170K Miles....Maybe its time to replace the suspension? I need help figuring this out

Just drive it till it dies, but keep up with the service schedule.

 

Like munpot says drive it till the wheels fall off. Don't put a dime in it. Your approaching diminishing returns at 170K.

Btw, did you ever change the trans fluid?

 

Clean at 135k? Wow.

Well you got alot that may creep up in the future. Most likely the Hybrid battery or the cvt. And an 04 at 170+ is not worth putting $3000 into imo. Just drive it real easy. Keep clean Inverter coolant in it and take it real easy on going up hills. Don't know where you live as you didn't put that in your profile but watch the SOC when going up hills. It may go another 100K!

 

1. I live on a gravel road, is there a good suspension that can handle this? No.
2. Is it worth getting the suspension replaced? Yes, if you plan to keep the car and want to improve your ride quality - especially if you can contribute the labor content.
3. Would it be better to get a new Prius? Depends upon if you have sufficient funds and no better alternate use for them.
4. What else should I be worried about at 170k Miles. How long the traction battery, inverter and transaxle will last.

 

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

 

I have no idea what this guy's on about... I drive my Prius offroad quite a bit in the summer (BLM roads) and it does just fine.

Are you sure your suspension needs replacement? Did you give it the bounce test? Have you inspected the struts for leakage?

The trouble you'll go through to analyze the condition of those various parts are for naught. There is no crystal ball that'll tell you exactly when something will fail. Just take the advice of the others: drive it until the wheels fall off.

 

Just bring it to Sears and ask them to evaluate the suspension. They will put the car on a lift and show you a few things and provide a quote if needed. Sears has some cheap struts if they need a replacement. It's worth it to take the car to 2 or 3 different places and compare notes and quotes. If you have a Trusted Advisor mechanic then go that route.

However.

170,000 Miles is plenty. With a Prius you are heading into some expensive repair scenarios. It is the time when you start to think about replacing the car and prepare for the next journey. I drove a Honda Civic 250,000 miles it was a decade old. It was such a welome process to trade it in at the dealer and get a new car. Today with 0% financing you can buy a car for a song and a dance.

I had a 2006 BMW 325 I that I sold with 110,000 miles and 6 years old. Got about 15K for it paid a bill off and put half as a new down payment. It was time the car was an albatross and the headache and repair costs were not worth it. The car was not reliable like a Honda or Toyota. Getting a new Prius provided the Peace of Mind of worry free motoring. Your old car is a Problem waiting to happen. It was a good car but time for 2 old friends to part ways.

Just my opinion, not worth much.

 

What does "change the suspension" mean to you? Does this mean replacing the front struts and rear shocks? Or does this mean that you also want to replace the coil springs?

In any event, I do not think you have many choices. With regards to Toyota-branded parts, you can choose between the "base" and "Touring" suspension parts. Another member had posted with part numbers needed to convert base to Touring.

You can also buy KYB-branded parts. KYB is the original equipment supplier and its not clear whether the KYB-branded parts are better, worse, or the same as original equipment.

I believe you may also be able to find other alternatives, but I haven't heard of any that would make me sit up and take notice. Good luck with your choice.

Regarding the inverter and transaxle, since the failure tends to be electrical in nature, there typically is no advance notice. One day you are fine; the next your instrument panel looks like a Christmas tree.

If the transaxle has a pending mechanical failure (like a bearing) you would typically start to hear unusual noises from that area.

The traction battery is aging and deteriorating over time. It's unclear how much more life you can get out of it, but after 9 years and 170K miles, consider each additional day of service to be a bonus.

 

Hey Kid your all right. At least your thinking about your options. No matter what path you choose money will be your ticket so always good to save alittle.

I did not purchase my first new car from a dealer until 4 years after I graduated college. It was a Black Honda Civic SI with a stick. Man it was a pleasure to drive. The most enjoyable part was every morning it started up. I had my share of hand me down cars and the endless repairs.

Best of luck. Who knows that Prius may go another 100,000 miles without a hickup or Bam today is the day of reckoning. I like Prius but when stuff goes wrong it is a financial calamity on a grand scale. At the least you are aware and preparing.

 

Yes.

Let's do some simple math. Buying a new Prius, you'll instantly lose several thousand dollars (let's say $4k) in depreciation alone. Let's say your current Prius will last you another 5 years. $4k / 5 years is almost $1k a year. That's a LOT of repair bills you'll have to rack up just to break even with the new Prius scenario.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

So is it broken?

 

Suspension.

Ok...new struts (ever change struts yourself ?) + lca's with BJ's + stab links +sb bushings. Man oh man that's alot of work. You never mentioned cv joints and its maybe not possible your still one the oem's but lets throw them in. That's about $1000 just in parts alone. And days of labor and alot of tools if DIY. Oh and while your were in there you noticed the front brake cyl's slaves are weeping. Oh goody thats dealer only. Thats $500 alone usually dealer only. Swell. And on and on and on. All of a sudden you have $15oo in the front end. Sweet!

Rear end is maybe $300. Pushing a deuce now and got a really nice rolling 170,000 miles + counting car.

Any one of these really common failures will knock you out:

Hybrid Battery
CVT
Steering
ABS Actuator
Clock Spring
Blown Engine
AC Compressor

Plus ongoing maintenance.

 

o/p, why do you keep harping on the suspension?

 

1. How long is the gravel road? If it's only a mile or two, a standard suspension is fine.
2. Unless you have really uneven tire wear and a horribly bouncy ride, you're wasting your money.
3. Only if you can afford it and plan to drive it for a long, long, loooooong time.
4. Don't worry, be happy you drive a Prius.

Did you put the 170K miles on your Prius or did you buy it used?

I have put 55K miles on my 05. I bought it used with 135K miles in Oct 2010. I have had no problems with it and have not replaced any parts (not counting regular maintenance stuff) except for a headlight leveling sensor.

 

Me or him?

 

Just as I said. I like Prius but when stuff goes wrong it is a financial calamity on a grand scale.
That gasoline Honda Civic is looking better.

 

Oh I see you just slid the O/p in there.
But you have a point. Its been beat to death.
Moving on........