I'm thinking about purchasing this Prius with 103,000 miles

no, i would test it before replacing, might be brand new.

 

Gotta know a LOT more.

If it is around 10 years old, it is very likely that the High Voltage battery is near death if it is the original one.
That alone will cost you between one and three thousand to fix.

Folks here who have experience with a high mileage Prius can tell you other things that need extra attention and are often neglected.

What's your thoughts on why this vehicle might be right for you ?
Or any other high mileage one, for that matter.

 

Yeah, test it. A digital multimeter measure of the voltage (first thing in the morning) will give you a rough picture. More in-depth, a Solar BA5 electronic load tester (one example) works the same as the pro level testers. Most automotive retailers will have a pro-level tester that does the same thing, and will usually test for free. If you get a mechanical appraisal prior to purchase, maybe they can do similar test.

 

You should go ahead and find the sticker that tell you when the battery was manufactured. You may have to remove the battery to locate the sticker. If it's not older than 4 years and overnight voltage is higher than 12.6v, no need to replace yet.

 

sounds like a pretty sweet deal

 

You do know that is ONLY to run a small vent fan when the car is sitting out in the sun........right ??
It does NOTHING to charge up the battery.

And what year model is it ??

 

You say that like it's a bad thing. It's nice to have, especially since there's really no upcharge for it in a used car. In a sunnier state, I'd think that a Prius with a solar roof will likely have a healthier hybrid battery than one without the solar roof. I like keeping the shade for the moonroof open in mine.

The condition of specific car is what matters, but most Gen 3s at 103K miles are still fine cars without danger of eminent hybrid battery failure. That's also plenty early enough that if an EGR cooler/valve/intake manifold cleaning is done and an oil catch can installed, possible head gasket issues can be avoided.

 

gorgeous!

 

make sure you follow lightning racers advice above, regarding the egr. clean it before it cleans out your wallet.