1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

/// Help / advice on buyjng a 2006 Prius ///

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Andyinchville1, Aug 20, 2019.

  1. Andyinchville1

    Andyinchville1 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2019
    10
    1
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi All,

    Brand new member ...first post... and possibly soon-to-be Prius owner.

    Anyways, I'm a delivery driver and typically drive approximately 135 miles a day to as much as 700 mi a day on a really ling run.

    My current vehicle is a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 5 speed wagon but i recently ran across a really nice 2006 prius for sale and thought id maybe get it but I'm no expert in Prius so I figured I would come here and get some opinions...

    Normally I would like to research things to the max however really nice cars at affordable prices don't happens very often so I figured I'd better join up and get some opinions ASAP before the car is sold from underneath me possibly.

    The car is a 2006 Prius I'm not sure what trim level but the car is in really nice condition everything seems to work the interior looks virtually brand-new same with the exterior .

    The owner is the original owner and has every piece of paperwork from day one when she got the car ... a new battery was put into it recently and just reading information here on this site I guess I should find out what type of battery it is whether it was a new Toyota battery or a cheap reman or junkyard battery.

    I'm fairly good mechanically and everything seemed to be good no leaks no knocks no smoke Etc

    The car has 206000 miles on it.

    As a Prius newbie is there anything I should be looking at in particular that could cause me massive grief should I overlook it?

    Is 200000 plus miles a lot of miles on a little Prius or should they be good for quite a bit more?

    What do you think a reasonable price for the car should be I know what they're asking but of course asking is always higher but then again I don't want to insult them and have them turn me away possibly...

    Thanks in advance for any and all help I would have researched this more but I'm really worried she's going to sell it because after I looked at it initially another person even came to look at it so apparently she has quite a few people looking

    Andrew
     
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    10,775
    4,372
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It's hard to say about the price without knowing what price you're considering. Maybe just look on craigslist to get a better sense of the market.

    Also what kind of driving is your work... Something like mail delivery that has endless starting and stopping is going to wipe our anything old pretty quick... But if you're talking about long drives in the 40-60mph range then you won't find a better car. And if you're mechanically inclined this car is going to be really enjoyable for you.

    Only thing I'd caution is that if you're driving 50K miles a year or more, you might be more pleased saving your money for longer and starting out at a lower amount of mileage. Then again... Put a couple hundred thousand on this one and you'll be super excited to find your next Gen2, the best Prius they ever made!

    Here's a great thread I started in 2013 to see how others did with their used Prius: Did you buy a Prius with 100K+ miles? Share your story here! | PriusChat
     
    Andyinchville1 and Skibob like this.
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome!
    philosophies differ, but i wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole with that kind of driving.

    but i mean that for any car, not just the prius.

    but here's the difference: with a gasser, you can take it anywhere for service and repairs.

    with a hybrid, if you aren't a serious diy'er, and very knowledgeable with code readers, and service manual troubleshooting, finding a good mechanic outside the very expensive dealerships can be difficult.
    and prius has some systems that are expensive to fix unless you can find salvage parts and do it yourself.

    battery

    inverter

    high voltage a/c compressor

    brake actuator

    and others.

    whatever you decide, all the best!(y)
     
    Skibob likes this.
  4. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2018
    2,912
    1,494
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    What are the average distances between your trips?
     
  5. egg_salad

    egg_salad Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2015
    545
    426
    18
    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Absolutely not, unless it's $2000 or less. And I bet it isn't.
     
  6. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2017
    5,286
    4,225
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Welcome to PriusChat!!

    It could be worth 2.8k to 5k, which is doubtful unless the recently replaced HV battery was new OEM and dealer installed.
    If this new to you vehicle were to break down on the side of the road, would it be the end of the world for anyone involved?

    What is wrong with your current TDI?
     
    Raytheeagle, Skibob and egg_salad like this.
  7. Andyinchville1

    Andyinchville1 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2019
    10
    1
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi

    Knock on wood I have yet to break down while on a run...

    Most of my runs are expedited type runs but some are even medical expedited meaning pick up at the airport from a small plane landing with organs and driving it directly to the hospital for surgery.

    I get most of my runs through relatively large company and if anything were to happen while in route I would have to call the company immediately and they would dispatch another person to meet me on the side of the road if needed to get my load and continue the journey...

