Buying a Used 2008 Prius II

Hi Kathryn, and welcome!

Having just bought an '08 with 88k miles last October, here is the advice I can give you. (FWIW, I paid $7200 for my car, so the pricing you're getting is right in the ballpark.)

Based on anecdotal and empirical evidence, the HV battery has a 95% chance of failing somewhere in the 13-15 year range. The car you're looking at is 9-10 years old, depending on build date. What that means in your (and my) case is that there is a 95% chance that you are looking at a $2000-3000 repair bill in the next 3-6 years.

Given that information, there are two possible responses:

A] OMG! Run away, run away! Go spend the same money on the nicest Corolla you can find for the same money! Given your low annual mileage, the added gas a Corolla will use is cheaper than the cost of a replacement battery for a Prius.

or

B] Buy the Prius, but with a complete understanding that in the next 3-6 years you will be spending $2-3k on a new HV battery. Then the question becomes, "Is an '08 Prius with a new battery worth about 9 grand?" You will also spend the next 3-6 years wondering when you will need to buy that battery.

In my case, I (obviously) took the risk and went with B. But I can't and won't tell you which to choose. Only you know your brain, and which choice makes you more comfortable.

 

If you are seriously going to primarily use the car as a 5-7 mile commuter and other short drives the Prius is probably not for you. Other, cheaper cars (Corolla, Yaris, Honda Civic or Fit) will get the same gas mileage you will using a Prius like that. The car will never get warmed up enough to be efficient.

The tanks where ours has been used the way yours will be have yielded us multiple tanks of 33 (2), 34 (4) and 35 (3). The car really shines when it is used for longer drives.

 

Bad car for that commute. Te Hybrid battery and especially the little agm 12 volt battery needs to run free everyday. The prius is much better for a long commute daily than a very short commute daily. The seats will kill you but the batteries will love you. It will be a headache and totally negate all gas savings with that commute. So yeah..the Corolla.


Pulls bomb proof cover over my head.

 

If the car has been in California it might need a battery way before 13-15 years. My 2007 battery lasted 9 years. I live in the south. Heat, time, and mileage are big factors for the hybrid battery life.

As for the original post, I would not recommend a 2008 Prius for that short of a commute.

Glenn

 

my daughter has an '08 package 2 in good condition, similar miles. your commute is a little short, and if it get s longer, maybe too long?
great car, but at 10 years and counting, i'm encouraging her to buy a suburu. all wheel drive and under 20k for a new one.