Is a well maintained, high mileage Prius worth it?

No that is not a good deal imho. Like any other car 205k is usually end of life which is particularly expensive in a Prius to an owner that wants to keep it on the road. Taxi companies are undaunted by this mileage figure but have resources and parts you do not have.

Oil changes are nice but you really want to see a few transmission fluid change's in there at that mileage. Most you won't since Toyota calls the fluid a "Lifetime" fluid. Everyone here knows that's ridiculous. A transmission failure soon after purchase will immediately mitigate all reasons you bought the Prius in the first place. That and there's so many other expensive things that could go wrong. The hybrid battery can get you too. You didn't bother to list your locale so not sure if your in a CARB state which is different warranty length on the hybrid pack.

I recommend you do some reading over at lusciousgarage.com a premier servicer of high mileage Prius for there real life experience on Prius longevity.

Now...having said all that if your a mechanic and have a bitchin' set of tools and think nothing of pulling a trans out of a car up on jackstands then maybe its for you.

 

You might get lucky, but if it were me I would save up some more money and buy a newer one with less miles on it. Prius is a great car, but has some expensive parts on it that do wear out over time. If 8500 is your number, you should have at least 4000 stashed away in case the transaxle, traction battery, and or inverter fails. Each one of those items are a healthy 4 digit repair unless you do the work yourself and go in with used parts. Yes, parts are available on Ebay and in the junk yards etc, but you will be without a car while the Prius is broke down.

Like Ed said, if you are a mechanic with a good set of tools and don't mind doing the work yourself then go for it. Otherwise I would either raise some more capital or consider putting that 8500 down on a later model "Certified Pre Owned" Prius.

 

Craigslist in my area has had quotes on quite a few 04 and 05 Prius with milages much less in that price range. You than have to figure a way to determine the real condition of the vehicle.

I bought a high mileage prius recently and only time will tell if it was a good idea.

The other car I started looking at were 03 and later corollas.

JMO, get familiar with kbb.com for values and walk away from any deal you are not fully comfortable with. Make a plan on what you want to check on a vehicle to check its condition. And, again, if you have ANY reservations about the seller, walk away.

Good luck.

 

where you at? that is a ton of money for an 05 with 200k!

 

Keep these guys in your contact list in case you need to replace the main battery they are much cheaper than the dealer


Greentecauto - Hybrid Battery Replacement | Specializing in Honda Civic and Toyota Prius Hybrid Battery Replacement | Hybrid BatteriesGreentecauto – Hybrid Battery Replacement | Specializing in Honda Civic and Toyota Prius Hybrid Battery Replacement | Hybrid Batteries

 

I would keep looking for a cheap Prius. They last a long time. You may need to do an expensive repair at times but that is true for every used car.
The best way to be sure you will not loose money on repair bills is to buy a new car. A Nissan Versa is only $10k. It's not much more than an iPhone bill if you get a loan.

 

greentecauto.com

 

I have a 2001 Ford F-150 ( former Comcast truck) with 240,000 miles, still runs great- I replaced the transmission for $950 (rebuilt) because it was starting to leak. You won't get much of a repair done on a Prius for $1000. This what I did when I bought my 20o7- I shopped around and found the cheapest Prius that was still had a factory warranty- mine was at 35,000 miles and 35 months. I purchased an 8 yr/125,000 Toyota factory warranty for about $1500. My car has 90,000 miles on it and 18 months of warranty left. I want absolutely ZERO surprises when I travel on vacation= you need a warranty.Forget about a high mileage Prius for $6k- look for something like a low mileage Kia instead ( with the balance of a 10yr/100K warranty)

 

You may have already decided what to do, but if not, perhaps our experience will help. 13 months ago we looked at a 2006 with 120,000 miles. Took it to a Toyota dealer for a full checkout ($100). Ended up paying $8200 for the car. Driven 25,000 since then, and only had to replace the 12V battery. Car runs perfectly and averages 45 mpg. Best car I've ever owned.

 

Huge difference between 120 and 205K miles.

 

I am also considering a 2005 I saw on craigs list. for 4500 it has 200k it looks like new. and I think it would make a good car for my daughter. I now have a neon and it is always haveing issues.