High mileage Priuses: Good commuter, or money pit?

So far so good on our 216k mile 07 Prius. I am the 2nd owner and NOTHING has been done to it. It was driven 99% highway with proactive regenerative braking so it still has the original front brake pads! It even still has the original serp belt from 07 (looks.. sorta bad), and the original water pump. Might be original coolant. It was averaging 48 when we got it (straight highway number). We played around with some driving style stuff at first but since it gets such good mileage we decided to not care. Under my partner's completely normal driving (not trying to optimize anything) it averages 44.8 consistently in mixed use.

I feel like i had very realistic ideas about what it would be. I cant really imagine being any happier with it. It's exactly what i thought it would be.

trigun7469 wrote: I am looking at the Civic Hybrids as well, due to it having the manual option, is battery repair that much of a expense to detour a buyer from any of the hybrids?

Like I said I repaired one of the dreaded codes earlier, it was this simple:

-Verify code with generic OBDII scanner
-remove rear interior panels to get to HV (High Voltage) battery
-render HV battery safe by pulling the bright orange safety off the side
-remove HV battery from vehicle and place on suitable work surface
-remove HV battery cover and connector strips that hook all the individual cells in series
-use a meter to play the "which one of these isn't like the others" game, one of mine read around half the voltage of the others
-replace that cell (found easily on ebay and elsewhere)
-put it all back together

This was a second gen prius, but I imagine they are all pretty much the same.

psychic_mechanic wrote: This was a second gen prius, but I imagine they are all pretty much the same.

Unfortunately, you imagine incorrectly. That's like saying you did a head gasket on X vehicle before, and you imagine they are all pretty much the same. The 2nd gen Prius is by far the easiest hybrid battery to service and get cheap parts for. It really is a very nice design and has been made in huge volumes.

Most hybrids have similar service requirements and safety mechanisms, but the actual finding and fixing the problem isn't always so easy. The longevity of the repair can be tricky as well, since mismatched cells can act funny. Devil is in the details, right?!?

Bryce

Huh, so now I have to consider a second gen Prius. Having a dead nuts reliable and comfortable commuter car has appeal. Especially since it leaves me more time for toys.

Nashco wrote:

MadScientistMatt wrote: Doesn't seem to be much in the way of parts to change that, either. I wonder if the "double up the sway bars" trick could get one to corner a bit flatter?

If you're tempted to tinker, you MUST remind yourself why you have the car. Sure, you could make it better than horribly unsporty, but you'll be disappointed because it will still be more heavy, underpowered, and disconnected compared to similarly sized cars even after you spend time and money on improvements. It's an appliance with great fuel economy, reliability, and utility. IMO, you won't find zen until you can accept it for what it is. Bryce

That's exactly right. In many ways a hybrid/electric would be a really good fit for me but I just can't get past how boring and appliance like they are. I don't think I could get past that on a daily basis even with all the cost benefits of not using fuel. I could save money on food by eating oatmeal three times a day too but do I really want too? No.

Feedyurhed wrote: That's exactly right. In many ways a hybrid/electric would be a really good fit for me but I just can't get past how boring and appliance like they are. I don't think I could get past that on a daily basis even with all the cost benefits of not using fuel. I could save money on food by eating oatmeal three times a day too but do I really want too? No.

To be clear, not all hybrids are a Prius, and my comment there is about a Prius. The first gen Insight and new CRZ are really fun to drive IMO and very affordable hybrids. Manual transmissions and the CRZ even has a sport button that does something sporty!

If you think all hybrids are boring and you haven't driven a CRZ, you owe it to yourself to go test drive and reconsider blanket statements about boring hybrids. Porsche, McLaren, etc are now changing public opinion on super-hybrids too, but that's clearly above most of our pay grades.

Bryce

There are TRD suspension pieces for these, but that would be polishing a TuRD,performance wise.

You might also look at the same era hybrid Civics - similar drivetrain / mpg, but a little cheaper used.

The civic hybrid drivetrain is not similar to a Prius drivetrain past the real basics, like they have 4 cylinder ICEs and electric motors and battery packs.

As much i like the fact that civic hybrid manuals theoretically exist, i have never found one ( i do search them on CL somewhat frequently), and the cvt in the auto is not something i'm really comfortable with owning given their track record. I'm sure they are decent cars, and the 5spd option and civic aftermarket are big trump cards, but for what we were buying for this time, it was a VERY distant 2nd. It may have even been 3rd behind a 1g Prius, which there just wasnt much of a selection of.

