Their are many reports of Prius going up to 340K miles with no battery failures. Even when they do fail it's usually one or two slightly weak cell-packs that need to be replace.

You should look up the Camry Hybrid sales for the last so many years and compare that to the few here in the forms that come here to complain about their traction batter failure. I only know of a couple that failed between 10K and 12K. I read were one bought a replacement on Ebay for $500. I think I would trust a re-builder rather then buy a used one.

You don't have to pay Toyota to install a traction battery. I'm sure they are lots of auto shops that would replace one for half the labor or less than what toyota is quoting. I would think any auto shop could buy the battery from toyota and do the install for you. They don't necessarily have to charge the full retail price which help lower the price.

Look like the more hybrids they are on the road, the more the traction battery rebuilders would lower their prices to bring in more business.

You mention your '92 Camry LE being low maintenance. I figured the mpg on it vs the new '13 TCH XLE you bought which is the same as mine.

I used the gov site to get the mpg.
1993 Camry LE = 20 mpg combined. 4-cyl 1 got mpg better vs the V6 at 19 mpg.
I used 20 mpg at 15K miles per year = 750 gals per year.
750 at lets say $3 per gal = $2250 year gas bill.
That amounts to $22500 for gas for 10 years driving..

Lets say the new 2013 TCH gets 38 mpg combined.
at 38 mpg and 15K per year = 394.7 gal per year.
at $3.39 per gal (recent prices) 394.7 gal yr = $1338
$1338 per year x 10 yr = $13380 for 10 years of gas for the TCH.

93 Camry LE $22500 for 10 yr

'13 TCH........$13380 for 10 yr

difference......$9120 saved driving the TCH for 10 yr.

You might check my math. I cheated from a guys test paper that sat in front of me in Jr and High school. The dude made A+ grades and breezed though school. You might know he became a popular doctor in the same city and I ended up having to work for a living.

 

In March I went to a dealer auction & bought a 2012 Prius v with 9800 miles.

I bought it to replace my wife's 2007 TCH with 142,500 miles, which had performed almost flawlessly- only had to replace brake pads cuz the rotors were dragging a/c not being used very much & the slide pins froze.

So.... she finally gives up driving her beloved TCH in April and the car sits for about 5 weeks. I told her to drive it around a bit every couple of weeks - the next time she drove it, she said the "Check VSC" light came on.... I googled it & found it was happening to other owners, so no worry, I'll just take it in....

Well, in July I went to take it in & all the trouble lights on the dash lit up... including "check hybrid system".....

I took it to the local Toyota dealer & he calls me later & the Service Manager says the Hi-Voltage battery is defective & must be replaced.... cost $3500 + 450 labor... then he says it is covered by warranty!!!

The hybrid battery in the TCH has a warranty for 8 years / 100,000 miles, and if you bought and registered the car in CA, NY, NJ, MA, CT, RI, PA or ME (the states with California-standard emissions laws), the warranty is automatically extended to 10 years / 150,000 miles.


He said he has only seen a half dozen TCH Hi-Voltage batteries go bad.....

I tell him to fix it & he calls later & says the Rack & Pinion must be replaced but it is covered by recall warranty....

Then he said the "check engine light" was caused by a defective gas cap... I said put a new one one on.... cost was $65.00.

He then says the water pump was leaking.... cost $382.00- I said replace it.

I also had them install new spark plugs- the original ones lasted 142K miles....

2 days later - I just picked the car up & it runs like new, just as quiet & smooth as the day I bought it in 2006.

Total saved by warranty at 142,500 miles..... $4925

My Total bill from dealer for water pump, plugs, gas cap & oil change $693

The wife has now decided to keep both the TCH & Prius v......

 

Thanks guys - that was helpful and truthful.

The savings if all goes normal ( no major costly surprises ) will eventually come to be.

 

Just a cautionary note: it may be a good idea to make sure the HV battery on the infrequently used car is at the maximum/high charge level when turned off so the battery doesn't die prematurely, after sitting at low charge for several weeks and such ...

Also, I would put the 12V on the infrequently used car on a trickle charger compatible with AGM type batteries.

 

That's a great idea, I think the failure of the original HV battery was hastened by the TCH sitting around for a month or so....

Other owners of older TCH's should note this & take 'em for a ride every week or so to charge both battery systems.