Should I roll dice on a 2004 with 200k that won't start (for 2 grand)?

That's a tough one.

If it won't start, there might be many things wrong with it that will require major repairs - I'm thinking
transaxle failure (MG1 specifically).

If you are unable to read all the DTCs before plunking down the $2K, you might find yourself stuck with a 2800 lb paperweight. On the other hand, it might be an easy fix.

I would buy it since I already have a Gen 2 and need another hobby.

 

If you cannot get it to run parting out the car would bring in more than it cost to buy. However I think if your up to spending time on this car you will have it up and running.

John (Britprius)

 

I thought of the parting out option, however the OP would have plenty of competition from auto recyclers. It would be a stretch for him to get $2K out of it in parts alone. Selling parts on craigslist would take a while (years probably).

 

There was a reality TV series on Cable last year. I forgot what it was called but it pitted garages against each other to purchase old cars and fix them for a profit. Every purchase started the same, if the car doesn't start, we're going to lose a lot of money. Everything else is easy cosmetic fixes.

 

Bearing in mind there are no damaged parts on the car I do not think there would be any problem raising $2000 in parts. Think about it 4 doors and tailgate should easily make $1000 All the suspension components, plus airbags, front and rear bumpers and reinforcements. An undamaged shell must be worth $1000, interior trim, steering rack, lights, and so many parts not mentioned.

John (Britprius)

 

Yeah, but you have to find the buyers. It's not like selling a HDTV or a toaster.

 

It could be helpful if you had a little more history on the car. What occurred in the time leading up to the no start condition? What does he think it is? Has it been worked on for any hybrid related failures in the past?

I think it could be a good and profitable project if you are mechanically inclined and knowledgeable or have an avid desire to learn more about the Prius and have a couple grand for potential repairs. Most of the high cost replacement parts can be from salvaged units at a fraction of new cost. And you may find it just needs a replacement module for the battery pack.

Because of the risk I would try to get him down to 1,500 or less but even at 2k and 2k repair cost, if all other factors are good, it sounds do-able as an upgrade for you at a reasonable cost with lots of knowledge and experience gained in the process.

 

John you say that all the time. Laws must be very different in Merry Old England.

How do you part out a car? Here when you buy a car you have to register it and then pay sales tax on the sale. Then you have to insure it. If you don't the state you registered the car in sends you a letter stating your license is suspended until the car is insured.

If you jump title to get around all that your looking at time in the pokey if they catch you. Especially if you chop it up.

Then you got a car your stripping out somewhere on your property and get to meet one idiot after another that wants that part for next to nothing and then call you later because A: The part doesn't fit or B: The part doesn't work.

Then I end up with a shell of a car I have to pay to get towed to a junkyard.....but can't sell it to a junkyard without a title here. Title has to be in your name not the name of the person you jumped it from. Can't junk a car without paperwork or every idiot in the state would steal a car and drive it directly to the junkyard. Going rate for junk cars in this state is $350. So if that was the plan from the start cool than you plated it and insured it while you chopped it.
State of Florida new tags cost $450. New Impact fee's. Welcome.

Meanwhile you have people from Craigs List coming to your house all the time. Or endless eBay. NO THANKS!!!!
Its alot more work than reward or everybody would be doing it. Everyone would be buying crash cars. Don't know anyone that's doing it. I don't know any Indie garage that's doing it.

Are alot of people chopping up car's in there backyard over there?

 

You would be better off finding a Prius that is running rather than trying to fix a dead one. Yes, you might buy it for 2K, but chances are you will end up spending a lot more to get it back into running condition. Even if you had techstream software or it's equivalent plus the tools to work on the car, you will still have to locate good working parts and make all of the repairs just to get it running again. It might be something simple, but chances are you will spend a lot more than the car is worth to get it road worthy again.

Bottom line, try to find a running Prius. Think for a moment why the seller wants out from under it, and then I believe you will realize what you will be getting into.

I also agree with Ed that parting the car out is probably a bad idea. Unless you have the space, and a junkyard to do it in along with all the licenses that are required that part of it will end up causing you problems in more than one way. I don't know what part of the world you are in, but here in Texas you have to be licensed to run a junk yard. And unless you live out in the middle of nowhere someone is going to complain when they see you stripping down the car and selling parts off of it for a long period of time.

 

I'm an old guy and have owned many many used cars. Have never ever bought one I could not drive no matter the price because I am not a professional mechanic and do not have a shop with professional lift and have a complete set of professional tools. If I did I would take a chance but $2000 is not that great of a deal anyway.

