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Help me buy a Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by OMG, Dec 11, 2013.

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  1. OMG

    OMG Junior Member

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    Hi guys I am new here. I am in the market for a Toyota Prius for my wife. I know there are probably plenty of threads out there with advice on what to look for when buying a prius but what I found was somewhat not very clear to me. I don't know anything about hybrids besides the overal workings of it.
    Tomorrow I'll go with my wife and drive this prius:

    It's a 2007 with 55k miles and it has back up camera, fog lights, HID lights I asume and 6 CD changer. The dealer says it's a touring but I don't think it is. It doesn't have the pink and red stripe.
    He wants $10500. I looked up the carfax and it's squeaqy clean with only one owner and service being done on the car at the dealer. Besides oil change it had a water pump replacement done and batteries which I am not sure if it was the actual pack or the 12v one.

    - Now the story of the car is that from the origianl owner it went to a dealer ship and that dealership let it go to the auction.
    - At the auction this small dealer bought it for $10350 (dealer showed me the invoice).
    - Dealer said that he used the Prius to run erands and for his personal use and just put it for sale on the lot a week or so ago. When I saw it it was dirty and I believe him using it.
    - I am from Idaho it's winter and snow and no many people embrace the prius up here compared to an SUV.
    - I asked him on why he gives me this killer deal on it without him making any money. He said he has to flip inventory and also that he wants to get another prius asap and just wants this one gone. RED FLAG?

    - What should I look for when I test drive it?
    - What warning lights should I look for?
    - Should I have it checked at a mechanic/dealer?
    - Is there any scanner I can use to scan for codes?
    - Is there any way to know the battery is bad or going bad?
    - What can go bad on it?
    -What could be bad on it?
    - Whats a good way to tell the hybrid system is good?
    - What parts are really expensive on it if something really goes wrong?

    Thank you very much for your imput.
     
    #1 OMG, Dec 11, 2013
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  2. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    - What should I look for when I test drive it?
    If the battery goes from high to low or vice versa rapidly, that is bad. Changing one bar at a time is good


    - What warning lights should I look for?
    There should be no warning lights


    - Should I have it checked at a mechanic/dealer?
    Yes


    - Is there any scanner I can use to scan for codes?
    The Scan Gauge II is what most here use, it reads not only engine codes, but also the other computers.


    - Is there any way to know the battery is bad or going bad?
    Not if the battery level is not changing rapidly, no


    - What can go bad on it?
    All the usual car things, Engine, Brakes, Transmission, Battery, etc. There are two large motors hidden in the transmission, and the Inverter runs all the electricity, but in general there will be codes.


    -What could be bad on it?
    If there are no codes? Very rarely, the engine uses oil, the brakes often last over 150,000 miles but when they need work it is often a dealer item. You need a new 12 volt battery every 5 years, Water pumps, there are two, seem to be frequent replacement items.


    - What parts are really expensive on it if something really goes wrong?
    A new transmission is $5000, keep the ATF changed every 60,000 miles
    A new inverter is $4000, do not consider getting jump started from another car, or worse trying to jump start another car. Use a battery pack. (for both)
    A used HV Battery is about $1000 plus labor if you are not handy (and brave)
     
    #2 JimboPalmer, Dec 11, 2013
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  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    #3 JimboPalmer, Dec 11, 2013
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  4. OMG

    OMG Junior Member

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    Thank you JimboPalmer apreciate the answers. :)
    Could you elaborate on how to jumpstart the car? Did you mean to use the car's own abttery pack?

    I read the post on "who should not own a Prius" and personally I've been wanting one for my wife for a very long time. I'll take her little honda so I dont have to drive my truck. We live in the city. :)

    Dealer said its a great little car to have and most well educated people think its a smart decission. Friend of mine that's a toyota dealer salesperson said they sell a lot of them even with high mileage (over 200k).

    The company I work for has a 2008 and 2009 both with over 200k miles and one of them still has the original battery pack which it always leaves toyota techs speechless when he takes it in for service. And this is a states where winters are very cold.

    We drive arround town 90% of the time and a prius is an excelent choice. I just want to make sure it's mechanically/electronically good.
     
    #4 OMG, Dec 11, 2013
  5. OMG

    OMG Junior Member

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    Do you guys know what recalls this generation Prius had? I want to double check to see if they were done.
     
    #5 OMG, Dec 11, 2013
  6. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Jump starting a Prius is best done with something like this.

    Peak Performance 900 Peak Amp Jump Starter | Product Details | Pep Boys

    Whatever you use, do not "even for a micro second" get the polarity reversed. Thousands of dollars in damage will happen if you do it wrong. Jump starting a Prius is something that is best avoided if at all possible.

    Any Toyota dealer can check to see if the recalls are up to date. Recently a steering and inverter pump recall came through on the late model Gen II's Gen II is 2004 - 2009.
     
    #6 dorunron, Dec 11, 2013
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  7. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    #7 JimboPalmer, Dec 11, 2013
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  8. OMG

    OMG Junior Member

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    I see ok then I will get one also if I buy the car tomorrow. Thank you.
     
    #8 OMG, Dec 11, 2013
  9. OMG

    OMG Junior Member

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    If I change my own oil will there be a way for the computer to reset without going to the dealer?
    If I do any other service on it myself such as tranny fluid does anything need to be reset?
    Car will be 60k miles soon so probably fluids needs to be changed.
     
    #9 OMG, Dec 11, 2013
  10. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Yes page 11 of this PDF, page 131 of the manual
    http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM47568U/pdf/02-05.pdf
    Nothing else needs reset
     
    #10 JimboPalmer, Dec 11, 2013
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  11. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    It sometimes seems that the fraction of used Prii marked as Touring is triple the fraction that Toyota actually built. This is a common seller misrepresentation.

    My quick 'tell' is to look at the wheels. Touring came with 7 spoke wheels (16-inch), regular with 6 spoke wheels (15-inch). But since users can change these later, it isn't definitive. Other folks use more definitive but less blatantly obvious markers.
     
    #11 fuzzy1, Dec 11, 2013
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  12. OMG

    OMG Junior Member

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    Thank you JimboPalmer. :)
    Looks like I have to get educated, I am so glad I joined the forum.

    Thanks fuzzy1:
    When I went to the dealer the car had 6 spoke wheels and I looked for the red and pink stripes and they were different colors. I tried explaining it to the dealer but he showed me the invoice when he bought it and it did say Toyota Prius Touring so I gave up trying to convince him it was not, didn't want to turn into an argument.
     
    #12 OMG, Dec 11, 2013
  13. salguod

    salguod Member

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    You can register at Toyota Owners Official Web Site: Service Coupons, Owner's Manuals, Service Scheduling And More and enter the VIN as if it were your own. It should show if there are outstanding recalls. It'll also show you all the dealer performed service history. You may want to order a Carfax to see what it says about accident history, etc.

    $10,500 is a killer deal if it checks out. I just bought an '07 Touring with double the miles for $9900 and I thought that was pretty good. :-P
     
    #13 salguod, Dec 11, 2013
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  14. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    If you find 15" tires on it with 6 spoke wheels, more than likely it is NOT a Touring. Wheels and tires can be changed as has already been pointed out.

    The thing that really defines it is the spoiler. The Touring model has a larger spoiler on it. Will also have HID and fog lights.

    If no fog lights or HID, then definitely NOT a touring also.

    I can't recall anything about the stripes you are mentioning.

    Honestly, non touring is what you want if you are interested in MPG. The touring models are well known to get a little lower MPG than the non touring Prius. As long as the car has SKS and a backup cam you are pretty much good to go. Package #2 and up has that. Anything else is just a freebie in my book. Prius is well equipped with plenty of bells and whistles. More toys than most need.
     
    #14 dorunron, Dec 11, 2013
  15. OMG

    OMG Junior Member

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    Thx salguod

    Yeah i have the carfax and it's clean, no accidents. One owner only and it shows services has been done on the car regularly. I also registered to toyota owners web site and I saw the services done on it.

    Here are some services besides the oil change:

    - Hybrid light diagnostic, replaced inverter water pump
    - Battery Replacement Sublet
    - AON replace HV electric LSC - HV electric water pump
    - Potential floor mat interference
     
    #15 OMG, Dec 11, 2013
  16. OMG

    OMG Junior Member

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    dorunron here is what I saw the car has:
    -fog lights
    - back up camera
    -Hid lights, at least that's what they looked like
    - I can't tell but it does look like its got the spoiler
    - mp3, wma, disk changer
    - sirius ready
    - bluetooth
    - front door handles/handle have the little button on them, dealer said I have to insert key in key fob
    - no navigation

    I don't know what SKS is

    I'll look at the tire size tomorrow
     
    #16 OMG, Dec 11, 2013
  17. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Not sure about no navigation, I thought that was a given on Touring. But please don't quote me on that fact.

    What you are looking at sounds like a sweet deal to me. If it fit's your budget, and you like it. Don't let it pass you by. Good Prius don't sit long on the lots.

    SKS = Smart Key System. You said the car has the little black buttons on the front door. You should also see one square black button on the back hatch on the right. If you see that, the car has SKS on it. With SKS, the key fob stays in your pocket. Also look at base of steering column close to the dash. If you see two round black buttons down there, then the car will have SKS also. FWIW, the dealer that sold us our car told me the keyfob had to go in the dash too. Half the time the dealers don't know what they have and much less what they are talking about. The guy who sold us ours admitted that the Prius owners know more about the Prius than the sales people do. Go figure...
     
    #17 dorunron, Dec 11, 2013
  18. salguod

    salguod Member

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    All have spoilers, the Touring's is longer.

    SKS = Smart Key System. The black button means it has it. With it, you can leave the key fob in your pocket and the door will unlock when you grab the door handle. You also won't need to put the key fob in the dash to start it. As long as it's in the car you can press the start button and drive away.

    Not all Tourings have navigation, ours doesn't.

    SCH-I535 ?
     
    #18 salguod, Dec 11, 2013
  19. OMG

    OMG Junior Member

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    Thank you dorunron
    Dealer and my bank have been waitting on me to sign the papers but I wanted to make sure the car is good mechanically/electricaly.
    I am mainly using this forum, friend that works for toyota as a salesperson and a toyota tech friend to help me make my decission. So far everyone says do it. lol One of my friends bought a car (not prius) recently and already has problems with it. So I didn't want to fall in the same hole. I am happy you guys jumped in and helped me out.

    thx salguog
    from driving a 1994 honda and 1994 f250 both me and my wife will be very pleased with the gadgets this car has :)
     
    #19 OMG, Dec 11, 2013
  20. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    If you have any doubts, take the car to a different Toyota dealer. Ask them to check it out and advise you. It might cost a few bucks, but will give you peace of mind and valuable info to boot.
     
    #20 dorunron, Dec 12, 2013
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