I met our famous TH-camr yesterday and I just wanna say, he went out his way sat down with me and discussed what I should do with my car as for maintenance wise and what the issue was. Man I kid you not never had a mechanic like him do this, felt like I was in great hands which I was! Best mechanic out here !!!
@@TheCarCareNutcan't wait to have time to drive down myself in my new Corolla! Full Time Uber driver and such, so it's going to see heavy use and I need it taken care of!! Already has 16k. I'll swing by after my 25kmi free services are up! Should note, from downers Grove! So you're practically down the road 😅
I don't have the car, I dont have a hybrid, I had no reason to watch this. But watching a calm, careful, thoughtful mechanic at work is interesting and rewarding to see a lot more how stuff works. So I watched it 👍
AMD, I am a airline Lead aircraft mechanic with 51 years of experience, but let me tell you that I am so impressed with your knowledge. I watch all of your videos just so that I can keep on learning. On top of that, you’re a great, and honest man. Would love to meet you one day. Take car my friend.
Been in the industry for 42 years and had the same conversation with many customers. If your vehicle is safe and in sound condition it’s better to repair the vehicle you know than to replace it with a vehicle you don’t know. Well done sir. 😊
Given the bubble that both the used and new car markets are in, I think the owner made a great choice. Finding a reliable used car for $6000.00 in today’s market would be next to impossible IMO.
Such a cheerful man ! Doing a very tricky and painstaking task just to remove a battery! Then put it all back together again! A marvel of engineering and a marvel of a mechanic!
I am an HR Professional from Bangladesh and on my third Toyota now. I am down with COVID-19 and have been watching our videos while being isolated. This channel is absolutely amazing and your videos are very helpful for a car nut (with OCD) like me. :)
It must be worth it since you just did this job. Thank you for making these long form videos and not skipping over parts of work like so many other youTuber's do. Your videos are like master classes and we all appreciate your knowledge and honesty. I wish I could find a mechanic like you in my area, very few and far between! Also, yes it's worth doing especially knowing that you did the job makes it a definite no brainer. The owner can sleep good knowing the job was done right.
The last part of your comment is key. It’s so hard to let people work on your car when there are so many crooked or incompetent mechanics in the industry.
"I wish I could find a mechanic like you in my area". From your lips to God's ears. I'm 2,000 miles away. Would happily pay top dollar for this kind of service.
My original 07 Camry hybrid had the original battery go at 136k miles almost 2yrs ago. Replaced with a GreenTec 48 month & unlimited mileage non-prorated warranty for about $2700 installed at my house taking 45mins start to finish. It’s been bullet proof since.
Battery still holding up ?? Looking for an option, a lot of the hybrid battery companies have bad reviews. Let me know how it's doing a thumbs up works ??? And how long all together have you had this battery in 🤔
@robertsiwicki4597 Thanks for the response. Green tech isn't close to where I live in Indy but I'm still on the hunt. Alot of hybrid companies but man the reviews 🤦🏾♂️ replace a battery lights come on few months later spend 400 at a shop to please the warranty come out replace the battery and happens again 🤦🏾♂️ anyway thanks for your response 👍
You have an excellent relationship with your customers. Honesty is so important in this industry. Love your channel. Being a mechanic myself, you answer many questions I have on different vehicles.
I have only just started watching this video and already I’m impressed by this man’s skill and care in dismantling all the trim etc. to access the battery. Too often you see people shoving, twisting and generally trying to wreck the attachments which are effective but fragile, it makes me cringe and just hope that if ever I have to get my car worked on like this it is by someone like him, well done and keep up the good work !
Great video. The reasoning in keeping the car and spending $6k to fix it makes a lot of sense for the owner and their situation. The real life cases are great lessons.
Just seeing how much work is involved in removing the back seats, along with keeping track of the nuts and bolts, should convey to any car owner that your mechanic is not ripping you off. This is real, knowledgeable work being performed.
I am generally a "better the devil you know" kind of person when it comes to used cars, because when something new goes wrong I already know what it is not.
@@bayposYou just have to be mindful of what you are buying and what to look for. If it has a lot of mods or if that model ofcar that is frequently hot rodded, stay away.
It was good to see a professional Hybrid battery swap, done by someone who cares about doing the job right. Thank you for this. On a related note, we bought a 2005 Hyundai Sonata in 2014. We average 8k miles a year on it. I recently inherited $5000, nowhere near enough to buy a decent used car, and the Sonata had only lost a ball joint in the 8 years we'd had it. I spent 3800 of that inheritance getting it highway worthy, with a new radiator, alternator, timing belt, and a few other minor but important things. No regrets, even though we've spent more than we could sell it for. I know it'll give us another 5 to 10 years, and that gives us time to save enough money to buy something newer down the road.
@@lcole7501quite possibly but we have no idea really, bcuz it's Hyundai, not toyota or honda. No comparison really at all, and Hyundai after around '10 also had premature engine failures, ie under 150K or so. I'm not impressed w/ the koreans myself, so far. They're getting there to top flight, but not quite yet.
Smart play not confusing the retail value of your vehicle with its replacement cost, which is far higher. The repair cost almost surely made sense given the current replacement costs
A dealership offered us $10k for our 2009 Sonata in trade-in. We kept it as we traded our Highlander for a Lexus RX. Used cars are completely worth it.
I just love the way he goes through the process I hope folks can use the info he gives because I honestly wish I had some of this when I was first getting started in automotive
I made a similar decision with my 2009 Camry. Put a little money into it and gave it to my daughter to drive because she and her husband only had one drivable car. Still drives well and gets about 29 mpg on freeway.
@@martyc2637 Yes, I was doing well to get 21 mpg in town with the Camry. I was surprised how well my Avalon hybrid did in city traffic jams. Regenerative braking essentially kept my battery charged.
@@martyc2637 Well the Avalon’s warranty on the battery is 10 years or 150,000 miles. After 4 years, I have only driven 31,000 miles. The gas savings I will have by 10 years at $3.5-4.5 per gallon should be more than enough to pay for a new metal hydride battery. Many people get 200,000 miles on these batteries. They don’t usually just fail, like all batteries they degrade in how much charge capacity they have. So if it degrades to 75%, it is still drivable but you might lose some efficiency.
Another fantastic piece of work here AMD! Enjoyed this thoroughly and wow I wish my 2009 Corolla with 292,000 miles on it only had 140,000 miles. Given the good condition of that car otherwise and assuming the transmissions been serviced well think they made a cogent decision especially given today’s market. their daughter will have a great car through her college years and for some years after that with this one. Anxious to see the updates on the LS!
When I am looking at used cars, my main 2 questions are condition and history (maintenance and major repairs needed). The owners knew their car well and far better than any new-to-them used car. It’s always hard to double down for major repairs, but as you said, they knew the care was otherwise in very good condition so seems like repair is a very good investment for their daughter. Also, if it’s a familiar car for her, she’ll likely be more secure driving it too.
Thorough, clear, concise, respectful, kind and considerate. Many of the several reasons I continue to watch these videos and this channel. From a Toyota hybrid owner who does all of his own repairs when possible, thank you. There is not a money value that could be put, on the skills that I have learned for repairing my own vehicle and being able to be there for my family with a running car.
Interesting to watch, I've had my 1st generation prius nimh battery in and out of the car a couple times and it's definitely less complicated than this one. Sure wish i had a shop like this near me.
Great video. Thanks for the detailed procedure. The only comment I had was when you had the back seat out and you could see the floor pan, I would have vacuumed the trash out so that it was clean underneath. Your videos are perfect. Thanks for the ‘thought process’ discussion too.
I appreciate the "story lines" you insert giving some background into your videos. I have come to crossroads in making decisions about repair or sell too. At times weighing value of car. Our family loves Toyota/Lexus, currently have 4 in our household, with 2009 being the newest.
This man is a true master at his profession. Every video shares so much substantive knowledge about the details of the numerous pieces that comprise a vehicle.
Great video! I think they had good decision making on this one. Hard to find anything that isn't a pile for $5k in the current market. Sometimes you just gotta stick with the devil you know v. the devil you don't.
@@mke6489 There's no mention of slipping or seizing of the transmission because it's a Toyota eCVT; there's nothing in there to slip or sieze. If you replace the fluid once every blue moon or so, it'll outlast the frame of the car, so there is no "next big cost". There's a reason you can find Toyota Hybrids out there puttering around with over 1 million miles on them.
When you described the owner looking at used cars of this same vintage and trying to find something equivalent to purchase for their daughter, and finding that everything they looked at was in way worse shape than their own car which they have owned and maintained since new, I completely relate to that as I have tried to find used cars equivalent to my own car and I have had the exact same experience, everything I found was in way worse condition than my old car. So it makes perfect sense to repair their car and keep it!
As an owner of a19 Highlander hybrid. 5800 plus labor. Is still less expensive than a new one. And if taken car of and not abused should last at least another 100,000 miles. Good luck to this customer. And God Bless you all. Happy Holidays
Wow! Great video! Very detailed and straight to the point. I've always wanted to see how much work that goes into a hybrid battery. Who knows, maybe someday I will own a hybrid car. Now I have your video to go through the step by step process. Thanks! Yes it was a good decision to keep the car and restore it. Because it's a Toyota in good condition.
Yes, my issue also. I think the trick there, is keep it for a while, then sell it a few years before the battery needs to be replaced... else, there goes all your savings. Another alternative, just keep your ICE car. We have a 17 highlander with 38k miles... runs great, we keep up with recommended maintenance. So, the only battery to replace is the 12 volt for probably less than $100.
One of my former jobs was for a contract manufacturer in the cables dept. Zip ties are used on wiring harness to keep them organized. Bonus is it gives a "clean" look on a 30 wire harness for a fighter jets radar detector equipment
I had a refurbished hybrid battery replaced in my 2006 Prius in April, 2022. The installer came to my house and replaced the battery as I watched. It was more of a plug and play job; I don't recall any components being transferred from the old to the new battery. The whole job was done in under an hour. So far the battery has been great. I'm definitely getting better mpgs now.
@@veganwallyThe going rate on a refurb currently is around $1200-1400 parts and labor for a 2nd gen Prius. You could have a new lithium battery put in for around $2500.
They are generally using known good computers, relays, etc that they test as they swap and fiddle with the cells. Far less labor to swap the whole box and don't risk not connecting something. They'll reuse your parts on someone else's car.
I just replaced mine today for my Camry hybrid 2008. The check hybrid system light no longer comes on and the car doesn't turn off on me anymore. I bought the car at 140k miles for $4500 salvaged on 2019 The hybrid battery they took out I believe was original. It's currently at 193k miles Hope it lasts me another 4 years at least It cost $800 for the battery after a $200 discount and labor was like $1000
This is why I subscribe, AMD. For your thoughtful method of “let’s do this once and do it the right way.” I have the impression that you treat each of your customers’ cars just like you treat your own. I like that about you. Thank you.
Looks like a clean Toyota Camry. Totally worth it. Granted, I think the car market is going to tank, but if you needed something NOW, then excellent choice. We love our 3rd gen Toyota Prius Plug In Hybrid. Toyota makes great cars if you take care of them. Car Care Nut set you up well with a working, reliable vehicle. Hope your daughter does well at school! :)
I replaced the battery in my 2010 Camry 2.5 years ago with one from Best Hybrid Battery near Chicago for $1600 and six hours of work. 40k+ miles further, I am very happy. Their packing was poor and UPS damaged it - I was able to straighten the tinware and they gave me $95 credit. This is obviously not for everyone. I did not take anywhere near the amount of stuff you took out from the inside of the car as it was totally unnecessary. However, it is nice to see how the third brake light is replaced. I also take exception with the "High Voltage" reference. True the intact battery produces >200 Volts. Pull the orange plug, which splits the batteries approx 40/60 and the terminals are dead. This is a very clever design - thanks Toyota. Replacing this battery was very easy for the DIYer.
That was very involved and educational. As an owner of a 2012 Camry Hybrid (137,000 miles), I found this very applicable. We have not experienced any battery problems; our Camry is very clean inside and out with no rust (rather amazing since we live in Rockford). We love this car which has gotten recommended dealer maintenance since new. May replace it with another Camry Hybrid in the future. I really appreciate your candid opinion on Toyotas. You have a lot of creditability with me and I always learn something new from your videos.
Have a 2012 Hybrid with 196k and is by far the best car we have ever owned .But like in the video you can't park it for extended periods. Car battery will die. All the systems have warning lights etc.
This guy is one of the most honest helpful mechanics ive ever watched, i own a Toyota rav4 2.2 diesel and i have saved hundreds pounds doing jobs myself after watching the way to do the job with this guy , he is brilliant there is no other word for him, if you own a Toyota you should definitely subscribe .
Dec 2023 This guy just might not be rplaceable is the general concern. Kids now days don't want to spend their time learning auto repair. Much better to stay home in the basement and earn a living by participating via Zoom meeting and performing a task for your employer via the internet on your home office computer. No commenting to work or nice business attire needed.
The cost of your next best alternative is much more important than Blue Book values. New cars could never be sold if the car's value had to equal what you paid given that they immediately depreciate when purchased.
Definitely the right decision for what the owners want for this car. I own a 2020 Camry in the UK and love it as a great economical, reliable, comfortable and quality car. Buying from new and main dealer servicing keeps it perfect for me. I would also consider replacing the battery after it wears out in future as this Camry is such a good car. Great video by the way.
As the owner of a 2017 camry hybrid with 27,500 kms. , I have to say that was extremely informative, entertaining, and well done. thank you sir, much respect !!
Excluding collision damage, I never consider the value of the car when deciding to make a repair, I consider how many more miles/years that repair will get me. I kept my 1987 Suburban for 31 years and I think the last set of tires I bought for it cost more than the book value, but I got 6 years additional use out of the vehicle by spending that money. Second, a question, how do you feel about DIY mechanics with above average skills rebuilding their own battery? A co-worker did that for his wife's Prius. He bought all new individual cells and installed them himself. Took most of a Saturday but a LOT cheaper than buying a new or rebuilt battery.
We use the same evaluation on our cars, is the repair cost divided by the life left on the car less then car payments? If so we opt to repair. That being said at some point it does not make sense to repair.
@@tomschmidt381 I don't do that much calculating. Basically I look at just the sales tax on a new car, and if the repair is less than that, it gets fixed. But to be honest the most expensive repair I have ever done was a transmission in my wife's Mountaineer and that was $2,100.
Thanks for the detailed view on replacing the hybrid battery. Your videos are always informative and well done! As for the question on fixing this car, Yes! Given how expensive new cars are, and the unknown of buying something used, if you know the history of your own and it is in good shape otherwise, then I'd always opt to fix if the car still serves your needs.
I agree with the owner's analysis. The basic question is what is your expected future cost of transportation with the repaired vehicle versus any other alternatives. They should get another 100K miles for the $5800 bucks (plus the cost of wear parts and maintenance). That's 5.8 cents per mile for the car itself. A new Camry hybrid costing $30K would have to go over 500K miles to equal that cost per mile. Good call!
Well… you didn’t account for anything else that’s likely to break on a high mileage car, including engine, cooling, exhaust, suspension, steering and HVAC components. A new car would have none of those costs. A head gasket repair alone will set you back another $2k easily. 130k miles doesn’t sound like much to most Toyota owners, but this is a big city car. It’s a Chicago car. That means many times more wear and tear, per mile, than the average. This car is over 15 years old, so major corrosion issues. Things like engine mounts, steering rack, door mounts, seat mounts, interior panels, gear shifter, switches, etc will all have much more wear because this car makes a lot more trips to get to its 130k mileage. An average trip for this car is likely around 10 miles. So those components see a lot more use. An average big city car starts seeing lots of problems around 100-125k miles, even a Toyota. That means the ACTUAL cost per mile on that Camry is likely to be 4-5 times higher than 5.8 cents/mile.
you're assuming they'll have no other problems in the next 100,000 miles. Also they could buy a 2008 non-hybrid camry with 100k miles for $7,000 and never worry about the battery again.
My first take away is to buy the a car with a great Consumer Reports track record, namely a Toyota Camry Hybrid. From day 1 plan to keep the car 20-yrs and start figuring $700 a year for an an eventual $7,000 cost paid for by using less fuel over the 10-yrs. Buy $700 a year worth of govt t-bills managed in a bank saving account and that with be the well you dip into to finance the battery swap out.
The same year (2008) that this car was bought new, we bought a Lexus ES350, which is basically a luxury Camry. I looked at the price difference to buy the Hybrid version, looked at the mileage difference, and calculated the cost savings (based on gas prices at that time). I also considered depreciation and potential future replacement costs. My conclusion was that considering the time value of money I could never recoup my purchase cost, and we drive our cars a very long time like this customer. There are many reasons to buy an EV or Hybrid, but I am strictly an economic analysis guy. So far I have not concluded that either EV’s or Hybrids are a good value. (Disclosure: I am a Mechanical Engineer.)
Your cost analysis is spot on. I also keep my cars a long time, 97 Lexus es300, and only cost is upkeep and gas, insurance. The battery life just is not developed enough for financial reasons.
I would say that holds if you plan on buying new. If you find a well maintained Hybrid you can find them quite reasonable. I was able to find one for less money than what this Camry's battery pack and labour cost and our 2008 Lexus 400h has over 330,000km.now - battery is still in very good shape. Overall more efficient than the regular RX350 and quite a bit faster. New in 2008 it was over $60,000. here in Canada. People who want to buy a hybrid car new are either very rich and don't care about money or they are really, really stupid.
As an electrical engineer with advanced degrees in engineering and business administration, I wouldn't buy an EV or a hybrid, not only for economic reasons, but I also have concerns about being bathed in 10 KW of non-ionized electromagnetic radiation. Prostate, kidney, pancreatic, liver cancers, as well neurological diseases such as Parkinson's and ALS are all concerns. No one even measures or states the amounts of radiation that are bouncing around inside the vehicle. There needs to MuMetal shielding installed all around the emission areas, measurements taken, studies made on acceptable levels of radiation by NGOs, and regulations put in place. But, I guess there will always be pools of unwitting guinea pig, early adopters available in any new technology.
Great job Master. Such a wonderful person! The only thing I noticed is the underseat was not vacuum. I know its not your job but takes seconds to remove it. 👍👍👍
I have 233,000 miles on my 2006 Lexus RX400H hybrid. The car is mint inside and out. Original battery too that gives me 30+mpg around town. If my battery goes out I would replace the battery and get it to Chicago for the swap. Love how clean your shop is too.
Fantastic video I learned a lot. You did say you were super busy at the shop so thank you for taking the extra time to video this process and share it with us. Take care.
I can see the logic for the repair decision. Personally I would try and move my cars on before they get to this age. I guess it all depends on how much money you have and/or want to spend on cars. Good video, thank you.
I’ve noticed a familiar pattern with videos like this. Mechanics just tossing screws and bolts to the side instead of putting them back where they came from. I sometimes will place them in ziplock bags and tape them to whatever part I remove also. But they never end up in a mixed pile 😂
My 2012 Gen3 Prius made it 250,000 miles on the factory battery. A brand new Toyota battery was $2000 (with a Toyota warranty) and I am ready to go for another 250,000. The same battery issue will apply to EV's but folks are not talking about that yet.
Yeah, many Prius' original batteries last 300k miles. The trick is not only the mileage, but also the years and how to take care of the battery. For this Camry the battery is 15 - 16 years old. If the car is left sitting there for a long time, close attention should be paid to the SOC of the battery.
Excellent video! I had helped a mechanic friend some years ago replacing 2015 Prius hybrid battery. A little easier with the hatch back but time consuming as we did the long way too. The original battery was heavy too but the replacement cell banks were upgraded and slighly lighter. Took us two days by taking time to remove and replace. Certainly can commend the engineering/safety of the orange plug(s). Just wondering if there was credit given for the return of the old core battery? Owner(s) made the right choice by keeping the car especially the almost good condition. Probably still in good driving condition for another troublefree 10 years or more! Cheers from West Coast Canada!
True. And most people relate, even if they never owned one, the Prius vehicle. But these hundreds of thousands of different types of true hybrid vehicles, expensive ones or not are a whole different ballgame. And EV vehicles. Well, you tell me what it would cost to swap out of a certain type of vehicle. And would it be viable? I think this whole battery thing is going to end up as a disaster of mega proportions for the entire earth! It isn't the answer. Neither is solar power/ nor windmills. Aint going to happen with the world's population, driving these things around all over the planet, unless there are fewer people on the planet. And that is a different topic for another time.
@@luckyguy600What are you talking about? You LITERALLY admitted you have NO idea of what anything might cost, and then immediately made an assumption that it will never work. You truly are a moron.
I have a 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid and had a remanufactured battery installed from a company called Green Bean Battery back in I believe 2020. It has a lifetime replacement warranty which I believe I paid a little extra for, but the car has been running great ever since. The car had around 120,000 miles on it if my memory serves me right. The Camry now has 166,000+ miles on her. I paid right around 1,900 bucks for it and the installer came to my house and took him around 45 minutes to replace it. I don't work for this company but have been happy with my purchase. Hybrids have been out for a long time and there are now other companies who offer alternatives instead of just having a dealership as an only option.
Absolutely the right choice to fix the issues when you know at the end you can run the car safety for another 10 years. They know what they have but you don’t know what you’re going to get till usually it’s too late. Your honesty and integrity is very rare today. They were lucky to have your guidance.
Very rare to find a good, clean and dependable car for $6K. Mostly would just take over someone else’s headaches. My 2022 Prius has a 10 factory replacement warranty on the HV battery.
Not absolutely certain but I think here in the UK if you have your Lexus hybrid dealer serviced, including 'battery health check', it is warrantied for 10 years/150k miles.
Interesting as I learned I will never buy a used hybrid and have to replace a battery. Keep my old 3rd gen ravs & 4th gen 4runners going. Fantastic tutorial! Keep 'em coming! Best channel!
8:00 pm pacific time. First time owner of a 2021 Camry Hybrid LE with 7400 miles and wanted to know how to care for it. So impressed with the mechanic doing the video. I am learning so much and am so glad there are Toyota mechanics out there that I can take my car too for knowledgeable maintenance. Thanks bunches from a Central Oregon fan.
I have watched you fiddle with this battery R & R for the last 30 minutes. Now you are a well trained heavily experienced technician who knows what you are doing. I like simplicity. Even though Toyota engineers designed this battery pack very well, their logical thought pattern is straight forward. However by seeing just how much labour is involved in this procedure is almost equal to removing a cylinder head on a 1979 Chevy pickup small block. I have no fears with removing a head ,but to realize the high voltage risks is what scares me. I don't believe that I will ever own an all electric vehicle. But you have shown me just what's involved. Thanks .
At 140K miles and considering the overall condition of the vehicle and their future intended use of the vehicle, I think they made a good choice. Especially in today's market where car prices are better but still inflated, especially hybrids. For $5,800 they basically have a car that could quite possibly go for another 100K provided maintenance is kept up. I can only recall one customer at the dealer where I worked at that elected not to replace the hybrid battery. He had a 2004 Prius that had close to 370K miles. He already replaced the battery once at 190K. The car was worn and the motor was tired and smoky. He ended up ordering a brand new Prius. 01:44 - not going to judge, but from the condition of the back seat area, that was definitely a family car with little one residing back there. 😂
Yes. The car owner knows the car and it runs fine after these repairs. They probably couldn't find a used car for less than $6000; that will be as reliable.
Yes, this car bought from new and maintained properly and now repaired with this level of care is a definite keeper. We did basically the same thing with a 1999 Camry. Finally traded it after two kids driving for college in 2015.
I always have the fear of hidden costs with second hand cars. Broken or wild stuff the previous owners knew nothing about, or were actually the reason they sold out. This Camry had no hidden cost. I would always opt to keep this one for that small investment.
Hi AMD, thank you for this video. What you describes makes perfect sense. I think the best way to look at this (as you describe) is how much a "new-to-us" used car would cost vs. the repairs for an otherwise good car. We faced a similar problem last year when my daughter's Corolla needed multiple repairs and then decided that it was not worth repairing, especially in light of used car prices being ridiculous at that time and the looming threat of a transmission starting to act up. We therefore bought a new car and gave my daughter my wife's hand-me-down. Clearly, each decision is an individual one, and one key factor is having a mechanic one can trust to help gather and evaluate the facts.
Another key point is that by keeping your "old" car, you know the maintenance history of the car. Buy a used car always has the uncertainty of how long can you will drive without major problems.
I thought the same thing the owner thought. Spending 5800 on this repair is like buying another car for 5800 of this caliber. Good deal. Oh , you also need to find a great service shop like the Car Care Nut.
Absolutely. The car with a bad hybrid battery and brake issue has little value. Maybe $1500 on a good day? Plus they know the history of the car, so they aren't gambling on that.
A great video and also respectful how you communicate with your customer as usual. You set the bar really high and I wish I have you nearby so I do not need to deal with random mechanics or DIY too often. A minor "complaint" is that I saw the pile of debris and junks under the seats but not sure if you did vacuum it before cover all up, I wish you did since you could although not MUST. As for me, I have a Toyota non-hybrid older than this, still runs like first year on MPG except noise ... so I might need think harder on a 2008 before decide shell out $6000. Good day!
Great video. It underlines that if you are truly interested in environmental impact the very best thing to do is not buy a Tesla or some such, but to look after your ICE car and run it until its no longer economically viable. That's the truly 'green' approach.
Awesome video. Very professional. I love how clean your shop is. The man who trained me as a mechanic emphasized how important keeping everything very clean was, and I very much came to understand the importance. It's great to see another shop following the same practices. Thank you for this. Definitely the right decision for this family!
I have a 2013 Lexus ES300H . Made in 2012 . Hybrid battery failed at 122,000 miles. I paid $5,900 total to have it replaced through the Lexus Dealer. Im happy with the car but at the same time I wonder if I did the right thing. Its a beautiful car , smooth, gas efficient, nice audio and super comfortable to drive even for long rides.
There are tons of cars that will set you back more than $5900 if they turn out to need a rebuilt engine, or transmission, and a lot of those will need such expensive work done before they get to 122,000 miles....
@@johnstuartsmithmaybe, but the same car without a hybrid wouldn't need that work and the extra cost of the hybrid probably wasn't recouped in that 122k miles nor will the 5.9k be in future.
@@ln5747I'm thinking about getting a hybrid truck (2014 Tacoma/Land Cruiser) but after watching this video, I'm not sure if it's worth it. Maybe just keep my 4.7L V8 until something better comes out 😂.
AMD, As you have mentioned before, today's continuing low inventory of new Toyotas and CRAZY prices for used Toyotas have altered the financial calculations around major repairs like this. 🤔
The used car bubble for some bizarre reason hasn't yet collapsed. New cars at least have become more sane, but still varies on "normalizing" on getting prices well below MSRP. For the new side, it depends what you're looking for and how many dealerships are around you. From what I see, it sure looks like a Corolla or Camry can be easily attained. Although if I wanted to get a new car and picked Mazda, it looks like I have to go the distance for a great deal. As I'm in San Antonio, some very simple math really doesn't favor getting a hybrid. Especially as Toyota knows they can get people to pay 4.99% APR compared to 3.99% APR currently on non-hybrid Camrys and Corollas; rates surely subject to change. Meantime my 06 Camry with 187,100+ miles somehow gets just over 34 mpg on nearly all highway driving. As will likely remain my commuter even if I found a deal on a next car.
@@davidglad I am in the Province of Ontario where we build approximately 400-450,000 Toyota or Lexus vehicles per year. The dealer closest to me has used Jeeps and miscellaneous brands parked where his new Toyotas ought to be on display. Toyota has the lowest inventory of any mainstream brand while lesser brands have far, far more cars to unload.
@@rightlanehog3151 If I needed to buy, one of the Toyota dealerships around me was willing to let me get the '23 Corolla LE for 22500usd plus taxes/fees and apparently no cash down with Toyota's 3.99% APR 48 month offer. (Any higher and I'd pay cash.) So they have some stock and apparently so with the Camry too now, but the cheapest Prius models are a PITA to find with no great financing offers. So the hybrid side is still tougher going. Personally if I can, I will WAIT until dealerships are desperate to give deals. Similarly the reliability of my Camry convinces me to hold on so long as it works even if I get another car.
AMD, you are a mastermind to these Toyota and Lexus vehicles! I love watching your videos and gain tons of knowledge for working on mine. I have a 2014 Camry with just over 220,000 miles, never had an issue at all until a couple weeks ago when the dreaded "check hybrid system" light came on. I pluggeed in my OBD2 scanner and got a P0A80 code (replace hybrid battery). I did some battery tests that show block #8 is weak. Instead of getting a refurbished or just change out the bad cells, and after painstakingly trying to find a new one from Toyota, I finally found one and I pick it up on Saturday 4/20. Some dealers wont sell over the counter but I found one that did at 3k plus core. Ive always kept up with the car by changing the fluids by your recommendations (special thanks to you and your channel) and always made sure to keep that cooling fan filter by the back seat clean! By the way, the brake pads have 160k at least if they arent the original pads....I never had to change them and they still have a lot of meat on the pads as of a few days ago! Pretty much best car I've ever had. To your customers, they made the right decision of course. The car is definitely worth it.
Yes the thought process was logical and correct. Every parent would love to put their child in a Camry for their first car hybrid or non hybrid. They are a safe and reliable car that will get you to your destination safely and in comfort. I was a Wrecker Driver for years and people used to ask me about cars and I would say Toyota Camry!! Best Bang for Your Buck. Lol I drive a F150 but I am a truck guy and I like to sit higher to see traffic. But honestly I have never seen a hybrid battery replacement and I would take this video as a class. Thank You 🙏 and God Bless!!!
Yes you’re correct but that can happen to any car. Actually my favorite is the 2.0 Soul. It’s more utilitarian gets great gas mileage because I drove mine to Kenosha then to Madison and back to Clearwater and got 30 mpg. And that was with my wife and all her Oxygen equipment. Also had an inverter hooked from the battery to under the passenger seat to keep her Inogen running and charged.
I live at a neighboring state and I didnt even like Lexus before but after learning so much from this man I am now looking to buy a Lexus and hopefully have it maintained at his shop until it can no longer run. Awesome educational videos sir.
I think replacing the hybrid battery was a good choice in this situation. But considering the price of the new battery, it seems to me purchasing a similar car with a regular ice engine instead of the hybrid in the first place would likely have been the more economical choice.
I agree, though it depends on whether they are doing more city or highway driving. The ICE only version got 21 city/ 31 hwy while this hybrid got 33 city / 34 hwy.
I really enjoyed this video and I agree with the logic of the owner. While $5800 is a lot of money, what else can you get for that and what condition is it in? The car you have now is a known quantity and is in good shape otherwise.
The customer (parents) made a sound decision to have YOU (Ahmed) repair this Camry for their daughter. It's not simply the cost-benefit analysis. I would make the same decision for my two daughters, BUT only if Ahmed was the mechanic, or I had a local mechanic who has Ahmed's knowledge and ethics. Ahmed, you are the best! I learn so much from watching your posts. Stay well.
We (my wife) has a '10 Camry Hybrid w/192k miles which we bought new. Nothing wrong with the car. Dealer just confirmed the OEM brakes still have life left but we've made the decision to replace it with the new '25 Camry AWD Hybrid. Downside is the new model won't be available for another 2-4 months. I have no doubt our current car will be fine until then. I really like the new technology such as adaptive cruise, LED headlights, QI charging, wireless Android Auto and the newer models get even better gas mileage. Wife currently gets 37-38mpg with her current hybrid.
Thanks as always! I wondered what your take on this would be, given Scotty's mention to leave this to the pros. As it's too easy to fatally "zap" yourself replacing the battery on hybrids.. whereas one of the other guys makes it sound doable with power tools.
@@rarefruit2320 Ha no. I'd easily rank TCCNut higher than Scotty. AMD is unmistakably my top choice with a Toyota or (if I had) Lexus if I could choose anyone. I think Scotty generally knows what he's talking about, but there's definitely the celebrity youtuber/influencer vibe to him that he hopefully can solve your issues, but whether it's the best long-term fix when a yt video ends, who knows. Although if he'd help your car in exchange for yt views, good enough compromise for most people. PS Having watched today's video, hopefully the daughter of that hybrid's owner has a productive time at college and the Camry keeps going. My gasoline-powered 06 Camry crossed 187,000 miles this past week. So it feels like a Forever Vehicle and thankfully nutty drivers choose to pass you if you pick some predictable speed and lane.
@@Desmo25 People call The Car Care Nut "AMD" rather than his apparent name Ahmed. (If I spelled it correctly.) I am guessing past experience or some other reason made him figure audiences would respond/like that nickname (his initials?) better.
One point on cost when it comes to a Toyota hybrid system battery: if you have it installed by a dealer you get a 3-year warranty. Otherwise it's a 1-year parts warranty. Personally I don't think a Toyota battery is ever going to fail inside that 3-years anyway, so I would choose to DIY.
@@Mroctopus2988 Depends on what kind of a customer or car owner you are. I would crack open the old battery, and repair it. I can easily see the $1k battery viewpoint and the $5800 battery viewpoint though as well.
@@mph5896 I'm sorry but I don't see any reason to put in a $6000 battery on a 15 year old car. Other hybrid components will begin to fail and it's just gonna be a money pit. Especially these early Camry hybrids that only get around 30mpg
@@Mroctopus2988 I actually finished the video. It was a $4200 battery. Add on the ABS repair for $5800 total. Car was basically worthless with a bad battery and abs. Maybe $1500 in value? In the end, its the owners decision and the owners money.
I am a huge Toyota fan. My last 3 vehicles have been a Sienna. Now I am looking for a first time car for my son. I am debating between a Camry or a Corolla. I was thinking of getting a used Hybrid, but after this video I think I will stick with a reliable ICE as Toyota engines seem pretty bullet proof. Thank you so much for making all the videos. I have learn so much and they have helped me make good decisions on repairs and purchases.
I definitely agree with their reasoning and thought process behind the decision to repair this car. They know this car. They know how well it has been maintained and how it's been treated during the time they've owned it. In the end they spent less than a comparable new-used car with a questionable history. Good call! 👍
I met our famous TH-camr yesterday and I just wanna say, he went out his way sat down with me and discussed what I should do with my car as for maintenance wise and what the issue was. Man I kid you not never had a mechanic like him do this, felt like I was in great hands which I was! Best mechanic out here !!!
What state are you in? I’d love to meet this guy one day
@@StrongerThanBigfoot Illinois
It was a pleasure to meet you as well! Very nice Avalon you have!
@@TheCarCareNutcan't wait to have time to drive down myself in my new Corolla! Full Time Uber driver and such, so it's going to see heavy use and I need it taken care of!! Already has 16k. I'll swing by after my 25kmi free services are up!
Should note, from downers Grove! So you're practically down the road 😅
Not jelly… but kinda jelly
I don't have the car, I dont have a hybrid, I had no reason to watch this. But watching a calm, careful, thoughtful mechanic at work is interesting and rewarding to see a lot more how stuff works. So I watched it 👍
Be careful -
@@YTChiefCritic Of what?
AMD, I am a airline Lead aircraft mechanic with 51 years of experience, but let me tell you that I am so impressed with your knowledge. I watch all of your videos just so that I can keep on learning. On top of that, you’re a great, and honest man. Would love to meet you one day. Take car my friend.
I9 45:01 r😅
Been in the industry for 42 years and had the same conversation with many customers. If your vehicle is safe and in sound condition it’s better to repair the vehicle you know than to replace it with a vehicle you don’t know. Well done sir. 😊
The patience of this man is amazing.
Given the bubble that both the used and new car markets are in, I think the owner made a great choice. Finding a reliable used car for $6000.00 in today’s market would be next to impossible IMO.
Was it $6000 plus labor?
I agreed with the owner. That's why I spent $3000 on my 20 years old corolla to put it on top notch conditions.
You can buy a piece of junk for 3000 or put your current vehicle in top notch condition with 3000. You know what I’m doing
@@rarefruit2320i know bro what are you talking, u should talk about shit European garbage 😂😂
I own a corolla.... maybe not "cool" but so reliable and I get 30+ mpg -It saves me alot of $$$ in my wallet
@@CL-yp1bs exactly.
Smart move $3000 verses new car cost. I have my Avalon since 2008 keep on driving.
As Tech of 40 yrs and now Automotive Instructor does my heart good to see traditions of honesty,professionalism. GodBless 52yr knowing him!
Such a cheerful man ! Doing a very tricky and painstaking task just to remove a battery! Then put it all back together again! A marvel of engineering and a marvel of a mechanic!
A masterpiece of an architect is a nightmare for engineers, a masterpiece of an engineer is a mechanic's biggest headache.
I am an HR Professional from Bangladesh and on my third Toyota now. I am down with COVID-19 and have been watching our videos while being isolated. This channel is absolutely amazing and your videos are very helpful for a car nut (with OCD) like me. :)
It must be worth it since you just did this job. Thank you for making these long form videos and not skipping over parts of work like so many other youTuber's do. Your videos are like master classes and we all appreciate your knowledge and honesty. I wish I could find a mechanic like you in my area, very few and far between! Also, yes it's worth doing especially knowing that you did the job makes it a definite no brainer. The owner can sleep good knowing the job was done right.
The last part of your comment is key. It’s so hard to let people work on your car when there are so many crooked or incompetent mechanics in the industry.
How much is the labor??
If most everything is good in the car then spending a few thousand is way cheaper than buying a new car.
"I wish I could find a mechanic like you in my area". From your lips to God's ears. I'm 2,000 miles away. Would happily pay top dollar for this kind of service.
@@ralanham76
Yep. Plenty of new cars now with monthly payments approaching $1,000/mo. It's insane!
My original 07 Camry hybrid had the original battery go at 136k miles almost 2yrs ago. Replaced with a GreenTec 48 month & unlimited mileage non-prorated warranty for about $2700 installed at my house taking 45mins start to finish. It’s been bullet proof since.
Battery still holding up ?? Looking for an option, a lot of the hybrid battery companies have bad reviews. Let me know how it's doing a thumbs up works ??? And how long all together have you had this battery in 🤔
Yes not a single problem at all. Was definitely worth the money as car has been bullet proof since.
@robertsiwicki4597 Thanks for the response. Green tech isn't close to where I live in Indy but I'm still on the hunt. Alot of hybrid companies but man the reviews 🤦🏾♂️ replace a battery lights come on few months later spend 400 at a shop to please the warranty come out replace the battery and happens again 🤦🏾♂️ anyway thanks for your response 👍
How did all the gas savings work for you?
@@martyc2637. Awesome. No issues at all and also the Camry is bulletproof as well not needing any other things fixed. Got 161k on it now.
You have an excellent relationship with your customers. Honesty is so important in this industry. Love your channel. Being a mechanic myself, you answer many questions I have on different vehicles.
I have only just started watching this video and already I’m impressed by this man’s skill and care in dismantling all the trim etc. to access the battery. Too often you see people shoving, twisting and generally trying to wreck the attachments which are effective but fragile, it makes me cringe and just hope that if ever I have to get my car worked on like this it is by someone like him, well done and keep up the good work !
Great video. The reasoning in keeping the car and spending $6k to fix it makes a lot of sense for the owner and their situation. The real life cases are great lessons.
Just seeing how much work is involved in removing the back seats, along with keeping track of the nuts and bolts, should convey to any car owner that your mechanic is not ripping you off. This is real, knowledgeable work being performed.
I am generally a "better the devil you know" kind of person when it comes to used cars, because when something new goes wrong I already know what it is not.
I see other drivers rodding their cars, wear them out and want to sell them for top dollar.
@@bayposYou just have to be mindful of what you are buying and what to look for. If it has a lot of mods or if that model ofcar that is frequently hot rodded, stay away.
It was good to see a professional Hybrid battery swap, done by someone who cares about doing the job right. Thank you for this. On a related note, we bought a 2005 Hyundai Sonata in 2014. We average 8k miles a year on it. I recently inherited $5000, nowhere near enough to buy a decent used car, and the Sonata had only lost a ball joint in the 8 years we'd had it. I spent 3800 of that inheritance getting it highway worthy, with a new radiator, alternator, timing belt, and a few other minor but important things. No regrets, even though we've spent more than we could sell it for. I know it'll give us another 5 to 10 years, and that gives us time to save enough money to buy something newer down the road.
Wise investment.... you'll get your money's worth.
Good luck. I don't see many 20, 25, 30yo Hyundais out there.
@@lcole7501quite possibly but we have no idea really, bcuz it's Hyundai, not toyota or honda. No comparison really at all, and Hyundai after around '10 also had premature engine failures, ie under 150K or so. I'm not impressed w/ the koreans myself, so far. They're getting there to top flight, but not quite yet.
Smart play not confusing the retail value of your vehicle with its replacement cost, which is far higher. The repair cost almost surely made sense given the current replacement costs
A dealership offered us $10k for our 2009 Sonata in trade-in. We kept it as we traded our Highlander for a Lexus RX. Used cars are completely worth it.
You said "I wish car designers would take this apart". I agree.
I just love the way he goes through the process I hope folks can use the info he gives because I honestly wish I had some of this when I was first getting started in automotive
I made a similar decision with my 2009 Camry. Put a little money into it and gave it to my daughter to drive because she and her husband only had one drivable car. Still drives well and gets about 29 mpg on freeway.
Got the same car, mpg really drops during stop and go traffic. Kind of surprised how the mileage tanks compared to freeway driving.
@@martyc2637 Yes, I was doing well to get 21 mpg in town with the Camry. I was surprised how well my Avalon hybrid did in city traffic jams. Regenerative braking essentially kept my battery charged.
@@TripleBerg Do you think the hybrid is worth the possible extra cost of replacing the hybrid battery?
@@martyc2637 Well the Avalon’s warranty on the battery is 10 years or 150,000 miles. After 4 years, I have only driven 31,000 miles. The gas savings I will have by 10 years at $3.5-4.5 per gallon should be more than enough to pay for a new metal hydride battery. Many people get 200,000 miles on these batteries. They don’t usually just fail, like all batteries they degrade in how much charge capacity they have. So if it degrades to 75%, it is still drivable but you might lose some efficiency.
Another fantastic piece of work here AMD! Enjoyed this thoroughly and wow I wish my 2009 Corolla with 292,000 miles on it only had 140,000 miles. Given the good condition of that car otherwise and assuming the transmissions been serviced well think they made a cogent decision especially given today’s market. their daughter will have a great car through her college years and for some years after that with this one. Anxious to see the updates on the LS!
We’re putting the LS back together in another weeks time. A LOT left on it! Wish us luck and stay tuned!
@@TheCarCareNut can’t wait!!! Thx for reply my friend. indeed may The Lord continue to greatly bless you and loved ones as well
LSD?
As the hybrid transmission is bullet proof, the expected life of the car has just doubled
When I am looking at used cars, my main 2 questions are condition and history (maintenance and major repairs needed). The owners knew their car well and far better than any new-to-them used car. It’s always hard to double down for major repairs, but as you said, they knew the care was otherwise in very good condition so seems like repair is a very good investment for their daughter. Also, if it’s a familiar car for her, she’ll likely be more secure driving it too.
Thorough, clear, concise, respectful, kind and considerate. Many of the several reasons I continue to watch these videos and this channel. From a Toyota hybrid owner who does all of his own repairs when possible, thank you. There is not a money value that could be put, on the skills that I have learned for repairing my own vehicle and being able to be there for my family with a running car.
Very well said. 👏👏👏👏
Interesting to watch, I've had my 1st generation prius nimh battery in and out of the car a couple times and it's definitely less complicated than this one. Sure wish i had a shop like this near me.
I think the owners made a wise choice. Your skill and honesty are awesome!
Great video. Thanks for the detailed procedure. The only comment I had was when you had the back seat out and you could see the floor pan, I would have vacuumed the trash out so that it was clean underneath. Your videos are perfect. Thanks for the ‘thought process’ discussion too.
Yeah, cleaning the little bit of trash out from under the seat would have been nice.
yes, that pen under the seat could have been the favorite one of the owner's daughter :) @@CHN-fh2sn
Everything comes with a price 🤣
I appreciate the "story lines" you insert giving some background into your videos. I have come to crossroads in making decisions about repair or sell too. At times weighing value of car.
Our family loves Toyota/Lexus, currently have 4 in our household, with 2009 being the newest.
you can always buy a new one and keep it as backup, so if any of the other vehicle fails, you get the new one until you can fix the previous ones
and drive it until they all fall apart, one by one
“This is a family car, so we’re not going to pass judgment” and this is why I keep watching your channel!
I wished he passed a vacuum over it before reinstalling the back seat.
@@pauldionne2884my thought exactly, would have 👌.
@@pauldionne2884 I just thought the same...
This man is a true master at his profession. Every video shares so much substantive knowledge about the details of the numerous pieces that comprise a vehicle.
I have a 2008 Hybrid Camry with 190.000 miles and original battery. After watching this I am putting it on the market now. I live in Oregon.
ChrisFix has covered this a couple times on the Prius. Glad to see you covering it also!
Great video! I think they had good decision making on this one. Hard to find anything that isn't a pile for $5k in the current market. Sometimes you just gotta stick with the devil you know v. the devil you don't.
@@mke6489 There's no mention of slipping or seizing of the transmission because it's a Toyota eCVT; there's nothing in there to slip or sieze. If you replace the fluid once every blue moon or so, it'll outlast the frame of the car, so there is no "next big cost".
There's a reason you can find Toyota Hybrids out there puttering around with over 1 million miles on them.
When you described the owner looking at used cars of this same vintage and trying to find something equivalent to purchase for their daughter, and finding that everything they looked at was in way worse shape than their own car which they have owned and maintained since new, I completely relate to that as I have tried to find used cars equivalent to my own car and I have had the exact same experience, everything I found was in way worse condition than my old car. So it makes perfect sense to repair their car and keep it!
As an owner of a19 Highlander hybrid. 5800 plus labor. Is still less expensive than a new one. And if taken car of and not abused should last at least another 100,000 miles. Good luck to this customer. And God Bless you all. Happy Holidays
I am so thankful for his honest approach in discussing vehicles that benefit the consumer. Keep up the good work.
Wow! Great video! Very detailed and straight to the point. I've always wanted to see how much work that goes into a hybrid battery. Who knows, maybe someday I will own a hybrid car. Now I have your video to go through the step by step process. Thanks! Yes it was a good decision to keep the car and restore it. Because it's a Toyota in good condition.
Counting battery replacement your potential gas savings goes out of the window. That’s why I am hesitant of hybrids.
Yes, my issue also. I think the trick there, is keep it for a while, then sell it a few years before the battery needs to be replaced... else, there goes all your savings. Another alternative, just keep your ICE car. We have a 17 highlander with 38k miles... runs great, we keep up with recommended maintenance. So, the only battery to replace is the 12 volt for probably less than $100.
Driving daily is better than leaving your hybrid vehicle sitting on your driveway for month.
One of my former jobs was for a contract manufacturer in the cables dept. Zip ties are used on wiring harness to keep them organized. Bonus is it gives a "clean" look on a 30 wire harness for a fighter jets radar detector equipment
Zip ties? That's fancy. The military parts I made for one particular plane used wax coated lacing to tie the wire harness together.
I had a refurbished hybrid battery replaced in my 2006 Prius in April, 2022. The installer came to my house and replaced the battery as I watched. It was more of a plug and play job; I don't recall any components being transferred from the old to the new battery. The whole job was done in under an hour.
So far the battery has been great. I'm definitely getting better mpgs now.
What did you pay for that refurbished & approximately what part of the country are you?
@veganwally $1,659.26. Northeast Oklahoma.
@@veganwallyThe going rate on a refurb currently is around $1200-1400 parts and labor for a 2nd gen Prius. You could have a new lithium battery put in for around $2500.
They are generally using known good computers, relays, etc that they test as they swap and fiddle with the cells. Far less labor to swap the whole box and don't risk not connecting something. They'll reuse your parts on someone else's car.
I just replaced mine today for my Camry hybrid 2008.
The check hybrid system light no longer comes on and the car doesn't turn off on me anymore.
I bought the car at 140k miles for $4500 salvaged on 2019
The hybrid battery they took out I believe was original.
It's currently at 193k miles
Hope it lasts me another 4 years at least
It cost $800 for the battery after a $200 discount and labor was like $1000
The owner made the correct decision 😊
This is why I subscribe, AMD. For your thoughtful method of “let’s do this once and do it the right way.” I have the impression that you treat each of your customers’ cars just like you treat your own. I like that about you. Thank you.
Looks like a clean Toyota Camry. Totally worth it. Granted, I think the car market is going to tank, but if you needed something NOW, then excellent choice. We love our 3rd gen Toyota Prius Plug In Hybrid. Toyota makes great cars if you take care of them. Car Care Nut set you up well with a working, reliable vehicle. Hope your daughter does well at school! :)
Informative video on hybrid batteries. Owner made the right choice. Good reliable car, good bones, good mpg for a college student.
Although batteries are expensive, this car now represents good value at $5800 ! Glad they had you to advise and look after them!
I replaced the battery in my 2010 Camry 2.5 years ago with one from Best Hybrid Battery near Chicago for $1600 and six hours of work. 40k+ miles further, I am very happy. Their packing was poor and UPS damaged it - I was able to straighten the tinware and they gave me $95 credit. This is obviously not for everyone. I did not take anywhere near the amount of stuff you took out from the inside of the car as it was totally unnecessary. However, it is nice to see how the third brake light is replaced. I also take exception with the "High Voltage" reference. True the intact battery produces >200 Volts. Pull the orange plug, which splits the batteries approx 40/60 and the terminals are dead. This is a very clever design - thanks Toyota. Replacing this battery was very easy for the DIYer.
That was very involved and educational. As an owner of a 2012 Camry Hybrid (137,000 miles), I found this very applicable. We have not experienced any battery problems; our Camry is very clean inside and out with no rust (rather amazing since we live in Rockford). We love this car which has gotten recommended dealer maintenance since new. May replace it with another Camry Hybrid in the future. I really appreciate your candid opinion on Toyotas. You have a lot of creditability with me and I always learn something new from your videos.
Have a 2012 Hybrid with 196k and is by far the best car we have ever owned .But like in the video you can't park it for extended periods. Car battery will die. All the systems have warning lights etc.
It was totally worth it. In this climate of automobile prices new and used it’s a no-brainer. Thank you for this great video AMD!!
This guy is one of the most honest helpful mechanics ive ever watched, i own a Toyota rav4 2.2 diesel and i have saved hundreds pounds doing jobs myself after watching the way to do the job with this guy , he is brilliant there is no other word for him, if you own a Toyota you should definitely subscribe .
Lucky that you can have diesels in the UK ( you mentioned pounds!)
Dec 2023 This guy just might not be rplaceable is the general concern. Kids now days don't want to spend their time learning auto repair. Much better to stay home in the basement and earn a living by participating via Zoom meeting and performing a task for your employer via the internet on your home office computer. No commenting to work or nice business attire needed.
But he is really tonto
Great point. "What it's worth" also includes NOT having another car payment. People forget that.
The cost of your next best alternative is much more important than Blue Book values. New cars could never be sold if the car's value had to equal what you paid given that they immediately depreciate when purchased.
Definitely the right decision for what the owners want for this car. I own a 2020 Camry in the UK and love it as a great economical, reliable, comfortable and quality car. Buying from new and main dealer servicing keeps it perfect for me. I would also consider replacing the battery after it wears out in future as this Camry is such a good car. Great video by the way.
As the owner of a 2017 camry hybrid with 27,500 kms. , I have to say that was extremely informative, entertaining, and well done. thank you sir, much respect !!
Excluding collision damage, I never consider the value of the car when deciding to make a repair, I consider how many more miles/years that repair will get me. I kept my 1987 Suburban for 31 years and I think the last set of tires I bought for it cost more than the book value, but I got 6 years additional use out of the vehicle by spending that money. Second, a question, how do you feel about DIY mechanics with above average skills rebuilding their own battery? A co-worker did that for his wife's Prius. He bought all new individual cells and installed them himself. Took most of a Saturday but a LOT cheaper than buying a new or rebuilt battery.
To quote attorney Tom
It depends
@@Mr-pn2eh he also has no warranty now if things go wrong he's on his own.
@@Patrick-nc6kk Yep, technically, he is the warranty. He himself. If anything goes wrong with his battery, even outside of his fault.
We use the same evaluation on our cars, is the repair cost divided by the life left on the car less then car payments? If so we opt to repair. That being said at some point it does not make sense to repair.
@@tomschmidt381 I don't do that much calculating. Basically I look at just the sales tax on a new car, and if the repair is less than that, it gets fixed. But to be honest the most expensive repair I have ever done was a transmission in my wife's Mountaineer and that was $2,100.
Thanks for the detailed view on replacing the hybrid battery. Your videos are always informative and well done! As for the question on fixing this car, Yes! Given how expensive new cars are, and the unknown of buying something used, if you know the history of your own and it is in good shape otherwise, then I'd always opt to fix if the car still serves your needs.
I agree with the owner's analysis. The basic question is what is your expected future cost of transportation with the repaired vehicle versus any other alternatives. They should get another 100K miles for the $5800 bucks (plus the cost of wear parts and maintenance). That's 5.8 cents per mile for the car itself. A new Camry hybrid costing $30K would have to go over 500K miles to equal that cost per mile. Good call!
Well… you didn’t account for anything else that’s likely to break on a high mileage car, including engine, cooling, exhaust, suspension, steering and HVAC components. A new car would have none of those costs. A head gasket repair alone will set you back another $2k easily.
130k miles doesn’t sound like much to most Toyota owners, but this is a big city car. It’s a Chicago car. That means many times more wear and tear, per mile, than the average. This car is over 15 years old, so major corrosion issues. Things like engine mounts, steering rack, door mounts, seat mounts, interior panels, gear shifter, switches, etc will all have much more wear because this car makes a lot more trips to get to its 130k mileage. An average trip for this car is likely around 10 miles. So those components see a lot more use. An average big city car starts seeing lots of problems around 100-125k miles, even a Toyota.
That means the ACTUAL cost per mile on that Camry is likely to be 4-5 times higher than 5.8 cents/mile.
you're assuming they'll have no other problems in the next 100,000 miles. Also they could buy a 2008 non-hybrid camry with 100k miles for $7,000 and never worry about the battery again.
My first take away is to buy the a car with a great Consumer Reports track record, namely a Toyota Camry Hybrid. From day 1 plan to keep the car 20-yrs and start figuring $700 a year for an an eventual $7,000 cost paid for by using less fuel over the 10-yrs. Buy $700 a year worth of govt t-bills managed in a bank saving account and that with be the well you dip into to finance the battery swap out.
The same year (2008) that this car was bought new, we bought a Lexus ES350, which is basically a luxury Camry. I looked at the price difference to buy the Hybrid version, looked at the mileage difference, and calculated the cost savings (based on gas prices at that time). I also considered depreciation and potential future replacement costs. My conclusion was that considering the time value of money I could never recoup my purchase cost, and we drive our cars a very long time like this customer. There are many reasons to buy an EV or Hybrid, but I am strictly an economic analysis guy. So far I have not concluded that either EV’s or Hybrids are a good value. (Disclosure: I am a Mechanical Engineer.)
What if you update to current gas prices.like $5 a gallon
Your cost analysis is spot on. I also keep my cars a long time, 97 Lexus es300, and only cost is upkeep and gas, insurance. The battery life just is not developed enough for financial reasons.
I would say that holds if you plan on buying new. If you find a well maintained Hybrid you can find them quite reasonable. I was able to find one for less money than what this Camry's battery pack and labour cost and our 2008 Lexus 400h has over 330,000km.now - battery is still in very good shape. Overall more efficient than the regular RX350 and quite a bit faster. New in 2008 it was over $60,000. here in Canada. People who want to buy a hybrid car new are either very rich and don't care about money or they are really, really stupid.
As an electrical engineer with advanced degrees in engineering and business administration, I wouldn't buy an EV or a hybrid, not only for economic reasons, but I also have concerns about being bathed in 10 KW of non-ionized electromagnetic radiation. Prostate, kidney, pancreatic, liver cancers, as well neurological diseases such as Parkinson's and ALS are all concerns. No one even measures or states the amounts of radiation that are bouncing around inside the vehicle. There needs to MuMetal shielding installed all around the emission areas, measurements taken, studies made on acceptable levels of radiation by NGOs, and regulations put in place. But, I guess there will always be pools of unwitting guinea pig, early adopters available in any new technology.
This guy would get a big dose of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation out of plugging in a hot water kettle...@@jjustinengineer
Great job Master. Such a wonderful person! The only thing I noticed is the underseat was not vacuum. I know its not your job but takes seconds to remove it. 👍👍👍
I have 233,000 miles on my 2006 Lexus RX400H hybrid. The car is mint inside and out. Original battery too that gives me 30+mpg around town. If my battery goes out I would replace the battery and get it to Chicago for the swap. Love how clean your shop is too.
Agreed!
My 2018 Rav4 got 186,000 Miles.
Goal is 1,000,000 Miles.
I will replace anything in my car if needed, but right now it runs like a champ.
Fantastic video I learned a lot. You did say you were super busy at the shop so thank you for taking the extra time to video this process and share it with us. Take care.
I can see the logic for the repair decision. Personally I would try and move my cars on before they get to this age. I guess it all depends on how much money you have and/or want to spend on cars. Good video, thank you.
I’ve noticed a familiar pattern with videos like this. Mechanics just tossing screws and bolts to the side instead of putting them back where they came from. I sometimes will place them in ziplock bags and tape them to whatever part I remove also. But they never end up in a mixed pile 😂
Fantastic video! I love how much time and effort you put into your videos. They are really appreciated!
My 2012 Gen3 Prius made it 250,000 miles on the factory battery. A brand new Toyota battery was $2000 (with a Toyota warranty) and I am ready to go for another 250,000. The same battery issue will apply to EV's but folks are not talking about that yet.
$2000 plus labor right?
I have 2013 prius and i think i have an isue with hybrid batery .. do you have contact with that shop who changed yr battery??
no mate, your head gasket will blow next.
Yeah, many Prius' original batteries last 300k miles. The trick is not only the mileage, but also the years and how to take care of the battery. For this Camry the battery is 15 - 16 years old. If the car is left sitting there for a long time, close attention should be paid to the SOC of the battery.
I have a Chevy Volt in my shop now, 2015 with 75k miles. Batt replacement is $29k
Excellent video! I had helped a mechanic friend some years ago replacing 2015 Prius hybrid battery. A little easier with the hatch back but time consuming as we did the long way too. The original battery was heavy too but the replacement cell banks were upgraded and slighly lighter. Took us two days by taking time to remove and replace. Certainly can commend the engineering/safety of the orange plug(s).
Just wondering if there was credit given for the return of the old core battery? Owner(s) made the right choice by keeping the car especially the almost good condition. Probably still in good driving condition for another troublefree 10 years or more!
Cheers from West Coast Canada!
True. And most people relate, even if they never owned one, the Prius vehicle. But these hundreds of thousands of different types of true hybrid vehicles, expensive ones or not are a whole different ballgame. And EV vehicles. Well, you tell me what it would cost to swap out of a certain type of vehicle. And would it be viable?
I think this whole battery thing is going to end up as a disaster of mega proportions for the entire earth!
It isn't the answer. Neither is solar power/ nor windmills. Aint going to happen with the world's population, driving these things around all over the planet, unless there are fewer people on the planet.
And that is a different topic for another time.
@@luckyguy600What are you talking about? You LITERALLY admitted you have NO idea of what anything might cost, and then immediately made an assumption that it will never work. You truly are a moron.
I have a 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid and had a remanufactured battery installed from a company called Green Bean Battery back in I believe 2020. It has a lifetime replacement warranty which I believe I paid a little extra for, but the car has been running great ever since. The car had around 120,000 miles on it if my memory serves me right. The Camry now has 166,000+ miles on her. I paid right around 1,900 bucks for it and the installer came to my house and took him around 45 minutes to replace it. I don't work for this company but have been happy with my purchase. Hybrids have been out for a long time and there are now other companies who offer alternatives instead of just having a dealership as an only option.
This is low mileage for a replacement
Low mileage yes but the battery was 12 years old
Always a pleasure to watch someone that knows what they’re doing! 😊
Absolutely the right choice to fix the issues when you know at the end you can run the car safety for another 10 years. They know what they have but you don’t know what you’re going to get till usually it’s too late. Your honesty and integrity is very rare today. They were lucky to have your guidance.
I watched this video and get reminded to do things right the first time. no silly shortcuts.👍👍👍
Very rare to find a good, clean and dependable car for $6K. Mostly would just take over someone else’s headaches. My 2022 Prius has a 10 factory replacement warranty on the HV battery.
Not bad. That 2023 is really nice tho it’s nice a sports car now.
Not absolutely certain but I think here in the UK if you have your Lexus hybrid dealer serviced, including 'battery health check', it is warrantied for 10 years/150k miles.
Interesting as I learned I will never buy a used hybrid and have to replace a battery. Keep my old 3rd gen ravs & 4th gen 4runners going. Fantastic tutorial! Keep 'em coming! Best channel!
Alot of 1st owners ditch their Hybrid cars after a certain amount of years then the 2nd owner is stuck with the massive bill of replacement
8:00 pm pacific time. First time owner of a 2021 Camry Hybrid LE with 7400 miles and wanted to know how to care for it. So impressed with the mechanic doing the video. I am learning so much and am so glad there are Toyota mechanics out there that I can take my car too for knowledgeable maintenance. Thanks bunches from a Central Oregon fan.
I have watched you fiddle with this battery R & R for the last 30 minutes. Now you are a well trained heavily experienced technician who knows what you are doing.
I like simplicity.
Even though Toyota engineers designed this battery pack very well, their logical thought pattern is straight forward.
However by seeing just how much labour is involved in this procedure is almost equal to removing a cylinder head on a 1979 Chevy pickup small block.
I have no fears with removing a head ,but to realize the high voltage risks is what scares me.
I don't believe that I will ever own an all electric vehicle.
But you have shown me just what's involved.
Thanks .
At 140K miles and considering the overall condition of the vehicle and their future intended use of the vehicle, I think they made a good choice. Especially in today's market where car prices are better but still inflated, especially hybrids. For $5,800 they basically have a car that could quite possibly go for another 100K provided maintenance is kept up. I can only recall one customer at the dealer where I worked at that elected not to replace the hybrid battery. He had a 2004 Prius that had close to 370K miles. He already replaced the battery once at 190K. The car was worn and the motor was tired and smoky. He ended up ordering a brand new Prius. 01:44 - not going to judge, but from the condition of the back seat area, that was definitely a family car with little one residing back there. 😂
Yes. The car owner knows the car and it runs fine after these repairs. They probably couldn't find a used car for less than $6000; that will be as reliable.
Yes, this car bought from new and maintained properly and now repaired with this level of care is a definite keeper. We did basically the same thing with a 1999 Camry. Finally traded it after two kids driving for college in 2015.
I always have the fear of hidden costs with second hand cars. Broken or wild stuff the previous owners knew nothing about, or were actually the reason they sold out. This Camry had no hidden cost. I would always opt to keep this one for that small investment.
@@QnA22 absolutely a no brainer especially now.
OR... buy a Camry with no battery and go 240K miles anyway without spending $ 6k on battery replacement? Just a thought
Hi AMD, thank you for this video. What you describes makes perfect sense. I think the best way to look at this (as you describe) is how much a "new-to-us" used car would cost vs. the repairs for an otherwise good car. We faced a similar problem last year when my daughter's Corolla needed multiple repairs and then decided that it was not worth repairing, especially in light of used car prices being ridiculous at that time and the looming threat of a transmission starting to act up. We therefore bought a new car and gave my daughter my wife's hand-me-down. Clearly, each decision is an individual one, and one key factor is having a mechanic one can trust to help gather and evaluate the facts.
Another key point is that by keeping your "old" car, you know the maintenance history of the car. Buy a used car always has the uncertainty of how long can you will drive without major problems.
I thought the same thing the owner thought. Spending 5800 on this repair is like buying another car for 5800 of this caliber. Good deal. Oh , you also need to find a great service shop like the Car Care Nut.
Absolutely. The car with a bad hybrid battery and brake issue has little value. Maybe $1500 on a good day? Plus they know the history of the car, so they aren't gambling on that.
I love all his videos, I’m a mechanic myself and know to keep down with car tech is pretty tough, very savvy honest and straightforward, ❤❤
The owners did a good job assess the situation. I agree with them. Great job
A great video and also respectful how you communicate with your customer as usual. You set the bar really high and I wish I have you nearby so I do not need to deal with random mechanics or DIY too often. A minor "complaint" is that I saw the pile of debris and junks under the seats but not sure if you did vacuum it before cover all up, I wish you did since you could although not MUST. As for me, I have a Toyota non-hybrid older than this, still runs like first year on MPG except noise ... so I might need think harder on a 2008 before decide shell out $6000. Good day!
Iam really shock that you did not vacuum the flooring ,as dust is not good for hybrid batteries
Great video. It underlines that if you are truly interested in environmental impact the very best thing to do is not buy a Tesla or some such, but to look after your ICE car and run it until its no longer economically viable. That's the truly 'green' approach.
It will be decades before battery vehicles become ''green' . Electricity is not free.
Totally agree!
Every city needs someone like you!
Awesome video. Very professional. I love how clean your shop is. The man who trained me as a mechanic emphasized how important keeping everything very clean was, and I very much came to understand the importance. It's great to see another shop following the same practices. Thank you for this. Definitely the right decision for this family!
I have a 2013 Lexus ES300H . Made in 2012 . Hybrid battery failed at 122,000 miles. I paid $5,900 total to have it replaced through the Lexus Dealer. Im happy with the car but at the same time I wonder if I did the right thing. Its a beautiful car , smooth, gas efficient, nice audio and super comfortable to drive even for long rides.
There are tons of cars that will set you back more than $5900 if they turn out to need a rebuilt engine, or transmission, and a lot of those will need such expensive work done before they get to 122,000 miles....
Best investment you can make. Car should last 10 more years.
That's a bit disappointing mileage wise for a Lexus.
@@johnstuartsmithmaybe, but the same car without a hybrid wouldn't need that work and the extra cost of the hybrid probably wasn't recouped in that 122k miles nor will the 5.9k be in future.
@@ln5747I'm thinking about getting a hybrid truck (2014 Tacoma/Land Cruiser) but after watching this video, I'm not sure if it's worth it. Maybe just keep my 4.7L V8 until something better comes out 😂.
You could tell by the paint condition it was a well loved car.
AMD, As you have mentioned before, today's continuing low inventory of new Toyotas and CRAZY prices for used Toyotas have altered the financial calculations around
major repairs like this. 🤔
The used car bubble for some bizarre reason hasn't yet collapsed. New cars at least have become more sane, but still varies on "normalizing" on getting prices well below MSRP. For the new side, it depends what you're looking for and how many dealerships are around you. From what I see, it sure looks like a Corolla or Camry can be easily attained. Although if I wanted to get a new car and picked Mazda, it looks like I have to go the distance for a great deal. As I'm in San Antonio, some very simple math really doesn't favor getting a hybrid. Especially as Toyota knows they can get people to pay 4.99% APR compared to 3.99% APR currently on non-hybrid Camrys and Corollas; rates surely subject to change. Meantime my 06 Camry with 187,100+ miles somehow gets just over 34 mpg on nearly all highway driving. As will likely remain my commuter even if I found a deal on a next car.
@@davidglad I am in the Province of Ontario where we build approximately 400-450,000 Toyota or Lexus vehicles per year. The dealer closest to me has used Jeeps and miscellaneous brands parked where his new Toyotas ought to be on display. Toyota has the lowest inventory of any mainstream brand while lesser brands have far, far more cars to unload.
@@rightlanehog3151 If I needed to buy, one of the Toyota dealerships around me was willing to let me get the '23 Corolla LE for 22500usd plus taxes/fees and apparently no cash down with Toyota's 3.99% APR 48 month offer. (Any higher and I'd pay cash.) So they have some stock and apparently so with the Camry too now, but the cheapest Prius models are a PITA to find with no great financing offers. So the hybrid side is still tougher going. Personally if I can, I will WAIT until dealerships are desperate to give deals. Similarly the reliability of my Camry convinces me to hold on so long as it works even if I get another car.
Super great video, but I cant believe you didn't blow that crap out from under the back seat before putting it back in !!!
AMD, you are a mastermind to these Toyota and Lexus vehicles! I love watching your videos and gain tons of knowledge for working on mine.
I have a 2014 Camry with just over 220,000 miles, never had an issue at all until a couple weeks ago when the dreaded "check hybrid system" light came on. I pluggeed in my OBD2 scanner and got a P0A80 code (replace hybrid battery). I did some battery tests that show block #8 is weak. Instead of getting a refurbished or just change out the bad cells, and after painstakingly trying to find a new one from Toyota, I finally found one and I pick it up on Saturday 4/20. Some dealers wont sell over the counter but I found one that did at 3k plus core. Ive always kept up with the car by changing the fluids by your recommendations (special thanks to you and your channel) and always made sure to keep that cooling fan filter by the back seat clean! By the way, the brake pads have 160k at least if they arent the original pads....I never had to change them and they still have a lot of meat on the pads as of a few days ago! Pretty much best car I've ever had. To your customers, they made the right decision of course. The car is definitely worth it.
Best channel on TH-cam by far. This is truly car repair and maintained education.
Yes the thought process was logical and correct. Every parent would love to put their child in a Camry for their first car hybrid or non hybrid. They are a safe and reliable car that will get you to your destination safely and in comfort. I was a Wrecker Driver for years and people used to ask me about cars and I would say Toyota Camry!! Best Bang for Your Buck. Lol I drive a F150 but I am a truck guy and I like to sit higher to see traffic. But honestly I have never seen a hybrid battery replacement and I would take this video as a class. Thank You 🙏 and God Bless!!!
Actually more can go wrong on a regular Camry than a hybrid especially at a lower mile
Yes you’re correct but that can happen to any car. Actually my favorite is the 2.0 Soul. It’s more utilitarian gets great gas mileage because I drove mine to Kenosha then to Madison and back to Clearwater and got 30 mpg. And that was with my wife and all her Oxygen equipment. Also had an inverter hooked from the battery to under the passenger seat to keep her Inogen running and charged.
This is very entertaining. Knowledge I'll never use, but really done well.
I live at a neighboring state and I didnt even like Lexus before but after learning so much from this man I am now looking to buy a Lexus and hopefully have it maintained at his shop until it can no longer run. Awesome educational videos sir.
I think replacing the hybrid battery was a good choice in this situation. But considering the price of the new battery, it seems to me purchasing a similar car with a regular ice engine instead of the hybrid in the first place would likely have been the more economical choice.
I agree, though it depends on whether they are doing more city or highway driving. The ICE only version got 21 city/ 31 hwy while this hybrid got 33 city / 34 hwy.
My new batt cost 2800$ ...and 30 min at a dedicated batt shop.
Yep. The Camry ICE gets darn good mileage. Waaay simpler.
And with a normal ICE you don't have to pay $5800 for a battery at 130,000 miles!
@DCuerpojr - Yes, but cost you (in2023 dollars) $5800 extra **plus labor** to get the higher gas mileage.
50:47 why didn't you hoover all that mess and debris in the back seat areas? Would have been 5 min job mate.
I really enjoyed this video and I agree with the logic of the owner. While $5800 is a lot of money, what else can you get for that and what condition is it in? The car you have now is a known quantity and is in good shape otherwise.
The customer (parents) made a sound decision to have YOU (Ahmed) repair this Camry for their daughter. It's not simply the cost-benefit analysis. I would make the same decision for my two daughters, BUT only if Ahmed was the mechanic, or I had a local mechanic who has Ahmed's knowledge and ethics. Ahmed, you are the best! I learn so much from watching your posts. Stay well.
We (my wife) has a '10 Camry Hybrid w/192k miles which we bought new. Nothing wrong with the car. Dealer just confirmed the OEM brakes still have life left but we've made the decision to replace it with the new '25 Camry AWD Hybrid. Downside is the new model won't be available for another 2-4 months. I have no doubt our current car will be fine until then.
I really like the new technology such as adaptive cruise, LED headlights, QI charging, wireless Android Auto and the newer models get even better gas mileage. Wife currently gets 37-38mpg with her current hybrid.
Thanks as always! I wondered what your take on this would be, given Scotty's mention to leave this to the pros. As it's too easy to fatally "zap" yourself replacing the battery on hybrids.. whereas one of the other guys makes it sound doable with power tools.
Did you ever see Scotty’s garage? I’m guessing and hoping you haven’t
@@rarefruit2320 Ha no. I'd easily rank TCCNut higher than Scotty. AMD is unmistakably my top choice with a Toyota or (if I had) Lexus if I could choose anyone. I think Scotty generally knows what he's talking about, but there's definitely the celebrity youtuber/influencer vibe to him that he hopefully can solve your issues, but whether it's the best long-term fix when a yt video ends, who knows. Although if he'd help your car in exchange for yt views, good enough compromise for most people. PS Having watched today's video, hopefully the daughter of that hybrid's owner has a productive time at college and the Camry keeps going. My gasoline-powered 06 Camry crossed 187,000 miles this past week. So it feels like a Forever Vehicle and thankfully nutty drivers choose to pass you if you pick some predictable speed and lane.
@@davidgladwould you mind sharing who this AMD channel is? Never heard nor could I find it.
@@Desmo25 People call The Car Care Nut "AMD" rather than his apparent name Ahmed. (If I spelled it correctly.) I am guessing past experience or some other reason made him figure audiences would respond/like that nickname (his initials?) better.
@@davidgladAhMed Drive as opposed to front wheel drive?
One point on cost when it comes to a Toyota hybrid system battery: if you have it installed by a dealer you get a 3-year warranty. Otherwise it's a 1-year parts warranty. Personally I don't think a Toyota battery is ever going to fail inside that 3-years anyway, so I would choose to DIY.
Another way to decide if they made the right decision is if that car is worth more than the $5800 they spent on it, which I think these days it does.
Sure but I'd take my chances on those aftermarket batteries that cost around $1000. Especially since a lot of places completely restore them.
@@Mroctopus2988 Depends on what kind of a customer or car owner you are. I would crack open the old battery, and repair it. I can easily see the $1k battery viewpoint and the $5800 battery viewpoint though as well.
@@mph5896 I'm sorry but I don't see any reason to put in a $6000 battery on a 15 year old car. Other hybrid components will begin to fail and it's just gonna be a money pit. Especially these early Camry hybrids that only get around 30mpg
@@Mroctopus2988 I actually finished the video. It was a $4200 battery. Add on the ABS repair for $5800 total.
Car was basically worthless with a bad battery and abs. Maybe $1500 in value?
In the end, its the owners decision and the owners money.
I am a huge Toyota fan. My last 3 vehicles have been a Sienna. Now I am looking for a first time car for my son. I am debating between a Camry or a Corolla. I was thinking of getting a used Hybrid, but after this video I think I will stick with a reliable ICE as Toyota engines seem pretty bullet proof. Thank you so much for making all the videos. I have learn so much and they have helped me make good decisions on repairs and purchases.
How much is the labor for this job? Was it included in the cost of the battery and brake actuator? I would think not.
I definitely agree with their reasoning and thought process behind the decision to repair this car. They know this car. They know how well it has been maintained and how it's been treated during the time they've owned it. In the end they spent less than a comparable new-used car with a questionable history. Good call! 👍
Totally agree.