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2007 Prius with stolen CAT...worth it to fix?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Lillaana, Jun 21, 2020.

  1. Lillaana

    Lillaana New Member

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    In Calif...a seller is offering a 2007 Prius Hatchback 4D with 189K commuter miles on it for $1,500...catalytic converter was stolen. Needed for Cal licensing. Is it worth buying and fixing for my college student, or should I steer clear? I am not a mechanic, but I've heard that dealer costs to replace are 2K+ and aftermarket can be much cheaper. Is it worth it to worry about this purchase or just move on?
     
    #1 Lillaana, Jun 21, 2020
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Aftermarket catalytic converters are not allowed in California and buying an original Toyota one cost thousands of dollars. But in some cases very inexpensive aftermarket catalytic converters go un-noticed and you pass your smog inspection without issue. This '07 is a great deal and worth way more than the asking price if you succeed with inexpensive aftermarket catalytic and you have auto repair skills to handle any other work that may be needed. PriusChat can walk your through almost any repair. However if you don't work on cars and don't want to gamble on getting an aftermarket catalytic fix, then you should probably save money and just spend $3K on a used non-hybrid economy car.
     
    #2 PriusCamper, Jun 21, 2020
  3. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Welcome to PriusChat!!

    Aftermarket options for the Prius aren't allowed in CA (or NY / MA) at this time, or don't pass CARB testing requirements for manufactures.

    Will the vehicle be parked indoors at all times, as it may be stolen again after replacing. It only takes about 2 minutes or less to steal such.

    Unless the student is driving 20k miles or more per year, it generally doesn't make economic sense. There are additional repair issues that could appear as well given the vehicle age and mileage, like the HV battery, the Combination meter (dash), and the Brake accumulator.

    Maybe a corolla or a civic would be a better fit?
     
    #3 SFO, Jun 21, 2020
    Elektroingenieur likes this.
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