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Help me choose the best Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by LHam, Jul 7, 2015.

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  1. LHam

    LHam Junior Member

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    Drove the older one today, only two things wrong I could see.
    The rubber around the trunk button is melted, and there is a check engine light. The guy selling it said that it is maintenance due and the dealer that has serviced it knows what the check engine light is for.

    Do check engine lights come on for maintenance?

    Also is it ok to post carfaxes?
     
    #21 LHam, Jul 8, 2015
  2. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    #22 SageBrush, Jul 8, 2015
  3. vskid3

    vskid3 Active Member

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    There is a maintenance required light that comes on every 5k miles (well, 5k miles after it was last reset, at least). Check engine light comes on when something is up and there are codes. I would definitely find out what the code is for.
     
    #23 vskid3, Jul 8, 2015
  4. LHam

    LHam Junior Member

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    NAPA can check the codes right?
     
    #24 LHam, Jul 8, 2015
  5. vskid3

    vskid3 Active Member

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    I'm not sure about NAPA, but I know that Autozone can. Make sure you get the actual code and not just the description. The exact code is much more helpful for narrowing down what the issue could be and whether or not its worth trying to fix.

    Did the seller tell you about the check engine light before you saw the car? If not, I would almost not get it just because if they weren't honest about that, who knows what else they could be hiding.
     
    #25 vskid3, Jul 8, 2015
  6. LHam

    LHam Junior Member

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    He told me about it as soon as I got there, but didn't say anything before that. The service records are by the book and it was inspected 5 miles ago. He said to call the dealership where the service was done, they know about it, and I'm going to see if the Napa next door to the car will scan it for me. He also didn't say anything about the melted trunk button and the small ding on the hatch. I was going to offer him $7500 for it and nothing more of the code isn't something drastic.
     
    #26 LHam, Jul 8, 2015
  7. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I don't know.
    If I'm an honest seller, and someone is taking the trouble to travel to look at my vehicle, one of the first things I would mention BEFORE you made the trip is that Check Engine Light is on.

    And if it's something so simple to fix? Why didn't the owner fix it?

    My trust level with this seller would be very low.
     
    #27 The Electric Me, Jul 9, 2015
    vskid3 likes this.
  8. LHam

    LHam Junior Member

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    The dealership couldn't tell me a code, but they had on file that the MFD was not operational (it is now), the liftgate switch is nasty ( knew about that), and it was recommended that the flow control valve needed to be replaced. It was then wholesaled to the guy selling it now. So he bought it and put it up for sale on his very small lot.
     
    #28 LHam, Jul 9, 2015
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that doesn't sound too bad.
     
    #29 bisco, Jul 9, 2015
  10. LHam

    LHam Junior Member

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    Yeah, I don't want to defend this guy, but he is a used car dealer, so I understand not telling me about the check engine light till I got there.
     
    #30 LHam, Jul 9, 2015
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    correct, you really have to do your own due diligence with small lot guys. they sell anything they can get their hands on and are usually pretty clueless about most of them.
     
    #31 bisco, Jul 9, 2015
  12. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    I would always go with less mileage and why buy something that is already needing repairs? If it was a cheap repair, the small car lot would have fixed it.
     
    #32 orenji, Jul 9, 2015
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2015
  13. LHam

    LHam Junior Member

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    He told me the check engine light would cost $400 to fix. That lines up with a flow control valve. I can fix that myself with just $78 in parts. I'm going to get the codes checked and if that's all it is, I don't see an issue. He definitely didn't know anything about the car other than the usual hybrid gas mileage stuff.

    Also, if the MFD was not operational when it was checked at the dealer, did it have to get replaced? It was working fine when I drove it. Is there a way for the MFD to only work some of the time?
     
    #33 LHam, Jul 9, 2015
  14. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Sorry, I was under the mistaken impression these were both private party sales.

    But..I still don't particularly like what I am hearing. Just because he is a used car dealer, doesn't mean you should accept not being given full disclosure. He can't help being the used car dealer here, but YOU have the choice of whether to be the purchaser.

    Wholesaled to this used car dealer?

    He can say ANYTHING about the vehicle, and then later deny it. His ad said it was well maintained and garage kept?
    If it was wholesaled to him, how does he know this?

    If THEY are claiming it's a $400 dollar repair to fix the check engine light? Then ask yourself why they didn't make that small investment into fixing it?

    What happens to you if you buy it and then it turns out to be something more serious?

    You're buying a vehicle that was sold Wholesale to a used car dealer. I don't like the risk here.
     
    #34 The Electric Me, Jul 9, 2015
  15. LHam

    LHam Junior Member

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    Yeah I am definitely being cautious. I'm not moving on it till I get the codes. And I'm not offering to pay close to what he is selling for.

    The Toyota dealer that sold it to him only takes in Gen II's they can sell for $10k or more from what I have seen in the past couple months.

    It is however the best deal if the check engine light is just the flow control.

    Everything else is too far away to just go look at, and the ones in town are way above my budget or have double the miles like the 2008 in this post.

    I will post more when I get the codes.
     
    #35 LHam, Jul 9, 2015
  16. alekska

    alekska Active Member

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    IMO, Touring. And you will have money reserve for any unexpected repairs.

    - Alex
     
    #36 alekska, Jul 9, 2015
  17. LHam

    LHam Junior Member

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    Got the codes for the 2007, P1121 and P1116.
     
    #37 LHam, Jul 9, 2015
  18. LHam

    LHam Junior Member

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    So that could be as little as low coolant or not purged radiator, up to replacement of the flow control valve, which I can do myself.
     
    #38 LHam, Jul 9, 2015
  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that doesn't sound too bad.
     
    #39 bisco, Jul 9, 2015
  20. LHam

    LHam Junior Member

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    Yeah if he accepts my offer, I'm going to buy it. The plan is Saturday, so I will hopefully have an update then.

    Thank you everyone for all your help.
     
    #40 LHam, Jul 9, 2015
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