Said goodbye to my '03

I haven't been all that active here, but have posted some about my '03 bought back in 2018, and to try to help others where I could. The '03 threw a P3006 last month and I just decided it was time to get into something newer. It was at 220K and other than the A/C not working everything was in order. But it was 6 yrs into a remanned hybrid battery and it threw the P3006. (Which I cleared and then drove it around for a week with no further problems, but the writing was on the wall). So I guess I figured time to grow up.

I sold it running and driving for $800. Considering that I paid $2700 for it 7 yrs ago, and drove it for almost 60K miles, I think I came out ok on the whole thing. Cool little go-karts.

Addicted to 46 mpg I found a new "Snowflake" (a.k.a. a new white Prius). It's a 2013 and has 144K, and I actually bought it from a Toyota dealer, which is not my style. But it was a one owner car bought and serviced religiously at the same Toyota dealer, and I have all of the records.

Anyway, the Snowflake 1 and Snowflake 2:

 

LOL, I never actually even knew that about the Gen 1 b/c I never used B. (Tho' I also have few to no downgrades that challenge the coast too much). I always thought to myself that I'd use B mode for driving in snow/ice - sort of like downshifting if you had a normal transmission. And I always though the cruise control worked pretty well in the '03, but great to know it's improved for real speed control on the Gen 3.

I started this thread (Help me make sure it's an A/C compressor failure | PriusChat) way back when we first hit the hot weather and it didn't work. It was confirmed by a shop to be the compressor. They quoted something like $1500, but that was to do it right - not just throw a new compressor on it. To do it right is really a full tear down and rebuild of the system. This involves pulling the radiator since the condenser is integral to it.

I found a new compressor from Rockauto for like $230 and was just going to do the old "throw it on and see what happens," but never got around to it. (We have two other cars with working A/C, so it was always easy to avoid it). I sent the new still-in-the-box compressor with the buyer.

I actually posted it on craigslist for the $800 (I was thinking it was a $750 car). I got something like 5 responses, but the first guy who responded bought it the next morning with no haggle. I was just happy to get it done. But I was thinking "damn, should have asked like $1200 and see what happens." But I also just wanted to get it done. It worked.

 

Not too worried about it. I've got tools, brains, and Priuschat.

Not sure what the quotes are about on the "dealer-maintained," but I do have a complete and detailed printout from Toyota's database of regular visits/maintenance since the day it was purchased. The prior owner even had the dealer replacing wiper blades and air filters. Everything was always up to date and remain so. Unless you're suggesting fraud?

Then, when it was taken in on trade, it got a new timing cover gasket, which actually involves removing the head. That's weird, to be sure. Four new TPMS sensors for the Michelin tires with only 10K on them. A fresh oil change, a new state inspection, and new brake pads, even though they would have passed inspection. I'm pretty confident that I got it in as ok condition as you can get. I paid $10K for it.

The only wildcard is, of course, the HV battery pack. It's 13 yrs old, and there's no amount of "maintenance" or whatever that can change the age of a battery. But like I said, I've go tools and brains. I swapped out the HV pack in the '03 in 2019 (free pack since it was under warranty), and I'm sure I can do it in a 2013.