Hi all! My husband and I have been sharing a 2003 Toyota Corolla for 3 years, in which we’ve put around 80k miles on. Due to an accident, we’re looking for a new vehicle and want to replace it with a Prii if at all possible. I've read through a handful of threads, and feel somewhat confident in our decision to go with an early Gen II. I found an '07 with 159k+ miles, one owner, one accident (appears to be minor cosmetic damage). I've read through the CarFax and everything seemed clean. I know that at some point I'll have to replace the big items (battery, etc). But are there certain questions I should ask a dealership/seller about the car? Or should I adhere to the "buy the youngest model I can afford"? I don't mind getting my hands dirty, and I have a friend who knows someone who does Prius work. Thanks!
You're gonna love the Prius... It does all kinds of cool stuff to entertain the minds of people who are ok with getting their hands dirty. If I could do it all over again, I'd buy from a private seller because Prius reliability is awesome. If you still want to buy from a car dealer, don't buy any of their garbage warranty. It's almost never worth the extra money! Here's a really long thread I posted that will answer any other questions you might have: Did you buy a Prius with 100K+ miles? Share your story here! | PriusChat
get a carfax and plug the vin into the toyota owners site for service details. ownership, service, accidents are all important. learn how to reset the trip meter and take them for a long drive under various conditions. the meter will tell you what average mpg you got. check the 12v battery area and spare tire well for water. all the best!