1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

A worthy buy?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Romario, Mar 13, 2015.

  1. Romario

    Romario New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2015
    19
    0
    0
    Location:
    London
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Hello all I an new here.

    I have the opportunity of buying a used Prius 2006 reg at 80,000 miles. It will cost about £5000. It has a full Toyota service history. However I know little about car mechanics and it's from a private owner, thus I don't know what its potential flaws may be,

    However I have some concerns regarding the longevity and reliability of the car.

    1, The life of the battery. What are the chances of the battery dying before it reaches 150000 miles?
    2, The cost of a new battery. I read here that it costs £800. toyota_dot_co_dot_uk/hybrid-faq This seems so much cheaper that the USA prices. Am I missing something here? Is this only for mk3 Priuses?
    3, How much cheaper is the Prius to maintain in terms of parts than a supermini petrol automatic e.g. a Polo?
    4, Can I trust the Toyota service history as a stamp of approval regarding the car without me knowing much about cars?
    5, The Hybrid health check one year warranty shown here: toyota_dot_co_dot_uk/service-and-maintenance/hybrid-health-check Does it end after the car goes beyond 10 years of age?

    Thank you :)
     
  2. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    3,159
    988
    0
    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I have owned 3 Prius and I find them to be extremely low maintenance and highly reliable vehicles. I never hesitate to tell someone to buy a Prius. I have never had a traction battery go out on me and I have owned 3 high mileage Prius (see my signature for details). This is simply my experience but it is backed up by many others. I personally would not hesitate to buy an 06 w/ that low of mileage serviced by the dealer. The Gen II's are very reliable. Taxi drivers often say they are bullet proof.
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  3. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2006
    7,028
    1,116
    0
    Location:
    South Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    My 2006 had a 10 year 150000 mile warranty on the battery. Toyota hasn't gone broke replacing batteries. Maintenance should be much less as it doesn't have things like a clutch or an alternator. The regenerative braking extends the life of the brakes tremendously.
     
    Data Daedalus and usnavystgc like this.
  4. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2013
    1,022
    1,182
    0
    Location:
    Wembley, London
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I bought a 2008 Prius T Spirit in June 2013, as a replacement for my old reliable Mazda MX-3 Coupe. I purchased the vehicle as a major strategy to cut my motoring costs during the ongoing austerity in the UK. Prior to purchasing this vehicle, I carefully researched several other superminis, and similar small "Eco" mini cars. I realised that one of the primary costs of owning a car in the UK is the price of the petrol going into it. I wasn't entirely keen on a small diesel, as I didn't want a vehicle that rattled like a tractor, and was likely going to be just as noisy. I was researching the Toyota Yaris......when I stumbled across the Prius II. By now, I was into studying and calculating MPG in all operational regimes. City, Urban and combined.

    The Prius II was a revelation - particularly when I realised how frugal it was. I recall squinting at its MPG eco statistics, wondering where the catch was. Did one have to sacrifice one's first born on an Aztec altar to achieve these numbers? Nope! The rest of the vehicle's (notice I seem to avoid calling it a car) vital statistics seemed to check out too. The T Spirit was available with leather seats, a DVD driven SATNAV, a 6 CD JBL 9 speaker stereo system, Electric Climate Control, electric windows all round......and it had a futuristic looking cockpit that reminded me of the flight deck of the Orion III Spaceplane (Pan American World Airlines) that featured in the epic movie "2001: A Space Odyssey". Especially at night.
    The amount of space available for the passengers aboard the Prius II simply blew my mind. No supermini was ever going to give me that much accommodation space. I was even privileged - quite by chance to get a ride in a top of the range Prius II before I made up my mind and bought one. A friend of a friend gave me a lift home - I sat quietly in the back as excited as Doctor Sheldon Cooper (Phd)......taking a ride on one of his beloved railway trains!
    The owner made no attempt to drive it in an eco fashion, but instead just treated it like a normal car. By that time I had already been lurking on Priuschat and knew what to expect from a Prius. That ride made up my mind! It was quiet, very fast in the hands of the driver, and when the occasion arose, it slipped neatly into stealth mode and silently floated along using its electric propulsion side of the amazing Hybrid Synergy Drive.

    I recall being astounded by the complete lack of any thumps, jerks or bangs from the planetary gear (no, that's REALLY what it is!) transmission system......it was just smooth, acceleration was linear beyond belief! It made the standard automatic transmission look obsolete. I recall being dropped, waving goodbye and watching in shock and awe as the Prius silently glided away, went round the corner and disappeared from sight, floating off like something out of this world. But....I digress.