Your garanteed new traction battery based on the cell comment and probably either an Inverter or trans. Either is $2000. And then you still have a 9 year old car with who knows the miles and you don't know if the ac works or the engine is f'ed.
Man, its got to run before you buy bro.

But if you plan to do this in your driveway your nuts. $2000 will end up costing $6000 in a heartbeat.
That's alot of wrenching.

Besides your not really a Prius nut anyway. You just joined PC this year. Your just looking for a deal. Not many deals with a Prius sad to say.

 

I will not say there are "a lot" of people chopping up cars here but it is not a problem either. As far as the law is concerned if you keep a vehicle off the road you have to fill in a simple form declaring that. This s called a SORN (statutory off road notice) you can then dismantle the car and sell any parts. At any time during this process you can return the vehicle log book to the DVLA ( driver vehicle licence authority) stating the car has been broken up, end of story.
As far as the shell is concerned this is often the most valuable part especially if it is undamaged, but people will buy a quarter of a shell "front or rear" if it contains the body parts they require.

John (Britprius)

 

There has to be a form to get around that for a secondary vehicle that isn't in use.

Even if not, I've never even heard of such behavior. I could buy as many cars as I want and no one would come looking for me or mess with my Drivers license in Tennessee.

Lets look at this again

Buying a Car in Florida says you just have to have insurance before you drive it, doesn't say you can't have it just sitting there not driven with no insurance.

If you aren't driving it you don't need to get tags/plates so no reason to register it. Depending on the law in your state maybe they can get you to pay the tax on the purchase but that should be the end of it.

I really think you are missing a piece of the puzzle if you think you can't buy a car in FL, not drive it, and leave it uninsured.

edit: http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/forms/BTR/82040.pdf is the form to get the FL state title. You'll hopefully notice it is called "APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF TITLE WITH/WITHOUT REGISTRATION".

In section 11 you just check the box that says "THE VEHICLE IDENTIFIED WILL NOT BE OPERATED ON THE STREETS AND HIGHWAYS OF THIS STATE UNTIL PROPERLY REGISTERED." and they'll leave you alone to fix or part out the car as you desire.

Now if you buy a car from a dealer and you don't fill out the form yourself some clerk won't check that box and the insurance industry will likely hound you because they think you are trying to pull a stupid move but if you document the cars true status they'll leave you alone.

 

This may sound a unusual question, but in the US if you sell a second hand car to a friend or relative or even someone you do not know do you have to pay tax on the sale.
In the UK we can sell or buy second hand cars to or from anyone we please and no sales tax is payable.
There are more rare occasions where some VAT may be payable (value added tax) but this is rare, and generally applies to company cars where that company is able to claim back the VAT on a new car purchase and then sells the car at a later date, making it VAT qualifying on that sale.
New cars are subject to tax (VAT) 20% of the sale price.
We do have a relatively new law that requires us to declare the car will not be used on the road (SORN) if we do not take out insurance on it or apply for road tax. The road tax on a gen2 Prius is £10 per year ($15) the gen3 Prius is £0 per year ($0)

John (Britprius)

 

A 2004 Prius with 200k miles is still worth minimum $4k US private party. I'm extremely handy with cars and wouldn't hesitate to give $1k US for a non running 2nd gen prius. I don't know the OP mechanical capability's but it could be a good deal if it can be had for the right price and he/she is handy. I'd make it run rather then part it out.

 

Thank you, what a strange system, wide open to misuse.

John (Britprius)

 

Good luck.

John (Britprius)

 

Regarding the OP's question about whether to purchase the Prius that would not start, I would advise against it unless the OP is able to deal with any eventuality: failed transaxle, inverter, traction battery, engine, etc. If he is lucky the car will only need one of those items but it is conceivable the car may need more to be replaced in order to run.

In the US, the sales tax percentage differs by state (and sometimes by city within a given state.)

In the states where I have had lived and thus have personal experience (California, Arizona, Hawaii), the seller has to declare the odometer reading, sales date and price of the sold vehicle on the form sent to the state DMV, letting the DMV know the seller no longer owns the vehicle. The seller's motivation to submit this form is to make sure s/he no longer has liability for anything done by the driver of the car (for example, parking tickets.)

Then the buyer, when licensing the car, has to declare the vehicle purchase price and pay a use or sales tax on the purchase price. If the DMV is paying attention, it will reconcile the seller's and buyer's claims regarding sales price. Further, the DMV clerks have access to KBB or other used vehicle value assessments and may question the buyer if a claimed value is much lower than normal.

If an individual is selling or gifting a vehicle to a relative, use or sales tax may not be assessed. This again will depend upon the licensing regulations of the state.