    I've actually had to do that once for another driver.... they were broken down on the side of the road and I was just asked to drive out there meet him on the side of the highway pick up what needed moving and continue to trip of course I did make sure the other driver was okay and had a tow truck or somebody coming but the main focus I had and the other driver had was to do the hand off quickly and efficiently and keep the product moving

    With any new and or used vehicle I always try to drive it around a lot before actually putting it into use for actual deliveries... all idiosyncrasies and bugs are typically worked out well before actually using them on runs because many of my runs occur overnight and it would probably be no fun sitting broken down in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night.

    I used to work with a trucking company and I kind of follow a lot of their protocols in terms of replacing parts xcetera on schedule as opposed to risking breaking down unexpectedly....

    There's nothing actually technically wrong with the Volkswagen car that I have but I was upgrading my backup vehicle to something nicer and more fuel efficient ( backup vehicle is a 1997 Geo Prizm) ... it's a good running reliable car that I would jump in and drive to California if need be but it's just a little louder ,doesn't have a CD player , and it's just not as nice as something newer and having to spend so many hours a day in a vehicle it does make a difference having a nice place to work in.... in actuality I probably still would keep the old backup car just because we've done so many miles together ...

    I had thought about simply getting another TDI but Priuss have always intrigued me and the fact that (at least where I am and where i run) since diesel fuel cost more then regular gas it's quite possible that even though prius nay net worse Highway MPG than a diesel Jetta the difference Maybe made up by the fact that diesel fuel cost more than gasoline...

    Fwuw i used to run a minivan getting 20 to 23 miles per gallon and when I converted over to my little TDI wagon averaging about 48 on the Highway my savings over a 550 mile Loop which I was doing that time was almost $20 a day in fuel... of course that was a pretty extreme runs and I'm actually glad it kind of came to an end because that was an awful lot of driving to be doing everyday.

    For me reliability ,fuel economy , and comfort are very important .... probably in that order actually

    Anyway sorry about all the extra information but that's kind of my situation in a nutshell and why I was looking at a Prius
     
    #7 Andyinchville1, Aug 20, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2019
  8. Andyinchville1

    Andyinchville1 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2019
    10
    1
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    They were asking $4200 obo .... nice car but 200k+ miles .... ill ask them about the battery since they said they replaced it not too long back and it's still under warranty...

    I just worry a little bit about the mileage because I have some Vehicles that use oil after about 200k
    Currently my Geo Prizm uses about a quart of oil every 500 miles... my minivan uses a quart of oil recipe every 700 miles... and crazy as a sounds even with over three hundred twenty-five Thousand Miles my Jetta TDI doesn't even use a quart of oils in over 10,000 miles of Road use... I've never had to put oil in the Jetta between oil changes and I typically stretch from the 10,000 Miles because it's all mainly Highway...

    I'm going to try to feel them out and how low will go Cash Wise because when I saw the car it was already warm and not done on a cold start Plus the oil did seem a little low on oil dipstick when I checked it so it's probably using some somewhere along the line...
     
  9. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2010
    4,297
    2,347
    33
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Drive 135-700 miles a day...on a car (any car) with 206,000 miles on the clock? Walk away.
     
  10. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It's NOT that I don't think Prius are reliable, well built vehicles. I do. BUT....
    13 almost 14 model years old, and over 200,000 miles? Well because the OP say's:

    That's putting reliability as #1. And although the vehicle could be reliable, I don't think you can guarantee on any level.

    Also "comfort"....I never had a problem, but some people have had a hard, to impossible time adjusting to the ergonomics of the Prius seat. It's been a problematic deal breaker for some people. You basically have to sit in it, for a road trip period of time and see how you feel. But comfort can't be guaranteed either.

    I figure people wouldn't seek out Prius Chat, if they really weren't motivated and enthusiastic about obtaining a Prius.
    But given the baseline amount of miles the OP professes to drive, and given the mileage, age and cost of the vehicle?
    I'm going to say pass.
     
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    now i have a whole new concern about organ transportation :eek:
     
  12. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2010
    4,297
    2,347
    33
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    The same us as getting old...it's the mileage, not the year model that counts the most.
     
    The Electric Me likes this.
  13. egg_salad

    egg_salad Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2015
    545
    426
    18
    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Oh. Now that you've given us ALL of the information (and I'm not sure why you withheld it in the first place) I've changed my opinion. Not only should you buy the Prius, but you absolutely MUST buy the Prius!

    Thing is, you don't need the Prius. You have 3 other perfectly viable vehicles. So it has become clear to me that you simply want the Prius. And if there are things you want, and you can afford them, you absolutely MUST buy them!
     
