So I just purchased the Prius featured in Curb Your Enthusiasm, need some help with it.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by ADDvanced, Jul 21, 2015.

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  1. ADDvanced

    ADDvanced Junior Member

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    Hey guys, I recently purchased a 2004 Prius that used to belong to Larry David, and was featured on Curb Your Entusiasm. Anyway, I am having lots of little issues that I need to begin sorting out. Apparently this car was given away by Larry's wife to promote global warming, and the guy I bought the car from is the younger fella here:

    [​IMG]

    Here is a short list of what I have experienced in my brief ownership, so far:

    7/15. Purchased the car. Drives great. Everything works. Has a bad rear wheel bearing and cosmetic damage. Extremely heavy rain. I turned the dome light switch to "On when door are open".

    7/16. Car worked fine. Drove to work. Upon leaving work, car was 100% dead. Needed to jump the 12v battery, could not open the rear hatch so I used the underhood 12v jumper and another car.

    7/16. Driving along, tried to hold down the next track button the steering wheel to change CDs (just playing with buttons, I don't know what the features are yet) and then poof, no more audio. It just says "Audio off" and shows a pair of speakers. I am unable to change to AM/FM/CD or tape, and the screen is basically unresponsive, as are all the steering wheel buttons. I gloomily drove for 25 minutes just listening to the rear wheel bearing, suddenly my car said "Voice recognition finished". AHA! I forgot it had that. So I hit the voice button, and said "Play a CD" (or osmething like that) and POOF, the audio system is 100% functional again!

    7/17. Start the car, and get a low oil warning light, and check engine light. That's weird. I pop the hood, check the oil, it's 100% fine. I restart the car and the error still remains. I ignore it and drive to my destination. On the return trip, no more errors.


    The car also has some slight cosmetic damage; both bumpers are fairly trashed and will need to be replaced, the headlights are basically shot, and it looks like someone glanced off the side of the car with something at one point. I'm going to have the whole car straightened out, sanded down, and resprayed in the factory color.

    I also need to replace a rear wheel bearing, and I have some noise coming from the front suspension somewhere. If anybody could point me in the right direction for any of these problems, I'd really appreciate it!

    Pictures:

    [​IMG]
    First day of ownership, parked behind my beater 911.

    [​IMG]
    You can kind of see how neglected this poor thing is in this photo. No worries. She will be given some love.

    [​IMG]
    I'm going to be replacing these headlamps but I couldnt' see at night, so after 5 minutes wet sanding and hitting it with a 3" buffer, you can see the results on the right.
     
    #1 ADDvanced, Jul 21, 2015
  2. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    You need a new 12 volt battery as soon as possible.

    If you think of your Prius as a battery powered computer, it will produce unreliable results any time the computers have low voltage. As a driver, this means random errors.

    The Toyota replacement has a long warranty (84 months) and the Optima replacement has a good track record, but there are many brands these days.

    Toyota Prius 12 Volt Auxiliary Battery with install kit for 2004 + including Plug in
     
    #2 JimboPalmer, Jul 21, 2015
  3. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Now you have a beater prius to go with the beater Porsche.
     
    #3 JC91006, Jul 21, 2015
  4. ADDvanced

    ADDvanced Junior Member

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    Is there any reason I can't just grab a standard lead acid 12v battery, instead of a fancy optima one? I'm guessing this battery doesn't see tons of draw, as the hybrid batteries do most of the heavy lifting.
     
    #4 ADDvanced, Jul 21, 2015
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    congrats and welcome! yes. keep in my it has to fit correctly, including post size, and it's inside the cabin with you, and has a vent tube connected to the exterior. you have a few correct options. all the best.(y)
     
    #5 bisco, Jul 21, 2015
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2015
  6. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Looking at the picture of your garage and the lowered Honda, it looks like you have all the necessary tools and equipment to make this project look new again.
     
    #6 JC91006, Jul 21, 2015
  7. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Not so long as you do not value your own life and never take passengers, no.

