I have been thinking about hybrids, and one thing I have been told is that if the batteries ever go, it can cost $10,000 to replace them (meaning throw the car away). 1. Is that good info, and 2. Does anyone have a sense of the longevity of the batteries, or is it just too early to tell?

The Prius HSD is under warranty for 10 years. Honda & Ford have eight or 10 year warranties. If the battery fails before then, well, it's under warranty. I don't plan on keeping my car more than 10 years.

I sometimes keep a car longer (current Volvo is 1995, bought in 1996), but ten years is ample.

Your information is way out of date. List price for a new battery on the '04-06 Prius is about $2,900 (I don't recall exact amount, but it's under $3k), plus an hour or so of labor to install it.

However, Toyota expects the battery to last the lifetime of the car, and there's no evidence yet that they're wrong. The Prius was first introduced in Japan in fall 1997, so if there were a pattern of battery failure we'd have heard about it by now.

And you can be ****ed sure, if they put a 10 year warranty on it, it'll last 10 years. Operations research, and stuff.

I was walking across the parking lot in September weighing the $27k cost of a new Prius versus $27k for a new Ford Escape. Then I realized that the only people who told me about the 'horrible battery expense' had been wrong about:

• hydrogen cars
• Iraq
• GW Bush
• Taxes
• Race
• Religion

Considering the source, they had to be wrong about hybrid batteries.

Within two weeks, I found and bought a 2003 Prius with 49,300 miles on Ebay for $1,000 below Blue Book value. Later, I learned that the Prius battery is kept between 50% and 80% of charge which means it is going to out last the warrantee by a whole bunch.

So let me suggest you check out the thread "Fleet performance data" under the "Model Comparisons" and see what happens to high mileage vehicles. The Dept. of Energy sold two Prius with over 160 k miles and they were still getting excellent MPG. The batteries had lost some capacity but it didn't impact the mpg. The Honda Civic batteries had even higher battery capacity remaining. At least then you'll have some facts and data.

Now let me tell you the discouraging news: achieving high mileage in a hybrid requires a different approach to driving (at least today.) Depending upon the hybrid you choose, you will need to figure out how to get the maximum MPG. It all depends upon which type of hybrid you choose.

The good news is GreenHybrid.com is the place to find folks who have figured this out. Take a look at the mileage database, "Compare" tab and you'll see some drivers are getting great performance. Some of them 'hang out' here and are willing to share their expertise.

So whatever you choose to do, GOOD LUCK!

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

Speaking of comparisons, I checked out the website fueleconomy.gov.. For some cars there are two are even three numbers given for emissions without an explanation of why there are multiples. For a recent model Volvo V70, for example, the numbers were 6, 7, and 9.5(!). Do you know why they give more than one figure?

"I was walking across the parking lot in September weighing the $27k cost of a new Prius versus $27k for a new Ford Escape. Then I realized that the only people who told me about the 'horrible battery expense' had been wrong about:

• hydrogen cars
• Iraq
• GW Bush
• Taxes
• Race
• Religion"

LOL!! This is so true. The more I think about it the more I realize it happens to me too.

10 Grand? Try closer to 2 grand and even then I've read $1,100 in parts with labor at the going rate...

Not sure on the emissions thing. I do know different engines have different ratings...even the same 4-cyl can be changed to be cleaner. Seems there are CA versions (low-emission) and then the rest of the country gets polluters. Depends on sulfur content of the available gasoline, too.

'04 Seaside Pearl #7. Fumoto oil drain, mudflaps, rear bumper scuff protector & rear warn system, compass mirror, EV mode button, 8" subwoofer in right rear cubby & 6" subs under seats, power lumbar in the front seats, Coastaletech hitch w/ Aspen bike/snowboard rack. iPod2car, 2 amps, Alpine component speakers, and DVD video, solid 47 MPG @ 70000 miles.