• A man’s Mercedes-Benz hybrid was effectively totaled by a $20K repair bill
• Ranjit Singh’s E300 wagon cost him $17,000 eight years ago
• Mercedes-Benz has declined to comment without the full details of the situation

If you’ve been lucky enough to never total a new or used car, let me tell you, it sucks. My Volkswagen Passat met its end thanks to a coolant leak that would’ve cost nearly as much as the car to fix. But that was only worth a few thousand bucks. Imagine your $17,000 Mercedes-Benz hybrid being totaled by a $20,000 repair bill. One UK man doesn’t have to, and he’s been hung out to dry.

One man’s Mercedes-Benz battery replacement costs more than his car

I have always been a Mercedes customer and loved the cars they produce and we bought the car for its reliability.

Ranjit Singh via Leicestershire Live

The story of Ranjit Singh comes to us courtesy of LeicestershireLive. Apparently, Mr. Singh’s Mercedes-Benz E300 is an expensive car to fix. It all started when Singh, a lifelong Mercedes buyer, purchased his used Mercedes E300 station wagon from a dealer. At that point, the wagon had relatively low miles, in addition to returning solid fuel economy as a result of its hybrid powertrain.

Unfortunately, Singh’s Merc took a turn for the worse. During a regular service check, the Benz’s battery met its end. Rather, that’s what Singh was told as he was handed a $20,000 (USD) repair bill. The hybrid battery in the E300 had apparently lost its zeal for life. Even more disappointing was the time at which this battery decided to croak. Ranjit’s Benz hybrid is only eight years old and valued at around $17,000 US.

This isn’t the only E-Class with an expensive battery

Without the background information, we are unable to comment on why the high voltage battery required replacement in this particular case.

Mercedes-Benz UK

Singh says he tried just about everything he could to salvage his apparently totaled E300. First, he went and got a second opinion from another mechanic, who told him the best thing he (Singh) could do was fix the busted battery. Then, Singh took to the forums to see how other Mercedes-Benz hybrid owners fared. He didn’t find any good news.

Singh reports several other E300 hybrid owners report the same issue. Right now, it looks a lot like the IMS bearing that doomed the 996 911. It’s simply a fact of owning the car. Mercedes-Benz has said they don’t wish to comment without having the details. Fair. But why is this seemingly random hybrid costing its owner so much money?

Are hybrids expensive to maintain?

Frankly, the technology is rather complicated. Hybrids can often have increased maintenance costs owning to this complexity. Go look at the cost of a Toyota Prius battery if you don’t believe me. The cost of these items can vary greatly, and right now, Singh might just plain be out of luck. If anything, it’s a cautionary tale for those looking to buy a used hybrid. Best make sure that battery works.