Newbie, bought 2002, are horror story's true?

[joeman]

I am starting to feel better, guess i am having some buyers remorse. Thanks efusco, and donee for the input. I will drain the tranny and but the WS fluid in instead, bet it's never been changed. I think I read that there is a coolant that is separate for the tranny that needs to be checked or changed. What's the best oil for engine, should it be synthetic, think former owner was using regular oil, 5w50. I have used non synthetic oil by Lubricating Engineers, very well know oil, but expensive.

Thanks again, more than likely will keep car, i like it a lot.

[joeman]

Oh I did read about the transaxle/ transmission going out on here and ToyotaNations website. Maybe someone drove it hard.

Just remember happening to some with under 100k. Same goes for cat converter.

[efusco]

Check out this site for some real-world reliability data

[joeman]

Thanks again everyone. The pre purchase inspection i had last week at local Toyota dealer said I needed a front brake job and the rotors turned at 70k. I do think the brakes could be a little smoother, they are not grabbing.

[The Electric Me]

Geesh, I am going to say go ahead and sell it. If you are this nervous already with a car you just bought, that checked out with a pre-inspection.

Ultimately, machines are machines. Toyota's in general have an excellent reputation for reliability. But nothing lasts forever or can be perfectly predicted.

I'd say with only 70K miles you could reasonably expect good reliabilty but again machines are machines so who can predict?

I think you did the wise thing in having a pre-purchase inspection, if it checked out? I'd enjoy the car you evidently wanted to buy. Who knows? You may have some expenses come down in the future, but that truth exists with any machine. If you are not buying new, or under warranty then everyone deals with those risks and realities with any car they are driving.

I'd take my chances with a Toyota with 70,000 miles. But if you are already freaked out and worried maybe it isn't worth the stress it's evidently creating.

[jdms2000]

not to freak you out even more, but i'd be skeptical of a toyota pre-purchase inspection. unless they specifically do it for a hybrid, they're just going to look at the regular stuff like brake wear and the engine belt. a real check would involve testing the hybrid battery.

i have 149k on my 02. i bought it used, but don't think it's ever had any brake work. i have plenty of front brake pad left, too.

you need to change engine coolant and inverter coolant. they're different

if you drive 10k/year, just use regular 5w30

[joeman]

Thanks for the advice, sound good that your 02 is doing so well.

Going to check out brakes myself.

if you guys read the threads above, i went from freaked out to normal.

[jennyd562]

Originally Posted by joeman

I am the original poster. After reading on here some of the expenses like the cat converter and possible transmission failure in the Gen 1 cars, I ready to sell car. Even tho I'm have only owned it a few days. It only has 70k and is very clean. I thought i had done enough research on Gen 1 cars, but apparently not. I mean i could deal with the battery pack replacement, i knew about that. But other two thing mentioned above is unreal and does not make me feel good about the car i just bought. I guess I will put it up for sale and hold my breath. Unless someone can tell me otherwise a reason to keep it, i will put it up for sale soon.

I have owned my Prius since 2002, I have driven it all the way from California to Colorado and back I also drive it up in to the mountains every other weekend even when it snows. I have not had any problems with it that I have not caused my self. Some of those problems were even covered under waranty. I am now over 90,000 miles and still have not had to change the breaks. I have beat the crap out of my car and it is till going. I only take it to the dealer for general maintenance and repairs. Everytime I think about getting a new car I think about how much gas I have saved and the money I have saved on maintenance and decide to keep it untill it totaly dies on me. From what I read on this site I will have it for awhile. I hope this helps.

[joeman]

Originally Posted by jennyd562

I have owned my Prius since 2002, I have driven it all the way from California to Colorado and back I also drive it up in to the mountains every other weekend even when it snows. I have not had any problems with it that I have not caused my self. Some of those problems were even covered under waranty. I am now over 90,000 miles and still have not had to change the breaks. I have beat the crap out of my car and it is till going. I only take it to the dealer for general maintenance and repairs. Everytime I think about getting a new car I think about how much gas I have saved and the money I have saved on maintenance and decide to keep it untill it totaly dies on me. From what I read on this site I will have it for awhile. I hope this helps.

JENNY, Your reply is welcome as are the others. Glad that you are having good results with your car, I hope to also. I hope to stay in touch with as many people as I can on here as long as I own my car. It's a valuable resource. Take care out there in Arnoldland

[tochatihu]

Hi, Pat Sparks and I would would use WS in the transaxle, but Patrick Wong would stay with the original spec T IV. So there is a decision to be made.

The coolant loops came with LLC fluid and a 30k mile change cycle. I don't know of any here who would object to SLLC instead on a 50k interval.

As you are interested i nth ebraking system, you could go to a specialist shop and have them measure the water in the brake fluid. <1 % would be nice.