From a bit of searching on forums with a lot of Prius owners, it looks as if the best way to give a Prius a bit of an improvement in handling is to bolt on a stock '03-'08 Corolla / Matrix front sway bar and an aftermarket 24 mm rear bar like this one. Not exactly going to make it handle like an M3, but it seems like a significant improvement on the cheap.

foxtrapper wrote: Huh, so now I have to consider a second gen Prius. Having a dead nuts reliable and comfortable commuter car has appeal. Especially since it leaves me more time for toys.

I'm with ya, after income tax comes in we plan on getting a newer family car... 4 doors with decent room front and back (10 and 9 year old with 'rents both over 6' make back seat space a consideration), decent trunk space and reliable... looking at vids I'm amused at the technology they put into them, seems like a livable family car...

From a bit of searching on forums with a lot of Prius owners, it looks as if the best way to give a Prius a bit of an improvement in handling is to bolt on a stock '03-'08 Corolla / Matrix front sway bar and an aftermarket 24 mm rear bar like this one. Not exactly going to make it handle like an M3, but it seems like a significant improvement on the cheap.

I dont know if this was what you meant when you said doubling up (probably is) but my friend who put a 24mm progress rear sway on his corolla XRS gave me his stocker for my Prius. After looking at it i'm pretty sure i can run two sway bars inside the rear axle. Is this already a thing?

Vigo wrote: I dont know if this was what you meant when you said doubling up (probably is) but my friend who put a 24mm progress rear sway on his corolla XRS gave me his stocker for my Prius. After looking at it i'm pretty sure i can run two sway bars inside the rear axle. Is this already a thing?

Yes - I have no idea if it physically fits on a Prius, but I've seen it done on other cars when someone wanted more roll stiffness on the cheap. So they picked up a junkyard bar and attached it to the one that was already on the car.

Well i guess it was just coincidence then that you a: had that idea and that b: it's extremely plausible in the case of the rear swaybar. If i ever do it i'll post up. I have the spare bar sitting in the carport waiting for me with a million other un-finished ideas.

Test drove one, and you've heard the saying, "It is impossible for an optimist to be pleasantly surprised?" I was expecting it to be worse than my wife's Camry. Instead, it was slightly better. The hybrid drivetrain seemed to respond a bit faster than the usual four cylinder / automatic combo, and the cornering was decent. Probably has a lower CG and better weight distribution due to the battery pack.

I still think it could use stiffer sway bars.

MadScientistMatt wrote: Test drove one, and you've heard the saying, "It is impossible for an optimist to be pleasantly surprised?" I was expecting it to be worse than my wife's Camry. Instead, it was slightly better. The hybrid drivetrain seemed to respond a bit faster than the usual four cylinder / automatic combo, and the cornering was decent. Probably has a lower CG and better weight distribution due to the battery pack. I still think it could use stiffer sway bars.

what year camry? we rented a 2012-13 camry and put 2700+ miles on it in a week going from TX to MI and back when my grandma passed away... lots of highway/interstate but I was pleased with its driving manors, room, and fuel millage (32 or 33mpg average)... if I had the money for one we'd get one... if the prius can come close to comfort I'm in...

Prius has some decent road noise and boomy feeling going on, but if you think 32mpg is good then Prius numbers will make you really happy.

I think the Prius powertrain is WAY better in terms of responsiveness than the equivalent non-hybrid drivetrain in these types and age of cars, which is usually 1.5-1.8L/4-5sp auto.

I think if you take the closest non-hybrid toyota analog, a Matrix 1.8/auto, it would be hard to argue that the Prius doesn't drive better from a powertrain perspective. In fact, it may be hard to argue that the Matrix is better at ANYTHING.. even looks.

donalson wrote: what year camry? we rented a 2012-13 camry and put 2700+ miles on it in a week going from TX to MI and back when my grandma passed away...

It's a 2005. While the suspension is not uncomfortable, and it tracks straight, that's about the only good things I can say about it. It doesn't turn in very quickly, has a lot of body roll and understeer, and the 2.4 / automatic is pretty slow to respond and just plain slow.

SWMBO wanted to buy a new (his third) Avalon, but didn't fit. He's 6'5". He ended up buying a fully loaded Prius. He fits fine. Much more head room and he loves it.

The gender mixing thing is confusing me but yeah, i am a normal 6'0 and i have no problems front or rear in ours.

Surprisingly, my 1800lb insight will also fit up to 6'7 decently which is the largest person i've coaxed into the driver's seat thus far.