Japanese import Prius

Bicky · 21-08-2019 10:19am #1

After nine years of loyal service it is time to replace my reliable Toyota corolla. I have been keeping an eye on donedeal and adverts and would like to go for a third gen Prius, probably 2012 to 2014. My problem at this stage is that many of the advertised Prius seem to be imports. Annoyingly the ads never state that the car is an import. Sometimes Japanese characters can be seen on the display, or the front number plates have a square black mount, which i believe is a indicator of an import.
Do the Japanese cars have different parts, making finding replacements difficult?
Will they be harder/more expensive to insure?
Thanks,
Bicky

colm_mcm · 21-08-2019 10:36am

I think apart from the infotainment and different equipment levels there isn’t much in it. Not sure how well they’re undersealed but I don’t think there’s issues with servicing or repairs.

I think keyless keys are a bit tricky, might have read something here about that. I think kceire or someone’s dad had one that needed a key.

You might have issues with insurance but Prius is low risk anyway so I’d imagine you’ll get sorted somewhere.

I would sooner get a UK import from UK though.

ELM327 · 21-08-2019 3:33pm

Don't do it
The info screen is different, the radio doesnt work, you won't get parts (especially relevant for mk1 and mk2)
Dealers wont touch them
and you will be charged more for insurance

Fabio · 21-08-2019 4:25pm

ELM327 wrote: »

Don't do it
The info screen is different, the radio doesnt work, you won't get parts (especially relevant for mk1 and mk2)
Dealers wont touch them
and you will be charged more for insurance

Really? I wouldn't have been so sure.

I know people who got a Honda Fit, the Jap import version of the Jazz. No bother getting any parts, no bother with the dealer for servicing, radio was replaced with a nice Pioneer unit which works fine here and insurance was easy too.

I think the old myths of Japanese imports no longer really stand up.

Track9 · 21-08-2019 11:47pm

If anything like Jap imports of the 90 s they will run & run . Servicing in Japan such as oil changing & part relacement in those cars is impccable .Most Parts should be the same also .

Del2005 · 21-08-2019 11:53pm

Fabio wrote: »

Really? I wouldn't have been so sure.

I know people who got a Honda Fit, the Jap import version of the Jazz. No bother getting any parts, no bother with the dealer for servicing, radio was replaced with a nice Pioneer unit which works fine here and insurance was easy too.

I think the old myths of Japanese imports no longer really stand up.

Insurance is an issue though. You will get insurance but from a much smaller pool than an Irish or UK car.

Japan does not have much car crime so they don't have factory immobilisers, so even if you fit a quality alarm/immobiliser the scumbags will still smash it up tyring to steal it.

Del2005 · 21-08-2019 11:55pm

Track9 wrote: »

If anything like Jap imports of the 90 s they will run & run . Servicing in Japan such as oil changing & part relacement in those cars is impccable .Most Parts should be the same also .

Unless you directly import it there's a big risk of clocking.

punisher5112 · 21-08-2019 11:57pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Unless you directly import it there's a big risk of clocking.

Of course there is a risk but so is Irish and UK motors.

punisher5112 · 21-08-2019 11:57pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Insurance is an issue though. You will get insurance but from a much smaller pool than an Irish or UK car.

Japan does not have much car crime so they don't have factory immobilisers, so even if you fit a quality alarm/immobiliser the scumbags will still smash it up tyring to steal it.

Back in the 90s early 00s not now....

colm_mcm · 22-08-2019 6:49am

Del2005 wrote: »

Japan does not have much car crime so they don't have factory immobilisers, so even if you fit a quality alarm/immobiliser the scumbags will still smash it up tyring to steal it.

I don’t think that’s true these days.

ELM327 · 22-08-2019 8:45am

Fabio wrote: »

Really? I wouldn't have been so sure.

I know people who got a Honda Fit, the Jap import version of the Jazz. No bother getting any parts, no bother with the dealer for servicing, radio was replaced with a nice Pioneer unit which works fine here and insurance was easy too.

I think the old myths of Japanese imports no longer really stand up.

I have a 1994 Toyota corona imported so I know the old myths. To be honest my issue is with modern jdm cars and not older ones.

Have you tried getting insurance on a modern jap import? I know for a fact non EU toyotas are not supported (except on a "best effort basis") by toyota dealers.

Del2005 · 22-08-2019 9:10am

punisher5112 wrote: »

Of course there is a risk but so is Irish and UK motors.

It is, but its easier to do a history check with an Irish or UK car compared to a JDM.

Bicky · 22-08-2019 2:32pm

Thanks for all the replies. Lots of conflicting information on this subject.
I do not have much knowledge of cars, so I think I will stick to an Irish model. Problem is ads do not specify. I went to view a prius and was told beforehand it was an Irish car. When I got there it turned out to be a Japanese import. Total waste of time.

colm_mcm · 22-08-2019 3:51pm

To be fair if it’s on donedeal it’ll flag that it’s an import.

Dravokivich · 23-08-2019 6:58am

colm_mcm wrote: »

To be fair if it’s on donedeal it’ll flag that it’s an import.

Only if seller put down for greenlight.

magg1ec · 23-08-2019 8:11pm

I have a 2010 imported Prius and have no issues - apart from the fact that I cannot use the maps as they're of Japan - but I can get radio stations. Has an immobiliser (but no alarm as far as I know). Drives very well.

It has passed its NCTs with flying colours, my mechanic has no problems with services etc. and nothing ever goes wrong.

It's my second Prius, first import, and I expect it to last as long as the previous one. The only reason I changed was the other one was getting a bit old - 2004. A family member is now driving the 2004 one.

No issues with insurance.

Advise the old adage - buyer beware!

zilog_jones · 28-08-2019 9:14am

Bicky wrote: »

I do not have much knowledge of cars, so I think I will stick to an Irish model. Problem is ads do not specify. I went to view a prius and was told beforehand it was an Irish car. When I got there it turned out to be a Japanese import. Total waste of time.

If they have half decent interior photos: Japanese models have the indicator stalk on the right, and the instantaneous fuel consumption gauge will be in km/l (it's l/100km for Irish, and MPG for UK, cannot be changed without replacing entire instrument cluster).

There are also a few colours that are Japan-only, mainly pastel-like blue and purples.

magg1ec wrote: »

I have a 2010 imported Prius and have no issues - apart from the fact that I cannot use the maps as they're of Japan - but I can get radio stations. Has an immobiliser (but no alarm as far as I know). Drives very well.

The maps on a UK/Irish 2010 would be useless by now anyway, unless you spend hundreds updating them (free map updates are only for 3 years). Even then the interface on my 2012 is slow and clunky, and there's no live traffic for Ireland. Just get a decent phone mount and use Google Maps or Waze. The quarter light in the A-pillar is great for phone mounts.

There are many options for replacing the headunit with a double-DIN adaptor, unlike the Gen 2 Prius you won't lose any functionality as all the trip computer stuff is in the instrument cluster.

aidan320d · 19-03-2022 7:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/111062298#Comment_111062298

It has an immobiliser because it has push-button start, nearly any modern JDM car pre-2019/2020 with an actual twist to start key, will NOT have an immobiliser, that’s why they are always stolen over here, I don’t understand why there is a market for JDM Toyota Yaris’ (or Vitz as it’s called in Japan) the Irish one is better in every way, also the 2005-2010 Vitz is lacking electronic stability control. Did I mention some of the JDM cars have less airbags than European specs? (Only really applies to compact JDM cars, mainly base models but they are the common spec that are imported to Ireland)

bazz26 · 19-03-2022 9:55pm

Nice, 2.5 years later.

Japanese import Prius

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