Prius battery replacement, is it financially viable?

[John Galt]

So if you DIY this task, what should happen to the old cell pack or individual cells? Garbage/landfill them or does someone take them back to recover the metals and credit you? Seems like a potential fire hazard.

 

[Thermo1223]

Tell them to eat a bag of d...s and your money's as green as the next guys.

I don't need a parts store second guessing if I can do a job.

Randy Marsh: "I thought this was America."

In before @TiGeo

 

[The Critic]

So if you DIY this task, what should happen to the old cell pack or individual cells? Garbage/landfill them or does someone take them back to recover the metals and credit you? Seems like a potential fire hazard.

There is a significant core charge - I believe $1350 is the number. Also, the core must be unaltered Genuine Toyota; if you have already replaced with aftermarket and want to go back to OE, you are SOL.

 

[PandaBear]

I am not sure how much it is now but from my understanding if you go to Toyota a rebuild pack with all new cells are like $5k or $6k back then. The cheaper alternatives are either rebuild with all new aftermarket cells that's slightly cheaper (you have to trust the guy) or the really cheap $2k pack that just replace the individual bad cell (the others will eventually age out as well), or a junkyard pull.

Personally I would not price a used car with a junkyard pull any better than average (of course still better than a car with a dead pack), or any car with an aftermarket reman pack any better after its warranty expire. I would price a car with an OEM or aftermarket rebuild with all new cells better, probably pro-rated the pack replacement cost over 10 years since install.

If you are the kind of people willing to drive a car for 20 years and 300k, probably replacing the pack is a good idea.

 

[Dave9]

I have no idea how much hybrid battery replacement costs. For those of you who do, would it be economically feasible on a 2008 Prius with 147k miles that is otherwise in good mechanical shape?

Being in N. KY, either you:

A) Don't take it out in winter
B) Have religiously undercoated it
C) Need to put it on a lift and look at the rust to decide

 

[ElectroMechanoMan]

If you decide to repair or replace the battery yourself, please be careful! The voltage involved with these batteries is lethal. Wear insulated gloves while working on this, especially if you’re going be replacing individual cells.

 

[John105]

I would let The Critic do it, due to risk of electrocution.

Funny 3/3 of our cars have HID xenon and only 2 have warning stickers on electrocution. LED is no fun

 

[Dave9]

Tell them to eat a bag of d...s and your money's as green as the next guys.

I don't need a parts store second guessing if I can do a job.

Randy Marsh: "I thought this was America."

I agree but we've been letting our freedoms erode to the point where too many are complacent about deciding for us, what we're allowed to do.

It's just another reminder of the problem with the bigger picture of excessive government control and even when it isn't government control, the perceived precedent it sets for everyone else to be control freaks.

IMO it's about personal responsibility. It's not their call to make, who to sell to... should be illegal to practice that. I don think some will get over their heads trying, but that applies to so many areas of life that are unrelated to batteries and similarly have a bad outcome if someone isn't competent to make good choices.

 

[SHOZ]

Tell them to eat a bag of d...s and your money's as green as the next guys.

I don't need a parts store second guessing if I can do a job.

Randy Marsh: "I thought this was America."

When I am refused service I always ask who else offers their services around them and they usually concede.

 

[Thermo1223]

I agree but we've been letting our freedoms erode to the point where too many are complacent about deciding for us, what we're allowed to do.

It's just another reminder of the problem with the bigger picture of excessive government control and even when it isn't government control, the perceived precedent it sets for everyone else to be control freaks.

IMO it's about personal responsibility. It's not their call to make, who to sell to... should be illegal to practice that. I don think some will get over their heads trying, but that applies to so many areas of life that are unrelated to batteries and similarly have a bad outcome if someone isn't competent to make good choices.

This has been the argument with selling alcohol outside of bars, state stores, and beer distributors in PA for decades. The latest is places like Wawa & Sheetz gas stations.

"OMG THEY COULD DRINK IT WHILE DRIVING!?!?!?!?"

vs. getting plastered at a bar/restaurant or keeping a case in the vehicle already and drinking it. As if drunk driving just occurred yesterday. The PLCB is pretty much a govt' sanctioned organized crime syndicate.

 

[HowAboutThis]

I have no idea how much hybrid battery replacement costs. For those of you who do, would it be economically feasible on a 2008 Prius with 147k miles that is otherwise in good mechanical shape?

I'd go the other way---remove all the hybrid stuff and supercharge or turbo it. Cheaper and slightly more fun before you break the engine. See if you can fit a Rav 4 engine in it and turbo it.