The main battery on my '03 Prius (102K miles) has died and needs to be replaced. The dealership says it is leaking alkaline. Toyota would charge us around $2700 - which is not far from the value of the car with a good battery in it. I am just looking for advice, not really being a car person. Is there any reason NOT to replace the battery, given this large expense, particularly in relation to the value of the vehicle? I am hoping the car would last us a long time to come. Also, I am considering a Re-Involt battery, but can't find someone in my location to install it yet. Would this be a better option than a Toyota battery? Thank you.
I have a similar question. I have a 2002 Prius with 172,000 miles. The Toyota dealer just told me that it would cost $4,164 to replace the battery and that the car is not worth it. (The car is valued at around $2,500, although it would cost me more than that to find a reasonable replacement.) I wonder if I can get a rebuilt battery and get the work done somewhere else (maybe in the Boston area). If that brings the price down to around $2,000 or so, would it be reasonable to spend that much on this vehicle?
In both cases, I think the owners need to think hard and long about spending $2K-$3K on a new or "reman" traction battery. How will you feel if 6 months or two years later, the inverter or transaxle fails and you are faced with another repair bill of similar magnitude? Or, how will you feel if the car is totaled in an accident a few months from now, and your insurance company writes you a check for the market value of the car, $2K-$3K, less whatever deductible you may have? You may be better off to tow the car to the salvage yard and buy a newer vehicle. Good luck with your decisions.
Some insurance companies (like Travelers) will write you a check for the value of the car as it was, not just the average market value. This is why they insure my vehicles right now. I just had one of my vehicles stolen. The car's market value was about $4K. But with the modifications and new parts on it, the value was closer to $7K and I got the cheque for $7K. Just maintain documentation and proof. I am sure lots of people try to pull scams like "no that dent wasn't there" or "of course I had a million dollar radio in my hooptie". If you can whip out a picture of your car and a receipt to go with it, they are more likely to believe you. Another thing is that the Gen1's still command a reasonable price with private party sales, even with dead batteries or broken transaxles. Today, I would say the Gen1's are more of a curiosity car going to hobbiests and inventors. The people that just want a car, any car, to get from Point A to B really shouldn't be looking at these. GenII is where the oldest "normal" used vehicle should be looked at for the mechanically inept. If you put an ad up on Craigslist for a couple thousand dollars, I am sure someone will take it. Back to the original question of should you repair it or not, that is not a question we can answer. Sometimes cars are worth more to us because of memories or uniqueness. Can you put a price on that? If the car is just a piece of metal to you and you have no connection, then Patrick's advice is sound. And that goes for any vehicle, hybrid or not. It is a generally unwise idea to repair a vehicle worth less than the repair. And because of the age of the vehicle, who knows when another repair is going to come along. The Prius is a dependable car, but unfortunately the Gen1's were more of the beta test. Required to make the GenII better, but a few slight failures in design that manifest themselves as expensive repairs down the line.
Where are you located? I know a Prius tinkerer that works out of his home in Western Mass (near Greenfield, MA). I'm sure he could do a new Gen1 battery for significantly less than the dealer. Private message me if interested or call me on 303-325-7411.
First, I want to endorse Patrick Wong's excellent advice but also ask the following question: Can you buy a 50-52 MPG car for the cost of the traction battery replacement? You really need to read the essay about who should and should not buy a 2001-03 Prius and honestly look at what resources you bring. If you never plan or even hope to aspire to any part of Prius self-maintenance, do yourself and us a favor, sell or give away the car. You will NEVER be happy. But if you have an attitude that this is just another, inanimate object to master, you have found a Prius friendly home. We can not make that decision for you because we have no idea of who you are and the challenges that face you each morning. But it is your attitude and resources that determines whether or not these particular cars should remain in your care. If you want to try, we need the following: Where are you? - this allows us to identify local resources who can help Who are you? - someone without any hope of putting any money and your TIME into this car? Are you curious? - yes, I know this is what keeps me hangin' here but if you want an appliance car, it won't work. Bob Wilson
Hi Here is a rebuilt on ebay 900.oo plus shipping with warranty this is the item or action #271233233295 might be a deal. jim
$900 + shipping is a great deal if you're willing to take a gamble. Pay with a credit card so you have some recourse if things don't work out. Some of the "rebuilders" we've come across just sell used batteries without properly testing them then you find out shipping is a PITA especially if you have to do it twice. Has anyone on this forum purchased a battery from the Ebay NJ folks? How did it go?
Hmm. There is some great advice here - thanks, folks! Patrick's advice echoes what I heard from the dealer and from another mechanic who looked at the car. It's probably the advice I should take. Having said that, though, here are my answers to Bob's questions: 1. Where am I? Norwich, Vermont. Greenfield, MA, is about 2 hours away; I'll call 3ProngPaul for the local tinkerer. 2. Who am I? I have a bit of money but no time and no mechanical skills. I need a car for about one more year (give or take a bit); after that, I hope to be working in Africa for the next few years. I was an "early adopter" because I'm horrified by our lack of response to climate change and because I thought the Prius was a step in the right direction. The total environmental impact (cradle to grave) of the vehicle is very important to me. And I dislike the idea of planned obsolescence. 3. Am I curious? You bet. But I'm primarily curious about ideas; the nitty gritty details (like what to do with all those things under the hood) are somewhat less interesting. If it doesn't make sense to fix this car, what's the best way to make sure all of the parts are reused responsibly? Best, Kim
In addition to Paul's recommendation, these folks do hybrid training and can give you more leads: Auto Careers Development Center - Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Repair Training As for you situation, unless you find an impressive, mechanic, it sounds as if this car has reached the end of its design life for you. Being willing to 'turn a wrench' is a requirement for older, used cars. Good Luck! Bob Wilson
These guys are cheaper than reinvolt and may service your area. This is the web site. They have a Warranty and Free one way shipping. If they install no shipping charge for the core unit back to Greentecauto . Prices start at $1,200 with warranty. Worth it to call them and read the web site. Hybrid High Voltage Battery Specialists
Hi all, Thanks so much for all the great advice! I bought a used car that the owner said was getting 30-35 MPG (not as good as I was getting in the 2002 Prius, of course), and I'm giving the Prius to a colleague's brother who has several Gen 1 models and who will hopefully make good use of it. Hopefully by the next time I can afford a new car (in 3 or 4 years), there will be more high MPG options. Cheers, Kim
