My 2004 Prius

This past Christmas I decided that it was time to let my 2000 4Runner go. Was originally looking at three replacements:

1. 2014 Tacoma
2. 2014 Prius C
3. an older used Prius

After debating that I didn't want another car payment, I decided to go with the third option. Looked around a bit and found a 2004 gold colored Prius with 110k miles on the clock. Two owners, first was a company (so the car was a company car), and the second was a private owner.

Since I brought her home, I have done tons of maintenance on it:

- Oil and oil filter (light in color on the stick, dark coming out)
- Air and cabin filter (cabin filter was dirty, air filter was nominal, but changed it anyway)
- Transmission fluid drain and fill (dark coming out)
- PCV valve (old jiggled like new, replaced anyway)
- MAF cleaning (wires were covered in crap)
- Spark plugs (appeared to be older)
- 12V Optima battery (old one might have been the original that came with the car, no build date. Optima had a build date of 11/14)
- changed out a bunch of the older bulbs with LEDs

Couple things that still need to be done at a later date:

- ICE coolant change
- Inverter coolant change
- newer tires
- alignment
- condensation in passenger headlight

In the approximately three weeks I've owned the Prius, I can say that it is a nice car. Small on the outside, big on the inside. Completely blew my expectations for a hybrid away. Filled up the other day at $2.45/gallon for a total of $12. My 4Runner would've been about $35. At the height of gas prices, was regularly over $50 per fill-up. In the 4 years I owned the 4Runner, spent about $11k in gas alone. With the Prius, I'm expecting huge gas savings. Probably enough to buy a brand new HV battery when it decides to go out.

I have a feeling I'm going to be here a long time.

 

Yeah, I had to return the old battery for a core charge refund. But that thing looked puny and outdated. Interestingly, it was either Optima or the dealer for a battery, and that was it. I was kind of hoping that DieHard made a battery for the Prius too, but no such luck.