Still Rockin' My 2010 Prius...

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Lottamoxie, May 26, 2025 at 2:46 PM.

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  1. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    And by "rockin'" I mean... (confession time) ... not driving it much, by comparison to pretty much everyone else!


    I have under 40K miles and the end of this year my Prius will be 15 yrs old! <pause for looks of shock>

    Why do I drive so little?

    Well... I telecommuted for years when I was working, and now I'm not working, but when I travel, I usually fly. I don't take long car trips. So my Prius is really an errand-getter-doer, and my errands are generally within 15 miles.

    I've turned into, as the song goes, "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena!" Except I'm not old though I am older, I'm not a granny, and I don't live in CA. But...having and not driving a Prius often, might just be illegal in certain places (Prius chat being one of them).

    Yes, I'm keeping my 2010 Prius...and will until the proverbial "wheels fall off." At this rate, if all goes well, my vehicle will make it to 20 yrs, easy, maybe longer. And that would be nice since a new vehicle will be like 3x or 4x the price I paid for my Prius, when it's time to get a new car.

    Okay, Kevlar suit is being donned.

    Go ahead...I can take it!
     
    #1 Lottamoxie, May 26, 2025 at 2:46 PM
    Last edited: May 26, 2025 at 11:22 PM
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  2. ForestBeekeeper

    ForestBeekeeper Active Member

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    I have a 2011 with over 230k miles, still running strong.

    One set of tires on steel rims with summer tread, and another set of tires on steel rims with studded snow tires.

    We love this vehicle.
     
    #2 ForestBeekeeper, May 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
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  3. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    Now that's the kind of mileage a Prii driver is supposed to achieve!

    I hang my head in deep shame.

    On the upside, I'm still on my 2nd set of tires (Michelin All-Weather, good for 60K). It'll be "awhile" till I even put 50K on those tires. And yes, I get them rotated and balanced every 3,000 mi, regardless and my alignment checked as well.
     
    #3 Lottamoxie, May 26, 2025 at 3:14 PM
  4. ForestBeekeeper

    ForestBeekeeper Active Member

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    It was not my intent to shame you.

    These are great little cars.
     
    #4 ForestBeekeeper, May 26, 2025 at 3:27 PM
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  5. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    Oh no worries...you're not!

    This is my brand of humor...I'm laughing at myself....really!
     
    #5 Lottamoxie, May 26, 2025 at 3:33 PM
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  6. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    They are great cars! Every vehicle has it's issues...
    And it sounds like you have a plan. Just keep that oil changed!

     
    #6 ASRDogman, May 26, 2025 at 6:08 PM
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  7. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    I do, every 12 to 14 months, which as it turns out is just under 5K miles, on average. :D
     
    #7 Lottamoxie, May 26, 2025 at 6:14 PM
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  8. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Do you change it yourself?

     
    #8 ASRDogman, May 26, 2025 at 6:16 PM
  9. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    LOL no way!
     
    #9 Lottamoxie, May 26, 2025 at 7:20 PM
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    mine made it to 87k before the engine blew, i thought that was pretty darn good.
     
    #10 bisco, May 26, 2025 at 7:44 PM
  11. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    It's NOT that hard! :)


     
    #11 ASRDogman, May 26, 2025 at 7:49 PM
  12. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    I have no desire to crawl under my car or any car. I don't care how easy it is. As a girly girl, car maintenance has never been my thing, and it never will be my thing.
     
    #12 Lottamoxie, May 26, 2025 at 8:22 PM
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  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i did all the work on my cars from 16-30 years old. i have paid someone else do it since then
     
    #13 bisco, May 26, 2025 at 9:01 PM
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  14. ForestBeekeeper

    ForestBeekeeper Active Member

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    We have two Prii neither of them has enough clearance for me to fit under them. I have a floorjack and stands, but omg that is a lot of work. I take each of our cars to a local mechanic twice a year.

    Every April our mechanic removes the studded snow tires and replaces them with summer tires, changes the synthetic oil, verifies that all codes are good, and completes a vehicle inspection.

    Every October our mechanic removes the summer tires and replaces them for winter tires, changes the synthetic oil, checks the codes, and completes a vehicle inspection.

    We used to do it by mileage, but we also had to swap tires twice a year. Our mechanic thinks we are safe to do the oil changes at the same frequency as we swap our tires. Every six months. This way we are doing it less frequently overall.
     
    #14 ForestBeekeeper, May 26, 2025 at 9:12 PM
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  15. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    That sounds like a reasonable schedule to maintain, not onerous. Coinciding with tire changes makes good sense!
     
    #15 Lottamoxie, May 26, 2025 at 10:34 PM
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  16. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Added to my quotes collection
     
    #16 Grit, May 27, 2025 at 12:06 AM
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  17. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    It depends on how many miles you drive. If you drive about 10,000 miles a year, you're fine.
     
    #17 ASRDogman, May 27, 2025 at 7:13 AM
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Uhoh…
     
    #18 Mendel Leisk, May 27, 2025 at 10:11 AM
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  19. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Aging into one is a heck of a lot easier than buying into one that is already old.

    As far as eventual replacement goes? Quite a few people are facing the same dilemma: Painful to do it soon vs. absolute agony to do it later.
     
    #19 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, May 27, 2025 at 10:55 AM
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  20. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    :LOL:

    I better step it up!
     
    #20 Lottamoxie, May 27, 2025 at 11:16 AM
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