Hybrid insurance going up

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Originally Posted By: ekpolk
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: ZZman
They probably are getting killed in battery pack costs.


bingo. im not sure about other makes, but when a ford hybrid gets into an accident if there is any damage whatsoever to the traction battery it has to be replaced. last i checked MSRP was about 9k give or take a little bit, which is what the insurance would get charged.


The batteries are nowhere near that expensive. A new one for a Prius is under $2500, for the Camry, a tad more. I made the dealership parts department look it up for me before I would buy the Prius. The $10k battery thing is just another one of those ever so popular anti-hybrid myths. Bingo? No, total nonsense.

While the Toyota battery packs cost $2500, this may not be true for all brands. Bdcardinal works at a Ford dealership in the parts department, so he is very familiar with the cost of Ford parts. Perhaps Ford's hybrid batteries are much more expensive than Toyota's?
 
That and Maybe its the hybrid drivers trying to drag their brakes on the down hills to charge their traction battery's while a big truck is trying to build speed for the next hill.

This is one of my personal pet peeves! IF your going to do that get the [censored] out of the hammer lane and let the big truck through.
 
Maybe it's a Ford thing. Laminar cooler by Modine for MOPAR $100-$145. From Ford (although Ford had quite a few "custom" oil coolers) ..about $400+. O ring for right angle oil filter mount for Jeep Cherokee from MOPAR counter: $3 for 2. From Ford for the identical O ring for the identical right angle mount: $12+. Right angle filter mount for Jeep: $40 ..from Ford ? (never checked it out - but I bet $$$).
 
Originally Posted By: Dualie
That and Maybe its the hybrid drivers trying to drag their brakes on the down hills to charge their traction battery's while a big truck is trying to build speed for the next hill.


I'd expect that to increase truck premiums rather than the cars.

I'm friggin sick of trucks trying to "monster" car drivers on down hills (and I don't dawdle), then pull out across 4 lanes of traffic causing the world to stop for them because they've got to change 32 gears just to get across the road with anb overload of coal on board.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
as critic said i work in a ford parts dept, so guess what i know what im talking about when i say that they cost what they cost.


Then in somewhat typical Ford fashion, they're taking their customers for a nice, outrageous ride. I fail to see how their battery, which is very similar to the product found in the Toyotas, can cost darned near 4x as much as Toyota. Gee, I thought it was Toyota (and the other imports) that were supposed to gouge their customers on replacement parts. I guess not. . .
 
Well, well, very interesting. I just called the local Ford Store parts dept. Asked them to quote the TB for a 2008 Escape Hybrid -- lo and behold, they ARE asking $9100-something for it!

Quite frankly, this radically alters my impression of the Ford hybrids. Some commentators have opined that the Fusion hybrid is actually a slightly nicer car than the very similar Camry hybrid. I've looked at one (but not driven), and it is very pleasant. But I simply would not touch one if the TB costs anything like that.

Toyota, on the other hand, is charging far, far less for theirs. As in about $2500 vs $9100 for a very similar product!!!
And they pay a "bounty" of a modest $250 for the return of a failed unit.

Given the similarity of the technology and the design, I am having a very, very hard time understanding how Ford, which is selling plenty of hybrids, can justify these prices. Based upon what I've seen (and researched), it is unlikely that I will ever need a new TB for either of my hybrids, but if I had to buy one, for a Toyota, I'd still be well ahead on fuel savings over the life of the car. Not so with a Ford at those prices.

If I had to replace one of mine (wreck, stolen or whatever), I can as of now safely say that Ford is ruled out.

So, for all of you guys who've been mercilessly dogging me about owning hybrids
wink.gif
, you see, I'm not a blind adherent to the faith...
cheers3.gif


p.s. for bdc, please understand I was not challenging you. My frame of reference is the Toyota parts, and that Ford price is so out-of-whack that my mental red flags were autopopping...
 
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Originally Posted By: ekpolk
The $10k battery thing is just another one of those ever so popular anti-hybrid myths. Bingo? No, total nonsense.


FYI, you're telling a Ford Master Parts Counterperson (which you could find out by reading the bottom of every post he makes) that he doesn't know what he's talking about when it comes to Ford parts prices.
 
