I am considering replacing my Gen 2 with 325K miles and lots of rust (main problem) and some other issues that I would fix if it weren't for rust. I am on a budget and considering Gen 3. I am seeing some plugins available. Should I consider them or reject them outright as cars with "extra" problems? What are the downsides of Gen 3 plugin? I am aware of some of the other Gen 3 issues such as head gaskets, etc. In general I really like the Gen 3 (my wife has been driving a 2011 since September '25 and I have used it a bunch and liked it). Any advice on this plugin option would be helpful. I am not hoping to drive on electric power or anything like that. Mostly I just want a good old Prius, but if I can get 10-15 miles of range on electric, it would be fine. As long as this feature does not present a set of problems that make the whole thing not worth it.
The only disadvantage is lack of spare tyre and a place to put one. Other than that, same as other gen 3’s, but a little heavier. Battery replacement would be quite a bit more expensive, but they’ve been rock solid
I think it's going to depend on your driving habits. If the majority of your trips are less than 10 miles and you have the time to charge at home then go for it. If you drive further or more than one trip a day then its probably not worth it for you. Either way, in my opinion the EV range is so short on the 3rd Gen PHEV that it certainly isn't worth paying anything extra for them.
Even though you’re not going to use ev, it would be a good idea to charge it up and see how far it will go
Saltyhybrid.com has a replacement battery pack that doubles your EV range... And if you can get a 2015 that will avoid the shortlife span of piston rings problem, but you'll still need to keep a clean EGR and oil catch can to avoid headgasket failure, which might be hard to avoid unless you're planning to work with Skim Milk Hybrid, Prius hybrid repair, hybrid battery repair, Oklahoma City Hybrid repair, Highlander Hybrid repair. Lexus hybrid repair, Honda hybrid repair. to build a high performance Gen3 engine that resolves that risk. As for me, I'm eager to own a Gen3 plugin because the Salty battery pack upgrade is probably the most affordable option available to me for if I want to transition to EV. So if you see any Gen3 Plugins with bad battery packs on the west coast let me know. And in turn I'll keep my eyes out for you for one on the east coast.
I looked at Salty website and the batteries are not available, though they sound really good in theory. Anyone know when they will become available again? I am not looking for a plugin and not willing to pay more for one. I am just looking for a Gen 3 and there is one plugin for sale here. I have not looked at it yet, but I wanted to know if they are worth considering. The seller is not asking a premium for the plugin part. I suspect the battery is bad in most of these (this has been my experience in my searches so far). This is why it's so important for me to know if there are other issues for me to expect due to the plugin feature. I would love to replace the pack with Salty's, but it looks like availability is a problem.
IMHO; I wouldn't touch a gen3 unless it's free; especially if money is tight. This is an old car with know issues; and I can wrench and do a head gasket or engine swap job - BUT I prefer to do other things on my weekends. MA is a CARB state; so you can't just throw any CAT into that car to pass smog. Most econo-boxes will do low to mid 30's, cheaper and easier to fix; w/o the additional headaches of a Prius. The numbers only pencil out if you do lots of miles. I got my Prime for the price of a discounted Prius + incentives; during COVID. Even with all those write-off the breakeven point was 6 years, compared with a gas only corolla. Which is probably what you should look for or a Pontiac Vibe. Reliable, easy to repair, cheap parts that crosses over to other cars. You've got the right idea though, 10 miles was the original specs - your probably lucky to get 3-5 now. Good Luck...
Mass is a CARB state, but cars older than 15 years are exempt from passing emissions (only have to pass safety). So my 2007 with a catalytic code passes fine. Most Gen 3 I looked at did not have a catalytic problem. However most of them had a battery problem. Some had misfire codes, but none had any cat codes. The thing about Prius is that I really like them as cars in general. I have a 2006 Matrix (Corolla, Vibe) and it's great (my son mostly drives it), but it's not as comfortable for me on longer drives as my Gen 2 Prius or my ex's Gen 3 Prius. It doesn't handle as well and it gets 29 MPG on a good day with a tail wind. I get low 40's in my Gen 2 on a bad day with a head wind. No mechanical issues to complain about in any of the Toyotas. The utility of a Prius is amazing. I just love the car and the way it was designed. At least I can speak for Gen 2 and Gen 3, which I drove for a while. Love them. That's why I am looking for one. I love the hatchback with drop down rear seats for my home depot trips. I can carry sheets of plywood (ripped in half) and all sorts of stuff and still get 45 MPG. I drive about 15K - 20K per year, so it is worth it for me to have 15mpg extra. I also very much love the reliability and sturdiness of these cars. Gen 4 is supposed to be even better, but the redesign is not to my liking. I haven't driven one, but they are also a bit out of my price range.
