Battery change in Prius

[friendly_jacek]

How is it a hassle if he can fix it himself for under $100???
Gosh, I thought this was car enthusiast forum?
Forgot, this is Prius bashing forum.

 

[CBR.worm]

I've never seen so much hate on a forum. Whether it is for car buying methods, financing, cars or trucks that people feel are appropriate or inappropriate for others based on their experience. Homes, credit cards, BMW, anti BMW. Ford/GM/Toyota/any other MFG bashing.

It's incredible. I've left this board for months at a time because of this, I always come back because there is some useful info, but so much hate.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: CBR.worm
I've never seen so much hate on a forum. Whether it is for car buying methods, financing, cars or trucks that people feel are appropriate or inappropriate for others based on their experience. Homes, credit cards, BMW, anti BMW. Ford/GM/Toyota/any other MFG bashing.

It's incredible. I've left this board for months at a time because of this, I always come back because there is some useful info, but so much hate.


It's all forums. Try reading the Facebook comments under news articles. Agreed it is very annoying.

 

[moving2]

Originally Posted By: moving2
tig1- would be interested to know which Toyota dealer he was in contact with and also the parts/labor breakdown on the $3500-6000 price quote.


Originally Posted By: tig1
A local one.


tig1- yeah that's a non-answer. I asked specifically which one. I can only wonder what possible motivation you might have not to answer such a simple question...?

I also asked for a parts/labor breakdown from the dealer. Pretty basic question anyone would ask, especially a generator tech who I'm sure knows very well about parts and labor prices. And you totally ignored that one.

Hmmm...something is beginning to sound a little fishy here, don't you think, people?

Originally Posted By: tig1
What a hassle!!


Yeah, kind of like getting a straight answer out of you.

 

[KrisZ]

Yeah, it's all a big conspiracy. Its haters this and haters that, give me a break, it's like talking to a bunch of preschoolers

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: moving2
Originally Posted By: moving2
tig1- would be interested to know which Toyota dealer he was in contact with and also the parts/labor breakdown on the $3500-6000 price quote.


Originally Posted By: tig1
A local one.


tig1- yeah that's a non-answer. I asked specifically which one. I can only wonder what possible motivation you might have not to answer such a simple question...?



I also asked for a parts/labor breakdown from the dealer. Pretty basic question anyone would ask, especially a generator tech who I'm sure knows very well about parts and labor prices. And you totally ignored that one.

Hmmm...something is beginning to sound a little fishy here, don't you think, people?

Originally Posted By: tig1
What a hassle!!


Yeah, kind of like getting a straight answer out of you.


It does look like this thread has turned into an attack the OP over Prius battery failures. I report you decide, but will continue to keep you updated on Jim's progress.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
How is it a hassle if he can fix it himself for under $100???
Gosh, I thought this was car enthusiast forum?
Forgot, this is Prius bashing forum.


When the alternator failed in my Focus a couple of years ago, that was a "hassle" as well considering how hard that thing is to replace. Jim is a talented person and is doing what he can to fix this battery problem himself. Not sure about the $100 comment, but with all the labor he has put into this project, he would think $100 bucks was getting off light compared to the prices he was quotted at the local Toyota dealer. As already said, I will keep you updated on his progress.

 

[CaspianM]

tig1..is jim a fictional character? joke

Working on cars can be hassle in times but it is all fun.
Real hassle is when I cannot do it myself and have to rely on not so trusted dealership.

 

[moving2]

Originally Posted By: tig1
It does look like this thread has turned into an attack the OP over Prius battery failures. I report you decide, but will continue to keep you updated on Jim's progress.


tig1- if you ask me, this thread seems to have turned into the Twilight Zone. How is it attacking the OP to ask for the dealership's name and a parts/labor breakdown of the price quote you decided to post?

And, more importantly, why are you blatantly avoiding these very basic questions?

 

[moving2]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Yeah, it's all a big conspiracy. Its haters this and haters that, give me a break, it's like talking to a bunch of preschoolers

KrisZ- not a conspiracy, but perhaps a wildly inaccurate price quote from the OP's friend that the OP desperately does not want to be called on.

If we're all really just after the facts here, then the OP has no reason to hide anything about the price quote he chose to post.

 

[moving2]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Problem is my friend is making the change himself. If he had to have the work done no telling what the price would be.

Originally Posted By: tig1
I don't believe some of you understand. The $2000 figure is the cost of the battery by itself. My friend is doing the work himself. If he had to have it done the price would be much higher.

Originally Posted By: tig1
My other friends daughter had the battery fail in her Prius and it was going to cost her $5000 +.

Originally Posted By: tig1
He did contact the local Toyota dealer here and the cost for them doing the job would be $3500-$6000 depending on the vehicle and the quality of the battery(new or used). Their labor rate is $125 per hour.

Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: moving2
tig1- would be interested to know which Toyota dealer he was in contact with and also the parts/labor breakdown on the $3500-6000 price quote.

A local one. [...] It does look like this thread has turned into an attack the OP over Prius battery failures


Notice a pattern here, people? tig1 is more than happy to post up second-hand information about the exorbitant cost of a Prius battery, but the minute he is questioned about his data, he claims he is being attacked instead of simply reporting the facts.

