Seeking advice on buying a Prius v

How many miles are on the odometer?

 

Better YET, how many miles on the CAR?

Depending on the history for a '14 (137 months?) you might be due for some significant maintenance.
If those records are not available I would presume that none maintenance items have been done and proceed thusly:

Warranty and MAINTENANCE guide is HERE:
Toyota Manuals and Warranties | Toyota Owners

https://MAINTENANCE GUIDE.pdf
NOTE!!!
There are some lots and lots of dealer recommended "maintenance items" that are NOT necessary.....and perhaps some Necessary (IMO) items that are not necessarily dealer recommended.....

Good Luck!

 

Depending on what part of Caly you call home, one of your fellow forum members might be able to recommend a good independent shop.
You mentioned some coverage from the dealer which might be worth 'something.'

Best!

 

Yeah, an independent shop is always a better choice than a Toyota dealer, once the factory warranty is out.

Some of them know the car better than the dealer and all of them charge less.

 

Jackpot. Having them so close by is great news!

 

Sounds like the carfax report has the wrong date. Carfax is far from accurate.

Costco oil is fine.

The dealer is unlikely to tell you much if the car drives straight and runs smooth. They really can't predict problems that don't code first.

At this point you need to drive the car quite a bit and check the rate of oil use, if any. Watch the passenger coolant reservoir level.

Plus get a handle on the brake booster cycling while the independent dealer / mechanic is on the hook for a one year warranty.

 

What was the purchase price for this 177K miles Prius?

 

rjparker - I hope it's ok I jump into this thread. You seem to have the answer I am seeking!

I just posted and hoping you can weigh in.

I have an opportunity to get a 2017, pristine condition, from the one original owner who can no longer drive. wtth 63,000 miles. It's garage kept. But really pricey $18K+

This is the thread I just posted. I would really appreciate your thoughts -

"I have had a 3rd gen Prius since 2011. In 2023 I spent 7K on new battery, head gasket, water pump and tires at 234K because I knew it would take me beyond 300k. Welp, Hurricane Helene had other plans.

It's been 3 years since it got destroyed, and I've had one lousy used car after another. I miss my Prius, but don't want the a later Gen as I like the feel, space and cargo of the 3rd gen.

I found a 2017 Prius V with 63,000. Garage kept, meticulous records and showroom condition.
What should I expect mileage wise.?
Am I safe from the dreaded 3 gen issues with a 2017?

It's priced kinda high ($18,900), but it's a one owner, retired driver, who kept it pristine and no longer can drive.

What say yee??



[="rjparker, post: 3615315, member: 41651"]If you are locked in on a Prius v, you should only consider a 2015-17 due to

a. Revised pistons and rings for the oil burning issue

b. Revised structural to improve the driver's side crash test results​

I would make sure the dealer warranty covers parts and labor for an engine-replacement if blown, a head-gasket if failed, a clogged catalytic-converter, a replacement hybrid battery or a brake-booster assembly. Each is at least $2,500 installed.

These problems are very hard to predict during a pre-sale inspection even for a dealer.

There is a 20 year class action suit warranty on the inverter which is a plus from a cost standpoint but very disappointing if you are stranded away from home. Most likely the 2015-17 inverters are a better bet.

Yes the Prius v is capable of 40-42 mpg, has a very good body, transaxles are bullet proof, the ac is stronger than a hatchback, they ride better than a standard gen3 and generally they have good 12v electrical and ecus.

Mileage will dip at high freeway speeds, or with a weak hv battery (which is not enough for warranty) or with clogged catalytic-converters.

The 2016-17 Prius v's are rare because very few were shipped to the US after the 2016 Rav4 nimh hybrid became available in late 2015. As an alternative, I would consider a Rav4 hybrid, a Prius c nimh or ideally, a 2019 up Rav 4 with a lithium hv battery,

The best Toyota values in this price range are conventional Corollas, Camrys and Rav4s. Any shop can work on them and almost all parts are affordable at the local auto supply. While a few hybrid parts are now available aftermarket, most like hybrid batteries, egr valves and water pumps are inferior and short lived. Oem is often the only safe parts option and many small shops with affordable labor rates won't work on hybrid issues.[/QUOTE]

 

Congratulations!
Can I ask what you paid and the mileage? I am looking at a 2017 with 63,000 miles, but it's priced so high...

 

I was getting ready to say that this is my second "V" thread in 2 days.

@Viviparous - did the dealer address the issue that led to the head gasket failure?
Hint - IMHO - it wasn't a faulty head gasket!
A head gasket is like a fuse. When they "blow" it's because they were WORKING and not because they failed.
AGAIN......IMO the root cause was oil change periodicities being 10K instead of 5k, and the EGR and intake being fouled.

You're going to want to check and see if those issues were corrected - ALONG with all of the normal things that you would do with elderly cars (brake fluid replacement, inverter coolant, transaxle fluid replacement, etc...etc...)

@analoggirl : as info.

 

Duly noted.
Thanks!