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elhigh · 08-14-2014, 01:09 PM

Hey,

My '03 started throwing the IMA light and I ponied up for a grid charger, about $450 or so when all was done. Installation was pretty simple.

I've gotten the IMA light a few more times, and an overnight or two with the charger clears it. Mileage takes a nice little boost when the pack has had a fresh charge.

I got my grid charger from Hybrid Automotive, they were very helpful and the installation instructions they included were like a Haynes manual, very clear and based on somebody actually doing it while writing down how to do the work.

That is the cheapest option and will keep you going. It's a bandage, a temporary fix that, thus far, doesn't seem to have a sell-by date. You can keep temporarily rejuvenating your pack. Some owners are certainly doing that with theirs.

The non-OEM pack has the advantage of providing you with both a warranty and a potential upgrade. Bumblebee is building packs with an 8.0a-h rating, vs. the OEM 6.5 rating. Nice extra electric range if you live in a hilly region. Hybrid Automotive sells a pack like Bumblebee's and they also claim an 8.0 rating, though theirs is only about $1700. Not sure how they are able to offer theirs so much cheaper, but I guess that's a matter of having shaken the right hands at some point.

OEM is pricey. Super spendy. Bumblebee packs are, I think, about $2000 whereas OEM from Honda is going to run you closer to $3000. Honda is likely to charge you installation too, which is silly. Installing the IMA pack is pretty straightforward and there are lots of references on the web to walk you through it. I also understand that while Honda has your car, they are very likely to "upgrade" your IMA controller to shut you out of some of the battery's capacity, to reduce the peaks and valleys the battery experiences that shorten its life. On top of asking you to spend more for the OEM product, they don't actually let you play with everything you paid for. It's like spending $5.00 for a frozen cappuccino at Starbucks but just as they hand the cup to you, they scrape the whipped cream off the top and tell you you can't have it.

My recommendation: do the grid charger now and start saving up for a new pack in a year or two. It's what I'm doing.

08-14-2014, 01:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
elhigh Master Novice Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SE USA - East Tennessee Posts: 2,314 Josie - '87 Toyota Pickup 90 day: 29.5 mpg (US) Felicia - '09 Toyota Prius Base 90 day: 50.48 mpg (US) Thanks: 427 Thanked 616 Times in 450 Posts	Hey, My '03 started throwing the IMA light and I ponied up for a grid charger, about $450 or so when all was done. Installation was pretty simple. I've gotten the IMA light a few more times, and an overnight or two with the charger clears it. Mileage takes a nice little boost when the pack has had a fresh charge. I got my grid charger from Hybrid Automotive, they were very helpful and the installation instructions they included were like a Haynes manual, very clear and based on somebody actually doing it while writing down how to do the work. That is the cheapest option and will keep you going. It's a bandage, a temporary fix that, thus far, doesn't seem to have a sell-by date. You can keep temporarily rejuvenating your pack. Some owners are certainly doing that with theirs. The non-OEM pack has the advantage of providing you with both a warranty and a potential upgrade. Bumblebee is building packs with an 8.0a-h rating, vs. the OEM 6.5 rating. Nice extra electric range if you live in a hilly region. Hybrid Automotive sells a pack like Bumblebee's and they also claim an 8.0 rating, though theirs is only about $1700. Not sure how they are able to offer theirs so much cheaper, but I guess that's a matter of having shaken the right hands at some point. OEM is pricey. Super spendy. Bumblebee packs are, I think, about $2000 whereas OEM from Honda is going to run you closer to $3000. Honda is likely to charge you installation too, which is silly. Installing the IMA pack is pretty straightforward and there are lots of references on the web to walk you through it. I also understand that while Honda has your car, they are very likely to "upgrade" your IMA controller to shut you out of some of the battery's capacity, to reduce the peaks and valleys the battery experiences that shorten its life. On top of asking you to spend more for the OEM product, they don't actually let you play with everything you paid for. It's like spending $5.00 for a frozen cappuccino at Starbucks but just as they hand the cup to you, they scrape the whipped cream off the top and tell you you can't have it. My recommendation: do the grid charger now and start saving up for a new pack in a year or two. It's what I'm doing. __________________ Lead or follow. Either is fine. Last edited by elhigh; 08-15-2014 at 08:55 AM..