Hybrid cars make me excited. Getting 50 miles per gallon instead of 25 makes me run to the closest hybrid car dealership and buy one. Brand new hybrid vehicles can be pains in the wallets, however you do not actually have to worry since there are a lot of old hybrid cars being sold in a similar manner to conventional fuel-operated cars.

There is not much more of a risk in purchasing a used hybrid compared to any other normal vehicle. All you need to have is an understanding of how hybrid cars function so you will not get fooled.

So, here are a few things to bear in mindprior to purchase:

1. Used Hybrid Car and Their Batteries

When buying a used hybrid cars the biggest concern is the car’s battery. Different automakers have different warranties for their hybrid cars. For instance, Honda’s warranty is 8 years or 80,000 miles, while Toyota offers a 8 yrs/100,000 warranty on the battery and powertrain.

The estimated life expectancy of the batteries in some hybrids is more than ten years, or roughly 150,000 to 200,000 miles. When these battery packs wear out, they can cost several thousand dollars to replace, and require expert technicians to do the work. From the Newsweek article:

Philip Card of Utica, N.Y., says a Toyota dealer wanted to charge him $3,900 to replace the battery on his 2001 Prius, which had 350,000 miles on it when he bought it used on eBay this year for $4,357.

However, a huge salvage market is developing that could allow you to buy a used battery-pack, recovered from a wracked vehicle, for a fraction of the cost. Also, the battery prices will more like go down as more hybrid cars are on the streets and the battery technology improves.

2. Mileage and MPG on a Used Hybrid Car

Similarly to conventional fuel-operated cars, a low mileage used hybrid car is better thana hybrid car that has hundreds of thousand of miles. There are plenty of used hybrid cars with more than 100,000 miles, but this doesn’t mean you have to be scared of a higher mileage hybrid. 

When you are purchasing the hybrid car ask the seller what mileage does the car get in the city and on the highway. There are several hybrid cars, such as the Honda Insight, that show the average city/highway miles per gallont. Don’t rely on that dat, since it can be reset by the owner at any time.

3. Used Hybrid Car Inspection

I always recommend to have the pre-owner hybrid car checked by a specialist. When you are buying a used hybrid car it is also a good idea to get a CarFax history report done. There are things the seller may not reveal, such as a salvage title, etc. The CarFax report gives you an insight into any reported accident and how many owners has the car had. This is information is very valuable, since it affects the car’s safety, performance and value.

4. Used Hybrid Car Tax Credit

Unfortunately, used hybrid cars don’t qualify for hybrid car tax credit. These incentives only apply for brand new hybrid vehicles.

Please keep your eyes and ears open when buying a used hybrid car and your chances for buying a stinker will be greatly reduced. Once again, the process of buying a used hybrid vehicle doesn’t differ from buying a gasoline powered vehicle.

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