Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George

DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George

I use Tayna batteries. Online service near next day delivery. Normally
get a choice of quality warranty duration and very competitive pricing.

No connection - just satisfied customer etc

https://www.tayna.co.uk/

Bob

In message ,
DICEGEORGE writes
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,

I've used an online seller and they were fine and cheap - I just can't
remember their name.
But last time I needed a battery quickly, I priced the type and maker
online and then rang the local independent motor factors (whose vans are
always scurrying, delivering to small garages). They price matched and I
picked up the battery within the hour.
--
Bill

In article ,
DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

I'm rather sold on Bosch these days since my last one did 11 years, and
know of some others that lasting as well too. If you have a EuroCarParts
handy, they do them at a good price. And mail order too.

Halfords isn't good value - unless you have their trade card.

--
*Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George


You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery and
not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are clean and
tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

OK, ring a local autoelectrician. I find they will fit a battery for
free and also price the thing competitively.

Bill

On Wed, 9 Nov 2016 01:09:24 +0000
Bill Wright wrote:

You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery
and not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are
clean and tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

If it started the car on Saturday, but wouldn't on Tuesday, then I
agree that I would suspect the charging circuit rather than the battery.

--
Davey.

Bob Minchin explained on 08/11/2016 :
DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George

I use Tayna batteries. Online service near next day delivery. Normally get a
choice of quality warranty duration and very competitive pricing.

No connection - just satisfied customer etc

https://www.tayna.co.uk/

Bob

Tayna are always my first choice too.

Davey wrote:
On Wed, 9 Nov 2016 01:09:24 +0000
Bill Wright wrote:

You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery
and not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are
clean and tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

If it started the car on Saturday, but wouldn't on Tuesday, then I
agree that I would suspect the charging circuit rather than the battery.


It's actually very common for batteries to die suddenly. More common than
charging circuitry to go wrong in my experience.

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

On 09/11/16 01:15, Davey wrote:
On Wed, 9 Nov 2016 01:09:24 +0000
Bill Wright wrote:

You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery
and not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are
clean and tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

If it started the car on Saturday, but wouldn't on Tuesday, then I
agree that I would suspect the charging circuit rather than the battery.


Difficult to guess with such an imprecise "wouldn't start". If the
engine turned over, but too slowly to start, I'd suspect the battery: if
the battery had been reasonably lively in the recent past, but was then
suddenly joined the choir invisibule, it could be the alternator diodes
allowing a massive discharge. Astra G 1.7 alternators are a bugger to
change three days before Christmas in a very cold garage.

A jump start to get it going, then two minutes with a multimeter might
be a sound move, as others have said.

--
Kevin

In message , Tim+
writes
Davey wrote:
On Wed, 9 Nov 2016 01:09:24 +0000
Bill Wright wrote:

You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery
and not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are
clean and tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

If it started the car on Saturday, but wouldn't on Tuesday, then I
agree that I would suspect the charging circuit rather than the battery.


It's actually very common for batteries to die suddenly. More common than
charging circuitry to go wrong in my experience.

What is the current state of play regarding *coded* radio sets and
battery changing?

--
Tim Lamb

On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a few
days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

Mike

Muddymike wrote:

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a few
days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

Mike


Bet you it wasn't (a fan belt that is). They haven't existed for quite some
time. ;-)

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

yes, it turned over too slowly.
Going for the best Bosch battery,
S5
from tanya
£61.93 (with £1.38 facebook discount voucher code)
thanks.
[g]

On Wednesday, 9 November 2016 11:10:58 UTC, Muddymike wrote:

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a few
days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

I walked in Halfords two years ago, selected the most expensive battery with the highest power rating and they fitted it - all for £105.

On Wednesday, 9 November 2016 11:18:30 UTC, Tim+ wrote:
Muddymike wrote:

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a few
days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

Mike


Bet you it wasn't (a fan belt that is). They haven't existed for quite some
time. ;-)

Tim

In 2013, my power steering pump seized after a few weeks of making a squealing noise - I was 20 miles from home.

When it seized, it destroyed the auxiliary drive belt, taking the alternator with it, causing the power steering to be lost and the not charging the battery lamp came on.

After dropping off our lass, I managed to drive it to the ALFA garage on whatever sparks came from battery power alone.

