The $3700 Prius Experiment

[sailorlee15]

Hi Everyone,
I'm new to the forum. We recently (like last week) bought a 2005 Prius with 152,000 on it. Newish tires, nothing wrong with it that I can find or the state can find (Maryland's safety inspection is one of the toughest). We were getting 48mpg on the way home from the tag and title place...this could be addicting!

My plan is to update this thread every 10,000 miles with any issues or insight I gained throughout its ownership. This will be our family's first hybird. I'm excited to see how it plays out.

Here's the tally so far:
Purchase price: $3700
MD State inspection: $95
Taxes, Tag and Title: $531.50

Total get it on the road price: $4326.50

Ready Steady Goooo!!

[acroy]

Badass
Enjoy
A good friend bought one with 175k and sold with 240k. Thing still ran like a top, sold only to get a new Camry hybrid (he's addicted to luxury - not a Mustachian)

[nouveauRiche]

We brought our Prius to our mechanic just to check it over.  He said "If all cars were Priuses, I would retire."

[better late]

Owners of a 2008 Prius.  By far the cheapest car we have ever owned.  I would buy another in a heartbeat.  I hope you have a great experience with yours!

[Just Joe]

Just know that the battery cells are modular. If your battery starts throwing warning lights - you can tear down the battery and replace those cells at about $50 each from eBay parts. YouTube has the details. A friend did this to his high mileage Prius. Went from a dash full of warning lights to all is good for the price of three cells he installed himself. Also said he had to clean all the battery connections inside the hybrid battery.

[sailorlee15]

Thanks everyone.

Tasty Pinecones - Thanks! I knew you could DIY the replacement of the batteries but I didn't know you could rebuild them cell by cell. Cool!

[JrDoctor]

Keep us updated!

[Fireball]

I think you will be pleased. My wife has a 2006 Highlander Hybrid with 210k miles and it gets the same mileage today as when we bought it used 7 years ago. Toyota makes a great hybrid.

[Sid Hoffman]

We brought our Prius to our mechanic just to check it over.  He said "If all cars were Priuses, I would retire."

They have been ranked least expensive to maintain by a number of publications.  They really do make good sense just from a maintenance standpoint, and the low cost to fuel them is like icing on the cake.

[farmecologist]

We brought our Prius to our mechanic just to check it over.  He said "If all cars were Priuses, I would retire."

They have been ranked least expensive to maintain by a number of publications.  They really do make good sense just from a maintenance standpoint, and the low cost to fuel them is like icing on the cake.

Yep..the Prius ( at least 2010+ models ) is a completely "beltless" engine design.  Also, the brakes last 'forever' due to the regenerative braking.  I've seen Prius vehicles go 100s of thousands of miles without needing any major brake maintenance. The eCVT transmission is also very clever...no transmission gears to speak of like a regular transmission.

This video showing how the transmission works is fascinating :

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLNDGUISTYM

Non-believers always seem to constantly complain about 'battery replacement'.  However, this has been debunked repeatedly.  The batteries typically last a very,very long time.

Edit: Also check out the priuschat.com forums  for more information than you ever wanted to know about your model.

[El Marinero]

In 12 years of driving my Prius, the only things I've replaced are fluids, windshield wipers and tires.   Brakes are still good!

There were a few recalls for my model though.

[itsallgood]

I'm on my second Prius.  First was a 2008...kept it till 2014 with over 100K miles.  There was nothing wrong with it I was just nervous about the battery going so traded it in for a new 2014.  Since my dad passed away and I no longer have to make the trip to visit him I am not putting many miles on this one and will keep it a long time.  I love my Prius', have never had a problem with either one.  They are roomy on the inside, have large cargo space, drive well, can fit into tight parking spaces and I spend less than $15 a month on gas. 

[MightyAl]

In to follow.  I have seen these pop up at ridiculously low prices and have wondered what the catch would be.  I have been itching to pull the trigger on one.

[Megma]

Non-believers always seem to constantly complain about 'battery replacement'.  However, this has been debunked repeatedly.  The batteries typically last a very,very long time.

Right? Why do people always say that the battery will fail? So what! Can't anything else fail on any car? I know many Prius owners and none has ever had to replace their battery and even if I pay 3k on a battery after 10 years that is not totally unreasonable. All cars have components that need replaced eventually, plus, I've probably saved 3k in gas during that time.

Now that I've jinxed myself, I'm sure I'll be replacing my battery in the next month but I'll keep my prius anyway.

[SaveSpendGiveALittle]

I purchased a 2010 prius with just under 80,000 miles last summer... I've been in love with it ever since.

[Metric Mouse]

Hi Everyone,
I'm new to the forum. We recently (like last week) bought a 2005 Prius with 152,000 on it. Newish tires, nothing wrong with it that I can find or the state can find (Maryland's safety inspection is one of the toughest). We were getting 48mpg on the way home from the tag and title place...this could be addicting!

My plan is to update this thread every 10,000 miles with any issues or insight I gained throughout its ownership. This will be our family's first hybird. I'm excited to see how it plays out.

Here's the tally so far:
Purchase price: $3700
MD State inspection: $95
Taxes, Tag and Title: $531.50

Total get it on the road price: $4326.50

Ready Steady Goooo!!

Awesome! Welcome to the forum. About how many miles do you put on a year?

[trashmanz]

Non-believers always seem to constantly complain about 'battery replacement'.  However, this has been debunked repeatedly.  The batteries typically last a very,very long time.

Right? Why do people always say that the battery will fail? So what! Can't anything else fail on any car? I know many Prius owners and none has ever had to replace their battery and even if I pay 3k on a battery after 10 years that is not totally unreasonable. All cars have components that need replaced eventually, plus, I've probably saved 3k in gas during that time.

Now that I've jinxed myself, I'm sure I'll be replacing my battery in the next month but I'll keep my prius anyway.

Yes, other things can fail, which is why adding on a battery is an additional burden, and an expensive one at that.  If its an all electric that may be a decent trade for getting rid of other components that you need to run gas (e.g., full electrics don't have any combustion engine, fuel filters to change, oil to change etc. and may not have a transmission either).  But with a Prirus you have every single component that a Corolla has AND a costly to replace battery regen system as well, AND they cost a lot more than a similar corolla.  Its an additional $$$$ part, yes the Prirus is reliable, but so is a civic or corolla, so it is only reasonable sense to consider the added costs that can occur compared to other cheaper vehicles. 

If buying used there may be a sweet spot where if you drive a lot in the city and are lucky enough to avoid battery replacement it might work out for you, but a similar Corolla may likely be cheaper for a large percentage of people (e.g., http://www.actonforum.com/blogs/allenn/prius-worth-it)  E.g., even if you think you may have saved 3K on gas, you for sure payed some $ premium over a corolla to buy in, and the initial premium to buy new is especially large (these added hybrid systems are not free nor cheap). 

Just my 2 cents coming from someone that has had their Hybrid need a $4K battery replacement. 

[131071]

Recently embarked on a similar experiment - purchased a 2009 Prius with 105,000 miles.  Willing to roll the dice on a used hybrid battery, especially given how inexpensive the third party replacement/DIY options are becoming.  Good luck sailorelee15, I look forward to following along!

[Syonyk]

My understanding of Prius battery issues is that, most of the time, you can either rebalance the pack with a controlled overcharge on the NiMH packs (the first gen Insight types are on top of this), or you can replace a bad string or two and be on your way.  NiMH is pretty forgiving.

Rebuilding Prius packs is on my list of things to learn how to do. :/  It seems a useful thing, but I'm generally happier with lithium these days.

[Lanthiriel]

Keep us updated! I just made the slightly less Mustachian purchase of a 2013 Prius V with 32k miles on it for $17k. I'm hoping to have it for the next 15 years at least.

[sailorlee15]

MightyAl - That's what got me (the price). Lot's of them on the used market in good shape at the same prices of traditional cars. Seems to be a dip in the market right now, maybe $2.30 gas, the hot new Teslas, and American's affinaty for crossovers?

Metric Mouse - I'm a musicain so we drive all over the place. Doing about 30,000 a year!

Just put my first $17 into the tank!

[Metric Mouse]

MightyAl - That's what got me (the price). Lot's of them on the used market in good shape at the same prices of traditional cars. Seems to be a dip in the market right now, maybe $2.30 gas, the hot new Teslas, and American's affinaty for crossovers?

Metric Mouse - I'm a musicain so we drive all over the place. Doing about 30,000 a year!

Just put my first $17 into the tank!

Wow! That's pretty exciting. Looking forward to your updates then!

[thisisjeopardy]

I know it's not mustachian but we bought a brand new 2017 and plan on running it into the ground

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Roots&Wings]

Following! My 04 Accord has an expensive timing belt replacement coming up, and I've been thinking about a used Prius.

[paddedhat]

I think the OP made a smart choice. Friends have an '08 with 180k on it. If it was washed and detailed, and you took it for a test drive, you could easily glance at the ODO and think it has 18K on it. Not a single rattle, or issue. The funny thing is that the owner is horrible when it comes to taking care of anything. He spent years driving the thing with a headlight full of water, until I shamed him into buying a new one, that I then had to install it for him. He neglects about everything he owns. With the exception of having the oil changed and the tires rotated every 5K, he does nothing to it. Never gets washed, gets new cheap assed tires from Walmart every time they old ones are 100% bald.  He doesn't have $500 in repairs to it, since new. I doubt that there is a better vehicle on the road.

[Syonyk]

Following! My 04 Accord has an expensive timing belt replacement coming up, and I've been thinking about a used Prius.

Replace the timing belt on schedule and keep driving it. They're great cars.

[MasterStache]

Non-believers always seem to constantly complain about 'battery replacement'.  However, this has been debunked repeatedly.  The batteries typically last a very,very long time.

Right? Why do people always say that the battery will fail? So what! Can't anything else fail on any car? I know many Prius owners and none has ever had to replace their battery and even if I pay 3k on a battery after 10 years that is not totally unreasonable. All cars have components that need replaced eventually, plus, I've probably saved 3k in gas during that time.

Now that I've jinxed myself, I'm sure I'll be replacing my battery in the next month but I'll keep my prius anyway.

Yes, other things can fail, which is why adding on a battery is an additional burden, and an expensive one at that.  If its an all electric that may be a decent trade for getting rid of other components that you need to run gas (e.g., full electrics don't have any combustion engine, fuel filters to change, oil to change etc. and may not have a transmission either).  But with a Prirus you have every single component that a Corolla has AND a costly to replace battery regen system as well, AND they cost a lot more than a similar corolla.  Its an additional $$$$ part, yes the Prirus is reliable, but so is a civic or corolla, so it is only reasonable sense to consider the added costs that can occur compared to other cheaper vehicles. 

If buying used there may be a sweet spot where if you drive a lot in the city and are lucky enough to avoid battery replacement it might work out for you, but a similar Corolla may likely be cheaper for a large percentage of people (e.g., http://www.actonforum.com/blogs/allenn/prius-worth-it)  E.g., even if you think you may have saved 3K on gas, you for sure payed some $ premium over a corolla to buy in, and the initial premium to buy new is especially large (these added hybrid systems are not free nor cheap). 

Just my 2 cents coming from someone that has had their Hybrid need a $4K battery replacement.

I am curious to know if every single one of your "cells" failed thus requiring a complete battery replacement?

[Slow&Steady]

Just want to throw in my love for the Prius.

I have an 06 Prius has 290,000 miles on it and still runs great.  I bought it brand new, so put ever one of those miles on it, it has never needed repairs beyond the recommended routine maintenance and the recalls (and 1 user error trip to the shop).  We recently bought a 2017 Leaf so this one is parked in the driveway as I am not ready to part with it but we plan to do a few things to help keep it around for as long as possible.  We put new tires on it in 2016, we plan to replace the shocks/struts, and I want to do the 150,000 recommended service again. I have hopes that this will continue to be around and make a great teenager car.

We also have an 08 Prius with 90,000 miles on it, we bought this one 1.5 years ago with a salvaged title and 50,000 miles on it.  For some reason this one gets a little less mpg then the 06, maybe something to do with the salvaged title.  We have not had any repairs/maintenance for this one either, beyond new tires and recommended routine maintenance.  This is now my DH's daily driver (10-20) miles a day so it will probably be around for a long time.

