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At what point do you trade a Prius for something else?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Isaac Zachary, Mar 20, 2022.

  1. douglasjre

    douglasjre Senior Member

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    If you're in California I really think that you should pay an additional tax on all vehicle parts and automobiles and fuel. The surcharge can be used to build housing for the homeless and all the poor people suffering without cars. Then we can give housing and cars to all of the poor people suffering without them. Poor people preserve a car too. You should pay more for your car parts so the people less privileged won't suffer as much in California.
     
  2. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    I'm not sure what you're talking about. I live in Colorado. I also make a bit below a median household wage for a family of four. And our home is barely more than 500 square feet.
     
    #22 Isaac Zachary, Mar 28, 2022
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2022
  3. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    Note to self: don’t move there.
     
  4. BuyJapanese

    BuyJapanese Member

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    Gen 2? 100k miles? Huh. The newest Gen 2s are 13 years old now...

    Also, while miles contribute to engine wear, transmission wear, and body wear, it seems that higher miles are GOOD for the HV battery. When you see 200k+ you can be confident that a G2 never sat around for a couple months.
     
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  5. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    My Prius needs a catalytic converter and possibly either a piston replacement or a whole engine block replacement. I would rather just have to change the HV battery, even for an OEM one, than to have to change the engine block and catalytic converter. It's a lot more work and a lot more expensive.

    But what I was referring to is a replacement car that's not super expensive but not as in poor condition. What car would you suggest if I did decide to replace the ol' 2006 Prius I have instead of eventually replacing the engine in it? Or would it be better to replace the engine and have a car with a new engine that will last possibly another 200,000 miles or something along those lines?
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    something simple like a corolla. but before deciding, you have to look at used car prices vs prius repair costs.
     
  7. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Used engine is like $500 cat on Amazon is $125.

    But owning a G2 in the middle of cat theft epidemic is like wearing a fur coat to a PETA rally.
     
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  8. BuyJapanese

    BuyJapanese Member

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    I finally got around to stealing my own cat. I listed it on eBay starting at $1400+shipping based on recent completed listings, and had a bid within 30 minutes.
     
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  9. nancytheprius

    nancytheprius Active Member

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    nice work! i might have to do that this summer. is there any way an inferior cat/non oem can cause any harm upstream?
     
  10. BuyJapanese

    BuyJapanese Member

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    Yes, a badly engineered cat will lead to bad fuel trims and all the problems that can go with inefficient combustion. Bad mileage, fouled plugs, fouled o2 sensors, maybe increased cylinder/piston ring/valve wear. But you can get a GOOD cat without putting $2000 of precious metals in it.
     
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  11. BuyJapanese

    BuyJapanese Member

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    I think an engine swap is reasonable if you like your car and it’s still in good condition. If you wouldn’t do a DIY swap, probably the easiest way is to call around to the salvage yards in your area that have motors listed on car-parts.com, and see which of them would do the swap for you.
     
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  12. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    But only OEM cats are allowed here to be sold and installed. I'd have to smuggle it in from another state.
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    And then ir wouldn’t pass inspection
     
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  14. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    Colorado is a weird state when it comes to emissions. Now you're supposed to have a California compliant catalytic converter. But they don't do inspections in my county. But I've also known of at least one person who lived out here but went to Denver, got sniffed on the highway and had to get an emissions test to prove his car was compliant before the court date on the ticket.
     
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  15. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    I'd like to weld some posts on the top of the cats and drill holes up through the center well for those posts to come through and then attach them somehow. Any idea of what kind of steel these are made out of?

    Then also a Catshield, numbers engraved all over and florecent paint.
     
  16. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    Sniffed on the highway? C’mon.
     
  17. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    Something like that. I can't quite remember how he got pulled over and ticketed, but he is someone I trust and he did say he had to get an emissions test even though he doesn't live in a county that requires it.
     
  18. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    Probably blowing big old plume of oil smoke out the tailpipe.
     
  19. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    Well, I think it's time to stop procrastinating and I need to sell the Prius, part it out or just have it hauled to the junk yard.

    Today I couldn't get it to start. So the problems so far on this 2006 with just barely 200k miles that I need to fix if I'm going to drive it are:
    • Won't start, I don't know why. 12V battery is charge up but car acts like I'm not even putting in the key nor pressing the start button.
    • The "instrument cluster" doesn't work.
    • The infotainment screen doesn't work and I have no way of turing on the heater or A/C.
    • The HV battery needs replacing. I've added a total of three modules, but I'm sure more modules are soon to go out.
    • The catalytic converter is bad (and I'm in a California Compliant state).
    • The engine cylinders are galled up. It ran when it would start, but it chugs oil.
    • I've taken the front appart and put it back together, but I don't have it all buttoned up. Of course if I need to change out the engine, I may have to take it all appart again.
    • It needs a front wheel bearing or two.
    • It needs a windshield.
    So I give up even though there have been several things I've bought for it and even replaced (hood, fenders, bumper, tail light, hatch handle molding). I don't have the time or money to work on it anymore (nor the money to replace it with anything). The question is, how do I get rid of it?
    1. Should I try to sell it or give it away whole, maybe putting a "free" sign on it?
    2. Should I take it to a junk yard?
    3. Should I sell it in pieces, like the transmission and the new wheel bearing I bought and never put in?
     
  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think you can sell the cat if it's oem
     
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