A Chris Fix YouTube Video

is it really the most hated?

sounds implausible. what year and how many miles?

 

it used to be that way, but now, most have caught on to the frugality part

i say, anything that keeps my oceanfront home from flooding is a good thing

 

they look really cool

 

car snobs

 

Despite the title, it's a really good video of the battery module replacement. And he has nothing but kind words for the prius. He's making $1K on the job.

 

One thought regarding the video: do these guys get up in the morning and immediately put their rubber mechanics gloves on??

He recommends dropping the bus bar nuts in vinegar/water solution? IIRC, someone here did that and the nuts immediately turned black? Maybe depends on the coating?

Addendum: they do come out looking somewhat blackened, maybe's'okay?

All-in-all, a really informative video. Even though it's second gen, I saved a copy.

 

Would have made closer to $2,000 if he rebuilt the battery himself.

 

Very well done video!!

 

Dang it!
4 million subs....
2 million views....
There goes my chance to find a $1500 G2 in immaculate shape that just needs a new battery.....

THIS is exactly why I always advise starving grad students and recent college graduates with debt loading the size of France NOT to buy a G2....unless they can write a four-figure check.
...twice.
The only thing I would add is that for a G2 that is not in such good shape, I probably would have spent some gigabytes and gotten a YouTube degree in battery reconditioning and probably brought that 'as repaired' price down to much less than $1000....because there are always inverters, stator windings in the transaxle, and regenerative brakes that might go out as well, in addition to all of the junk that can and will fail in say...........a 2007 Corolla.

Of course....you're not going to be able to buy an 07 Corolla at the flashing "Red Triangle Special" price, but then again, G2s are going to get to be harder and harder to find as well now that the word is getting out.
Oh.....and I've always said that Prius Hate was never really directed at the CAR, so I'm not surprised that Chris chose this car to get 2 million views with.


You have to ask yourself:
Would the dealer that quoted the $4000 replacement price have taken the time to do the job the way Chris Fix did, or would they just have slapped the new pack into the car and kinda put everything back the same approximate place?

Things that make you go...Hmmmmmm.....

 

My personal opinion, is it's kind of sad that I think a lot of people almost feel obligated to "hate the Prius". Which I personally never have understood. It's an amazing machine.
It's "goals" in operation may be somewhat different than what some people want or expect from a singularly powered ICE sports car or SUV, but pound for pound I think people should be impressed with the Prius.
If that segment of people could get past the antiquated thinking that it's a "Hybrid" and somehow that makes it bad, they might be able to appreciate what an amazing machine it actually is. For me? Watching the disassembly of the battery just illustrates all the work and engineering that actually exists in a Prius.
Some people are frustrated at the pace of evolution. But when you really look at all a Prius is? You have to credit Toyota with being able to produce such an amazing machine, available on a mass produced level.

To me if you like automobiles, appreciate machines...what's NOT to like about a Prius? Not liking it because it's a Hybrid, makes no sense to me.
I'm willing to listen to someone that might say, I don't want one, because I want something faster, or I want something bigger, etc, etc...and I'm OK with that.
But most non-owners, non-drivers, to simply dislike it, because of preconceived ideas and prejudices of what a "Hybrid" is? Seems so incredibly narrow minded.

 

Maybe in a decade they'll have a hybridized Fit in North America, and not that #$&!* IMA system.

 

What I wonder is that Chris Fix says the battery is warrantied for 3 years, but with the possibility of double that 6 years of life.

Toyota, with a new Prius warranties their Hybrid Batteries to the new owners for a minimum of 8 years, 100,000 miles or 10 years, 150,000 miles in a CARB state. And my feedback and experience within Prius Chat, suggests to me that for the majority of Prius Owners, this is at least the minimum life span they enjoy.

Why wouldn't that battery have a similar expected life span?
If a new Prius Battery-in a bought new Prius, fails within 6 years, and less than 100,000 miles, it gets replaced under warranty.

But it seems with these rebuilt, refurbished batteries, the warranty umbrella doesn't usually extend beyond 3 years.

Is the reality is even the BEST rebuilt battery is incapable of the same life span as a brand new battery?

To me Hybrid Battery replacement on a 8-12 year cycle vs. 3-6 year cycle is a big difference.

 

Maybe when prices come down a bit more, we'll start to think of the hybrid batteries somewhat akin tire replacement. Relax about it. Maybe the problem is not so much that they need periodic replacement, but the angst.