Please help me to decide repairs vs new car

The general consensus is that if you can afford it, buy oem new. For that extra $1000 or so, you have peace of mind knowing the battery will last 10+ years. I made the decision to spend $2500 on a new oem battery 2 years ago on my 2006. I’m confident the car will last at least to the end of this battery’s life (8 more years) and I’m willing to spend $$$$ on other repairs should they arise. Even the dreaded brake actuator.

I’m like you, very frugal. As long as I enjoy this car (it’s my favorite of the 28 cars I’ve owned in my lifetime) I am willing to spend what it takes to keep driving it. Cost per mile, this has been the most economical car to date for me.

 

If you're traction battery is going, you'd see a decrease in fuel economy due to the engine running more. Have you? If not keep driving it and don't worry about it. Unless it's getting rusty too. In that case sell it. I wouldn't doubt it's going though, after 200k miles.

The cheaper battery option is probably a used one from a much lower mileage Prius of the same vintage. I'd probably avoid that. No telling how many HOURS were on an older car like that.

Barring a significant amount of rust building up, I'd probably spend the $1550 for a warranted replacement battery. (And save the paperwork!) Them you'll probably get another 100k out of it.

As for the "free" hybrid synergy drive, I doubt that. Did they have the bad one to show you? If they really DID replace it, it was because they screwed it up taking something apart the wrong way, and that doesn't fill me with confidence in their ability. Things as complex as that don't just "go bad" from taking them apart.

When I hear Hybrid Synergy Drive, I think of the combination of the (electric) motor and (gas) engine.

When you ARE ready to get a newer car, Google up 'hybrid car payoff calculator'. It's a tough call. Corollas would probably push 40 mpg the same as Prii push 60, taking it easy on the highway. Around town? No competition. Prii will be getting 65+ and Corollas will be below 30 mpg. In stop and go traffic, if I don't accelerate hard like all the spastic people around me, I easily get 70+ mpg.

There are several former Prius owners still here who currently own something else, and they usually regret not getting another one.

 

Rust will not be an issue for her since she lives in Louisville, KY. Though As a guy who grew up in Chicagoland myself, I can definitely see where you’re coming from. Even here in SW Missouri, we rarely see rusty cars. When I come home to Chicago to see family Im always reminded of how bad cars rust up there!

In fact, I don’t think I would ever buy a car that has lived its life in Chicago anymore. When I come home, my friends are always amazed that the bolts in the engine bay have no rust. I know that even low mileage and newer cars will have rusty bolts under the hood. Just the way it is up there. You and I both know that Chicagoland does an amazing job of handling snow...unfortunately that takes a huge toll on the cars.

 

Lies!!! There's no general consensus in this instance... The Hybrid battery pack hasn't even thrown a warning code yet/hasn't even failed... This is yet another example of people getting ripped off and trying to justify wasting thousands of additional that they dumbly spent by trolling on PriusChat to inspire others to get ripped off just like them. Can we please be a little more rationale? This conversation is about keeping a 12 year-old car on the road while keeping repair costs as low as possible. Just because you got ripped off fixing your own Prius doesn't mean there is a virtue in spreading your own clueless gospel encouraging others to do the same kind of inane-insane.

 

Cynically suspicious of anyone who doesn't fully read before replying, considering the OP has already stated, and it has been repeated, that the "hybrid synergy drive" that was replaced was INVERTER...reading comprehension!
The inverter is cheap, and easy to fry if they don't know what they're doing, and just simply go bad, due to all the "switches" inside. I have several laying around, personally.
Bethany, I just cracked 300,000 earlier today, with outs original HV battery. I recently replaced my inverter, due to the AC control hoping bad inside.
Make sure to also do a new OE inverter pump, and fluid flush, and get ready for 300,000!

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I was replying to her question regarding what is the best thing to do in regards to HV replacement. Back in 2016, there were many posts of failed HV rebuilds, and many recommendations to stick to new if you wanted a long term fix. Has newer information come out since then? I’m not on here as much as I used to be, so I may very well have outdated info.

 

Maybe, maybe not.
I think the odds are against that happening.

And KIA has basic small cars around $15K.....new. There likely are others too.

 

Apologies for my unhinged late night rambles... And no, there's no new information... The point I was making is the car has other expensive problems and the hybrid battery pack is just old, not yet failed, not throwing any warning codes. Still fully functional and much less of a worry than OP's other issues.

 

Ah gotcha. No worries about the late night rambles ...we all have our moments...I’m having more and more ‘moments’ myself the older I get lol.

 

Really?
Since the OP posted this AFTER your post, I really don't see the word INVERTER being used. And I don't see in this thread where it has been established or "repeated" that it was the inverter being replaced.

 

excellent!

 

Well at least now we know...for sure..TODAY.....

 

You're right she didn't mention the silver box under the hood, next to actuator ( since you apparently can't read, that silver box has the words "hybrid synergy Drive" stamped on it)

You're right again, he doesn't say inverter here either

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Yes Bethany, you car is waste of money, it's about to blow up (general consensus lol)
BTW, the inverter pump should be changed often.
I still get 45mpg AC ON, ORIGINAL HV battery
You have a great car, take care of it, it will reciprocate

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Holy smokes, look at that beautiful vacuum fluorescent display! Takes me back to the high-end calculators of the 80s. (Being serious)

 

Re reading the latest posts, I think she should keep driving it. Seems like a good mechanic.

Thinking again about the battery I'm not sure she can expect a big enough gain in fuel economy to justify a $1500 expense for the battery until/unless it craps out completely.

Just drive it and try to save up for a down payment on a newer car in the meantime. Consider this repair to be a couple of payments that you haven't had to make in awhile.