1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Sell or Fix 2004 w/ dead Hybrid battey

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Mike & Flo Adams, May 19, 2014.

  1. Mike & Flo Adams

    Mike & Flo Adams "God makes the wind. We set the sails."

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2012
    38
    11
    0
    Location:
    Central Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Five
    This is a 2004 Prius with 126,000 miles on it. Two days ago the Red Triangle of Death popped up so we took it to our mechanic. He ran the diags and the report is a dead hybrid battery pack.

    This car is in good to very good condition. All of the outside sheet metal except the section at the very end of the car was replaced three years ago after a hail storm. So the sheet metal and the paint job is three years old. The interior is very clean, we don't smoke, the CD player has trouble and one of the rear windows does not roll down. (Well, I guess none of the windows really 'roll' down)

    Never had a problem with this car. It was detailed a few months ago and looked great. We treated the headlights to get rid of the smoky appearance with something that will keep them clear for years.

    We want to decide wheather to sell as is, replace btty pack and keep, or replace btty pack and sell.

    We would appreciate any historical perspective and common sense that you may have to send our way.

    In 1999 we bought the very first 1999 Classic in all of Williamson County, TX. In those days one would pre-order over the Internet and choose a dealer from there.

    We have a 2012 Prius V now and we will probably get a Prius C if we replace the 2004.

    Seven years of no car payments and high gas mileage isn't so bad.

    Thank you!

    Mike
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,464
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    sounds like a good car and the mileage isn't all the high. If you have the money, I would just get a new battery and keep driving it. Seems like you've taken good care of it, why give it up?
     
  3. Mochabuzz

    Mochabuzz Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2013
    46
    12
    0
    Location:
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----
    You can get a used battery from a junk yard for cheap. I'd recommend that. If you don't know how to install it, just hire a mechanic to install it. :)
     
  4. canta

    canta Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2013
    101
    10
    0
    Location:
    Raleigh
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    as long as the car is in a good shape inside and outside(ding or peeling/fading paint is not a problem).
    totally agree with fixing HV battery, and drive the car till the last drop.

    actually, that is my motto :)
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    replacing the battery is no big deal, it's the next 75,000 miles or whatever that you have to consider. this is the mileage when things start to happen and you have to pay more attention. if you're comfortable spending some money on it now and then, go for it. but if you like having a car that rarely needs service , if ever, you might want to bite the bullet and live with the payments. one thing i will say is that you have options. why not look around? some parts od the country, they are giving them away. all the best!(y)
     
  6. Mike & Flo Adams

    Mike & Flo Adams "God makes the wind. We set the sails."

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2012
    38
    11
    0
    Location:
    Central Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Five
    Thank all of you~!

    It's about the money. We have no idea what a new battery pack costs in central Texas so we will look around. It is a great car. Rides as well today as the day I got it. The only problem we ever had was that one day, all by itself without the slightest input from me, I stepped on the brake and it accelerated to light speed, circled around Alpha Centauri and back. I had it on cruise control and set the GPS and I guess that is what did it. Made me 9 years late for my haircut appointment. ;)

    If anyone has any tips about where to get a btty pack (in addition to salvage yards) in central Texas that would be welcome.

    Ciao,

    Mike



    How do you like the plug in? Do you think the economics worked out? We pay about 7.5 cents per KWH here.

    Thank you,

    Mike
     
    #6 Mike & Flo Adams, May 19, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  7. bestmapman

    bestmapman 04, 07 ,08, 09, 10, 16, 21 Prime

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2007
    1,289
    242
    3
    Location:
    Kentucky near Cincinnati, OH
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    Call steve at autobeyours.com. Get the number from the website. He fixes and sell batteries.
     
  8. Mike & Flo Adams

    Mike & Flo Adams "God makes the wind. We set the sails."

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2012
    38
    11
    0
    Location:
    Central Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Five
    Well, maybe the math is done and the problem solved at least if you live in Texas.

    Found a shop that will come to where ever you are in the state of Texas and install a re-manufactured pack for $975.00.

