Somerset County Cars claims they can not get the batteries in stock atm? Anyone else had this problem?
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...aler-pushback-optima-battery.html#post1488465 Talks of a Optima Yellow Top JIS Group 51 in Europe
Optima is not an option unless the dealership decide to deal with it. There are no auto shops here that stock it or will work on the Prius atm. They are all scared of it or do not have the correct training for their insurance to cover them. Not even QuikFit. Toyota dealership is the only garage I can take my car to here in the countryside.
The Toyota dealers don't stock it? OK, but they can't obtain it via next day delivery? I've found Toyota to be excellent for getting parts asap. When my gen3 HV battery ecu died I think I had to wait 3 days for it to arrive and I wouldn't have said it was a common item. The Prius (gen2 & 3) 12 volt battery is usually a fixed price fit. Give your dealers a kick and get them to have one ordered.
Lucas, Varta, Exide, do batteries for the Prius with depending on price have guarantees from 3 to 5 years. Not to sure about this route but Halfords also do one and fit it for I believe £10 extra. The Lucas, Varta, Exide, are from about £45 depending on where you buy, and length of guaranty. These batteries are all 45amp/hr with vent tube. The Optima is circa £180 on there UK web site, the OEM battery at the Toyota dealer I was quoted £90.
I am using a Haze AGM deep cycle battery with vent and more capacity than all the other manufactures that I can find, at 55amp/hr same size as OEM, made for mobility applications so is very robust. Comes with threaded post terminals but small Japanese post are available and screw strait in I paid £75, an AGM gell version is also available at extra cost both batteries can be used in any position including upside down without problems, just pointed out to show how unspillable and safe they are. 40% greater capacity than the Optima at less than half the price.
