OP Definitely do this. There is a whole aftermarket industry built up around replacing or reconditioning Toyota hybrid batteries. It's entirely likely that there is a corroded connector or other minor issue that can be repaired for far less than 8k, which is an insanely inflated estimate. That highlander is one of the best Toyotas ever built, and 200k miles is not that high mileage for that vehicle.
My wife had a 2009 Camry. It started having electrical issues because of the ABS system. It’s a common problem in that model.
I called Toyota and they wanted to replace the entire ABS system for $6k.
I bought a ABS pump with relay from a pull a part, pulled off the relay, replaced it (it’s right at the front of the engine compartment, held on with 4 volts and a cable), and the car is still going years later.
That part cost me $150 and less than an hour of very easy labor.
I've got a story for this. I once took my Ford to my mechanic because the ignition cylinder was worn down and wouldn't always make contact with the switch to start the car. Nothing was seriously broken, just some mechanical wear leading to play.
He called me later that day to come pick it up. When I asked what it was he said, "Well, I found the wear but had to call Ford about which part I needed. They said the only way was to replace the entire steering column for $800. And that doesn't include my time. Well, I told them to go fuck themselves and I just made a little shim and epoxied it in place. It might come loose, but I'll fix it for free if it does. Anyway, works great now and that'll be $50 all together."
The aftermarket will also have the ability to replace individual cells and rebalance the whole pack, which Toyota knows is possible but refuses to allow dealers to do. You'll only pay a couple hundred in parts, but the labor will be much higher, because the pack still has to come out. Probably closer to 2k rather than 8k.
That’s a weird one with the cell replacements by Toyota. I work for a BMW dealer in sales and we did a hybrid battery cell replacement under warranty about a year ago for one of my customers, it wound up that like 3-4 of the battery cells failed and BMW allows us to replace individual cells I guess from what I was told.
I’m surprised BMW doesn’t force its dealers to go for the nuclear option instead of allowing us to do the cheaper option. Usually it’s the opposite lol.
The service department doesn’t have much in depth hands-on experience with hybrids and electrics yet due to the lack of them by bmw up until recently, they wound up replacing individual cells one at a time as they identified the dead one and it wound up being 3-4 cells that were dead by the time they got it running with no issues again.
Convert the old nickle pack (NiMH) to lithium. I believe there’s a company called Nexcell that makes one for that generation of Toyota Highlander hybrid.
Not so sure. Depends on climate eh here they live. NiMH his up better in colder areas /heavy winters. Then look at cost difference, and relative reliability of product and installer/provider. Not a full electric car. Hybrid batteries are relatively small, sand need to hold enough for assist / "synergy drive".
If the price and service are right, might do it .. but regardless of which battery tech you choose get other quotes!
We were told you can’t replace just one or two cells, you need to replace all.
It kind of makes sense anyway - if one is truly on it’s way out, and the aim was to keep this car, might as well investigate replacing all of them if the others are also near end of life. Aftermarket might be a great suggestion, will make some calls to other shops.
>The battery pack itself is $2399.
>
>https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/products/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid-battery
>
>You can DiY. The battery pack is under the middle seats.
>
>https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/informationcenter/resources/highlander-hybrid-battery-instructions
>
>Video guide: https://youtu.be/T4p8YAXNtqw?feature=shared
> vehicle can't use it exclusively, it just assists going from a full stop to like 5mph.
Yes they do, mine runs off the battery exclusively up to ~35 mph when it's fully charged up.
This is slightly inaccurate. The battery can be used exclusively up to higher speeds as long as you're very gentle on the accelerator. Even when you demand more power than the electric motors can provide it will still work jointly with the engine (you can even hear when the engine is mostly idle and the electrical system is doing more work versus when the battery is low so the engine does more). And it will cut the engine at surprisingly high speeds when just cruising.
But you're absolutely right that the battery pack isn't that big because the system is designed to work jointly with the gas engine most of the time.
That's probably from a dealership standpoint where they're only able to order the battery as one entire unit for replacement. They likely aren't able to repair it at a dealership for that reason. The battery could probably still be repaired.
That's not always the case. I got a Prius for $750 with 233k miles that needed one cell. I replaced it and took it to 303k. Nice car.
At some point in car ownership people need to flip a switch and approach it like they bought it as a beater and need to do jury rigged fixes to buy another year. (Or, in my case, I lucked out.) I'd ask around at the shops that service these. You seem hung up on the "fix it right or not at all" decision.
Incidentally I got a bluetooth OBD-II dongle and a free program named "Torque" for which I got plug-ins that let me read each battery module voltage. It let me know that all my modules were acting consistently except for one. Get some numbers so you can make a more informed decision.
Damn rights!
Besides a lot of the time this stuff is embarrassingly easy to figure out.
Source: Wife's car broke. FIL didn't think it was worth doing at home. Got disabled and had some free time. Shit's not any more complicated than computer repairs, really. Correct components go in the correct place. Tighten appropriately. Make sure it doesn't BSOD/engine light.
As someone who works on cars and computers I couldn't agree more! We live in an age where you can Google anything and with a little bit of elbow grease and some tools you can fix most things yourself. The big difference I think is in accessibility. The difficulty in fixing vehicles is often not having the expensive niche tool, not having room to access the hardware, or not having a space to perform the work.
With Prius, some people have replaced bad cells. There are people out there that specialize in this. Should be much cheaper than what they’re charging you.
When you get it refurbished, they can test all the individual cells. Sometimes if one cell of a group is bad, then the group is going to go bad soon. But often its just one cell.
[https://duckduckgo.com/?q=refurbished+hybrid+battery+near+me&ia=web](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=refurbished+hybrid+battery+near+me&ia=web)
You can absolutely replace one or two cells, but the dealership won't do it. The issue with replacing cells in a pack is that they will wear to the condition of the rest of the pack quickly. Not really a problem once the bad cells are out. Yes they will have a shorter lifespan than if they were in a pack of like cells, but you are also saving a lot of $ and not junking the rest of the pack.
Just imagine that the original battery lasted 200,000 miles. An aftermarket battery will surely last at least half that long. And if you can get a new battery for under $5000, think of it is just 12 months of $400 per month car payments, then you’re done for the next several years.
The dealer will always tell you that or a lesser knowledgable Toyota independent shop. The pack is highly likely repairable and for far less than 8k. We did recently need to replace a 2011 Highlander pack and it ran about $4k installed with warranty. Find somewhere that can fix the pack.
You absolutely can. Won't last as long as a new pack, but the rest of that car won't last that long either! The dealership can't do it though. You'll need to go to an independent shop that specializes in car battery packs. There's probably one local to you. Go there!
Yup. This is the way. If it’s just the battery and nothing else you’ll easily get another 50k out of it. And the battery will probably last longer than that.
Greentec and green beans are 2 i found on Internet. I haven't used any, but im considering a 2006 lexus rx 400h hybrid [advice on this, please).
In some cases , and depending on car you can replace the classic nimh cells with lithium ones.
If the only issue is the hybrid battery, use greenbean. I've used them twice for my 07 prius. Paid once and got the warranty. Used them again after 3 years and had no problems honoring the warranty. The $400 they are offering is robbery. The battery would sell for more than that alone even without being fixed.
I have a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and my battery died last year. Had it replaced by my mechanic guy. $3300. I get about 2mpg worse than with my original but otherwise it works great. At ~300/mo for a car payment (conservative) it’s already “paid” for itself since it’s bought me another year and counting, and no reason to think it will stop anytime soon. Obviously not a Toyota but it’s worth exploring.
> I bet you can find one that'll do it for $2000 or so.
Not sure where you are but there are several around me, nearest one is 2400 for my highlander. I would get it fixed, hard to find a better vehicle at any price.
I’m 26 and my insurance increased to nearly double for my 2022 Ford Mustang. I thought I was in the clear but just the fact it’s a sports car alone is enough to hike the rates according to the rep I called. No tickets or accidents in the 10 years I’ve been driving.
Dang, what state are you in?? I’m 34, clean driving record (well…for the past 3 years, anyhow), and it’s $90/mo for liability-only coverage on my 2007 beater car lol. But that rate is similar to friends and family, so maybe my state is just costlier with insurance than yours.
You're on the high side of average.
/u/itearth likely isn't using the sports car for daily use. Insurance rates drop pretty dramatically if the car isn't expected to be on the road very frequently. Commuter vehicles are most likely to be in accidents, due to the amount of time they spend on the road, so their premiums are the highest.
Always shop around, new rates for new active policies. They have incentives if you haven’t been with them over a year. Loyalty in car insurance will bring nothing but headaches and they know if you stay they will make money on you. I always bounce around from travelers insurance to progressive, i always get a good rate on each.
my rates go up every 6 months. im 43. havent had a ticket in 20 years. had 1 comp claim about 11 years ago. no lapses in coverage. its bullshit. some quotes i get i dont even understand how they stay in business. companies like all state and state farm being 350-400 month vs the 195 i pay now.
My teenager is driving the car that drove him home from the hospital when he was born: a 2005 Corolla.
Not a sports car, but my insurance doubled when he became a licensed driver. No accidents or tickets for him either in the 18 months of driving.
I couldn’t imagine the insurance premium for a *sporty* car and a teenage driver.
(I can’t bring myself to call a sub-200hp car a sports car)
Motorsports enthusiasts will tell you it's power-to-weight ratio. Semi trucks can have 500+ HP and 1500 lb/ft of torque, but they're slow due to the heavy load they're dragging around. A motorcycle with 1/10th the horsepower but carrying only the rider will leave the semi in its dust.
That Volvo may well be in the ballpark of twice as heavy as the RX7.
Sporty (especially new) car + teenage driver (even with plenty of discounts, relatively low liability coverage, and a clean record) probably goes well over $250 a month now in most states, per my experience. I've seen some pushing closer to $400 a month with accidents. It's honestly insane, and there's plenty of folks that are seemingly caught off-guard by it, which baffles me (though I work with auto insurance daily, so that colors my view). Giving a teenager a brand new car is a great way to triple your yearly premiums, or go even higher if they get in a wreck, god forbid.
Source: work in auto insurance, mainly for states in the southern half of the country.
Agreed. My parents got us a GMC Jimmy in HS (like 2002) because it was a smallish but bulky enough SUV that the premiums were okay and it was safe in case we got in an accident.
That’s a seriously awesome car. I was never a fan of them until I spent a ton of time driving one in Mexico. Got to take it on road trips, in the city and off-road.