On 09/11/2016 11:28, DICEGEORGE wrote:
yes, it turned over too slowly.
Going for the best Bosch battery,
S5
from tanya
£61.93 (with £1.38 facebook discount voucher code)
thanks.
[g]

It might be a dead battery. But it also might be a number of other
issues such as.
Lack of charge from the alternator.
Faulty starter motor.
Bad or simply loose earth connection somewhere between battery and engine.
Bad or simply loose power connection to starter motor.
Corroded battery connections.

Have you checked them all?

Mike

In article ,
Davey wrote:
On Wed, 9 Nov 2016 01:09:24 +0000
Bill Wright wrote:

You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery
and not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are
clean and tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

If it started the car on Saturday, but wouldn't on Tuesday, then I
agree that I would suspect the charging circuit rather than the battery.

Remember starting my car normally and driving to the shops. After shopping
and going to the cinema - say about 3 hours, battery totally flat. And it
was just the battery knackered.

At one time a battery would usually give warning before failing. This one
didn't.

--
*One nice thing about egotists: they don't talk about other people.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 08/11/2016 21:54, Bob Minchin wrote:
DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368


George

I use Tayna batteries. Online service near next day delivery. Normally
get a choice of quality warranty duration and very competitive pricing.

No connection - just satisfied customer etc

https://www.tayna.co.uk/

Bob

Local motor factor?

--
Michael Chare

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

In article ,
Simon Mason wrote:
On Wednesday, 9 November 2016 11:10:58 UTC, Muddymike wrote:

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a
few days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

I walked in Halfords two years ago, selected the most expensive battery
with the highest power rating and they fitted it - all for £105.

Was this for your milkfloat? Most cars will only take one size of battery.
And if it was for your Alfa, you were conned.

--
*I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In message , Tim+
writes
Davey wrote:
On Wed, 9 Nov 2016 01:09:24 +0000
Bill Wright wrote:

You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery
and not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are
clean and tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

If it started the car on Saturday, but wouldn't on Tuesday, then I
agree that I would suspect the charging circuit rather than the battery.


It's actually very common for batteries to die suddenly. More common than
charging circuitry to go wrong in my experience.

I've known car batteries fail totally between setting out to do some
shopping, and trying to start the car to come home again - maybe an hour
later, when the engine's still hot.



--
Ian

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
In article ,
Davey wrote:
On Wed, 9 Nov 2016 01:09:24 +0000
Bill Wright wrote:

You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery
and not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are
clean and tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

If it started the car on Saturday, but wouldn't on Tuesday, then I
agree that I would suspect the charging circuit rather than the battery.

Remember starting my car normally and driving to the shops. After shopping
and going to the cinema - say about 3 hours, battery totally flat. And it
was just the battery knackered.

At one time a battery would usually give warning before failing. This one
didn't.

This happened to my wife. Fortunately, I and my set of jump-leads were
only 10 minutes away.

For 'insurance', I nearly always carry a set of jump-leads - and they
have indeed come in handy in the same post-shopping scenario, when on
returning to my car, I've come across someone with a totally dead
battery.
--
Ian

On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George



I bought mine on line .. cheaper than local Battery centre for the model
I wanted - Group 24 12V sealed - I bought Numax CXV24
I found this place best price: http://www.plymouthbattery.co.uk/

They even price match against Internet prices

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Davey wrote:
On Wed, 9 Nov 2016 01:09:24 +0000
Bill Wright wrote:

You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery
and not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are
clean and tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

If it started the car on Saturday, but wouldn't on Tuesday, then I
agree that I would suspect the charging circuit rather than the battery.

Remember starting my car normally and driving to the shops. After shopping
and going to the cinema - say about 3 hours, battery totally flat. And it
was just the battery knackered.

I had a similar result with the battery that came with the brand new car.

After about 5 years, I started to get the result you got. But with a
different
effect where the battery would come good after waiting for a while.
Definitely
wasn’t the connection to the battery, removing and cleaning and replacing
the connection made no difference. Couldn't jumper start the car either.

Eventually it didn’t come good after waiting for a while, so got a mate
to come and pick me up and go and get a replacement battery. When
we got back, the car started fine, again. Replaced the battery anyway
once I had driven it home. Never had the problem again. He actually
took the faulty battery and used it on his solar panel for years.

The battery presumably had an internal crack in the connection
between the cells.

At one time a battery would usually give warning before failing. This one
didn't.

Bet it had the same fault as mine.

