Begging your Service Manager is the Way to Get a Cheaper Replacement Prius Battery

Al Hodges from El Cajon, CA has owned his Toyota Prius since it was new in January of 2001. He takes great care of it, it has never had a serious problem and is quite reliable.

"However, a few weeks ago, my dash lit up like a Christmas tree."

The message from the owner's manual was clear, go see the Toyota Dealer. The service manager made it very clear that Hodges needed a new high-voltage battery. While the manufacturer does warranty these units for 8 to 10 years depending on the state you reside, they are only designed to last the life of the vehicle. Hodges got almost 12 years out of his battery pack, which is close to the 15 year average life of a car on American roads.

When the service manager quoted him $4,400 for a battery, cables, taxes and labor he walked out. After the 83-year-old Prius owner decided that he would not be doing the repair himself and that their were no alternatives he went back to the dealership. Swallowing his pride he "begged the service manager on bended knee to sharpen his pencil.""

A revised quote came in at a much more digestible $2,931. The dealer was willing to trim their profit margins to make this repair more afforadble. So if your battery pack goes out, or you have some other major issue, ask for a lower price!!

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