Newbie, bought 2002, are horror story's true?

No news is good news. I have no news.

 

Re: Should i sell the car i just bought???

If you are worried about repairs, why did you buy it in the first place? Stop vacillating or you will drive yourself crazy.

Tom

 

Re: Should i sell the car i just bought???

The likelihood that you will really have to do those repairs is very small. The Prius I is statistically still a very reliable car, above average. Yours does not have that many miles under its belt. Don't worry about problems that could happen; Worry yourself only about problems you really have. If you bought another car, would you worry that much about potential expensive gearbox or engine repair ?

I think you could never buy any car if you really think about it in this way .

 

Re: Should i sell the car i just bought???

really keep it LOL a full brake job on my BMW was 1500.00 I have 60K on mine and my need a 12V battery, but would not sell it because of that... prius have gone ove 150K miles before needing brakes,my BMW just 60K

 

Re: Should i sell the car i just bought???

just drive it and change the fluid in the transmission with the WS fluid from Toyota.
Other cars have Cat problems too.

 

Hi Joe...,

All used cars are crap-shoots. Cross your fingers, and maintain a healthy bank balance. If your lucky, you will get the 120K miles with no problems and you will have saved all sorts of money over buying a new car. Some Gen 1 cars have gone 250K miles without battery or transmission repair. If your not lucky, you will need some work on it, but probably will still save money over a new car. There is probably no way your not going to do worse than breaking-even. This is NO different than any other kinda car. Remeber, you do not have an alternator or starter or brakes (to about 100 K miles) to worry about in this car.

If you want to help prolong the transmission, have the Transmission Fluid changed now, upgrade it to Toyota type WS, and have it changed every 30 to 40 K miles hence.

 

Geesh, I am going to say go ahead and sell it. If you are this nervous already with a car you just bought, that checked out with a pre-inspection.

Ultimately, machines are machines. Toyota's in general have an excellent reputation for reliability. But nothing lasts forever or can be perfectly predicted.

I'd say with only 70K miles you could reasonably expect good reliabilty but again machines are machines so who can predict?

I think you did the wise thing in having a pre-purchase inspection, if it checked out? I'd enjoy the car you evidently wanted to buy. Who knows? You may have some expenses come down in the future, but that truth exists with any machine. If you are not buying new, or under warranty then everyone deals with those risks and realities with any car they are driving.

I'd take my chances with a Toyota with 70,000 miles. But if you are already freaked out and worried maybe it isn't worth the stress it's evidently creating.

 

not to freak you out even more, but i'd be skeptical of a toyota pre-purchase inspection. unless they specifically do it for a hybrid, they're just going to look at the regular stuff like brake wear and the engine belt. a real check would involve testing the hybrid battery.

i have 149k on my 02. i bought it used, but don't think it's ever had any brake work. i have plenty of front brake pad left, too.

you need to change engine coolant and inverter coolant. they're different

if you drive 10k/year, just use regular 5w30

 

I have owned my Prius since 2002, I have driven it all the way from California to Colorado and back I also drive it up in to the mountains every other weekend even when it snows. I have not had any problems with it that I have not caused my self. Some of those problems were even covered under waranty. I am now over 90,000 miles and still have not had to change the breaks. I have beat the crap out of my car and it is till going. I only take it to the dealer for general maintenance and repairs. Everytime I think about getting a new car I think about how much gas I have saved and the money I have saved on maintenance and decide to keep it untill it totaly dies on me. From what I read on this site I will have it for awhile. I hope this helps.

 

Pat Sparks and I would would use WS in the transaxle, but Patrick Wong would stay with the original spec T IV. So there is a decision to be made.

The coolant loops came with LLC fluid and a 30k mile change cycle. I don't know of any here who would object to SLLC instead on a 50k interval.

As you are interested i nth ebraking system, you could go to a specialist shop and have them measure the water in the brake fluid. <1 % would be nice.