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Is this a decent deal for an 06; what should I look for during test drive

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by BrianV, Sep 5, 2008.

  1. BrianV

    BrianV New Member

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    I'm looking to buy a lightly used Prius for my g/f. We've been looking for sometime and originally wanted to buy new, but I will absolutely not tolerate the attitudes of the dealers and won't pay the premiums they want. We were originally going to wait for the 2010 models, but with our dealer experiences, we don't want to get caught up in that either. Thus, we decided we'd buy a used Prius, keep it for three years, and then purchase something then. By then, there will be several comparable choices and hopefully the demand won't be as crazy as it is now.

    We really want a fully loaded one, and fortunately found an 06 with 45k miles on it. It has Pkg 8, the extended 100k warranty until 2011, and the California battery warranty. The car is registered in Texas, but was purchased in California. It also has the CA Access Stickers which may be useful if I ever move back to CA (not likely). I may sell it to my Mom though in a few years since she's been wanting one, and those stickers will come in handy.

    Anyways, it's blue with grey leather, has tint, has the rubber mat for the trunk, etc. He has done pretty well with maint. with a lot of Toyota receipts. It has brand new Goodyear Comfortreads and was used primarily on the highway. It has been serviced by Toyota dealers all across the country. The previous owner worked all over the country.

    It's in great condition with minimal wear, non-smoking, no accidents, clean carfax, only a couple minor rock chips in the hood (can't see unless pointed too).

    It's been well cared for and is in good condition. He's asking $23,995. I've seen some better deals on Ebay but due to the history of the vehicle and the warranties, $23,995 sounds fair. Of course that's his asking price.

    Finally, my g/f is going to test drive it tonight. Are there any areas I should pay close attention to?

    Thank,
    Brian
     
  2. freshmtt

    freshmtt Dachshund Addict

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    Brian, it sounds like it is a good deal for it being the top of the line model. At first I thought HOLY Crap, that is more than I paid for my 08, but I only have package 2, and I see this one you are looking at is package 6, so that makes sense.

    I think it is a good deal.
     
  3. BrianV

    BrianV New Member

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    Yeah there are other lesser optioned ones that are going for about the same or more so in this market, Austin, TX it seems like it's an ok deal.

    I want to take a closer look at it tonight and see if there's anything wrong that I don't know about. The warranties give me piece of mind.

    Are there any particular areas I should pay close attention to during a walk around and a test drive?

    Thanks
     
  4. Bob47

    Bob47 New Member

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    Interesting that it is a Package 6. Package 8 was the one that included leather seats so those might be an add on. I have an 06 with about the same mileage and it is a great car, but with package 7 which includes navigation. The leather seats are a plus and if I had it to do over I would have gone for them.
     
  5. BrianV

    BrianV New Member

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    Hmm, based on what I know, it matches the package 6 listed for the 08-09 Prius'

    I know it has the following:

    - Leather
    - Nav
    - Bluetooth
    - SmartKey
    - JBL
    - Backup monitor
    - Integrated Fog lamps
    - He said it has power everything, but I just learned power seats weren't even an option. Not a biggy for me.

    I wasn't aware there was a package 7 or 8. I google'd and it definitely is package 8 since it does have NAV and leather. I supposed it could be 7 with aftermarket leather, but he made no mention of aftermarket. I think he was referring to the current package levels.

    All that said, how is this price for a Package 8?
     
  6. BrianV

    BrianV New Member

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    On 2006 Prius' is it a garage door opener or the auto-dimming mirror with built-in homelink. The 09 packages has the mirror+homelink, but the 06 packages just say garage opener.
     
  7. jelloslug

    jelloslug It buffed right out!

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    There is nothing that commonly fails on the 06+ models. Just make sure than you can see the VIN stickers on the fenders and the hood to be sure that is has not been in a wreck. You should check the normal stuff: look for leaks, check that the power features work (windows, locks, etc.), check that the SKS system functions properly, check that the CD player and NAV system functions etc.
     
  8. BrianV

    BrianV New Member

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    Where are the stickers on the fenders? On the inside? I assume you mean on the inside of the hood as well. I've never checked for that on any car, but that's a great idea.

    My Infiniti has smart key equivalent. Other than it works, what is there to look for?
     
  9. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    The VIN stickers can be found on all four doors (open each door to see the stickers on the trailing edge of the door), on the rear quarter panels (open the rear doors to see those), on the front fenders (open the hood to see), on the inside of the hatch, and the inside of the hood. If you do not find the stickers this is evidence of accident damage requiring sheet metal replacement.

    Note that since the car in question is now registered and operated in Texas, the California warranties do not apply. If you have doubt about this, contact your local Toyota dealer to see what the service dept says.

    Note that the CA carpool stickers will expire at the end of 2010.

    You should see all instrument panel warning lights come on when you make the car IG-ON (press POWER button twice without depressing the brake pedal.) Then when the car is READY (press POWER button while depressing the brake pedal) all warning lights should go off.

    Listen for unusual noises. Normal noises including inverter whine when decelerating and braking, an occasional rattle from the brake pressure accumulator pump (pump the brake pedal repeatedly to force the pump to run), and a whirr sound from the coolant heat recovery pump which will be heard for several seconds when the car is started from a cold start, and will usually be heard when the car is turned off.

    Good luck with your purchase decision.
     
  10. BrianV

    BrianV New Member

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    Oh sucks about the stickers, but it's really a non-issue for me. I just saw it as gravy if I moved it to California, which won't happen by 2010.

    As far as the battery warranty, the owner told me that he has warranty docs with the car, but perhaps the fine print says otherwise. The car was originally titled in California. It got transferred about 18 months after he bought it. Does that still apply?

    -Brian
     
  11. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Hi Brian,

    Well, when you inspect the car, you can read the warranty docs and see what they say. My understanding is that the vehicle must have been initially sold in CA (or other PZEV states), and licensed and operated in CA (or PZEV states). If you read something different in the warranty book pls let me know!
     
  12. BrianV

    BrianV New Member

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    We got the car. We ended up getting it for $22750 with a bunch of accessories as well.

    We're loving it! One thing that's got me confused is that the manual mentions the headlights having Auto On/Off. There's a picture of the Auto setting in the manual yet it does NOT exist on the car. Not a big deal, but it's a feature we've gotten used to.

    Is this a supported feature on 2006.
     
  13. jazzbazzfazz

    jazzbazzfazz New Member

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    I just got a 2006 with the "everything-but-leather" package. It was a salvage title, had been in a front wreck and was rebuilt by a garage that has rebuilt a dozen or so over the past 6 months. They restored it to excellent condition (a couple of wear marks on the exterior, missing trunk shade in the back).

    Had 25K miles, I paid $14,000. Seemed like a no brainer, even taking into account that we may have an unforeseen issue or two going forward.

    So far (after 4 days) I love the car!
     
  14. jazzbazzfazz

    jazzbazzfazz New Member

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    P.S. We couldn't find the auto-headlight feature either...I think it was an option