Hello, I am French and I wish to buy Prius 2. I read this forum for a long time and it is fascinating. I saw no French on the forum, but here people drive especially in Diesel. I have at present Citroën C5 ( 2.0i 16, 138 HP).it is of 2004. Here, the gasoline is very expensive, and I like Prius: two good reasons for buying one!
Bonjour and welcome :welcome: There are one or two French members on here but we don't hear from them often. However, there are quite a few Europeans on here to add balance The Prius will be very quiet compared to a diesel car - even a modern diesel. You will get very good economy, often more than a small, manual transmission diesel car. I drove my Prius over to France a couple years ago and was surprised how many Prius there were, just not as many as back here in the UK where diesel costs more than petrol.
Thank you for this answer! Very beautiful photo. It was where in France? Yes it begins to have Prius in France, but not many there. Here, the car magazines compares them with Audi TDI, considered as the reference. I am at the moment inquiring about Prius of January, 2008, 90000 km for 9900 euro. Sold by Toyota and guaranteed 2 years. It is a version " Sol Pack " with the GPS. As I posted less than 5 messages, I cannot send at the moment the link of the announcement, but I shall make it as soon as it will be possible. A thing which amazes me: you seem to have often replaced the transaxle oil. In France, we speak only about a regular control of this liquid, and I do not believe to have seen somebody replacing it.
It is not a Toyota service requirement - at any mileage. However, it is prudent to replace this if you do lots of town driving and plan on keeping the car for a long time. Saying that, our American friends like to change oils and fluids more often than we do over here. There was a lot of worry when the oil change interval was increased to 10,000 miles (16,000 km) on the gen3 Prius. Such an interval is high in America but quite low here in Europe. The photo was taken in Alencon, Normandy. Nice area and not too far from home
Hello, Spiderman, Hello Bisco. Thank you for your welcome GrumpyCabbie: thank you for these explanations, I understand better now. Indeed, in France the maintenances are more spaced out. And Prius already has to make them more often than the classic cars. For example, on my C5, the draining driving is planned every 30000 km (18750 miles). This forum demonstrates that Prius is very reliable. That is why I look as for the vehicles which have already driven a lot (100000 km 62500 miles) by saying to me that they are maybe of bargains.
In fact it would be to keep it approximately 5 year / 100000 km. Use: city and suburb for approximately 7000 km every year, the rest in long distances of highway. Do you think that p2 is adapted to this usage ?
Yes, Normandy is very pleasant. I lived there a few years ago, and I loved a lot. Indeed, it is close to England, which I also like very much. Today I live in Lyon, approximately in 1000 km of Normandy. Very pleasant big city also. But the car traffic is there dense, and Prius would be very adapted to it.
Hi and welcome Eric69, the Prius should suit and serve you well. Nice to see more people joining from this side of the pond.
and thank you ! Here is Prius which interests me: PRIUS 110H LINEA SOL PACK Puissance 4 CV, Energie Hybride essence lectrique - TOYOTA, Vendeur Professionnel
With the Prius, the transaxle fluid also cools and insulates the electric motors. This makes it more important than it is on normal cars. Chemical analysis has shown that the insulating quality of the transaxle fluid starts to break down sooner than its capacity to lubricate, which is why we recommend the shorter replacement interval. Tom
Hello and welcome Eric. I am a relatively new member also and I must say that the members on PriusChat are very helpful and well informed. I also find that all members I have had contact with in PriusChat are courteous and friendly. Good luck with your purchase. Happy motoring.
Yes, I saw well on this forum that there are many messages and subjects on the transaxle oil and that that appears to be really important to replace it. That is why I am very amazed of that we speak about it so little on the French forums. I do not understand this difference, because they are the same cars. If I buy that of the announcement which is 90000 km (56000 miles), I shall ask for the replacement of this fluid. GrumpyCabbie specified that it is not a Toyota service requirement at any mileage. But I think that your advice council is informed and that that cannot hurt to replace it of time in other. Otherwise you think that the car of the announcement can drive at least 5 years with no problem at all ?
Hello and thank you. I read a lot this forum before to register me to it. I read it since I intend to buy Prius, and I found here all the necessary information. I agree with you!
I think it's because Americans keep their cars longer, drive further and privately purchase their vehicles more than is the case in Europe. Try asking your Toyota dealers to have the transaxel oil changed and watch the reaction. Mine swore blind that it was not possible when I asked them!?!?
Yes, I thought of it... I shall ask, as I said it, but the reaction risks to be the same that at Citroën when I asked for the draining of it gearbox : " impossible sir, it gearbox is greased for life ". It remains to be seen the life of whom: that of it gearbox or that of the car? When I shall be there there and when I shall have asked the question, I shall give you the answer. On the other hand I was persuaded that our American friends change their cars more often than us?
And if they do not want to make it, I shall explain them that in the United States it is a current operation. I shall see good. Thus you not you think that it does not there take place to worry particularly about that?
Toyota does not recommend changing the transmission oil in the US either, but several people have had oil analysis done on their used transmission oil. Based on the amount of metal particles in the oil and the amount that the oil sheared to a thinner viscosity, oil changes have been recommended by Prius Chat members. A change at 50,000 km, then each 100,000 km after that is what is often recommended based on oil analysis. If you never change you transmission oil, there is still a very good chance your transmission will still last over 300,000 km. I spent a day in Lyon a couple of years ago when we sailed though on the M/S Charddonay on the Saone and Rhone rivers. It's a beautiful city. I wish I had more than a day there.
