Would a 2002 Prius be a good first car?

hello :)

I found one for $5,100

i + i

Could be... Note that if the batteries are approaching their replacement age it could set you back quite a bit. Still, surpising that it's going for so little.































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Forgot to say -- cheapest in my area is over $7000.

Joeschmoe

I would recommend a 2007 Prius instead if you want to buy pre-owned.































The 2002 is a first-generation Prius, and those were a lot smaller and weren't as refined as the second-generation.































The 2007 is a second-generation Prius and has all the little annoyances and bugs ironed out, and is the first of the 2nd-gens to have no major TSBs (recalls) issued. And a 2007 will still have 6 years of its 8-year / 100,000-mile hybrid system warranty left.































Hope this helps.

cclearly4

This does seem like an unusually low price...meaning that you'd best check it out very carefully. I agree with getting a 2nd generation Prius. Though I suspect that a 2007 is out of your price range. Just move up one year to 2003 & you'll find 2nd generation (actually, they're 3rd generation for Toyota Japan, but 2nd for the U.S.). Here's a link to explain some of the differences.































www.cleangreencar.co.nz

mrvadeboncoeur

There is some used buying advice (US) for the NHW11 model Prius in these posts:















http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/.../message/55692















http://cartalk.com/board/showflat.ph...&Number=344047































If I can quote myself from the old cartalk board (before they take it down!):















from 6/21/2006































The 2001-2003 "Classic" Prius are essentially the same.































The main changes for the US 2001->2002 were additional exterior color choices (Brilliant Blue Pearl (dark blue) and Blue Moon Pearl (light blue/purple or lavender color)), side air bags option, and the navigation system option, and cruise control option. (There were a few VIP US 2001s (to Toyota execs, Jane Fonda, other celebrities, etc.) that had some of these 2002 options... also, Hawaii 2001s may have had these options as well.)































The only real change from US 2002->2003 were some exterior color options (remove Blue Moon Pearl, add Black and Golden Pearl (off-white/champagne color)).































Note that you can add cruise control to a Prius that is not already equipped with it. (I've personally added the Toyota cruise control retrofit kit to my US 2001 Prius.) Same goes for a CD player or 6CD changer, or alloy wheel locks, or floor mats...































You cannot add side air bags later. Although there is already the display screen and dashboard buttons on all Classic Prius, it is prohibitively expensive to add the navigation system (too many missing parts and much labor) later if not already equipped. (So, be sure to ask what the navigation DVD version is if someone says that navigation is installed, as some sellers may assume that because the buttons and the screen is there that the navigation option is installed when it really isn't...)































At least for the US, all warranties are transferrable to the new owner.















Basic: 3 years/36,000 miles.















Powertrain: 5 years/60,000 miles.















Hybrid system (includes hybrid battery): 8 years/100,000 miles.















I don't have handy the rust-through or the federal/CA emissions systems warranty periods for the Classic Prius.































...Prius Passport to Performance (scheduled maintenance guide) ... If you don't get one with your car, you can download it from http://smg.toyotapartsandservice.com/































...































The later build date you can get in 2003, the better, to make sure that all the small "issues" may have been worked out. The CD player/changer wiring harness parts changed in 2003, to stop a common install problem, for example. That's not to say that even an early 2001 wouldn't be a great car for you.































If you get an early build 2001 Prius (built early summer 2000), check that it wasn't part of the power steering rack recall.































Several 2001-2002 Prius have had some steering rack "shudders" - most notable when starting from cold and in reverse - where the power steering causes the steering wheel to oscillate on its own back and forth a bit... Toyota issued a 5 year/unlimited mileage extended warranty on the power steering rack for this problem. So, see if the previous owner has had any such issues, and if the steering column was replaced for this. (I'll note that I've never seen this on my 2001, so it's not every car that's affected...)































Nearly all 2001-2003 Prius (some later 2003s excluded) were subject to the (Special Service Campaign) SSC 40G, which is a preventative hybrid battery checkup and sealant to prevent some minor electrolyte leakage/corrosion. So, make sure that this (free) procedure is done before you buy the car.































It's not uncommon for some 2001s and maybe 2002s to have had an ECM (computer) replaced (upgrade to new firmware to not throw false error codes), so don't worry about that if it's been done or not done.































OEM tires for the 2001-2003 Prius in the US are:















Bridgestone Potenza RE92 XL (Extra Load)















P175/65 R14















84S















Treadwear 160















Temperature A















Traction A















new tread depth is 10/32"































Do check that the installed tires have the correct load rating. It's really difficult to find a tire of the same size with the 84 or higher load rating. (Also note that there is a Bridgestone Potenza RE92 tire (as sold for the Toyota Echo I think) that does not have the XL rating, so be careful that you get the right one!)































Most owners seem to get in the 20,000-30,000 mile range with these OEM Bridgestone Potenza RE92XL tires, by having a properly-aligned car and keeping the tire pressure at a minimum of the factory-recommended pressures of 35psi front, 33psi rear, check the pressures regularly, and rotate their tires at 5,000-7,500mile intervals. But, uneven tire wear (wear on the outside edges, most notably on the front tires) is unfortunately common...































....































(When sold new, the MSRP of an optionless/accessoryless Classic Prius was $19995 + about $500 for DPH. (IIRC Navigation was +$1900 and side air bags was +$250) )















































from 7/23/2006































I didn't note earlier about how you can tell the build date on the Prius. On the door jamb plate (or maybe under hood/bonnet), look at the top right corner.































Here's a photo of a plate from a US 2002 Prius (NHW11L), build date Sept. 2001: http://www.kluge.net/~felicity/pics/...o/PC250403.jpg































Also, I'll note that there is a ... recall on some late 2001s/early 2002s, SSC 60G, to replace the crankshaft position sensor. http://pressroom.toyota.com/presstxt...el/SSC-60G.pdf















































Make sure that all applicable special service campaigns and recalls have been performed! Many of them are listed in the files section of the toyota-prius-sat1 yahoogroup (free registration to view).















http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-prius-sat1/































On a low mileage Prius, I would be sure to check on the brake service history or at least have them inspected. Low mileage Prius tend to accumulate brake rust from non-usage, which then causes premature/uneven wear/scoring of the brake pads. High-mileage Prius tend to have very long brake life, as much of the braking is regenerative rather than conventional friction braking.































Used (salvage) hybrid battery replacements are still under $1000 - check eBay for examples. But there are many Prius over 200,000 miles now (particularly those in taxi fleets), and owners' groups just aren't hearing of battery replacements.































It has also been suggested on Prius groups that the transmission fluid should be checked/analyzed, and preferrably replaced. Again, check the service history. Sadly, transaxle replacements are about as common as hybrid battery replacements, but thankfully reports of either are very uncommon!































If you want more specific advice on this particular Prius, such as pricing or other potential issues to look at, or would like to learn more about the car, you may want to ask on a Prius owner's group:















http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-prius/















http://www.priusonline.com/















http://www.priuschat.com/































As a first car, yes a 2002 Prius would be good. By age, it'll be cheaper for you to insure, and since it has great fuel economy and a 7500 mile/6 month maintenance schedule it'll be cheap for you to operate. It is much larger on the inside than it looks from the outside, so you'll be able to get lots of stuff in there when needed. Whether or not the one you found for $5100 is good, however, I cannot answer without more info (where you live, what condition it is in, how many miles, etc. to know if that's a cheap price for a reason or not...)