I met our famous KZreadr yesterday and I just wanna say, he went out his way sat down with me and discussed what I should do with my car as for maintenance wise and what the issue was. Man I kid you not never had a mechanic like him do this, felt like I was in great hands which I was! Best mechanic out here !!!

@StrongerThanBigfoot

10 ай бұрын

What state are you in? I’d love to meet this guy one day

@Zanemax6713

10 ай бұрын

@@StrongerThanBigfoot Illinois

@TheCarCareNut

10 ай бұрын

It was a pleasure to meet you as well! Very nice Avalon you have!

@nortonman5238

10 ай бұрын

​@@TheCarCareNutcan't wait to have time to drive down myself in my new Corolla! Full Time Uber driver and such, so it's going to see heavy use and I need it taken care of!! Already has 16k. I'll swing by after my 25kmi free services are up! Should note, from downers Grove! So you're practically down the road 😅

@ddl5856

10 ай бұрын

Not jelly… but kinda jelly

I don't have the car, I dont have a hybrid, I had no reason to watch this. But watching a calm, careful, thoughtful mechanic at work is interesting and rewarding to see a lot more how stuff works. So I watched it 👍

@YTChiefCritic

Ай бұрын

Be careful -

@Trumpulator

Ай бұрын

@@YTChiefCritic Of what?

AMD, I am a airline Lead aircraft mechanic with 51 years of experience, but let me tell you that I am so impressed with your knowledge. I watch all of your videos just so that I can keep on learning. On top of that, you’re a great, and honest man. Would love to meet you one day. Take car my friend.

@babayaga6102

2 ай бұрын

I9 45:01 r😅

Been in the industry for 42 years and had the same conversation with many customers. If your vehicle is safe and in sound condition it’s better to repair the vehicle you know than to replace it with a vehicle you don’t know. Well done sir. 😊

Given the bubble that both the used and new car markets are in, I think the owner made a great choice. Finding a reliable used car for $6000.00 in today’s market would be next to impossible IMO.

@rickzech6490

3 ай бұрын

Was it $6000 plus labor?

I agreed with the owner. That's why I spent $3000 on my 20 years old corolla to put it on top notch conditions.

@rarefruit2320

10 ай бұрын

You can buy a piece of junk for 3000 or put your current vehicle in top notch condition with 3000. You know what I’m doing

@JasveerSingh-hb2hk

10 ай бұрын

@@rarefruit2320i know bro what are you talking, u should talk about shit European garbage 😂😂

@CL-yp1bs

10 ай бұрын

I own a corolla.... maybe not "cool" but so reliable and I get 30+ mpg -It saves me alot of $$$ in my wallet

@Nemura12

10 ай бұрын

@@CL-yp1bs exactly.

@bigwatt5520

8 ай бұрын

Smart move $3000 verses new car cost. I have my Avalon since 2008 keep on driving.

As Tech of 40 yrs and now Automotive Instructor does my heart good to see traditions of honesty,professionalism. GodBless 52yr knowing him!

The patience of this man is amazing.

I am generally a "better the devil you know" kind of person when it comes to used cars, because when something new goes wrong I already know what it is not.

@baypos

10 ай бұрын

I see other drivers rodding their cars, wear them out and want to sell them for top dollar.

@hokie9910

10 ай бұрын

@@bayposYou just have to be mindful of what you are buying and what to look for. If it has a lot of mods or if that model ofcar that is frequently hot rodded, stay away.

Made perfect sense compared to buying a different car with worse condition. That's how I make my decisions on my car, because I'd rather keep my car than get another car with largely unknown maintenance history.

Such a cheerful man ! Doing a very tricky and painstaking task just to remove a battery! Then put it all back together again! A marvel of engineering and a marvel of a mechanic!

@muhammadnursyahmi9440

4 ай бұрын

A masterpiece of an architect is a nightmare for engineers, a masterpiece of an engineer is a mechanic's biggest headache.

You said "I wish car designers would take this apart". I agree.

It must be worth it since you just did this job. Thank you for making these long form videos and not skipping over parts of work like so many other youTuber's do. Your videos are like master classes and we all appreciate your knowledge and honesty. I wish I could find a mechanic like you in my area, very few and far between! Also, yes it's worth doing especially knowing that you did the job makes it a definite no brainer. The owner can sleep good knowing the job was done right.

@jpjp3873

10 ай бұрын

The last part of your comment is key. It’s so hard to let people work on your car when there are so many crooked or incompetent mechanics in the industry.

@oskarngo9138

9 ай бұрын

How much is the labor??

@ralanham76

9 ай бұрын

If most everything is good in the car then spending a few thousand is way cheaper than buying a new car.

@tharais

9 ай бұрын

"I wish I could find a mechanic like you in my area". From your lips to God's ears. I'm 2,000 miles away. Would happily pay top dollar for this kind of service.

@tharais

9 ай бұрын

@@ralanham76 Yep. Plenty of new cars now with monthly payments approaching $1,000/mo. It's insane!

Thank you for giving us the owner's thought process for repairing this car! I would have made the same decision.

@toriless

Ай бұрын

I plan to swap out the one in my 2016 in the next decade and then drive another decade. Not sure if that in before gen 3 or not.

Love your videos and commentary. Nice to see how a professional handles the job. Considering the used car market and your evaluation of the other components of the car I think they made a smart decision. With the price of new cars pushing up the prices of used, it is starting to make sense to replace major components rather than "totaling" the vehicle you own (the devil you know, rather than the devil you don't).

I have only just started watching this video and already I’m impressed by this man’s skill and care in dismantling all the trim etc. to access the battery. Too often you see people shoving, twisting and generally trying to wreck the attachments which are effective but fragile, it makes me cringe and just hope that if ever I have to get my car worked on like this it is by someone like him, well done and keep up the good work !

Best channel on KZread by far. This is truly car repair and maintained education.

You have an excellent relationship with your customers. Honesty is so important in this industry. Love your channel. Being a mechanic myself, you answer many questions I have on different vehicles.

Top notch video! Thanks for taking the time to create this in depth video and explaining the safety precautions when performing such a task. I look forward to watching many more. Cheers!

I REALLY appreciate your caution, proceduresand precision of repair, especially this video!!!

My original 07 Camry hybrid had the original battery go at 136k miles almost 2yrs ago. Replaced with a GreenTec 48 month & unlimited mileage non-prorated warranty for about $2700 installed at my house taking 45mins start to finish. It’s been bullet proof since.

@taters7359

Ай бұрын

Battery still holding up ?? Looking for an option, a lot of the hybrid battery companies have bad reviews. Let me know how it's doing a thumbs up works ??? And how long all together have you had this battery in 🤔

@robertsiwicki4597

Ай бұрын

Yes not a single problem at all. Was definitely worth the money as car has been bullet proof since.

@taters7359

Ай бұрын

​@robertsiwicki4597 Thanks for the response. Green tech isn't close to where I live in Indy but I'm still on the hunt. Alot of hybrid companies but man the reviews 🤦🏾‍♂️ replace a battery lights come on few months later spend 400 at a shop to please the warranty come out replace the battery and happens again 🤦🏾‍♂️ anyway thanks for your response 👍

@martyc2637

27 күн бұрын

How did all the gas savings work for you?

@robertsiwicki4597

27 күн бұрын

@@martyc2637. Awesome. No issues at all and also the Camry is bulletproof as well not needing any other things fixed. Got 161k on it now.

Just seeing how much work is involved in removing the back seats, along with keeping track of the nuts and bolts, should convey to any car owner that your mechanic is not ripping you off. This is real, knowledgeable work being performed.

Great technical detail! Your voice and delivery make for a great video that you don't mind taking the time to listen to. I always wondered what a hybrid battery replacement entailed, now I know. Thank You!

Great video. The reasoning in keeping the car and spending $6k to fix it makes a lot of sense for the owner and their situation. The real life cases are great lessons.

It was good to see a professional Hybrid battery swap, done by someone who cares about doing the job right. Thank you for this. On a related note, we bought a 2005 Hyundai Sonata in 2014. We average 8k miles a year on it. I recently inherited $5000, nowhere near enough to buy a decent used car, and the Sonata had only lost a ball joint in the 8 years we'd had it. I spent 3800 of that inheritance getting it highway worthy, with a new radiator, alternator, timing belt, and a few other minor but important things. No regrets, even though we've spent more than we could sell it for. I know it'll give us another 5 to 10 years, and that gives us time to save enough money to buy something newer down the road.

@lcole7501

10 ай бұрын

Wise investment.... you'll get your money's worth.

@mrallan8063

10 ай бұрын

Good luck. I don't see many 20, 25, 30yo Hyundais out there.

@18_rabbit

10 ай бұрын

@@lcole7501quite possibly but we have no idea really, bcuz it's Hyundai, not toyota or honda. No comparison really at all, and Hyundai after around '10 also had premature engine failures, ie under 150K or so. I'm not impressed w/ the koreans myself, so far. They're getting there to top flight, but not quite yet.

@basicuser54

10 ай бұрын

Smart play not confusing the retail value of your vehicle with its replacement cost, which is far higher. The repair cost almost surely made sense given the current replacement costs

@dave623

10 ай бұрын

A dealership offered us $10k for our 2009 Sonata in trade-in. We kept it as we traded our Highlander for a Lexus RX. Used cars are completely worth it.

Admittedly, I never keep any car long enough to experience these dilemmas. With that said, absent of any other major mechanical issues, it makes perfect sense to change the battery instead of spending major bucks on a new vehicle.

@hokie9910

10 ай бұрын

If it’s a solid car, little to no rust, always fix.

@carlosvalentin856

10 ай бұрын

Not everybody has your money to do that. They made a wonderful Move.

@67daltonknox

10 ай бұрын

Cars cost a lot of money. Unless you have money to burn it makes sense to keep them, which is why my car is 28 years old and my truck 22 years. Oh yes, I also have an 18 year old motorcycle. They are all insured liability only so I save more money there and of course the registration is less.

@bradallen1443

10 ай бұрын

Keeping those car salesmen happy!

@Patrick-nc6kk

10 ай бұрын

yeah and you know what you already have...

I just love the way he goes through the process I hope folks can use the info he gives because I honestly wish I had some of this when I was first getting started in automotive

You are an excellent mechanic. I hope your back holds up so you can serve your community for a long time. Thank you for your services and knowledge.

I made a similar decision with my 2009 Camry. Put a little money into it and gave it to my daughter to drive because she and her husband only had one drivable car. Still drives well and gets about 29 mpg on freeway.

@martyc2637

27 күн бұрын

Got the same car, mpg really drops during stop and go traffic. Kind of surprised how the mileage tanks compared to freeway driving.

@TripleBerg

27 күн бұрын

@@martyc2637 Yes, I was doing well to get 21 mpg in town with the Camry. I was surprised how well my Avalon hybrid did in city traffic jams. Regenerative braking essentially kept my battery charged.

@martyc2637

27 күн бұрын

@@TripleBerg Do you think the hybrid is worth the possible extra cost of replacing the hybrid battery?

@TripleBerg

27 күн бұрын

@@martyc2637 Well the Avalon’s warranty on the battery is 10 years or 150,000 miles. After 4 years, I have only driven 31,000 miles. The gas savings I will have by 10 years at $3.5-4.5 per gallon should be more than enough to pay for a new metal hydride battery. Many people get 200,000 miles on these batteries. They don’t usually just fail, like all batteries they degrade in how much charge capacity they have. So if it degrades to 75%, it is still drivable but you might lose some efficiency.

“This is a family car, so we’re not going to pass judgment” and this is why I keep watching your channel!

@pauldionne2884

10 ай бұрын

I wished he passed a vacuum over it before reinstalling the back seat.

@albinkrn1

8 ай бұрын

​​@@pauldionne2884my thought exactly, would have 👌.

@DeCSSData

3 ай бұрын

@@pauldionne2884 I just thought the same...

I am so thankful for his honest approach in discussing vehicles that benefit the consumer. Keep up the good work.

Fantastic video! I love how much time and effort you put into your videos. They are really appreciated!

Looks like a clean Toyota Camry. Totally worth it. Granted, I think the car market is going to tank, but if you needed something NOW, then excellent choice. We love our 3rd gen Toyota Prius Plug In Hybrid. Toyota makes great cars if you take care of them. Car Care Nut set you up well with a working, reliable vehicle. Hope your daughter does well at school! :)

Great video! I think they had good decision making on this one. Hard to find anything that isn't a pile for $5k in the current market. Sometimes you just gotta stick with the devil you know v. the devil you don't.

@hadrast

10 ай бұрын

@@mke6489 There's no mention of slipping or seizing of the transmission because it's a Toyota eCVT; there's nothing in there to slip or sieze. If you replace the fluid once every blue moon or so, it'll outlast the frame of the car, so there is no "next big cost". There's a reason you can find Toyota Hybrids out there puttering around with over 1 million miles on them.

Impressive work and I learned a lot from this video to say the least. From a OG viewpoint,I definitely feel the owner made the right decision on this one and of course with the support and help of an excellent mechanic. Big fan and thank you!

Thank you for posting this video, a lot of work editing it and so on. Then there's the actual work of swapping the battery over and telling us what's going on while you do it. I own a Camry Hybrid but there is no way I would even think about changing the battery, I would leave it to someone like you who really knows what they are doing. Congratulations on an excellent video, as an engineer I appreciated all the effort and skill shown.👍😎

Another fantastic piece of work here AMD! Enjoyed this thoroughly and wow I wish my 2009 Corolla with 292,000 miles on it only had 140,000 miles. Given the good condition of that car otherwise and assuming the transmissions been serviced well think they made a cogent decision especially given today’s market. their daughter will have a great car through her college years and for some years after that with this one. Anxious to see the updates on the LS!

@TheCarCareNut

10 ай бұрын

We’re putting the LS back together in another weeks time. A LOT left on it! Wish us luck and stay tuned!

@jonathanratliff4780

10 ай бұрын

@@TheCarCareNut can’t wait!!! Thx for reply my friend. indeed may The Lord continue to greatly bless you and loved ones as well

@charlesseymour1482

10 ай бұрын

LSD?

@briank10101

10 ай бұрын

As the hybrid transmission is bullet proof, the expected life of the car has just doubled

@daves1646

10 ай бұрын

When I am looking at used cars, my main 2 questions are condition and history (maintenance and major repairs needed). The owners knew their car well and far better than any new-to-them used car. It’s always hard to double down for major repairs, but as you said, they knew the care was otherwise in very good condition so seems like repair is a very good investment for their daughter. Also, if it’s a familiar car for her, she’ll likely be more secure driving it too.

Great point. "What it's worth" also includes NOT having another car payment. People forget that.

@MathewPollard-vj4uq

2 ай бұрын

The cost of your next best alternative is much more important than Blue Book values. New cars could never be sold if the car's value had to equal what you paid given that they immediately depreciate when purchased.

8:00 pm pacific time. First time owner of a 2021 Camry Hybrid LE with 7400 miles and wanted to know how to care for it. So impressed with the mechanic doing the video. I am learning so much and am so glad there are Toyota mechanics out there that I can take my car too for knowledgeable maintenance. Thanks bunches from a Central Oregon fan.

Your positive and humorous attitude serves you well. Another great video. Keep the Faith!

Thorough, clear, concise, respectful, kind and considerate. Many of the several reasons I continue to watch these videos and this channel. From a Toyota hybrid owner who does all of his own repairs when possible, thank you. There is not a money value that could be put, on the skills that I have learned for repairing my own vehicle and being able to be there for my family with a running car.

@rightlanehog3151

10 ай бұрын

Very well said. 👏👏👏👏

When you described the owner looking at used cars of this same vintage and trying to find something equivalent to purchase for their daughter, and finding that everything they looked at was in way worse shape than their own car which they have owned and maintained since new, I completely relate to that as I have tried to find used cars equivalent to my own car and I have had the exact same experience, everything I found was in way worse condition than my old car. So it makes perfect sense to repair their car and keep it!

The owner made the correct decision 😊

Your videos are so interesting. It is a pleasure to watch someone who knows his job so well.

I appreciate the "story lines" you insert giving some background into your videos. I have come to crossroads in making decisions about repair or sell too. At times weighing value of car. Our family loves Toyota/Lexus, currently have 4 in our household, with 2009 being the newest.

@k4piii

10 ай бұрын

you can always buy a new one and keep it as backup, so if any of the other vehicle fails, you get the new one until you can fix the previous ones

@k4piii

10 ай бұрын

and drive it until they all fall apart, one by one

My 2012 Gen3 Prius made it 250,000 miles on the factory battery. A brand new Toyota battery was $2000 (with a Toyota warranty) and I am ready to go for another 250,000. The same battery issue will apply to EV's but folks are not talking about that yet.

@aross924

10 ай бұрын

$2000 plus labor right?

@Snesko1703

10 ай бұрын

I have 2013 prius and i think i have an isue with hybrid batery .. do you have contact with that shop who changed yr battery??

@kamilianos

10 ай бұрын

no mate, your head gasket will blow next.

@Sunnysky321

10 ай бұрын

Yeah, many Prius' original batteries last 300k miles. The trick is not only the mileage, but also the years and how to take care of the battery. For this Camry the battery is 15 - 16 years old. If the car is left sitting there for a long time, close attention should be paid to the SOC of the battery.

@Resistculturaldecline

10 ай бұрын

I have a Chevy Volt in my shop now, 2015 with 75k miles. Batt replacement is $29k

This man is a true master at his profession. Every video shares so much substantive knowledge about the details of the numerous pieces that comprise a vehicle.

Great to see a master craftsman demonstrating all the skills most owners never see -- and honest assessments of the car designs and owner issues. A great master class! I think the owner made the right decision. Buying a replacement car is a risk, because all this work may not have been carried out, and it's potentially a rolling problem.

Although batteries are expensive, this car now represents good value at $5800 ! Glad they had you to advise and look after them!

Great video. Thanks for the detailed procedure. The only comment I had was when you had the back seat out and you could see the floor pan, I would have vacuumed the trash out so that it was clean underneath. Your videos are perfect. Thanks for the ‘thought process’ discussion too.

@CHN-fh2sn

9 ай бұрын

Yeah, cleaning the little bit of trash out from under the seat would have been nice.

@hanlee5292

8 ай бұрын

yes, that pen under the seat could have been the favorite one of the owner's daughter :) @@CHN-fh2sn

@rayyanthamim

4 ай бұрын

Everything comes with a price 🤣

Only just stumbled upon this channel and now I'm hooked. Liked and Subscribed.

I certainly appreciate the videos you make. I am taking care of my own Toyota corolla and you seem to cover everything! Thanks a million!!!

One of my former jobs was for a contract manufacturer in the cables dept. Zip ties are used on wiring harness to keep them organized. Bonus is it gives a "clean" look on a 30 wire harness for a fighter jets radar detector equipment

@meowmeow2759

10 ай бұрын

Zip ties? That's fancy. The military parts I made for one particular plane used wax coated lacing to tie the wire harness together.

I had a refurbished hybrid battery replaced in my 2006 Prius in April, 2022. The installer came to my house and replaced the battery as I watched. It was more of a plug and play job; I don't recall any components being transferred from the old to the new battery. The whole job was done in under an hour. So far the battery has been great. I'm definitely getting better mpgs now.

@veganwally

6 ай бұрын

What did you pay for that refurbished & approximately what part of the country are you?

@Phoggbank

6 ай бұрын

@veganwally $1,659.26. Northeast Oklahoma.

@MatsuzoSF

3 ай бұрын

​@@veganwallyThe going rate on a refurb currently is around $1200-1400 parts and labor for a 2nd gen Prius. You could have a new lithium battery put in for around $2500.

@ahdziz666

3 ай бұрын

They are generally using known good computers, relays, etc that they test as they swap and fiddle with the cells. Far less labor to swap the whole box and don't risk not connecting something. They'll reuse your parts on someone else's car.

@Pwn3540

3 ай бұрын

I just replaced mine today for my Camry hybrid 2008. The check hybrid system light no longer comes on and the car doesn't turn off on me anymore. I bought the car at 140k miles for $4500 salvaged on 2019 The hybrid battery they took out I believe was original. It's currently at 193k miles Hope it lasts me another 4 years at least It cost $800 for the battery after a $200 discount and labor was like $1000

Amazingly done.! What a GUY & he loves his profession. Excellent videos & I needed this since I am considering a hybrid. Many thanks!

Always impressed by how clean your shop is! Great job! .

ChrisFix has covered this a couple times on the Prius. Glad to see you covering it also!

Very rare to find a good, clean and dependable car for $6K. Mostly would just take over someone else’s headaches. My 2022 Prius has a 10 factory replacement warranty on the HV battery.

@robmalcolm8042

10 ай бұрын

Not bad. That 2023 is really nice tho it’s nice a sports car now.

@NotNowCato1254

10 ай бұрын

Not absolutely certain but I think here in the UK if you have your Lexus hybrid dealer serviced, including 'battery health check', it is warrantied for 10 years/150k miles.

This is why I subscribe, AMD. For your thoughtful method of “let’s do this once and do it the right way.” I have the impression that you treat each of your customers’ cars just like you treat your own. I like that about you. Thank you.

I have a 2008 Hybrid Camry with 190.000 miles and original battery. After watching this I am putting it on the market now. I live in Oregon.

I have 233,000 miles on my 2006 Lexus RX400H hybrid. The car is mint inside and out. Original battery too that gives me 30+mpg around town. If my battery goes out I would replace the battery and get it to Chicago for the swap. Love how clean your shop is too.

@rightlanehog3151

10 ай бұрын

Agreed!

@aJ.13

10 ай бұрын

My 2018 Rav4 got 186,000 Miles. Goal is 1,000,000 Miles. I will replace anything in my car if needed, but right now it runs like a champ.

You are an exceptional person and we Iraqis are proud of all your achievements and we wish you all the best and progress in your work

I think the owners made a wise choice. Your skill and honesty are awesome!

Every city needs someone like you!

I watched this video and get reminded to do things right the first time. no silly shortcuts.👍👍👍

Great call on fixing this car. That being said it is mainly because of the professional doing the install. Price sounds extremely reasonable. Great video, looking forward to the next! God bless you all!❤

Nice job, love your patience and thoughtfulness. Necessary skills for a top mechanic.

AMD, you are a mastermind to these Toyota and Lexus vehicles! I love watching your videos and gain tons of knowledge for working on mine. I have a 2014 Camry with just over 220,000 miles, never had an issue at all until a couple weeks ago when the dreaded "check hybrid system" light came on. I pluggeed in my OBD2 scanner and got a P0A80 code (replace hybrid battery). I did some battery tests that show block #8 is weak. Instead of getting a refurbished or just change out the bad cells, and after painstakingly trying to find a new one from Toyota, I finally found one and I pick it up on Saturday 4/20. Some dealers wont sell over the counter but I found one that did at 3k plus core. Ive always kept up with the car by changing the fluids by your recommendations (special thanks to you and your channel) and always made sure to keep that cooling fan filter by the back seat clean! By the way, the brake pads have 160k at least if they arent the original pads....I never had to change them and they still have a lot of meat on the pads as of a few days ago! Pretty much best car I've ever had. To your customers, they made the right decision of course. The car is definitely worth it.

I thought the same thing the owner thought. Spending 5800 on this repair is like buying another car for 5800 of this caliber. Good deal. Oh , you also need to find a great service shop like the Car Care Nut.

@mph5896

10 ай бұрын

Absolutely. The car with a bad hybrid battery and brake issue has little value. Maybe $1500 on a good day? Plus they know the history of the car, so they aren't gambling on that.

It was totally worth it. In this climate of automobile prices new and used it’s a no-brainer. Thank you for this great video AMD!!

Thank you for taking the time to make these videos, it's appreciated.

Thank you for working in the cramped hot car to share with us the utter complexity of changing a hybrid battery (at least in this car). As we transition to more electric/hybrid cars I hope the designers do a way better job of making the re and re less labor intensive and costly. Love your vids!

@carbonking53

6 ай бұрын

The transition has slowed dramatically recently to the point manufacturers are pulling back investments in future and current production of EVs and hybrids. More people are realizing the true costs and inconveniences of owning them.

Wow! Great video! Very detailed and straight to the point. I've always wanted to see how much work that goes into a hybrid battery. Who knows, maybe someday I will own a hybrid car. Now I have your video to go through the step by step process. Thanks! Yes it was a good decision to keep the car and restore it. Because it's a Toyota in good condition.

@Len10293

10 ай бұрын

Counting battery replacement your potential gas savings goes out of the window. That’s why I am hesitant of hybrids.

@ackerrj

10 ай бұрын

Yes, my issue also. I think the trick there, is keep it for a while, then sell it a few years before the battery needs to be replaced... else, there goes all your savings. Another alternative, just keep your ICE car. We have a 17 highlander with 38k miles... runs great, we keep up with recommended maintenance. So, the only battery to replace is the 12 volt for probably less than $100.

@technocody9296

10 ай бұрын

Driving daily is better than leaving your hybrid vehicle sitting on your driveway for month.

Informative video on hybrid batteries. Owner made the right choice. Good reliable car, good bones, good mpg for a college student.

Best Toyota related channel on the Internet. Thanks

It's a pleasure to watch a skilled tradesman in action. You make it look easy

Thanks for the detailed view on replacing the hybrid battery. Your videos are always informative and well done! As for the question on fixing this car, Yes! Given how expensive new cars are, and the unknown of buying something used, if you know the history of your own and it is in good shape otherwise, then I'd always opt to fix if the car still serves your needs.

Fantastic video I learned a lot. You did say you were super busy at the shop so thank you for taking the extra time to video this process and share it with us. Take care.

I agree with the owner's analysis. The basic question is what is your expected future cost of transportation with the repaired vehicle versus any other alternatives. They should get another 100K miles for the $5800 bucks (plus the cost of wear parts and maintenance). That's 5.8 cents per mile for the car itself. A new Camry hybrid costing $30K would have to go over 500K miles to equal that cost per mile. Good call!

@afcgeo882

7 ай бұрын

Well… you didn’t account for anything else that’s likely to break on a high mileage car, including engine, cooling, exhaust, suspension, steering and HVAC components. A new car would have none of those costs. A head gasket repair alone will set you back another $2k easily. 130k miles doesn’t sound like much to most Toyota owners, but this is a big city car. It’s a Chicago car. That means many times more wear and tear, per mile, than the average. This car is over 15 years old, so major corrosion issues. Things like engine mounts, steering rack, door mounts, seat mounts, interior panels, gear shifter, switches, etc will all have much more wear because this car makes a lot more trips to get to its 130k mileage. An average trip for this car is likely around 10 miles. So those components see a lot more use. An average big city car starts seeing lots of problems around 100-125k miles, even a Toyota. That means the ACTUAL cost per mile on that Camry is likely to be 4-5 times higher than 5.8 cents/mile.

@lifehackertips

7 ай бұрын

you're assuming they'll have no other problems in the next 100,000 miles. Also they could buy a 2008 non-hybrid camry with 100k miles for $7,000 and never worry about the battery again.

@jhill4071

6 ай бұрын

My first take away is to buy the a car with a great Consumer Reports track record, namely a Toyota Camry Hybrid. From day 1 plan to keep the car 20-yrs and start figuring $700 a year for an an eventual $7,000 cost paid for by using less fuel over the 10-yrs. Buy $700 a year worth of govt t-bills managed in a bank saving account and that with be the well you dip into to finance the battery swap out.

Your Camry owners, with good advice, made a sound decision. Your video was well done with loads of good information. It was impressive to watch you apply good mechanical skills to work through that complex project with such ease.

Interesting to watch, I've had my 1st generation prius nimh battery in and out of the car a couple times and it's definitely less complicated than this one. Sure wish i had a shop like this near me.

A great video and also respectful how you communicate with your customer as usual. You set the bar really high and I wish I have you nearby so I do not need to deal with random mechanics or DIY too often. A minor "complaint" is that I saw the pile of debris and junks under the seats but not sure if you did vacuum it before cover all up, I wish you did since you could although not MUST. As for me, I have a Toyota non-hybrid older than this, still runs like first year on MPG except noise ... so I might need think harder on a 2008 before decide shell out $6000. Good day!

Definitely the right decision for what the owners want for this car. I own a 2020 Camry in the UK and love it as a great economical, reliable, comfortable and quality car. Buying from new and main dealer servicing keeps it perfect for me. I would also consider replacing the battery after it wears out in future as this Camry is such a good car. Great video by the way.

Absolutely the right choice to fix the issues when you know at the end you can run the car safety for another 10 years. They know what they have but you don’t know what you’re going to get till usually it’s too late. Your honesty and integrity is very rare today. They were lucky to have your guidance.

Good day AMD, thank you for sharing this with us!

I can see the logic for the repair decision. Personally I would try and move my cars on before they get to this age. I guess it all depends on how much money you have and/or want to spend on cars. Good video, thank you.

Thanks for the video. The owners were smart. I gave my niece my car, a promise to her that if she went to college, I'd give her my car. She went to college, I handed over my car. It was a manual transmission. She told me she knew how to drive a stick. To be sure I rode with her around the block and she shifted fine, dropped me off at my apartment, and drove her car to her home. She lived in a different city and took the freeway. Turns out she didn't know how to drive a stick, she drove on the freeway in third gear, never shifted to fourth, didn't have enough experience driving a manual to know the difference. Had I known she exaggerated her abilities, I would've given her a quick tutorial on the freeway. With teenagers &/or first time car owners, there's going to be a learning curve unless the adult walks the teen through every step of car ownership. If a family can afford to buy a new car for the teen that's nice because they know they're starting with a sound vehicle, but first time car owners are learning and will make mistakes. The parents were smart to fix up a sound car and gift it to their daughter. She'll probably have that car for 15 years, saving her $50K in car related expenses, allowing her to save up a down payment for her starter home after college. Well done parents.

The owners did a good job assess the situation. I agree with them. Great job

Another way to decide if they made the right decision is if that car is worth more than the $5800 they spent on it, which I think these days it does.

@Mroctopus2988

10 ай бұрын

Sure but I'd take my chances on those aftermarket batteries that cost around $1000. Especially since a lot of places completely restore them.

@mph5896

10 ай бұрын

@@Mroctopus2988 Depends on what kind of a customer or car owner you are. I would crack open the old battery, and repair it. I can easily see the $1k battery viewpoint and the $5800 battery viewpoint though as well.

@Mroctopus2988

10 ай бұрын

@@mph5896 I'm sorry but I don't see any reason to put in a $6000 battery on a 15 year old car. Other hybrid components will begin to fail and it's just gonna be a money pit. Especially these early Camry hybrids that only get around 30mpg

@mph5896

10 ай бұрын

@@Mroctopus2988 I actually finished the video. It was a $4200 battery. Add on the ABS repair for $5800 total. Car was basically worthless with a bad battery and abs. Maybe $1500 in value? In the end, its the owners decision and the owners money.

The same year (2008) that this car was bought new, we bought a Lexus ES350, which is basically a luxury Camry. I looked at the price difference to buy the Hybrid version, looked at the mileage difference, and calculated the cost savings (based on gas prices at that time). I also considered depreciation and potential future replacement costs. My conclusion was that considering the time value of money I could never recoup my purchase cost, and we drive our cars a very long time like this customer. There are many reasons to buy an EV or Hybrid, but I am strictly an economic analysis guy. So far I have not concluded that either EV’s or Hybrids are a good value. (Disclosure: I am a Mechanical Engineer.)

@danc2014

6 ай бұрын

What if you update to current gas prices.like $5 a gallon

@hockey98550

5 ай бұрын

Your cost analysis is spot on. I also keep my cars a long time, 97 Lexus es300, and only cost is upkeep and gas, insurance. The battery life just is not developed enough for financial reasons.

@randyderksen4358

5 ай бұрын

I would say that holds if you plan on buying new. If you find a well maintained Hybrid you can find them quite reasonable. I was able to find one for less money than what this Camry's battery pack and labour cost and our 2008 Lexus 400h has over 330,000km.now - battery is still in very good shape. Overall more efficient than the regular RX350 and quite a bit faster. New in 2008 it was over $60,000. here in Canada. People who want to buy a hybrid car new are either very rich and don't care about money or they are really, really stupid.

@jjustinengineer

5 ай бұрын

As an electrical engineer with advanced degrees in engineering and business administration, I wouldn't buy an EV or a hybrid, not only for economic reasons, but I also have concerns about being bathed in 10 KW of non-ionized electromagnetic radiation. Prostate, kidney, pancreatic, liver cancers, as well neurological diseases such as Parkinson's and ALS are all concerns. No one even measures or states the amounts of radiation that are bouncing around inside the vehicle. There needs to MuMetal shielding installed all around the emission areas, measurements taken, studies made on acceptable levels of radiation by NGOs, and regulations put in place. But, I guess there will always be pools of unwitting guinea pig, early adopters available in any new technology.

@FirstLast-ml7yf

5 ай бұрын

This guy would get a big dose of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation out of plugging in a hot water kettle...@@jjustinengineer

You are honest mechanic that’s why we follow you thank you .

As the owner of a 2017 camry hybrid with 27,500 kms. , I have to say that was extremely informative, entertaining, and well done. thank you sir, much respect !!

I have a 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid and had a remanufactured battery installed from a company called Green Bean Battery back in I believe 2020. It has a lifetime replacement warranty which I believe I paid a little extra for, but the car has been running great ever since. The car had around 120,000 miles on it if my memory serves me right. The Camry now has 166,000+ miles on her. I paid right around 1,900 bucks for it and the installer came to my house and took him around 45 minutes to replace it. I don't work for this company but have been happy with my purchase. Hybrids have been out for a long time and there are now other companies who offer alternatives instead of just having a dealership as an only option.

@Felixmax507

2 ай бұрын

This is low mileage for a replacement

@kevinferguson493

2 ай бұрын

Low mileage yes but the battery was 12 years old

This guy is one of the most honest helpful mechanics ive ever watched, i own a Toyota rav4 2.2 diesel and i have saved hundreds pounds doing jobs myself after watching the way to do the job with this guy , he is brilliant there is no other word for him, if you own a Toyota you should definitely subscribe .

@nvkulk

6 ай бұрын

Lucky that you can have diesels in the UK ( you mentioned pounds!)

@jhill4071

6 ай бұрын

Dec 2023 This guy just might not be rplaceable is the general concern. Kids now days don't want to spend their time learning auto repair. Much better to stay home in the basement and earn a living by participating via Zoom meeting and performing a task for your employer via the internet on your home office computer. No commenting to work or nice business attire needed.

@user-kr1ch9es1p

3 ай бұрын

But he is really tonto

I live at a neighboring state and I didnt even like Lexus before but after learning so much from this man I am now looking to buy a Lexus and hopefully have it maintained at his shop until it can no longer run. Awesome educational videos sir.

I agree with the owners decision. Very lucky to have you 👍

I am an HR Professional from Bangladesh and on my third Toyota now. I am down with COVID-19 and have been watching our videos while being isolated. This channel is absolutely amazing and your videos are very helpful for a car nut (with OCD) like me. :)

I can watch a professional man work all day.

I really liked your presentation and unbiased explanations and details! At 68 now and an old "hack mechanic" but a good one, the story of the family and the decision to spend the money on #1- a good product they took care of and got their moneys worth from. #2 Looking at what they could now get for that $5800 moving forward into unknown areas of ownership.....that decision was spot on!! Here's the 1 factor that really ticks me off to the point of total meltdown. Someone comes along and causes a major accident either accidentally or lets just say with total negligence or disregard. All your careful ownership and taking care of your wise investment in a reliable asset.....just dissapeared. Your insurance will probably give you next to nothing assuming you have the best collision coverage on your policy. Ha, if you have a new driver and ever insured them you already know the collision cost is 5x the rest of the policy! So at the end of the day we can only hope to do our best being careful, safe and responsible while we drive. But now that a large portion of the driving population is either distracted by constant media tech, relying on the car to react instead of looking as they drive...or simply doesn't care because "that's what insurance is for" comes out of their mouth when they are 100% at fault and just destroyed your transportation and caused a major catastrophe in a family that needs to drive to work or shop for essentials! That's the sad reality that now happens much more often than anyone wants to talk about. Thx for all you do and I hope that family is happy, safe and secure😁😍

Always to the point and accurate information, very honest. Thank you very much 😊