Is Gen III battery better than Gen II for high mileage?

You need a ScanGauge or other OBD reader to be able to monitor the systems properly. You can watch a fuel-cutoff parameter and see for sure if the engine is not receiving fuel. If you want to drive 15mph over the speed limit, you will probably get pretty frustrated trying to do any kind of high-mileage processes. I generally stay in the right lane and pass slower vehicles as necessary. I have not tried anything above a 70mph speed limit. We have higher limits, but I can only work on my mileage when I am alone. Cruise control is usually 5-8mpg lower, but a lot of folks do not want to overwork their right leg....me included at times.

 

I am looking at buying a used Prius, and after reading this and other threads... I am leaning to a Gen2 around 2008 model w 97k miles for $9000, over a 2010 w 106k miles for $11,000.... even though on paper the 2010 looks like a better deal.... The Gen2 seems to just simply not have the problems that the 2010 Gen3 has?
Am I wrong? Would YOU buy the 2010?

 

I did and I wouldn't again. I'd buy a 2011 onwards.

 

I would. We have had no real problems and I think that is true for most people.

Consumer Reports' reliability survey shows the 2010 to be much better than average overall with no element any worse than better than average. The 2008 is also good but not as good with a couple of problem areas and an overall rating one step lower

That's not to say you can't have problems. Some people do. What you can expect is a lower chance of problems than almost any other car

 

I test drove a 2013 recently and it's a much nicer car to drive than my 2008. In saying that, if/when I chane next year, it'll either be a 2009 gen 2 or a 2012 onwards gen 3. I like the look of the facelift gen3 and also the fact that issues are usually ironed out after a few years following the introduction ofa new model

 

I can't think of too many differences between the 2010 and the 2012. IIRC, they changed the tail lights and the centre console. Neither of these changes was anything I would want to pay money for.

 

It's the changes you can't see. Uprated inverter? Different steering motor? etc

 

Did they change the inverter? I thought that they just changed the software.

Here they had different steering motors for the 15" and 17" wheels right from the start. Has there been a change to either or both?

 

I'm sure I've read on here the inverter has since been uprated but I am often wrong. Maybe my ex-wife had a point? My new inverter looks more solid than the old one, though obviously looks on the outside bear nothing to what goes on inside it.

We too had the different steering motors (our base t3 is the same as the US Prius III, our t4 the US IV etc) and as I'm on my THIRD I'm sure I've read that they stopped using the weaker motor. Again, could be wrong but I'm sure I've read it on here.

 

If you want to "glide" and don't have a Scangauge, use the instantaneous mileage meter. When it goes to zero (l/100 km) or full scale (MPG) the engine is not using fuel. You can "glide" at pretty much any speed. Under about 70 km/hr or perhaps a little higher the engine will stop, and above that it must still turn, so it is driven by MG2 (I think) and no fuel is injected. It has to turn to limit the speed of MG1.

2012 was the "refresh" year for the GIII. There were a bunch of changes. Whether they are "worth it" is for each prospective owner to determine. I like the "improvements". There have been constant changes to the PIP and I haven't been keeping up on those.

 

I'd guess there's been no change to the inverter, at least until the time of the inverter software recall, what with near-new (2013 models for example) cars involved in the recall, and new cars on lots having the recall performed before sale.

 

They only changed the inverters that were damaged, and from what I read, the replacements are the same as the original, except not damaged.

 

Gee I am thinking Gen3 batteries are going to last a lot longer than Gen2.

Consumer Reports recent Prius owner battery survey showed just about zero Gen3 batt failures to date. I am not aware of a single USA Gen3 battery failure reported here on PriusChat, although I know Grumpy's overseas cabbie posts suggesting a diffrent story in EU.

OTOH, 2006's HV batt are dropping like flies here I am wondering if we could hit 10% failure (CR said 3% on the 2006).

Wow if you think Gen3 batts are going fail anything like Gen2, we should invest lots of stock in EricBecky and other hybrid battery repair shops. This because (see my Gen2 batt survey results) the sales of Prii on the roads exploded after 2006, so we got a tons of Prii out there now in the USA.

 

^ A lot of it could be time, give the 3rd gens a few more years?

That said, our hybrid battery seems pretty bulletproof, so far, low mileage, knock-on-wood. Especially consider it was built in Aug 09, and we purchased it Nov 10, new. Quite a bit of idle time. It was in an enclosed/covered showroom, buried behind a lot of other cars. Apart from a dead 12 volt it's been a champ so far, for the hybrid battery.

 

...one problem Gen2 had was letting the owner drain the HV battery (eg; on running out of gasoline)