Is there much of a difference between an '05-'06 and an '09 Prius?

The 2009 has TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) by law. It wasn't mandatory in 2006, and I don't know when the Prius line added it.

The TC (traction control), which has generated numerous complaints in winter climates, has gone through several revisions / improvements, including somewhere between 2004 and 2009. The 2010 revision is better still.

 

My 2006 has it. And I've replaced 3 out of 4 of them (1 died, 2 with new tires, 1 last man standing).

 

The 2006 with the failed battery has a bit over 123,000 miles on it. I measured the capacity of one of the poorer (but still functional) modules at about 3000 mAh. New is rated at 6500 mAh. So I figure the battery is about 1/2 new capacity. Failure occurs when one cell (6 cells/module) gets so far out of balance from the others that it self destructs.

I've purchased a Prolong charger/discharger/tester + wiring harness for about $800. That plus an eBay salvage module for $33 and I figure I'll have another 2-3 years service. Maybe another few salvage modules if I'm unlucky.

Battery life seems to be dependent on age, heat, charge/discharge cycles, and mileage. So if you live in a hot area or commute up/down a mountain, the life will be shorter. Cool climate used on the flat probably lasts longer. Luck of the draw on how well the modules stay balanced with age. The Prolong grid charger/discharger reduces the problem of module balance, but the total capacity is still going to go down with age/usage. A friend has a 2003 (Gen1) that still works, but his mileage is down to the low 30s. I'd say the 2003 has excellent balance, but near end-of-life capacity. I'm interested in some way to track capacity as a way to judge where the battery is in its life cycle.

 

"Comprehensive maintenance" as referred means complying with the manufacturer specified recommended maintenance schedule. You can find it online from Toyota and elsewhere. I think what the poster who said that was inferring is that the Prius tends to be a reliable car if regularly maintained and typically has few extra repairs needed.

 

When I bought my car, I got the complete service history for it, since it had consistently been maintained at the same place (something to look for when you're buying a car). Part of that listed how much each service appountment cost. In its 8 years and just over 100,000 miles of history, my Prius had $1,860 of repairs and maintenance done. That works out to $232.50 a year on average. Of course, there's a big one coming up for me- at 120,000 miles, there's a really big maintenance visit that involves around $800 worth of stuff at a dealer. But for the most part, oil & filters, tires, air filters, and 12v batteries are the only things you'll have to replace multiple times unless you keep the car past 200,000 miles. Brakes, spark plugs, belts (on 2nd gen), etc. are typically good for around 100,000 miles each.

 

2009, the last year of the second generation prius, had most of the bugs worked out.

2010, the first year of the third generation prius, had a lot of bugs. but not all of the cars. some people experienced more than others.
one big thing to watch out for is oil burning around 100,000 miles.
the change from gen 2 to gen 3 is not that significant imo, but you should drive each to see which you prefer.

 

…there's much to be said for getting the last year of a model, since by then most, if not all of the bugs/teething problems have been solved, and you're not the guinea-pig! (…just sayin' that's all!)

 

2008 was a great year.

 

To the best of my knowledge, leaks are what causes oil to burn. When seals get degraded, the oil leaks out a bit and then burns up as it drips on the engine. You'll be able to tell if you check the oil dipstick and it's below the full mark.

 

the consensus here seems to be that people who followed the proscribed 10,000 mile oil changes tend to become burners around 100,000 miles, and people who changed it every 5,000 as proscribed for the gen 2, tend not to.
but it's based on owners reports only, and we don't have anything scientific that i know of. there are a couple of 2010 oil burning threads.
i don't know how you would identify a burner during a test drive and observation.

 

It's that on the principle of...
.. If it ain't bad, don't change it? Sounds good to me.

 

Old timer's rule of thumb: Two main things lead to burning oil.

1. If the valve guides are worn, oil will drain through there to the combustion cylinder. If you get a cloud of smoke when you start the engine, that's an indication of worn guides.

2. The other main burn problem comes from the rings. Oil can get past them, especially under heavy load. They will tend to blow a cloud of smoke on acceleration.

Either one might be hard to spot from the driver's seat unless it's really bad.

Bad seals will generally lead to stains on the driveway.

 

...replacing cabin air-filter takes all of 30 secs (see youtube video for how!) . I had dealer replace cracking belt (part of 100,000mile service, along with cleaning & adjusting rear brakes, and replacing spark-plugs (they changed PCV at same time for just the cost of the part since they had all the stuff removed in order to get at the plugs). Welcome to PriusChat! Good luck!

 

FYI, the manuals are online at
2006 Toyota Prius Owners Manual and Warranty - Toyota Owners