How best to get rid of a junk hybrid?

[Isaac Zachary]

So I've procrastinated at doing this for a long time, but I really should get rid of the 2006 Prius this year. Today was the first day that I couldn't even get it to start. It needs way too many things, and would cost way to much for me to fix, both in time and money. And that's just fixing the things I know are wrong. Who knows what else it needs fixed.

It needs:

• An engine
• An HV battery
• Califoria compliant catalytic converter
• I'm not sure why it won't start, 12V battery is new and charged and voltage does not dip down past 12.5V
• Infotainment, heat, A/C all don't work.
• Instrument cluster doesn't work.
• Needs a windshield
• Several other odds and ends need put on, adjusted or buttoned up.

And this is in spite of all the work and parts I've bought for it and tried to get it going. It's also the list of the things I know are wrong, there may be more.

So should I...

1. Try to sell it or just plain give it away for free?
2. Try to part it out?
3. Just haul it off to a junk yard?

PS. I will not be replacing it with anything. THe Avalon will be our only car from now on (not like it hasn't been our only car since we got rid of the Nissan Leaf and the 1972 VW Beetle and 1985 VW Golf diesel, all three of which ran and were road worthy within their respective ranges).

Also, my insurance is some $15/month cheaper with this car on the policy because the multi-car discount is greater than it's increase in insurance. Can I just keep insuring it after I get rid of it?

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

So should I...

1. Try to sell it or just plain give it away for free?
2. Try to part it out?
3. Just haul it off to a junk yard?

Also, my insurance is some $15/month cheaper with this car on the policy because the multi-car discount is greater than it's increase in insurance. Can I just keep insuring it after I get rid of it?

I'd part out what you can, if you deem that to be worthy of your time. Then get a couple of quotes from junk yards for what they'll pay for what's left of the vehicle.

Switch insurance to get the best rate. It will save you way more than $15/mo.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I'd part out what you can, if you deem that to be worthy of your time. Then get a couple of quotes from junk yards for what they'll pay for what's left of the vehicle.

Thanks! That makes sense. I'll try it.

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Switch insurance to get the best rate. It will save you way more than $15/mo.

Believe me, I've tried. I tried getting quotes from several insurance places and none were cheaper than CSAA except Progressive. So I went from $130 per month to around $115 by switching to Progressive. But then 6 months later Progressive went up to $185 per month. I called and couldn't get it changed back down. I ended up going back with CSAA for $130 per month.

However, I haven't tried getting a quote with only one car since my insurance will be $145/month with CSAA when I get rid of the car, but I don't see it getting much cheaper. And now that Progressive pulled that on me and in 6 months raised my policy without saying a word. I'm kind of affraid to try another insurance provider in fear I'll end up with this silient price increase again.

[redpoint5]

I need to practice what I preach. Just looked at my policy on the Acura, liability only, and I'm being charged $83/mo. That's for a car that gets driven maybe 1,000 miles per year.

EDIT: Cancelled.

I should probably just insure the car for the day I want to drive it, then cancel the policy and switch to another company 2 months later when I want to drive it again.

... Oregon allows a special account to be opened for the purpose of self-insuring. Perhaps I should do this for vehicles I hardly ever drive. I imagine it would cover any car I drive.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I need to practice what I preach. Just looked at my policy on the Acura, liability only, and I'm being charged $100/mo. That's for a car that gets driven maybe 1,000 miles per year.

The Prius has been driven 0 miles per year for the past 3 years and has cost me $-15 per month. Not bad I guess.

[jakobnev]

I'm not sure why it won't start, 12V battery is new and charged and voltage does not dip down past 12.5V

The Prius uses the HV-battery to start the engine.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by jakobnev

The Prius uses the HV-battery to start the engine.

That got me thinking that a very simple test to make sure the contactors are closing on the HV battery is to turn the car "on", and see if the 12v battery voltage increases. It should go to ~13.3v when the car is on, and the traction battery is supplying the DC-DC converter.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by jakobnev

The Prius uses the HV-battery to start the engine.

That could possibly be the problem. But since there's no red triangle, and I'm not sure if the red triangle light even works, I guess I could try to connect with the Torque app to see if another module has failed.

However, a bad HV battery usually will still start the car, at least after unplugging the 12V and trying again. But I get zero response. The only thing that displays on the dash is the open door symbol.

[JSH]

I would part what you can and then send it to the scrap yard or call one of those guys that will pay you $50 a haul away a car.

These guys will buy the battery: https://www.hybridrestoration.com/recycling

Both of those insurance prices sound very high to me. For 6 months I pay $297 for the 2011 Acura TSX and $341 for the 2017 Bolt. I have the liability max to $500K and a $100 deductible for comp and $250 for collision. So I'm paying the equivalent of $106 a month for 2 cars and living in a major metro area.

You both mentioned a monthly rate. Hopefully you aren't actually paying for insurance by the month as that costs 15 - 20% more than paying every 6 months or yearly. (Progressive's longest payment term is every 6 months for auto)

Do you guys bundle? When I shop insurance I shop everything together: Homeowners, auto, motorcycle, umbrella, RV.

EDIT: I also did the Progressive Snapshot offer where they track your driving for 30 days. That dropped my rate 25%

[freebeard]

I notice the remittance slip they send for my payment has room for four digits. IOW up to $9,999/mo..