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Checklist for buying a 2005 Prius with 123,000 miles

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by rick81, Jul 15, 2010.

  1. rick81

    rick81 New Member

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    Hello all,

    I am considering purchasing a 2005 Prius with 123,00 miles for $7,995.
    • What do I need to check before I purchase the car?
    • Is it best to take it to a mechanic?
    • If so, can you recommend a knowledgeable Prius mechanic in Los Angeles?
    • How many more miles can I expect to drive this Prius before I have to start worrying about major maintenance or system failures?

    A little background:

    I am a graduate student, in other words I don't have much money to spend so that will limit me to an older/higher mileage Prius.

    I have owned the same 1997 Toyota Tacoma for 12.5 years. It is the only car I have ever owned so I have little to no experience buying a used car. It currently has 206,000 miles (179,000 by me) but is running as great as ever with minimal maintenance. I used it mainly for long distance recreational trips, not commuting.

    I just moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles to attend graduate school. I managed in SF/Berkeley for 9 years with public transportation and a bicycle. LA is spread out, the subway is not as extensive, and traffic is a disaster. A Prius with HOV stickers seems to be the answer. I will commute 16 miles to/from UCLA in the Prius. I have not ruled out riding my bicycle 16 miles each way but LA drivers and the lack of bicycle lanes worry me.
     
    #1 rick81, Jul 15, 2010
  2. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    I strongly recommend that you have the car checked out by a Toyota dealership, for example Marina del Rey. (I've seen several unsatisfied posters regarding the Santa Monica dealership, hence don't recommend that location.)

    Prius is an extremely complex vehicle and if you have a hybrid-related problem you will likely pay a four-digit repair bill if you have to rely upon dealer service. I can't assure you that you'll have a trouble-free ownership experience given that the car in question has already logged 123K miles. If the car has not been properly maintained you could easily have problems with the inverter and transaxle, not to mention the expense of front strut/rear shock replacement, HID headlight bulb failures, a dead MFD, etc.

    Note that the yellow CA HOV sticker program will expire in mid-2011, so don't count on that as a way to permanently reduce your commute time.

    Yes, riding your bicycle any distance on LA streets is a good way to be seriously injured or killed. If bus transportation isn't convenient then you'll need a reliable vehicle for your commute. I was a UCLA graduate student 34 years ago and lived in Santa Monica so bus transportation was feasible for me (I had a car plus a UCLA parking permit as well.) Good luck.
     
    #2 Patrick Wong, Jul 15, 2010
  3. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    Welcome to PriusChat! :)

    As a graduate student with limited time and money why risk the expensive repairs? A Civic or Corolla seems much better choice. Just my 2 cents. Good luck! :)
     
    #3 2009Prius, Jul 16, 2010
  4. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Much as I like Prius, for the same money you could get a much younger used Civic or the like and probably have lower total cost of ownership.

    If you want a used Prius absolutely pay a Toyota dealer thoroughly check it out before buying. As Patrick detailed above, so many things could be wrong with a mistreated one it'll make you ill. An $8K car could easily become a $12K car after you buy it.
     
    #4 richard schumacher, Jul 16, 2010
  5. cthorsman

    cthorsman Member

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    Short commute? Drive the truck. You already know it's condition. If you plan on keeping the truck and a car - more insurance cost. If not, is the truck for sale?
     
    #5 cthorsman, Jul 22, 2010
  6. AllenZ

    AllenZ Active Member

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    Good point! There is not much financial benefit by paying premium for hybrid yet not drive a lot. My commute is 130 miles a day. My gas saving using prius will pay off the car in 5 years!
     
    #6 AllenZ, Jul 27, 2010
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