Mechanic shares unloved yet ultra-reliable used | Tech News

One of YouTube’s hottest mechanics has urged used car patrons on the lookout for a fuel-efficient yet refined model to contemplate one that doesn’t get the find it irresistible deserves.

Scotty Kilmer has labored as a mechanic for more than 55 years and frequently posts videos on his YouTube channel, the place he affords tricks to help drivers discover the appropriate car for them and keep away from big restore payments. In a latest video, Scotty took a go searching a buyer’s 2014 Toyota Prius, noting that it’s nonetheless operating on the unique battery and achieves 55mpg – regardless of having coated 140,000 miles.

He defined: “The Toyota Prius: people hate them, others love them. Well, since they sold millions of them, there must be a reason why some people love them. Let’s see the truth about this particular one. It’s 11 years old, it’s got 140,000 miles on it.

“The present proprietor purchased it new and put all these miles on. It’s nonetheless acquired the unique hybrid battery within the back, and it is clearly nonetheless working fantastic as a result of, below regular driving situations, she’s getting 55mpg on this factor.”

Whilst the Prius has been a part of Toyota’s range since 1997, Scotty particularly recommended the third-generation version that was built from 2009 to 2015.

Despite having clean-cut styling that some might find bland, this era of Toyota Prius offers a spacious interior and a particularly clean and economical powertrain, comprising of a 1.8-litre petrol engine and an 80bhp electric motor.

Since the most recent examples are now a decade old, drivers can get behind the wheel of a used third-generation Prius from around £3,000, with a clean example typically requiring a £6,000 budget.

Later in the video, Scotty took to the roads in the Prius to demonstrate that the hybrid powertrain offers a surprisingly smooth driving experience.

He continued: “And off we silently go. As you will see, it is on battery energy now, however as quickly as we step on the fuel, the engine kicks in. This is not made for operating on electrical energy that far – it is more for sneaking up very short distances.

“Since this thing has quite a high ride height, you don’t have to worry that much about medium-sized speed bumps. The car’s hybrid, so you also get regenerative braking. You can hear that regenerating power [when you ease off the accelerator], and it’s always going to turn the engine off when you come to a stop when it’s charged up.”

Nevertheless, Scotty really helpful that drivers enthusiastic about shopping for a used Prius make sure they discover an instance with a full-service historical past to forestall the risk of head gasket failure, which might be troublesome to repair.

He suggested: “Truth be told, some of these engines do blow head gaskets, but in my experience, it’s generally the people who do not take care of the engine. The owner of this one changes the oil and filters religiously, and she doesn’t have any problems at all.

“If you push one of these, the soiled oil wears out the inside of the engine and your head gasket blows. And if that occurs, you are a small fortune [to fix it] as a result of it is not a regular four-cylinder petrol; it is an Atkinson cycle engine.”