Tools for Modding & Maintenance

Since the Prius requires so little maintenance, you hardly need any tools. Will you be changing your own oil? If so, a filter wrench (metal cup that fits over the end of the filter) might be handy. You'd also need a wrench to take out the oil drain plug, but a good spanner (crescent wrench) should do that and give you some flexibility. Other than that, maybe a metric socket set and several sizes of phillips- and flat-blade screwdrivers are all I can think of. You can probably get all the tools at Sears.

Think about paint care, look at the polish/Zaino/detailing threads for many ideas. You can spend a lot more time keeping your car looking new than you'll need to spend with tools. And you can keep things like Invisible Glass cleaner, detailing spray (for a super shine), and microfiber cloths in your apartment, with the car wash buckets (2) and supplies at your family's place.

Congratulations on your new car again!

 

CDI Computorq 3 torque wrenches. I have the small and medium sized ones. The small one is primarily for my bike and the medium one is primarily for my cars but there is some overlap.

 

Haven't done any work on the Prius (and don't intend to) but have done quite a bit on other cars. Here's my thoughts.

First, as far as routine servicing goes, this is a new car. So it shouldn't need a thing beyond the Toyota-specified scheduled maintenance. It makes sense to have that scheduled maintenance done by the dealer, partly to avoid debates over warranty and partly to have a nice documented service history when you go to sell the car.

That's just my opinion, maybe I'm getting old but laying under a car with hot oil dripping down your arm just isn't that interesting the 5th or 50th time around. It was interesting to drop the engine and tranny on my 911 the first time, but I'm not all that interested in doing it again.

Second, as far as caring for the car, the most important thing you can do is clean, detail and protect the interior and exterior. A few years from now, would you rather have a 100% stock Prius with beautiful paint and immaculate interior, or a Prius with lots of gadgets bolted on but scratched dull paint and trashy interior? So I think cosmetic care stuff would be my first purchase. In addition to the usual wax, wash, buckets, mitts, etc, that I see mentioned in various car detailing threads, I'd add a rubber/vinyl treatment (I like Mothers Back To Black) and for carpets and cloth upholstery that is really dirty, check out a mini wet cleaner like a Bissel Little Green Machine.

Protective door moldings, parking away from other cars when possible, and using a paintless dent removal service every year or two as needed, will help a lot.

OK, if you really plan to wrench on the car, and are starting with literally no tools, I suggest going to the nearest Sears, talking to the tool salesmen, browsing the tool catalog, and buying a set of mechanic's hand tools. Sears Craftsman tools are good quality and it is much cheaper to buy a set of these tools than to buy even crappy tools by the piece. Get a proper tool box to keep them in, or rather boxes (cramming them all in one will make for a pretty heavy box).

IF the Prius has ALL METRIC fasteners (I'm assuming, better check) then get an all-metric set.

You may eventually want a 1/2" drive long bar (breaker bar) with a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter. I think you can get by without a torque wrench unless you will do suspension or brake work.

As this is a brand-new car, you'd hope to not need other mechanic's stand-bys like vise grips, cold chisels, B. F. Hammers, propane torch, etc. Specialized tools like pullers and really big sockets, you buy for the specific job (or, better yet, borrow/rent).

As for lifting the car, for anything other than oil changes, a floor jack and jackstands are better than ramps, since ramps obviously require the car to be on its wheels.

 

I'll add:

A set of ramps

A good solid air pressure gauge. (to keep your tires in proper inflation)

A portable air compressor.

Oil filter wrench, I got mine from toyota dealer for a few bucks

Extra oil filters, again from the dealer

I purchased door panel and dashboard removal tools from a site on the internet ( have found these invaluable)