    Yes. I thought too good to be true too. Checked him out and found 29 Google reviews on him, all current, all 5 stars. Perfect.

    Prius Hybrid Battery Rebuild

    Google the above without the spaces and check it out.

    Also going to check autobeyours.come

    Mike
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    wow, that's cheap! i love the pip, best of both worlds. gets me to work and home on ev and a regular (albeit a bit better) prius for long drives. i pay .16/kwh and that's a bout half the price of gas. i was an early adopter and paid msrp, so it wasn't about saving money. i love the ev and not buying gas. my last fill up was in february, but i only drive 9,000 miles per year. for me, it's about supporting alternate fuels, cleaner air, water and soil and cutting ties with the middle east addiction.;)

    there is also a great shoppe in houston as well and they are a member here, houstonhybrids.
     
    #9 bisco, May 19, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
    uart and wjtracy like this.
  10. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,464
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    they offer a free mobile service.....but they have a fuel surcharge of .25 per mile. I like that free mobile service.......:whistle:
     
  11. miscrms

    miscrms Plug Envious Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2007
    2,076
    523
    5
    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I was going to mention I'd seen a website for someone doing mobile installs in Texas, but looks like you found it! I'm not sure anyone on PC has tried them yet, but it seems like a pretty good option for the price. 6 mo warranty isn't too bad, I believe the factory/dealer replacement is only 1 yr.

    Rob
     
  12. toddwking

    toddwking Average Joe

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2005
    39
    8
    0
    Location:
    San Francisco
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm in the same boat as the OP - Wondering what the latest thoughts are on rebuilt vs. salvage? Are rebuilts nowadays just as good? Also where is a good place to get a newer (ie. 2008/2009) salvage battery? I can't seem to find any online, only rebuilt ones.

    Lastly, anyone bought a cheap one from a dealer? If I could get a new one from a dealer for less than $2k, I'd seriously consider it.
     
  13. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,309
    3,586
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    As Bisco said, I think we have TX hybrid batt fixer here on PC.
    Now if we can just get a batt fixer here in VA.....
     
  14. uart

    uart Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2009
    4,215
    1,200
    0
    Location:
    Australia
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    That sounds good Mike. :)

    BTW. If you get a chance, could you please bump this thread after you've "run in" the replacement pack and let us know how everything went.
     
  15. Mike & Flo Adams

    Mike & Flo Adams "God makes the wind. We set the sails."

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2012
    38
    11
    0
    Location:
    Central Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Five
    I will be happy to bump the thread after Joe finishes the work on Saturday.

    I found Prius Hybrid Battery Recall by accident while searching for other sites. The first thing I did was to investigate his online reputation. Since I am ex law enforcement and currently a Private Investigator that investigates Internet crimes (among other things) it wasn't too hard.

    The results for Joe's shop were just amazing and spectacular. By this morning I have found 40+ reviews and every one, all of them, are five star out of five star reviews. Not one complaint. I searched YELP and RIP OFF REPORT for anything negative and there were NO negative reviews. I even called a few people and still nothing.

    However, a competitor of Joe's in Houston sent me a PM telling me to beware of Joe because he does poor work. They also stated that they have followed behind Joe with several of his customers repairing the damage he had done. That was very worrisome so I checked again for negative reviews and still could not find any. Then I called Joe to confront him about the issue.

    Joe was very polite. He tells me he knows who these people are and that they contacted him earlier this year requesting that they be allowed to be a franchise for Joe's operation. Joe did not want to franchise, just not his thing. So, they went out and started their own Prius Battery Repair shop in Houston doing exactly what Joe does. I guess that is how they are going to compete... by running down the competition and telling lies. If I were Joe I would sue them. I will certainly be a witness. If I am wrong then they should publish their data here, in the open, so EVERYONE can check it out.

    Joe is coming Saturday and we will fill you in after that AND a few months down the road to report longevity.