    Six weeks later, I took the plunge and decided I needed a far more economical car for my daily commute of 36 miles round trip. I had narrowed my choices down to two vehicles - the Mercedes A200 CDi Diesel Auto and the Prius II T Spirit. I had reservations about the Benz, so went to see the Prius first. I was highly impressed with the test ride, and the general build / design of the vehicle.
    Of course, scouring Priuschat for everything I wanted to know about this vehicle did help a great deal. I knew what I wanted, and knew what to look out for. I came back a week later, paid for it, and drove it home. I paid £8,000 for mine, with 55,400 miles on the clock.
    I fell in love with my Prius "Spaceship" during that first journey home. And I'm still in love with it!

    Servicing for such an advanced (yes, it is VERY advanced automobile technology indeed) is ridiculously cheap. Even 2nd hand, this Hybrid Vehicle is the perfect antidote to other so called prestige cars. Prior to buying my Prius "Star Trek Shuttlecraft", I'd never taken my previous cars (all 2nd hand of course) to the main dealer for servicing. Ever. I always used a backstreet mechanic.
    However, the Prius is best described as "A great deal more than a car, a little bit less than a spacecraft". Why? If only because it's got more micro processors on board than you can shake a stick at. Certainly more than the Apollo spacecraft that went to the moon!
    And they're ultra reliable. I strongly suspect that if Toyota built aircraft, they wouldn't fall out of the sky. Because Toyota built them!

    I'm NOT rich, but I always take my Prius to my local Toyota main dealer for servicing - it's a no brainer.
    The Prius II was over-engineered. Hence, its ultra reliability. Owning one of these vehicles is a revelation. And a privilege too. You throw away the book on driving and re-invent it all over again - to suit the capabilities of this wonderfully futuristic road going spaceship. And by doing so, you get the very best out of it.

    80,000 miles on a Prius is nothing - as long as it has been maintained to specifications and hasn't been abused in some manner (usually highly unlikely in the UK). There are Prii II models world wide, that have done 400,000 miles on the original engine and HV battery.
    Ignore the myths about this vehicle. What is really puzzling, is why Toyota hasn't been screaming the Prius II's virtues from the rafters. You see one cruising down the road, but unless you have one, you have NO IDEA how truly sophisticated this Advanced Technology Hybrid Petrol Electric Vehicle really is. Shhhhh!!! It's a secret! And, well, let's keep it that way!

    No other car has a 1.5 litre Atkinson cycle 76hp engine synchronously mated to a 67hp electric propulsion system via a planetary gearset.
    No other car from the year 2006 will give you 630 miles from a 45 litre tank of standard unleaded petrol.
    No other car from that era will have you wondering, as you drive down the road in relative silence, WHY everybody else isn't driving one of these already!!!

    Should you buy a well maintained 2006 Prius II? Absolutely.....!!!! :)
     
    alekska, Britprius and tanglefoot like this.
  5. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2010
    5,194
    1,910
    0
    Location:
    Herefordshire England
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    As an added extra to what "DD" says above the hybrid battery is guaranteed for 8 years 100,000 miles. Ok your saying mine would be out of guarantee., but hold on.
    In the UK if you have the car serviced at the dealer "£150 for an intermediate service every 10,000 miles including materials and VAT" they check the hybrid system, and if all is well they give you a free extension of 1 year or 10,000 miles on the battery.
    This can be done as many times as you wish up till when the cars is 10 years old irrespective of millage. With my reading this means the battery could be under guarantee till 11 years old. The car does not have to have a full service history. Just taking it in for one service gives you this.
    Things like brake pads last typically 150,000 miles + because the car uses regen braking most of the time (turning the cars inertia into electricity, and saving it). Spark plugs are good for 120,000 miles.
    One other item the road tax is a whacking great £10 a year.

    John (Britprius)
     
    #5 Britprius, Apr 2, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2015
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  6. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,120
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    1, People worry about the HV battery in a Prius. The gen2 Prius should be fine for 150k/200k miles. The 12v is the forgotten one and should be replaced around 5 years/80k miles and they cost about £95 fully fitted at Toyota.

    Read what others have said about the HV battery warranty and the 10k miles/12 month extension. Just get the car serviced at Toyota (who MAY price match within reason). The car also requires software updates from time to time which only a main dealer can do and they are also familiar with the car - many good, none hybrid garages haven't got a clue about the Prius and can (and do) knacker them with similar mistakes.

    2, The cost of a new HV battery is reported to be £800 on the UK Toyota website as you've seen. This is much lower than in the US and I'm guessing it's because they're held in stock at the Derby plant which makes the Auris HSD. I do wonder if the gen2 HV battery is a little more expensive. But don't worry too much about the HV battery. It will start to give signs of failure and the health check can double check all is well anyway - do that whilst you're in existing warranty.

