Need replacement battery in Los Angeles

I know a guy name Brian, makes house calls and installs a reconditioned battery for you for $450 - $550. I can't remember what his price is, but he does offer a 1 year warranty. If you choose this service, I highly recommend you ask him to install a battery with Gen3 cells. That option is available if you ask him.

You can also buy a Dorman battery at Napa, pep boys, Oreilly's etc, will give you a 3 year warranty (from an actual business with a storefront). If you can't DIY, Brian can probably install it for you if you ask, I'm sure his labor rates are very reasonable.

 

626 586 9706

 

Greentec Auto makes house calls. Google them and check them out. I know several people on here have used them and they are completely satisfied.

 

I would contact Scott at Jue Motors in west Covina, He is a great guy and is honest. He is very involved in the honda insight community and is knowledgeable about hybrids.. Jue Motors - Covina, CA | Yelp

 

Just pulled a P0A80 in my 2005, and I'm looking for a repair or reconditioned battery in Los Angeles. Any success stories or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

 

Hello!

How was Brian's repair service? Is your battery still doing well?

 

....I got a hold of Brian at 626 586-9706 Thursday about a P0A80 code in my 2007 Hybrid. He said he would come out Friday and Repair/Rebuild my battery for $550 total. He arrived at 10:00 A.M. I asked him if his scanner would show if I had a bad cell? and if so which cell or cells? He said yes and proceeded to bring out a $50 Auto Zone scanner that does not show those codes! RED FLAG #1 So I watched. He said my battery had bad cells and would replace them. He removed the battery and told me that the brass connectors between the cells needed to be cleaned...another $50, as he did that I took a few pics of my Battery Pack and watched him work. He proceeded to remove the first 5 cells from the pack and went and grabbed 5 loose cells out of the trunk of his Prius. I watched as he shuffled around the 10 cells and put the battery pack back together? RED FLAG #2 He got a Volt Meter and checked only the voltage of the 5 New Cells? They read between 8.1V and 7.3V? Red Flag #3 At this point I got my wife so she could witness me asking a few questions! I asked if they were used or rebuilt cells? and he said No, they were Brand New!!!! I am an ASE Certified Mechanic and didn't do this job myself because individual cells are not available, especially NEW from TOYOTA! He said he could get the Brand New Cells from Toyota!!!! RED FLAG...I am running out of Red Flags!!! I asked if he was going to Balance the Cells? He got that look???? He said he already balanced the cells and he knew ways to do it that I didn't??? I asked if he was going to Load test any of the Cells even the SUPPOSED 5 NEW Cells that all have varying voltages...that went way over his head....he had absolutely NO IDEA ho to load test a Cell!!! and stated that he gave a 1 Year Warranty and he knew what he was doing and basically leave him alone or else!!! My car is in pieces in the driveway and I just walked away and let him go for it!!!! 2:00 P.M. He gets the battery back in the car and bolted down and tells me he is going to lunch??? I need to go to store and buy some more RED FLAGS!!!! 3:00 P.M. he calls, has an emergency and has to leave town to go to the hospital! 8:00 P.M. I grab my jacket, my Snap-On scanner, my Fluke meter and go to see what he has left me with....my wife needs the car tomorrow. I open the passenger rear door and it appears that the only thing left is to connect the AC and DC cables to battery pack!!! and install the interior....NOT HAPPY! I grab some hand tools and the first thing I notice is BURNT Orange Cables going into the Battery Pack???? I check further and they appear to be Fusible Links? Did my car burn these???? Did Brian burn these???? and why hadn't Brian The Hybrid GOD told me about this???? I went to get my wife to show her and Brian calls he is in the driveway!I go outside and he is putting the cover on over the cables and I stop him and ask about the burnt cables???? What? Uhhh? Haa? I show him and ask what's going on? why didn't you mention this when you took it apart??? More silence!!! I ask if he knows what they are??? I explain to him that they are fusible links and they need to be replaced and that they should have been part of the Original Diagnosis!!!!! He didn't have tool one to repair this and didn't have a CLUE???? I told him I had the tools and supplies to replace the fusible links and that was it I WAS DONE!!! It is dark and he wants me to help him remove the battery pack and work til Midnight in my driveway!!!! I told him what a CLUSTERF--K this was and told him to get out of my car! What do I owe you I was stupid enough to ask???? JUST GIVE ME $500!!!!! I went and got the wife b4 I STRANGLED HIM!!!! She paid him $500 CASH...NO RECEIPT, NO WORK ORDER, NO BUSINESS Card...to leave our property b4 things got out of hand!!!!!!
Sorry to get so long winded but I would not recommend BRIAN to change the Battery in your FLASHLIGHT!!!!!! and remember the pics I took of my Battery Pack!!!!! b4 I strangled him I told him I wanted my old cells back.....He says nobody want their cells back!!! I DO! I checked them in my garage and while he was doing his little battery shuffle in my driveway he RE-INSTALLED 4 of my Original Cells and only changed 1 with a USED CELL....He gave me back 4 of my ORIGINAL CELLS...they have Serial Numbers that are visible in my pics!!!!
Does anybody know where Brians Business is? or where he lives? or his whole Name? I will be contacting B.A.R., the Sheriffs Department and the DA's Office on Monday if I don't get a Full Refund IMMEDIATELY!!!!!

