Should I consider a trade in? High price Hybrid batteries.
06-01-10, 04:32 PM
#1
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Should I consider a trade in? High price Hybrid batteries.
Hi all, I have an early 06 Rx400h. Just hit 50K. I am concerned by the news of high price hybrid batteries and needing to replace them. Should I be concerned? I remember reading somewhere they were covered for 100k? I am already half way there !
06-01-10, 09:04 PM
#2
Maybe ask this in the hybrid section, but yes, the entire hybrid system is covered to 100000 MILES or 160000 KILOMETRES (or eight years, I believe).
Last time I checked a battery was around 2500-3000 - not chump change by any means but a far cry from the 8000-10000 all the chicken little's were crying about when hybrids first came out.
The inverter, on the other hand, is around 6000-7000. They don't fail often, however, I did have mine replaced under the hybrid warranty around 115000 KM as it was leaking coolant.
Last time I checked a battery was around 2500-3000 - not chump change by any means but a far cry from the 8000-10000 all the chicken little's were crying about when hybrids first came out.
The inverter, on the other hand, is around 6000-7000. They don't fail often, however, I did have mine replaced under the hybrid warranty around 115000 KM as it was leaking coolant.
06-20-10, 09:32 AM
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Going hybrid doesn't make all that much sense from either a monetary or carbon emissions sense. You will never recoup the extra amount of money you paid for the hybrid in fuel savings, and the carbon emissions to manufacture and recycle all those batteries over the life of the car will eat up and CO2 savings you may have made while driving it.
06-20-10, 10:12 AM
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Going hybrid doesn't make all that much sense from either a monetary or carbon emissions sense. You will never recoup the extra amount of money you paid for the hybrid in fuel savings, and the carbon emissions to manufacture and recycle all those batteries over the life of the car will eat up and CO2 savings you may have made while driving it.
07-14-10, 01:54 PM
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Does anyone else have an INVERTER problem on a RX400h? Good to know about the refrence above. I have an 2006 with 99,600 milkes. Inverter was leaking coolant. Dealer replacing under warranty (just under the proverbila wire!), but I was told that it is a $10,000 part. More than a battery pack!
Bill in CT
Bill in CT
08-12-10, 08:10 AM
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The battery packs don't often fail. It's something like less than half of percent and if they are bad, it usually happens prior to 50k miles, a general rule of thumb for all Toyota hybrids.
Ours has paid for itself, given that we do run 20k miles on this thing. But, the maintence savings alone go a long way to recouping the $3000 premium. At 60k some odd miles our brakes still have over 75%, think of what a Lexus brake job costs.
Ours has paid for itself, given that we do run 20k miles on this thing. But, the maintence savings alone go a long way to recouping the $3000 premium. At 60k some odd miles our brakes still have over 75%, think of what a Lexus brake job costs.
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08-12-10, 06:10 PM
#8
I thought about the battery going, too but it has a long warranty. I mentioned it to the service advisor and they said they hadn't come across one failed hybrid battery yet. Since I have nowhere near the 100,000 miles and 8 years I'm going to stop worrying.
08-13-10, 07:36 AM
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San Francisco taxi drivers are providing solid information about the outer reaches of hybrid battery life. At a recent Ford Motor Company event, Paul Gillespie, San Francisco Taxicab Commission president, said some of his city’s Ford Escape hybrid taxis had passed 300,000 miles of use with no problems. He added that they also found brake life to be three times normal due to the regenerative braking system.
Paul Gillespie, president, San Francisco Taxicab Commission
One of the lingering questions about hybrid vehicles is battery life. The batteries that pump up hybrid efficiency are expensive and can’t last forever—but how long will they last? In California and the four other states that follow its strict emissions regimens, hybrid batteries are warranted for 10 years or 150,000 miles, which is presumed to be the life of the vehicle. The other 45 states have an 8-year, 100,000-mile warranty. But many folks drive their vehicles well beyond those limits.
“Only two of our 182 hybrid battery packs have had to be replaced during the years hybrids have been a part of the city’s taxi fleets,” Gillespie said. “One was replaced under warranty and the other was driver error.” The taxis in the city average 90,000 miles a year.
Paul Gillespie, president, San Francisco Taxicab Commission
One of the lingering questions about hybrid vehicles is battery life. The batteries that pump up hybrid efficiency are expensive and can’t last forever—but how long will they last? In California and the four other states that follow its strict emissions regimens, hybrid batteries are warranted for 10 years or 150,000 miles, which is presumed to be the life of the vehicle. The other 45 states have an 8-year, 100,000-mile warranty. But many folks drive their vehicles well beyond those limits.
“Only two of our 182 hybrid battery packs have had to be replaced during the years hybrids have been a part of the city’s taxi fleets,” Gillespie said. “One was replaced under warranty and the other was driver error.” The taxis in the city average 90,000 miles a year.
08-15-10, 06:40 PM
#10
Oh dear I feel like a hypocrite! I truly believe the batteries will last, but I had a 2010 RX 350 loaner the other day and loved how it drove and rode. We received a sales event letter and my husband urged me to go and buy one. I test drove the 450h and it felt like my car. Sorry I'm trading in my 400h. It wasn't an expensive experiment though as I lost $30,000.
08-17-10, 10:54 AM
#11
Oh dear I feel like a hypocrite! I truly believe the batteries will last, but I had a 2010 RX 350 loaner the other day and loved how it drove and rode. We received a sales event letter and my husband urged me to go and buy one. I test drove the 450h and it felt like my car. Sorry I'm trading in my 400h. It wasn't an expensive experiment though as I lost $30,000.
08-17-10, 05:32 PM
#12
I waited 16 months for the car and had to pay list price. At that time the 400h came fully loaded (which I would have opted for) had the ipod connector installed as well, new tires, new brakes, etc. But the dealer is only giving me $21000 for it (47,000 miles). Since I'm picking up the new RX in a couple of days I don't have time to sell it independently.
08-19-10, 03:33 PM
#13
I waited 16 months for the car and had to pay list price. At that time the 400h came fully loaded (which I would have opted for) had the ipod connector installed as well, new tires, new brakes, etc. But the dealer is only giving me $21000 for it (47,000 miles). Since I'm picking up the new RX in a couple of days I don't have time to sell it independently.
those bastards..
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