Hi folks, Today I got 2003 Prius car with 98K for $7500! I bought it from Toyota dealer. My first and only question to him was 'tell me is that battery is in good condition and will it last for 150K?!' their answer was Yes,it will! As it's cleanely maintained and taken care of regularly. Actually it had a single owner with clean carfax! now that encouraged me. Also as per nada value: it's cost was:$7215 and i just payed 300 bucks more but I am in need of vehicle now. It's OK! I am hoping for good experience with Prius
Congrats on buying a Gen1...they are a great little car and fun to drive. However, there is no way a seller can know for sure the HV battery will last for 150k. Most batteries will last that long, but many Gen1 batteries fail around 100-120k. The good news there are aftermarket vendors that sell rebuilt batteries for a fraction of what the dealer charges for a new one so if you have trouble in the future you have options. The other "big" problem with Gen1s is the transmission/transaxle. I suggest you have it properly serviced ASAP since if it goes bad it is more expensive to fix than the battery....and BTW, most dealers don't properly service Gen1 transmissions (i.e. they don't drop the pan) so find someone willing to do it this way http://priuschat.com/forums/knowledge-base-articles-discussion/83967-gen1-tranny-service-do-now.html
3Prong, I really appreciate the detailed tranny service "how to". I did it on my '01 last week and it was very easy thanks to you. I couldn't believe how much ferrous material was attached to the magnet. I now have peace of mind about the transaxle.