Thanks,

another Satisfied Customer of "THE HYBRID GOD" Brian 626 586-9706

 

You're too nice and sadly you allowed yourself to get taken. Appreciate you sharing your experience, as others can learn from your mistakes, and definitely avoid that hack.

You should have just said NO thanks when the hack whipped out a generic OBD2 reader.

Legal recourse will be tough as there is no documentation. Small claims, but you need an address to have the hack served. Doubt the hack has a license. Shouldn't have paid a dime, and just call the police to come prevent a disturbance. Doubt the hack would want to stick around for that.

$500 is about 1/4 the cost of a new HV Battery BTW (before taxes).

 

My wife paid him thinking the job was done? not realizing that the car no longer ran! If I can get his address and whole name the Bureau of Automotive Repair will send Investigators out to have a talk with him, fine him and shut him down! Thanks

 

wow.

 

sounds like Greentec would have been a better bet

 

Green tech would be a waste of money too. Prius 2004-2009 | GreenTec Auto
$1100 for a 6month warranty
$1345 for an 18month warranty
$2295 for a 48month warranty on a battery that is made w/ "NEW" modules, but is still remanufactured and re-engineered? I bet money, that these are not NEW OEM modules, as Toyota probably has a contractual lock with the manufacture (likely Panasonic), that they can only sell to Toyota. So the question becomes who is making these "NEW" modules?

Hmm, one can buy a NEW, Genuine Toyota, HV Battery from a Toyota Dealer (greater Los Angeles area) who sells online for $2100.
A truly NEW OEM HV Battery will likely give one the greatest mileage. Many people cheap out and buy into the warranty claim, thinking they are getting a better value, which it is in name only. When it comes to reality, many stories of hindsight.

Ultimately, it's an individual decision.

 

OakHEll, I am sorry about what happened to you...if anyone has a link to any Toyota dealer in my area....Kansas City Mo...who sells a new genuine HV battery for a 2005 Prius let me know...the quotes I have from dealers so far in my area are 3000 and up...

 

Yikes!


Thanks for the update, OakHell.

What kind of car do you have? Is it a Prius? Just curious.

 

Internet search "OEM Toyota Parts (your location)." You will have to click the various links to make sure these are actual Toy dealers selling on-line, as some of the links are big stores who sell non OEM parts.

Olathe Toyota, in Olathe, OK, is super close to you. However, a while back, I remember another PriusChat person tried to buy the HV Battery from them, and others, but they could not. Maybe they have changed their mind and now will. You just have to find an online Toyota dealer who will sell you the HV Battery, for will call pick-up; too expensive to ship, if you could find a dealer who would even contemplate shipping. If no one will, many dealers have %off retail parts coupon. 15% readily available through Costco, at participating dealers. Hooman Toyota in Long Beach has a 20% (1st week of every month; don't know if your dealers would honor that, being so far away). Just search dealers websites near you. Maybe one of them has %off retail parts coupon too.
OEM 2007 Toyota Prius Replacement Parts - Olathe Toyota Parts Center

That $3K quote is likely HV Battery and new HV Battery ECU, no labor. Many here seem to reuse their ECUs. Toy repair procedure is new ECU, which is ~$300 online. Olathe has the cheapest new HV Battery, $1942. If you have a good friend/Acquaintance who is a mechanic or works for an auto parts store, or auto repair shop, these difficult online dealers will sell to the person who is in the industry.

EDIT: you would want to bring the HV Battery core with you, to avoid the core charge and remove items if you plan to reuse. Many seem to do this when purchasing a new HV Battery, compare new one w/ old one, removing parts the new one does not have.

 

My 05 prius with 197,000 was in need of a new battery. I got Brians phone number and called him, we made an appointment. He came out on the scheduled day and replaced my battery, he also told me that there were some copper battery connectors that needed to be cleaned, so for an extra charge (far below the dealer cost) he cleaned all of them. when he was done he looked at my display and made some kind of inputs and we went for an extensive road test to make sure the battery and charging system were good. All was well and I paid him, I forget the cost but it was MUCH less than the 3,000 the dealer wanted, and his warranty was the SAME as the dealer. About a month later I got a warning message again. I called Brian and he came over again and for a small charge he would check it out. With a volt meter he diagnosed a small computer next to the new battery as bad. He said that the computer was just for that perticular car and didnt know if he could get one. He left and came back about 2 hours later and had the right computer, he obviously knows soneone who deals with them. He installed it, made some inputs to the the display and we went for another test drive to make sure everything was working. WOW!!!! He fixed it! I now get 44 mpg as opposed to 35 because of the new battery and computer. Brian is a very knowledgeable person on these Prius. I would use him again and HIGHLY recommend him

 

he probably stripped it out of someone else's pri.

 

who puts their faith in a company called 'i know a guy named brian'?