What to inspect for when purchasing Used Hybrid
09-12-2017
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What to inspect for when purchasing Used Hybrid
I'm going to look at a used 2003 and 2006 Hybrid Civic from a private owner. Other than the usual stuff that I would inspect from a regular car, is there anything I should inspect out of a hybrid? Bear in mind that I know little about Hybrids but want to come prepared when I test the car out. I recently test drove a Prius and all the electronic gizmos really confused me 
09-12-2017
#2
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Re: What to inspect for when purchasing Used Hybrid
Do you drive a LOT? If you don't drive a lot of miles each year a hybrid probably isn't the best choice. Things to look for on a 03 or 06 hybrid
shudder while accelerating from a stop
battery life
maintenance history
There is no way other than using a scan tool to inspect how much life is left in the IMA battery. You could be buying a car with 26% capacity or a car with 97% capacity and there is no way to know without a scanner. The gauge on the dash just shows the percentage of charge to full, as the battery ages the amount that it takes to "fill" the battery lowers.
So to make up easy to understand fictional numbers a battery might start with a 560 amp hour rating and the gauge will show what the state of charge (SOC) is based off of the 560 rating. As the battery ages the rating lowers, so at 5 years the battery might only hold 220 amp hours of capacity but the gauge will still show between 0-100% even though the full charge capacity is less than half of what it originally was.
Make sense?
shudder while accelerating from a stop
battery life
maintenance history
There is no way other than using a scan tool to inspect how much life is left in the IMA battery. You could be buying a car with 26% capacity or a car with 97% capacity and there is no way to know without a scanner. The gauge on the dash just shows the percentage of charge to full, as the battery ages the amount that it takes to "fill" the battery lowers.
So to make up easy to understand fictional numbers a battery might start with a 560 amp hour rating and the gauge will show what the state of charge (SOC) is based off of the 560 rating. As the battery ages the rating lowers, so at 5 years the battery might only hold 220 amp hours of capacity but the gauge will still show between 0-100% even though the full charge capacity is less than half of what it originally was.
Make sense?
09-12-2017
#3
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Do you drive a LOT? If you don't drive a lot of miles each year a hybrid probably isn't the best choice. Things to look for on a 03 or 06 hybrid
shudder while accelerating from a stop
battery life
maintenance history
There is no way other than using a scan tool to inspect how much life is left in the IMA battery. You could be buying a car with 26% capacity or a car with 97% capacity and there is no way to know without a scanner. The gauge on the dash just shows the percentage of charge to full, as the battery ages the amount that it takes to "fill" the battery lowers.
So to make up easy to understand fictional numbers a battery might start with a 560 amp hour rating and the gauge will show what the state of charge (SOC) is based off of the 560 rating. As the battery ages the rating lowers, so at 5 years the battery might only hold 220 amp hours of capacity but the gauge will still show between 0-100% even though the full charge capacity is less than half of what it originally was.
Make sense?
shudder while accelerating from a stop
battery life
maintenance history
There is no way other than using a scan tool to inspect how much life is left in the IMA battery. You could be buying a car with 26% capacity or a car with 97% capacity and there is no way to know without a scanner. The gauge on the dash just shows the percentage of charge to full, as the battery ages the amount that it takes to "fill" the battery lowers.
So to make up easy to understand fictional numbers a battery might start with a 560 amp hour rating and the gauge will show what the state of charge (SOC) is based off of the 560 rating. As the battery ages the rating lowers, so at 5 years the battery might only hold 220 amp hours of capacity but the gauge will still show between 0-100% even though the full charge capacity is less than half of what it originally was.
Make sense?
I drive about 150 miles a week so no, I don't drive alot. But the hybrids I saw from some private owners were going for $2k to $3k with 120k to 170k miles. And factor in the fact that other cars I'm looking for such as a regular civic cost just as much (and possibly more due to known transmission issues), then it seemed like a fair deal to me. My budget is roughly $3k and just needed something for the next couple of years.
I don't have access to such scan tools. I was going to take it to a Honda dealership and they said they would inspect the hybrid and battery battery life.
I just got off the phone from the owner and he doesn't have the maintenance history as he bought it from someone else or auction and fixed it himself before he could sell it. Possible red flag but I'd at least like to see it before I move onto something else.
09-12-2017
#4
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: What to inspect for when purchasing Used Hybrid
Understood.
I drive about 150 miles a week so no, I don't drive alot. But the hybrids I saw from some private owners were going for $2k to $3k with 120k to 170k miles. And factor in the fact that other cars I'm looking for such as a regular civic cost just as much (and possibly more due to known transmission issues), then it seemed like a fair deal to me. My budget is roughly $3k and just needed something for the next couple of years.
I don't have access to such scan tools. I was going to take it to a Honda dealership and they said they would inspect the hybrid and battery battery life.
I just got off the phone from the owner and he doesn't have the maintenance history as he bought it from someone else or auction and fixed it himself before he could sell it. Possible red flag but I'd at least like to see it before I move onto something else.
I drive about 150 miles a week so no, I don't drive alot. But the hybrids I saw from some private owners were going for $2k to $3k with 120k to 170k miles. And factor in the fact that other cars I'm looking for such as a regular civic cost just as much (and possibly more due to known transmission issues), then it seemed like a fair deal to me. My budget is roughly $3k and just needed something for the next couple of years.
I don't have access to such scan tools. I was going to take it to a Honda dealership and they said they would inspect the hybrid and battery battery life.
I just got off the phone from the owner and he doesn't have the maintenance history as he bought it from someone else or auction and fixed it himself before he could sell it. Possible red flag but I'd at least like to see it before I move onto something else.
09-13-2017
#5
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Re: What to inspect for when purchasing Used Hybrid
Most 4 cylinder new cars are so efficient any without buying hybrid electric - hybrid technology is suitable only for taxis IMO or only city driving.
Old hybrid technology would make me nervous. Price a new hybrid battery for these old cars and you will quickly change your mind on buying one. I'd move on.
Old hybrid technology would make me nervous. Price a new hybrid battery for these old cars and you will quickly change your mind on buying one. I'd move on.
