help me

welcome!

1) that's a lot of miles in 4 years. you have been done well by your prius.

2) shop around for batteries, i have seen them as low as $2,000.

3) all the best!

have you contacted luscious garage?

 

If you don't want to gamble, stick with dealerships, everyone else will be refurbing to some degree. But for sure phone around, and let that first place know what you're doing; they may come down right away.

I'm not sure of prevailing US price through dealership, $3000~4000?

 

225K miles, what do you do with this car? The age of the battery plays a more important role then the miles on the car. This being a 4 year old battery, have you gotten a 2nd inspection by another dealer to be certain it is the battery?

 

I would look for specialty hybrid shops. I remember reading about one that will re-balance your batteries for about 2k. From what I understand is that the dealer doesnt really repair batteries so they consider any issue with the battery as being irreplaceable and you have to get a new one. Which if you look through these forums that isnt always the case

 

you could try jeff's hybrid battery grid charger reconditioner.

 

Bisco suggested Luscious Garage. If you are anywhere near SF give them a call; they sound like a fab outfit.

 

Wow...tough case.

225K mileage and 2.5 yrs left on the original car loan.

Maybe best is that second opinion at Luscious Garage.

So many miles.... if $4K is put into the car what item may or will fail next?

An OEM battery in your case could go for another 200K miles...maybe.
Rebalancing or used or aftermarket battery...unknown cost or service life.

I would personally trade it in on a new Prius, roll the balance into the new loan.
I read Toyota has 2.9 financing at the moment or $1.5K rebate.
You really put the miles on!

For example...price out the door (tax and all) $25000.
Maybe less depending on model/options.
Down payment the $4000.
Add existing loan balance $xxxx.
Finance at 2.9%
I'd bet you know a loan calculator on the internet to find your monthly payment.

I would hate to read another post from you that another $4000 component failed in the next year with this car.

New car will have new tires and brakes, reducing consumable expenses and there is those 2 year free oil changes.
Not sure if insurance will increase, DMV may be nearly the same.

Good luck your decision....just not sure what to recommend.

 

There is no progress report on your calamity but you could totally refinance your car with a new battery paid for in the contract and a new term. If the finance company (toyota?) doesnt balk at the ICE mileage (an easy 2/3 of total) and lets it go with an inspection and major service, then without taking on a brand new car cost plus the residual of this one, you can just add this to a new loan for your car. The dealership, whichever has the best price, would be necessary. If you do decide on trading in the old car, probably some enterprising dealer will rework both engines and sell it at a decent price, so there is value for them to take it. it does get difficult but not impossible. Checking for financing after getting a written estimate of work for like new condition, would be less costly. Make a deal with a dealer, putting the job as a package,winner does all. Go to management, not the service advisor.

 

I just joined 5 mins ago, and am trying to post, but can't figure out how to get my request public? with regard to your question, I saw a fabulous response to replacing batteries on Google, when I typed in "2005 Prius battery recall." A guy from Houston said you can get a decent rebuilt/reconditioned battery for $800 with a one year warranty. If you could tell me how to post my question publicly, Id be grateful...thanks and good luck!! ~S

 

I have the impression that it is difficult to recondition a battery that will be good enough for the workout the car goes through. There wouldn't be a year warranty, it would be a month warranty. Even so, the chemicals and sealing technology for the hybrid battery is probably a gamble for getting it from an unknown source.

 

welcome! go to the forums page, and select the most appropriate forum under the model year/generation that you want to post about. then select 'post new thread' button at the top right. for this application, you want the gen 2 forums, and possibly the 'care, maintenance and troubleshooting' forum. all the best!