Should I drive my'07 less with mileage over 100k?

[This is Jimbo's theory, not a fact] The total mileage on taxis is high because they drive them nearly all the time. The battery seems to die when not driven. (or when driven uphill in the heat) I would drive and earn the money, perhaps for your down payment on a new(er) Prius when needed [/End of Jimbo's theory]

 

Ha, I have 2005 with 162 000 as of now, and there is nothing frightening about it. I plan to keep it for another 2-3 years. If something breaks I will fix it. Nothing bad so far, and I'm in Atlanta (heat) which is supposed to be bad for HV battery

In your place I would not worry and would just drive it. Maybe change transmission oil and check/clean battery fan if you have never done it.


- Alex

 

It seems that letting the car sit is the worst thing you can do. As long as you keep the car maintained it should last for miles and miles! Drive it, make money, and study hard.

Cheers

 

You do not state in your post or in your avatar where you are from, and this could make all the difference.
If you are in a CARB state in the US your hybrid system is guaranteed to ten years or 150,000 miles.
If you are in Europe the same can apply with no millage limitation.

John (Britprius)

 

New Jersey is a CARB state for a 2007, so your hybrid warranty is 10 years/150,000 miles whichever comes first

The 2014 list of CARB States in the US | PriusChat

 

No it does not matter. The car must have been bought and kept in the state though, but no doubt Jimbo will fill in the detail.

John (Britprius)

 

Without maintenance and repair and upkeep to various degrees no machine lasts forever.

But why do we own vehicles? Conceivably to use them, to make our lives better.

You already have a higher mileage vehicle. And the longer you own it and use it, the higher the mileage is going to go. But that isn't necessarily a predictor of catastrophic failure. You can have a vehicle that fails with less than 80,000 miles on it, you can have a vehicle that goes 200,000 without any major problem.

If it was me? I'd just use the vehicle. I've never really understood the logic behind shelving or using something "less" in an effort to "maybe" preserve it. I would always recommend keeping up with maintenance, oil changes, fluid changes, and tires, suspension and anything that comes up that is immediately needed.

I think as you state, The Prius has the reputation of being a reliable vehicle. I'd just drive it. Use it. That's why we own them right?
You can't predict the future regardless of the decision in this case. Baby it? You could end up being rear ended someday and having the vehicle totaled.

Any major component failure? If it should happen? It happens. It could of happened yesterday, it could happen today, it might happen tomorrow. You can make decisions about how to deal with any specific situation in this regard only IF and WHEN it does happen. Seems to me that is pretty unpredictable, and not worth sacrificing the primary reason we own a vehicle in the first place. To use them to our benefit and for our enjoyment.

 

I would continue driving this car like normal, they are pretty reliable. As you are making good money from this venture, it's only an added bonus. When the car does break down, you'll have money to fix it.

 

see my earlier post CARB Warranty Ins and Outs...you have a VERY interesting case. PA is CARB but not 150k miles, NJ and NY are full CARB 150k miles. Toyota has not disclosed how such a special case like that would be handled (and I asked ....they would not tell me). The key point is you live in NJ which is 150k miles CARB warranty. PA may not have been CARB in 2007 not sure. We have a recent case in CA where a guy had an AZ Prius, and by going to several dealers, he found one who agreed to cover under CARB warranty. Toyota has internal rules and we really do not know how they interpret them. All Prius in USA are CA-certified, so if you live in a CARB state and you have a CARB certified car, then you qulaify unless Toyota decides your case is disqualified due to purchase in PA. You could ask for a ruling now, but I think I'd wait. But I would use the car until 150k or 10-yrs maybe slow up...

CARB Warranty Ins-and-Outs (and In-Out-Ins) | PriusChat

 

Under the wording that I have seen earlier, PA has been a 'partial-CARB' state, just like my state of WA. We don't get the 10 years / 150k mile bit.

Absent explicit word to the contrary, I must assume that the original sale and registration in PA sinks the 10/150k hybrid system warranty, and would plan any repair budget around that assumption. Though if any relevant repairs happen during that time, this would certainly be a matter worth an inquiry or appeal.

You haven't said how much money you are earning from this job. My long term budget guideline for vehicles (all household cars, not Prius specifically) -- which may not fit your short term financial situation -- is to set aside $0.15-0.20 per mile for future repairs or replacement. This means that for the 2500 job miles you have already driven, you ought to have set aside $375 to $500 for future repairs or for your next car. If the pay does not cover this and fuel, then you are effectively paying your employer.

 

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That it does not qualify would be a conservative prudent assumption, but for example, 2006 model year, there is no warranty verbiage about Toyota internal policy to disqualify certain cases, so at least for 2006 MY I feel there is case for appeal which seems to me some 2006 in CARB states are being covered depsite apparent bad genetics/pedigree (I am reminded of the movie Gattaca just watch the other day). Not really sure what the 2007 manual says.

What I always say is somebody's gotta explain to me why a fully CARB certified vehicle in a full CARB state is not covered. For example, I said that to the AZ guy a couple weeks ago, and I was right in that case.

 

could you find a local job at a supermarket or some such, that would provide you with enough income to get by?

 

Used is not an issue, but PA was not at all a CARB state in 2007. So your car never had a CARB warranty.