In article ,
Muddymike wrote:
On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a few
days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

whats's that got to do with Halfords? they sell parts.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England

On 09/11/2016 01:08, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

I'm rather sold on Bosch these days since my last one did 11 years, and
know of some others that lasting as well too. If you have a EuroCarParts
handy, they do them at a good price. And mail order too.

Halfords isn't good value - unless you have their trade card.

Their quality doesn't match Bosch either.



--
Old Codger
e-mail use reply to field

What matters in politics is not what happens, but what you can make
people believe has happened. [Janet Daley 27/8/2003]

On Wed, 09 Nov 2016 19:51:05 +0000, charles wrote:

In article ,
Muddymike wrote:
On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery (drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...A-3-Years-Wty-
Sealed-Bosch-12V-56Ah-OEM-Replacement-/221958356861?
_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

George

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a
few days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

whats's that got to do with Halfords? they sell parts.

These days they sell services too.



--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

In article ,
charles wrote:
In article ,
Muddymike wrote:
On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a few
days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

whats's that got to do with Halfords? they sell parts.

I think they do offer to test the battery for you. Although the battery
could be knackered as well as the drive belt loose.

--
*Red meat is not bad for you. Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Tim+ wrote:
Muddymike wrote:

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a
few days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

Mike


Bet you it wasn't (a fan belt that is). They haven't existed for quite
some time. ;-)

Really? What do they use now?

--
*Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Wed, 09 Nov 2016 23:41:57 +0000, Bob Eager wrote:

On Wed, 09 Nov 2016 19:51:05 +0000, charles wrote:

In article ,
Muddymike wrote:
On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery (drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay and buy the cheapest, or
go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...A-3-Years-Wty-
Sealed-Bosch-12V-56Ah-OEM-Replacement-/221958356861?
_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

George

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a
few days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

whats's that got to do with Halfords? they sell parts.

These days they sell services too.

That was ambiguous!

1) You can buy services such as 'change a battery', 'change a buld#.
2) You can buy a 'periodic' 'service' of the vehicle.



--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

In article ,
Old Codger wrote:
On 09/11/2016 01:08, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

I'm rather sold on Bosch these days since my last one did 11 years, and
know of some others that lasting as well too. If you have a EuroCarParts
handy, they do them at a good price. And mail order too.

Halfords isn't good value - unless you have their trade card.

Their quality doesn't match Bosch either.

They used to sell Bosch batteries as well as their own brand. Their posh
brand is now Yuasu.

--
*PMS jokes aren't funny; period.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Thursday, 10 November 2016 00:31:30 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:


Their quality doesn't match Bosch either.

They used to sell Bosch batteries as well as their own brand. Their posh
brand is now Yuasu.

That is what i have got.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cw3_EV2XUAAgsSJ.jpg

On 09/11/2016 19:51, charles wrote:
In article ,
Muddymike wrote:
On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery
(drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay
and buy the cheapest,
or go into town to Halfords,
or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a few
days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

whats's that got to do with Halfords? they sell parts.

They also sell, fit, and claim to test batteries. But on this occasion
totally failed to test.

Mike

In article , Muddymike
wrote:
On 09/11/2016 19:51, charles wrote:
In article ,
Muddymike wrote:
On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery (drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay and buy the cheapest, or
go into town to Halfords, or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a
few days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

whats's that got to do with Halfords? they sell parts.

They also sell, fit, and claim to test batteries. But on this occasion
totally failed to test.

Were they asked to? and does "testing a battery" include testing whether
the charging circuit is working?

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England

On 09/11/2016 07:22, Tim+ wrote:
Davey wrote:
On Wed, 9 Nov 2016 01:09:24 +0000
Bill Wright wrote:

You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery
and not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are
clean and tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

If it started the car on Saturday, but wouldn't on Tuesday, then I
agree that I would suspect the charging circuit rather than the battery.


It's actually very common for batteries to die suddenly. More common than
charging circuitry to go wrong in my experience.

Tim


Agreed.

'Sudden death' also seems to be more common these days. It could be my
memory playing tricks but perhaps the newer batteries are more prone to
'sudden death'.

On 10/11/2016 08:52, charles wrote:
In article , Muddymike
wrote:
On 09/11/2016 19:51, charles wrote:
In article ,
Muddymike wrote:
On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery (drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay and buy the cheapest, or
go into town to Halfords, or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a
few days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

whats's that got to do with Halfords? they sell parts.

