I post it for sale I would at least like to make some headway on the plug in.