So last week, I took my car (2005 Prius) to the shop (Mike Smith Toyota) for standard maintenance. Just a standard oil change, and I had to ask them about a error that I've been getting for the past month (which, since my visit there, has gone away). I arrived there on what looked like a pretty inactive day; only one car in their two workshops. I figured I would be in and out in an hour or so. I told the person what my error was, and what conditions it was under at the time. I had to repeat myself. They wrote it down and gave it to the technician.

....I waited 3 and a half hours.

They come back to me saying that the error was because of low voltage in the 12v battery. They told me they ran a voltage test, and that there was no voltage. They then ran a test on the battery's individual cells and that one of the cells was completely dead. How much to replace? $250...

I tell them that I would have to think about it. They then tell me that I had to have it replaced, or else I would be stranded, if I could even start the car. I tell them that I'll take my chances. They give me a number for a towing company, and I leave.

I noticed that my LCD screen in my center panel was off. Figured they turned it off, so I simply try to turn it back on..... it was already on.... just displaying a blank screen, where it should be displaying engine and battery status. I called them back and had to return. They fixed it. I leave again.

I go to a friends house. I come back home at night. Lights looked a bit weird, but I figured that it was just my imagination. I get in the house, look at my sticker on my windshield. They didn't change it. I go inside and check my bill to see if they actually documented an oil change. It did. I also see $1000 worth of other parts they they documented as in urgent need of replacement. Such parts included my battery, a belt, a water pump that was leaking (haven't noticed any signs of anything leaking).

Few days later, after being busy for the rest of the week and having to do some research on the battery, to see how much it was, I find that the battery is a special kind of battery, but usually goes for around $130 at Toyota shops. I decide to check some things out for myself. I check the battery, using the car's built in (and slightly hidden) diagnostic mode.

The battery was perfectly fine.[/i]

I then decide to check my oil to see if they did change it. Looked pretty fresh, thankfully. Unfortunately, they don't put level information on the dipstick itself. Didn't check the belt or the pump because of their location.

Anyway, I've been contemplating over what to do... then, finally, it happened tonight. I got home, decided to check my lights, because its been bugging me to death. I look... and the driver's side light was dead. So I've been driving on a dead light for a week... which happened to die the same day that I took it to the shop? And my battery is dead. Among about 6 other things. :psyduck::carl:

Oh, also, I checked through my records. The recorded brakepad measurements between this month's and last have almost doubled.

What the ****?

Note to self: Still don't get a Prius

It's early so I might not be comprehending this right, did your battery die or not? Want to charging $250 for a $130 part doesnt surprise me, if that including labor. I'm sure they would bill you for a full hour even if it only takes 15 min. Is the other stuff they flagged for replacement simply part of Toyota's mileage based preventative maintenance program?

Can you have a chat with Mike Smith?

I thought this was about the drummer Mike Smith from suffocation..

This thread fails to deliver.



On a more related note this is interesting because I have been considering buying a Prius due to Americas bull**** gouging gas prices.

So essentially you paid someone to do what you could have done yourself with a trip to wherever they sell car batteries over there and a $30 bottle of engine oil?

You took a bill for $1000 without even looking at it?

If you want to buy a Prius, or any other car that depends upon fuel economy as a marketing gimmick, wait until fuel prices fall again. Now would be a good time to get a deal on a "gas guzzler".



It wasn't written well but I think that was an estimate of recommended service. Could be wrong on that, though.

Yeah but then when everyone gets comfy with cheap gas they'll raise it to $5 a gallon thinking everyone forgot about when it was $4. Then ill be screwed. I'd rather just get a car that does 35-40 MPG and never have to worry about astronomical gas prices again.

Trust me I'd LOVE a new F-250.

It's really not ALL the car, its the way you drive it. Watch that top gear clip where the M3 gets better gas mileage than the prius.

If I drive my car like a sane person, I get at least 32 MPG. If I slam the accelerator each time it's about 20

I drive pretty normally, the car I use now is just a gas hog.

Everyone thinks they are the best driver ever. Fact.

How sad that it wasnt about some obscure drummer from some band nobody but you has heard of. :saddowns:

My point is don't pay the premium that they charge for economical cars when fuel prices are high. Buy one but do it when the price of fuel is relatively low.

