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At the Dealership with Private Party '07 for Inspection- Help Me Decide!!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by outsidedogs, Apr 5, 2012.

  1. outsidedogs

    outsidedogs New Member

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    Ok so I am at the dealer with this recently retired gentleman's Prius. Please see the post I wrote yesterday titled "seriously considering...". Well I am at here waiting for the inspection, a 160 point inspection and I would like to pick your collective brains to determine whether to get this specific Prius or wait for another.

    Key points: 2007 Prius Package 2, with 93000 for 10,500 OBO. The current owner bought this on 2009 as a Certified Used from a Toyota dealership w 39k on it. He has been using it to commute to work for the last 3 years. Now just retired and bought a truck.

    Get ready for some info in about 1 hour and you can all help me decide in real time...lol. No, but seriously I would really appreciate any help.

    Cheers and I'll be checking in on my phone routinely.
     
    #1 outsidedogs, Apr 5, 2012
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    seems reasonable if it's in good shape. do you get the 8 yr/100k or 10 yr/150k warranty in iowa? i'm trying to sell my daughters pkg 6, 04 w/94,000 for $9500. or b/o.
     
    #2 bisco, Apr 5, 2012
  3. ETC(SS)

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

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    Greetings and welcome to PC!
    :welcome:

    Here are my two thoughts on the matter...(FWIW)

    If it's not a slam dunk great deal, then you wouldn't be asking for an up/down vote on the issue.
    I, for one, wouldn't do it. The profit margin on the used vehicle side of any dealership is pretty high...like, higher than the new car side mostly. This is because they (try to) maximize the profit both when the vehicle is traded in by the gut that used to drive it, and by the next person who is going to buy the vehicle, which is probably going to be you.
    Let's just say that they sold the vehicle for zero profit both times (yeah, right!).....what's the "Documentation fee" at the dealership? if it's $300---like the last dealership I bought from (last Thursday) then they just turned $600 on one vehicle.

    Pretty nice, huh?

    The Prius is a great car, and they're not uncommon anymore. Even in Iowa.
    If you get one from the dealership instead of going through a private party---which is what you're going to do in this case, then it won't be the end of the world. The G2 will pay you back some of it by saving you some gas money throughout your ownership experience. You're just going to pay the $1,000-2500 extra because darn it, you want one NOW!

    OK...I wandered around a bit and lost track of the two thoughts. Price I pay for AADD.
    1. Examine your budget critically, and see if you need a G2 or if you really just WANT one really, really bad. Wanting one really bad is cool! That's how I was with my first Harley. Just make sure you can afford it! ;)
    2. Look for a private party (non-dealership) G2 or even G3 that's for sale. Even if you have to travel to inspect and get the car, you're still money ahead of where you're going to be in a few hours.

    Good Luck!
    Stick with the forum. Great advice here on Prius ownership!
     
    #3 ETC(SS), Apr 5, 2012
  4. outsidedogs

    outsidedogs New Member

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    Just to clarify for everyone. I am at the dealership to have a PRIVATE PARTY PRIUS inspected. I would be buying not from the dealership but rather an individual seller, in this case a recently retired 66 year old gentleman.

    I am only at the dealership so they can complete a 160 point inspection check, the same one they use to for their certified used program. Cost, the mechanic is inspecting it as we speak, I have already gone back to him while he was inspecting it and said it is looking pretty darn good. I'm sure he will find something, but overall good so far.

    Keep you all updated and once I get done here I still have an hour drive back to his house, so we should have plenty of time to consider everything: what I should offer him, etc

    Cheerio
     
    #4 outsidedogs, Apr 5, 2012
  5. outsidedogs

    outsidedogs New Member

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    Ok here is the deal. she came back clean...real clean. The tech Cody said after the 160 point inspection that everything was good, fluids, mechanical, exterior, interior. He did find a couple of burn marks in the rear which were already disclosed to me.

    I had the service manager looking it over with me, along with the Prius tech, and both said it is easily worth the10,500, but they both thought try 10,000 and hopefully he will take it.

    SO WHAT DO YOU ALL SAY...I HAVE AN HOUR BEFORE I DROP IT BACK OFF...

    Cheers
     
    #5 outsidedogs, Apr 5, 2012
  6. sktn77a

    sktn77a Member

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    Given the current market for the Prius (price of gas and used car values) it sounds like a good deal.
     
