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thinking about buying a 2005

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by michael paul, Aug 20, 2013.

  1. michael paul

    michael paul New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2013
    1
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    0
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    it has 122,000 miles and looks to be in pretty good shape.

    I was just wondering what to look for beyond the normal used car things to look at? from reading the posts, it seems that the batteries should still last a good while and that is one of the reasons I would balk. can anybody tell me if this should be a problem? I don't want to spend the money on the car and then need to spend several more thousand dollars on batteries in a year or two. yes, I know that if I buy a regular vehicle I could just as easily spend more money on mechanical problems too but the whole EV element of a Prius just adds to the uncertainty.

    Thanks
     
    #1 michael paul, Aug 20, 2013
  2. mbooth62

    mbooth62 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2007
    28
    1
    0
    Location:
    San Jose. CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I have an ,05 at 103k miles ... Totally reliable. Check plugs, pcv valve and transmission fluid were serviced at 100-120k ... Else budget for that ... Also that hybrid coolant pump recall service done. Shocks and struts probably getting towards end of life .. That is probably $1k to replace .. But any car that age would have similar issue although maybe a little cheaper to replace on a Chevy etc. all in all best car I've ever owned from reliability point of view - still drives almost like new .. No problem to run to 200k plus if you take care of basic maintenance
     
    #2 mbooth62, Aug 21, 2013
  3. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2011
    3,318
    1,103
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    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Look around the forum. There are quite a few posts from owners with 200K and 300K on their odometers. Yes, they have had to make repairs. But that shows that a Prius is like other cars. You simply have to take care of them.

    If you are still uncertain, have the car checked out by a mechanic who is familiar with a Prius. They can tell you if anything is wrong with it. As long as the car is maintained properly, it should last a long time. If it needs a repair to make it roadworthy, see if the seller will fix it or discount it accordingly.
     
    #3 dorunron, Aug 21, 2013
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