...for my daughter. She is looking for a low cost to buy and run car, and likes the look of a Prius for sale locally. But I have doubts. This is a clean, low mileage, gen 1 (2002) model. It's done just under 64k miles (I make that only 4k miles per year), one owner and very clean with full service history, and asking £2,500. I've read lots about high mileage hybrid cars, especially Prii (is that really the plural?), but haven't found anything about low mileage older cars, and the likelihood or otherwise of the battery being at or close to the end of its service life. There is a feeling, based on no experience, that years and low mileage is worse than high mileage on a younger car, with respect to the battery life. What's the opinion here? Not for a Prius novice? Many thanks.
I've had a scan around the forum, and discovered the "who should and should not buy a gen 1 Prius", and it probably answers our question. It probably isn't for us as Prius novices. As an aside, I was about to buy a nearly new Toyota hybrid a couple of years ago. Really liked the car and the deal. Was at the point of shaking hands with the salesman, and mentioned that I was going to fit a towbar (only to tow something light - not a caravan - and also carry bicycles), but that brought the deal to a crashing halt. "You cannot fit a towbar to these, sir" he said.
First time I've heard you can't put a tow bar on a Prius. I have a tow bar on my 2007 Prius... It works great... My little trailer, my hitch haul, it all works fine... Not sure why they'd misinform you about that? I think the person was saying they're not designed as a towing vehicle, that's fair, but if you keep the load light, it works great.
welcome! toyota lawyers will not allow towing in the u.s., but i thought europe got the go ahead? either way, everyone tows who wants to. don't buy an old prius unless you diy, or are related to a hybrid mechanic all the best!
Thank you for taking the time to reply, it's much appreciated. We decided not to go for it. My brother is a retired Toyota mechanic, but lives 450 miles away. The hybrid I was looking at a couple of years ago, was the Auris. I really liked it but they are not cleared for towing in the UK (or weren't then). I did quite a bit of looking for a hybrid that would tow, but couldn't find one then.
I've discovered that you are literally voiding your warranty by towing anything behind a Prius, since the user manual clearly states that towing is not allowed. Some people say a 2016 Prius can tow legally, but the user manuals for each and every Prius, all years, say no towing allowed.
