Monday, February 13, 2012

Is it bad to have a high mileage on a hybrid Toyota Prius?

I am considering to buy a Toyota Hybrid Pruis 2006. It's in very good condition, but my main concern is its 140,000 mileage (which also means no warranty). Should I consider the offer or not?Is it bad to have a high mileage on a hybrid Toyota Prius?Depends. You'll need to get it checked out, obtain the maintenance records, carfax, etc. as a previous poster said. There are a few people who say they never buy a car with less than 100,000 miles on it. The hypothesis is that at 40,000, 60,000, or 70,000 miles you can hide poor maintenance, but at 100,000 miles it's obvious.



Other than that it depends on the price. Be sure to check the KBB for what a car like that is worth.



My own Prius has 115,000 trouble free miles and still runs like new.Is it bad to have a high mileage on a hybrid Toyota Prius?
I wouIdn't buy a used car with such high mileage. If I did, it would be a Toyota from the Certified Used Car Dept at a Toyota Dealer. That many miles on a 4 yr old car, tells you it was a daily commuter or a "work horse". With hybrids, Toyota dealers have diagnostic computers that can tell if the duo system is in sync and working properly. Ask the service manager the life expectancy of the battery and the engine components. My advice is never buy from a "Used Car Lot". Always buy from a Toyota Dealer's Certified Used Car Dept. You can purchase an extended warranty. The Platinum warranty lasts 5 years and covers everything. The cost would be $15 (divided monthly) but is worth the extra expense. To sum up, If I bought a used Toyota, It would only be a Certified Used Car from a Toyota dealer. (but never any vehicle with such high mileage).Is it bad to have a high mileage on a hybrid Toyota Prius?Well, I sell Toyota's and before you buy this car, make sure he/she has all the service records for it. If you are buying this car from a dealer, then ask if you can have a copy of the service records. Also ask if you can have a carfax or Carproof done to it to make sure there has been no accidents with the car. If the car has been regularly serviced properly, then you need not worry about the high mileage. I've seen Prius' come into our dealership for service with 400,00+ miles on them and STILL going strong. The key is proper maintenance! If a Toyota has been properly maintained, it will last almost forever. As far as the battery is concerned, in only a few Prius' has the battery ever failed, and if it does, you can always find "aftermarket" batteries that have been taken out of Prius' which have been in accidents for a lot less money...good luck to you, and enjoy your new car!Is it bad to have a high mileage on a hybrid Toyota Prius?
No problem at all, especially on a 2006. I bought my 2002 (a first generation Prius) with 103 k miles and have 135K or so on it now, with not a single problem except a broken windshield from a flying rock. The second generation Prius - like the 2006 - has proven to be one of the most reliable cars made. The only failure pattern that has surfaced is failure of the inverter coolant pump, about $300 parts %26amp; labor if I recall right. That is a rare failure but all the other failures are far rarer.



As you may know, the main battery in the second generation is extremely reliable. It is much more likely the car will be destroyed in an accident than that it will ever need the battery replaced. The first generation had a problem with failure of the larger motor-generator, affecting as many as one in a thousand first generation Prius, but I am not aware of any reports of that happening in the second generation version.



EDIT - JerryJ's observation about the attraction of high mileage cars is certainly my philosophy. I will go as new as 80K miles, but I prefer at least 100K miles. I bought my daughter's Honda at 165K miles 9 years ago and recently put a new timing belt on it at 250K miles. In 40 years I've only bought three new cars.Is it bad to have a high mileage on a hybrid Toyota Prius?no. even if the batteries are in good shape, you're going to be spending a lot in maintenance and repairs. unless it's something simple like changing the oil, you'll need to take it to an actual Toyota dealer for repairs, which means spending a lot more money than going to an independent mechanic. since there's no warranty, you'll obviously be on your own for anything going wrong with the car. you might save money in gas, but you'll be dishing it right back out when something goes wrong. there's plenty of other fuel-friendly alternatives out there, find something else.

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