Normal noise or not?

RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN.

That noise is not normal, it's a bad/failing brake actuator pump. $2000+ repair.

If the car is cheap enough, then buy it and replace the $2000 and you should have a good car. Although the seller may be a dousche bag liar for saying Toyota said it's OK

 

Every Prius will make that whirring rattle, but only every so many times you have applied the brakes. Normally, brake fluid is only used when you use the brakes, and you have to use a certain amount of it before the pump (that sound) has to pump it back up.

If the pump is having to continually pump the fluid back up even when you're not doing anything with the brakes, there is an internal leak in the assembly JC91009 referred to, which is in a tough-to-access location and not very fun to replace.

I only mention what it normally sounds like so if you do buy the car and replace the part, you won't panic when you hear it run normally. It's fine as long as it's only every few times you brake.

 

Are you wealthy?
Would it be OK for your car to be in the shop or out of service for a long time?

If you answered yes to both of those questions then go ahead and buy a Prius (or other hybrid.)

If you answered no to either of those questions, as a first time car owner you would be better served buying a reliable normal car (not a hybrid of any sort) like a Civic, Corolla, or Mazda 3.

(There isn't enough data in yet to determine if an electric is a good car for a first time buyer. Up to this point they have been relatively expensive to purchase new, hard to find used, and most first time car owners are not rolling in dough, so it was usually never an option.)

 

There's a reason it's a "good deal."

Mine was a good deal too. It turned out to have a falsified odometer reading.

 

Well if a seller meets you at Walmart parking lot to sell you a car, it's pretty much a given it's going to be a good deal and there is something shady going on with it. And I bet the title wasn't even in their name

 

Ask the seller if you can take it to a local hybrid mechanic and maybe have to pay them $50 to listen to the sound and give you an opinion?