Calling all Aussies and Kiwis !!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rval @ Aug 13 2007, 09:14 PM) [snapback]494607[/snapback]</div>

Interesting news. Of note is the fact that they comment more on the environmental aspects of the hybrid.

After reading through the various twists and turns of this thread, it is also interesting that there seems to be a more enviornmental view on the Prius rather than saving money on gas. The general comment from my friends and fellow workers has been along the line of "going green??" Or can I use you to offset my carbon footprint??

When I tell them that I am also saving heaps of money on gas, then they get real interested B)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AussieOwner @ Aug 13 2007, 10:24 PM) [snapback]494623[/snapback]</div>

Hi guys,
A hybrid Aurion is much less likely in OZ than a hybrid Camry, and that is indicated by Toyota Australia. In any case, it will be some years before either would go down the line in Melbourne, unfortunately.
Please drop by our Australian Prius website at www.priusclubqld.org sometime. All Australian Prius owners are most welcome.
Cheers, John.

 

G'Day

I've just bought a 2005 Prius! Just got off the phone to the dealer 30 minutes ago. Blue 63,000km with Curtain Airbags - $24,000 (down from $26,000 - my first ever successful haggle).

I'm in Adelaide, and I'm flying across to Melbourne to pick it up and drive it back on Thursday.

I'd like to get some lambswool seat covers for it. I've seen them here: http://www.sheepskintailors.com.au/index.html and I'm still looking, but has anyone know of anywhere better?

I'm very excited!

 

Congrats on the new car! Sleeka has a source for the seat covers, if I'm not mistaken. If he doesn't chime in you might want to PM him with a query. Welcome to PC, mate.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hozozco @ Oct 21 2007, 11:16 AM) [snapback]528308[/snapback]</div>

Another Adelaide member, how good is that. Little olde Adelaide with a population of just 1.4 million.
You did good with your haggling. I bought my 2004 with 60,000km on it, registered and stamp duty paid ready to roll for $24900, and the original price was $26900. I got it from Cornes Used Cars which is part of Adtrans, who own Graham Cornes Toyota and Stillwell Ford/Hyundai. One of the cars I was looking at (Adtrans had 3 in 3 yards all on Main North Road between Scottys and Stillwell Ford) had the curtain airbags but the car I got was in much better condition and was less dollars post haggle. It was good fun haggling and I think the yard lost a few dollars in the deal. The curtain airbag Prius I know was bought from government auction for $25000, it was ex family services. Mine was an ex lease car which was leased by a Sydney insurance office.

I got lambswool faced seat covers from SuperCheap Auto Parts, There are most likely better covers around but not for under $300. The size you want is 30/45, part number: 5208. I got the Platinum Cloud, which is their top grade, I wouldn't bother with the thinner ones. They come with covers for the headrest but I didn't like the headrest covers because they are harder to see past.
I don't think they have rear seat covers for the Prius, as I only ride in the front I wasn't looking for rear seat covers.

Then after typing all this I clicked on the link in your post. If I had found that supplier I would have bought their covers. I also forgot, if you have curtain airbags you most likely have side airbags which are in the seats, remember to get the right seat covers for airbags. (like you didn't know that already)

For some accessories the Queensland Prius site may be able to see you right and save you expensive postal cost from USA. I recommend the mudflaps, shark fin and front sunshade. sleeka is the man there I believe.

Good luck with the new (to you) Prius, I know you are going to love it!

 

Thanks for the Welcome guys...

We're hoping to get the seat covers locally made. It seems ridiculous to send sheepskins off to America, have them made into seat covers and them to send them back to Australia. I'm sure it's much 'greener' to buy them locally. Anyway, the wife has found quite a few local links...

www.sheepskintailors.com.au (two front seats, customised $AUD 550)
www.ozwool.net (two front seats, 'one size fits most' $AUD 300)
www.woolshedsheepskinproducts.com (customised, POA)
www.canterburyseatcovers.com.au (various types, POA)
www.inlandaustralia.com.au (one front seat, I think customised, $AUD 330)
www.sheepskinseatcovers.com.au (customised, POA)
www.goldenfleeceaustralia.com.au (two front seats, 'one size fits most', $AUD 195)
www.shearcraft.com.au (mobile service, customised, POA)
www.aussiesheepandwool.com.au (two front seats, 'one size fits most', from $AUD 345)
www.seatcoverworld.com.au (big variety, POA)

Prices and quality obviously vary quite a bit. We'll probably drive around and see some local 'skin shops' and look at their work. My wife tells me that I should have searched under 'sheepskin seat covers' not 'lambswool seat covers' - live and learn.

