Elite Auto - Beware. Craigslist hybrid battery ads should make you leery

This is an example of why you should be wary of ads on Craigslist about hybrid batteries

PriusChat member "Dodge Aries K"(DAK) bought a battery from a seller called "Elite Auto"
They regularly advertise on Craigslist.

In the ad, and verbally, Elite Auto gave the impression that the customer would get a 2009 battery with only 29,000 miles on it.
After inspecting the battery, I can guarantee that is not what Elite sold the DAK!

Here are some pics from inside the battery.
The "I" of the serial number shows it is from a 2005



Opening up the case it was obvious one module was different than the rest, also it had a black mark on it that made it stand out even more.
Most modules had these numbers on them 089GNA09XXXD ("X" being a number 0-9") The letter "G" in the sequence means the modules were manufactured in 2005
Except the oddball which was 286H6A14844E
The letter "H" in the sequence means the module was manufactured in 2006.
Clearly a module from a different pack



Additionally, beginning in 2007, Toyota started adding additional codes (B2, B3, B4, etc) to the coding on the modules. You'll notice that none of the modules in the pack that Elite Auto sold have B2 stamped on them. Therefore, not only are these not 2009 modules... they are pre-2007 modules!


The discussion about the incident is found here on PriusChat

Elite Auto spams Craigslist with ads in every region within about 200 miles of its shop in Missouri.
Phone number 573-692-2477. Highway 28, Owensville, MO 65066
Owner, Michael Mike Nouri
The owner is know for scamming many people out of money, but in the Viper world. (elite auto viper - Google Search)

DAK noted other
- The Elite Auto employee arrived at 10pm at night to install the battery pack
- Once the battery was installed, Elite Auto asked him for an additional $50 travel fee
- Although Elite Auto told DAK he could keep his core, when Elite Auto arrived, they made DAK relinquish his core

Fortunately DAK paid via credit card (an additional fee), so this allowed him to immediately dispute the charge since he did not get what he expected.

If you see an ad on Craigslist and it sounds too good to be true, be wary.
Ask questions.
Check for references.

Here is sample text from a recent Elite Auto ad....

Prius battery 2004-2009 hv WARRANTY FREE INSTALL $845

OEM Toyota prius battery Don't be fooled, this not a rebuilt or reconditioned battery from another customers core, why do you think they want a core back from you. They are simply going to charge and discharge, cycle the cells and ship it out. This battery is complete, full battery with battery ecu and tested and ready to go for your prius. This will fix your hybrid problems if u got a p3000 code. Came out of 2009 prius with 43,892 This battery comes with a 1 year warranty. If you can't make to our location, it comes a 12 month, 48 states replacement warranty.​

Often the Elite Auto ad claims the pack is from a 29,000 mile 2009 Prius.
Sometimes from a Camry.

From the ad you might think you are getting a 2009 battery pack.

But perhaps not.... simply saying the pack came out of a 2009 Prius is not saying it IS a 2009 pack.
What do I mean... well if you inspected the pack when it arrived, and you caught Elite Auto giving you an older pack, they could weasel their way out of that by claiming ignorance. Perhaps Elite Auto would say, "Sorry we gave you a 2004 battery, but it really did come out of a 2009 Prius. Maybe someone changed it before it was taken out of the 2009 Prius"

If you notice, the Elite Auto ad admits outright that it is not reconditioned.
This was certainly true in DAKs example, it still had crappy bussbars on it.

So much more I could post, but this is a good place to leave it for now.

 

Attached is the info on decoding the date code on the battery case.
This may be helpful for an unmolested pack.

For a rebuilt battery pack, though, the case means nothing. Rebuilders may simply put on any old case lid they have lying around and it would have no correlation to the modules inside.

To decode the year the module was made...
The 4th digit from the left is the year.
Beginning with "A" for 1999.

 

Another PriusChat member, jahstme, reports that she bought a Prius that had a battery installed by Elite Auto a bout 4 months ago.

Last week the check engine light came on, and Elite Auto is dodging her calls. (This seems to be a common tactic by Elite Auto.)

Unfortunately being a broke college student jahstme's only recourse would be to possibly try to sue Elite Auto. Which is unlikely since she is in Tennessee and Elite Auto is in Missouri.

jahstme says, "Horrible company to work with and everyone should avoid doing business with them!!!"

If anyone else has direct experience with Elite Auto, please continue to post on this thread.

There is an thread from 5 years ago (!) with negative feedback about Elite Auto and Michael Nouri. One of the posts suggested dealing with Elite Auto in person since there is a high likelihood of difficulty with followup. by Elite Auto if a problems arises.

Additionally there is a thread on PriusChat from 2012 disparraging them.
In it, PriusChat member oldnoah had this to say about Michael Nouri (of Elite Auto)...

They will not honor their warrantee, will not return calls if they owe you anything, have apparently failed to ship items that were paid for. They have lied to me personally with respect to a warrantee over the phone, which evaporated once the transaction went to the paperwork, and then failed to answer phone calls, emails and faxes. If you do a google search on xvipers, Michael Nouri and "liar" you'll get dozens of hits.​

 

It's in other threads here on PriusChat. I just haven't copy/pasted it. Unfortunately kinda low in my list of things. Sorry.

Case info added.

 

If you have been scammed by Elite Auto and used a credit card, contact your credit company right away.

Dodge Aries K got his money back by filing a dispute via his credit card company.

The credit card company reversed the charges, taking back the payment from Elite Auto.

Fyi. I updated the posts with module date information.

 

Geesh, if they were really charging you $4,500 that would be outrageous.
$3,200 is closer to what I hear dealers are charging.

Sorry to hear you are being scammed by these guys. (How can they sleep at night?)

Not sure how long the Owensville pack has been in, but if not too long and you used a credit card, you may be able to contest the charges.

There are other options for rebuilt batteries, feel free to call me and discuss.