In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
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.
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:
They even price match against Internet prices
whats's that got to do with Halfords? they sell parts.
Their quality doesn't match Bosch either.
These days they sell services too.
I think they do offer to test the battery for you. Although the battery could be knackered as well as the drive belt loose.
Really? What do they use now?
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.
They used to sell Bosch batteries as well as their own brand. Their posh brand is now Yuasu.
That is what i have got.
They also sell, fit, and claim to test batteries. But on this occasion totally failed to test.
Mike
Were they asked to? and does "testing a battery" include testing whether the charging circuit is working?
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'.
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
That sentence is too long. "Don't trust Halfords." There, that's better.
Are you saying every single person who works for Halfords dishonest?
You think any and all local garages perfectly honest, and wouldn't con an old lady?
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.
Think if you said 'Don't trust anyone associated with the motor trade' you'd be on firmer ground.
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.
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.
[Snip]
what's likely to make a 72 year old lady get it wrong. My wife is 73!
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