South Florida - Looking for Prius Mechanic to Inspect Before Purchase

Welcome! I will be following this thread with interest, because I drive down to FLL a few times a year (I grew up there). I've had routine service (oil change, tire rotation) done a few times at Lipton Toyota, and always had a good experience there.

 

any toyota dealer can inspect it for a fee, if you want to cheap out on the inspection why do it at all?

 

Todd at Tampa Hybrids in Tampa has a good reputation here but that may be too far. He is here as @TampaPrius.com Perhaps he or @jerrymildred has a suggestion.

 

Yeah, I doubt the seller would want you to drive their car to Tampa for an inspection. I know nothing about the Ft. Lauderdale area. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

 

Thanks Jerry I pinged you because Todd is sometimes too busy to respond.

 

Yeah, I never see him just playing with his iPhone when I go over there. He either has his hands on a car fixing something or he's busy with a customer.

 

Todd at Tampa Hybrids has several for sale. His customers here have been satisfied.

Listings - Tampa Hybrids Inc.

 

Sadly, it's not clear to anybody these days. You would think you-get-more-bees-with-honey would win the day, but I don't know. I'd suspect a dealership selling you a car would look just deep enough to get them off the hook if/when there's a problem.

When we bought our 2010, new, the dealership did their level best to mask a dead 12 volt. They had the car running when we showed up for our test drive, to "warm it up" for us. It fell apart when me and salesman went back out to check the odo, and the car was still dead-as-a-doornail.

This was Open Road Toyota in Port Moody, BC, if anyone local's reading.

 

If you buy a Toyota Certified used car from a dealer you get a warranty too.

Certified Used Toyota Vehicles | Pre-Owned Cars, Trucks, SUVs & Hybrids

 

I was just going to mention Todd when I saw your post. Todd sells Prii "as is." But he does check them over pretty carefully. I've bought four from him and a friend bought another. None had any surprises. He doesn't dicker, either, so you know what he actually wants for the car as opposed to the typical dealer who lies and tries to get more from you than he should unless you talk him down. Todd will also invest considerable time in making sure you understand the car before you drive away -- something very few sales people at dealerships do because they don't know squat about the Prius. If they do tell you something, there's a good chance that it's wrong. Knowing what I know now, if I lived where you live, I'd check the web site and (if I saw what I wanted) I'd make the drive over.

Edit to add: If you do come over to see him. Let him know I sent you. I don't know if it'll make any difference, but it won't hurt. I consider Todd a friend and I think it's mutual.

 

To answer your question, who to get an inspection from?

Any Toyota’s dealer will give you the 27 point inspection, you pay a fee, it’s a fair deal.
Make sure they test the obd2 port for faults, of course plug the vin into Kelly blue book for a price structure.