New Car Battery

Snookums · 25 Dec 2017 at 12:08

My car is need of a new battery it seems to have lost the ability to hold charge, doesn't seem like its an alternator issue (I have had to jump it several times in the last month so that has probably helped degrade the battery)

I don't use the car loads so need a decent battery that can hold a charge for a while. Any brands to avoid specifically or is it all pointless and I should just go get a halford one and be done?

Car is a 57 plate fiesta ST if any has any straight up recommendations

Finglonga · 25 Dec 2017 at 12:31

Only get Halfrauds if you know someone with a trade card as they are expensive otherwise even if they do come with a 4 year guarantee.

Diagro · 25 Dec 2017 at 13:03

I bought a Duracell battery for mine.
£75

I Only bought it because it has a 5year warranty

johnny6 · 25 Dec 2017 at 19:15

Do you know anyone with a Costco membership? We got a Battery (I think it was Bosch) for the wife’s mini when she had it. Was one of the cheapest places I could find that brand of car battery plus it come with a 5 year warranty if I remember rightly. A few years ago now mind, but her mini would sit for weeks at a time without being used and it never failed to start once the new battery was fitted.

Duke · 25 Dec 2017 at 22:35

I ordered a Bosch online at Euro Car Parts with usual 60%+ off and collected from local store.

ShiWarrior · 26 Dec 2017 at 13:09

Duke said:
I ordered a Bosch online at Euro Car Parts with usual 60%+ off and collected from local store.

+1

thats what i do when i get a new car, they are lithion-ion ones, so better and have a higher starting amp so easier to start all year round
+ comes with a 5 year guarantee / warranty

Pho · 26 Dec 2017 at 14:28

I've used Bosch Silver S4's the last few times, they've been excellent. £62 delivered at CarParts4Less (with BOX20 voucher) or £70 from EuroCarparts with BOX90 voucher - double check your fitting is 075. Both are the same company.

johnny6 said:
Do you know anyone with a Costco membership? We got a Battery (I think it was Bosch) for the wife’s mini when she had it. Was one of the cheapest places I could find that brand of car battery plus it come with a 5 year warranty if I remember rightly. A few years ago now mind, but her mini would sit for weeks at a time without being used and it never failed to start once the new battery was fitted.

Costco are great for Tyres too - I borrowed my neighbours card when I needed some new Pilot Sport 3's - saved a fair amount compared to Tyreleader, Oponeo etc.

Diagro · 26 Dec 2017 at 17:24

Pho said:
I've used Bosch Silver S4's the last few times, they've been excellent. £62 delivered at CarParts4Less (with BOX20 voucher) or £70 from EuroCarparts with BOX90 voucher - double check your fitting is 075. Both are the same company.

Costco are great for Tyres too - I borrowed my neighbours card when I needed some new Pilot Sport 3's - saved a fair amount compared to Tyreleader, Oponeo etc.

How did you borrow your neighbours card when they have your photo on them? O.o

Pho · 26 Dec 2017 at 18:37

Diagro said:
How did you borrow your neighbours card when they have your photo on them? O.o

They came with me. I just paid

Snookums · 27 Dec 2017 at 00:58

Gone for the Bosch s4 as that’s the one I was looking at originally.

Shall pick it up tomorrow. Getting bored of using my battery bank to jump it now

BUDFORCE · 27 Dec 2017 at 08:38

Bosch or Yuasa.

Yuasa batteries are very good, the only thing that would be a consideration between those two would be price.

Also good job getting your battery replaced, having a decent working battery in a car is very important. I would advise the moment you can start to tell it's going, replace it, don't try and squeeze the last remaining life out of it, it's not worth the potential problems that can cause.

Briefly, as your battery starts to die, the voltage will drop, as the voltage drops, the current will increase, higher current = higher heat, which can then start stretching everything. Plus newer cars will have a lot more electronics on and it will stress all of that.

Plus if you breakdown, having plenty of crank power can prove very valuable.

The last battery I changed was in a Honda CBF 600 (motorcycle) and that was a Yuasa and went from (at least as far as I could tell) 100% to completely dead and wouldn't hold a charge in literally a day.

Also some of the newer batteries (my Yuasa in my car does) has a little light indicator in the top that tells you when the battery is going. You can of course also run a meter over it and check them that way.

Batteries do have a limited life, I know they are expensive but it is a good idea to keep on top of it, whenever I buy a used vehicle I will generally just change the battery straight away.