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2010 prius has 193,000 with brand new battery. Should i sell or keep driving ?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by 2010prius2010, Jan 14, 2020.

  1. 2010prius2010

    2010prius2010 Junior Member

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    I have a 2010 prius with193,000 miles. I've had the car for a year with only one problem. I just replaced the hybrid battery. Lucky for me it was still under warranty. I was thinking maybe it's a good time to sell it seeing it has brand new $2000 battery. Im worried about the high mileage. Im thinking sell now before anything pops up and get a prius with a lot lower milage. I know they make it to 193,000 and beyond. All advice is much appreciated. Thank You in advance
     
  2. tvpierce

    tvpierce Senior Member

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    At that price point ($2000) I presume you have a rebuilt battery?
     
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I'm guessing the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) circuit and intake manifold have never been cleaned?
     
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  4. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Not knowing your situation, if you sell, how will you get around if you have no other car. If you already have another car, how reliable is the other one and how will your commute and finances be if you guzzle gas on a daily basis . Can’t make a call to sell or keep a car without the factors above.
     
  5. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    The only way to answer this is to know a lot more.....or for you to ask yourself a lot more questions:

    You bought a 9 year old car with probably 170,000 miles on the odometer at the time....an up-optioned car that's probably in medium-good shape.
    We'd have to know if you paid cash or if you still owe on this car.
    How many miles a year do you drive?
    Can you write a check with a comma in it?
    How many times have you checked your oil level or tire pressure in the last year? (be honest, at least with yourself.)
    Do you know how to access your warranty and maintenance guide or the vehicle's service history?
    Are you driving a 10 year old car with near-lunar mileage because you WANT to or HAVE to?
    Is your credit score over 800?
    Do you have another car?

    OK....
    So.

    Here's what I KNOW:
    1. Your car has a street value, in California, of around $4,000.
    2. Gas, Insurance, Tags, sales taxes, are all fairly expensive where you live.
    3. El Fato smiled on you and you don't have to sweat the battery thing....probably ever.
    4. Like many drivers in your situation, you leave the barn more 'hoping' that you'll get back without a tow truck rather than taking it for granted that you WILL be driving yourself home.

    Here's what I presume:
    1. You were attracted to a Prius because you live in a part of the California where people wait in line at Costco for gas. Think: Zip codes starting with "90"
    2. You HAVE to drive a ten year old car with lunar mileage more than you WANT to.


    Advice:
    The only way you're going to get off of the hamster wheel of continuously making car payments for the rest of your life is more of a holistic financial makeover rather than getting another used car with another used car note......unless you're one of those rare people that write checks for cars.
    It DOES happen, but not a lot these days.
    I would immediately do a deep dive on the car that you still have, and LEARN as much about what's been done and not done.
    Then I would zoom out and examine how big a part of your financial plans you want car payments to be, and other things that you might need to take care of.

    MY answer to this might just look a LOT different than yours. (close to retirement, done with both our college and kids, effectively debt free, spare car, 3-6 months of expenses in a savings account, etc...)
    The car I drove to work this morning is an 06 with nearly as many miles on it as your 2010...and I'm nearly certain that I'm doing to drive it home and not have to have it towed. ;)


    To be honest, you're only looking to get another 50-60,000 miles out of this car BUT it's the car you HAVE right NOW and getting a Prius with only half of the mileage that your car has is still going to be throwing potentially a lot of money at a car that's STILL going to be on the back half of it's service life.
    Your car made it to 190,000 on it's original battery. If it's still knocking down good fuel economy numbers then this means that it was probably well taken care of, and between you and me I'd take that over a 100,000 mile car that's been rode hard and put up wet.


    Good Luck!
    Let us know what you decide!!!
     
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  6. tallprius

    tallprius Member

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    As mentioned in previous post the ERG and intake manifold will need to be serviced and maybe the electric water pump may need to be replaced (if it quits) . If you can do these things yourself then those repairs are relatively minor money.
    If you have to take ERG or intake manifold cleaning or water pump repair to a dealer each one is expensive. But if you can DYI those issues next 50,000 could be cheap.
     
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  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sell
     
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  8. bettergolf

    bettergolf Active Member

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    Drive it till it dies....it may go to 300k who knows? It is not a guaranteed fact that EVERY gen3 will blow ahead gasket due to a clogged EGR. Many have gone 250-300k and their owners say they didn't have anything done but scheduled maintenance.
    If it's paid for....I say keep going.
     
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  9. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Maybe? I thought it was a must replace if water pump quits :p
     
  10. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Sounds like you've got a good car, and with a fresh battery that's real value. I don't see a compelling case in either direction, neutral opinion unless you consider the replacement.

    What are you likely to get next? The used car market is overheated right now, prices are very inflated. On the other hand, there are competitive deals for new cars and financing is still pretty cheap.
     
  11. MelonPrius

    MelonPrius Senior Member

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    If you decide to sell, you can get a premium price. When I was looking for a preowned Prius, an older model with a brand new OEM battery would have been ideal.
     
  12. Tim Jones

    Tim Jones Senior Member

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    New or Rebuilt Battery?
    Clean Intake Manifold
    Clean Entire EGR Systems (valve and cooler)
    Install Oil Catch Can
    Inverter Firmware Updates
    Water Pump
    Inverter Water Pump
    Brake Pump and Master Cylinder (possible extended warranty work)
    Flush Cooling System
    Change Trani Fluid
     
  13. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    If that's the list to-do then OP will for sure sell :D
     
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  14. bettergolf

    bettergolf Active Member

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    "I just replaced the hybrid battery. Lucky for me it was still under warranty."
    Why do people keep asking if it's a rebuilt battery? Does Toyota use rebuilt batteries for replacement under warranty? I think not.
     
  15. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    If it's paid for, currently not demonstrating any problems, I'd probably just keep it and keep driving.
    Even with a "new" hybrid battery at that age and mileage, you're not going to get much value, trade in or sell. If it's a working Prius it's worth more to you as that, than as a monetary value asset.
     
  16. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I'd ask because he's got a 10 year old Prius, with 193,000 miles, it shouldn't be under any "Toyota" warranty for the Hybrid Battery.
    So it's a fair question to ask exactly what they meant by replaced under warranty?
    Was this a rebuilt battery, replaced under warranty?
    If not how did you get Toyota to replace a 10 year old Hybrid Battery with 193,000 miles on it under warranty?
     
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  17. bettergolf

    bettergolf Active Member

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    Why wouldn't it be under Toyota warranty? 10 years in Cal, right? Is there a mileage limit on the hybrid system warranty?
     
  18. Merkey

    Merkey Active Member

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    Yes. 150,000 miles.
     
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  19. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Op said replaced with new battery under warranty. The questions are who replaced it and was it really a new battery.

    I haven’t heard of Toyota selling rebuilt batteries, and a new Toyota battery price would be way north of $2,000.
     
  20. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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