My only problem with the Prius is that we really really want to buy a new one.

[Metric Mouse]

Following! My 04 Accord has an expensive timing belt replacement coming up, and I've been thinking about a used Prius.

Replace the timing belt on schedule and keep driving it. They're great cars.

04 is practically new! I have an '02, and it just looks so nice and drives so ok that I can't see letting it go.

[PMG]

Posting to follow. I might be buying a car in the next few months so I did some scouting on Craigslist and was shocked at how many $3000- 6000 used Priuses there were. Thought it had to be too good to be true.

Anything specific that I should check when I start test driving? 

[hyla]

Good choice!  I got an '05 Prius 5 years ago with 145,000 miles on it.  It's now at 192,000, has seen me through several long distance moves (Vermont to Montana, Montana to Alaska, Alaska to Arizona) with only minor repairs needed.  I also drive my car on dirt roads way more than you're really supposed to drive low clearance 2wd compacts like prius's on, and despite that it's running well.

Just a few quick suggestions - if you ever want mechanical advice, the PriusChat forum is quite helpful.  And, when looking for a mechanic, try to find someone who is familiar with hybrids.  I've been overcharged on labor before because a shop I took my car to didn't usually work on hybrids, and thus it took them longer than it should have to fix something.   

[FrugalSaver]

What kind of city mpg do these older models get (say < 2008)

[bmiles62]

What kind of city mpg do these older models get (say < 2008)

I have a 2008 that I bought new in 2008 and it now has 160,000 miles on it. The miles per gallon has stayed exactly the same. I almost always get 44 mpg from day one until now. We are actually getting ready to take it on a camping trip across the USA in July. I have total faith in it. (We will be pulling a small pop up camper by the way!)

[Slow&Steady]

...I also drive my car on dirt roads way more than you're really supposed to drive low clearance 2wd compacts like prius's on, and despite that it's running well.

I live on a dirt road, so drive on dirt more than recommended too.  I have also not had any additional issues due to dirt.

What kind of city mpg do these older models get (say < 2008)

The 06 gets an average of 43 mpg and the 08 gets around 40 mpg.  As I mentioned before the 08 (with <100k miles) doesn't get as good of gas mileage as the 06 (with almost 300k miles), I think it is due to whatever happened surrounding the salvaged title.  These mpg are almost all either highway or dirt roads, we do very little city driving.

[Sid Hoffman]

Just my 2 cents coming from someone that has had their Hybrid need a $4K battery replacement.

Hold on there - you just said "hybrid" and not Prius.  Do you mean you had a Civic Hybrid?  Because the HV battery failure rate is about 100x higher on the Civic Hybrid than the Prius.  Look at this Consumer Reports survey and you'll see for the 2010 model year a 32% failure rate for the Civic Hybrid and 0.1% for the Prius.  Honda's lack of reliability has no bearing on the Prius.

[aceyou]

Following.  I'm in the middle of a $5200 prius experiment.

2007 Prius
Bought in 2015 for $5200 + $550 for snow tires/rims
Miles when purchased: 160,000
Miles today: 172,000
Mechanical issues so far: none
MPG: 43mpg

Insurance costs: $360/year
Gas costs: ~$300/year
Depreciation: ~ $400/year
Maintenence/Repairs: ~$500/year (I'm counting the snow tires in this)
Cost of ownership/year: ~$1500/year

I'm convinced that buying a 10 year old Prius is the absolute sweet spot for car ownership right now. 

[farmecologist]

Following.  I'm in the middle of a $5200 prius experiment.

2007 Prius
Bought in 2015 for $5200 + $550 for snow tires/rims
Miles when purchased: 160,000
Miles today: 172,000
Mechanical issues so far: none
MPG: 43mpg

Insurance costs: $360/year
Gas costs: ~$300/year
Depreciation: ~ $400/year
Maintenence/Repairs: ~$500/year (I'm counting the snow tires in this)
Cost of ownership/year: ~$1500/year

I'm convinced that buying a 10 year old Prius is the absolute sweet spot for car ownership right now.

I agree..I see LOTS of late 2nd gen Prius out there (2007-2009).  I would say that 2009 is in theory probably the best bet as it is the last year of the 2nd gen model.  However, they are all pretty much the same...