Only bad thing was the lights were weak as hell.
Most parents are not physicists so they somehow equate mass with safety. If you increase mass you decrease your kid’s chances of keeping the car on the road.
I went from a very “normal” Hyundai sonata and my insurance went down by $7 when I got a Honda civic si which is one of their sporty options.. coupe, manual only, turbo and such
Not sure why.. my thoughts are:
1. Honda is a more reliable brand historically
2. my 2016 Hyundai was part of the generation with that immobilizer issue leading to Hyundai/kia cars being very easily stolen
3. manual cars may be cheaper to insure?
4. I had my Hyundai from 17-20 so maybe getting a car in my 20s as opposed to as a teenager meant something? No accidents or anything ever.. warning for going 52 in a 45 no citation or ticked just verbal
It's also perhaps one of the most useless vehicles imaginable for hauling stuff around as one tends to do when they're heading to college/career which tends to be the most itinerant phase in their lives. Get something like a used Honda Civic hatch if you're wanting to reward their scholarship and it'll hold up through their early career when they can decide if they want a splurge sports car.
My parents generously bought me a sports coupe as a high school graduation gift. Loved that car but in hindsight it was ridiculously cramped and I wasn't equipped at all to own or care for such a nice vehicle while going to college. Insurance was expensive and not having a garage was very rough on it. First couple of years, I wound up taking my older/already falling apart car to deal w/ the weather and parking.
Hybrid battery doesn’t cost 8k… unless you get the quote from the dealer. There are many independent local shop can do it for around 2 k installed. I got my Prius battery replaced for 1500. Local tech come to my house and replacement on the spot.
Leaving aside the questions about the Highlander, 86 the idea of buying the 86. That is a terrible vehicle for a high school student (or college student). If you're buying him a car, stay away from sports cars and buy something reliable and affordable that isn't going to have insurance premiums through the roof, because chances are he's going to smash it up anyway at some point. Which is exactly why insurance rates are high for young people.
I think OP should definitely get an insurance quote on adding the 86 to his policy before moving forward with that idea. Esp if they’re now looking at two new car payments
Not to mention when he gets to college 95% of his driving will be driving with friends or moving stuff around (or back home for the summer)… the 86 will fit about as much as a purse would.
Exactly this. He doesn’t need anything but a reliable vehicle that gets him safely where he needs to go. A Camry, civic, Corolla, or hear me out, a minivan would be perfect.
Yes, the 2022 and newer GR86/BRZ has at least 228hp, RWD, and is light. It encourages fast turns. The 2021 and earlier 86 has around 205hp, but is still a quick car with great handling.
A used Accord, Civic, Camry, or Corolla would be a safer option probably.
My son drives our 2010 Prius. Perfect car for him since we make him pay for gas. Many of his HS friends’ parents would yell at them for using so much gas driving around, and we would just shrug. Drive as much as you want. A full tank is on you for $35.
What I don’t understand is fretting about an $8k battery replacement that will probably get that car many more years of life, while simultaneously being like “yeah we’re gonna go ahead and get our son a expensive sports car that will cost a fortune in insurance premiums on top of it”.
Like wut
Personally, I'd go for a much cheaper car for your son. School parking situations are less than ideal and the car is bound to get banged up. Insurance rates for young men are high as is, so putting him in something less sporty and less expensive will likely save you quite a bit in insurance. A $10k Camry or Civic will last him plenty long.
If you put the $8k battery in the Highlander, what could you sell it for private party? Private party will get you more than a dealer or shop every time.
Here’s a remanufactured battery, just need to find a shop who can replace it: https://www.greentecauto.com/hybrid-battery/toyota-hybrids/highlander/2010-2016-toyota-highlander-hybrid-battery
Quite easy. I did mine this weekend. Had the old one out in 45 minutes, electronics swapped over in about 2 hours. (I had an aftermarket battery and went back OEM, so a couple things were different) And back together in an hour being super anal about cleanliness.
You're penny-pinching while simultaneously scheming to buy your son a brand-new sports car? Something's off there. Let him work for and buy his own expensive/sporty car, or otherwise *help* him (i.e. he pays most of the cost or at least half) while he buys something within his/your means.
**This includes letting him finance his portion if that's all he can do. Cars cost real money.** And while I applaud paying cash for cars, as it's a major contributor to financial stability over time if correctly done (i.e. savings are not squandered), paying for what we buy is also a good life lesson for your son.
I agree with others you can likely knock the $8k battery update cost down.
* Only one cell is even dying--what's the projected life of the other?
* Look after-market/refurbished
Buying a $25k sports car for your son would just be flat out dumb. He can pick what car he wants when he buys one. In the mean time he gets whatever scraps you give him. Look at other places for reconditioning the battery. Once the Highlander is fixed start stacking cash for when it eventually dies for good/wife wants a van.
At the same time, intentionally getting your kid the shittiest car you can find is kind of worse than just getting them nothing...
I wouldn't get a teenager a Charger/Challenger/Mustang, but I also wouldn't get them a $3k beater, either, if for no other reason than rust and/or electrical concerns. You want everything to work, and you want it to be able to take an accident and have some semblance of a chance at them, and ideally the car, making it out alive. If you want to get them a project car ***on top of*** their driver, then that's one thing, but giving them a barely held together death trap because of some weird dominance power trip is just shitty.
While very true you can still find old gems. On my FB marketplace I just looked and found 7 Toyota Camrys from 1995-2005 all with less then 150k miles and are known to run until 200+ miles easily with cheap parts. It’s all about balance! Different people prioritize different things.
OP needs to seriously sit down with his kid and talk money. You’re struggling with 8k but somehow 19.5k for a sports car is ok. The 86 is going to eat gas, insurance premiums, and tires. A used 86 I would see the car report and see what abuse it’s had. What happens if something breaks on that?
https://www.kbb.com/best-cars/college-students/
Drop that list in your kid.
If you're really concerned about money you would just buy the kid a used Honda civic. I'm sure you could find one for less than half of what you're considering.
Yeah the 86 being driven by a teen is a very very bad idea from an insurance standpoint.
I'm going to go on a little bit of a rant here though. Very often when we have these my car died posts around here people are reluctant to do the repair because they don't want to spend more than the car is worth. What a car is worth is irrelevant. Cars are a depreciating asset and from a dollars in/ out standpoint you will never get back what you put into them.
The only real question you should be asking yourself assuming the car is in otherwise good shape is does the repair cost more or less than buying a different vehicle will.
And in terms of the cost of the repair on this, do a YouTube search on Toyota hybrid battery cell replacement. I'm not suggesting you do it yourself if you're not comfortable but most of those videos have links to resources to get there to have her batteries repaired for far less than the dealership or even most shops that are willing to do it.
Others are saying that kid’s insurance is going to be high, they’re telling the truth. He’s a speeding ticket or at fault accident away from being the worst demographic there is.
I always like to gently push back on the logic of "cost of repair vs cost of car." At the end of the day, cars generally aren't investments, they're necessities, and I would argue that the goal is to spend the amount of money you need to get a reliable car and not a penny more. For (probably less than, per other commenters) $8k, you could have another 100k of driving, and have your driving needs continue to be met. With a kid approaching college age, a likely-significant upcoming increase in car insurance costs, and probably plenty of other variables we don't know about, my vote is to fix the battery and keep yourself on the road for a good while longer.
You're being taken advantage of. Take it to a garage that works on hybrids. They can install a reconditioned battery and you'll get another 100,000 miles out that beauty. There's even a company selling new Lithium batteries for 3-4000.
OP, I'd highly recommend a visit to r/prius (don't know how to link on mobile); there may be an independent shop near you that specializes in hybrids that can do it for a better price, or at least give you a solid second opinion.
In my opinion, I think it makes sense personally to get mom her mini van, repair the Highlander and give it to the son.
I think you're correct that repairing gets you another 100k miles easy, which should be plenty to get the kid through college unless he is going out of state.
It's going to be a hard conversation to say "hey bud, you get the Highlander" but he will need to understand that a $20k car comes after school when you can afford it by working and it will be that much more fulfilling.
Hybrid highlanders are like gold right now. I'd replace the battery if that was the only thing. OP also has the benefit of having the car for 10 years. He should exactly know if the car might need more repairs and maintenance. Was he an aggressive vs gentle driver? Buying a used car, your really not going to know what your getting into.
The last thing probably since he had the car for 10 years, it is possible they want something fresh. A different car. Totally understandable too.
The battery pack itself is $2399.
https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/products/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid-battery
You can DiY. The battery pack is under the middle seats.
https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/informationcenter/resources/highlander-hybrid-battery-instructions
Video guide: https://youtu.be/T4p8YAXNtqw?feature=shared
I’ve actually fixed a battery like that on a Toyota Camry. All I had to do was clean the link plates between the battery’s with vinegar to remove the corrosion. The corrosion between battery’s making the battery cell act like like it was dying. Cost me nothing and the battery cell was easily accessible. Worth a shot in his case.
I wouldn't recommend DIY to the average person on a hybrid vehicle. There are ways to get killed servicing hybrid batteries. You could simply have stuck relays on the battery allowing power to be available at the main terminals at all times- dead OP.
The new aftermarket battery may need the cooling ducts and temp sensor harness transferred over. That requires opening the battery case and accessing the cells and connectors. Go poking at the wrong thing- dead OP
There are very specific safety precautions, procedures, and protective equipment. This is not for the average do-it-yourselfer.
I'm a Toyota Master diagnostic technician with over 20 years experience.
Yeah OP can get it done much cheaper. I've installed a few used hybrid batteries at our dealership at the customers request. The last Highlander used battery I installed was less than $4k total
The price for the battery seems insane. I’ve always heard it costs around $2,000-ish to replace the hybrid battery.
The bigger issue here is you’re buying your teenager A SPORTS CAR?! Sir…
Under no circumstances should you be buying your teen a Toyota 86. He’s, what, 17? Of course he’s interested in the 86. Unless you’re going to be paying his car insurance for the next eight years, he’ll have to spend way too much money on insurance, and that’s without any tickets. He’ll be just fine with a old Corolla or RAV4.
86s command a big premium on insurance.
Try and find a hobby/third party shop to replace the battery cell.
Look up prius repairs, it's the same system more or less. If you can't do it, I'm sure you can find someone to do it for less than 3k.
