My wife's 2014 with 225K miles just had the hybrid battery crap out. They dealer wanted $4K to fix the battery and another $3K for something that might start leaking oil (ya, I have no idea about that). They said they would give her $1200 for a trade in on a new one. The car has been dealer serviced it whole life, but to my knowledge its never had the erg cleaning and some of the other recommended fixes from the board. It runs fine, the interier is nice but the body has some scuffs and dings. I had her bring the car home and I was going to replace the battery myself. I can get a Dorman for $1900ish from the local auto parts store. After reading some of the threads, I'm wondering if this is throwing good money after bad and should I just sell it as is and let someone else deal with the problems that are going to surely pop up? Oh, she already bought a 2019 Prius with 49K miles to replace it it as she was afraid of the high miles. We really don't need the 2014 but we have a teenager that is driving and it would be a good car for him if his current one craps out. Thoughts?
I have learned to not have any faith in my local dealership. I would avoid having the dealership touch either of our Prius' Do you have any other mechanics that you can trust? Ask them to give you a quote to replace the drive battery.
I would probably spend a couple hundred more for a brand new battery from Toyota. I am seeing prices in the $2100 range for a brand new one. IIRC the Dorman is "refurbished" which means they are just old cells that are still in good shape. A 225k mile Prius with a brand new battery, if it's in good shape otherwise, would fetch in the $6-8k range around here. With a bad battery you could probably get $2k for it private party. If you feel comfortable replacing the battery yourself, it would surely make financial sense.
Get rid of the car as fast as you can Even if you get a green bean battery for it and it shuts all the lights off and it's running wonderfully get 4,800 for it or something whatever the market will bear and be rid of it You want no part of it your wife has a newer one everything is lovely don't do anything with your kid in this car that's not worth the trouble salad off to somebody and that's that how are the door panels in the front of this car The armrest starting to cave in and all that sort of thing? Just curious all of them that I see are exactly this way and I'm in the southeast where these cars actually are pretty good looking and seem to be in pretty good shape looking at them other than the front driver and passenger door panels if they're used arms actually put on the armrest etc All the plastic welds pop off in that center piece housing the armrest kind of just swinging in the breeze. And there's nothing you can do but replace the door panel all of them you find in the junkyard or almost just like the one you're dealing with. Then of course the engines flying apart after the head gasket goes etc etc etc You just want no part of it You've gotten your use out of it be finished.
