Good option for hybrid battery replacement or too good to be true?

Installing the $1,000 battery will leave the car living on borrowed time. But if you are just going to dump it then at least it will be running when you sell it.

But don't fool yourself into thinking it will last.

A new battery will likely last as long as the original one. (10 years) Maybe longer.

Will the eBay one last more than a year? Hard to say. 3 years? I doubt it. 2 years? Hmm.

I have to admit, when I saw the first part of your post saying you could get a new battery installed for $2,500 that seemed like a good deal.

An idea if you are selling it to a friend, you could either sell as is, or offer to put $1,000 towards a replacement battery. Then they can decide if they want to fix it properly with a new battery, or take the risk of putting a rebuilt. Maybe one with a longer warranty.

 

I think that might be a good idea, Eric! I don't like to sell cars to friends because I'm always concerned that something could break right after they get it and then there's potential for strained relationships. But, if they want to split the cost, it eases your pain and they get a brand new battery for half price, or however you split it. And I agree that $2,500 for a new one is a nice price.

 

I install new hv batteries in Missouri MO, Nebraska NE, Iowa IA and Kansas KS with core exchange for $2,729.

$2729 - New 2004-2009 Generation 2 HV Hybrid OEM Battery Pack - This option includes mobile installation and a 36 month HV battery warranty.

 

Ditto above. I'd sooner sell it to my friend for $500 - $1000 than replace the battery. You've already done the research for them. Let them decide on the repair path. For $500, I won't feel too bad if something goes wrong with the car. No one expects a $500 car to be completely reliable.

 

BEFORE you spend any money on the hybrid battery, have the mechanic RESET the codes and see if they come back......and see how the car operates for a few miles.

 

if you're going to sell it to a friend, work with them on their preferred option. if you're going to dump it, go with the cheapest option you can find, and disclose the information to the buyer.

 

Rebuilding a battery is not that hard and I can't believe the prices people charge on these things.

 

whatever the market will bear. same for oil and filter change.

 

For YOU maybe.
Brain surgery is not that hard either.

 

There are lots of ways to "rebuild" a battery is the problem.
Unfortunately there isn't any standard.

Basically there is a gold standard that I think all rebuilds should have and it deserves a high price.
Down from there every company cuts corners to whatever is their (possibly low) standard.

When someone says they "put a new battery" in the car, I immediately have to go into detective mode...
What company?
Is there a warranty?
New buss bars?
Cleaned buss bars?
Correctly torqued?
Tighten until it "feels good enough"
Check ECU?
Check module before replacing?
Check all other modules in the pack?
Replace wire frame?
Inspect wire frame?
Etc, etc, etc

 

balancing?

 

Yes there is a "gold" standard to a battery rebuild, that should be the only standard. But should that "gold" standard cost an arm and a leg? You see $1500 - $2000+ for a rebuilt battery regularly and even for a "gold" standard rebuild, that is a very steep price for the services.

A 10+ year old Prius does not fetch much money on the marketplace. Maybe less than $4000. That's the time when the batteries tend to fail. With a failed battery, that car goes to less than $2000.

$1500 at a regular mechanic shop that pays rent, insurance, employees, tools, blah blah blah.....pays for lots of labor. At a regular shop rate of $75, that rebuild would equal 20 hours of labor.....

A fair rate would charge 10 hours of shop labor to do this stuff (and nobody spends 10 hours on a rebuild). The customer would be willing to pay it and the shop still makes good money on the repair.

 

Sounds fair.

If you don't mind sharing, do you get the new OEM hv batteries at Olathe Toyota in Kansas ?

If so/not, maybe you would like to update the list below so others can know the current price and or OTC availability.

New Traction Battery Cost: Start Shopping Here | PriusChat

 

Wow! My understanding is very different.

Traction battery packs out of smashed cars used to be $300 on eBay, because the dealer would give you $300 to recycle it, so no one in their right mind would pay over $300. I'd call junkyards and area dealers to find a used one. They're heavy and hazardous, so having everything done in one spot is best. If they took it out, they should know how to put it back in.

Even more important, it's my understanding that if you have a "bad battery pack" what you actually have is a single faulty cell (~$40 on eBay) in the pack. You have the faulty cell replaced, not the entire pack.

And I would definitely go first with the advice above to reset the error code and see what happens.

 

Wow! My understanding is very different.

Last time I checked, traction battery packs out of smashed cars were $300 on eBay, because the dealer will give you $300 to recycle it, so no one in their right mind would pay over $300. Shipping is another matter, but it sounds like you live in SoCal.

Next, it's my understanding that if you have a "bad battery pack" what you actually have is a single faulty cell (~$30) in the 200-cell pack. You have the faulty cell replaced, not the entire pack.

 

Also see 07 Prius pulled p0a80 code "Replace Hybrid Battery" - What are my options? | PriusChat

 

Well that is a short term and short sighted "fix".

All the rest of the "modules" are the same age and have seen the same service.
When one goes bad, others are likely to follow soon.

 

Based on KBB, what's a fair price for the car if it was running properly right now?

For the sake of discussion, let's say it's worth $4000 (which is probably pretty close) -- again if running properly.

Tell you're friend's you'll sell it to them for $3000 and they replace the battery -- they'll want the warrantee in their name.
I'd recommend to them that they go for the new battery for $2500, but it's their call. That's how I'd do it.