1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Best place to buy a battery nowadays

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Jenny867, Mar 1, 2024.

Tags:
  1. Jenny867

    Jenny867 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2020
    53
    35
    0
    Location:
    West Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi there,
    My battery is now 3 years old and I’m wondering what the consensus is on the best place to buy one.
    I had a bad experience on eBay before. Thanks for any intel!
     
    Tombukt2 likes this.
  2. nancytheprius

    nancytheprius Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2020
    356
    152
    0
    Location:
    iowa
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I bought from my Toyota and have almost two smooth years on it! How many miles on yours?
     
    Jenny867 likes this.
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,373
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    3 years old My goodness I hope it's not bad yet wow you in a place where a lot of moisture gets in the car?
     
    Jenny867 likes this.
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,133
    50,049
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Oem is the best bet
     
    Jenny867, Carall and Merkey like this.
  5. Merkey

    Merkey Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2012
    269
    247
    0
    Location:
    Birmingham, Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    My OEM is going on 8 years now. Costco carries the Prius 12 V now. It's made by Interstate, but I can't vouch for it.
     
    Jenny867 and bisco like this.
  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,373
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    You're talking the 12 volt I guess If it's not acting up don't touch it see how long it'll go at the first sign of it acting up change it basically how it should go Sears has a new AGM out I think it's made by interstate supposed to be another little bit higher cold cranking amps which we don't really need to worry with per se so there's always that I mean all these things now are about 170 bucks plus just for the battery some people have played around with universal batteries and all that but you have to have adapters for the terminals and may not be worth the trouble.
     
    Jenny867 likes this.
  7. Carall

    Carall Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2023
    213
    51
    0
    Location:
    Harrisonburg, VA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    V
    It's time to restore its capacity using the Hybrid Automotive method while it's not too late.
     
    Jenny867 likes this.
  8. douglasjre

    douglasjre Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2008
    1,992
    676
    0
    Location:
    Null, NL
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----
    And here's the pitch...
     
    Jenny867 likes this.
  9. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2012
    7,854
    3,967
    0
    Location:
    Wellington, New Zealand
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Can you clarify about which battery you're talking?
     
    Brian1954 and Mendel Leisk like this.
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,133
    50,049
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Can you buy hybrid batteries on eBay?
     
  11. Jenny867

    Jenny867 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2020
    53
    35
    0
    Location:
    West Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Sorry, do you mean the battery? I don't know the answer to that. However, I bought the current battery in 2020.
     
  12. Jenny867

    Jenny867 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2020
    53
    35
    0
    Location:
    West Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    You think? My beloved yet retired mechanic says 3 years is time. Not much moisture around here. It would be nice not to have to switch it out, of course.
     
  13. Jenny867

    Jenny867 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2020
    53
    35
    0
    Location:
    West Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Sorry, not the one that's supposed to last 10 years. The other one! I don't know the names.
     
    bisco likes this.
  14. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    10,373
    1,792
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Yes the 12 volt should make generally around 5 if it's a good AGM etc which I think that's all you can get nowadays
     
  15. Danno5060

    Danno5060 Active Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2023
    249
    112
    0
    Location:
    Wyoming
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    The OEM in my Gen 2 lasted quite a long time. I only got a couple years out of the O'Reilly replacement. I tried getting one from Interstate when that died - they didn't list one. I finally went to Advance and got a Die Hard AGM. Next time, it'll be the OEM again.

    The OEM in my Gen 3 is still going.
     
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,671
    39,222
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Try dealership parts department. Be sitting down when you phone them.
     
    douglasjre and Merkey like this.
  17. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2019
    1,713
    516
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Walmart sells one too. Last I looked it was something like $50 or $60 less than one from a dealer.
     
    Brian1954 likes this.
  18. mcmars

    mcmars Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2019
    61
    30
    0
    Location:
    4 corners/SW US
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I bought my last prius battery from Napa last year after looking for a better price. I can't recall exactly what the price was, but I have learned that if you buy Napa batteries on line and then go pick it up the next day at the store, you can save quite a bit of money. Napa almost always has a 20% off coupon on line and sometimes you can find another 5-10% discount. I like the mid grade AGM battery, it is the identical battery as the most expensive one, but less years on the warranty is what I have been told by Napa. The core exchange is easy and can be done with one trip if you bring some hand tools and swap it out at napa. And the big plus is Napa is everywhere if you have an issue and need replacement or a charge or something. I bought 3 napa batteries this way last year for various vehicles and have had good replacement for free or a prorated price in the past. It is just crazy that these prius 12v batteries are $300+ with all the prius's everywhere, as with most things now in our economy, they price things as high as they can knowing we have no choice but to pay whatever they are asking. I would personally not trust one of the many "refurbished" ebay batteries I saw listed.
     
  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,133
    50,049
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Duracell makes a battery
     
  20. Aegean

    Aegean Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2019
    441
    194
    0
    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----
    I bought my Prius 12v battery in 2014 from the dealer and 10 years later still runs strong. I measured SOH at 69% recently so maybe it would be time for replacement in a car with a starter. However, in a Prius that no CCA are used when starting it might last to year 12 or 13. Time will tell.