Why you don't use Halfords.
- Thread starter Concrete
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Caporegime
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It is a bloody car battery for christ sake! He could have fitted it himself. The owners manual would go into plenty of detail of how to do it. Making an omelette requires more thought!
People just have no basic life skills anymore. That's aimed at both the father and the shop boy!
Never underestimate the extent of human ingenuity when it comes to overcoming and/or bypassing safety systems!
Soldato
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Maybe his Dad is too old to be hefting batteries about.
This is a fair point, I changed my first car battery at half six in the morning half asleep and in the dark. All went fine.
These days there is no pride in the work being done as it's all about the profit and statistics, in this conveyor belt world of customer service we have to withstand. I have no faith in even my local Ford garage who have lied to me and broken things and left them. I try to do my own work. Build my own PCs. Fix my house myself if possible. Build my own bikes too.
Caporegime
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Valid point but could still oversee kid fitting said battery.
That's not always possible. My Focus had a battery brace that required a really deep 10mm socket that I didn't have. Luckily I had a mate working at Costco where I'd just bought mine from that could lend me his so I could fit it. Not everyone has the tools.
Caporegime
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Halfords fitting of said battery was £15. You can buy a perfectly capable socket set for changing a car battery for £10 from the very same shop! You could be a real pain and return it the next day as well
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Soldato
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People shouldn't be encouraged to fit car batteries unless they are confident in what they are doing.
Yes its a very simple job if your confident in what your doing, but as this thread shows its quite possible to mess this up.
The problem with places like this is its real pot luck in regards who you get, but then so are main dealers to some extent. They are probably just better at ensuring someone capable is at least checking the work of the less trained.
Yes its a very simple job if your confident in what your doing, but as this thread shows its quite possible to mess this up.
The problem with places like this is its real pot luck in regards who you get, but then so are main dealers to some extent. They are probably just better at ensuring someone capable is at least checking the work of the less trained.
this will turn into a sn****** comment, but is aptitude to even change batteries something that young mechanics, do not pick up from their parents, or their personal experience.
If the BMW terminals are different sizes, I had never spotted that ... shame on me. ... but on removal I always cut the black wire first.
If the BMW terminals are different sizes, I had never spotted that ... shame on me. ... but on removal I always cut the black wire first.
Caporegime
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No one ever bothers but every car for the past 50 years has come with a manual and will give step by step instructions on basic maintenance like changing batteries and light bulbs, how to check oil, correct tyres etc etc. Most of the more premium brands even have the tools in the back to do this.
I dread to think of an apocalyptic scenario or ww3. Half the planet would get wiped out instantly with the inability to do simple things but that degree in accounting will make up for it
Soldato
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The lights and PAS are all built into the large fuse panel block that covers the battery. Also, don't forget, some modern cars (the Yeti probably included) may require the battery to be coded when replaced.
I wouldn't bet on it. My wife's Audi S4 in the manual for rear light bulb change says to take it to a garage. And it's only one screw that needs to be undone!
I haven't checked it for battery maintenance, but with that in mind I suspect it doesn't tell you how to do it.
I used them for a cheap MOT recently, it failed on a few things but I rectified 90% of them and allowed halfords to do the last job. They probably weren't the cheapest but they did the work the following day and it passed its MOT.
They also let you pay interest free over 4 months which is quite handy if you need some tyres and dont wanna break the bank that month.
They also let you pay interest free over 4 months which is quite handy if you need some tyres and dont wanna break the bank that month.
No one ever bothers but every car for the past 50 years has come with a manual and will give step by step instructions on basic maintenance like changing batteries and light bulbs, how to check oil, correct tyres etc etc. Most of the more premium brands even have the tools in the back to do this.
I dread to think of an apocalyptic scenario or ww3. Half the planet would get wiped out instantly with the inability to do simple things but that degree in accounting will make up for it
My manual says no such thing.
For everything it says take it to the dealer.
Changing a battery in a modern cast is far beyond most now anyway with the need to reset BMS after fitting a new battery.
Lights on mine are bumper off, light units out job.
Yeah
the manual/handbook for more than one vehicle I've had under maintenance when you go to the relevant entry simply gives you two options for taking it to someone else to do - very helpful.A lot of vehicles seem to be designed to make you use a garage for the simplest of things
which is ridiculous like having to take 2 body panels (total of 18 fastenings and needs two people) and a bracket off just to change a simple light bulb, etc.
Caporegime
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Yeah
A lot of vehicles seem to be designed to make you use a garage for the simplest of things
I am really surprised with that. I understand some of the more premium brands need stuff resetting when changing a battery but just goes to show how everything just gets dumbed down these days!