I don't think we'll do a lot of customisation. This car was a need purchase. My wife is 13 weeks pregnant, and when we went car seat and stroller shopping we discovered they wouldn't fit in our current car (1999 Daihatsu Sirion). Hence we went car shopping. We are used to getting around 5.0-5.5L/100km and didn't really want to pay for any more...

Roll on Thursday...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hozozco @ Oct 21 2007, 11:46 AM) [snapback]528308[/snapback]</div>

G'day and welcome to the Prius family.....you'll love the car when you get it.

Please visit our Qld site at www.priusclubqld.org sometime. There is a lot of useful information and links to help know more about your car.
You should be able to find a local supplier down there for your sheepskin covers, but if not, please contact me and I can put you in touch with the supplier I use here in Brisbane.

[attachmentid=12149]

These are our fitted seat covers....you will probably want a similar colour, as you will have the ivory interior as well.

Cheers,
John.

 

Ok!

I picked up my Prius from Melbourne on Thursday and drove it home. Very, very smooth. Averaged 4.5l/100km in Victoria (100km speed limit) and probably closer to 5.0l/100km in South Australia (110km speed limit) giving a total of 4.7l/100km. I think I would normally do better, but for such a long trip I just set the cruise control and let it power up hills that I would normally back off for.

I haven't taken any photos, but essentially it looks like a right hand drive version of this: http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ToyotaP.../Photos2004.htm

I've sourced some seat covers locally. Sheepskin fronts with cut-outs for the seat airbags, sheepskin centre console and fabric covers for the rear. All black! Probably and unusual choice, but I think it will look good (more importantly - the wife thinks it will, she is the interior designer in our house).

I'm definitely going to get tinting done at some stage.

I want to get floor mats - are the Toyota OEM ones any good? I like the look of these:
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=4...mp;hl=floor+mat but it might cost a bit to import. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Must get an interior sun-shade, it gets to 40+ Celsius in Adelaide.

I've seen quite a few posts regarding the 'clear bras'. Not sure about this, must try to find somewhere in Adelaide so I can have a look.

Also not sure about 'headlight protectors'. I've always had them on my other cars (and those Prius headlights must cost a bomb), but I've read that the polycarbonate (or something) is very strong and protectors aren't needed. Probably just as well as I can't find any anyway.

I'd also like to have a speed alert fitted. My wife has used one in the car for work (various models). It 'beeps' when you go over a set speed. Has anyone had any experience with this is a Prius?

And finally it would be great to have something that could go over the arm-rests. I reckon they're going to look a bit daggy pretty quick (with sun screened arms etc). I've seen this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Toyota-Priu...1QQcmdZViewItem
and might give them a go. They're not too expensive.

Love the car. Stepping up from a 1999 Daihatsu Sirion, it's an amazing experience.

 

Don't forget, floor coverings from the USA wont fit your car in Australia, the footrest cutout will be wrong and the vinyl bit that goes under the drivers feet will be on the wrong side. If you want a cargo floor cover that will work as the back of the car is the same shape in USA and Oz.

Some accessories can be got here http://www.priusclubqld.org/club/accessories.html and John is a great guy to deal with and has the sunscreen you want. I'd recommend the mudflaps too as they are cheap and will protect the paint from stones.

The bonnet of the Prius is prone to stone chips, I'm not a bra fan so I'm looking forward to a bonnet respray in the future.

If you get your windows done and are happy can you let me know where you got it done please, if I have mine done I want the little windows in the A pillar done.

Enjoy the new car!!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hozozco @ Oct 27 2007, 06:17 PM) [snapback]531109[/snapback]</div>

Hi Croweaters,
The Toyota floormats for the Prius are very good. Great fit and quality, have a Prius badge on them, the driver's one has 2 locating tabs which fit into the existing location holes in the carpet so they don't slide around, and they come in either Black or Brown. Recommended. See your local Toyota Parts dept.

Re: the tinting....do you guys have "Tint-A-Car" down there? If so, I can thoroughly recommend them as well. I have had probably 12-15 of my cars done by them over the years without any problems whatsoever. And, yes, they do all the glass....including the A pillars. I had the Invisible Bra fitted to my previous Prius, but the firm who did it up here have disappeared. Some tinting shops do them, though.

As Pat suggests, (thank you) I have the heatshields, and anything else you may want as shown on our website, in stock. PM me your email address, or email me from our website, and I'll get back to you with details.

