When Shopping Used, Definitely Look at Toyota Owners Site

This is for those new to used Prius shopping (like me) - I tend to look as carefully as I can online before going to look at a car - my husband thinks a little too carefully. I've been using the Toyota Owners site, signing up a car "as mine" just so I can take a peek at its service. This morning I was finalizing a list of a few cars to see, one was a car at a great price which is about an hour drive from us at a small independent dealer - the car has great records - oil on time, checkups, etc. However, when I clicked on one of the last record;

"INSPECT + REPORT, MULTI-POINT INSP" - this was part of that page:

"...ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT ON BUT WE FOUND CODES IN HISTORY: P3000, ~|~NOTHING DONE AT THIS TIME; INFORMED CUSTOMER OF WHAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR VEHICLE" -

When I searched that code, P3000, all sorts of warnings came up regarding a Prius needing a new hybrid battery.

Since it is a great price, and lower miles, a new hybrid battery would be replaced under the Toyota warranty for the battery. HOWEVER, there are other little issues with the history of the car on Toyota's site - at least three times the remote start didn't work, it would also need four new tires and wheel covers - filters are all dirty - (this is all from the Toyota site.) We are staying away. I am more apt to go shopping for a Prius near RI, though, because I feel as if the report written by the Toyota dealer there was thorough - I'd trust them (Bristol) to do a good job at a pre-purchase inspection.

While a pre-purchase inspection will be a must for any car, reading the info on the Toyota Site saved us many hours and some $ (we would have paid to have the car inspected if we had liked it.)