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Considering an 07 with 117k - some questions

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by chj4v, Jan 27, 2014.

  1. chj4v

    chj4v New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2014
    2
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    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Greetings all you Prius folk.

    I'm looking at a 2007 Prius that I would be purchasing from a Toyota dealership. There are 117,000 miles on it now. I've driven Toyotas before, but never any hybrid of any make/model. I have a few questions I'd love to hear from you owners about:

    1) What questions should I ask, beyond those I'd normally ask as a fairly experienced used car buyer?
    2) How long does the electric battery last on these vehicles, on average? From looking around on this site, I've seen a wide variety of answers to this. I realize there is variability, but does anyone know an average number of miles? I don't want to buy a vehicle with 117,000 miles if the batteries tend to go at 125,000, for example.
    3) Related question: how much would the electric battery cost to replace, if it were to go bad? I'm in central Virginia, if that affects cost. I've been told about $3000, but I don't know if this is accurate.

    Thanks in advance for all your help!

    chj4v
     
    #1 chj4v, Jan 27, 2014
  2. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    3,159
    989
    0
    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    1) There are really no special questions to ask. If its at a Toyota dealer, they should have inspected it and got it ready for resale.
    2) The answer is highly reliant on many factors (age, climate, terrain etc). hot, hilly climates are the hardest on the traction battery. There is no telling when it will go out. I've owned 3 Prius and all had the original traction battery. My 01 will be 13 in Mar and still on the original battery, my 05 has 149k and my 06 had 117k when I traded it in. My experience has been good but, I live in a mild climate with few hills. Your experience may be different.
    3) The cost depends on how you chose to fix it
    a) junkyard part ($500-800 if you DIY)
    b) Remanufactured ($900-$2300 (approx) installed)
    c) New from dealer ~$3000

    My experience with these cars has been very positive.
     
    #2 usnavystgc, Jan 27, 2014
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