13th May 2006, 22:53
I heard somewhere that a cab driver used a Prius to drive around, and the car had 180,000 miles from a lot of use, and didn't have to replace the battery pack. I like hybrids - they're saving the environment. Drive on.
20th May 2006, 14:46
I own a 2001 Prius. I have 201K miles on it. The battery pack is still going strong. I was getting 42 mpg as the batteries were not as strong at 201K miles. I have only replace the water pump, O2 sensor, and catalytic converter. I replaced the shocks at 80K and again at 180K (free the second time free due to Toyota parts policy). Original brakes.
However…. This last mother’s day it stopped running due to a failed “inverter”. The dealer wanted $750.00 to diagnose the cause and rule out a short in the transmission that may have caused the inverter to go out. The inverter is the main voltage and electric controller. If the inverter only needed to be replaced the charge would have been $5,500.00.. if the transmission also needed replacing (due to a short) then the repair bill was loosely estimated at 10 to 12K.
I have placed the vehicle on eBay; to hopefully find a brave mechanic in search of a hybrid project. I will be ordering a 2006 Prius this afternoon at the same dealer from which I bought the car. There is no way I will ever go back to low mileage polluting straight gas engine vehicles.
Richard.
7th Jun 2006, 12:24
Re: Performance.
I posted this with a 10/10 because it has given me everything I could have asked for.
At 60 MPH on the highway I can accelerate around a vehicle quickly and slide right back in land with no problems. Then as I slow down from the pass back to 60 MPH, the gas engine shuts off and runs off the battery to give MPG a big boost.
It is peppy around town and from a stop.
It gets up to highway speeds quick enough.
Of course the MPG is astounding.
It handles on curves and turns enough to not have to brake when going into them.
It costs nothing to maintain. The only service between new and the 100,000 mile mark is air filter every 20,000 mile and oil filter and oil change every 7,500 miles.
It doesn't get a 6.2 in the quarter mile, but I don't want a car that does that. The only thing performance wise it doesn't do for me.
Also, to answer another question... "B" is for engine braking, similar to what a semi truck can do to help slow a car down. If you are in a very long descent down a hill or steep grade, if you kick it into "B", the engine helps slow the vehicle down, takes the energy and kinetically recharges the battery, and also allows better control of the vehicle, and does not wear brake pads out by having to "ride" them off and on as you descend the hill.
The only reason not to buy this car is if you want either A) A convertible. B) A pickup truck. or C) A faux race car.
...all that and I never even got into emissions, saving gas money, reducing the dependence on oil, total recyclability of the vehicle and battery system, using the new technology.
I mean, we have dogs and in the summer it gets hot, right? We turn the car on, turn the A/C on, roll up the windows, and the dogs hang out in there as we are in the store... and the engine doesn't even run only to recharge the batter that operates the A/C and even that doesn't kick on unless the battery was low before you parked.
17th Feb 2007, 11:47
I have a 2001 Prius, which rides great, and I have been very happy with the mileage.
But the repair costs are excessive. I have been quoted $1340 for a catalytic converter and ~$300 for a new 12 volt ignition battery. The old battery (GS Nippon Denchi S34B20L) was replaced from Toyota with a new $150 battery, which needs a $50 kit to make it work in the 2001 Prius, and another $98 for the installation. Fortunately I found one at http://www.elearnaid.com/12vobaforpr2.html that fits my old car without any kit required for $98.
Hopefully I can find something similar for the converter.
8th Sep 2008, 15:27
Regarding 2001 Prius and catalytic converters, I have found that just by switching gasoline providers that I have been able to mitigate a code I was getting from the Catalytic converter. Apparently Chevron gasoline has additives that seem to improve Prius catalytic converter life, and while we all have our gas preferences, I prefer to have a car that runs and doesn't code, at the expense of buying a single brand of gasoline. So, before you spend $$ on a new catalytic converter, try running a few tank loads of Chevron regular gasoline through your car. It may make all the difference you need!
13th Sep 2008, 22:49
I'm considering purchasing a 2001 Prius. The dealer said that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. I just read a comment here about using Chevron gasoline to extent the life of the catalytic converter.
Does anyone know how long this might enable me to put off replacing it? It has a new battery but 238K miles. It has been very well maintained and I've seen all the service records.
19th May 2011, 13:11
I buy Chevron gas most of the time and have had the catalytic converter problem for years. I'm getting it fixed today.
You will need to get the work done if you want that check engine light to go off. The solution is pretty simple, don't get the job done by Toyota. Take it to Meineke or something, Toyota charges $1200 just for the part alone.
15th Dec 2011, 21:08
Hybrids deliver savings only if you use them mainly in city traffic. A Prius's highway fuel mileage is only 6 mpg more than the Echo/Yaris. The Prius costs about twice as much as an Echo/Yaris. So if a Prius costs $25,000 and an Echo is $12,500, and you drive average 16,000 miles (25,000km) in 70% highway, 30% city, at $3/gallon, you're only saving like $350/year on fuel.
You would have to own the car LOTS of years before you start making your money back. By then your batteries will be shot, and you will have moved on to something newer. A Prius is only good for cabbies/delivery.
16th Dec 2011, 23:35
Actually, Toyota has done a good job in making the Prius an affordable hybrid. It's priced far below the admittedly far better Ford Fusion hybrid, but for people who aren't concerned with styling or performance, it's not a bad choice.
I do agree, however, that the savings in fuel in driving a Prius are not nearly enough to offset the cost difference in cars such as the gas-only Corolla or the 50mpg Chevy Cruise Eco. Also, the gas-only cars cost far less to maintain and don't have horrifically expensive battery packs to replace every couple of years.
23rd Nov 2005, 10:48
Here in California the Prius has rock solid resale value. A friend of mine took her 2002 to a dealer and the dealer told her demand was so strong he could sell it for $20K! She ended up selling it privately and bought a 2006.
Anyway, I would recommend that anyone who is thinking about a Prius to consider leasing. There are rumors that the battery pack alone will cost $5,000 to replace and may "die out" right after the warranty expires based on its estimated life. And that's on top of all the other high-tech stuff jammed in the car. And with the coming proliferation of hybrids coming down the pike, the Prius will no longer be unique in a few years.