New Member :)

Hi there, B)

My wife and I just bought a silvery 1998 model, 90,000km for NZD$8900 Japanese import.

We both caught an overnighter from Wellington to Auckland to pick it up from the dealer. We hadn't seen it or test driving it but had it checked out by an independent, when we saw the car it really exceeded what we expected, everything was immaculate, even the engine, all looked new. Drove back to Wellington the same day, using 3/4 a tank! The whole trip turned into a game of getting the best fuel usage, hehe. We are both really happy with our choice and both really enjoy driving it.

Took a few hours to figure out the display functions and wot not, but got it all sussed out now.

I've been reading some of the tips and tricks though out the forum and think I'll be setting up the car a bit over the weekend. Tire pressure and stuff like that.

Anyway, just thought I'd stop by say hi and let people curious about a buying a Prius, even a used import, to put aside any doubts and just go for it!

e'van

 

Thanks for the warm welcome

I think you could be right about being the oldest model, I was just updating my profile and there's no entry for models prior to 2001 no worries.

It's good to be apart of this movement towards alternative energies. I always swore I'd never buy a car unless it was a hybrid or better. I'd never imagined we'd be owning one so soon. I assumed the purchase price would always be way too much. My eyes where opened when I saw the import Prius', even new the cost is not prohibitive.

So we took the plunge. Still busing to work though

I guess we'll hold onto this for a few years, then move up to a new one when we can afford it, as long as society has not crumbled. :blink:

 

Hey ghost,

There are a tone of generation 1 vehicles being sold as imports here in NZ. I've seen a few around Wellington along with some later models, overall it looks like its becoming more accepted. So you might have some more Gen 1 owners showing up in time

My impressions so far have been very positive. When I meet my wife a year and a half ago she was driving a 2.0ltr rundown 92 Camry. We sold that to put towards the deposit on the Prius. The power of the Prius I would say feels better than the Camry, even on a steep hill we have on the motorway, the Camry would struggle at 55 60 kmph but the Prius gets us up it 70-75. Also accelerating from a stop signal feels more 'perkier'

It does have a display similar to what you described, only in KM per ltr, which when driving well around town on the flat we can average 20 to 25kmpl, negotiating hills (which Wellington has plenty) knocks that down by about 10kmpl. Not sure how that measures up to new generation vehicles, but It's a damn sight better than what we were getting the the Camry.

We didn't get any documentation at all with the car. The dealer was sorry and seemed concerned how we would figure out the displays, panels and wot not. I told him it was fine and there there must be something floating around the net somewhere. Actually there wasn't anything I could find and my search led me to here with the post from the Russian guy looking for a manual himself. So I joined.

How have you found driving your Prius? Do you see more people driving them?

 

Hey pshifrin

Congrats on the wedding, the honeymoon destination and the new car! Sounds like a great start to a good life together

Where in NZ did you visit? Hopefully you managed to get in some of the South Island, some wonderful scenery and activities down that way. My wife and I plan do head down there in the not too distant future, she is Chinese and never seen it down there, should be a blast! She says she's going to MAKE me Bungie, that's nice of her. I keep trying to think what I've done to annoy her.

Are you commuting where you live or are you a city dweller? I guess either way the Prius would be making it more comfortable!