Hi all- Thanks in advance for any help or advice from you more experienced folks. I am thinking of buying my father's 2006 Prius with 70k mileage. He lives in FL so no rough winter wear and tear. They just had the 70k check-up at the dealer and all looks good. They are the 2nd owners and all the service work (even from the 1st owner) has been done by their local Toyota dealer and thus all the records are accessible. My biggest worry is what I hear about the (larger of the two) batteries (there are two, yes?). Is 70k too risky a mileage? I know replacing the battery can cost a lot of money (I have read about 1500-2500) and I wonder how far past 100k do they last? Also, is the battery guaranteed until 100k on all Prius's? Can you get a new battery before 100k even if the battery is operating just fine!? Any advice, opinions, experience would be appreciated. I live in DC so it will be some effort to collect his car but I also feel 100% safe buying it from him (since I know him pretty well!) Thanks again.
I have 92,000 on a 2009, so I do not regard 70,000 as high mileage. There are two batteries, the 12 volt is under $200 and is nearing it's end of life, if original. Optima DS46B24R Optima battery direct fit replacement for Prius 2004 + The big HV battery may well be 1/3 of the way though its life as well. Rebuilt batteries are about $2000, so if you set a side a penny a mile, you should be ready. Remanufactured Hybrid Vehicle Battery Packs Not all batteries are warrantied for 100,000 miles or 8 years, there are CARB states that get a 150,000/10 year warranty. You do not have a CARB state Prius. You cannot make a legal claim for a product that is not defective.
Yes there are two batteries on this Prius, a small 12volt battery in the rear compartment which starts the computers which start the car and the traction battery which is the big expensive one. The Traction battery has a 8 year or 100k warranty, so no worries there. The small battery (12volt) usually has about a 4 to 5 year life span, so if it hasn't been replaced, it's probably about due. There is a way to check the health of the small battery, look it up in the owners manual. Sounds to me like you are good to go, enjoy the car!
Huh? Fly down on Friday night after work, visit with your father (parents?) on Saturday, and drive home on Sunday. Don't let this opportunity pass you by, as you have likely several years and 100,000 miles of trouble-free use to look forward to.
If the car will have problems, you are doing a great favor to your father by taking care of it for him. So what's the worry?
That sounds like an excellent deal. Very easy driving on a Prius down here no hills. And your no where's near worrying about the hybrid battery. Forget about that. Change the trans fluid asap though as your way overdue for that. Go to the dealer and have them change that before your trip home. Its about $150 and money well spent. The little 12 volt I would replace though as soon as possible as its due to be replaced also. Thats about $200 at the dealer.
Buying your father's Prius is going to be about the best known service history of any used car you could possibly imagine right. And 70k miles is not really a lot for a well maintained Prius, particularly one from the flatlands (the HV battery gets much more wear and tear in mountainous terrain). I'd get it and do a couple of very simple maintenance items that the normal dealer service schedule doesn't include (clean battery cooling fan and change transaxle fluid) then sit back and enjoy one of the most reliable low maintenance cars you've ever owned.
I agree w/ uart. I am so used to doing maintenance on my previous cars I feel like somethings not right. I catch myself thinking "shouldn't I be doing some work on the car?" But then I remind myself that there's nothing to do. Even when I go to do something that's "required", like changing spark plugs at 105K, it seems to be in better shape than I expect. I change the tranny fluid @ 100k and it still looks new. Oil at 5k is still light brown. What a crazy car (in a good way) You would do yourself a favor if you take this car. You will do someone else a favor if you don't.
Hey everyone, thanks so much for the advice and the help! I have not driven a 2006 Prius so I am going to find one in the DC area (where I live) to test drive and then assuming all is well, fly down to FL and buy my father's car. I have test driven a new Prius but I am guessing a 2006 will feel different. After thinking about it and reading your advice, I agree a 70K 2006 Prius for 12k is a good deal (especially compared to the used Prius prices in the DC area.) Plus I know he has done all the correct service work through his local Toyota dealer and did the owner before him. I will still have it checked out by the dealer and see what else needs to be done but buying a car from someone you trust is such a relief. Exciting!!! Much appreciated.
Fact: A year ago I saw a 05 with 75K on the odometer at a stealer. They were asking 14.9K for it 70K on the odometer is nothing for a Prius. I bet your dad took great care of it. I would not hesitate one bit to buy it, even if I did not know the seller. Change the tranny fluid and get a new 12 volt battery, then enjoy the MPG and the ride. Don't overfill the gas tank (top off). Your Prius has a bladder in the gas tank. Lots of info here on PriusChat about it. You can damage the evap system if you top off and it cost's a lot of money to fix it. Just fill it slowly (read the manual) and when the pump kicks off you are done. Ron (dorunron)
