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Is it wise to buy a 2005 Prius in 2017?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Tapash, Feb 6, 2017.

  1. Tapash

    Tapash Junior Member

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    Hi all. First of I am not a prius owner yet. But I thought I could use the advantages of this forum before I plunge into something I might be regretting about in future if I do not take wise decision.

    I am not a car expert. And about to buy my first car. I came across a 2005 Prius with 125k miles. 3rd owner. It had a minor accident, headlight broken, which was repaired. Owner is selling it for below £2000.

    My friends suggested not to buy any car above 70k miles. But just because its "Prius" I thought It might be an exception, due to its economical and environment friendly !! Moreover, I do not want to /afford to spend
    More than £2000 at the moment.

    My usage might be no more than 6k miles per year. What you guys think about this car and what should I be looking out for when inspecting this car? What are the chances it would start giving trouble after couple of months? Or should I just not bother buying this at all?? Any suggestion would be much appreciated.


    iPhone ?
     
  2. xpcman

    xpcman Senior Member

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    Age effects the battery along with miles driven. Over all I suspect this car is not a good buy given your lack of funds for repairs.
     
  3. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    A hybrid may not be right for you. An older hybrid with an aging battery does not like to sit unused.
    It will get out of balance the longer you let it sit.
    The hybrid battery is 12 years old, and if you keep it a few years it is likely to need a replacement. (Several thousand dollars to replace.)

    If you plan on buying it you would want to invest in some diagnostic tools right away so that you can diagnose problems that come up.

    You might be better putting that same money ito a non-hybrid like a Toyota Corolla or Camry. Or a Honda Fit.
     
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  4. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    A Prius does not necessarily save someone money. It is for someone to save fuel. The distinction is important. You may save money on fuel but it may not offset the cost or maintenance of the vehicle. In this case, a 12 year old vehicle may be in serious need of maintenance. It may make more sense to buy a newer more reliable vehicle with the same money.

    In other words, if all I had was 2000 pounds, I'd try to buy the newest vehicle I can afford. It will likely not be a Prius or a BMW.
     
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  5. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    On average, Prius are very reliable and need few repairs. But if it does they are very expensive ($3000 to $5000, 1600 to 4000 pounds)

    So while they are frugal with petrol, I do not recommend them to those with no buffer of cash in case something goes amiss.

    Should you decide to go forward, changing the ATF WS periodically, and never using jumper cables are your best shots at avoiding big repairs.
     
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  6. Tapash

    Tapash Junior Member

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    Thanks all of you for your valuable input. Its definitely helps me make a decision.
    I just asked the seller about the battery, he mentioned the battery has been replaced and currently its not the original one in the car.

    @ericbecky what diagnostic tools can I get to check mechanical and battery status of the vehicle?


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  7. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Ask for specifics about the hybrid battery.
    Was it from Toyota? If so then ask to see the receipt or get 1st hand confirmation from the dealer when it was done.

    If it was a rebuild then find out exactly who rebuilt it. Name, address, phone of the company and find out if there is any warranty. Ask to see a printed copy of the warranty.

    If you have an Android device...
    Download the Torque app.
    Buy a Bluetooth OBDII reader. I the US they are less than $20.
     
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  8. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    12 pounds amazon.co.uk/d/ijq/Torque-Pro-Elm-327-Android-OBD-Bluetooth/B01AC7I7BO
     
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  9. Tapash

    Tapash Junior Member

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    Thanks to all who responded here!! Really appreciate your knowledge and kindness.


    What should I be looking for in the app when connected ODB device to car? App seems to have lot of options!! Anything specific I should pay attention to?
     
  10. PaperPrius

    PaperPrius New Member

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    My 2005 Prius, which I bought in '05 with 5000 miles, lasted me right at 11 years and well over 300k miles. I bought a 2007 last year with ~124k miles, and I'm in the process of replacing the HV battery with just over 145k miles on the odometer. In my experience, the more miles per year the better. The Prius seems to do better at over 10k per year.
     
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  11. breakfast

    breakfast Active Member

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    That's 100% consistent with EricBecky's statement, which I agree with, that "An older hybrid with an aging battery does not like to sit unused". I would go even further and say that *any hybrid does not like to sit unused*
     
  12. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Last ,onth I came across a 40,000 mile Honda Insight, model year 2001.
    As you can imagine, the hybrid battery was trashed
     
  13. PaperPrius

    PaperPrius New Member

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    And I think the battery from the '05, with a guesstimated 360k miles, might still be good. It's showing a P0A80 code, but no others for the battery, and the fan was so clogged with dust, there was little to no airflow. The code might just have been from the temp going too high, which could have shut down the system before the battery was damaged.
     
  14. Tapash

    Tapash Junior Member

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    Thanks guys for your replies.
    I have ended up buying a 2008 model 82k for £4100. Thought it to be a good deal.

    Picked up this morning and drove around 40 miles on the way. Sweet ride... couldnt be happier :)
     
  15. PaperPrius

    PaperPrius New Member

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    I hope that's 82k miles, not km, and ~10k miles/year it still a bit low to me. You might consider getting the HV battery balanced, and possibly reconditioned, to avoid problems with it. This is just my opinion based upon the research I've done due to my failed battery experience.
     
  16. Tapash

    Tapash Junior Member

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    Thanks for sharing your experience! Yes its 82k miles!! Most cars in UK are in miles.

    It has Leather interior, T spirit version. Jbl audio, Conditions of Leather looked very light use, so, i thought I grabbed a bargain...

    Its history matches up with all paperworks. I like to learn about technical stuff, was watching online some videos of replacing cells on troubled hv battery. I think it would be a fun thing to do if I run into a battery problem. I still hope it doesn't happen... Fingers crossed!!!

    How to do HV battery balanced? Can it be as DIY? Any useful resources Of how to do it?
    Is battery reconditioned meaning replacement of the entire HV battery system?
     
    #16 Tapash, Feb 16, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2017
  17. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Search this site for Hybrid Automotive Prolong Grid Charger.
     
  18. PaperPrius

    PaperPrius New Member

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    Are you agreeing with my assessment that a reconditioning is probably in order? I don't want to give bad advice, and you know far more than I do about hybrids.
     
  19. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Conditioning may help but I couldn't really say, I was just answering his questions: