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Gen 2 third party hybrid batteries

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Tony Rico, May 10, 2024.

  1. Tony Rico

    Tony Rico Junior Member

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    I have a 2008 Prius with 140K miles. Never hot rodded. Owned since new.

    I do hope naming brands isn't in violation of PriusChat policy. If so, my apology and please delete. Looks like I'll be buying a replacement battery very, very, very soon. I can't afford dealership prices. So due to budget amongst other factors I'm looking at third party batteries. Second decision remanufactured or new. I decided to go new. Some of the companies I looked over on line and in multiple chats are: GreenBean, ExclusivelyHybrid, BumbleBee, 2k1 Toaster, NewPriusBatteries, and Greentec. I knew nothing about any of them before doing a lot of research by someone who knows little about hybrid technology ME. In comparison, I like everything I read about Greentec. I chatted extensively with them, and they have new shop 200 miles from me, so if I go with them, they will do the replacement instead of drop shipping one to me. $2,250 + $150 install, 4 years warranty. I'll have to bring it to them. My questions, should it not violate policy here. Did I miss any potential suppliers in my comparison?
    And, has anyone used GreenTec recently?

    Thank you all for this free education, Tony
     
  2. JohnPrius3005

    JohnPrius3005 Active Member

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    Search PriusChat. You will find sources of Toyota original new batteries for not much more than you will pay others. Find a competent independent Toyota Prius expert and have him install it for you. If you can get an OEM Toyota battery from one of the companies you named, with warrantee from Toyota, not them, then that is a viable option. I have no knowledge whether any of the places you named sell new, factory batteries. Mostly they sell rebuilt batteries. Which is a bad choice.

    Good luck.
     
  3. Tony Rico

    Tony Rico Junior Member

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    Thanks JohnPrius3005 for your input. I'll keep looking. Have not nailed it yet.
    I suppose that I misstated what I meant to write. To be clear, by new I meant with all new gen 3 modules, assembled, tested, balanced and all, but not a Toyota branded factory battery.
     
  4. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    What about this one? Or rather, your region you live in matters if you want our help & would't waste your time with this one if I knew you weren't out west, but maybe you are?

    upload_2024-5-10_22-42-52.png https://hybrid2go.com/
     
  5. JohnPrius3005

    JohnPrius3005 Active Member

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    Hi Tony,
    I would be interested to know where these shops buy new modules.
     
  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yeah you're getting twisted terminology and that's very much on purpose just like planned obsolescence has been placed in the mix very much on purpose but it's not greatly talked about. They're not many places that I know of that you're going to be supplied any kind of new modules of nickel metal hydride plate type modules like you have in your Prius right now they're quite costly how Toyota can even sell you the battery without the front end for I paid $1.647 about two and a half years ago I know other people that are paying in the $1,700 range that is for a complete new squeezed up and mounted rack of modules ready to accept your front end and the new pieces of wiring supplied by Toyota and the new battery that will make all that connect up nicely You're talking about spending $2,100 $2,200 so on I realize that's them riding out and throwing this thing in your car but that's not a really big job to be honest about it Yes there are some high voltage things that need to be undone incorrect order etc You could be shocked but don't let that scare you That's exactly what that's there to do make you doubt and cost you more money that's the American way That's why in the grand scheme of things electricians will tell you you can burn your whole house down changing an outlet Yes you could possibly make that happen You would have to be really working hard and overtime to do it but it could and just because of that word could If all of these electrical fires were happening to people where are they You never hear of them just I can go on and on about things taking strut tops off of struts without massive special tooling and special instruction and all of that will create a fly apart situation which can take out eyeballs and remove limbs complete hypocrisy not possible maybe on a large truck suspension assembly but a Toyota No I'll do it on a video for you nothing happens clunk. Don't fall for a lot of these old wives tales they've been pushed for many decades close to century now and that's just what they still are you'll see nobody running around missing a finger or an arm from undoing a Toyota upper strut mount. But these are the kind of things that folks will write paragraphs about believe it they're on the way.
     
  7. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    Bumblebee has a good reputation for Honda packs. I'm not sure they sell their own Toyota one. There is a link to Green bean on their site. I suspect that is what they install on Toyotas. (Note, Green bean is a part of LKQ, which probably explains where the LKQ pick your parts are sending all their packs - there are never any available in those yards.)

    That Greeentec price is more than I paid for our replacement OEM pack. I installed it myself, and never having done one before, it took a while. It wasn't particularly hard, I was just going slowly and carefully. Probably a shop that does these all the time can have one in and out in a couple of hours. Note, prices for the OEM packs vary from dealer to dealer, call around. When we bought ours Longo Toyota in El Monte had the lowest price on its web site of the many local dealers which were checked in our section of LA county. There is a core charge but you get it back when you haul the old one back to the dealer.
     
  8. Tony Rico

    Tony Rico Junior Member

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    I've had no luck finding online sources for new OEM Toyota gen 2 packs, just the rebuilders. Any clues? I'm in NW Michigan.

    Also, If I do buy a new OEM Toyota branded gen2 battery for my 2008 prius, is the warranty dependent on who installs it?

    Thanks
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you can get a new battery from a dealer, but you have to call all those you're willing to drive to because they're price competitive and some will price match.
    warranty is confusing, i think 3 year from dealer and one if not. but i wouldn't worry about it with a new battery, they are pretty well proven over 20 years.
     
    Brian1954 likes this.
  10. Carall

    Carall Member

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    Why don't you restore the capacity in your battery if you are able to DIY? The car has only 140k miles on it. I guess you see the signs of a weak battery, without the fault codes for now.
     
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  11. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Toyota Online Parts

    https://autoparts.sanmarcostoyota.com

    https://parts.northparktoyota.com

    Alamo **
    Shop OEM Toyota Parts and Accessories | Alamo Toyota Parts

    https://autoparts.universaltoyota.com

    Cavender *
    https://autoparts.cavendertoyota.com

    https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com

    McGeorge
    Your Source for Genuine Toyota Online Parts | McGeorge Toyota Parts

    These are local to me online dealers with the advantage of no shipping cost. The last two are not local but have had deals. Pricing varies quite a bit and sales are not advertised but can show up in the cart. Just leaving something in the cart with your info usually gets a shipping discount the next day.

    There are independents who buy new oem, install them in another core and swap yours in less than an hour, sometimes in your driveway or workplace. I used Hometown Hybrids for my swap years ago without any issue since. That is something you can’t expect with reconditioned, repainted or aftermarket cells. Guarantees on rehabs are usually slow, slower to virtually ghosting you.
     
  12. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

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