2003 old not dead-must go-Need advice on reasonable options

Hello,

I've got a 2003 Prius and while I love having a Hybrid and the gerbils powering it seem to be holding up well, I am just not car-saavy enough to do any level of justice for maintaining an older car.
Also, my mother has recently been declared unable to drive, so the family decided that me taking on her relatively unused car (a 2009 Pontiac, oooooo, so modern!) would be the most beneficial for everyone in the long run.

I found this site while trying to figure out one of the recent issues and hoping some of you might be able to provide a better framework of the car value or recommend some hierarchy of options.. (or conversely mention any red flags to definitely avoid?)

Sorry that I'm not very concise here, so HUGE thanks if you read all the way through to the end.

Really any and all perspectives/opinions/insights/pitfall warnings would be HUGELY appreciated!!
Thank you!
Liz
---
The catches here are:

• we'll be doing this exchange within the next month
  • I'll be going to MA probably in ~1-1.5 weeks, then driving that car back down to MD with temp tags after at most a week up there.)
• I can afford a short overlap of insurance on the vehicles, and can probably talk with my mgmt co about a little leeway about the parking, but I can't just leave an unused car in the lot for too long without causing drama, I expect.
• I am stuck between the anxiety of not wanting to get ripped off, hating the game of dealerships, but I know the car isn't pristine, needs some fixes and I may not have the time or money to actually address them.

2003 Toyota Prius - 116,196 - Light green/Teal coloring

• Base model but with a package? or just it already included::
• Navigation system
  • still the 2003 maps DVD that it came with, which for the most part has worked fine for me
    • just used Waze on phone as backup if needed. Works for general orientation and broadest directions quite well. gets amusing when driving into completely "new" post 2003 housing neighborhoods though
  • Side question: If anyone happens to know if there is ANY way to download/print out the saved address/flag list from the Navigation system, PLEASE let me know.
    • I've resigned to having to hand copy them all, but as a techie, it seems crazy/hard to accept that it would be completely impossible.. (Even if just the answer is only a dealer could do it but a lowly owner couldn't.. I swear I had asked one about it a few years back, but never got an answer)
• ~mid to high 30s mpg (If "Gas Buddy" app log report is accurate, used for last 5 years)
  • mostly used for local short drives (<30min).
  • Does better on longer highway drives, of course
  • I've kept service up, so I don't know why it's not higher.
    • if this is a normal decline in mpg of time
      or if there's something more I should have somehow known to have done for it.
• CarFax: ~$5k retail, $2.3k trade-in
• KBB: "Good" condition: $2.7k Private Party, ~$1k trade-in
  • I don't know how reliable either of these numbers are. KBB seems less so, since it's very very generic, but maybe CarFax is too optimistic?

Known Issues:

• Crack in ride side of front bumper
  • from sliding off the road into a trimmed dead bush in winter years ago.
  • Couldn't afford the fix at the time, and honestly completely forget about it. (yes bad handling, I know)
• Driver Door twitches with key fob lock/unlock, but doesn't actually unlock.
  • Must use key in door or someone inside can unlock from the door switch.
  • double turning will fully lock & unlock the rest of the doors.
• Driver side Back Door cannot be opened from the inside, regardless of lock position.
  • Using key in driver door does impact the outside handle though.
  • How I found this site actually, and purely guessing from symptoms and these posts:
    a "Door Actuator" or some related part to that needs replacement?
    • Problem with door locks on 2003 - this forum
    • Door Won't Lock/Unlock, Replacing Actuator? (although for gen3/2009? )
• Back seat flip down cup holder VERY recently snapped off or out?
  • I have the cup holder part itself still in the car, just not sure what actually happened to it.
  • if something broke off of it that can't be fixed, if there is some joint part that can be slipped back in place or a connector part that could be replaced.
  • Kicked myself when it happened, but no time to investigate what
• Minor dimples in body from normal 14 years of use
• Could use a detailing but no interior damage
• could use a car wash .. just always seems to be raining when I remember that.

Positives:

• Full New set of tires - mid July 2017 (didn't know yet about all this)
• Hybrid Battery was replaced in 2009
  • due to some system failure, don't recall specifics anymore, The replacement was a surprise to me, but it was completely covered by warranty, so I wasn't going to protest.
  • (Mentioned since I recall reading some posts about concerns about replacing the battery or age of it?.. it's not entirely as old as the car in my case)
• I'm the Sole Owner
• I'm 90% sure I have all ...3?... sets of keys...
  • Honestly just haven't dug them out of their intentionally scattered backups spots yet.
• I've kept as many receipts and records of everything done for the car as possible.
  • in a couple catch all folders, sadly not some great organized system.
• it's been a reliable little workhorse/work-gerbil for me, with admittedly no auto expertise.

---

As far as I can tell, my Options seem to be:

• Take it to CarMax and maybe get handed $50
  • (hoping this is sarcasm.. never heard of them before, but they seem to be a common reference now? but read that you can't expect more than maybe 1/3 of what other places might give? )
• Try to go to various autobody places to get quotes,
  • THEN go to car lots to see what they'd offer without those repairs done vs after?
• Try to donate the car for some sort of tax deduction? (but I have no idea how that works)
• Try to sell it on Craigslist without knowing what pricing would be, plus extra stress of hagglers, etc.
• Try to find someone to buy it for parts? (no idea where or how to negotiate that)

Thoughts? Ideas? Recommendations? for whether it's worth anything as is? any point to selling or donate or just scrap somewhere?

Thank you again!
Liz

 

Thank you very very much, everyone! I am definitely reading all of these!
I guess next I'll try scanning the Craiglist sections near here (MD) for some sold listings to see if they can give any closer ballpark options. I'm checking Maryland Public Television's site about their donation process and how they handle valuation/receipts etc.
(still stuck in that purgatory between ease of process, yet potential lack of monetary benefit (donation)
and getting into a position of having to haggle when I know I'm not experienced enough to have much of any advantage (craigslist). HEH. )

Thank you!

 

Heh, so one last update here...

Just before, I went home for Thanksgiving, the check engine light came on.
I took it to get checked after I got back aaaaaaand the catalytic convertor has to be replaced.

(but hey, I also learned the driver side back door was just fine.. apparently there is a child lock.. it's just completely mechanical and not accessible by any visible switch anywhere else in the car, on the side of the door and at some point in probably the last couple of years, it must have just gotten bumped... felt stupid when it was pointed out, HAH
but you live, you learn.) ​

Soooo, I guess one brief attempt at a Craigslist post for a completely AS IS quick sale.
Then just accept the utter loss. since nearly every donation site I can find is going to try to sell it at auction anyway and subtract their repairs or other fees, and then the tax deduction would be a minor % of that.. and with this repair now required, it might be pointless. (sigh)

Thank you all for your help though!