I own a 2002 Prius which I bought new in Nov 2001. At 4700 miles, on January 23 2004, the hydrid battery failed.

I had no inkling that the battery was failing. But my garage was filled with such a stench I thought my sewer line had broken. Turns out the battery emits sulfur dioxide when it fails - ergo the stench.

I am really disappointed that this happened, even though the cost of replacing the battery was covered under the Toyota Warranty. Now I do not feel like even keeping the car. In short, I am completely turned off by the car now; even though I loved it before the hydrid battery failure.
Amount Paid (US$): 26000.
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: Prius