Repair and maintenance costs: Hybrids don’t cost more according to study
Audex Insight
While everyone agrees that a hybrid cars’ fuel economy is one of its major strengths, many have argued that the extra costs of repair and maintenance makes it less desirable. Critics of hybrids have claimed that the high costs of replacing battery packs offsets the higher price usually paid for them. We do not agree.
Our experience in our Oakland Repair Shop corroborates the study findings. In reality repair and maintenance cost of hybrids is practically the same as that of conventional gasoline cars. There are several reasons for this:
- Long term guarantees from manufacturers -- All the hybrid-specific components are covered under warranty for eight years/100,000 miles or 10 years/150,000 miles.
- Battery packs have been tested to last well beyond the warranty period – The life span of batteries because of their cost is a key element in the success of hybrid vehicles. Car makers are well aware of this and they simply make components that will last longer.
- The cost of the hybrid specific components keeps coming down – As more cars are sold economies of scale cost reductions and improved technologies are making the components cheaper.
- Similar repair and maintenance costs for non-hybrid parts – For the non-hybrid components of the vehicle there is virtually no repair and maintenance cost difference between hybrids and conventional cars.
Nice! It seems that the costs are now equivalent! Another great argument for buying (and requesting) more hybrid cars. Hopefully one day all cars will be hybrid, and eventually just electric!
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Thank you for this post. It is true that a lot of people are arguing that the maintenance costs of a hybrid are not worth the gas mileage benefits. However, that is up to the car owner to decide in my opinion.
Auto Repair Fullerton
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