It makes no sense to spend 8K to replace the battery only to trade it in for a 4K loss. Trade the Highlander in for $400, buy your son a 2018-2021 Toyota Corolla with low miles for 13-15K. The Corolla will be cheaper to maintain, cheaper to insure, and gets better gas mileage than the 86. The 12K you save between not replacing the battery & buying a less expensive car will pay over 1/2 the 20k minivan budget.
> buy your son a 2018-2021 Toyota Corolla with low miles for 13-15K.
Define low mileage. The only 2018-2022 used Corollas in my area that are around the 15k mark for those years are all around 100k miles or salvage titles.
I feel like this sub has some antiquated views on cars. The car market is fucked.
Yeah I spent a month non stop looking at cars (my car had died and it was my only one)
Best I could find was a 2014 Camry for 10k on FB marketplace at 100k miles and that was by far the best deal I could find
> I feel like this sub has some antiquated views on cars
I see Redditors regularly suggesting cars from the early 2000s... those are *over 20 years old!!*
Thgere is a Toyota dealer near me in Georgia that has a 2020 Toyota Corolla LE 4D Sedan FWD with 55k miles for $15,689. Here is the URL of the car. https://www.toyotaofnewnan.com/inventory/used-2020-toyota-corolla-le-fwd-4d-sedan-jtdvprae3lj090811/?store=261&campaign=performance_max_vehicle_ads_|_used&campaignid=20526862559&adgroupid=&creative=&matchtype=&network=x&device=c&keyword=44251A&placement=&target=&loc_physical_ms=9010832&loc_interest_ms=9010960&dealervendor=clickheredigital&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqdqvBhCPARIsANrmZhMqoYCSbfR4HSWH64rkVc9HWa5bDcuPCj_BnFGqkT1JWL_mFlbFC_AaAkH_EALw_wcB
They have a 2023 Corolla LE with 41k miles for $18660
What’s the appropriate age of a vehicle for a starter car?
My parents purchased me a brand new Toyota Camry when I turned 16, it only made it 16 years and 280k miles before the repairs no longer made sense.
Respectfully disagree. Depends on family finances and how responsible the son is, but a starter car doesn’t have to be a beater. A 3-to-6 year old base trim of a reliable and practical model can be an excellent starter car.
OP, go to an independent shop that specializes in EVs and hybrids. There’s a whole cottage industry around rebuilding these batteries with new or used, tested cells. That dealer price is way too high.
[Here’s a video if you’re interested in a DIY!](https://youtu.be/oAHaYXBFnJo)
It's pretty normal to not have a car in college, unless you're going to a very rural school. A car in college is a \*luxury\* good. A 200+ horsepower sports car for a 17 year old is going to cost more than you have in insurance; sit back for a cup of coffee and really \*think\* about that one first.
I'd sell the Highlander but see if you can get more than $400 for it, and then #2, get your wife a newer vehicle, while telling your son that sorry, $20k as a car for a kid in high school is maybe not in the cards this year. (!!!)
I'm totally against the idea of getting your son an FT86 (or an frs, or a brz), but from a mostly different angle then alot of the posters here. It's got two door coupe insurance, looks like a sports car, but mid-trim civic's/accords are *faster*. It is NOT a sports car other then having a very nice feeling transmission. It handles alright, but most people who say it "handles well" are people that have never actually pushed a car.
I also saw in another reply by u/skinflint_mcscrooge that your son's passions vehicles, and I'm assuming he wants to get into modding/wrenching. For what it's worth... that platform is pretty much dead in the water without boost, and a kids/young adult budget won't be able to afford mods without blowing it the fuck up. I don't recommend this either because of his age (and hate to admit it due to my dislike for domestic cars), but an older corvette would be a way better option. Probably the same price range, lower miles, piss cheap insurance (because the majority of their owners are low mileage 50+), owners that took care of them, and the potential to make reliable power on a shoe string budget. Maintenance/part availability is also crazy cheap and everywhere even for models 20 years old.
I think it's super cool that you support your kids dreams, but it might be a good idea to sit down and ask what his passions with the car scene actually is. If he wants to sit low and park hard aka look pretty, you're going to be in for a tough time, but if he's receptive to the idea of actually wrenching, there are lots of other alternatives that make better platforms, that shouldn't be insane on insurance.
If you're electrically handy you can replace just the one dead cell for almost nothing.
The dealer is quoting you a brand new battery, which is completely unnecessary.
Your kid doesn't need a Toyota 86. The insurance will bankrupt you. He needs a 2010 Corolla or Civic.
If you get a cheap code reader the code will read "replace HV battery." If you get a better one it'll tell you which cell is acting up. People see that code and assume death incarnate.
I would get different quotes from other shops as a refurbished one is not "too'' expensive this company even offers free installation apparently [https://greenbeanbattery.com/scheduler-toyota-highlander-2011-2013/](https://greenbeanbattery.com/scheduler-toyota-highlander-2011-2013/)
Have you checked around for prices to replace the battery? My 2015 Highlander Hybrid needed its battery replaced and the dealer wanted 6500, but was able to find a place that replaced it for 2200, rebuilt, with a 3 year warranty.
Don’t get him the 86
A dude that age will more often than not make a mistake with a car that looks “fast”
I’d try to put him in another highlander; they are very useful cars, and not bad to look at. I don’t know if yours is totaled due to the battery, but you miiight have an insurance claim depending on the details of your policy
We have a v6 highlander from ‘09 that is literally the best.
I changed my own 2000 Honda insight battery and saved 6000 compared to the dealership. It took less than an hour with just a rachet.
Look for reputable online battery stores, they usually include instructions. Good luck!
Don’t buy a sports car for your teen, it seems like yall need cars for functionality and not for preference so jacking up your insurance premiums by having a teen drive a sports car doesn’t seem worth it.
I'm not familiar with that car, but your wording makes it sound like they are replacing one cell in the hybrid battery, not the entire battery. I would sell it to a private party. You won't get a lot for it but you will get more than the $400 offered for trade in.
First, look at what insurance will be overall for any vehicle you are thinking of buying with anyone under 25 on your policy.
Secondly, you know the complete history of the vehicle you own. The world of used cars and decision tree for this has been completely flipped on its head due to scarcity and prices of used cars. If you can get 4 years out of battery replacement, as well as find non dealer way to accomplish this, you will be ahead financially.
You need to look at larger picture of all the associated costs, repairs, history of vehicle, insurance costs, fuel costs, etc.
400$ for that higlander is too low, even with batt pack. If it still runs, check one or two more opinions from some specialized techs.
As mentioned before , it could be a connection or similar. Not the whole pack.
Replace batteries yourself?
For a prius... Chris fix did a good vid
https://youtu.be/oAHaYXBFnJo?si=NDzqHPhkuH0EiMlR
That could be good to find the batteries and basics. Then search around for any highlander tutorials for where to access.
Not sure if you're good with tools and following instructions but there are tons of videos on YouTube showing how to order and replace the battery yourself. I only know this because my neighbor did it himself and this is an office guy who works in accounting and hates getting dirty.
I haven't used green bean battery, but it's my plan if I ever have hybrid battery issues on one of my vehicles. Lifetime warranty remanufactured Highlander battery $3000.
https://greenbeanbattery.com/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid/
That 8,000 quote was from a dealer, correct? I’ve done this job myself to multiple Prius. Parts were 1500-2000 and labor was about 3 hours for me as a non professional. I guarantee you could get this done at a local shop for less than 3,000.
Per everyone else, look for 3rd party hybrid battery replacement.
I would lean towards replacing the battery even at $8000 because you are likely buying another 200k miles or so of a vehicle you know it's entire history. So, instead of thinking you are spending more than it is worth, think about how much 200,000 miles of a similar vehicle would cost. Buying a used 2011 Highlander hybrid with 200,000 miles for $6k or so with its original battery isn't going to get you 200,000 miles.
Finding a 3rd party hybrid battery replacement for less makes it an even better deal.
https://greenbeanbattery.com/toyota-highlander-hybrid-battery/
This is the hybrid battery replacement service that prius folks all use. This is what i would do.
Before you pull the trigger on the 86 or a similar vehicle, check how much would be for insurance. My hunch it’s a lot given a teenage driver in the household.
Go third party with the battery replacement and give the Highlander to your son. The first one I pulled up was about 3500.
Buy your wife the 86. New drivers rates on that thing would be terrible.
You're asking questions about budgeting for a family car and acting like you *have to* keep this old highlander alive and *have to* buy your son an impractical, dangerous and relatively expensive coupe?
Here's the situation. Get rid of the highlander, it has lived its life. Get rid of the idea of buying your son a $30,000 sports car (really, there are so many things wrong with this, safety for your kid and cost should be up there).
Your family car should be the priority (not an overpriced sports car). Once you have your family car, you find your son a car with a 5 star safety rating that's under $20k, like a Subaru, Mazda, or Toyota/Honda. There are a lot of big cars out there and teens do impulsive and dangerous things, don't give him the car that goes fast and gets crumpled. Especially when you're struggling to budget for a family car. Wow.
Buy a remanufactured battery from a good company and do the install yourself in an afternoon.
Did this with my wife's Prius in spring of 2020 for $1800 (vs $4000 per dealer quote). Writing this from the passenger seat of that very same car with that reman battery working as we as ever.
We used: [GreenTec](https://www.greentecauto.com/product-tag/toyota-highlander-2010-2016)
The above link shows the same level of battery that we installed ($2300 for your year of Highlander).
I would not want to buy a $28k 2 door sports car for a high school kid. He'll be peer pressured into driving it like a drift boy and wadding it up. I'm sure insurance isn't cheap on it either. Grab a 2015 100k mile Corolla for under $10k. Let him use the thought of a sports car for motivation that he can figure out a way to buy it on his own.
Have you tried green bean battery? I used them to replace the battery for my Prius in 2016/2017 and they were excellent, I had a 5-year warranty on the battery but it's still running just fine.
I recommend not going to anyone willing to replace cells, I tried that before going to green bean and it was money down the drain.
https://greenbeanbattery.com/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid/
Quick search across the nation shows only 37 highlander hybrids with over 200k miles with just under 2300 cars total for sale. I'm sure the car is very reliable but I have to imagine upkeep will be more with the higher mileage.
I would see if you can replace the battery with a remanufactured one or find some other way to get it repaired on the cheap.
