2003 Prius/92K mi/$14900 - Should I buy? asks Newbie

First, go to Ebay and check prices for completed sales. This is your current, free market price.

You didn't mention any 'self maintenance,' and when buying a used car, this is how you mitigate repair costs. Without the ability to do your own maintenance, there is a risk buying any used car.

Of the two options, the 2004-current, NHW20 model is a better deal because that car has an improved traction battery and control laws that work better at midwest speeds. The NHW11 works best in urban areas and speeds under 70 mph.

The NHW11, 2003 Prius has 8,000 miles of warranty remaining on the battery and inverter. This is better than none but we don't know what service it has seen before. To really know if the battery is in good shape, the dealer needs to report the 19, module voltages and even this is of somewhat limited utility. One advantage is coming from the northeast, it hasn't suffered the heat stress that ages traction batteries.

If you have a primary car and feel comfortable with self-maintenance, the NHW11 can be a very good commuting car. Keep the speeds under 70 mph and it should work out fine. But if this is going to be the only car, no.

We have learned a few tricks about NHW11 maintenance:

• transaxle oil - needs to be changed every 30k miles
• inverter coolant - needs to be changed every 60k miles but must be done carefully to avoid air locks
• wheel alignment - remains a challenge even for dealers

Bob Wilson

 

Those prices seem way high for such high mileage cars. If that is a true picture of the market (I don't think it is), I'd get the Corolla, or something else.
As stated above, if your are going to buy into a high mileage car, you need to have some DIY automotive repair, maintence experience and tools.
I don't quite follow the alternative of non hybrid and new hybrid to a used high mileage first choice. Seems it would be the other way around.
You should do some more looking around and consider buying from an individual. Avoid the dealer markup and sales tax.

 

I drove a first gen prius back in 2003 and could not get out of it fast enough. It was the worst handling most unsafe feeling car I'd ever been in. The Gen II is a world of difference. Very much like an average non performance basic sedan. The touring steps it up a bit and makes it even slightly sporty.

Also, given the used market state, and the fact that dealers are selling at MSRP or even lower if you're willing to wait, it makes no sense at all to buy a used Prius when you can get it cheaper buying new. Is it worth saving $4K on a new one to have a used one with 120K miles? Makes no sense whatsover. I suspect everyone who votes in your poll will select the last option for you. It's a no brainer.

 

An older Prius can remain quite reliable. However if you are unlucky and have a problem, dealer repairs are extremely expensive. It is unlikely that you will find a competent independent hybrid shop in the Midwest.

Since you find that the price for a lower-mileage used vehicle is near MSRP of a new Prius, then it makes sense to get on the waiting list for a new 2009. Note that the 2009 model year will be the last year of production for the current model.

 

I'm assuming you are trying to make the smartest personal finance decision here.

How much driving per car, and what will the city/highway mix be for each car ? Next question might be how often trips are less than 10 miles on a cold engine. These answers will help you estimate fuel savings compared to a hybrid.

Subscribe to Consumer Reports, and look carefully at the reliability records for models you are considering. Positively obtain a GOOD mechanic check of any used car you might buy.

Which all amounts to explaining my bias: used hybrids are overpriced this month. Buy heavily depreciated but reliable 5 - 7 year old cars now, and save for 2011 - 2012 hybrids.

 

The completed sales on ebay do not provide much specifics at the moment. A 2003 with 180 k miles sold for about $7000, and one with 130k miles for about $9000.
Kelly Blue Book sets the private party value at $10-12,000 based on condition. This seems like the right price range to me. If the dealer won't 'face reality', and funds are tight, a used Corolla, Civic, Accord or Camry would probably provide good service.

Bob mentioned twice to stay under 70 mph, which must solely relate to increased fuel burn at high speeds. IMHO the little Prius is a prefectly adequate car for long flat midwestern highway flying. It's potentially unsafe of course, and you should have very good tires, but some states take a long time to cross at 55 mph!

I will also suggest that the coolants change interval should be 30k miles, unless you switch to SLLC coolant with a 50k mile interval.

 

$14900 sounds pretty high. I got a 2002 with 77k from a 3rd party dealer just less than 1 year ago for $9500. It's been working perfectly fine, and now at 86k, still have 14k warranty on the hybrid system.

PS: This is in Los Angeles, where hybrids seem to be in more demand these days.

 

Look up posts under my name, to read about pain it was when my inverter pump went out. The car really wasn't designed for the average dyi'er like me, and many mechanics aren't that familiar with it, and it does have some weak spots -like any - that appear with age and mileage. For that much money, seems like going for a basic model new car would be much better buy.