Hi from NZ, looking at buying a Prius C/Aqua

Hi Mate! [from Tauranga NZ]

Get the newest model you can afford. I have a 2nd Gen Aqua [or Facelift Aqua]
These were face-lifted in 2014 then again in 2017

Mileage is almost irrelevant for these cars if you're planning long term ownership, as these things can reliably travel 500k-600k [kms]
So if you buy a 100k Aqua and travel 20k year it would 20 years to get to 500k [by then you'll be tired of it]

I've driven mine all over NZ, around the south island etc etc
One caveat though [seeing that you are in Auckland] the Aqua is the Number 1 "Ram-Raid" car of choice. The Aqua L spec does not have a transponder / chip key, and the thieves already know about this.
These cars are very difficult to fit an immobilizer , so on mine I fitted a flashing LED next to the ignition barrel so thieves think it is immobilized.

You won't regret buying one, just leave it alone and drive the wheels off it.

 

One thing to be cautious about if buying a high mileage C/Aqua is the condition of the hybrid battery. If possible, see if you can get a look at the battery cooling fan on each vehicle. It's under the rear seat behind the driver (or perhaps it's behind the passenger in a right drive version). There's a small removable panel that allows access. If the fan's air intake is clean you're probably fine, but if it's covered with dust/hair/dirt that would be cause for concern. Excess heat ages the battery prematurely.

A way to get a definitive answer on the battery condition, if the owner or dealer will allow it, is to test it with the Dr. Prius app, or it might be called Dr. Hybrid now. The app for your phone is free, but they offer an extra cost software upgrade that can be used to run a test that shows the remaining life of the hybrid battery. When I bought mine 5 years ago that upgrade was $8.00. Might be a little higher now, but I think it's worth the money to give you peace of mind about how soon you might need to spend a few thousand on a new battery. You'll also need an OBD2 module to plug into the car's diagnostic port. They can be had for about $10-$15. The test takes 15 minutes to run.

 

Fantastic cars.

When there is a big expensive traction battery involved, I always suggest getting the youngest one you can, and to **** with the odometer.

 

I chose a basic Aqua L because being a car guy, I can't stop tinkering with them. It wasn't until after I purchased it that all the Ram-Raids started happening in Auckland.

I am 1.88 tall and certainly don't have issues driving them. I drove from Tauranga direct through to lake Tekapo in one go and it only took 34.88 litres [the only stop was a "splash and dash" at Wellington and the 2am ferry]
So I managed to travel 1080 kms on 35 litres of fuel in real world driving [this is 85mpg imp or 70mpg US]
So technically I could have done this on 1 tank but that is only 35 litres

My biggest complaint with open road driving is "road noise" from the Toyo high mileage tyres and the L spec Aqua lacks the sound insulation under the carpet.
So an S spec or G spec would be better.

Get a factory immobilizer transponder Key Aqua if you can [it will save you some grief]

You can immobilize the Aqua so it doesn't start by putting a cut-off switch in-series to the ground wire of the primary circuit on the IGCT relay in the engine bay[ the normal fuel pump disconnect switches don't work for about 3 km range]
But the IGCT switched off will throw a "check engine light" if you try to start it with the car being immobilized. But after a few starts the "check engine light" will eventually go out.
If you remember to switch on the immobilizer switch BEFORE you start it, it won't throw a code.

But a check engine light is better than getting your car stolen.

@Leadfoot J. McCoalroller @Evo5RS There is an outfit in Auckland that rebuilds Aqua batteries for NZD $980 [USD $600] so I wouldn't sweat it too much.
It would cost more to swap in a 2nd hand engine as a DIY project on any Japanese car.

To give you guys an idea of what sort of "car guy" I am. I have a garage full of desirable cars [and a few more in storage]
Unfortunately these cars OWN ME!


The little Aqua is my car of choice for driving anywhere [open road or around town] These cars are hassle free ,easy to park , and you generally don't have to worry about them.

So buy the best one you can, and don't tinker with it. And keep it for a few years
The only thing worse than paying too much [where you risk losing a bit] is to pay too little [where you risk losing the lot]

 

Try this [for a $980 re-manufactured battery]
https://hybridcore.co.nz/product/toyota-prius-c-aqua-re-manufactured-battery/

They are located in Kelston [Westie territory]

18 months ago I paid $9k + $450 on road costs for my 2016 Aqua L with 79,000kms on the clock from a wholesaler in Greenlane. [they should be cheaper now being older]
Mine is white, colored cars will fetch a premium.
I don't know if I qualified for the clean car rebate [I never looked into this]

This wasn't a special deal, I responded to an Advertisement and negotiated a quick clean easy deal .
The only thing I checked was the condition of the car, I went over every seam, and eyeballed it for damage and paint repairs [I have a good color matching eyes]

To all you USA members $9450 NZD is the same as $6008 USD [todays exchange rate] For a 49,000 mile 2016 Aqua facelift.
This is including all sale taxes. So I don't know how this compares to USA values

 

It wasn't cheap at that time! I actually rolled over and paid more because the car was in tidy honest condition. I could have purchased an Aqua "S" for the same $$$ but it was "doggy around the edges"

BUT one caveat here: It was between the 2 covid lock downs in Auckland and gas was cheaper back then. So a few dealers were hurting.
Timing was perfect for me. [I managed to sell my XR6 2 weeks prior for good $$$]

One thing in your favor now is NZ's compliance rules..........They simply wont allow a P.O.S on our roads now. If you put a fresh import on a hoist and look under, it will be really clean underneath [no underseal etc]
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When I purchased mine the clean car rebate wasn't available [I just checked and mine doesn't qualify because of the cut-off date]
So if you paid $13,000 minus the $1500 rebate it would be $11,500 which is $2000 more than what I paid [under different circumstances]

If you keep the car for 3 years [1095 days] you are only paying $1-82 per day extra to start reaping the benefits from day one.

Consider the following; “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” a quote frequently attributed to Benjamin Franklin

So buy the nicest condition car you can afford.........and keep it / enjoy it for a longer period

 

I still have another Falcon as a tow-hack. So getting rid of the XR6 was a no-brainer for me. [it lived outside]
You can see the Aqua hiding in the corner of the photo


Don't bother importing one for yourself, unless you are a car dealer [that does this non-stop all year round]
If you're lucky it will take 6 months to buy / import and jump through all the hoops to get a nice one [including paint touch ups etc etc]
This ^^^ might save you $2000 NZD at the most [ dealer margins are getting thinner these days]

You would be better off financially paying full retail, and taking an after hours job stacking supermarket shelves to pay the price difference.

A total urban myth these days because of EFI instead of old manual choke carburetors.
A car driven for 365 days will still need 365 cold starts regardless of whether it travels 10km's or 50km's per day.

The clever lil' Aqua is programmed to automatically warm up on gasoline [which takes about 1 km] before it will drive on the electric motors.
This ^^^ is the reason why converting Aquas to plug-in hybrids is very difficult [for a DIYer]

Even if you run the battery down on short trips, the Aqua will automatically run on gasoline to recharge the battery.

Understand the life expectancy of these cars are amazing. Not like in the 60's -70's where the engine needed a "ring and bearing" job at 100'000 kms

 

What part of Auckland are you in?

Tauranga and Mount Maunganui is a nightmare during this time of the year. So I'm avoiding this Xmas this year by doing a disappearing act.
Normally I enjoy cruising the "Mount Beach" getting whiplashed eyeballs from all the talent spotting.