Howdy, I am considering buying a used 3rd generation Prius. I haven't found a thread that outlines exactly what to look for in a used Prius. I have read things like: Get an inspection by a certified Toyota specialist. If I buy used from a Toyota dealership should I take it to a different one for an inspection? Look for metal shavings in transaxle fluid. How does one go about getting and evaluating a sample? Is there a way to send the sample to a lab for evaluation? CarFax isn't omniscient. What else should I look for? My spouse and I bought a 2010 new and little to nothing's gone wrong with it since then. Tires, replace the 12v, regular oil changes, that's it. Maybe there's nothing to look for aside from excessive seat wear.
If you can find one with a good service history and all the maintenance done on time, it wouldn't be a bad gamble. They are quite reliable. But with the prices of new Gen3 cars at fire sale prices now, it would be worth it to consider new.
how old are you considering? i like to take them for a nice long drive under varied conditions, then check the avg mpg's.
What To Look For When Buying Used? Go on this site and look for posts asking: * Can I tow an RV with my Prius? * Has anybody used E85 in their Prius? * My oil light keeps flickering. What does this mean? * My dealer keeps over-filling my oil!!!! * K$N Filters......worth it? After you read about 100 posts, go to a credit union and get pre-qualified for a new car loan and decide what package you want (I recommend a package 2) DO NOT shop for a car until you've decided on package, color, and you've got several dealerships that actually have these cars actually on their lots. You're already familiar with the G3.....so all of the hard questions are already answered. Negotiate a CASH OTD (out the door) price. Good Luck!
