At what point do you trade a Prius for something else?

I'm not sure what you're talking about. I live in Colorado. I also make a bit below a median household wage for a family of four. And our home is barely more than 500 square feet.

 

My Prius needs a catalytic converter and possibly either a piston replacement or a whole engine block replacement. I would rather just have to change the HV battery, even for an OEM one, than to have to change the engine block and catalytic converter. It's a lot more work and a lot more expensive.

But what I was referring to is a replacement car that's not super expensive but not as in poor condition. What car would you suggest if I did decide to replace the ol' 2006 Prius I have instead of eventually replacing the engine in it? Or would it be better to replace the engine and have a car with a new engine that will last possibly another 200,000 miles or something along those lines?

 

But only OEM cats are allowed here to be sold and installed. I'd have to smuggle it in from another state.

 

Colorado is a weird state when it comes to emissions. Now you're supposed to have a California compliant catalytic converter. But they don't do inspections in my county. But I've also known of at least one person who lived out here but went to Denver, got sniffed on the highway and had to get an emissions test to prove his car was compliant before the court date on the ticket.

 

I'd like to weld some posts on the top of the cats and drill holes up through the center well for those posts to come through and then attach them somehow. Any idea of what kind of steel these are made out of?

Then also a Catshield, numbers engraved all over and florecent paint.

 

Something like that. I can't quite remember how he got pulled over and ticketed, but he is someone I trust and he did say he had to get an emissions test even though he doesn't live in a county that requires it.

 

Well, I think it's time to stop procrastinating and I need to sell the Prius, part it out or just have it hauled to the junk yard.

Today I couldn't get it to start. So the problems so far on this 2006 with just barely 200k miles that I need to fix if I'm going to drive it are:

• Won't start, I don't know why. 12V battery is charge up but car acts like I'm not even putting in the key nor pressing the start button.
• The "instrument cluster" doesn't work.
• The infotainment screen doesn't work and I have no way of turing on the heater or A/C.
• The HV battery needs replacing. I've added a total of three modules, but I'm sure more modules are soon to go out.
• The catalytic converter is bad (and I'm in a California Compliant state).
• The engine cylinders are galled up. It ran when it would start, but it chugs oil.
• I've taken the front appart and put it back together, but I don't have it all buttoned up. Of course if I need to change out the engine, I may have to take it all appart again.
• It needs a front wheel bearing or two.
• It needs a windshield.

So I give up even though there have been several things I've bought for it and even replaced (hood, fenders, bumper, tail light, hatch handle molding). I don't have the time or money to work on it anymore (nor the money to replace it with anything). The question is, how do I get rid of it?

1. Should I try to sell it or give it away whole, maybe putting a "free" sign on it?
2. Should I take it to a junk yard?
3. Should I sell it in pieces, like the transmission and the new wheel bearing I bought and never put in?