Asking for Advice on Possible 2010 Prius III Purchase!

welcome!
i agree with your uncle. the vehicle may need all sorts of expensive repairs at any time. 250k is a lot of mileage on any vehicle.
i would take my $4,000. and find the cheapest reliable corolla/civic/whatever until i could afford something newer or lower miles, or be able to pay for expensive repairs if needed.
you will get people chiming in saying their 250k prius runs fine, but that's no guarantee yours will.
all the best!

 

Tough call. If it's original hybrid battery, sooner or later you should count on needing a replacement, and that'll rival the cost of the vehicle. And that's a lot of miles, likely engine problems starting to crop up, if not already.

Maybe ask them how the oil consumption is, post their response. The way they answer is at least as important as what they say. I would assume it's consuming moderately by now.

One thing: they're probably on the level about there being a lot of highway miles: that's a lot of miles to pile on so fast. For comparison, our 2010 is around 43K miles, lol.

If you really want to be sure, take the 2 hour drive, do a test drive, and bring along uncle. Do not bring a check book.

 

I agree with other... If you planning to buy that car, you need to put some money aside just in case if repair is needed. I bought my 2010 Prius with 327k and the HV battery failed few weeks later. I'm very very fortunate that I got a almost new HV battery (21,000 miles on it) for $500! My Prius now have 335,000 miles and no problem! Good luck on your decision!

 

get the vin and put it in at the toyota owners website. it will give you all the dealer service history.

 

Download the 2009 sales brochure and make sure it is a Touring. (16" wheels, larger spoiler, different suspension).

From Prius Base vs. Touring edition: the dirty little secret | PriusChat

Lots of crooks or innocent know-nothings out there.

The Touring Edition was only available in the U.S. for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 model years.

Besides (1) larger rear spoiler, and (2) 7 spoke 16" wheels and 16" tires, all Touring Editions will have:

(3) HIDs and front fog lights (but high option package Standard Prius will have these too),

(4) larger front and rear stabilizer bars (but you won't be able to easily tell the difference by looking at them), and

(5) different rear struts and springs - note that you WILL be able to detect this:

Look under the car from the rear. On either side you will see where the struts attach to the rear suspension beam. Just above the attachment point are two painted stripes on the strut tube.

The Touring Edition Prius has a pink stripe and a red stripe.

The Standard Prius has a blue stripe and a red stripe.

You can see pictures of the different colored striped struts in this thread:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/32947-touring-owners-check-your-rear-struts.html

 

MY2010 was a very long year (Thank you, Honda Insight). The earliest non-CARB registered cars are just coming off warranty based on time. The Google couldn't find a replacement price (at least quickly) and I don't recall reading of one being replaced out of warranty.

Find and download the sales brochures for every year you look at. Features change year to year. The 2010 V (Five in later years) has a different suspension (yep, the old Touring idea) and 17" wheels. A vast majority of the cars advertised as "fives" aren't.

The Gen3 was "de-featured". To get the backup camera you need to find a car with one of the option packages. One door SKS was standard on the II & III. Three door SKS was standard on the IV & V.

Every battery in every car is going to fail. The question is "when". Chances are we will have 3 or 4 years before there will be a significant probability of failure. The price of a Gen2 battery makes a good estimate for the emergency repairs fund.

First, borrowing money to have emergency funds is not a good idea. Second, a responsible lender is not going to write a loan for thousands more than the car is worth.

 

$3000 is very good price especially the Prius is well maintained at the dealership. I paid mine little more for my 2010 Prius that have 328k. Although you need to start saving just in case something come up. Good luck!

 

The car is either a base II, III, or IV. Register the VIN & look at the service records. When were the fluids changed? Any suspension work? Has the 12v battery been replaced? How much tread left on the tires?

"Past performance is no guarantee of future results." Routine maintenance is not a predictor of battery life. Since the car has been run a lot and probably hasn't sat unused I'd believe the traction battery won't be the first expense.

Bank the money you aren't spending on gas for the Buick. Look for a car club or program on campus or in the area. The idea is to hang around with people who know more than you (and have facilities and tools). You can save some money with DIY and oil changes ARE easier when the car is on a lift in the school's shop.

 

it's on the dash in front of the driver. look through the lower corner of the windshield.

contact prikschat member @ericbecky in madison, he can quote you a battery price, and generally advise you. i would listen to him.

 

go to the toyota owners website and sign up. then you can plug in the vin and get all the dealer service history.

 

http://www.toyota.com/owners