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New to forum, & wondering about keeping my old Prius...

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by drmarcweber, Dec 7, 2017.

  1. drmarcweber

    drmarcweber New Member

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    Hello! I am Marc, and I am on my 2nd Prius, which has about 360,000 miles on it. I drive a LOT -- prob 60K a year. I am a big believer in hybrids because of the environment; I would do electrics but I still feel I travel too far for that to be viable, though Tesla may change my mind if their price tag comes down...

    Anyway, I put in a new motor in my 2012 Prius, and the hybrid battery was replaced once... It drives OK but I know I will have repairs down the road. Transmission? 2nd Hybrid battery? I kinda like the idea of keeping it going -- less carbon footprint, etc. -- but will it be cost-effective?

    Bottom line: will I spend less if I buy another used Prius, or if I just keep replacing what breaks on this one?

    I welcome all of your opinions, and thanks for listening, er, reading.

    Marc
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!
    just a guess, but i think the cheapest route is to keep it going forever. especially if you can find low cost salvage parts and etc.
    a newer, lower mile used prius won't necessarily be problem free.
     
  3. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    You do drive a lot!! Up until recently, I would drive 35-40,000 miles/year. My philosophy is to avoid breakdowns because clients expect me to be there for their emergencies, so unless I have a second car (for which I haven't had the garage space, nor money), I need a bulletproof single car. This is why I turn cars over for new ones every 5 years or so. This has proven to be the best solution for my situation, providing me with a totally reliable, low-maintenance cost (tires and oil, that's all!) super economical, fun car. I see a dealer every 10,000 miles, while I go to my tire store every 5,000 miles for tire rotation and balancing.
    I did this for 103,000 miles with my 2012 PIP, and previously had kept good cars for about 230,000 miles. Break downs and troubleshooting is reserved for fixing PC's in my life; my carefully selected cars leave me alone most of the time, and just perform!!
    I like that I can count on something that is reliable considering my job dealing with totally unreliable computers/apps!!



    .
     
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  4. drmarcweber

    drmarcweber New Member

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    Well, you two have perfectly articulated my dilemma... Thx! You are BOTH right, so I guess I will have to scratch my head a bit longer...
     
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if you're throwing a new prius into the equation, i'm on board. it won't be cheaper, but definitely more reliable.
     
  6. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    I'm just too damn old to deal with the hassle of fixing car problems. I'll spend the money on a GOOD car (finding one can be the problem!) to eliminate the hassle.

    .
     
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  7. drmarcweber

    drmarcweber New Member

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    My problem with brand-new is that I drive so much... I wound up putting a new motor in my 2012 because I still had over a year of payments and it had 300k on it. I think I would definitely go with a used, and the best prices I have seen with low mileage are at around $15k
     
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  8. drmarcweber

    drmarcweber New Member

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    So, realistically, it comes down to fixing my car or driving a newer but still used car... otherwise I wind up too far in debt. I am a musician, so starving artist too...
     
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    ah, you and hp are kindred spirits. i play guitar, poorly.:oops:
     
  10. kandamby

    kandamby New Member

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    Thank you for sharing this. Welcome!
     
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  11. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

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    There is one other factor to occasionally going new(er) is the incremental tech advances. Better anti-lock brakes, headlights, crash protection, better battery management software, interior cabin features, etc. You don't have to go to the newest version to increment up over time. Food for thought.
     
  12. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    Don't give up; I teach guitar; the more you play, the less "poorly" you become!!. I'm currently working with a brand new guitar player; she's 78 years young!! I hope cynism dies an early death!!
    it's wonderful to watch somebody's eyes light up, as step by step, they make progress in music! One of life's beautiful pleasures!
    Mr. DrMarcweber, you have my sympathy, I've spent the last 55 years trying to prove to my (now deceased ) parents, and myself, that music "is a REAL job!" Still working on it!!
    Agree, music as such, hasn't (Yet!?), been able to support my car-buying habit; I've had to resort to working in car/RV sales, and Information Technology to maintain my "habit", loathsome creature that I am!
    Still waiting for my 10 published albums to pay out!!



    .
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sometimes you can have all the talent in the world, but the breaks don't come. that happens in all walks of life, but for artists, it's more difficult because of the financial difficulties. sorry to derail your thread!:unsure:
     
  14. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    A few questions.
    When you say motor, do you mean the engine(ICE), the gas burning part, or the electric traction motor?
    Do you do the repair work yourself?
    Do you have the space to store the old car for parts?

    I'm guessing you don't live where snow and rust are an issue. With the current car, you are reaching the point wear things that aren't considered wear parts, could wear out. I don't think the Prii taxis see life much beyond what you've got out of yours.

    Simply repairing will be cheaper, but that also has a time cost, with potential for stranding. Then, eventually, something will break that can't be fixed for some reason. Which means scrambling to get a replacement. So I say start shopping. You don't have to rush it now, and wait for a deal.

    Stick with a gen3, and if you have the storage, you can hold onto the replacement engine and battery for the newer car, plus have spares for issue parts the new used car might have. Look into how to properly store them.

    The end of the year is coming. You might also get lucky and find a new 2017 Prius a dealer needs to get rid of in Feb.
     
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  15. nssdiver

    nssdiver Me digging' life

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    I have 2 words for drmarcweber: CERTIFIED USED.


    iPhone ?
     
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  16. Bay Stater

    Bay Stater Senior Member

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    @drmarcweber, If you are planning to continue to drive 60K miles a year, then a late G3 (2014, 2015) with moderate mileage around 75K may be the best used Prius deal. The price will be lower and the traction battery is still quite young. My two cents.(y)
     
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  17. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    My opinion is to buy a low mileage gen2 prius and prepare to buy a new hv battery. Total should be less than $7000
     
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  18. drmarcweber

    drmarcweber New Member

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    No worries!! One of the best things about threads like this are the interesting side trips!! I love music, and I feel good about teaching and composing -- and I do not let the 'popularity' thing get me down. Mozart died in poverty, and most of my favorite composers did not enjoy public acclaim... if popular opinion were equivalent to wisdom, Bernie Sanders would be in the White House!!
     
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  19. drmarcweber

    drmarcweber New Member

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    One thing I wanted to bring up to the forum... I had a wonderful experience with some 'new kids in town' -- this place in Bakersfield called Reprius. They are honest, dedicated guys who love Priuses, and collect old ones for parts. They are brilliant, too -- solved an issue for me and my car purrs like a kitten now. And, after working on my car literally for HOURS my bill was $240.

    Reprius, Car Repair Service for Prius – reprius.com
     
  20. egg_salad

    egg_salad Active Member

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    Is someone paying you to drive 60k a year, or is it a hobby?