...can a 2013 traction battery lose it's capacity if it has not been charged regularly by the dealer? There's a new 2013 P3 on the dealer lot. Should I be concerned with the battery? Help guys.
Nope - but the 12V aux. battery may be a problem. It is on the small size & if the Prius is unused for more than a month it may discharge. If the Prius got moved at least once a month I would guess even the 12V battery would be OK
if it starts, the traction battery is fine. and the battery indicator will show you the charge levels as you're driving.
You are referring to the battery that is similar to what is in ICE cars, right?! I wonder how much is it to replace, maybe $80-100... does anyone know? You know, dealers are not in the business to maintain the cars, only to sell them more than what they traded them for.
Great! I guess I'll check out the vehicles later. I'll probably try to make a deal between Xmas & New Year. If they did not sell in Xmas 12,13 maybe they won't in 14...I wonder what the depreciation rate should be?
Sweet! I hope the Sales Mgr is not being too stubborn. I guess he'll want to wait it out a bit too. Next month is 2015, so the 2013 is gonna be starting year 3!!
Here are the 2 P3s, both have the upgraded leather and the 17" forged wheels. The BP has the Xsp pkg.
They're both very sharp! One thing that would give me pause would be (assuming these are at a Florida dealer) how much time the HV batteries have spent cooking under Florida sun. Possibly for days or weeks on end without windows cracked or a door open. No real way to check battery condition without Mini VCI or trusting the dealer to accurately convey battery health check results. Add to this the fact that you're "only" under the 8/100 warranty. If the battery died at 8.5 years or 104k miles, it would leave me wondering. Perhaps a little type-A with this concern, but personally, I'd need to see strong min-max values (less than .2 volts, preferably less than .15) under driving load with my own VCI or their Techstream. Not sure how a dealer would react to letting me test-drive for at least 30 minutes while scanning, but I'd guess they'd decline my business in this case. Couldn't really blame them. I've purchased both of my Prii used and obviously can't control what's gone on in their previous lives. If I were to buy one new, though, I'd take note of how long it's sat on a lot, even in my northern clime. I hate the thought of a Prius sealed tight under full sun. I don't think it's crazy to think 2 years on a Florida lot could be detrimental to a degree. That said, silver is my color! Good luck, a screaming deal would indeed negate my concern of a compromised hybrid battery. At least $2k off the sticker (I'd buy a new Toyota pack @~$2k and do the swap myself in the case of post-warranty failure) and I'd probably bite. I'd try for a fresh 12v in the deal, too.
Good point M.Wynn. I posted a battery question in the technical questions thread where they were discussing this very same battery issue. How coincidental!! I'm hoping the techies there can provide some valuable suggestion. It'll be awesome to get a 2013 at a bargain. Especially when the price of oil is going south and should continue that way for the next 3-6 months. Who knows what that'll do to Prius sales. Nevertheless, the Prius is a reliable car, just a fancy car to impress. I'd rather have reliability over having a close relationship with my mechanic. Unless it's a she and she's gorgeous (chuckle!). I'd rather have $ IN rather than OUT of my pocket!!
It's already under $2 in parts! I'm blown away that there is a two year old, brand new, Prius on a Toyota lot ANYWHERE... this is amazing! I'd use this fact (that they haven't sold it), the cheap gas, and concerns over the battery as part of my bargaining. Try and either get them to preemptively replace the HV battery comp some type of extended warranty. It sounds like it's your deal to lose.
Well, the two P3s have been sold. I got so busy I could not make it down to the dealer....it's 75+ miles one way. Anyway, they have a P2, with the 17" forged alloy wheels, and the ground effects package plus 'leather' interior, so, no nav or backup cam or entune. I wonder if they'll let it go for around $20k?
The hybrid battery isn't like a gas tank. Think of it more like a watch spring that you wind when you coast or press the brake, and it releases energy when you need it. The dealer doesn't charge it for you.
A big thanks to all those who weighed in on my concern(s). This forum is awesome, it has so many people who are willing and able to contribute. Hats off to you all!!
