Comments :: Toyota Prius tops Consumer Reports best value list

Toyota Prius tops Consumer Reports best value list

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I stand behind my Honda. Had it for 8 years and never had a single service problem. Changed the oil etc, rotated the tires, replaced the battery and did all the normal maint things. The battery was still doing fine but I figured it was getting old and didnt want to be stranded. Replaced it last year with a new Honda.

superman
February 8, 2013 3:50 p.m.

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"robust and growing trade in used batteries"

Good point Salty, thanks for reading the article.

68_dodge_polara
February 7, 2013 1:25 p.m.

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"The 8 year/100,000 mile warranty only applies to the new Prius and is in direct response to Toyota customer complaints that the battery starts going bad after 7 years and costs more than the car is worth to repair. "

So you consider a car built in 2003 to be new? Not sure how they got a lot of complaints about 7+ year old cars failing at that point, when the first Prius sold in Japan was only six years old at that point and in the U.S. only 3. Lol.

baracus
February 7, 2013 12:54 p.m.

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Seems to be a bit of a discrepancy between what the Toyota Service Manager says and what the article talks about.

For example, if there is only a 1% failure rate, why is there a "robust and growing trade in used batteries" where "when most PriusChatters are starting their search for new traction batteries, they are starting on eBay, then checking salvage yards, then going to the dealer."

I'll stand by my earlier comments. I wouldn't trust a "National Service Manager" as far as I could pick him up and throw him. Had too many dealings with those guys.....

SaltyOldJarhead
February 7, 2013 12:38 p.m.

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Here's a good article on battery life.

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=542377&page=2

68_dodge_polara
February 7, 2013 12:13 p.m.

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"Gary Smith, Toyota’s National Service Technology Manager, says that the battery failure rate for a first-generation Prius is around 1 percent, but that the second-generation is down to less than one bad battery in 40,000, a stat he calls “fractional and insignificant.”"

Now this is from Toyota so the source is to be considered, however until I see evidence to the contrary it stands.

68_dodge_polara
February 7, 2013 12:11 p.m.

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"No, they don't." - baracus

Yes they do - personal experience and the experience of local area Toyota mechanics as well. If you know one, just ask.

The 8 year/100,000 mile warranty only applies to the new Prius and is in direct response to Toyota customer complaints that the battery starts going bad after 7 years and costs more than the car is worth to repair. Toyota effectively staves off the junking of the car by 1 year with this "warranty".

This means that you better not keep your brand new Prius past 8 years and if you keep it that long it will be worthless unless the battery had been replaced under warranty very recently.

SaltyOldJarhead
February 7, 2013 11:41 a.m.

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It is well known that after 7 years, Prius owners are living on borrowed time with regards to the battery pack and by 10 years, most have failed. The cost of the battery pack by itself ($3500-4000) plus installation costs effectively total the car after 10 years.

In short, the Prius is a throwaway car, ready to be junked after 10 years. Not very green at all in my opinion......

SaltyOldJarhead
February 7, 2013 11:21 a.m.

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Battery replacement has been touted as a fear of owning a prius for many years now, however as the oldest prius's have turned well over 10 years old it appears to be as false as the gun grabbers saying if law abiding citizens are allowed to carry concealed weapons it would be like the wild west again. Sometimes false information continues to be regurgitated no matter the preponderance of evidence. The only exception is that if a prius is run with out fuel and the batteries are completely drained the batteries can be ruined, however this is the users fault not a product failure.

68_dodge_polara
February 7, 2013 10:41 a.m.

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"Prius? Best value for 5 years? OK, at 7 years the batteries need to be replaced."

No, they don't. Even if they did, the batteries are warranted for a minimum of 8 years (up to 10 in some states), so it wouldn't cost the owner anyway.

baracus
February 7, 2013 9:11 a.m.

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