Experienced Hybrid Driver - What to Look For? - Buying 06 Prius

biggest thing is, prius doesn't work with a bad battery, and these batteries don't like age. so plan on around $3,000. for a new one eventually.

 

The easiest way to test it out is to see how fast the bars cycle on the display. If the bars cycle fast, it is an early indication that the battery is starting to degrade.

There are options though. If caught early enough, you can maintain the battery pack and extend its life.

Being a previous Insight owner, you might be familiar with the Hybrid Automotive name and equipment as @jeff652 is active in the Insight community:

Prolong Battery Systems. Extending the life of your hybrid. – Hybrid Automotive

One option to consider.

Good luck and keep us posted .

 

reset the average mpg's on the mfd, take her for a good long test drive under varied conditions, and see how the mpg's shake out.

 

Nice pictures, very pretty car! I don't have much to add to what Ray @ Co. have said, although I'd seriously consider what Hybrid Automotive have to offer (as has been mentioned!) My 2009 Gen II has just rolled over 126,000 miles, and I've been doing TheProlongGridThing for the past 2 years, and have certainly noticed an improvement (see Ray's "HowFastTheBarsChange Test"). Welcome to PriusChat, and Good Luck!!

 

164k miles on our 2010 Prius II with 164 k miles and going strong .

Will end up doing a top end charge probably soon as I am beginning to see the bars starting to cycle more.

But I have a solution to that problem.

 

Read the link in my signature.

 

We don't sell batteries, so if you are referring to a battery pack that would have been someone else. We sell Prolong Battery Systems, which are used to restore and recondition existing battery packs:
Prolong Battery Systems. Extending the life of your hybrid - Hybrid Automotive

 

I am somewhat surprised by your comments, since I found the quality of all the products I bought from HA to be first-class and used components of the highest quality. I speak from experience as in a previous life I worked as an Electronics Engineer for the United Kindom Atomic Energy Authority and recognize quality when I see it (but believe me quality does not come cheap! …you gets what you pays for! )

Edit: When I worked for the UKAEA (early 1970s) we used Lemo connectors (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LEMO )
Check 'em out, they don't come cheap, and somewhere there might still be my Dad's old Austin Ten fitted with a parking-light powered by a Lemo connector (from the 100% DiscountStore¹) fitted by yours-truly… (…ah, those were the days!)

¹ - Culham Laboratory's Main Store ( )

 

I have found that operating the AC system while parked is a fairly good measure of battery capacity. If the bars move quickly from high to low and back AND never achieve Green status but do get to Pink (bottom), the pack is ready for replacement. Also, when we bought our '05, I could get about 5-8 MILES of EV only operation on level roads and low speeds, in the days before we lost module #6, it was blocks.

 

For clarification, are you saying that you can idle a Prius with the air conditioning on and it will eventually go green, or are you saying the bars should turn green at times while you drive? My 07 runs awesome, but is never green when idling for extended periods. I maintain 45.5 on the lie-o-meter.

 

My personal experience. I've bought 2 used Prii. Usually the overall condition of the car is important. If it looks neglected, it was neglected. Both of mine were mint, and turned out to be nice cars. I highly suggest you download the Toyota owners app and type your vin in to check maintenance history. One of my prii has had 2 inverter pumps replaced under warranty. The other has had one pump replaced. One has had Mobil 1 oil changes up until I bought it. The app will tell you what state it was bought in and all recorded Toyota maintenance work. Unfortunately, both have original hv packs. Good luck.