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Buying a used 2nd Gen (jap import)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by saljoga2, Jun 11, 2016.

  1. saljoga2

    saljoga2 New Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Ireland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Hi all,

    I am living in Europe, and currently looking to buy a Japanese imported 2nd Gen Prius (2009-2010 model) with less then 60k miles. From what I have seen so far the only issue with these imports is the menus on the cars computer which are in Japanese and probably won't be changeable to English.

    My main interest in Prius is its anticipated Toyota reliability after low fuel consumptions. However, digging the internet I can see there are lots of horror stories from some Prius owners (search for toyota prius in "consumeraffairs" website) with regards to the

    12 V battery draining after not using the car for few days. which seems expensive to replace
    The HV battery dying after some time
    Transmission issues
    Breaking issues

    Do you think the battery warranty still applies to imported cars? Do I have to take this horror stories seriously?

    when buying the car how can I check if there are common issues with the two batteries, transmission, and breaking? are there any other issues I need to consider and how can I check them ?

    Thanks
     
  2. tony2ltr

    tony2ltr Member

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    Location:
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    2005 Prius
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    Three
    These are very reliable cars overall and the cost of ownership is low. All cars have issues. Toyotas in general have few issues than other manufacturers. The Prius is on the high side of Toyota reliability. The batteries usually die as they do on all cars, optima brand has a very good replacement battery for the 12v Auxiliary battery.

     
  3. saljoga2

    saljoga2 New Member

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    2010 Prius
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    Thats what I thought, but I would suspect less complaints from toyota based cars. is there to see the tail tail signs of such failures
     
  4. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Very unlikely.

    There are many posts about how to evaluate the condition of a used Prius.

    Unless you are planning to learn Japanese, I think it would be questionable to own a JDM model with all markings in the Japanese language. Good luck with your purchase decision.
     
  5. tony2ltr

    tony2ltr Member

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    I would buy that JDM car. You can import the MFD, radio and combination meter from the US market. Should all be plug and play

     
  6. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
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    Three
    1) the 12 volt battery wants to be used, I would not buy a Prius I expected to drive less than once in 3 weeks, you will have issues as the car is never really off. The battery is in the passenger compartment with you and your loved ones, so for safety sake should only be replaced with an AGM battery with external venting.
    2) For legally imported Prius in the states, there is a 8 to 10 year warranty, depending on which state. I would not expect any warranty on any part of a car I imported myself.
    3) if you drain and fill the ATF WS periodically, the transmission is pretty bulletproof. Every 60,000 miles is fine.
    4) I have never heard of a Prius breaking in two. If you meant brakes, there are several modes and the driver can sometimes feel it change modes, which alarms some drivers. I recommend you always let the dealer do brake work that involves bleeding the fluid as this cannot be done without specialized software. The brakes tend to last a long time. 200,000 miles?
    5) If you imported it, you are the one providing the warranty,
    6) I would take all the import horror stories seriously.
    7)A voltmeter on the 12 volt battery when it has sat overnight should be over 12.4 volts. There is no easy way to test the big battery. The car is just not prone to breaking. A new inverter is about $4000USD and the most common way to burn it out is to reverse polarity while jump starting. A new transaxle is about $5000USD and the most common issue is metals in suspension in the ATF shorting the Motor Generators.
     
  7. amar tsembel

    amar tsembel New Member

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    Location:
    mongolia
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    I driving my 2011 prius to UK in August, will sell it afterwards. Japanese imported car, let me know if someone is interested. my facebook is amar tsembel