They tend to be rare, at least those for sale. A gen 3 for sale is way too often being ditched, typically due to blown head gasket, with a stop-leak product added to the coolant to mask symptoms. You might get lucky, find a low-miles one, say from an estate sale, but it may have other issues, due protracted lack of use. I've got a 2010, with around 65k miles, DIY'd all the right stuff, definitely not for sale though. The miles accumulated at near-normal rate the first few years, then both my wife and I retired, dealing with fixed-income, COVID, lifestyle changes. It's a bird in the hand, so we hang onto it. Do need a car now and then. Whoa, that even less than us. I would seriously consider if you need to own a car.
I'll be driving more often now that I plan to visit my parents more often ( around 300 miles round trip. ) I also plan to look into as rental car. I have a dog though.
i think because you posted in the newbie forum, and didn't put 3rd gen in the title, they might have missed it. there are a number of people here with 3rd gen's and no problems, and defend them whenever they see this injustice being done by those of us who try to warn people off. i wouldn't want to be the person who said go for it, and then have the buyer wind up with a huge expense. if you want positive gen 3 comments, this is the gentleman for you: @ASRDogman
Bisco used to be a gen3 cheerleader until his engine failed before 100k. I would recommend a low mile gen2 or any gen4 long before a gen3. Gen3's on the used car market are only reasonable if someone has already installed a rebuilt engine with pistons and rings plus have installed a new oem back battery in the last 75k miles. But those cars are still being driven by the diehards that fixed them. But some have an idea gen3s are reliable just because conventional wisdom is Toyotas are reliable. Some are just looking for validation for something they are going to do anyway. Too many learn from the school of hard knocks rather than from the experience of those who have owned a gen3 hybrid. Anyone looking for low cost of ownership would be wise to stay away from a gen3 Prius or their Lexus cousins. I would certainly stay away from the buy here pay here car lots where a $5k car can cost $10k 52 months later.
Nope. Just being honest. Actually? I'd buy a 150k mile G3 in a heartbeat, preferably a 2015 if I knew that it wasn't "dealer maintained" and if I saw a maintenance log that indicated that the maintenance items were done properly and that the oil was replaced every 5k instead of 10k. You would be just about dead-bang guaranteed to get another 100-150k out of the car with not-much in the way of major repairs. Unfortunately most of the people with THOSE cars are not selling them.....
