Any advice, buying a used Prius…

[Big Rig]

I’ve got to help a friend find a good one. This one seems nice, low miles, Toyota history, never taxied, owner is even willing to let me drive it to a Toyota dealership and have it connected into by their techs to proves there no mileage shenanigans of anything else untoward going on.

Having never even driven a hybrid before let alone driven one can anyone offer any buying tips/things to keep an eye out for please?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203457963512

[liner33]

Very good cars and pretty bulletproof if the dealer will let Toyota check it then don't think you can go wrong

[InitialDave]

While at the dealer, can you ask them to confirm if it's covered by their new "warranty following service" thing, seeing as it has Toyota service history?

[jimKRFC]

I had the Prius Plus version for 3 years and it was completely faultless, not the most exciting of drives, and there's a fair amount of cabin noise from the engine (thanks CVT) but can't go wrong with them.

On informing the Merc dealer I was changing to the Prius he informed me that another customer ran a fleet of 12 Prius as taxis, and none had ever needed anything other than routine services....

[gangzoom]

Our Lexus IS300H is essentially the same drivetrain but 2L engine. In coming up to 7 years I've never needed to add a drop of oil, a true 45-50mpg regardless of urban or M-way work. Not a drivers car but a very very liable way to get from A to B for not much cost. Apparently the first gen hybrid engine units last to 200K miles without needing anything doing or worries about the battery. 40K miles on one is essentially nothing.

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2011/02/t...

[Tabs]

I used a couple of Prius as taxi/private hire, covering 300,000 miles in total. No problems, just serviced every 10k. Keep an eye on brake sliders seizing through lack of use.

First job, get a CatLock fitted!!!

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Always liked the look of this gen. Problem is finding one that hadn't been taxi's


My only concern? on a 9yr old one is the batteries. How much life they'd have left?

[gangzoom]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

My only concern? on a 9yr old one is the batteries. How much life they'd have left?

The batteries are only ever cycled between some thing like 20-60%, and a result seem to last forever as any degredation is 'hidden'. The fact Toyota automated the whole thing and didn't give owners the chance to do silly things like trying to run one as an EV by draining the battery to empty or to fully charge it seems to have really worked.

I'm pretty sure the traction battery in our hybrid will out last the traction battery in our EV.

[anonymous-user]

DON’T!

[raspy]

If budget allows, go for the 4th gen Prius from 2016. Far better on so many levels than the 2012 car you're looking at, especially since it's based upon the TNGA platform, so it rides and handles much better than the older cars.

[Mo28]

Tabs said:

I used a couple of Prius as taxi/private hire, covering 300,000 miles in total. No problems, just serviced every 10k. Keep an eye on brake sliders seizing through lack of use.

First job, get a CatLock fitted!!!

Are the gen 3's a target for cat thieves as well? I know the gen 2's are their main target.

[2Btoo]

Cliffe60 said:

DON’T!

Can you expand on that a little? General view or do you have experience of them?

[5s Alive]

As said, pretty much bulletproof. I've had mine 10 yrs now, the most capable all round car (mine is modified though) I've ever had and this looks like an excellent example. I would check that the Cat is OEM and hasn't been replaced with a pattern part which can cause issues. If I remember correctly the gen 3 Cat has the highest proportion of rare earth metals of any Prius so is a potential theft magnet. The rear brake caliper slider pins in particular are prone to corrosion/sticking. Resolved by coating the rubber covers at the internal interfaces with a good clear silicone grease to prevent water ingress. Never had an issue with the fronts. The 12v battery is the usual failure point in common with many hybrid/EV vehicles. It's a flat plate AGM best replaced with an Optima (DS46B24R) spiral plate AGM. Ive had no issues over the following 7 Yrs with this one. Note that an open door or hatch activates all of the ecu's in preparation for driving even if the key is not present causing significant drain on the 12v. Can be an issue when washing the car. Can't think of any weak points that you would notice on a test drive though.

[raspy]

Mo28 said:

Are the gen 3's a target for cat thieves as well? I know the gen 2's are their main target.

Yes. Hence, another reason to go for 4th gen from 2016.

"In Toyota’s case it is second and third-generation Prius models (2004-2009 and 2009-2016 respectively) and second-generation Auris Hybrids (2012-2018) which have been particular targets for thieves."

https://mag.toyota.co.uk/catalytic-converter-theft...

[Hugo Stiglitz]

But my god the 2016 onwards is an ugly car.

Possibly thieves are repulsed by its confusing lines and design

[ZesPak]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

But my god the 2016 onwards is an ugly car.

Possibly thieves are repulsed by its confusing lines and design

I agreed, I never minded the Prius being ugly. To me it's an honest car that makes little compromises as to what it's about (cheap, efficient and reliable transport). Same for example a Dacia Logan. The 4th gen is just overstyled, which I think suits it less.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a Toyota Auris hybrid basically the same car in a sensible undercover hatchback shell?

[5s Alive]

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a Toyota Auris hybrid basically the same car in a sensible undercover hatchback shell?"

Yes but more solidly built as is the CT 200h, the Gen 3 Prius has all the structural rigidity of a crisp packet. Partly because of the significant intrusion of the hatch into the roof. Halfway to a soft top - lol. Huge improvements to be made with strut and chassis braces.

[anonymous-user]

2Btoo said:

Cliffe60 said:

DON’T!

Can you expand on that a little? General view or do you have experience of them?

I had a Auris hybrid for a couple of weeks. The electric motor gets you out of the car park and then you’re on ICE, lugging batteries around. They are only economical because the people who buy them are intent on getting high mpg to be sanctimonious and seen to be green, so they drive so slow any car would get great mpg.

Hybrids are just a scam for people who like to think they’re green.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

But the batteries can kick in all the way up to 30mph?

(Or is it more?)

That's enough for urban at the very least.

[AnotherClarkey]

They are great cars maligned by people who don't understand how they work. I had my gen 2 for nearly 7 years and it was faultless over 170000 miles.