    Good day,

    Mike Adams @ Prime Focus Forensics, LLC
     
  16. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,464
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    and who is the one that's spreading bad things about Joe? So if you were Joe, you would come clean about unhappy customers, with you being a potential customer?
     
  17. Mike & Flo Adams

    Mike & Flo Adams "God makes the wind. We set the sails."

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2012
    38
    11
    0
    Location:
    Central Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Five
    Well... I am not going to tell you if you can't figure it out from my post. I emailed them asking permission to get this into the open and have not heard from them. If they do, then, I will. In the mean time do your own research.

    Do you think I am stupid? I am very well aware that Joe may not have come clean but you know what... The first thing he did is offer to return my money. After we talked I was satisfied. Don't you ever get a good feeling about someone? Did you read about all of the research I did without finding one negative review? What do you think the odds are of finding any business with all five star reviews on the Internet? I personally contacted 1/3 of them to verify that they were legitimate and they were.

    Where did you get a 2005 Prius V and a 2006 Prius III?

    We had the Prius Classic in 1999, the II in 2014, and the V in 2012. Just wondering?
     
  18. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,464
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I think I know who you are talking about but just want to know why it's a big secret? If one business calls out another, shouldn't that information be available to any potential users of their services? Surely if the accusations are unfounded, then it'll be great. However if there is a legitimate concern, I believe it should be shared to all their potential future customers.

    I know you are a very smart individual, you being an ex law enforcement investigator, no disrespect here. Just wanted to offer you more information if you haven't already thought of it. Kinda like lawyers that still hire lawyers even though they know the law. Sometimes they miss something....
     
  19. Houston Hybrids

    Houston Hybrids Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2014
    73
    23
    0
    Location:
    Houston
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Oh WOW! I have NEVER contacted Joe for franchising opportunities. All I know is that I have had several people contact me who had their battery replaced by him. I actually have one in the shop right now. When I open the pack it is obvious that only one of the modules was replaced and the rest were untouched. With the battery that I have in the shop now there is one module with "4.0" (I am assuming mah) written across the top of it in permanent marker. The copper plates are black with corrosion and there are 9 modules that are less than 6.5v. One customer said that Joe bugged him to write a review on Yelp for quite a while. I don't want to be ugly or put the man down, but I think honesty is the best policy here. Having your battery fail once is frustrating enough...having it happen after you've paid to have it fixed is pretty nerve-wracking. I want people to be aware of what they are getting. All business owners have growing pains and I have certainly made my fair share of mistakes too.
    We are closed today, but I will be back in the saddle tomorrow if you would like to call and discuss. I can be reached by email in the meantime [email protected]

    Jessica
     
  20. Mike & Flo Adams

    Mike & Flo Adams "God makes the wind. We set the sails."

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2012
    38
    11
    0
    Location:
    Central Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Five
    Joe, owner of Prius Hybrid Battery Rebuild in San Antonio, came to our home Saturday the 24th as scheduled. It was the best encounter I have ever had with a Prius mechanic or most any mechanic. He is a pleasant and very happy young man doing something he loves doing. Eight people in his extended family drive a Prius. Joe buys them, shines em' up, and gives them to family members.

    It took him about 45 minutes to pull our battery pack and replace it with the re-man he brought with him in his Prius. It all went very smoothly and all I can say is it drives like new.

    Because I had to confront Joe about the other store in Houston told me he increased my warranty to one year at no additional charge. He said he does not want me to worry, and I won't. He took about 15 minutes to explain some things about the Prius in detail. After he was done we took a 20 mile drive for the road test.

    Joe advertises 24/7 service and he will deliver it. He has employed some of his ex-military buddies that he served with in Iraq and together they maintain the 24/7 service. This could come in handy if your battery pack dies and you are stuck somewhere. I learned not to drive your Prius more than about 5 miles if your battery pack dies. The CVT also depends on that power and will not function correctly with a dead pack.

    Off to Google and Yelp to write more 5 star reviews on Joe. Proof that there are still honest and reliable car mechanics in this world.

    Mike