Used hybrid reliability

[J__D]

Just wondering what people's views and experiences are on used hybrids and if it's a risk buying an 8 year old / 70k mileage car? I don't mean a Prius but the system in the VAG group, or even others. Do the electric motors or systems and batteries prove to be a problem as they get older?

[cptsideways]

If its a concern only buy a Prius, there is a reason they have a resemblance to cockroaches. Less than 0.5% failure rates across the range starting from the oldest ones.

[austinsmirk]

There is a forum for this- but if its for financial reasons broadly I'd say don't bother. A hybrid is virtually no better than a decent diesel.

I went straight from diesel to pure electric. Financially the stop gap of a hybrid made no sense. However you've got to decide on yr journey length and all that jazz.

[Jag_NE]

austinsmirk said:

There is a forum for this- but if its for financial reasons broadly I'd say don't bother. A hybrid is virtually no better than a decent diesel.

I went straight from diesel to pure electric. Financially the stop gap of a hybrid made no sense. However you've got to decide on yr journey length and all that jazz.

If it’s motorway miles then a diesel would trump the hybrid. City driving, I’d presume that the hybrid would win. A 2.0d would be nicer to drive on the motorway too, vice versus for city.

[confused_buyer]

If you want a hybrid and reliability is a concern anything using the Prius system is about the most reliable drivetrain you can buy.

[J__D]

Hybrid isn't a priority in the slightest, not even considered it before, just they can crop up with a range of car and be cheaper than equivalent diesels to buy and wondered if they're worth looking at or avoiding. I don't do many miles, so not a major concern either way, maybe 5,000 p.a.

[Dog Star]

confused_buyer said:

If you want a hybrid and reliability is a concern anything using the Prius system is about the most reliable drivetrain you can buy.

Look at taxis. My take on it is if all the Asian taxi drivers in town are using them then they must be really really good and reliable - those guys don't drive stuff that breaks. They're all in Priuses now and the last one I was talking to loved his.

[Monkeylegend]

I would avoid the Mercedes diesel hybrid though, even they gave up with them in the end due to reliability and spare parts issues, not helped by the lack of technicians who could knew enough about them to sort them out.

[KillianB4]

Most if not all EVs, PHEVs or Hybrids can have a battery or hybrid health check carried out. The prius system (which is essentially the same in any hybrid toyota) just doesn't fail really. But like any car, no harm getting this done before you buy if you can.

[Prof Prolapse]

As said if you're doing motorway runs the diesel will return much better MPG, but personally I think if reliability is a priority you'd be mad to run an old oil burner compared to Toyota Hybrid. It's a premium Japanese brand, with a priority in reliability, making a product they're hugely established at.

What about a Lexus CT200? I believe it's the same engine, but you get masses more kit and they seem much better value at a similar price point.

[J__D]

I wasn't asking about Toyota/Lexus, which are well known and solid, but VAG type systems, so not Japanese reliability...

Edited by J__D on Wednesday 19th September 10:21

[daniel1920]

A good way of judging the second hand market for reliability vs economy having a look what the taxi drivers are driving at the moment...

If MK is anything to go by then they are the only answer.

[Baldchap]

Didn't know VAG did a hybrid eight years ago.

[Prof Prolapse]

Sorry OP, didn't read that properly.

[kambites]

I work with someone who has an Audi A3 hybrid as a company car and whilst he likes it, he said there's no way he'd own one outside of warranty. He has a fair bit of experience of unreliable cars too, he runs an old VW camper.

[Jasandjules]

I have a hybrid C Class. Uses battery when below 25mph or so but will switch to engine when it feels like it. Quite happy with her.

[gangzoom]

I would stay away from PHEVs.

The reason why Toyota hybrids lasts forever is because Toyota ensured only about 50% of the battery was ever allowed to be discharged. This means any degredation is hardly noticeable and the battery has a relative 'easy' life versus a battery that is constantly been run from 100-0%, like phone batteries.

I think there just isn't enough data/info on how the likes of VAG/BMW have developed their battery management software to be confident on longterm reliability.

[PSRG]

kambites said:

I work with someone who has an Audi A3 hybrid as a company car and whilst he likes it, he said there's no way he'd own one outside of warranty. He has a fair bit of experience of unreliable cars too, he runs an old VW camper.

I bought an A3 e-tron (ex demo) with my own money - an early car on a ‘64 plate. I was nervous about running it without a warranty, and I chickened out in April this year when it was 3.5 years old. Nothing hybrid specific went wrong with it, but it did need a replacement mechatronics unit for the DSG ‘box at 2 years old...!

[RobDickinson]

gangzoom said:

I would stay away from PHEVs.

The reason why Toyota hybrids lasts forever is because Toyota ensured only about 50% of the battery was ever allowed to be discharged. This means any degredation is hardly noticeable and the battery has a relative 'easy' life versus a battery that is constantly been run from 100-0%, like phone batteries.

I think there just isn't enough data/info on how the likes of VAG/BMW have developed their battery management software to be confident on longterm reliability.

My phev won't take the battery lower than about 30 percent...

[AnotherClarkey]

I think my concern about the VAG and other German hybrids is that they take all the usual complexity of their drivetrains (turbos, DSG etc.) and add all the hybrid gubbins on top of that. Toyota/Lexus and Mitsubishi seem to have looked for ways in which going hybrid can simplify things and reduce component count.

Our Prius was totally fault free over nearly 7 years and 156000 miles. I expect our Outlander PHEV to be much the same - battery never discharged below 30%, simple NA 2 litre petrol engine and (almost) no transmission.