Dear PriusChat: Thanks for all the advice over the years. I can't recover my old account so I set up a new one "priuslyfe". Basically, I was rear-ended by a drunk-driver who was going 70 or 80mph while I was going the speed-limit of 45mph. I was pushed towards a house on a hill but I turned the wheel and tumbled down rolling over one and half times landing upside down. I managed to get out with minor injuries. That said, my beloved 2008 Prius is totalled. Coincidently, a 2007 Prius popped-up on Craiglist within the next few days and I was the first to see it so I bought. High-mileage but no rust and all dealer records. Thing is what should I remove off of my 2008 Prius before selling to the salvage yard. I plan on removing the catalytic converter in case the new one gets stolen, the dashboard display in case the new one goes bad and the HV battery (but dont' know how to keep that charged if I do). The old 12V battery was an Optima yellow-top so i am also removing that. Also the bulbs and miscellany that I seem to need to replace often. Thanks for the advice re: what to remove & how to keep the batteries charged if I remove them. Some pics of the old car (not the best at posting pix apparently):
Wow. So glad you're OK, don't cash that 'check' until you're absolutely sure though. There are a whole bunch of parts worth keeping, and you are on the right path. Think about setting aside the front and rear lenses, the brake actuator, anything AC related, MFD, HV battery fan, fuses and relays. There are a bunch of other parts that have value, like the airbags, etc.
thanks for the replies. i realize that I don't HAVE to have it towed and could leave it in my yard with a car cover over it. The salvage value will probably stay within a certain range no matter when i decide to sell. However they did tell me if I removed the catalytic converter they would give me $100 less (LOL obviously). Also if I remove the hybrid battery which was always roughly in middle of the blue zone. how do I keep it for an extended period without losing charge? I realize I could also sell it and it might be put to immediate and better use that way. I see there are quite a few views of this thread but not many replies. Would appreciate any replies so as that i do not forget something that I might need.
Also plan on removing the leather seats...is this worth it? The Prius I bought has been babied by various Toyota dealerships so the seats are in pretty good condition with custom Prius-branded covers. That said ....my rear-end is used to my other Prius' seats although I don't think changing the new car's seats will affect value significantly.
what a dead thread...maybe I'll just remove everything but the rear-view mirror (come to think of it...I found that in the trunk area...so maybe not).
Be careful with removing the seats. The force of the accident may have bent them With your body. I have seen it several times.
You can sell quite a bit people by just about anything. Some ideas Engine Inverter Transmission especially if the one you were buying has not been serviced.
You can get a cheap rc charger like imax or something and charge each cell periodically. Having one would take awhile, but most cost effective. Otherwise if you could get/make a grid charger that would be even better And if you kept the battery between 60-80 percent like the car does, it won't die as quickly
thank you. is it safe to mess with it though after being taken out of car? also how long would it last off-car kept inside a garage and such? would keeping it in a warmer room be better or would that be dangerous? I want to save it but realize maybe I have more sentimental value for parts off this car than sense...so maybe selling it would be a better option.
if you know what you are doing then yes it is safe. If not then it can be fatal. No idea on this one! is it original 08 battery? probably not too long if so, but if you are charging it regularly then should last somewhat equally to the unknown battery life as if it was in the vehicle Heat shortens batteries lifespan so you would want to keep the temp regulated. Oh ya if you're not going to use it then you would be better off selling it and letting another prius owner and the environment benefit. and more cash in your pocket...!
You're asking an open ended question. If you have the space and nobody cares if you have dead cars around then keep the whole thing. Take everything you possibly can off the wreck then you'll have a car sized pile of parts occupying a shed (or rusting outside) and you will have to pay a scrap yard to pick up the shell of the car. Take the parts that you have already listed and I can predict that a month after you scrap the dead car you will need something off it. That's just how Murphy works. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
