Prospective Prius Owner - Your recommendations

I just got a 2012 Prius 3 on sale for Black Friday last year at $9950. It has 98k miles. Miles are considered high, but the Prius is expected to drive 250-300k, so I figure that with that many miles left to go that having 98k on it is not a worry. It looks new and drives like a dream. I was thinking I'd probably not find anything newer than a 2010, but I was surprised, and I got it at a dealer. So have a look at national listings (it's how I did it) and see where the sweet spot is currently (cars and cargurus are both websites I use), and you can put in search terms to have it alert you to new listings. Watch for a bit, and get a sense for what is popping up in your area. Also, there are Prius 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Prius 1 is a stripped down basic version and up you go....read about it. I decided I wanted 3 or better and when my Prius 3 popped up - on sale - I jumped on it.

And what I read when in the same position as you (having no knowledge of them), it seems that the batteries are quite unlikely to ever need replacing - though like any car sometimes things go wrong that wasn't expected. I'm planning on never replacing them, we will see! Also, there is a secondary market that one can buy them far cheaper these days (not OEM), so if I end up having to replace them it's probably not a lot more than a brake job might have been (and Prius almost never needs brake jobs!). Good luck! I'm no expert (and there are a lot of other more qualified people on this forum), but this is my experience.

 

Actually almost all aftermarket batteries are just used batteries repaired with used modules from other batteries. Most sold by companies are not properly matched, balanced, and tested because that is a time consuming process. Some people have had success finding a battery from a low mileage junked Prius.
The best solution now for a DIY person is the $1600 kit of new cells soled by @2k1Toaster here. The link is in my signature. There have been many good reports from users & experts alike here. The most negative think I have heard was that somebody was accidentally shipped a Gen 3 harness instead of a Gen 2 one. An overnight shipment fis=see that issue.
I heard from one user here that the kit may be back ordered though. You could PM @2k1Toaster for more details. I know he works with rechargeable batteries in his workplace.

 

Dorman may be an excellent supplier for other parts, but they are almost iconic here for the poor quality of their Prius batteries. Warranties are good, but many times the only cover the part & not installation. They are only recommended as a cheap, short time solution if you have other transportation available. They are never recommended here for a vehicle that needs to be dependable. It is a small step above trying to replace modules yourself.
Some users here like @TMR-JWAP spend time as a hobby refurbishing packs or sourcing good ones. He has packs available for sale from time to time. He seems to travel quite a bit. He likes to drive his Prius to you with the pack in stalled in his car. He then installs it in your car and puts a different pack in his car. I believe he uses the good parts of the old pack for further testing & possible reuse.
We also have professionals here like @ericbecky and @strawbrad who make their living servicing hybrids. Sometimes they can get new Toyota batteries for their repairs.

 

@TMR-JWAP a hobbyist here goa an 18 month old failed remanufactured battery (1 year warranty). His description of the condition is scary. The connecting bolts were not even tightened to the correct value.

Later on, he sees that a mix of nuts were used. The OEM ones were OK but the non-OEM ones were corroded.Safety covers were missing too.

Just Another HV Battery Thread and Experiments | PriusChat

 

+1 regarding Dorman batteries. I wouldn't install one in my car if you gave it to me. I'm a competent shade tree mechanic myself, but I don't want to be doing the same job over and over... and I need reliablity. Buying used batteries is like buying used coolant -- it just dosn't make sense... financially or chemically.

Regarding your price point: that's a wide range. If you want to be in the $5-6k range, I'd recommend a VERY clean 2008 or 2009 with about 120k-ish miles. By "very clean" I mean driven by the proverbial little old lady, and serviced every 5k miles at the dealer. Put a little money asside for a replacement battery that MAY need replacing in the future (some have gone 300k+ miles). $1600 for the 2k1Toaster option mentioned above, or I'm seeing $1950 list price for a OEM original from Toyota, and HERE for $1625 -- your local dealer may price match. Honestly, I think the Gen-2 is a more solid platform -- especially for a DIYer.

If you want to be in the upper end of your price range, a good Gen-3 should be easy enough to find. At 100k miles, know that it'll need the EGR cooler cleaned. That's not in the service schedule or manual, so unless you buy from a knowledgeable DIYer, it won't have been done. If you ask a dealer about it, they'll look at you like you've asked them to spit an atom. Some Gen-3 cars exhibit oil consumption at about 100k-ish. Unfortunately, about the only way you can check for it is to ask the owner and go with your gut.

 

welcome! how long would you like to keep it, miles/years?
2010-11 have some oil burning problems around 100k, and some head gasket issues.
serious maintenance requires tech stream software and 2 day subscriptions to the on line service manual.

 

I bought my 2012 Prius used at $10,000 with very low milage, battery was perfect and she still runs like a charm! From what I have heard the batteries last very long unless there was a problem in manufacturing. Its a great commuter car and the smoothest ride. I believe it can cost thousands of dollars to replace a single battery so defiantly inspect before buying. As far as maintenence goes everything is easy to replace and synthetic oil is your best bet. Hope this helps!