I bought my 2006 with 218k as a bit of an experiment to see how I would like driving a hybrid. I got it for quite cheap at $2000, and put in another $1000 in tires, shocks, tow hitch, and basic maintenance. In the year I've owned it I have driven 40k miles and so far I am very happy with the car. I average about 40mpg on the highway and 45mpg in the city. Last year I took a job that involves a 125 mile highway commute each day. I am at the point now where I would like to consider replacing this car with something newer, or perhaps putting some money aside for a traction battery replacement. I would like to hear from others who have to commute or drive professionally with their cars, what makes more sense. I am really only concerned about the cost of ownership per mile, which excluding fuel for me right now is about 7 cents/mile. I wonder if I could count on another 200k miles with a new battery pack, or perhaps it is smarter to look at a slightly newer model? The other issue with the car is that it does use about 1qt of oil per 1000 miles now, I am not sure how indefinately the engine will continue to last with regular oil changes. It does not feel down on power on the highway compared to a new prius V I drove.
I say stick with it and decide once you get a big failure like the traction battery failing. I always go by this...if its not broke don't change it
Keep what you’ve got. I commute 80 miles a day 5 days a week and have our 2010 at 180 k miles and going strong. I’ve been thinking about upgrading to a Prime, but what keeps me in our 2010 is not having a car payment. Anything can happen on an older car with higher mileage. I’ve installed a Prolong harness and preventatively maintain our hv battery. Our 2010 consumes a quart of oil every 5 k miles. I just check it every weekend and keep her above the half way mark on the dip stick . The key with an older car is to know your limit and hold yourself accountable when an expensive repair happens . Good luck with your decision .
Having driven 40k miles on a $3000 investment, you've already got your monies worth. But I would probably not invest big money into your car from this point. If it breaks down, sell it for $1000 and get another lower mileage Prius
thank you. I would like to keep the car because the body is in great shape, the last owner took great care of it. No rust at all and I just did shocks this spring, have dedicated winter tires on another set of wheels. The only thing I am worried about is having the pack fail and not being able to get to work one day. I think it would be worth the piece of mind to have a spare pack ready to put in....are there any recommendations of where to start looking for one of these? Do you typically call around junk yards or search ebay? I am in Canada so shipping is probably not an option. What year of battery should I be looking for and what should I expect to pay? A new pack from the local dealer was quoted at $3000. There are many used packs available from 2014-15 Prius V's for around $1000 at the wreckers.
I have a 100 mike commute. And imho unless the car is a total turd, having car payments plus fuel and insurance doesn’t add up. I would upgrade the car instead to make it a better daily. I think having an emergency fund is important when you have a high mileage car. Or a second car which is what I have.