Cheers,
John.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hozozco @ Oct 27 2007, 03:17 AM) [snapback]531109[/snapback]</div>

While you are gretting the tinting done ask about a bra because tinting places also do this. From memory a bra is quite expensive but well worth it. On a recent trip I copped a chip on the windscreen but have never had problems with stones damaging the bonnet thanks to my 18 month old bra.
I was told that the headlight glass could not be damaged by stones but if you are at all worried get some clear bra material put on the headlights.
One thing about a bra it should not affect the airflow over the car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sleeka @ Oct 28 2007, 01:01 AM) [snapback]531184[/snapback]</div>

Thanks John, I'm about to email you.

We're definitely after the side strips, heat sheild and rear bumper protector. Might get the mud flaps and weather shields depending on the price.

My wife has actually changed her mind (no comment), and we're now getting front seat covers to match the interior (the colour is called 'bamboo'). The company that's making them doesn't have any suitable fabric that would match for the back seats. We're going to ask if they can make rear seat covers out of material that we supply, otherwise we're open to options for rear seat covers.

We've used 'Tint-A-Car' for the servicing of the mobilisers in our Sirion and we were planning to have them do the tinting. That will have to wait, we didn't allow for the $1000 stamp duty when we registered the car (bugga)!

Thanks to all.

 

Argh, here I had this nice long post written and the page timed out posting.

Anyway, second try.

I've just bought a new Prius (read: just had delivered a couple days ago) and I couldn't be happier. I was browsing the net looking at some of the neat things you can do (and some of the things that US models have to do to get things we have standard, like the EV mode) when I stumbled across this forum and thought I'd say howdy.

I notice that there's a QLD Prius club, anything similar in SA or being thought about for us Southerners?

I also noticed hozozco mentioned some black sheepskin seat covers, any reccomendations there? I haven't looked too far back up the thread or checked out any links since I am at work.

I'm really interested in trying to get the most out of my Prius, so I look forward to getting to know you and learning about all the tips and tricks you can get up to with really turning things up a notch.

Well I reckon that's it for now, I should probably do some work for the rest of the day...

Cheers,
Bob

 

G'day Bob,
The Wool Shed http://www.hotfrog.com.au/companies/The-Woolshed make sheepskin seat covers to suit seats in any car for a reasonable price or if you want both front seats for about $265 try Supercheap which is where I got mine, thick wool on the face but synthetic on back and sides (where you're not touching it)

Top bloke at the wool shed, he made the sheepskin seat cover for my bike.

I'm down at Woodcroft, just walking distance to the Wool Shed. Keep an eye out and give us a wave if you see me, 2004 silver with shark fin and mudflaps. SPARK5 numberplate.

Prius Club Queensland is great, handy for some accessories but unfortunately not quite as big a range as here, that is where I got my shark fin, mud flaps, and windscreen sun blind. Treat it like an Aussie Prius club I reckon.

 

Welcome to PC, Bob.

Good to see another Aussie joining the group.

If you want to see the differences between what you have bought and everyone else, have a look at this thread http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37636

The key differences between the Australian version and the US versions are we have 4 wheel disc brakes, we have the EV button, and we have a height adjustable driver's seat. The US, however, have a lot more options available, although as you have the iTech, you have the top of the range anyway. One thing that the US people have over the rest of the world is the ability to turn off the internal reverse beep. It does not normally bother me, but occassionally, I would love to be able to shut the thing up.

Enjoy you car.

 

Don't some US models have headlight adjustment from inside the car?
Never seen that in Australian Prius. Oh and they have the steering wheel on the wrong side.

 

G'day Bob, Pat and Eric,
Good to see some activity on the Aussies and Kiwi page recently. It gets very quiet at times.

Yes, even though we are the Prius Club of Queensland - as Pat says, treat us as being there to help all Aussies....and the range of accessories available from the website is growing, too. Happy to send anywhere in OZ.

Cheers,
John.

 

What's the obsession with sheepskin seat covers with you lot from down under? That's gotta be the most frequently asked question in this thread. Are they soaked in opiate oils or something? They must be really comfortable.

 

Sheep skin is the best thing to sit on, it allows some air to circulate under and around you when it is hot preventing sweatiness and they don't seem to get hot in the sun, in winter they are warm, better than sitting on cold cloth. Sheep skin also adds about 35 to 50mm of cloud soft padding to the seat. Sheep skin also looks very luxurious and adds a prestige look to the interior and is dead easy to keep clean as long as you don't let an icecream melt through it. Even if you do you can remove the cover for cleaning and you know the skin has protected the seat as it is impervious to moisture.

It's like recycling too, the sheepskin's first life is as a bag with meat in it. If it's good enough to protect my lamb cutlets it's good enough to protect my seats.

 

Whoa. That just sent a Richter 5 tremor though the place.

You mean Toyota actually DOES make an adjustable seat for the Prius ?? It CAN be done ??

Why do they hate us so ?????