Is this a good buy

angel ct · March 17

Lexus CT
1.8 200h SE-I Hatchback 5dr Petrol Hybrid CVT Euro 5 (s/s) (136 ps)

153,000 miles2011 (61 reg)AutomaticPetrol Hybrid

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403087374851?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&fuel-type=Petrol Hybrid&make=Lexus&postcode=B44 0pl&radius=25&year-to=2024&fromsra

Never had a Lexus before. Wow

But I am worried about the cost of a new Battery. What is the thing to look out for if I test drive it.

Any advice appreciated.

Moleman · March 17

You are at the max for Battery life. 15 years or 150k miles is pretty guaranteed, after this point you should consider the cost of replacement hybrid Battery. Could be absolutely fine.

angel ct · March 18

How much could it cost £4000?

So it is not a good deal.. ..

ColinBarber · March 18

You wouldn’t purchase a new Battery on a vehicle of that age - a second hand one from a scrap vehicle would be around £1500 or you can get a faulty Battery repaired.

If you get a hybrid health check done just before the vehicle is 15 years old you get a warranty for another 12 months.

Age isn’t really the concern though, it’s the number of cycles the Battery has done - unfortunately there is no way to know that so mileage is the best thing to go by.

Poundy · March 18

The fact that the warranty is 15 years doesn't necessarily mean it will self destruct the day after it runs out lol! Perhaps you will get many more years out of it. Cheap enough car if it's in decent condition with another year or two of the warranty to run.

The repair costs for our Lexus have been zilch since we have owned it, so I wouldn't think twice about putting a new Hybrid Battery in after 15years should it be needed. Better the devil you know.

Djwbiker · March 18

You could ask

hybridbatterysolutions and see what Richard think's of the model and mileage.

Daft Dave · March 19

On 3/17/2024 at 1:08 PM, angel ct said:

Lexus CT
1.8 200h SE-I Hatchback 5dr Petrol Hybrid CVT Euro 5 (s/s) (136 ps)

153,000 miles2011 (61 reg)AutomaticPetrol Hybrid

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403087374851?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&fuel-type=Petrol Hybrid&make=Lexus&postcode=B44 0pl&radius=25&year-to=2024&fromsra

Never had a Lexus before. Wow

But I am worried about the cost of a new battery. What is the thing to look out for if I test drive it.

Any advice appreciated.

I had a Volvo 740GLT this was a great Car and I changed the Oil in this at every 3000mls this was around 12yrs of age and had 150K on the clock when the engine failed. The reason for this was; the Car had done 150,000 short journeys this was what killed the engine, driven mostly by my first Wife she would not even walk to the local shop around 500mtrs away.

For this reason I would never buy a Car with high mileage as you will never know the amount of short journeys it has been driven, this is what kills an engine not the amount of miles but the amount of starts from cold it has had, Cold starting causes the most wear to an engine.

Buying a young Car with high miles for its year is a better choice as it is more likely to have done much of it on motorways.

Replacing a Hybrid Batt is not all that complicated and an easy DIY fit, well it does look that way on some YT videos I have seen? I'm sure I have seen a replacement Batt priced at around £600.