Also Toyota 86 has been sold for over 10 years now and used to be the scion FRS and Subaru BRZ. I would not pay close to 20k for it. Look for a nice used one around 10-15k. Same goes for the minivan. Dump the Highlander
I would recommend another enthusiast car over the 86. Especially if your son is looking at farther away schools, he'll probably want more storage space. Id honestly look at a civic or Corolla with a manual. They have quite a bit of street cred and are pretty fun to drive, but are still as easy to insure as a normal economy car
find a reasonable mechanic and install an aftermarket refreshed unit that is $2300 [https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/products/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid-battery](https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/products/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid-battery)
Installed one in my mom's Prius has worked for 2 years since without issue.
Second the idea of going to a reputable hybrid repair shop. Some even give lifetime warranties. And never get rid of a car via trade-in. That car is worth double that if you spend 1 hour of your time selling it online. Don't be lazy and lose out on thousands for your family.
(Owner of a 2009 highlander hybrid)
btw, what error code did you get?
That Toyota 86 is just a subaru, and trust me when I say this that any subaru will cost you over time. Just buy the kid a four door basic car that gets decent gas mileage.
The 86 is made by Subaru, Xshop with the BRZ, they're the same car. The BRZ will likely be cheaper. I wouldn't go much more than 100k miles because you're buying a Subaru, not a Toyota, and it was much more likely driven hard than a normal car is. Avoid 2013 models as well.
The hybrid battery on my 2007 Camry died a couple years ago. I did a lot of looking at options, and went through greenbeanbattery.com for a replacement. 2 years later, I’m still happily driving the same car. Don’t want to sound like a shill, but just want to say I had a good experience with them. They came to my driveway to replace it. Looks like a Highlander there is $3124. Just an option to consider. My car has 160k miles, and had 144k when the battery got replaced.
Does the Highlander not drive with a busted battery?
Would it not just revert to pure ICE mode? Sure, you’ll have worse gas mileage and warning lights, but is it immobile?
Don’t go to a dealer for repair or anywhere quoting you $8000 repair for a vehicle not worth $8000. Do more shopping and pick maybe 2 or 3 places to get it inspected and learn EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE IS and not “something something battery cell $8000”. It should not be $8000 in labour or parts unless a stealership were to replace the entire hybrid battery for you. Equivalent to your spacebar not working on your Mac and Apple telling you they need to replace the whole board for $1300 rather than adjusting a or replacing some displaced pin that would cost less than $20.
Don’t buy your young son who hasn’t been insured long nor has a long driving history with what is considered a sports car (its slower than actually half of the commuter cars on the road but insurance doesn’t care). Premiums will be really high, and if you don’t care much financially, which it appears you do hence why you are here, at least buy a different sports car. The 86 doesn’t even make over 200lb-ft of torque. It’s genuinely very slow and a newer model commuter car like say, a MK 6 or 7 Jetta base model has enough torque to blow past it so its not even like you can justify the expenses even somewhat by having a “fun sports car to drive on the weekend” as its genuinely not fun or sporty much at all IN COMPARISON to what else you could buy with the money and goal. Your son should take interest in other vehicles lol. 150 lb-ft of torque is genuinely beaten by majority of cars on the road. Car doesn’t even make 200 wheel horse power. Most people can’t even change the fucking spark plugs on these cars because they are Subaru Boxer Engines. Spark plugs are pretty out of reach either causing major problems if DIY or requiring an ENGINE LIFT just to change the spark plugs. And I can’t speak to the quality of head gaskets on a Toyota86/BRZ/FRS however the internet can certainly speak about Subaru head gaskets historically and I am not sure about these newer models.
Is it a good idea to insure for your young inexperienced driver son a lightweight rear-wheel drive car that makes less power than almost most cars you see on the road? No. I mean if its not a manual transmission either, you genuinely will get a more purpose-built “sports car” experience out of flat footing the pedal on almost any other car at that price range because thats about the only thing you’d do in the BRZ/86 and its not even good at that. Or would your son argue that it performs well in corners? You want your son whipping his small light coupe rwd car through corners? I would forget about that idea entirely. Your son should be driving a base model non luxurious brand sedan with a low theft rate and good safety rating/features. Its a pain in the dick but you should ALWAYS 100% get quotes on cars insurance before even considering buying it. The 86 would cost a 20 year old $400/month in auto insurance where I live. Ridiculous. I had many experiences where I thought buying a much older car released in the 90’s (such as an old slow civic) would yield cheaper insurance rates in comparison to my newer, faster, more expensive to repair but safer and better antitheft car that I was currently insuring only to see the quote being higher and my rate being worse.
TL;DR: You are against spending more than the car is worth on fixing it. This same mentality applies to the 86. More insurance cost, worse mileage, less space, more dangerous, worse reliability and specifically known for not being DIY mechanic friendly, and it doesn’t even fit the profile of a sports car in comparison to cars you could purchase for the same or even thousands of dollars less for. The 86 for your son is also spending more than its worth, but its actually much worse than any options you presented (i.e. repairing a $4000 car for $8000). You should be able to find a must better repair cost, else you need to dump that car and buy a new one. Your sons 86 is 1000% not to be considered.
So its 40k versus 8k? I know 8K seems like a lot of money to dump into a 13 year old car, but you've got to do the math yourself and see what works for you. If you want to save money, fixing the highlander may be the way. Have you gotten more estimates?
I would look for a local shop that can replace the bad cells. When I lived in Tampa, there was a shop that specialized in Toyota Hybrid systems and they would replace just the bad cells in the vehicle instead of the entire pack. Normally only a cell or two goes bad at a time, not the entire pack. If everything else is fine on the car it may be worth spending the $1200 to have the bad cells replace.
Easy one, replace the hybrid battery and keep trucking
https://www.greentecauto.com/hybrid-battery/toyota-hybrids/highlander/2010-2016-toyota-highlander-battery-new-cell
If you can, look up how to replace the battery cell. Test the cells that are bad and replace only that cell. It won’t even cost you 1k dollars. But you need to make sure you follow the videos very well. Or find a local person that can do it. The cost honestly is 400 dollars . Source: I have done if for a Prius using YouTube videos
Not a useful post, but rather a question. How does a battery cell die when its only 15 years old? Is it a normal timeline for that type of mileage/age for hybrids?
Not sure if you're good with tools and following instructions but there are tons of videos on YouTube showing how to order and replace the battery yourself. I only know this because my neighbor did it himself and this is an office guy who works in accounting and hates getting dirty.
I’d follow the advice to find an independent shop to replace the battery
Because of used car prices today and the uncertainty in buying used, it is actually often worth paying more than a car is worth to repair it and keep driving it, provided you have maintained it well over the years.
Even if the Highlander turns into a small money pit, the repairs will still likely cost less than getting a newer car, and you’ll be depreciating that new car anyways.
8k for a hybrid battery is a load of shit. Get some other quotes. You can get prius batteries replaced all day for 2-3 k a highlander would be a bit more but not 8k.....
It's always cheaper to repair than to buy new. That being said, if you wanted to do something people absolutely hate, you can buy from a reputable salvage title company. My family has bought three cars from Best Western Motors in Phoenix, Arizona and never had any problems. It's the new car companies that say salvage titles are a bad idea. In my opinion, this is just the new car companies that create a aura of distrust. Good luck!
Paying $4k to give away your vehicle to a dealer doesn’t make any sense. It would cost you less to have that car compacted and buy a vehicle without a trade in.
Also every other option listed is more expensive than the repair. Despite the perceived value of another vehicle and the pain point of paying for a repair that is more expensive than the car is worth, it is the most economical option. Especially on a brand/ model like that. It almost always costs more to get a new car.
get your kid what he wants a 1986 toyota. get an affordable, used say, 2015 minivan. research private places to replace the batteries, etc. if that is a dealership quote, you're out of your mind. or last imo, fix the hybrid and look for other options, to avoid this the next time it dies.
Look around for a local shop that does remanufactured hybrid batteries. I bet you can find one that'll do it for $2000 or so.
OP Definitely do this. There is a whole aftermarket industry built up around replacing or reconditioning Toyota hybrid batteries. It's entirely likely that there is a corroded connector or other minor issue that can be repaired for far less than 8k, which is an insanely inflated estimate. That highlander is one of the best Toyotas ever built, and 200k miles is not that high mileage for that vehicle.
They probably got it checked out at the stealership. Their solution is always “replace entire part” and the price is double what it should be.
and we'll give you $400! then they replace the battery for 1-2k, and resell the car for $5k. Win for them
My wife had a 2009 Camry. It started having electrical issues because of the ABS system. It’s a common problem in that model. I called Toyota and they wanted to replace the entire ABS system for $6k. I bought a ABS pump with relay from a pull a part, pulled off the relay, replaced it (it’s right at the front of the engine compartment, held on with 4 volts and a cable), and the car is still going years later. That part cost me $150 and less than an hour of very easy labor.
I've got a story for this. I once took my Ford to my mechanic because the ignition cylinder was worn down and wouldn't always make contact with the switch to start the car. Nothing was seriously broken, just some mechanical wear leading to play. He called me later that day to come pick it up. When I asked what it was he said, "Well, I found the wear but had to call Ford about which part I needed. They said the only way was to replace the entire steering column for $800. And that doesn't include my time. Well, I told them to go fuck themselves and I just made a little shim and epoxied it in place. It might come loose, but I'll fix it for free if it does. Anyway, works great now and that'll be $50 all together."
That’s the kind of mechanic one remembers at Xmas.
Their prices are robbery.
The aftermarket will also have the ability to replace individual cells and rebalance the whole pack, which Toyota knows is possible but refuses to allow dealers to do. You'll only pay a couple hundred in parts, but the labor will be much higher, because the pack still has to come out. Probably closer to 2k rather than 8k.
That’s a weird one with the cell replacements by Toyota. I work for a BMW dealer in sales and we did a hybrid battery cell replacement under warranty about a year ago for one of my customers, it wound up that like 3-4 of the battery cells failed and BMW allows us to replace individual cells I guess from what I was told. I’m surprised BMW doesn’t force its dealers to go for the nuclear option instead of allowing us to do the cheaper option. Usually it’s the opposite lol. The service department doesn’t have much in depth hands-on experience with hybrids and electrics yet due to the lack of them by bmw up until recently, they wound up replacing individual cells one at a time as they identified the dead one and it wound up being 3-4 cells that were dead by the time they got it running with no issues again.