If had the money for 'em right now I'd get a motorcycle and a truck. They'd offset each other great in the mpg zone

The real question is, will the premium you pay for a super economical car actually offset how much less you'll pay in fuel over the lifetime of the vehicle?

I can get upwards of 30 MPG in my Mustang if I drive it like an old man. Of course that's no fun.

No, those were estimates for the other replacement parts that they didn't tell me about, which I apparently declined when I declined the battery replacement. They only charged me $30 for the oil change. And I would have changed the oil myself, except for one, they don't have any of the oil fill information on the stick, and I was getting an error on start up.

And no, the battery isn't dead. They told me it was and tried to convince me to get it replaced.

the better question is, what mpg do you get tearing it up?

Heh I wish I got that in my mustang.

It's a pretty good car. Mine's at 180,000 miles. They're pretty pricey, even used, but if you're lucky, you can find one that's being sold for under the going price, with nothing wrong with it (which was my case). Just have to make sure that the hybrid battery is in decent shape, as well as the 12v. The hybrid battery can be checked just by taking it for a spin, to see how well it drains and recharges itself. The 12v's status can be checked using the car's debug menu.

If you have maintenance done by other people, they can try to gouge you, so you have to keep an eye on them. And doing maintenance yourself doesn't look to be that easy... then again, I'm used to older Fords and Chevies, and haven't even tried with this one...

Sometimes I miss my 73 Ford. ._.

Also: this is me making a jerkoff motion while rolling my eyes.

The 5.0 gets pretty damn good mileage for a V8. The mileage difference between it and my old Fusion is barely noticeable.

My grandfather still wishes he had his old Honda Civic (from the 80's). It never got less than 40 miles per gallon, and would get 56mpg on long trips.

In short, no. That's why I am advocating not paying a premium for one.

With the work I have done to mine I get about 10-12

Update: I did some research and have decided to replace the battery. The water pump will most likely need replacement, after I noticed that my coolant overflow was empty. That's $1000.... if I went their route.

According to their documents:
Water pump: $400
Coolant: $35/gal
12v battery: $250
belt: $80

According to my research:
AISIN water pump (same manufacturer that Toyota uses): $62
Coolant (same formula): $15
Optima 12v battery with Prius conversion kit: $180
belt: $12

herp dee doo

Finding the parts yourself is always the best route. Local shop here wanted to charge me $120 for a friggen vehicle speed sensor. Told them to stick it and got mine for $40. Markups are ridiculous.

What do they charge for the manhours over that?

yeah, there is almost no reason that a battery should ever cost over 200$

dont know if you have a sams club or costco membership, but it would be worth checking those places out for the battery. if they carry it and have an auto center usually they will install it for free.

I think you should have titled this thread "I want to kill Mike Smith"

I'm pretty sure he's not talking about the typical battery like on normal cars, but the batteries like in those hybrids/electric cars that store power for the electric motor.

Well, the Prius (at least 2005 models) has two batteries. There's the hybrid battery, and then theres a 12v car battery. The 12v is pretty much a standard car battery, only with a different casing, to vent any hydrogen gas out of the car. This is because the battery is actually located in the back, in the passenger cab. The Toyota one that they're wanting 250 for lasts about 5 years on average. The Optima battery and kit, however, has an average lifespan of 10.

Also, I checked my car again. I realized why I didn't notice any coolant leaks. It was because I didn't see any of the pink coolant. I didn't notice any pink coolant because they filled it with ****ing wiper fluid, from what it looks like.

I think he was talking about the starting battery, I could be wrong though. If it was the hybrid battery then god help you! That s*** gets expensive.

Protip: diehard gold batteries are great and cheap with the most cold cranking volts you can get without getting into expensive optima batteries. Lifetime warranty too, good stuff.

I didn't see this post the first time I read this thread. This made me laugh pretty hard.

How do you know it's wiper fluid? Is coolant on a Prius any different than the typical green or orange 50/50 antifreezer/water?

Yes, it uses the pink formula.

But, if they filled it with wiper fluid, the car is probably toast.

Yeah, my bad. I wrongly assumed that because of the price of the battery. Hot damn.