2005 Used Prius - HELP from Prius Owners Please.

welcome to priuschat, it looks great! how does it drive? i would reset the meter and see what it gets for mpg's. take it for a good long drive, preferably alone. price seems a bit high, check blackbook, that tells you what the dealer gave on a trade, then you can see how much they are marking it up. i would think 2-3000. markup would be fair. in the end tho, all that really matters is how it compares to other used pri in the area. all the best!

 

Dud you posted all those pics twice.

But really nice car. Lots of miles but clearly garaged and taken care of. I rarely say this about any Prius over 125K but hard to pass up. Good Luck!!

 

Whats trade in value got to do with buying it retail at a dealer?

 

i was just wondering how much they were marking it up over what they are willing to pay on a trade in. seems like a reasonable deal. just make sure all the recommended maintenance for that mileage has been done. some things that can go if they haven't already been replaced are 12 volt battery, serpantine belt, water pump, struts, wheel bearings, cv joints, etc.

 

i had an 04 to 95,000 miles and an 08 to 60,000.

 

That car is really clean. Just don't like the miles. He's OOW on the Hybrid battery and does not have the knowledge to test it.
That will probably be a cottage industry if not already is. A service that will test out your used Gen II pre purchase for that perfect price point of $100. for that invaluable service. So many things to look at that the average schmo has no idea. So many ways to lose. But this car has been loved. I like it and like the price. Its a good price for Tampa Florida but like most new poster's I have absolutely no freakin' idea where he lives because he never posted it.

 

It looks good. Ask dealer whether it has done the coolant pump recall(exchange new) and the steering column lower joint replacement. Take it for a good drive. Test the brake. Hear any strange notice when doing slow speed sharp turn(wheel bearing), both direction. Stable the car in parking lot. Check all lights, in and out, wipers, a/c, heat, try to pair your cell phone with the Bluetooth and make call. Ask the dealer if you can't do it. If passed , go for it by asking discount. Good luck. It seems a nice high millage car.

 

Have the dealer remove the spare tire and check for water in tire well. Also, remove small compartment to the left of spare tire well (one nut holds it down) and check there . Water may also accumulate in 12 volt battery compartment on opposite side of car. There have been discussions in Prius Chat about various sources of leaks into these areas. I bought a one owner 2006 with 160000 miles last May from a dealer for $8800. Not knowing much about Prii it was a risk, but I have been very happy with the car. It currently has 172000 miles and still original brakes. I did replace the original 12 volt battery, drive belt and trans fluid within the last year. When it comes time for tires or repairs, check back here for information. There are a lot of smart people on PC. Good luck!

 

Make sure that you get all the codes read and listed by the dealer, if there are any. Some DTC's may be set that don't cause the check engine light to come on, or the other warning lights. Any stored codes can tell you something about the car's history. If none, then it's a good sign.

As you drive, watch the battery gauge on the screen. It should stay close to the middle of the range, with blue bars showing. If you see large swings, from purple to green and back again in a short distance, then that would say that the car will probably need a new traction battery soon.

 

The car looks very clean and well cared for. Just two observations that I can add.

The car looks like it has been used for towing a trailer "not recommended for a Prius by Toyota issuing a zero lbs tow limit" Use this as a lever to get the Price down if you still wish to go ahead.

It is difficult to see the condition of the tyres, but they look new possibly put on by the dealer. The problem is they are not low rolling resistance tyres (LRR). This is important when you wish to get the best MPG out of the car, the prime reason for buying a Prius. If they were put on by the dealer if you buy the car make it a condition of sale that the tyres are changed for LRR tyres. Lots of information on tyres here on PC.

John (Britprius)

 

Good eyes, John. I would have the transaxle ATF drained and filled for sure, in this case.

 

John spotted the trailer hitch.

 

You can clearly see in the pictures the square tow hitch center rear under the bumper.

John (Britprius)

 

I know this may sound a strange request but it could be important. Check very carefully for any signs of pet hairs in the rear of the car particularly around or in the vent on the passengers side rear seat. If so report back.

John (Britprius)