Do you preemptively replace your car batteries?
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There's often a key sign that people miss, turning the engine over takes longer as time goes on. Only noticed when it's been replaced if you're not paying attention.
This. the battery in my Megane was 11 years old when I changed it, only because I started noticing that in low temperatures the engine would take just that second more to turn over (in comparison to previously, in those same low temperatures). Otherwise, I would not bother.
Depends on the car - certain cars are very sensitive to battery health and start to have serious problems as soon as the battery starts getting weaker. After being stranded in the middle of a narrow road with the car stuck in Park, all due to a dying battery, I tend to replace them pre-emptively on anything with complex electrics.
usually spot the degradation and then wait for a carpart4less offer to come up.
Also, if you do not crucify it on colds mornings, push the clutch in, defrost with warm water you extend the life anyway.
... do DSG/auto boxes put more stress than clutch in ?
Also, if you do not crucify it on colds mornings, push the clutch in, defrost with warm water you extend the life anyway.
... do DSG/auto boxes put more stress than clutch in ?
Caporegime
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Normally until it becomes a problem. For example leaving the radio on for 5 minutes leaving a dead battery.
Manual over ride should have got you moving surely?
We used that to get it into neutral and then pushed it, for some reason it didn’t want to engage drive at all (there were loads of warning lights on the dash which might have been the reason).
A new battery had it back working perfectly - had similar issues on my dad’s Jag which were also solved by replacing the battery.
Batteries 'lie' essentially. Without a proper load they'll tell you they're producing normal voltage it's only until you draw large current that the voltage then drops therefore total output in Watts and the car won't start.
I'm hindsight some of my startups were longer than I'd expect but it did that for about 18 months!
I'm hindsight some of my startups were longer than I'd expect but it did that for about 18 months!
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Hey guys. Checking in with an update.
I have a white exclamation mark in the cruise control area of the instrument display, which it turns out can be indicative of a failing battery. So a trip to Halfords and £103 later, I installed the 'Yuasa' below:
There's a circle in the old black battery that says 'black = ok, clear = replace' - helpfully I couldn't tell whether mine was clear or black, so this was something else that made me think 'just replace it'.
The new one has a green indicator, which is much more useful.
The white exclamation mark remains, but at least I don't have to worry about my wife and kids getting stranded somewhere.
Interestingly I couldn't see any possible indications of a production date on the old battery, as I had this niggling thought that I may have replaced the battery and forgotten about it. The only thing I could find was an '0615', visible top right in the above photo. Hoping that's nothing to do with date of manufacture!
Interesting comments above about 'well you wouldn't replace xy and z as a matter of course to prevent a breakdown, so why a battery'. Various other cheap components of the ignition system are routinely replaced based on age (plugs and leads) and thinking about it, I'm not sure a battery is any different. I was stranded at work for 2 hours on a Friday evening when the original battery in my 07 Volvo S80 let me down (if you can call it that), so I didn't want a repeat.
Also interesting was that a **** load of faults came up on the dash after I started the car again, all of which disappeared 100m down the road on the test drive. Maybe that's normal!
Thanks anyway, some interesting thoughts above.
PS - I'm not a 'post greaser' fyi, but can understand that some feel it necessary.
PPS - if it were my car and just me using it, I'd probably have sweated the battery for longer.
PPPS - part of my logic was also that I'll sell the car before the next battery change is due, but not before the original battery needs changing, so I might as well do it now.
I have a white exclamation mark in the cruise control area of the instrument display, which it turns out can be indicative of a failing battery. So a trip to Halfords and £103 later, I installed the 'Yuasa' below:
There's a circle in the old black battery that says 'black = ok, clear = replace' - helpfully I couldn't tell whether mine was clear or black, so this was something else that made me think 'just replace it'.
The new one has a green indicator, which is much more useful.
The white exclamation mark remains, but at least I don't have to worry about my wife and kids getting stranded somewhere.
Interestingly I couldn't see any possible indications of a production date on the old battery, as I had this niggling thought that I may have replaced the battery and forgotten about it. The only thing I could find was an '0615', visible top right in the above photo. Hoping that's nothing to do with date of manufacture!
Interesting comments above about 'well you wouldn't replace xy and z as a matter of course to prevent a breakdown, so why a battery'. Various other cheap components of the ignition system are routinely replaced based on age (plugs and leads) and thinking about it, I'm not sure a battery is any different. I was stranded at work for 2 hours on a Friday evening when the original battery in my 07 Volvo S80 let me down (if you can call it that), so I didn't want a repeat.
Also interesting was that a **** load of faults came up on the dash after I started the car again, all of which disappeared 100m down the road on the test drive. Maybe that's normal!
Thanks anyway, some interesting thoughts above.
PS - I'm not a 'post greaser' fyi, but can understand that some feel it necessary.
PPS - if it were my car and just me using it, I'd probably have sweated the battery for longer.
PPPS - part of my logic was also that I'll sell the car before the next battery change is due, but not before the original battery needs changing, so I might as well do it now.
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Replaced mine on my 3 series when i got fault messages on the display. Looked for an offer on Hotdeals and true enough 3-4 days later euro car parts popped up with one.
If you've never changed a bmw battery then you will find you have to reset your battery, bmw/garage can do it for you for a fee of course.
Or if your in the central west midlands i can for free
i've got the carly app and dongle so its free to do.
If you've never changed a bmw battery then you will find you have to reset your battery, bmw/garage can do it for you for a fee of course.
Or if your in the central west midlands i can for free
i've got the carly app and dongle so its free to do.They do indeed.
My battery was showing signs of age, slow cranking after it had stood for a few days so I decided to take it to Halfrauds on the way home from work to get it tested, 10.9V - I’m surprised it started - £130 odd for a new battery with 5yr warranty which I fitted myself, job done.
Never preemptively changed a battery on my car - or truck - just act when it gives reason to do so.
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I wouldn't these days, especially as my AGM ones are £130-200.
Somone who is infirm would probably be best doing before being stranded.
Last battery I bought was about 5 years ago, so in the smartphone age.
It was in the carpark at work close to closing. The car was parked in a position that was not possible to jump.
I just got a Eurocarparts code off hotukdeals and click and collect reserved from eurocarparts and caught a taxi to the nearest Eurocarparts and it waited while the slowest ever dude at the counter served me - all took about 40 mins and didn't get ripped off by AA/RAC prices.
In summary, best to have a plan of action before it happens.
Somone who is infirm would probably be best doing before being stranded.
Last battery I bought was about 5 years ago, so in the smartphone age.
It was in the carpark at work close to closing. The car was parked in a position that was not possible to jump.
I just got a Eurocarparts code off hotukdeals and click and collect reserved from eurocarparts and caught a taxi to the nearest Eurocarparts and it waited while the slowest ever dude at the counter served me - all took about 40 mins and didn't get ripped off by AA/RAC prices.
In summary, best to have a plan of action before it happens.
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I recall you waxing lyrical about the Mondeo RASP (or whatever the hell it was) being the best car ever, time flies indeed!I remember posting irritating and pointless crap about how bad an idea it was to buy a brand new Golf when you got this, now it's some sort of old car, how time flies
Look on the bright side, you’ve moved forward automotively, I’m still stuck in e38 land!
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HahaI remember posting irritating and pointless crap about how bad an idea it was to buy a brand new Golf when you got this, now it's some sort of old car, how time flies
.We've been really pleased with that car. Here it is a month ago:
Probably still gives you nightmares, but I like it