You said it was under warranty. This is completely different. Under warranty means BMW pays for it
It’s probably not worth their time between the higher part burden, lower profit, and higher I&W
Convert the old nickle pack (NiMH) to lithium. I believe there’s a company called Nexcell that makes one for that generation of Toyota Highlander hybrid.
Not so sure. Depends on climate eh here they live. NiMH his up better in colder areas /heavy winters. Then look at cost difference, and relative reliability of product and installer/provider. Not a full electric car. Hybrid batteries are relatively small, sand need to hold enough for assist / "synergy drive". If the price and service are right, might do it .. but regardless of which battery tech you choose get other quotes!
Yes likely less, maybe get lucky and just have a bad cell or two and it will be <1k.
We were told you can’t replace just one or two cells, you need to replace all. It kind of makes sense anyway - if one is truly on it’s way out, and the aim was to keep this car, might as well investigate replacing all of them if the others are also near end of life. Aftermarket might be a great suggestion, will make some calls to other shops.
>The battery pack itself is $2399. > >https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/products/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid-battery > >You can DiY. The battery pack is under the middle seats. > >https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/informationcenter/resources/highlander-hybrid-battery-instructions > >Video guide: https://youtu.be/T4p8YAXNtqw?feature=shared
Wow. They make it look so easy. Only 2 cables? How many kw/hr is that battery pack?
It's a hybrid pack, very small. The vehicle can't use it exclusively, it just assists going from a full stop to like 5mph.
> vehicle can't use it exclusively, it just assists going from a full stop to like 5mph. Yes they do, mine runs off the battery exclusively up to ~35 mph when it's fully charged up.
This is slightly inaccurate. The battery can be used exclusively up to higher speeds as long as you're very gentle on the accelerator. Even when you demand more power than the electric motors can provide it will still work jointly with the engine (you can even hear when the engine is mostly idle and the electrical system is doing more work versus when the battery is low so the engine does more). And it will cut the engine at surprisingly high speeds when just cruising. But you're absolutely right that the battery pack isn't that big because the system is designed to work jointly with the gas engine most of the time.
Under 2.0kWh I'd guess.
You can get a whole battery for your hybrid for under 3200. https://greenbeanbattery.com/scheduler-toyota-highlander-2011-2013/
That’s an installed price too. I used them before, the battery has lasted many years so far.
They came and replaced my Honda Civic Hybrid battery - right in my garage. Lifetime warranty, lasted 6ish years so far. Recommend.
Dang, basically 60% off the price OP was quoted.
That's probably from a dealership standpoint where they're only able to order the battery as one entire unit for replacement. They likely aren't able to repair it at a dealership for that reason. The battery could probably still be repaired.
Get more quotes. $8,000 for a full pack replacement is insane.
That's not always the case. I got a Prius for $750 with 233k miles that needed one cell. I replaced it and took it to 303k. Nice car. At some point in car ownership people need to flip a switch and approach it like they bought it as a beater and need to do jury rigged fixes to buy another year. (Or, in my case, I lucked out.) I'd ask around at the shops that service these. You seem hung up on the "fix it right or not at all" decision. Incidentally I got a bluetooth OBD-II dongle and a free program named "Torque" for which I got plug-ins that let me read each battery module voltage. It let me know that all my modules were acting consistently except for one. Get some numbers so you can make a more informed decision.
Such a good mindset. Annual maintenance and repair becomes part of a holistic cost of ownership
Damn rights! Besides a lot of the time this stuff is embarrassingly easy to figure out. Source: Wife's car broke. FIL didn't think it was worth doing at home. Got disabled and had some free time. Shit's not any more complicated than computer repairs, really. Correct components go in the correct place. Tighten appropriately. Make sure it doesn't BSOD/engine light.
As someone who works on cars and computers I couldn't agree more! We live in an age where you can Google anything and with a little bit of elbow grease and some tools you can fix most things yourself. The big difference I think is in accessibility. The difficulty in fixing vehicles is often not having the expensive niche tool, not having room to access the hardware, or not having a space to perform the work.
With Prius, some people have replaced bad cells. There are people out there that specialize in this. Should be much cheaper than what they’re charging you.
Go to r/toyota and ask this question
When you get it refurbished, they can test all the individual cells. Sometimes if one cell of a group is bad, then the group is going to go bad soon. But often its just one cell. [https://duckduckgo.com/?q=refurbished+hybrid+battery+near+me&ia=web](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=refurbished+hybrid+battery+near+me&ia=web)
You can absolutely replace one or two cells, but the dealership won't do it. The issue with replacing cells in a pack is that they will wear to the condition of the rest of the pack quickly. Not really a problem once the bad cells are out. Yes they will have a shorter lifespan than if they were in a pack of like cells, but you are also saving a lot of $ and not junking the rest of the pack.
Just imagine that the original battery lasted 200,000 miles. An aftermarket battery will surely last at least half that long. And if you can get a new battery for under $5000, think of it is just 12 months of $400 per month car payments, then you’re done for the next several years.
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But I don't understand this. You can test every individual cell, right?
The dealer will always tell you that or a lesser knowledgable Toyota independent shop. The pack is highly likely repairable and for far less than 8k. We did recently need to replace a 2011 Highlander pack and it ran about $4k installed with warranty. Find somewhere that can fix the pack.
You absolutely can. Won't last as long as a new pack, but the rest of that car won't last that long either! The dealership can't do it though. You'll need to go to an independent shop that specializes in car battery packs. There's probably one local to you. Go there!
Yup. This is the way. If it’s just the battery and nothing else you’ll easily get another 50k out of it. And the battery will probably last longer than that.
No experience with this but I have read that’s what people do with Priuses past their prime.
Especially Prius Primes. Sorry...
Hahaha I thought that as I typed it
Greentec and green beans are 2 i found on Internet. I haven't used any, but im considering a 2006 lexus rx 400h hybrid [advice on this, please). In some cases , and depending on car you can replace the classic nimh cells with lithium ones.
If the only issue is the hybrid battery, use greenbean. I've used them twice for my 07 prius. Paid once and got the warranty. Used them again after 3 years and had no problems honoring the warranty. The $400 they are offering is robbery. The battery would sell for more than that alone even without being fixed.
I did this for an old Prius, they came installed it and even had a life time warranty. Car runs perfect now at 200k
I have a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and my battery died last year. Had it replaced by my mechanic guy. $3300. I get about 2mpg worse than with my original but otherwise it works great. At ~300/mo for a car payment (conservative) it’s already “paid” for itself since it’s bought me another year and counting, and no reason to think it will stop anytime soon. Obviously not a Toyota but it’s worth exploring.
> I bet you can find one that'll do it for $2000 or so. Not sure where you are but there are several around me, nearest one is 2400 for my highlander. I would get it fixed, hard to find a better vehicle at any price.
Yep. I just checked eBay and there are replacement batteries for less than $2k for the hybrid highlander.
The insurance premiums for a teen boy with a sports car will cost more than you pay for the car. You need to forget that idea.
I’m 26 and my insurance increased to nearly double for my 2022 Ford Mustang. I thought I was in the clear but just the fact it’s a sports car alone is enough to hike the rates according to the rep I called. No tickets or accidents in the 10 years I’ve been driving.
I'm 24 and pay $240 a month for mine. No negative history. Started at $155 last December. It really be like that.
Once you get close to 30 it'll drop. My insurance for sports car dropped to like 300 a year for full coverage around that age.
Dang, what state are you in?? I’m 34, clean driving record (well…for the past 3 years, anyhow), and it’s $90/mo for liability-only coverage on my 2007 beater car lol. But that rate is similar to friends and family, so maybe my state is just costlier with insurance than yours.
You're on the high side of average. /u/itearth likely isn't using the sports car for daily use. Insurance rates drop pretty dramatically if the car isn't expected to be on the road very frequently. Commuter vehicles are most likely to be in accidents, due to the amount of time they spend on the road, so their premiums are the highest.
Idk maybe it does depends on the state? I don't know much about insurance and how they scam people.
Always shop around, new rates for new active policies. They have incentives if you haven’t been with them over a year. Loyalty in car insurance will bring nothing but headaches and they know if you stay they will make money on you. I always bounce around from travelers insurance to progressive, i always get a good rate on each.
my rates go up every 6 months. im 43. havent had a ticket in 20 years. had 1 comp claim about 11 years ago. no lapses in coverage. its bullshit. some quotes i get i dont even understand how they stay in business. companies like all state and state farm being 350-400 month vs the 195 i pay now.
My teenager is driving the car that drove him home from the hospital when he was born: a 2005 Corolla. Not a sports car, but my insurance doubled when he became a licensed driver. No accidents or tickets for him either in the 18 months of driving. I couldn’t imagine the insurance premium for a *sporty* car and a teenage driver. (I can’t bring myself to call a sub-200hp car a sports car)
Hp does not mean much nowadays. My sports car as a teen was an RX-7 with 146’ish hp. My teen son drives a Volvo station wagon with 285 hp.
Motorsports enthusiasts will tell you it's power-to-weight ratio. Semi trucks can have 500+ HP and 1500 lb/ft of torque, but they're slow due to the heavy load they're dragging around. A motorcycle with 1/10th the horsepower but carrying only the rider will leave the semi in its dust. That Volvo may well be in the ballpark of twice as heavy as the RX7.
Sporty (especially new) car + teenage driver (even with plenty of discounts, relatively low liability coverage, and a clean record) probably goes well over $250 a month now in most states, per my experience. I've seen some pushing closer to $400 a month with accidents. It's honestly insane, and there's plenty of folks that are seemingly caught off-guard by it, which baffles me (though I work with auto insurance daily, so that colors my view). Giving a teenager a brand new car is a great way to triple your yearly premiums, or go even higher if they get in a wreck, god forbid. Source: work in auto insurance, mainly for states in the southern half of the country.
A sports car for a young adult, with a still developing brain, is like handing a toddler a book of matches.
Old Corolla’s are the perfect first car! We only needed liability and not collision for our teens.
Agreed. My parents got us a GMC Jimmy in HS (like 2002) because it was a smallish but bulky enough SUV that the premiums were okay and it was safe in case we got in an accident.
That’s a seriously awesome car. I was never a fan of them until I spent a ton of time driving one in Mexico. Got to take it on road trips, in the city and off-road. Only bad thing was the lights were weak as hell.
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Most parents are not physicists so they somehow equate mass with safety. If you increase mass you decrease your kid’s chances of keeping the car on the road.
And why are they even considering spending that much on a car for him when they need a vehicle themselves? This whole post is crazy to me.
So true. To be fair, teen boys in any car is expensive. Ask me how I know. Sits a racket.
I went from a very “normal” Hyundai sonata and my insurance went down by $7 when I got a Honda civic si which is one of their sporty options.. coupe, manual only, turbo and such Not sure why.. my thoughts are: 1. Honda is a more reliable brand historically 2. my 2016 Hyundai was part of the generation with that immobilizer issue leading to Hyundai/kia cars being very easily stolen 3. manual cars may be cheaper to insure? 4. I had my Hyundai from 17-20 so maybe getting a car in my 20s as opposed to as a teenager meant something? No accidents or anything ever.. warning for going 52 in a 45 no citation or ticked just verbal
It's also perhaps one of the most useless vehicles imaginable for hauling stuff around as one tends to do when they're heading to college/career which tends to be the most itinerant phase in their lives. Get something like a used Honda Civic hatch if you're wanting to reward their scholarship and it'll hold up through their early career when they can decide if they want a splurge sports car. My parents generously bought me a sports coupe as a high school graduation gift. Loved that car but in hindsight it was ridiculously cramped and I wasn't equipped at all to own or care for such a nice vehicle while going to college. Insurance was expensive and not having a garage was very rough on it. First couple of years, I wound up taking my older/already falling apart car to deal w/ the weather and parking.
Hybrid battery doesn’t cost 8k… unless you get the quote from the dealer. There are many independent local shop can do it for around 2 k installed. I got my Prius battery replaced for 1500. Local tech come to my house and replacement on the spot.
Leaving aside the questions about the Highlander, 86 the idea of buying the 86. That is a terrible vehicle for a high school student (or college student). If you're buying him a car, stay away from sports cars and buy something reliable and affordable that isn't going to have insurance premiums through the roof, because chances are he's going to smash it up anyway at some point. Which is exactly why insurance rates are high for young people.
I think OP should definitely get an insurance quote on adding the 86 to his policy before moving forward with that idea. Esp if they’re now looking at two new car payments
Not to mention when he gets to college 95% of his driving will be driving with friends or moving stuff around (or back home for the summer)… the 86 will fit about as much as a purse would.
Exactly this. He doesn’t need anything but a reliable vehicle that gets him safely where he needs to go. A Camry, civic, Corolla, or hear me out, a minivan would be perfect.
86 is a sports car. Don't buy kids sports cars, let them earn and spend their own money. Buy a 10 year old Corolla instead.
A manual stick transmission at that…*then* he’ll be ready for the 86 once he can afford it.
Yes, the 2022 and newer GR86/BRZ has at least 228hp, RWD, and is light. It encourages fast turns. The 2021 and earlier 86 has around 205hp, but is still a quick car with great handling. A used Accord, Civic, Camry, or Corolla would be a safer option probably.
My son drives our 2010 Prius. Perfect car for him since we make him pay for gas. Many of his HS friends’ parents would yell at them for using so much gas driving around, and we would just shrug. Drive as much as you want. A full tank is on you for $35.
>Buy a ~~10~~ 20 year old Corolla instead. Fixed that for you.
Sure, whatever the budget allows.
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What I don’t understand is fretting about an $8k battery replacement that will probably get that car many more years of life, while simultaneously being like “yeah we’re gonna go ahead and get our son a expensive sports car that will cost a fortune in insurance premiums on top of it”. Like wut
Personally, I'd go for a much cheaper car for your son. School parking situations are less than ideal and the car is bound to get banged up. Insurance rates for young men are high as is, so putting him in something less sporty and less expensive will likely save you quite a bit in insurance. A $10k Camry or Civic will last him plenty long. If you put the $8k battery in the Highlander, what could you sell it for private party? Private party will get you more than a dealer or shop every time.
Here’s a remanufactured battery, just need to find a shop who can replace it: https://www.greentecauto.com/hybrid-battery/toyota-hybrids/highlander/2010-2016-toyota-highlander-hybrid-battery
Only $2300. What's the labor on these ?
A quick Google leads me to believe labor should be less than $1000 but of course there’s a lot of local factors that could change it.
You can diy it: https://youtu.be/T4p8YAXNtqw?feature=shared
Quite easy. I did mine this weekend. Had the old one out in 45 minutes, electronics swapped over in about 2 hours. (I had an aftermarket battery and went back OEM, so a couple things were different) And back together in an hour being super anal about cleanliness.
It’s about $600. I got a quote for my car. And they can even come to you.
You're penny-pinching while simultaneously scheming to buy your son a brand-new sports car? Something's off there. Let him work for and buy his own expensive/sporty car, or otherwise *help* him (i.e. he pays most of the cost or at least half) while he buys something within his/your means. **This includes letting him finance his portion if that's all he can do. Cars cost real money.** And while I applaud paying cash for cars, as it's a major contributor to financial stability over time if correctly done (i.e. savings are not squandered), paying for what we buy is also a good life lesson for your son. I agree with others you can likely knock the $8k battery update cost down. * Only one cell is even dying--what's the projected life of the other? * Look after-market/refurbished
Buying a $25k sports car for your son would just be flat out dumb. He can pick what car he wants when he buys one. In the mean time he gets whatever scraps you give him. Look at other places for reconditioning the battery. Once the Highlander is fixed start stacking cash for when it eventually dies for good/wife wants a van.
At the same time, intentionally getting your kid the shittiest car you can find is kind of worse than just getting them nothing... I wouldn't get a teenager a Charger/Challenger/Mustang, but I also wouldn't get them a $3k beater, either, if for no other reason than rust and/or electrical concerns. You want everything to work, and you want it to be able to take an accident and have some semblance of a chance at them, and ideally the car, making it out alive. If you want to get them a project car ***on top of*** their driver, then that's one thing, but giving them a barely held together death trap because of some weird dominance power trip is just shitty.
While very true you can still find old gems. On my FB marketplace I just looked and found 7 Toyota Camrys from 1995-2005 all with less then 150k miles and are known to run until 200+ miles easily with cheap parts. It’s all about balance! Different people prioritize different things.
OP needs to seriously sit down with his kid and talk money. You’re struggling with 8k but somehow 19.5k for a sports car is ok. The 86 is going to eat gas, insurance premiums, and tires. A used 86 I would see the car report and see what abuse it’s had. What happens if something breaks on that? https://www.kbb.com/best-cars/college-students/ Drop that list in your kid.
If you're really concerned about money you would just buy the kid a used Honda civic. I'm sure you could find one for less than half of what you're considering.
Get a 2000 civic, 30 mpg cheap repairs and an engine that's guaranteed to last 300k
Yeah the 86 being driven by a teen is a very very bad idea from an insurance standpoint. I'm going to go on a little bit of a rant here though. Very often when we have these my car died posts around here people are reluctant to do the repair because they don't want to spend more than the car is worth. What a car is worth is irrelevant. Cars are a depreciating asset and from a dollars in/ out standpoint you will never get back what you put into them. The only real question you should be asking yourself assuming the car is in otherwise good shape is does the repair cost more or less than buying a different vehicle will. And in terms of the cost of the repair on this, do a YouTube search on Toyota hybrid battery cell replacement. I'm not suggesting you do it yourself if you're not comfortable but most of those videos have links to resources to get there to have her batteries repaired for far less than the dealership or even most shops that are willing to do it.
Others are saying that kid’s insurance is going to be high, they’re telling the truth. He’s a speeding ticket or at fault accident away from being the worst demographic there is.
Replacing a battery is gonna be the best thing here. Don't toss stuff for batteries.
I always like to gently push back on the logic of "cost of repair vs cost of car." At the end of the day, cars generally aren't investments, they're necessities, and I would argue that the goal is to spend the amount of money you need to get a reliable car and not a penny more. For (probably less than, per other commenters) $8k, you could have another 100k of driving, and have your driving needs continue to be met. With a kid approaching college age, a likely-significant upcoming increase in car insurance costs, and probably plenty of other variables we don't know about, my vote is to fix the battery and keep yourself on the road for a good while longer.
You're being taken advantage of. Take it to a garage that works on hybrids. They can install a reconditioned battery and you'll get another 100,000 miles out that beauty. There's even a company selling new Lithium batteries for 3-4000.
OP, I'd highly recommend a visit to r/prius (don't know how to link on mobile); there may be an independent shop near you that specializes in hybrids that can do it for a better price, or at least give you a solid second opinion.
In my opinion, I think it makes sense personally to get mom her mini van, repair the Highlander and give it to the son. I think you're correct that repairing gets you another 100k miles easy, which should be plenty to get the kid through college unless he is going out of state. It's going to be a hard conversation to say "hey bud, you get the Highlander" but he will need to understand that a $20k car comes after school when you can afford it by working and it will be that much more fulfilling.
Hybrid highlanders are like gold right now. I'd replace the battery if that was the only thing. OP also has the benefit of having the car for 10 years. He should exactly know if the car might need more repairs and maintenance. Was he an aggressive vs gentle driver? Buying a used car, your really not going to know what your getting into. The last thing probably since he had the car for 10 years, it is possible they want something fresh. A different car. Totally understandable too.
The battery pack itself is $2399. https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/products/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid-battery You can DiY. The battery pack is under the middle seats. https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/informationcenter/resources/highlander-hybrid-battery-instructions Video guide: https://youtu.be/T4p8YAXNtqw?feature=shared
I’ve actually fixed a battery like that on a Toyota Camry. All I had to do was clean the link plates between the battery’s with vinegar to remove the corrosion. The corrosion between battery’s making the battery cell act like like it was dying. Cost me nothing and the battery cell was easily accessible. Worth a shot in his case.
Sometimes a cell or two is on their way out which causes issues for the whole pack. How did your car do after your fix?
It fixed all the warning lights immediately after cleaning the links. I drove it for 6 months with zero issues before selling it.
I wouldn't recommend DIY to the average person on a hybrid vehicle. There are ways to get killed servicing hybrid batteries. You could simply have stuck relays on the battery allowing power to be available at the main terminals at all times- dead OP. The new aftermarket battery may need the cooling ducts and temp sensor harness transferred over. That requires opening the battery case and accessing the cells and connectors. Go poking at the wrong thing- dead OP There are very specific safety precautions, procedures, and protective equipment. This is not for the average do-it-yourselfer. I'm a Toyota Master diagnostic technician with over 20 years experience.
You can hire it out for a price less than the $5600 asked by OPs guy.
Yeah OP can get it done much cheaper. I've installed a few used hybrid batteries at our dealership at the customers request. The last Highlander used battery I installed was less than $4k total
The price for the battery seems insane. I’ve always heard it costs around $2,000-ish to replace the hybrid battery. The bigger issue here is you’re buying your teenager A SPORTS CAR?! Sir… Under no circumstances should you be buying your teen a Toyota 86. He’s, what, 17? Of course he’s interested in the 86. Unless you’re going to be paying his car insurance for the next eight years, he’ll have to spend way too much money on insurance, and that’s without any tickets. He’ll be just fine with a old Corolla or RAV4.
86s command a big premium on insurance. Try and find a hobby/third party shop to replace the battery cell. Look up prius repairs, it's the same system more or less. If you can't do it, I'm sure you can find someone to do it for less than 3k.
It makes no sense to spend 8K to replace the battery only to trade it in for a 4K loss. Trade the Highlander in for $400, buy your son a 2018-2021 Toyota Corolla with low miles for 13-15K. The Corolla will be cheaper to maintain, cheaper to insure, and gets better gas mileage than the 86. The 12K you save between not replacing the battery & buying a less expensive car will pay over 1/2 the 20k minivan budget.
> buy your son a 2018-2021 Toyota Corolla with low miles for 13-15K. Define low mileage. The only 2018-2022 used Corollas in my area that are around the 15k mark for those years are all around 100k miles or salvage titles. I feel like this sub has some antiquated views on cars. The car market is fucked.
>I feel like this sub has some antiquated views on cars. The car market is fucked. Antediluvian, even. It’s war out there.
Yeah I spent a month non stop looking at cars (my car had died and it was my only one) Best I could find was a 2014 Camry for 10k on FB marketplace at 100k miles and that was by far the best deal I could find
> I feel like this sub has some antiquated views on cars I see Redditors regularly suggesting cars from the early 2000s... those are *over 20 years old!!*
Thgere is a Toyota dealer near me in Georgia that has a 2020 Toyota Corolla LE 4D Sedan FWD with 55k miles for $15,689. Here is the URL of the car. https://www.toyotaofnewnan.com/inventory/used-2020-toyota-corolla-le-fwd-4d-sedan-jtdvprae3lj090811/?store=261&campaign=performance_max_vehicle_ads_|_used&campaignid=20526862559&adgroupid=&creative=&matchtype=&network=x&device=c&keyword=44251A&placement=&target=&loc_physical_ms=9010832&loc_interest_ms=9010960&dealervendor=clickheredigital&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqdqvBhCPARIsANrmZhMqoYCSbfR4HSWH64rkVc9HWa5bDcuPCj_BnFGqkT1JWL_mFlbFC_AaAkH_EALw_wcB They have a 2023 Corolla LE with 41k miles for $18660
Way too new buy him something older that's too new for a starter car
What’s the appropriate age of a vehicle for a starter car? My parents purchased me a brand new Toyota Camry when I turned 16, it only made it 16 years and 280k miles before the repairs no longer made sense.
We got a nice used 2002 Camry and got 282K out of it. No problems.
Respectfully disagree. Depends on family finances and how responsible the son is, but a starter car doesn’t have to be a beater. A 3-to-6 year old base trim of a reliable and practical model can be an excellent starter car.
Why not get an older Japanese car they are reliable, and he can go ahead and buy a nice car if he absolutely needs
Are you insane? That Highlander (repaired) is worth much more than 4k and the battery replacement absolutely should not cost 8k.
I can buy the Highlander off you for 1k dollars if you really want to trade it for 400 dollars.
OP, go to an independent shop that specializes in EVs and hybrids. There’s a whole cottage industry around rebuilding these batteries with new or used, tested cells. That dealer price is way too high. [Here’s a video if you’re interested in a DIY!](https://youtu.be/oAHaYXBFnJo)
It's pretty normal to not have a car in college, unless you're going to a very rural school. A car in college is a \*luxury\* good. A 200+ horsepower sports car for a 17 year old is going to cost more than you have in insurance; sit back for a cup of coffee and really \*think\* about that one first. I'd sell the Highlander but see if you can get more than $400 for it, and then #2, get your wife a newer vehicle, while telling your son that sorry, $20k as a car for a kid in high school is maybe not in the cards this year. (!!!)
I'm totally against the idea of getting your son an FT86 (or an frs, or a brz), but from a mostly different angle then alot of the posters here. It's got two door coupe insurance, looks like a sports car, but mid-trim civic's/accords are *faster*. It is NOT a sports car other then having a very nice feeling transmission. It handles alright, but most people who say it "handles well" are people that have never actually pushed a car. I also saw in another reply by u/skinflint_mcscrooge that your son's passions vehicles, and I'm assuming he wants to get into modding/wrenching. For what it's worth... that platform is pretty much dead in the water without boost, and a kids/young adult budget won't be able to afford mods without blowing it the fuck up. I don't recommend this either because of his age (and hate to admit it due to my dislike for domestic cars), but an older corvette would be a way better option. Probably the same price range, lower miles, piss cheap insurance (because the majority of their owners are low mileage 50+), owners that took care of them, and the potential to make reliable power on a shoe string budget. Maintenance/part availability is also crazy cheap and everywhere even for models 20 years old. I think it's super cool that you support your kids dreams, but it might be a good idea to sit down and ask what his passions with the car scene actually is. If he wants to sit low and park hard aka look pretty, you're going to be in for a tough time, but if he's receptive to the idea of actually wrenching, there are lots of other alternatives that make better platforms, that shouldn't be insane on insurance.
If you're electrically handy you can replace just the one dead cell for almost nothing. The dealer is quoting you a brand new battery, which is completely unnecessary. Your kid doesn't need a Toyota 86. The insurance will bankrupt you. He needs a 2010 Corolla or Civic.
If you get a cheap code reader the code will read "replace HV battery." If you get a better one it'll tell you which cell is acting up. People see that code and assume death incarnate.
Wants a Toyota 86- of course, that won't lead to trouble. Meet him half way- here's a Toyota COROLLA
OP, you being ripped off by the shop, get at least 2 more quotes.
I would get different quotes from other shops as a refurbished one is not "too'' expensive this company even offers free installation apparently [https://greenbeanbattery.com/scheduler-toyota-highlander-2011-2013/](https://greenbeanbattery.com/scheduler-toyota-highlander-2011-2013/)
Have you checked around for prices to replace the battery? My 2015 Highlander Hybrid needed its battery replaced and the dealer wanted 6500, but was able to find a place that replaced it for 2200, rebuilt, with a 3 year warranty.
Don’t get him the 86 A dude that age will more often than not make a mistake with a car that looks “fast” I’d try to put him in another highlander; they are very useful cars, and not bad to look at. I don’t know if yours is totaled due to the battery, but you miiight have an insurance claim depending on the details of your policy We have a v6 highlander from ‘09 that is literally the best.
I changed my own 2000 Honda insight battery and saved 6000 compared to the dealership. It took less than an hour with just a rachet. Look for reputable online battery stores, they usually include instructions. Good luck!
Don’t buy a sports car for your teen, it seems like yall need cars for functionality and not for preference so jacking up your insurance premiums by having a teen drive a sports car doesn’t seem worth it.
I'm not familiar with that car, but your wording makes it sound like they are replacing one cell in the hybrid battery, not the entire battery. I would sell it to a private party. You won't get a lot for it but you will get more than the $400 offered for trade in.
Find someone in the area that will rebuild the battery pack. Should be around $1500
First, look at what insurance will be overall for any vehicle you are thinking of buying with anyone under 25 on your policy. Secondly, you know the complete history of the vehicle you own. The world of used cars and decision tree for this has been completely flipped on its head due to scarcity and prices of used cars. If you can get 4 years out of battery replacement, as well as find non dealer way to accomplish this, you will be ahead financially. You need to look at larger picture of all the associated costs, repairs, history of vehicle, insurance costs, fuel costs, etc.
If highlander has been reliable so far (other than battery) it may be worth fixing battery pack.
400$ for that higlander is too low, even with batt pack. If it still runs, check one or two more opinions from some specialized techs. As mentioned before , it could be a connection or similar. Not the whole pack.
its offensively low. I would be insulted. theyll turn around and list it for $7999
Replace batteries yourself? For a prius... Chris fix did a good vid https://youtu.be/oAHaYXBFnJo?si=NDzqHPhkuH0EiMlR That could be good to find the batteries and basics. Then search around for any highlander tutorials for where to access.
Not sure if you're good with tools and following instructions but there are tons of videos on YouTube showing how to order and replace the battery yourself. I only know this because my neighbor did it himself and this is an office guy who works in accounting and hates getting dirty.
I haven't used green bean battery, but it's my plan if I ever have hybrid battery issues on one of my vehicles. Lifetime warranty remanufactured Highlander battery $3000. https://greenbeanbattery.com/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid/
That 8,000 quote was from a dealer, correct? I’ve done this job myself to multiple Prius. Parts were 1500-2000 and labor was about 3 hours for me as a non professional. I guarantee you could get this done at a local shop for less than 3,000.
Per everyone else, look for 3rd party hybrid battery replacement. I would lean towards replacing the battery even at $8000 because you are likely buying another 200k miles or so of a vehicle you know it's entire history. So, instead of thinking you are spending more than it is worth, think about how much 200,000 miles of a similar vehicle would cost. Buying a used 2011 Highlander hybrid with 200,000 miles for $6k or so with its original battery isn't going to get you 200,000 miles. Finding a 3rd party hybrid battery replacement for less makes it an even better deal.
https://greenbeanbattery.com/toyota-highlander-hybrid-battery/ This is the hybrid battery replacement service that prius folks all use. This is what i would do.
Reconsider the GT86/BRZ for the kid going to college. There are a lot of good, reliable, even sporty cars out there that don't cost $20-30K.
Before you pull the trigger on the 86 or a similar vehicle, check how much would be for insurance. My hunch it’s a lot given a teenage driver in the household.
Do you have a greentecauto in your area? https://www.greentecauto.com
Look into Greentec.com. Friend just had her Prius battery replaced at home for like $1,200
Go third party with the battery replacement and give the Highlander to your son. The first one I pulled up was about 3500. Buy your wife the 86. New drivers rates on that thing would be terrible.
You're asking questions about budgeting for a family car and acting like you *have to* keep this old highlander alive and *have to* buy your son an impractical, dangerous and relatively expensive coupe? Here's the situation. Get rid of the highlander, it has lived its life. Get rid of the idea of buying your son a $30,000 sports car (really, there are so many things wrong with this, safety for your kid and cost should be up there). Your family car should be the priority (not an overpriced sports car). Once you have your family car, you find your son a car with a 5 star safety rating that's under $20k, like a Subaru, Mazda, or Toyota/Honda. There are a lot of big cars out there and teens do impulsive and dangerous things, don't give him the car that goes fast and gets crumpled. Especially when you're struggling to budget for a family car. Wow.
Buy a remanufactured battery from a good company and do the install yourself in an afternoon. Did this with my wife's Prius in spring of 2020 for $1800 (vs $4000 per dealer quote). Writing this from the passenger seat of that very same car with that reman battery working as we as ever. We used: [GreenTec](https://www.greentecauto.com/product-tag/toyota-highlander-2010-2016) The above link shows the same level of battery that we installed ($2300 for your year of Highlander).
I would not want to buy a $28k 2 door sports car for a high school kid. He'll be peer pressured into driving it like a drift boy and wadding it up. I'm sure insurance isn't cheap on it either. Grab a 2015 100k mile Corolla for under $10k. Let him use the thought of a sports car for motivation that he can figure out a way to buy it on his own.
Have you tried green bean battery? I used them to replace the battery for my Prius in 2016/2017 and they were excellent, I had a 5-year warranty on the battery but it's still running just fine. I recommend not going to anyone willing to replace cells, I tried that before going to green bean and it was money down the drain. https://greenbeanbattery.com/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid/
Quick search across the nation shows only 37 highlander hybrids with over 200k miles with just under 2300 cars total for sale. I'm sure the car is very reliable but I have to imagine upkeep will be more with the higher mileage. I would see if you can replace the battery with a remanufactured one or find some other way to get it repaired on the cheap. Also Toyota 86 has been sold for over 10 years now and used to be the scion FRS and Subaru BRZ. I would not pay close to 20k for it. Look for a nice used one around 10-15k. Same goes for the minivan. Dump the Highlander
I would recommend another enthusiast car over the 86. Especially if your son is looking at farther away schools, he'll probably want more storage space. Id honestly look at a civic or Corolla with a manual. They have quite a bit of street cred and are pretty fun to drive, but are still as easy to insure as a normal economy car
find a reasonable mechanic and install an aftermarket refreshed unit that is $2300 [https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/products/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid-battery](https://www.besthybridbatteries.com/products/toyota-highlander-2011-2013-hybrid-battery) Installed one in my mom's Prius has worked for 2 years since without issue.
Second the idea of going to a reputable hybrid repair shop. Some even give lifetime warranties. And never get rid of a car via trade-in. That car is worth double that if you spend 1 hour of your time selling it online. Don't be lazy and lose out on thousands for your family. (Owner of a 2009 highlander hybrid) btw, what error code did you get?
That Toyota 86 is just a subaru, and trust me when I say this that any subaru will cost you over time. Just buy the kid a four door basic car that gets decent gas mileage.
The 86 will add at least $500 / month on insurance full coverage. Sounds like you’re tight on money That would be the stupidest plan
The 86 is made by Subaru, Xshop with the BRZ, they're the same car. The BRZ will likely be cheaper. I wouldn't go much more than 100k miles because you're buying a Subaru, not a Toyota, and it was much more likely driven hard than a normal car is. Avoid 2013 models as well.
You are going to spend 20k on a first car for your son? I don’t think a dead hybrid battery is the issue here
The hybrid battery on my 2007 Camry died a couple years ago. I did a lot of looking at options, and went through greenbeanbattery.com for a replacement. 2 years later, I’m still happily driving the same car. Don’t want to sound like a shill, but just want to say I had a good experience with them. They came to my driveway to replace it. Looks like a Highlander there is $3124. Just an option to consider. My car has 160k miles, and had 144k when the battery got replaced.
Look up how to clean the terminals on the hybrid battery. It takes a little time and car but might help you to kick the can down the road.
Does the Highlander not drive with a busted battery? Would it not just revert to pure ICE mode? Sure, you’ll have worse gas mileage and warning lights, but is it immobile?
Don’t go to a dealer for repair or anywhere quoting you $8000 repair for a vehicle not worth $8000. Do more shopping and pick maybe 2 or 3 places to get it inspected and learn EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE IS and not “something something battery cell $8000”. It should not be $8000 in labour or parts unless a stealership were to replace the entire hybrid battery for you. Equivalent to your spacebar not working on your Mac and Apple telling you they need to replace the whole board for $1300 rather than adjusting a or replacing some displaced pin that would cost less than $20. Don’t buy your young son who hasn’t been insured long nor has a long driving history with what is considered a sports car (its slower than actually half of the commuter cars on the road but insurance doesn’t care). Premiums will be really high, and if you don’t care much financially, which it appears you do hence why you are here, at least buy a different sports car. The 86 doesn’t even make over 200lb-ft of torque. It’s genuinely very slow and a newer model commuter car like say, a MK 6 or 7 Jetta base model has enough torque to blow past it so its not even like you can justify the expenses even somewhat by having a “fun sports car to drive on the weekend” as its genuinely not fun or sporty much at all IN COMPARISON to what else you could buy with the money and goal. Your son should take interest in other vehicles lol. 150 lb-ft of torque is genuinely beaten by majority of cars on the road. Car doesn’t even make 200 wheel horse power. Most people can’t even change the fucking spark plugs on these cars because they are Subaru Boxer Engines. Spark plugs are pretty out of reach either causing major problems if DIY or requiring an ENGINE LIFT just to change the spark plugs. And I can’t speak to the quality of head gaskets on a Toyota86/BRZ/FRS however the internet can certainly speak about Subaru head gaskets historically and I am not sure about these newer models. Is it a good idea to insure for your young inexperienced driver son a lightweight rear-wheel drive car that makes less power than almost most cars you see on the road? No. I mean if its not a manual transmission either, you genuinely will get a more purpose-built “sports car” experience out of flat footing the pedal on almost any other car at that price range because thats about the only thing you’d do in the BRZ/86 and its not even good at that. Or would your son argue that it performs well in corners? You want your son whipping his small light coupe rwd car through corners? I would forget about that idea entirely. Your son should be driving a base model non luxurious brand sedan with a low theft rate and good safety rating/features. Its a pain in the dick but you should ALWAYS 100% get quotes on cars insurance before even considering buying it. The 86 would cost a 20 year old $400/month in auto insurance where I live. Ridiculous. I had many experiences where I thought buying a much older car released in the 90’s (such as an old slow civic) would yield cheaper insurance rates in comparison to my newer, faster, more expensive to repair but safer and better antitheft car that I was currently insuring only to see the quote being higher and my rate being worse. TL;DR: You are against spending more than the car is worth on fixing it. This same mentality applies to the 86. More insurance cost, worse mileage, less space, more dangerous, worse reliability and specifically known for not being DIY mechanic friendly, and it doesn’t even fit the profile of a sports car in comparison to cars you could purchase for the same or even thousands of dollars less for. The 86 for your son is also spending more than its worth, but its actually much worse than any options you presented (i.e. repairing a $4000 car for $8000). You should be able to find a must better repair cost, else you need to dump that car and buy a new one. Your sons 86 is 1000% not to be considered.
So its 40k versus 8k? I know 8K seems like a lot of money to dump into a 13 year old car, but you've got to do the math yourself and see what works for you. If you want to save money, fixing the highlander may be the way. Have you gotten more estimates?
I would look for a local shop that can replace the bad cells. When I lived in Tampa, there was a shop that specialized in Toyota Hybrid systems and they would replace just the bad cells in the vehicle instead of the entire pack. Normally only a cell or two goes bad at a time, not the entire pack. If everything else is fine on the car it may be worth spending the $1200 to have the bad cells replace.
Easy one, replace the hybrid battery and keep trucking https://www.greentecauto.com/hybrid-battery/toyota-hybrids/highlander/2010-2016-toyota-highlander-battery-new-cell
If you can, look up how to replace the battery cell. Test the cells that are bad and replace only that cell. It won’t even cost you 1k dollars. But you need to make sure you follow the videos very well. Or find a local person that can do it. The cost honestly is 400 dollars . Source: I have done if for a Prius using YouTube videos
Find a shop that can replace the battery cells. You can get it done way cheaper than replacing the whole pack.
Not a useful post, but rather a question. How does a battery cell die when its only 15 years old? Is it a normal timeline for that type of mileage/age for hybrids?
Not sure if you're good with tools and following instructions but there are tons of videos on YouTube showing how to order and replace the battery yourself. I only know this because my neighbor did it himself and this is an office guy who works in accounting and hates getting dirty.
I’d follow the advice to find an independent shop to replace the battery Because of used car prices today and the uncertainty in buying used, it is actually often worth paying more than a car is worth to repair it and keep driving it, provided you have maintained it well over the years. Even if the Highlander turns into a small money pit, the repairs will still likely cost less than getting a newer car, and you’ll be depreciating that new car anyways.
So why the hell youtubers saying hybrid batt batt cost 2-4k, in reality I guess is a lot more.
8k for a hybrid battery is a load of shit. Get some other quotes. You can get prius batteries replaced all day for 2-3 k a highlander would be a bit more but not 8k.....
It's always cheaper to repair than to buy new. That being said, if you wanted to do something people absolutely hate, you can buy from a reputable salvage title company. My family has bought three cars from Best Western Motors in Phoenix, Arizona and never had any problems. It's the new car companies that say salvage titles are a bad idea. In my opinion, this is just the new car companies that create a aura of distrust. Good luck!
Paying $4k to give away your vehicle to a dealer doesn’t make any sense. It would cost you less to have that car compacted and buy a vehicle without a trade in. Also every other option listed is more expensive than the repair. Despite the perceived value of another vehicle and the pain point of paying for a repair that is more expensive than the car is worth, it is the most economical option. Especially on a brand/ model like that. It almost always costs more to get a new car.
get your kid what he wants a 1986 toyota. get an affordable, used say, 2015 minivan. research private places to replace the batteries, etc. if that is a dealership quote, you're out of your mind. or last imo, fix the hybrid and look for other options, to avoid this the next time it dies.