Ford Escape Hybrid Thoughts?

[wallab]

I have a chance to get a 2006 Escape Hybrid for a really good deal because its a hybrid.  It has 105,000 miles and no issues.  Hybrid part worries me, but that is why its so cheap.  Internet reviews are all over the place as to the life expectancy of the battery.  Any experience or insight would be much appreciated.  Its for my daughters first car so mostly driving around town. 

[follow maggie]

I myself wouldn’t buy a used hybrid or battery car with that amount of miles. When the battery goes, which can be at anytime, it costs more to replace the battery than the car is worth. It’s scrap at that point. A few years ago my brother was working n a Toyota shop & a young lady brought her Prius in. The battery it needed cost $8,000 to get her $3,000 car back on the road.

[Widgeondeke]

I would ask @Jackelope - he is the Ford guru 

[CP]

You should check on the cost of replacing the battery with a remanufactured unit.  Just assume the batteries are going to need to be replaced and if the car still interests you at that price go for it.  If not, look elsewhere.

[wallab]

Greentec Auto has a shop in Seattle and sales refurbished batteries for $2,400 installed.  I think I'll gamble and see what happens.  Used car shopping is rough right now.

[deerlick]

Ford escapes are already pretty terrible, a hybrid escape yiud be better off just burning your money now to save the headaches later.

[jackelope]

I’ve worked for a very busy Ford dealership for 10 years and have never seen or had a problem with a high voltage battery on an Escape. I’ve serviced literally hundreds and possibly thousands of them. We service a lot of the Washington state motor pool fleet, a few city municipalities, and loads of privately owned older hybrid escapes. They are typically pretty good cars. We replace lots of lower control arms because the bushings split. The engines in the hybrids are fine too. Transmission issues once in a while but nothing that would scare me away. The 3.0 v6 have expensive oil leak issues. Not the same engine as the little engines in the hybrids.

I’m curious what you all don’t like about the older escapes. Some of you seem terrified of them.

[follow maggie]

I don’t have an issue with the escape, I think they’re nice little rigs. I’m afraid of any car with an old battery pack in it.

[jackelope]

What’s the price of the car?

[wallab]

$3,000

Test drove it yesterday and it drives nice.

[Stein]

Would you pay $5,400 if the owner had just replaced the battery?  I would compare that cost to a comparable non-hybrid and go from there.

[Sandberm]

2006 anything with only 106,000 miles is going to be a lot more then $5400 I would think. 

[IslandHunter]

We have had a 2008 for about 4 years now. Got it around 140k miles. I think we only put 20 or 30k on it.

Its been a great little car. Its slow and gutless but its comfortable enough to drive and gets good mileage. We replaced the struts and the button to open for the rear hatch and change the oil when the dash tells me that's about it. I am pretty sure my battery is at the end of it's life. We left the car sitting for 4 weeks and had to do a special high voltage jump start because the battery was dead. My wife drives it a few times a week around town. We got a good deal on it and plan on driving it until it dies.

I would go for it if its a good deal and you need an economical suv

[hollymaster]

Send it to me I’ll buy it! 235,000 on mine and have done nothing but oil changes and brakes. Only complaint is they are gutless.

[thinkingman]

I’ve worked for a very busy Ford dealership for 10 years and have never seen or had a problem with a high voltage battery on an Escape. I’ve serviced literally hundreds and possibly thousands of them. We service a lot of the Washington state motor pool fleet, a few city municipalities, and loads of privately owned older hybrid escapes. They are typically pretty good cars. We replace lots of lower control arms because the bushings split. The engines in the hybrids are fine too. Transmission issues once in a while but nothing that would scare me away. The 3.0 v6 have expensive oil leak issues. Not the same engine as the little engines in the hybrids.

I’m curious what you all don’t like about the older escapes. Some of you seem terrified of them.

 

There you go....Always good when Jackelope weighs in!

People LOVE those first gen Escapes.
Great package.

[wallab]

Thanks guys and thanks jackelope for the insight.  Made it a pretty easy decision.  We pick it up tomorrow.  The kids pretty excited and I’m happy with all the air bags, AWD, and lack of power to keep her safe. 

[pianoman9701]

Looking it up on the internet, the replacement battery for an Escape looks around $150-200. Because it's a hybrid and not electric like the ones you plug in, I don't think the battery is a big deal. 

[HntnFsh]

Looking it up on the internet, the replacement battery for an Escape looks around $150-200. Because it's a hybrid and not electric like the ones you plug in, I don't think the battery is a big deal. 

I think your looking at the starting battery. Not the hybrid power battery.

[jackelope]

Looking it up on the internet, the replacement battery for an Escape looks around $150-200. Because it's a hybrid and not electric like the ones you plug in, I don't think the battery is a big deal. 

I think your looking at the starting battery. Not the hybrid power battery.

Agreed. I don’t think that’s the right battery.


For $3000 if it lasts 2-3 years, it was worth it to me.

[pianoman9701]

Looking it up on the internet, the replacement battery for an Escape looks around $150-200. Because it's a hybrid and not electric like the ones you plug in, I don't think the battery is a big deal. 

I think your looking at the starting battery. Not the hybrid power battery.

Oh! I guess I dropped a fly in your soup! Thanks for the correction.