[ponygirl]

You’re also not adding in the costs of the batteries for these things. On the Prius, a replacement battery currently costs @$2500-$3000. (Although I hear the price is supposed to drop down to around $2000.) Guess what? Here in Arizona, I just had to replace a regular old $80 battery last weekend. I got a year and a half out of it. So I always buy the warranty because in this heat, batteries do NOT last, and you can be guaranteed that a $3000 battery will not fare any better.

[ColdWater]

I got a year and a half out of it. So I always buy the warranty because in this heat, batteries do NOT last, and you can be guaranteed that a $3000 battery will not fare any better.

In CA, the batteries are warranted for 10 years, 150,000 miles.

[Mike-o-Matic]

  >> and you can be guaranteed that a $3000 battery will not fare any better.

The Prius' battery is not expected to last the entire life of the car. The Volt's battery IS expected to do so.

For one thing, there are completely different cell chemistries are used in the Volt and Prius; Volt uses Lithium-Manganese Li-Ion, Prius uses NiMH cells. Also, the Volt uses the juice differently by design. In essence, it under-stresses the battery, so it'll last much longer.

LG chem (the cell's maker) and GM (the car/batt-pack maker) are testing the CRAP out of these batteries (accelerated cycling, heat, cold, vibration, etc.) to make sure they can safely warranty them for the full life of the vehicle. The warranty is widely expected to be 10yr-150,000mi (not officially published, so far as I know, but they've made comments to that effect in interviews).

[MSF BU]

Paul Harvey must be spinning in his grave; are you buying Interstate Batteries?

[ColdWater]

and you can be guaranteed that a $3000 battery will not fare any better.

Hybrid batteries come with an original warranty of 8 years in AZ. The Volt will probably be a 10 year warranty. How long is the warranty for your gasoline engine?