Hybrid-Battery Repair Closed Down!!!!
 

Really ticked, already sent my $1000 deposit to Brian and got an e-mail back that they are closed as of May 4, 2012. Currently disputing the deposit with my credit card company. Real class act!

Bummer. The web site is dead too.

www.hybrid-battery-repair.com


For the full story:

Hybrid-Battery.com - Insight Central: Honda Insight Forum

I'm sure this is a liability issue with their supplier. The lawyers probably said "Your Selling What ?!?!?!! To Who?!?!?!?!! TO DO WHAT ?!!?!!!!!!!"

Read through all 11 pages of the thread. I am so glad I bought my Fiesta!

regards
Mech

I feel bad for the guy. He wasn't trying to cheat anyone and his supplier wouldn't sell him product to finish his existing orders.

Mech: you can be sure others will step up to offer pack refurb/repair alternatives to the defunct H-B-R. The discussion has already begun on Insightcentral. Other pack repair/replacement options will be offered.

Considering that an Insight can be driven indefinitely without a working pack and still return phenomenal fuel economy, and a problematic out-of-balance pack can be kept "running" using the grid charger periodically to rebalance it, this shouldn't dissuade anyone from picking up a used one.

I do feel for customers caught in the middle of things with H-B-R at the moment though.

Metro, I understand that there will be others who work on the batteries. I also understand that with the first Insights approaching 13 years age, a point is reached where time and mileage compound to exacerbate issues.
For those who have youth and determination there will always be an option of keeping an early Insight going, even without the battery.
What surprises me is the inability to buy sticks of 6 cells from any manufacturer as a new item. You would think that would not be to difficult, considering they were built 13+ years ago when the cars were originally built.
With some paying $5000 + for early Insights and the limited production over the 7 years they were produced, with something like 13k total production, it will get increasingly difficult to obtain used parts and the cost of new will remain exorbitant.
On the positive side I am reviving a 1987 Yamaha SRX 250, which was only imported into the US for one year, possibly in lower numbers than the first gen Insight. With the Internet even something as unusual as that 87 SRX, you still can find most of the parts fairly easy, as long as you are willing to pay the price.

regards
Mech

I think part of the fun of having 1st Gen Insights is always being on the lookout for other owners, other cars, and used parts when they pop up. I have found that most any part I need for mine can still be bought from Honda, though they are EXPENSIVE. But they still exist. (New carpet and 3 out of the 4 seat covers I needed came to $2300!) New Honda battery pack was $3300 I believe. I didn't buy any of it, and since the car can be driven without the traction battery I will probably wait until another aftermarket provider shows up.

On the other hand, this does have me looking nervously at the 2001 Prius I picked up. I hate the idea of a single part that expensive being able to strand me with a non-functioning car.

Looks like there's about $200,000 in deposits yet to be payed back.

Out of curiosity, has anyone adapted a later Civic Hybrid or Prius Battery to work with the Insight? I'm not an EE (obviously)... what would it take to accomplish this?

IIRC the Prius batteries can be purchased new for <$2500 and have a staggering lifespan (in the Prius at least).