They also sell, fit, and claim to test batteries. But on this occasion
totally failed to test.

Were they asked to? and does "testing a battery" include testing whether
the charging circuit is working?


My point was don't trust Halfords to do anything other than what you
ask. If my neighbours had gone to a our local garage instead of Halfords
the battery, and whether it was receiving a charge, would have been
tested rather than simply selling them a battery assuming that an 72
year old lady had the knowledge to diagnose the fault.

The car had a less than two year old battery already!


Mike

In article ,
Muddymike wrote:
Were they asked to? and does "testing a battery" include testing whether
the charging circuit is working?


My point was don't trust Halfords to do anything other than what you
ask.

Are you saying every single person who works for Halfords dishonest?

If my neighbours had gone to a our local garage instead of Halfords
the battery, and whether it was receiving a charge, would have been
tested rather than simply selling them a battery assuming that an 72
year old lady had the knowledge to diagnose the fault.

You think any and all local garages perfectly honest, and wouldn't con an
old lady?

The car had a less than two year old battery already!

If she was capable of driving, why didn't she keep details of warranties,
etc?

Silly to play on her being an old lady if alert etc enough to own a car
and drive.

--
*Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Huge wrote:
My point was don't trust Halfords to do anything other than what you
ask.

That sentence is too long. "Don't trust Halfords." There, that's better.

Think if you said 'Don't trust anyone associated with the motor trade'
you'd be on firmer ground.

--
*Arkansas State Motto: Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Laugh.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 09/11/2016 07:22, Tim+ wrote:
Davey wrote:
On Wed, 9 Nov 2016 01:09:24 +0000
Bill Wright wrote:

You've done the customary simple test to make sure it is the battery
and not the charging circuity? Checked the battery terminals are
clean and tight? Checked the battery water (if not sealed)?

If it started the car on Saturday, but wouldn't on Tuesday, then I
agree that I would suspect the charging circuit rather than the battery.


It's actually very common for batteries to die suddenly. More common than
charging circuitry to go wrong in my experience.

Tim

Local Motor Factor sells three types of battery,
Bosch, 4 yr warranty and most expensive
???, 3 yr warranty, gives some warning of failure
???, 1 yr warranty and simply dies without warning
but is barely half the price of a Bosch.

IMHO you wont go far wrong going to a GM dealer and
getting a GM battery. They are no more expensive and
have the green indicator. The one I had in my Astra F
was still going string after 8 years.

A sudden nasty frost when it goes down to -3 will
finish off any battery that is close to end of life.

*Avoid* Halfords unless you are desperate.

On 10/11/2016 09:52, Brian Reay wrote:

Agreed.

'Sudden death' also seems to be more common these days. It could be my
memory playing tricks but perhaps the newer batteries are more prone to
'sudden death'.

Modern cars are far more busy even when standing parked. If you
regularly leave a car made in recent years unused for more than
a few days the battery will already have significant drain. Ok
in mild weather and a decent battery but fit a cheap battery
and live where the temperature regularly goes below zero and
you are asking for trouble.

In article ,
Muddymike wrote:
On 10/11/2016 08:52, charles wrote:
In article , Muddymike
wrote:
On 09/11/2016 19:51, charles wrote:
In article ,
Muddymike wrote:
On 08/11/2016 21:45, DICEGEORGE wrote:
Car needs a new battery (drove it Saturday, wouldn't start Tuesday)
Do I just key in the existing one into ebay and buy the cheapest, or
go into town to Halfords, or is there a better or cheaper battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-027-C...25.m3641.l6368

George

Dont trust Halfords. They sold an elderly neighbour a new battery, a
few days later that was also flat. The problem was a loose fan belt!

whats's that got to do with Halfords? they sell parts.

They also sell, fit, and claim to test batteries. But on this occasion
totally failed to test.

Were they asked to? and does "testing a battery" include testing whether
the charging circuit is working?


My point was don't trust Halfords to do anything other than what you
ask. If my neighbours had gone to a our local garage instead of Halfords
the battery, and whether it was receiving a charge, would have been
tested rather than simply selling them a battery assuming that an 72
year old lady had the knowledge to diagnose the fault.

[Snip]

what's likely to make a 72 year old lady get it wrong. My wife is 73!

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England