Buying a Prius Gen II looking for tips!

230k is a lot of miles, you sure you don't want to find one that's little less used?

You have to find out what kind of battery was used in 2011. If it's a brand new Toyota battery, then it may be ok. If it's a refurbished battery, then you should probably not consider this one as your first Prius.

 

Also. I'm not sure what they are asking but I thi it should be well under 3k. When I bought mine I had 2 to chose from at the dealer. 1 was a 2004 with 194k miles on a lower trim for $3k. The other one which I bought was a 2006 with 140k miles was fully loaded with Navi and leather. I paid $5400 plus dealer fee= $5900 plus tax out the door. I now have 163k miles with no problems or work done.

 

those are some amazing used prices.

 

If you rely on paying someone for maintenance/repairs, this is a horrible idea, next to buying a salvage.
If you can DIY, still discourage this purchase.

JC already pointed out the HV Battery aspect. If the replacement was not a NEW Toyota HV Batery, AVOID this purchase.

Have someone who has owned a prius for some time, preferably since brand new, go on this test drive w/ you.

Best to pay the Dealership to look the car over, or an independent that is truly knowledgeable with Prius'.

Yes, some people make it to 300K+ miles. But you keep any car long enough, it will begin to fall apart, and nicke & dime you, unless you can DIY, or draw a limit on repair costs.

How well was this car maintained?
Any accidents?
What is the current oil consumption rate? 1quart/1,000mile, 1quart/500miles, etc. The greater the consumption, the sooner the catalytic converter will have to be replaced and the engine may not be too far away too.
Transaxle fluid changed no later than every 60,000miles?
ABS component(s) can fail; depending on what dies, it can be very pricey.
AC condenser/compressor can fail too.
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I'm probably going to buy a used 2008 NHW20 I-tech with 113,000km from a dealer in Australia soon.

Any hints on what to look out for during inspection and test drive?

 

i like to reset the mpg and take them for a good long drive under varied conditions to make sure they are getting satisfactory mileage.

 

Amazingly high, or low?

When I bought my 2015 in March the salesrep offered me $600 trade-in for the 2004 (which now has 196K miles). I said forget it, and continue to drive the 2004 for my daily commute (~45 miles roundtrip.)

Regarding the OP's question about what to look for, evaluate the car on the same basis as any other vehicle with regards to powertrain response, handling, braking, making sure that all auxiliary systems work, no warning lights on the dash, etc. If you think the car is reasonable, have it inspected at your local Toyota dealer.

I agree that you should look for a car with a lower odometer reading, or else be prepared to fund major repairs during your ownership period.

 

I think it's amazingly low for a dealer.

$600 for your car is crazy. Buy a new battery and pass it on to a new teen driver.

 

Is it worth buying a OBD / bluetooth scanner and use Torque to assess a used vehicle? Or will that be too difficult without prior tinkering and learning how to use it?

 

An OBD 2 reader would just be looking for codes, if there were any stored. These generic readers miss a lot of Prius specific codes.

The BEST, useful tool to get would be a hacked Techstream software and mini VCI cable from Amazon,eBay. Besides, the Techstream would be useful on all Toyota/Lexus/Scion models. You would need the very latest software version if you were working on the latest models. With this tool, you could see voltage of the HV Battery module pair and resistance. Unless an error code is being thrown, you could run a complete diagnostic, only to have an error show up a few miles/days/weeks/months later.

If you DIY, Techstream w/ mini VCI should be a requirement like having a ratchet, sockets, and wrenches.

EDIT: probably best to have the dealer or an independent mechanic who has a lot of Prius experience evaluate the car you are thinking of buying.

 

Thanks, exstudent!
Do the limitation also apply if a OBD to Bluetooth scanner is used with the custom PIDs supplied by usbseawolf2000 in this thread: Gen2 Prius: Custom PIDs for Torque (Android App) with formulas | PriusChat ?

I got that set up today but not tested on a Gen 2 Prius, yet. No time to get the mini VCI before inspecting the car tomorrow.

The dealer claims that the RACQ (Royal Automobil Club of Queensland) has checked the car. One would think they have experience with Gen2 Prii by now, as most taxis around here are Prii. However, I'm not sure if they use scanners to read codes during the inspections.

 

Looks like the OBD2 phone apps have gotten a lot better. They can show more info beyond RPM, coolant temp, acceleration, 0-60MPH time, etc.

I view OBD2 readers as simple CEL tools that gives you "gauges," (ie RPM, coolant temp, etc) the Prius lacks.

For maintenance and diagnostic, mini VCI w/ hacked Techstream software is a MUST!

Don't forget, a bad person could clear any codes, and hope the various warning lights don't appear on the test drive. You would need to drive for a long enough period for the various ECUs to catch the issue, say 25miles plus, combined city and highway, should be long enough for issues to show up.