    3, The Prius servicing is about the same as any petrol car of similar size with an automatic transmission. It needs filters, oil, cabin filters, spark plugs as any modern car does. The hybrid system really is just there for the 'life' of the car which is about 150k/200k miles depending on use. Seriously, don't lose sleep over it.

    4, You takes your chances that the service history is genuine. Give the dealer who stamped the book a ring to double check. They should have it all on record. If the car has a full Toyota service history then they should be more inclined to assist if any faults occur just outside warranty etc. Just give the dealer a ring to check all was carried out in order.

    5, Yes it ends after 10 years, but it is unlimited mileage assuming to continue to have it carried out at the required stages - such as getting the car serviced at Toyota every 10k/12 months.

    People who've never owned a hybrid overly worry about the HV battery on a Toyota hybrid (Honda hybrids are a different story!?!), yet don't worry about the dual clutch DSG transmission in many VW's and Audi's. If that goes pop it'll cost you more than a HV battery!

    Oh, and yes, the Prius really does get amazing fuel economy, but don't try to fool the car yourself - just let it do what it wants. Trying to fool it can cause increased fuel consumption.
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  7. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2013
    1,022
    1,182
    0
    Location:
    Wembley, London
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Britprius and GrumpyCabbie are very experienced Prius owners and are an invaluable source of information regarding the Prius II. Ergo, all they have posted above can be taken as gospel truth! I can confirm that their posts back in 2013 and prior to that, gave me an insiders view into what the Prius was really like from a technological view point, and what it was really capable of. Their knowledge, along with hundreds of other posts from other Priuschat members helped me make up my mind, when I'd become curious about the Prius.

    This vehicle REALLY is something of a "closely guarded secret" in the general automobile industry. It is sad that all the myths surrounding this Petrol Electric Hybrid are still remembered and continually spewed out online, by so many ignoramii.

    And this is where Priuschat comes into its own. This is a resource that dispels all those scary rumours and gives you the truth about Prii. Owners tell it like it really is. Incidentally I visited forums for Mercedes, VW and Honda diesel engined cars I was interested in, and was scared off by the woeful stories of dual clutch transmission and CVT transmission failures - and the horrendous costs of fixing them. And that put paid to my interests in diesel engined cars.

    Following all the input from Britprius, GrumpyCabbie and all the other esteemed contributors on here, you can't go far wrong, when it comes to choosing a Prius II, and making sure you're picking a good one.

    Of this, I am certain :)

    p.s. After studiously going through Priuschat posts back in June 2013, I have never looked at ANY Prius the same way, since. What I thought was just another car with a funny shape, turned out in my perception, to be one of the most futuristic mass produced vehicles plying our roads today! Science fiction factually caught up with us in this vehicle, and yet......funnily enough, most people still haven't noticed! Welcome to Priuschat! You've just taken a step into a future most drivers still can't comprehend
     
    #7 Data Daedalus, Apr 3, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2015
    Britprius and GrumpyCabbie like this.
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    looks like one of grumpy's 'one hit wonders'.
     
    usnavystgc likes this.
  9. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,120
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Yeah I was thinking that. I wonder if it's just a fluke or whether it's our resident one hit wonder troll? The language used did seem to be UK English, though they did refer to the car as a 2006 reg. This could be the language used here rather than just a 2006 as said in the US. If they'd said a 56 reg, then that would have definitely been UK language and meaningless to a US person.

    Suggest no more time wasted on this thread unless OP comes back?
     
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    if he does, he has a lot to digest before we pour any more on him. her.:p
     
  11. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2013
    1,022
    1,182
    0
    Location:
    Wembley, London
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I could be wrong, but methinks Romario could be a Brazilian living in London :rolleyes:. Analysis of the grammar used might well support that theory. There's lots of Brazilians living in London, indeed there's a family of that origin living not quite 150 metres from my place. Pleasant people though. That might also explain the way references were made to the year of the Prius, and the HV Battery price comparisons with the US.

    The OPs origins aside, we did try our best to help. That's all that really matters. I hope "Romario" has gleaned all the information he needs from this thread, and that he's (she's?) also perused Priuschat for all the relevant info they could use to make a decision.
    Hopefully, this thread will also prove very useful in helping other prospective buyers take the plunge towards purchasing a Prius of their choice.

    I hope it's not a troll. Seems unlikely methinks; they tend to be more......how should I put it.......confrontational? o_O
     
    GrumpyCabbie likes this.
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    agreed. sometimes, i think they just forget all the places they asked the question.:cool: