Questions on resale value, storage and taking a Prius C to Romania

European safety, lighting, and emissions laws will all be different than the US laws your car was built to. I would expect every outside bulb and lens to need replaced. You may find that some need to be added. Airbag rules may well differ as do pollution controls. (I know you could not bring a Romanian Prius home with you, I am less sure you can convert a US Prius to EU laws)

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I am surprised by the used value, I bought my '13 C2 brand new for 18,900.....
Good luck in whatever you do!

 

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You need to talk to Toyota and the Romanian consulate in Washington.
1. Does Toyota sell the Prius in Romania?
2. What does the consulate say about importing Prius C/
3. Is it avehicle of a US Foeign Service employee, as in a local US Consulate ?

I have a sneaking suspicion that the cost of transporting your Prius outways thevalue of taking it UNLESS you are a consulate employee.
good luck. and enjoy as much nice person you can.

 

My advice:

• Don't take it with you - way too many complications, and if you'll only be driving a little bit on weekends, the fuel savings won't be tons. (Apparently gas in Romania averages ~USD$7/gallon, but I think you're still better off taking the $4,500).
• Don't store it. You'll end up with two very dead batteries - one will cost a hundred, the other will cost a few thousand. If you really want to keep it, you could consider renting it to someone you trust for some discounted amount per month. This would prevent the batteries from dying and save you the pain of selling and re-buying when you come back.
• Sell the c yourself. List it for more than the blue book value, especially since you've already gotten some emails when listed at that. For justification, point out used c prices at dealerships and remind potential buyers the amount they'd pay in sales tax if bought from a dealer. At 4,500 miles, your car is still basically brand new - there's really no reason for a $3,000 loss, and you should be able to sell it for more than that. Explain to buyers the reason you're selling is that your job is being moved to Romania, in order to quell suspicions about someone selling a car with 4,500 miles. You can also ask the dealer what they'd give you for it, just for curiosity's sake.
• Pocket the $4,500 from not transporting your c to Romania.
• When you get to Bucharest, if you find that you really do want/need a car, buy a used one there.
• Sell the Romania car before leaving.
• Pocket the $4,500 from not transporting a car back to the US.
• Buy a 2015/2016 c when you get back.

I have no idea about the new/used car market in Romania, though.

 

Each European country has different rules and regs on imported cars. In the UK it's fairly easy to import a US Prius once the amber lights at the front have been adjusted to white and you fit a rear fog light. If your US car had red turn signals at the rear you'd have additional problems, though I believe the US Prius doesn't. Not sure what Romania is like.

What you also should take into account when taking your pride and joy to another Country is that they may not respect your car like you would! In many parts of Europe it's common to make parking spaces bigger using your bumpers! Small bumps and knocks in some Countries are classed as collateral damage and will often result in the perpetrator giving a shrug of the shoulders rather than offering their insurance details! Be warned!

I don't believe the C is sold in Europe as the Yaris hybrid is our variant. This could cause parts and service issues, or delays at best.

It might be nice to take something familiar over to your new workplace, but there are pro's and con's to doing so. Why not just buy something local? Sample a diesel or even a model or make of vehicle you don't get back home. Automatics, power steering and a/c are common place, even in eastern European countries.