"on a budget and considering a G3" is a very dangerous phrase to use if you're not also budgeting for repairs. The answer ALSO depends on your abilities to wrench on cars, and your fault tolerance for the car being a hangar-queen while you replace a blown head gasket.......or a regenerative brake booster problem.....inverter failure....etc. If your budget includes being able to write a very large check for parts, or an eye-wateringly YUGE check for labour - then yes. A G3 (which includes the G1 PiP) might be a really good value for you. OTOH, There are probably lots and lots of non-hybrid equivalents out there that do not have any of the components listed above that might "only" need HVAC, suspension, brake, CVT, ignition, or electrical work. Your call..... GOOD LUCK!
I've been driving a 2007 Gen 2 I bought with 175K miles in it since 2017. That's 8 years and it now has 325K miles. Only repairs being brakes, spark plugs, tires and oil changes. Oh, a valve of some sort I replaced for $125 myself (I do wrench on my own vehicles and have done so since 1980s when I was a pimply teenager). I understand the general consensus here of hybrids have all these extra systems. However, Toyota has made a believer out of me. My 2007 with 325K miles on it is amazing. It still works and if it weren't for rust issues with the body I would not even be thinking about replacing it. It satisfies all my car needs completely. It cost me almost nothing to own for the past 8 years. It has an original battery in it which is starting to go limp, but still functional. This is my experience and it is making me want to buy another Prius. Gen 3 is the one I can afford at the moment. My question in this thread was should I stay away from the plugin, not should I get a Corolla instead of Prius. I am very familiar with Prius, I do all my own work on it. So far no brake booster, ac, inverter or battery issues have surfaced. This car is solid and economical. I am aware of Gen 3 issues, but at the same time there are thousands of these things going over 500K miles with few issues (NYC taxi cabs). I drive a fair amount, but not crazy. My driving patterns are very well suited to a hybrid. So far I have been extremely happy with the Prius I have and the 2011 Gen 3 I bought about 1.5 years ago. Very comfy, very economical and very versatile car. Again, the original question in this thread was is there anything I should be cautious of in a plugin Gen 3. Is it just a bigger battery or are there issues other than regular Gen 3 issues. I see these plugins come up for sale now and again and I wonder if I should exclude them from my search of Gen 3 for some good reason. This thread is getting way off this topic now. I've been on this forum for a while and I have heard all the "buy a Corolla" arguments. I don't need that advice. I am not knocking it, rather I am aware of it. Been looking at it for 8 years on this forum. No need to rinse and repeat.
I was just raising awareness. I'm actually a big fan of the G3 having logged over 200k with them in 2 company cars. The only time I failed to leave the barn with either of my G3s was during tropical weather, owing to their diminutive stature, and I do not remember either of them EVER leaving me stranded. If I were going to buy a G3 for my own personal use it would be a well-loved, preferably one owner G1 PiP - because these tended to be hideously expensive at birth, and thus one may presume that they were 'adult owned.' They are also relatively up-optioned as compared with the plebian G3s. PiPs have lithium batteries IIRC, instead of the Nickel-Metal Hydride, which lend themselves to much longer, if range diminished service life. They have an expanded EV-only profile over the wireless G3s and you have access to recharging your 5 mile battery on the fly. I would avoid EV parking spots unless there are multiple spare spots left over for a car whose only fueling options involve waiting....and waiting.....and waiting while the charger puts amps in their can, and you may still get an angry note from the more self-entitled and less ethically constrained BEV driver. The PiP has an even smaller gas tank than a wireless G3 - but if you're an older G2 driver you're already familiar with geriatric bladder issues...... Good Luck!
Yes, my winter gas capacity is 8 gallons at best. Better in the summer, but I still have 300ish mile range. Sounds like you think that PiP is somewhat better than non-PI G3. That's good to know. I will look at the next one that comes up. So far I have had bad luck finding a decent candidate. Lots of bad batteries. I even looked in Florida when I visited my sister. Those sure were clean and rust-free, but just as problematic mechanically. I am in Massachusetts, so rusty cars are a plenty. It's not easy. Thanks for the replay on topic!
