Prius Now Profitable - Volt, Well Uh, It Could Happen

[vk6zgo]

Oh Great One,this unworthy scoundrel kneels at thy feet,& trembles at thine infinite knowledge!
I don't know how SeanB & I got along all these years without thy guidance!

[SeanB]

$700 for an alternator is not Ferrari, but GM, as a lot of diesel engined ones combine the alternator with the hydraulic fluid pump as a single unit, and no rebuilder wants to touch them for anything other than brushes. Agents only part, not a pattern part.

[poptones]

OK, so a few specialized diesel engine parts are expensive. Surprise.

Now, what about these "special batteries" that are always failing? You sure you're not talking golf carts?

[SeanB]

I never mentioned special batteries. Funny enough golf cart batteries are normally pretty reliable, no heat, little use and a decent charger for them, along with the battery more likely to be refilled when the water is low.  Car batteries live in a hot environment, and often are never checked, as they are "sealed for life" units with a label over the filler caps to hide them. first thing I ripped off to check the water every 3 months. Even then the last one on my car decided to die on a Friday afternoon at 4PM, cracked internal joint.

Odd thing about having the battery in the back is it will never be checked when it goes for a service - out of sight, out of mind. I did own a VW bug where the battery was held in by a piece of chromadek, as it had corroded through the bottom of the back seat.

[poptones]

I don't think I've checked the water in a battery since 1980. They don't need it. They last a few years, you get another one.

The battery in my car is under the hood, and you still won't find it. They even have tabs for jumpers just like cars with batteries in the trunk. Ironically, the batteries used in the EVs may outlast lead acid batteries used in most other cars. 5 years or 100,000 miles? I don't know if I've had a battery last that long.