Possible purchase question

In that condition? I love fixing stuff. If the seller could deliver it for free and I had enough enclosed room to work on it, I might accept it as a project and not charge them for taking it off their hands. If I had nothing else to do.

 

I would hook up a working 12v source, stick a bluetooth adapter in the OBD2 port and read any codes. Better yet, do the same with Techstream.

Could be a workable project car, fix or replace the HV battery and the 12v.. and whatever else is wrong

Passed over a 2005 with 360k for $200 recently, didn't even go look at it. Thought about it though, lol

 

Sounds like it sat in the sun, never waxed? How do the headlights look, UV fogged? Electrical problem, could be big, or minor?

But yeah, for that price, why not.

 

Any way you slice that, it's a project.
So the deciding factor to me wouldn't be the buy in cost...$800 is bicycle cost. The deciding factor would be how much DIY, project do you want to embrace or feel you could embrace? How much further would you be able to invest financially? How much would you be willing? At what point, would $800 + whatever it costs to get it running again, go past simply getting something different?

Impossible to really evaluate value, because nobody really knows what you are buying. But it's a non-running, 14 year old Prius, with at the very least an "electrical problem".
That's not a particularly uplifting calling card, unless you're looking for a project, and can absorb the time, effort and money that project might entail.

That would be my standard for purchase, as well as being able to just take the gamble. There is a possibility, you buy this vehicle for $800, and find out Resurrection would be way too costly.
If you can't afford to lose $800? Then I also wouldn't do it.

But if you are seeking a project?
Willing to take a gamble?
Can afford to possibly lose $800.-at the least.
Have the financial resources and willingness to potentially have to invest a significant amount more. It's well into Hybrid Battery failure zone. -Having not run in at least a year, is also a bleak calling card.

Then and only then would I possibly put that $800 into that slot machine.

Overall?
Well I'm NOT a DIY person. I don't have the garage, space or tools. For me? It would easily be, why should I pay someone $800 to take their problem off their hands?

 

Well there you have it.- Run from this...

And don't hate me too much, if a neighbor ends up buying it, and then has a perfectly good running Prius after replacing a burned out fuse.

I'm just kidding...but that would make me feel bad.

 

the hybrid battery is likely fine, '04's were a beast. finding electrical problems in a prius can be tricky, even with tech stream and the on line service manual. that would be my biggest concern.
if you're up to it, it may be the best year for the gen 2, other than being the oldest. we get way more complaints about 06 and 07's.

 

How can you definitely say that?

This is a gamble, and without hands on testing and operation I don't think anyone knows what shape the Hybrid battery is in. BUT..

It's a 14 year old Prius, with over 100,000 miles on it, that isn't running and evidently hasn't run in over a year. The current owner is somewhat mercurial only admitting to a "Electrical Problem".

If I was placing a bet, and gambling?
I'd be far more apt to say it's likely there IS a problem with the Hybrid Battery than that it is likely to be fine. Sit any decade plus, Hybrid Battery, without running for a year? And my betting chip is going on Red for the positive cable, and Black for the negative, because Hybrid Battery failure could be the biggest problem right out of the gate.

If this Prius was starting and running, I'd still warn a potential buyer that possible Hybrid Battery failure could be something on the horizon. Certainly I'm staying with that warning when the same situation is...vehicle has sat for at least a year, and isn't starting.

 

i can't, that's why i said likely. that leave s a bit of room for 'not fine'. but there are a ton of '04's on the road with original batteries. my neighbor has my old one and still getting 50 mpg at 150,000 miles. in fact, it has had any repairs except recalls and when the deer hit the front end.

 

That's because they're still on the road. The odds of there being "tons" of 04's with good batteries that have been sitting for a year in the Arizona sun are about...... zero.

 

okay! my apologies to tem and foto. i sit corrected.

 

$800 for ANY Prius is a deal that I'll never see here in So Cal. The minimum for any running car here seems to be around $2,000. This is, in part, due to California's scrap program that'll give you $1k for any old car you turn into the state... so everything for sale here is inflated by $1k over the rest of the country. It's the "tax" we pay for living in this region unfortunately.

So for me, heck yes I'd buy that Prius in a heartbeat!

 

For $800, you’ll have good scrap value for some parts. You could probably sell the engine for that .

If the owner would let you prior to purchasing, I’d bring a 12 volt and I’d hook Techstream up and see where it takes you.

I bet the family and friends didn’t have a great diagnostic tool and were on the “throw parts at it” routine.

But if the boss won’t approve, “yes dear” can also work .