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Picking up Prius in a few days, what should I look for before signing the paperwork?

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Main Forum' started by thnok, Apr 19, 2023.

  1. thnok

    thnok Member

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    Hey there, I’m picking up my XLE Prius in a few days. Super excited for this car. What should I look for during the inspection before signing the paperwork at the dealership?
     
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  2. CooCooCaChoo

    CooCooCaChoo Active Member

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    Recent paint/bodywork. Would indicate that it was in an accident in transit and was repaired.

    Pull up the carpeting in the back to make sure everything under there is accounted for.

    Turn on all the lights and accessories. Turn on the heat and the AC.
     
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  3. thnok

    thnok Member

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    Appreciate it! How do I check about this? Is it more of visual inspection/different colors?
     
  4. CooCooCaChoo

    CooCooCaChoo Active Member

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    More of a visual inspection. Paint should match perfectly so if you notice it going from one shade to another, it's a possible indication.
     
  5. ColoradoCrow

    ColoradoCrow Active Member

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    Check for body panel gaps... Manual...spare tire ,inflator ,tow hook ,etc, seat heaters work.. Tire tread...everything you would look at on a used car....just be 100X more picky...
     
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  6. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Is anyone going to ask if it's new or used? OP asked in the new gen5 forum.

    New cars come with a check list they are supposed to give you. Make sure it's followed through and correct.
     
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  7. ColoradoCrow

    ColoradoCrow Active Member

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    I just looked on the OP sig and I remembered him from the thread about trying to find out where his new car was during its delay at the port for the QC control and assumed it was new.
     
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  8. thnok

    thnok Member

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    oh yeah this is brand new.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Tire pressures.
     
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  10. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Are the rubber body plugs still being left out by the Toyota dealers?
     
  11. daisy555

    daisy555 Senior Member

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    So how do you handle it if there’s a scratch or rippled softex etc. A while back I thought someone mentioned part of the paperwork signed during purchase includes a statement concerning potential bodywork repairs. Something about making sure it states less than a certain amount of damage. Pretty sure I didn’t imagine this. : }
     
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    That was me. Here’s the thing though: that paperwork is not handed down from on high; it’s a “proposal”, carefully crafted by car sellers, for them. They will present this as gospel, but feel free to edit, and ask them to initial the revisions.

    The typical “proposal” up here says the car could have sustained 20% of its retail value in bodywork, and they don’t even need to disclose it. That is not legislation, just their proposal.

    Most any buyer would take this to be preposterous, because it is. you’re perfectly within your rights to edit this. And sadly, consider the current sellers market, they can tell you to take it or leave it.

    My 2 cents: if you’ve got semi-reliable wheels, nows a lousy time to be new car shopping. Let others rush in.
     
  13. Corellon

    Corellon Junior Member

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    This... I didn't check but when I did found out the the tires were filled to 55psi when the door jam only calls for 35/33 and the tire itself is rated only to 51psi
     
  14. Hammersmith

    Hammersmith Senior Member

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    Just for the record, the tire can handle being inflated past its sidewall rating, it just can't handle being driven at that pressure. The tires are deliberately overinflated when they're being shipped from overseas so that the tires don't develop flat spots when the cars sit might stationary for a month or more. The dealership is supposed to adjust the pressure to the door jam specs when the car arrives at the dealership, but obviously some don't do their job. The reason why is likely because cars manufactured in North America typically don't have tires overinflated for shipping because their transit times are generally only a week or so. This might cause a dealership to get complacent if 90%+ of their new inventory comes from NA plants.

    The other big thing to check are the body plugs. Toyota normally throws these in the glovebox to be installed by the dealer. Lazy dealerships often skip this. They either leave them in the glove box or just toss them out. For those of us in wet/cold climates, these plugs are important. If you're in a rust belt state(where salt is used on roads in the winter), these plugs are critical. If I found out the tires were still overinflated, I'd demand to have them put the car on a lift and show me the plugs were installed.
     
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    You can check the plugs without car on a lift. You pretty much have to lie down, look up, just forward of rear wheel wells, and slightly inboard of the crimped seam. Great safety stand place btw.
     
  16. joe1347

    joe1347 Active Member

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    Actually having the car you ordered might be step one, given the problems we'll all having finding one. ;)

    And please feel free to rub it in - with lots of pictures after you get it
     
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  17. aforkosh

    aforkosh Active Member

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    Mine were in the neighborhood of 50psi. I loweered them to 41psi front and 39psi back.
     
  18. Hammersmith

    Hammersmith Senior Member

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    Of course. But if I've just dropped $40k or more on a new vehicle and I think the dealership has cut corners in the prep, the hell I'm going to get on my back to check their work. They can just go ahead and put that bad boy up on a lift so I can check their work in comfort. ;)
     
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  19. Jim Call

    Jim Call Member

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    Is there some reason you aren't following the recommended pressures? 41/39 is way high compared to the 35/33 recommended!
     
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  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    been recommended around here for years for better mileage and wear.