 

[Rightflyer]

Just wondering if there are any UK Prius owners here?

If so, what's your experience with the Prius?

[DavidAnnArbor]

My 2007 Prius that I bought new has 264,000 miles on it. Most of them are highway miles and I am at about 54 mpg over this almost ten year run.

Recent repairs were replacing the 12 Volt battery, and replacing the right and left hub and assembly.

To insure the best fuel economy I change my own oil and use fully synthetic 5w30 and a good oil filter. I also keep the tire pressure up to the maximum on the sidewall of the tire because this decreases the rolling resistance of the tire and improves the fuel economy.

Also, I try to make sure I get a good front wheel alignment. Unfortunately most places just measure your alignment and don't do anything, so find a mechanic who will give you a -.05 degree toe in for the front right and front left. This info. came from Priuschat.com forums.

I'm thinking I probably should buy a new car but I have no idea what. A fully electric car is attractive but the new ones are very expensive, and the used older models have limited range.
Probably the best bet is to figure out how to drive less.

[Metric Mouse]

Also, I try to make sure I get a good front wheel alignment. Unfortunately most places just measure your alignment and don't do anything, so find a mechanic who will give you a -.05 degree toe in for the front right and front left. This info. came from Priuschat.com forums.

I'm impressed an adjustment as small as .05 degrees would have meaningful impact on an average road vehicle. I would think it would need to be almost ten times that. (Disclaimer: clearly not an expert)

Also, - toe would be toe out, not in, FYI.

[DavidAnnArbor]

If it's a negative number it's toe in.

[vdub6127]

I drive an '04 and I honestly get mad at people who are considering buying any other car. The generation 2 prius' are so cheap, reliable, comfortable, have amazing storage capability, and (duh) are still crazy fuel efficient by today's standards... which is quite sad if you think about it. I got 52mpg on mine on a recent tank! Regular maintenance is always minimal and affordable. Battery problems? I can't think of a single person I know who has run into them.

The funny thing is a lot of people still seem to think they are expensive and luxurious cars. Sometimes folks will get in and go "ooooh you drive a prius... fancy". It's like, dude, this car is over a decade old.

I should also point out that likely oscar winner La La Land heavily featured my exact model / color Prius driven by Emma Stone's character. I was pretty stoked about that.

Best car ever.

[miked]

We bought a 2007 with 112k miles for $5500 a few months ago. So far so good! On the first longer trip we averaged 51 mpg. Now in the winter, with winter tires, in the cold, on only short trips around town, we're averaging 41mpg.

We just bought a crib for our new baby and strapped it to the roof to bring it home. Fun times.

[Metric Mouse]

If it's a negative number it's toe in.

I guess we will have to disagree.

[paddedhat]

If it's a negative number it's toe in.

I guess we will have to disagree.

You AND the first few thousand responses on a Google search, LOL. 

[Metric Mouse]

If it's a negative number it's toe in.

I guess we will have to disagree.

You AND the first few thousand responses on a Google search, LOL.

Maybe they are thinking of camber?

[Haselbacher]

And? Still rollin?

[CutTheFat]

How are they in the snow?  I heard that they are not very good.  Now I'm a snow tire believer and I don't know if who I've talked to had snow tires but I highly doubt it.  Anyone here with experience care to elaborate? 

[DavidAnnArbor]

How are they in the snow?  I heard that they are not very good.  Now I'm a snow tire believer and I don't know if who I've talked to had snow tires but I highly doubt it.  Anyone here with experience care to elaborate?

I put snow tires on my Prius this past winter and the car was fine in the snow.
Obviously, you still have to drive slower, give more run for the car that is in front of you, anticipating braking so that you don't slam on the brakes.

[Syonyk]

How are they in the snow?  I heard that they are not very good.  Now I'm a snow tire believer and I don't know if who I've talked to had snow tires but I highly doubt it.  Anyone here with experience care to elaborate?

No better or worse than any other FWD car.  Just remember that "all seasons" should really be called "three seasons" if you live somewhere with snow.

Put snow tires on them and they'll go through snow until you're out of ground clearance.