My mum-in-law just saw a 1998 Gen 1 Prius at auction for 4,500, with only 29K km on it (2 owners). She's wondering if it's worth bidding. How would you advise her? What should she look for? Thanks!
I would think that would be a bargain... the only question would be in the battery pack cycles, and at less than 30K miles, and if it hasn't been wrecked/salvaged... I would get it myself for the daughter.
Please note that a Gen 1 in New Zealand usually refers to the model prior to the "classic". (Hence the 1998 date) The new model here is "Gen 4". I would also tell her to check the year of first registration in NZ (or you can use the first letter of the rego plate). If it doesn't have a rego plate yet, it means the auction house is importing it direct from Japan, and it will be up to your mum to get it through the registration process. Not difficult, but you can run into "surprises". If its been in NZ for any length of time and only has 29K kilometers on it, then its been sitting on blocks for a while. Otherwise, it was sitting in Japan for a while, probably in a parking spot just too good to give up. May even have the oil from the factory still in it. To me, it sounds like a garage queen. I would avoid it. You can pick up a Gen 2 (with more kilometres on it) for the same price and probably fewer problems.
Here's some more details and photos of the car. My bro-in-law put in a bid for 3,200 (under reserve). No one else has bid, so they'll have to go in for negotiation w/ Turners tomorrow. Vehicle Details
I see its an "E" plate, which means its been in the country only about a year. Its been in Japan all these years, and those Odo's have a way of winding backwards on the boat to NZ. I would give it a miss frankly. Yes, I've dealt with Turner's before.
This Prius owners car ain't as clean as the one you bid on... Looks clean inside Bra... I'd still get it, for the kid... well... I didn't realize there was still a odometer issue with imports from Japan... but... I don't know a lot of stuff... like the car body style for that 98... I never knew that the earlier Prius looked different in general than the one we bought last year. I learn something every day.
The body style that was first imported by Toyota to Australia and I assume NZ had a small boot lip spoiler on the back. That was the first Prius with the flat batteries, the early ones as pictured which were never released in Australia (or I think NZ) had cylindrical battery cells. These batteries were not as reliable as the later style flat cells.
It does seem odd for a car of this age to have only 29K km on its ODO. I've cautioned my mum-in-law. We'll see. Thanks for everyone's insight/input.
