Buying a used Prius

Your in laws had a Prius? A Prius doesn’t have what you would call a transmission.

 

Starting in 2006, the user interface is slightly improved. In general, the Prius transmission is very reliable. According to Consumer Reports the 2008 year is the most reliable, but all of 2006 to 2009 are great cars. If you get snow, consider snow tires.

 

Transmission per se isn't a big trouble spot in these cars.

On the other hand the hybrid battery pack is something to worry about. The car needs it to run properly, they aren't cheap to replace, and it is a life-limited part. Every single Prius will need a new one eventually. Age counts more than miles, so you generally want to find the youngest used Prius you can find. The battery lifetime is affected by many factors including local climate, driving style, trip frequency and more.

In a perfect world you'd find one from a cooler northern climate that was driven every day by an ordinary commuter. The batteries come with a 10 year warranty, and many of them seem to be dead by age 15, so factor this in. Those 2004-2007 models are very long in the tooth. They could drive well today and last a bit longer, but you should not expect them to stay that way for long. I would anticipate that at least some of the ones you're seeing are for sale because specifically because the current owner wants to get rid of them before the battery finally goes. It's musical chairs. Play well or get played.

A Prius is great at saving you gas in the beginning but they can turn into serious moneypits once they get old. If money is really tight, I recommend getting a simple car. Less stuff to go wrong and more mechanics (including cheaper local independents) will know how to work on it. The Corolla and Yaris are Toyota's best efforts on that front, and they're great.

Welcome and good luck!

 

There is no way to say that any car that’s 12+ years old with 150,000 miles is going to be trouble-free. You’re going to have risk no matter what and you can’t know how the previous owners treated the car.

My Prius is a 2012 Plug-in model with 140,000 miles. It never had a failure of any kind. Still using original 12V battery and brake pads. But I take good care of my car and drive it gently. No telling what somebody else has or hadn’t done with their car, although you can look over a car carefully for signs of abuse.

I don’t drive in snow but I can say that Prius is a very high quality car, and mine has been very easy to work on, apart from the process of spark plug changes... although you only change spark plugs every 100,000 miles.

In general, I think the Prius is probably the most dependable car you can buy, and the 2012-2015 are especially high reliability. We have a Maintenance area on PriusChat with videos that show exactly how to perform every maintenance item, so if you buy one and you have a few tools, you can see how to lubricate the brake pins to keep them working well, how to flush out the coolant, change the engine and transmission oil, and so forth.

Personally, I think your best bet is to go with a 2912-2015 with about 120,000 miles, because that’s when all the major maintenance items are due. Most people don’t do them, so you can get the car, do all the maintenance items, and ensure long-life operation. We have an excellent community here on PriusChat which can help you understand how to do the maintenance, so you won’t need to pay a dealer or you’ll at least know exactly what to tell an independent garage and you’ll know what services should cost.

 

don't get a prius

 

I posted this in another thread. Just highlighted the important things to note for you:

 

The Prius is a well-rounded car (my gen3 looks like a tadpole). My gf loves her 2005 but almost immediately upon ownership, a $1500 bill popped up. Luckily, that repair was covered by Toyota but her HV battery went out within six months of ownership. The HV battery was not covered under warranty and turned into a $1000 repair bill. She loves that her 14 year old prius gets 45mi/gal though is currently looking at Gen 4's.

If you really want a Gen 2, have an emergency fund for impending repairs.