So the Prius has been selling for over a decade now. My dad is convinced that their extra complexity virtually guarantees lower long-term reliability than more traditional cars.
The most obvious added cost of ownership is replacement of the battery pack, but does anyone know where I can find information about other aspects of Prius reliability? Do they break down more often than regular cars, or are the in fact comparable in the long run?
I know nothing about long term reliablity.But I have heard from friends about repairs.
Apparently, the only place you can get repairs is at the Toyota dealership. (This makes sense, since Prius is a new technology and unique to Toyota.) No problem for lots of people.
But on the second hand market, repairs are an issue. After all, the main reason people buy used cars instead of new is to save money. But used cars near more repairs—and dealerships sure ain’t the cheapest place for that.
But Prius prices hold up well on the used market…So either I am completely wrong about the maintenance issue, or else a lot of environmentally concerned people want to go “green” are willing to pay for it.
One place to get data is Consumer Reports, which has data for the Prius as far back as the 2001 model year. The Prius scores above average for reliability, except for the electrical system in the 2001-3 model year Prius (no surprise, there).
I had a 2004 Prius, second generation, with 189K on the clock when I replaced it with a 2010, third generation.
Other than tires, wiper blades, and oil / filters, I’d spent about $600 on repairs. Right front wheel bearing replacement was about $400. The other repair was an electric coolant pump for about $200. I thought that was reasonable.
I would be surprised if independent shops that specialize in Toyotas can’t work on a Prius. Maybe they won’t work on all parts of it, but I am sure they can do routine stuff.
Note the battery system is warrantied for 8 years / 100,000 miles (or 10 years / 150,000 miles in California)
Brian
check out truedelta.com for reliability statistics…so far the Priuses have been extremely reliable per that website, CR, and anecdotes on various owners forums.
also…check out cars.com/autotrader.com for the number of Priuses for sale with 100,000+ miles versus other car nameplates.
I’d imagine that Prius’ longevity is due to the following stereotypes/generalities/conceptions: Prius owners care a lot about maintaining their car, Prius owners probably drive their car prudently, Prius was assembled in Japan with a high percentage of Made in Japan parts…purportedly Toyotas made in Japan have better reliability than Toyotas made in America.