    #6 sktn77a, Apr 5, 2012
  7. ETC(SS)

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

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    If it's a clean unit, checked out by an inspector, has a clean, accident-free history (CARFAX) and you can afford it, then I'd say it's a no-brainer.
    The Prius is great car.

    Go for it.

    Best of luck!
    Enjoy the car!!!! :D
     
    #7 ETC(SS), Apr 5, 2012
  8. olerox

    olerox Junior Member

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    Grab it! Buy it, love it! Start smiling. Sounds like a big thumbs up from mechanic.

    I hope both you and your seller are happy with the transaction.
     
    #8 olerox, Apr 5, 2012
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think that's a great dealer. how much did the inspection cost and how long did it take? iydmma.
     
    #9 bisco, Apr 5, 2012
  10. outsidedogs

    outsidedogs New Member

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    Ok everyone - so I made it back home to Iowa City, and YES - I decided to get my new (used) car. I was unable to take my new baby home with me as I was alone, but I intend on going back early next week to pick her up for good.

    I snagged it for $10,000 - the actual cost of my inpection which was only $42.50 - thanx ladies in the Service Department of Clemons Toyota in Ottumwa, Iowa.

    Attached you will see the actual sheet they used and on it the only negative issue that was found was the parking lights do not work. The tech also suggested I replace my cabin filter - but no big deal.

    But LITERALLY - literally - everything else on the check list was check-marked green - not even yellow.

    Lastly, the people here were absolutely Amazing (Lana from Archer) and the Prius Tech, Cody, spend over an hour with it and I threw him $10 at the end - as promised for making sure everything was checked out.

    Thanx again to everyone on here for all the help - I already feel apart of the Prius Family.

    Looking forward to many, many more posts.

    Cheers,
    Rich
     

    Attached Files:

    #10 outsidedogs, Apr 5, 2012
  11. snead_c

    snead_c Jam Ma's Car

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    :welcome: :cheer2:
    Congratulations on purchasing a great car. Read up on the DIY stuff here on Chat and enjoy !
     
    #11 snead_c, Apr 6, 2012
  12. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    A little rain for the parade:

    In the other thread, the VIN for this car was posted. I looked it up, and the car had not yet had the inverter cooling pump recall performed, Limited Service Campaign A0N. This is a fault that could leave you stranded in hot weather. I don't see this mentioned anywhere. Did you ask Cody about it? Or did he fail to enter the VIN and check for recalls?

    I am not a fan of pre-purchase inspections or, even worse, Certified Pre-Owned, and this story is a pretty good example of why.

    Nevertheless, get that inverter pump fixed, look into installing an Optima 12V battery, have your transaxle fluid changed, get the engine coolant changed at 100K, and you will have a strong running car for many 10s of thousands of miles before the next major service (spark plugs).
     
    #12 seilerts, Apr 6, 2012
    2 people like this.
  13. outsidedogs

    outsidedogs New Member

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    Thanx for the reply, and in regards to your query: Yes - they did tell me about the recall - 2 in fact. But I too had done my due diligence because of my research at - where else - Prius Chat. In short, I took all the advice I found on here: Step 1 - acquire VIN from owner, Step 2 - get autocheck or carfax, Step 3 - take Vin onto "My Toyota" and do records, recall, and service check.

    So before I even drove there I had been informed of any recall issues.

    But here is the REAL QUESTION for ya? I had mentioned the transaxle fluid to Cody, and he said that my fluid looks perfect, but there is also no history of it being changed and the current owner said he had not changed it. SO with that said, should I still have that changed when I bring it in for the inverter?

    Also - since I am so close to 100K, would you just do the engine coolant now (can't find that in scheduled maintenance). Basically, if this was your car with 93K and you are just acquiring it and bringing it in for the inverter - what else should I do at the dealer (maybe syn oil, etc)?

    Thanx in advance.
     
    #13 outsidedogs, Apr 6, 2012
  14. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    The engine coolant can be done later rather than sooner, but it might be a convenience to have it done now. That is pretty much a dealer-only job. I'm very surprised if a virgin fill of ATF looks perfect, but I suppose it is possible that it was already done and there is no record of it. There is no great need to put in synthetic oil.

    Anyway, you got a good deal on a car that should give you at least another 100,000 miles with little trouble.
     
    #14 seilerts, Apr 7, 2012
  15. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    If you aren't getting the inverter pump recall done straight away, then at least make sure that it is working (getting flow in inverter coolant reservoir) before you drive it very far.
     
    #15 uart, Apr 7, 2012
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