Thinking of buying a 2007 Prius Touring Edition with package #6, I have some questions.

texaschick007,

Welcome to PRIUSchat, you've come to the right place for answers…
'though I'm not necessarily the right person to answer all your concerns. I'm sure that others will chime in as well.

A true OEM Touring at $10K would be a very good deal, worth looking into…. remembering that a deal that's too good to be true usually isn't.

The short answer to your questions is that on the surface there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the car that is a 'red flag.' That said, you'd be wise to do some more checking before you commit.

First point: Is it really a Touring model? We get too many reports that sellers, even dirtbagToyota dealers, call a Gen2 Prius a Touring model when it isn't. Only something like 1 in 8 Gen2's were Touring so they are relatively rare. Knowingly claiming a Prius is a Touring when it's not is an attempt to get a higher asking price as back in 2007-8 the price difference between a standard and Touring model was ~$2300.

There are three easy to check visual indicators of a probable Touring. I say probable because these things could be changed by a previous owner as a DIY "upgrade"
* a slightly longer 'spoiler' on the back of the roofline at the top of the rear hatch
* seven spoke alloy wheel rims
* 16 inch diameter, wider than standard tires. Tires should be marked 195/55R16 on the sidewall. This tire size should also appear on the tire information sticker on the driver door frame.

The really meaningful Touring-specific elements are suspension pieces under the car: front stabilizer bar, rear shock absorbers, rear springs, and rear stabilizer bar. (All in all, these are said to provide a softer ride, more resistant to veering due cross winds) Of these components it is practicable to verify only the rear shock absorbers. The standard and Touring shocks have different color coding stripes. Touring shocks will have thin red and pink stripes painted on the body of the shock and there is blue paint on the springs.

"So I'm mostly wondering what would cause the Engine not cutting off when coming to a stop. How long should it take for it to cut off when you come to a complete stop?"

There are a number factors that contribute to if and how fast the car's Internal Combustion Engine, ICE, shuts down when the car comes to a stop.
These include:
* whether the ICE is fully warmed up
* the State of Charge, SOC, of the High Voltage battery
* the ability of the 12 volt battery to hold a charge
* whether either the cabin heating or air conditioning is in use
The ICE should shut down virtually immediately the car comes to a stop when it is fully warmed up, the SOC is 5 blue bars or higher, the 12V battery holds a minimum of 12+ Volts overnight, and the air conditioning (auto or manual mode) is turned off.
From what you've said, it is impossible to tease these factors apart. However, on the surface there doesn't appear to be anything wrong here.


"…when I stopped to park it the brake light on the dash came on and I couldn't get it out of park. After tinkering with the emergency brake it went away and I drove it back to the dealership...

"Also the brake light on and cant get out of drive. Was I doing something wrong? Maybe user error?"

Your explanation of what you experienced here is not very clear. The brake light on the dash is illuminated when eve the parking brake is engaged. There is no parking brake/transmission lockout feature. You can drive the car with the parking brake engaged. When you put the car in Park, there is a mechanical feature that prevents the car from rolling forwards or back. But fiddling with the parking brake should have no effect on it's being engaged. There is the possibility that there is an intermittent electrical problem in the Park button switch or the pawl activating mechanism it activates.

While the Ford dealer appears to be acting in good faith -- saying they took the car to a toyota dealer --- I wouldn't wouldn't fully trust them. (Did you ask for and get a CarFax report?) You should take it to Toyota and talk to them directly. You probably have to arrange for this with Toyota before hand. Take another test drive and tell the Ford folks you're going to Toyota to have the car checked out at your expense… How do they act, what do they say?

At the Toyota dealer, tell them you considering buying the car and want a complete check out. You should ask for:
* An opinion as to whether the car is an OEM Touring model, emphasis on the color coding of thee rear shocks
* An 'official,' printed maintenance/repair record
* The status of the steering shaft and cooling water pump realls
* A reading and explanation of what 'codes have been thrown' that would indicate ICE, hybrid, or HV electrical system parameters are out of specification. This could cost $85-$100. Write this info down and report back here anything you're told. This could be major stuff.

There are also a number of fluid changes and parts replacements that should be done at or about 100K miles. with costs maybe running up to ~$5 to 700. But frankly, I'm a slow and inaccurate typist and am just about worn out about now… so I'm gonna' stop to give other folks the chance to chime in.

 

texaschick007,

"Thanks for your reply! "

You are most welcome. This is the primary reason for PRIUSchat; to ask for or give such assistance as we can. It looks like I'm going this alone. This is just one man's opinion, and remember that it is worth only what you paid for it ;-)

Ok, it sounds like you've got the brake light thing figured out. Good on you.

"The touring edition isn't I big deal to me it was the leather seats and the extra equipment, including wood grain interior. It even has the gold emblems..."

The leather seats are not Touring specific. They are part of an OEM "package' available on standard and Touring models. IIRC, the #6 package also included GPS navigation… which most people think is terrible. The maps are probably way out of date. It is updated using a disc purchased from a dealer which costs something like $250. Bummer. Most folks just live with it.
The wood grain trim bits and gold emblems are owner installed after-market upgrades/add ons. A note of caution here. If the previous owner did this, it raises the question of whether exterior cosmetic upgrades were made to make the car appear to be a Touring model.

"The car fax is clean however the original owner bought a warranty from a independent company so I can see it was serviced a lot but can't tell for what reason. I plan on calling the company and see if they can't tell me what it was serviced for. Thanks for your reply."

With a Prius, just the CarFax is not enough. Basically though, this would appear to be a good thing. Yes, it would be best to followup though. You'll need to go over the records carefully with a knowledgable friend or even a Toyota Service Rep to determine exactly what has been done.

You should be aware that passing beyond 100K miles is significant in the life of a reliable, trouble free Prius. There are a number of up to this point non-routine maintenance items that become due. This typically includes new spark plugs for the first time, changes of "transmission" lubricant, change of electronic control system coolant, to name a few.
If the service records indicate these were done after 80K miles, they needn't be repeated.

At this point, I'm going to shift the burden to you to get detailed info on this. For the Gen2 Prius, it's all in this l-o-n-g thread:
What Service You Need and What You Don't

You're doing just fine so far. Keep up the good work -- nothing like self-interest as a motivator 'eh?

 

Register the VIN at Toyota Owners Official Web Site: Service Coupons, Owner's Manuals, Service Scheduling And More to see the dealer service history. It is possible the same entity owns the Ford & Toyota dealers.

 

all the best!

 

I have a touring too! Awesome car! Congrats!!!!

 

Be prepared for many expensive repairs, the reliability of this vehicle is a MYTH.
It does not like hot weather. Expect periodic hybrid system problems, plan on about $1000/ year
You could be looking at a new Hybrid Battery $5000, not too far down the road.

Mine has been the most expensive car to maintain I have ever owned, and it only has 44,000 miles on it.

 

Congrats! Great car enjoy the ride