    Toyota saw fit to place the 12 volt battery in the passenger space, when it fails it may produce invisible hydrogen gas or sulfuric acid mist, both of which can be fatal. Outside, hydrogen gas would dissipate and never reach explosive mixtures, and the sulfuric mist would attack engine components, not people.

    The Prius needs a AGM battery with external vents for safety. Having the correct JIS posts instead of the larger SAE posts and buying a size that fits down in the battery recess are just niceties by comparison. (should you decide to try the wrong battery, here are SAE battery cables for a Prius Installation Kit for Optima battery in Prius )
     
    #7 JimboPalmer, Jul 21, 2015
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  8. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Well despite it's history on the screen, what you have is an older Prius.

    Suppose you just keep doing what you are doing and fixing it up as you discover problems. Wheel bearing and new 12 volt very good first starts.

    Hope you didn't pay a lot for the vehicle as it seems it needs a lot of work. New bumpers, painting, body work. It may of once been Larry Davids, but it's yours now. And after 11+ years it seems it needs some work.
     
    #8 The Electric Me, Jul 21, 2015
  9. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    its been wrecked more than once,its going to have rust issues, its old and has electrical problems, dump it ASAP..its going to be a money pit..no one cares who owned an 11 year old prius..it has zero collector value and almost zero value as a car.. hope you didn't spend more then a grand on it
     
    #9 Beachbummm, Jul 21, 2015
  10. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Yeah...kind of felt this...didn't want to say it.

    Don't know how much the OP paid for it, but really wondering if a better Gen 2 Prius could be had, that wasn't once owned by Larry David.

    Also maybe the OP likes a challenge and want's a project? If that's the case? Well The OP has one now.
     
    #10 The Electric Me, Jul 21, 2015
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    fix it up, there are tons of cye fans who will pay a pretty penny for it when it's all cleaned up and running new.

    first thing i would do is get on the horn with ld to see if he'll help you out.
     
    #11 bisco, Jul 21, 2015
  12. ADDvanced

    ADDvanced Junior Member

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    Yeah, that isn't really that uncommon or weird to me. I have a 95 Audi S6, and the battery is under the seat, same issues. I got a cheap battery at walmart that had the external vent connection for about one hundred bones. That being said the old battery never had that even connected, and I've owned the car for quite a while. I feel like all the 'danger' you mentioned is a bit overblown/not really that big of a deal.

    LOL. A gen 2 prius that runs and drives fine for $1000? Please let me know which drug dealer you are using, I'd like to meet him.
     
    #12 ADDvanced, Jul 21, 2015
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  13. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    junk yard is this way >>>>>>
    maybe y
    I paid $1200 for the gold one below, 170,000 miles with new tires and cold ac.only real issue is the keyless entry system isn't working and I can live without it..they are out there, guess you got screwed on your project car..
     
    #13 Beachbummm, Jul 21, 2015
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sure, but is it jerry seinfeld's?:cool:
     
    #14 bisco, Jul 21, 2015
  15. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    what people don't understand is gas has been cheap for a year now and these hybrids are not in demand so theres no point in a project prius..I thinking of selling the two I have..but clearly I offended the OP..oh well, people don't like the truth I guess.
     
    #15 Beachbummm, Jul 21, 2015
  16. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Well they are in plenty demand here in CA where the gas is still over $4 gallon. Last I checked $5000 gets you a used salvaged 2004 Prius with 150k on it.
     
    #16 JC91006, Jul 21, 2015
  17. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    can you sell my two on commission? here in florida gas is dropping, its back under 2.50 and the used car lots are flooded with prii,leafs and volts..
    I have been listing both mine on craigslist with little interest unless I want about half of my asking price so they sit here
     
    #17 Beachbummm, Jul 21, 2015
  18. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    sure, bring it to me in CA and I'll unload it for you.
     
    #18 JC91006, Jul 21, 2015
  19. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    too far to walk home
     
    #19 Beachbummm, Jul 21, 2015
  20. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    But for the $1000 you mentioned, I'd take both
     
    #20 JC91006, Jul 21, 2015
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