Help please, need advice on car

i think you can hope for another 50-100K miles with regular maintenance. but beware, if something goes drastically wrong (unusual) you could be in for a 5-10K repair bill. all the best!

 

On the Home page of PC you can read some fairly affirmative articles on the dependability of the HV pack, especially Bob Wilson's comment. Go for it!:cheer2:

 

Sounds good to me also. If it's from a Toyota dealership try to get them to throw in a Toyota used car warranty for your peace of mind.

 

1) The economics of Prius ownership work out best if you drive a lot. If the owner bought rationally, there are no 'low mileage' used Prius.

2) I did not recognize your Location so it is difficult to make preditions, but you can expect over 40 MPG, year round.

3) Brake fluid, engine coolent, inverter coolent, and transaxle oil may all need replacement soon if they have not been replaced since new, try to leverage the dealship into doing so as a condition of sale. Also if the 12 volt battery is origonal, start putting some aside to replace it.

 

Which "battery" did they replace?

 

Then you did well... if you also got them to change all the fluids the car should be in fine shape for many more trouble-free miles.

Congrats and :welcome:

 

That mileage is a little above the average for a vehicle that age.

But..I've always thought there are 2 ways to look at it. A:It's higher mileage, and/or B: At least you know the previous owner had good enough reliabilty and confidence and history with the vehicle to put that many miles on it...if it had been a lemon it's entire history....it probably wouldn't have high miles on it...

Plus a well maintained vehicle, you can expect to be able to put many more miles on it.

Toyota's exceeding 100,000 miles and approaching 200,000 miles are much more the norm than the exception.

Having said that? Over the internet it's impossible to offer a specific opinion on a vehicle. If the price is comparitevly good for similar age and mileage and condition vehicles and YOU are happy with it? Then I'd say roll the dice...but as is with any and all used vehicles....unless you are buying from a well trusted family member...you never, never really know.

 

Brand new HV battery pack, you got a good deal! Keep in touch with PC, learn to use search function, learn 12V check system. Are you lucky enough to have a maint, history on the car?? Happy Prius Day.:cheer2:

 

You will find many threads here that discuss racking options. The one I like the best is actually a lightweight aluminum trailer but it's too much of an investment for me at this time I can't justify that outlay until I have more to carry, like kayaks. So take some time to look around here on PC and weight your options.

For now I've settled on a trunk mounted carrier. I'm using a Yakima KingJoe 3 which carries up to three bikes. I got it from REI. It is not listed to fit a Prius so there aren't specific instructions for the car but it does work. It's a tighter fit on my wife's touring edition as the longer rear spoiler on it comes very close to conflicting with the bar which supports the bikes. But for yours (and mine the '06) the clearance for the spoiler is much greater.

After the initial set-up taking it on and off is easy with only four straps to tighten. The rack rests on the rear glass with its lower arm resting on my license plate frame in a way that doesn't obscure the numbers. I like it that way because nothing is directly resting on the paint. It has a six point attachment, two to the top of the hatch, two go straight down to the bottom edge of the hatch with the final two connecting on the edge of the hatch at the horizontal black glass. It is very secure and neither the rack of the bikes sway when carried.

Hope that wan't too much information.

 

Prius accomplishes its fuel economy by a very efficient engine plus the HV Bat assist, greater fuel economy can be gained by following the driving suggestions on PC,. DIY, ( do it yourself maint ) is incredibly easy on this car, most of the time. Troubleshooting is trickier. It always is better tho if you know more than the mechanic, salesman, etc. This can be attained on PC. This is not just a car, it is a mental state. You got an incredible deal. :cheer2: