Hello all! I am looking at used Civic Hybrids and found one that belonged to an older gentleman who only put 40K miles on his 2005, then let it sit from 2012 until now.

I am going to see the car tomorrow, but I have been told the following:

1. The hybrid battery seems to be dead
2. The 12V battery needs a jump. Once jumped, one can drive the car.
3. Tires replaced


My questions are:

1. What problems can I expect from a hybrid that sat unused for about 5 years?

2. Especially, is this battery possibly salvageable with a grid charger?

3. Anything else I should be asking, or should know?

Thanks!

 

1) all the usual problems with any car that sits for 5 years.
2) Possibly. Extended self-discharge of the Honda cells has been shown to improve performance at least temporarily.
3) Any amount offered needs to factor in a potential $2200 battery purchase in the very near future. If you're not comfortable with that, then walk away.

 

Thanks Steve! I was hoping you would answer. I have been reading different forum topics for the last few days and have seen you in many of the threads.

Per some of those threads, I am figuring in a $2220 Bumblebee Battery in my offer, as well as another $500 of likely necessary repairs after the extended sit, and a $400 grid charger.

His initial price is $1500, which puts this at $2.4k-$4.6k. I was going to see if I could get him down a few hundred more.

Given those prices, and your experience with Honda hybrids, would you recommend this to a friend? To be honest, my preconceptions about hybrids were firmly shattered by reading around this site. I can't believe Honda was allowed to sell these with such terrible batteries.

 

As someone who has owned four, I would never recommend a used Honda IMA to a friend unless it was still under warranty. I'm probably a little jaded from living in AZ though.

 

Hah, OK. Thanks for the reply. I am in SoCal, so it does get plenty hot here.

Perhaps I'll just find a very uneventful non-hybrid Civic for the same total price instead.

 

There's also the complication of selling a car w/o smog cert. You're not supposed to.

I know I sound negative, but used hybrids really make no sense if you want reliability. You have a small four cylinder car with a whole complex system bolted on... MORE failure potential, and one of them is a consumable (battery - they are going to wear out - period, especially in heat).

It MAY be a great deal even at $1500. You just need to be okay with it eventually costing you the $4600.