Well, there's more than one way to skin a cat. A quick search of BITOG forums showed:
1. tig1's location (which I won't post, search for yourself if you really care)
2. the fact that Jim (tig1's generac tech friend) lives close to him

So, I searched for Toyota dealers in their general vicinity, and called a few. I asked each for parts+labor total for the following:
1. Hybrid battery replacement for 2004-2006 Prius
2. Make sure the quote is for a NEW Hybrid battery only
3. Make sure core charge is discounted from reported price

Here's what I found:
1. Mungenast Alton Toyota-Scion- $3250
850 E Homer M Adams Pkwy
Alton, IL 62002

2. Ackerman Toyota- $3519
3636 S Kingshighway Blvd
St Louis, MO 63109

3. Weiss Toyota Scion of South County- $3197.54
11771 Tesson Ferry Rd
St Louis, MO 63128

4. Seeger Toyota Scion- $3250
12833 Olive Blvd
St Louis, MO 63141

Maybe now it's a little more clear why tig1 was so hesitant to provide us with that dealership information. His friend's price quote range, which went far above $3500, was simply incorrect, not to mention his other friend with the $5k quote.

Just adding some facts to this oddly emotional discussion.

 

[KrisZ]

WOW! Somebody really has an axe to grind against all the "haters".

Besides, getting quotes and actually having it done and paid for the service can be two different things. All your research proves that tig simply reported what his friend told him and is no more factual. Maybe some of the quotes included the core charge or some other "disposal", "shop" or other fees.

But I bet it was a great exercise in futility

 

[moving2]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
WOW! Somebody really has an axe to grind against all the "haters".

Besides, getting quotes and actually having it done and paid for the service can be two different things. All your research proves that tig simply reported what his friend told him and is no more factual. Maybe some of the quotes included the core charge or some other "disposal", "shop" or other fees.

But I bet it was a great exercise in futility

KrisZ- WOW! Somebody is pretty desperate to dismiss not just one, but several, quotes from dealers that all point to the same general price range! Not only that, but this someone apparently glossed over the fact that I asked each dealer to account for the core charge discount for the quotes. I also asked for out the door prices, which would include all fees mentioned. Note that the OP's friend reported a dealership quote, which is the same thing I am doing. He did not report "actually getting the work done". So this is an apples to apples comparison.

All my research proves is that the dealerships in the OP's area all charge around the same range for the battery replacement, and that the range reported by the OP's friend (via the OP) is grossly inaccurate.

But your emotional and fact-free attempt at rebuttal only exposes your bias in this discussion. (I never called anyone "haters", for example). The only "exercise in futility" I see is your responding to actual "apples to apples" dealership quotes (from the same geographic area as the OP, no less) with pure emotion instead of anything remotely factual. Nice try, though, and sorry to burst your bubble.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
WOW! Somebody really has an axe to grind against all the "haters".

Besides, getting quotes and actually having it done and paid for the service can be two different things. All your research proves that tig simply reported what his friend told him and is no more factual. Maybe some of the quotes included the core charge or some other "disposal", "shop" or other fees.

But I bet it was a great exercise in futility

Seriously?

The dealer quotes listed above are in line with real-world postings made by people on Prischat and other places. They're clearly in the right range.

If the OP or you don't like the Prius, that's fine. I'm not really sold on it, either. But I don't understand the desire to defend some clearly inaccurate (or at least very incomplete) numbers claimed in this thread.

If the OP's friend actually got a number of $3500 to $6000 for a hybrid battery, I suspect the conversation went like this:
OP's friend - "Hello, Toyota dealer? How much is the battery in a hybrid cost to replace?"
Toyota dealer -"Well, it depends on the year and what model it is. Anywhere from $3500 to $6000." (insinuating that some models like a Highlander hybrid or something could be $6000)
OP's friend - "Ugh, that's expensive. Goodbye."

There may be a Toyota hybrid where the battery costs $6000 to replace. They have offered several models including the Camry and others, and those other models seem to have higher replacement battery costs than the Prius. But it's pretty clear a Prius battery replacement is not $3500 to $6000. It's generally in the $3500 range.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Seriously?


Yes, seriously, because for all we know the conversation could've gone something like you mentioned:

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
OP's friend - "Hello, Toyota dealer? How much is the battery in a hybrid cost to replace?"
Toyota dealer -"Well, it depends on the year and what model it is. Anywhere from $3500 to $6000." (insinuating that some models like a Highlander hybrid or something could be $6000)
OP's friend - "Ugh, that's expensive. Goodbye."

But we have few here getting all bent out of shape almost to the point of digging out OP's SS number and a 10 year tax return history

But at least it's fun to watch the "outrage".

 

[moving2]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
But we have few here getting all bent out of shape almost to the point of digging out OP's SS number and a 10 year tax return history

But at least it's fun to watch the "outrage".


KrisZ- I understand your need to imagine I'm "bent out of shape" or "outraged" about this; it helps you to feel better about the fact that you can't form a rational counterargument. Seen it plenty of times on internet forums.

The truth of the matter is I was just after factual information, which the OP wasn't willing to divulge, so I found it myself and posted it as a contribution to this forum. I don't have any skin in this game whatsoever- as you can see, all my vehicles are about as far from a Prius as you can get, and I have no plans to purchase one.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Seriously?


Yes, seriously, because for all we know the conversation could've gone something like you mentioned:


But even if the conversation did go that way, that doesn't mean we should be treating an inaccurate number like it's correct.

I definitely don't feel like I'm "bent out of shape." I've actually learned quite a lot by posting in this thread.

 

[CaspianM]

Common sense tells me if battery replacement costed Near $6000 Toyota would NOT have been able to move one Prius out of dealer's lot. Buyer's would have issues to justify the ownership cost.

 

[CaspianM]

Originally Posted By: CaspianM
Common sense tells me if battery replacement costed Near $6000 Toyota would NOT have been able to move one Prius out of dealer's lot. Buyer's would have had issues to justify the ownership cost.

 

[strat81]

Mythbusters needs to do an episode devoted to the Prius.