Ignorant Reporter

[IsrAmeriPrius]

In The Los Angeles Daily News:

HOV sticker may add $4,000 to hybrid cost

Knowing that the stickered cars would fetch a nice price doesn't tempt Barbara Watts-Robinson of West Hills to sell, even though her car needs a new battery that costs about $3,000.

The sticker saves her innumerable hours while driving her viola-playing daughter across Los Angeles for private lessons and orchestra rehearsals. "It's a lovely thing," said Watts-Robinson, who has already put 85,000 miles on her 2004 Prius. Plus, Watts-Robinson already knows someone who wants the car - her 17-year-old daughter.

julia.scott@dailynews.com [/b]

And the follow up:

My Email to the reporter:

This is misleading and inaccurate. The hybrid system, including the high voltage battery, is warrantied for 10 years or 150,000 miles for cars sold in California (10/100,000 in states that did not adopt California emissions standards). Thus it is not going to cost Ms. Watts-Robinson $3,000 to replace it. If it is the auxiliary 12v battery which has worn out (a much more likely scenario), then it is under warranty for only 3 years or 36,000 miles, but it costs less than $200 to replace.[/b]

Her response to me:

Thank you for your email. Replacing the battery was something that Barbara Watts-Robinson mentioned she wanted and needed to do, not something I suggested. The cost of the battery is well documented, so I stand by my reporting.[/b]

And my reply (which is still unanswered):

Yes, the battery does cost $3,000, but only if the car is older than ten years or has more than 150,000 on the odometer. Otherwise Toyota pays for it, not the owner. With only 85,000 miles on the odometer and only approximately three years since it was first put in service, ms. Watts-Robinson's car is still under warranty, so the cost of replacement as stated in the article is misleading. [/b]

[donee]

Hi ISR,

I though I read on here somewhere that the Gen II Prius Hybrid battery is $2400. With 85000 prorate, the cost for this person would be $1360. Replacement labor might be $400, but still, that is awful steep for 1 hours work, which also nets the service organisation $200 battery finders fee. Something smells in these numbers.

Another line would be - why does she want and need to replace the battery? Has a mechanic indicated its neccassary? Is the car still driving? If it is, and there are no warning lights, then the replacement would be more a physcological need than a requirement. In which case, Toyota may require the full cost of the battery.

[Godiva]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(donee @ May 22 2007, 06:44 PM) [snapback]447648[/snapback]</div>

Hi ISR,

I though I read on here somewhere that the Gen II Prius Hybrid battery is $2400. With 85000 prorate, the cost for this person would be $1360. Replacement labor might be $400, but still, that is awful steep for 1 hours work, which also nets the service organisation $200 battery finders fee. Something smells in these numbers.

Another line would be - why does she want and need to replace the battery? Has a mechanic indicated its neccassary? Is the car still driving? If it is, and there are no warning lights, then the replacement would be more a physcological need than a requirement. In which case, Toyota may require the full cost of the battery.
[/b]

Why should it cost anything, prorated or not? Why should she pay labor. It's under warranty.

[Jack Kelly]

Could it be that the word "need" was misused in that reporting, and that the intent was to say, e.g., "this is a car that AT SOME POINT will require the replacement of a $3K battery...), as in "this car "takes" (uses) an expensive battery"...to juxtapose a future liability with a present/future asset?

[jimmyrose]

This thread's title is redundant. <_<

[boulder_bum]

I think IsrAmerica is absolutely right, but it seems like a relatively minor mistake on the reporter's part. She just doesn't understand how the battery warranty works.

I'm also curious why the person she interviewed thinks she "needs" a new battery. I've actually never heard of one being replaced before.

[Sufferin' Prius Envy]

I love it [sarcastic] when reporters 'report' on subjects for which they were obviously ignorant when they began their investigation. The reporters tend to confirm that ignorance remained when their reports are rife with mistakes or inaccuracies that only someone who is ignorant or has just the basic precursory knowledge would say. They don't know enough to know what they are saying is wrong.

Just this morning, a couple of talking heads were reporting on how to save gas. One of them said, [not an exact quote] "it's best to keep the air conditioner on and the windows up because of . . . um . . . you know." Then she went on to say, [again, not an exact quote] "and with a truck you should lower the tailgate because of the bubble of air in the back."

The first quote is not always correct. The second quote is just plain WRONG!

[efusco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ May 23 2007, 12:30 PM) [snapback]448284[/snapback]</div>

I love it [sarcastic] when reporters 'report' on subjects for which they were obviously ignorant when they began their investigation. The reporters tend to confirm that ignorance remained when their reports are rife with mistakes or inaccuracies that only someone who is ignorant or has just the basic precursory knowledge would say. They don't know enough to know what they are saying is wrong.

Just this morning, a couple of talking heads were reporting on how to save gas. One of them said, [not an exact quote] "it's best to keep the air conditioner on and the windows up because of . . . um . . . you know." Then she went on to say, [again, not an exact quote] "and with a truck you should lower the tailgate because of the bubble of air in the back."

The first quote is not always correct. The second quote is just plain WRONG! [/b]

the thing is that the majority of their listeners will believe them and not know any better. Thus they continue to remain popular and their ignorance goes on to be repeated by those now ill-informed listeners. The alternatives are to say nothing (no likely) or to admit they don't know anything...which will lead the majority of listeners to think they're stupid. Thus, it's better to be stupid and say something than to be smart and admit you dont' know something.

[Earthling]

Most written articles on the Prius are astonishingly ignorant, apparently written by people who have never sat in a Prius, or if they have, they haven't driven one for more than a mile.

Harry

[Enoyls]

Ignorant and irresponsible reporting is an epidemic in this country. Sounds like this one has a terminal case.