  14. MilkyWay

    MilkyWay Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2013
    819
    357
    23
    Location:
    MI
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Nothing for a Prius. Typically when they are running good they stay running good. It would not surprise me if you had very little maintenance for the next 100k miles / 3-4 years. My 220k mile prius runs the exact same (actually slightly better) than when it had 140k miles.

    3k in my opinion is on the high end. But if it is really clean it is just about impossible to get a perfectly running 9/10 condition vehicle for under 3k so it's not a bad price. $2000 would be ideal but highly doubtful. I'm guessing he is asking 3.5k?

    Edit: I scanned further in post and see asking price is 4.2k which is not surprising. They might take $3200. Worth paying a max of $3500 if it has a brand new hybrid battery.

    Or shop around and you'll find you can get one with like 170k on it in worse condition with worse maintenance needing hundreds in repairs for around 3.5k...They rarely sell for cheap unless in rough shape so you have to compare/contrast with market prices and other listings.

    I sold a 200k mile Prius in extremely nice condition for $3200 about 1.5 years ago (???) but I like to give fair deals and so I advertised it in the very low 3s and an Uber driver bought it and it was sold in one day (keep in mind this was a couple years ago so price should have come down a notch...but I don't think it has).

    The good thing you have going for you is literally nobody is going to pay $4000 lol so the ball is in your court.
     
  15. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2017
    5,286
    4,225
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    If you haven't already, check the history by running the VIN at the dealer, or at https://toyota.com/owners
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  16. Andyinchville1

    Andyinchville1 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2019
    10
    1
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A

    Hi

    I originally didn't post what they were asking to get an unbiased opinion as to what the car might be worth... I didn't want to try to pre-bias anybody by providing a number.

    I do have other viable vehicles to use but my girlfriend also drives and in theory we do need a backup car for each of us because (while it's not likely our two cars will go down the same time) it is possible .... plus since my girlfriend can't drive a stick shift I'm almost forced into a Prius ( automatic trannies in TDI cars with alh engines are not known to be reliable plus they get 7 miles per gallon less on the on the highway than a 5 speed which means that a Prius which runs cheaper fuel can overall best the TDI as far as fuel economy goes).

    I had thought about other small cars but since we drive so much might as well get something that gets or can mid forties as far as miles per gallon on the hwy...

    Of course for ultimate economy I have been thinking about running black diesel but turns out wmo is hard to come by from shops....
     
  17. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2018
    2,912
    1,494
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    There are Scions that use a version of the 1.5 liter engine.
     
  18. Andyinchville1

    Andyinchville1 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2019
    10
    1
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi

    The lady lowered the price online to 3995 somebody made an offer and she sold it...
    Sniff sniff ... I was almost halfway psyched up to doing it well actually I probably would have done it 3995 my plan was to offer 3,000 and hope she takes it but that was a moot point since somebody else apparently bought it she left me a voice message...

    On the flip side I did run across a $495 Prius but I'll start a separate thread on that thanks...

    I'm learning slowly but surely so appreciate all the input
     
  19. MilkyWay

    MilkyWay Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2013
    819
    357
    23
    Location:
    MI
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    My advice is exterior/interior condition is more important (way more important) than odometer display.

    You can always fix a mechanical problem relatively quickly and easily. But fixing scrapes, collision, ugliness, etc., is very difficult, time consuming, and expensive.

    Reason it was 4k with so many miles is that the condition was close-to-mint?

    Meaning you can find a crappy-looking Prius with 50k less miles for 3.5k but there would be no comparison to the $4000 prius with higher miles in the way it feels, drives, and overall enjoyment.

    My 220k mile prius with leather is in way better shape both mechanically and condition than the ones I have with 110-130k miles (I have a ton of gen 2 priuses). It is not even a comparison the one with 100k more miles is better in every way.

    But...you'd have people on this forum telling you to run away and get the beat-up ones with 110-130k vs. the one that has 220k+ (despite it being far superior) because people cannot get past the odometer reading.

    Technically it wouldn't be that difficult to find a set of clean leather seats on car-part.com (I've found some at multiple yards and $300 for the set seems to be going rate) just haven't gotten around to it. Then if I'm not mistaken you can get entire carpet brand new (after market) for around $170 shipped. So I suppose it wouldn't be too bad to replace most of the interior.

    It's the outside that is tough and costly to try to restore.

    Finding a nice Prius for under 4k is tough to do. There are plenty of "decent" ones but very difficult to find a gem.
     
    Skibob likes this.
  20. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2018
    2,912
    1,494
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Depending on what’s wrong with it, the 495 Prius might be the better buy