I saw a 40km range extending lithium ion battery pack for a Prius that was selling for $10,000. This is about five times the capacity of the traction battery. Maybe the Ford uses an extra large battery pack like this.
 
Originally Posted By: brianl703
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
The $10k battery thing is just another one of those ever so popular anti-hybrid myths. Bingo? No, total nonsense.


FYI, you're telling a Ford Master Parts Counterperson (which you could find out by reading the bottom of every post he makes) that he doesn't know what he's talking about when it comes to Ford parts prices.



Brian: See my last post, above. Need I say more?????

Well, I will, since I'm chronically unable to keep my mouth shut (or my fingers idle, as the case may be). You read it here first: I was incorrect in my "challenge" post. I verified the information via our local Ford dealer parts dept. As discussed above, I have adjusted my "perspective" accordingly.

All on the same sheet of music now?
 
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
I saw a 40km range extending lithium ion battery pack for a Prius that was selling for $10,000. This is about five times the capacity of the traction battery. Maybe the Ford uses an extra large battery pack like this.


They don't. The hybrid makers are all doing the best they can to move along from the current NiMH batteries. Based upon "sources" and persistent snooping, my conclusion is that we're all getting close on the next-gen technology (looks to be lithium ion), but nobody has been able to sufficiently control the heat/fire issues with this technology. I HOPE no mfr decides to jump the gun on this one! This said, I really don't care if they use a battery made from Swiss cheese -- so long as it does the job, I'll be happy with it. But I want it to be ready when I finally buy it.

Yes, there is a large gray market that has developed with modifiers of hybrid cars and their batteries. I've spent hours reading their stuff, and it's really intriguing and impressive. That said, I depend upon my car to get me to work every day, not to impress my internet friends and acquaintances. With that in mind, I will sadly have to wait for the mfr "vetted" technology before I can move ahead from what I now own.
cheers3.gif
 
not shocked , we've seen PRIUS owners drive like they were in the DAYTONA 500 . Yesterday we were watching a PRIUS tailgate and pass many drivers on a county road . Then they wonder why the mileage doesn't match the estimated mileage on window sticker . :- )
 
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Is the newer Escape hybrid's pack different than the old, bdcardinal?

This makes me wonder if the Ford hybrids are heaily subsidized or have extreme cost-cutting measures elsewhere. If the battery is costing $9k, the rest of the hybrid system couldn't be costing them that much or they'd have to sell these things for $50k. I know Toyota is or at least was taking a hit...but is Ford, too?

I just tired to look on Honda's estore but although they show the battery available as a part, they don't give a price. Checked Majestic Honda and ditto with them. Weird.
 
Originally Posted By: BrianWC
Is the newer Escape hybrid's pack different than the old, bdcardinal?


not sure, ill check when i get into work on monday. the worst part about the replacement batteries is they only carry a general service part warranty of 12months, 12k miles.
 
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
I saw a 40km range extending lithium ion battery pack for a Prius that was selling for $10,000. This is about five times the capacity of the traction battery. Maybe the Ford uses an extra large battery pack like this.


Unless something has changed very recently, the problem with Li-ion batteries has been temperature control and stability (with the risk, of course, being fire). I doubt Ford would be any more willing to take risks in this area than Toyota. Oh, well, there was that little Pinto thing a while back. . .
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
I doubt Ford would be any more willing to take risks in this area than Toyota. Oh, well, there was that little Pinto thing a while back. . .
wink.gif



..and the CrownVic thing too. I doubt that Ford will tempt fate ..errr..risk assessment figures again.
 
Originally Posted By: brianl703
Call me paranoid, but I remove the Li-ion battery from my laptop when I don't need to run it off the battery.


The fire in the Dell, the fire in the Dell, hi-ho the dairy-o, the fire in the Dell. . .

Sorry, OT, but I just couldn't resist.
wink.gif


And yes Brian, you are paranoid.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: BrianWC
Is the newer Escape hybrid's pack different than the old, bdcardinal?


not sure, ill check when i get into work on monday. the worst part about the replacement batteries is they only carry a general service part warranty of 12months, 12k miles.


More critically, perhaps, any sign of Ford's prices easing down?
 
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