Car Battery

[hippyhoppy]

Being a bit dim (quelle Surpise on that one!!) but my car battery is being tempremental and not working on a random basis (ergo making me hoick the neighbours out of bed to give me a jump start of a morn to get to work!).. so my Q is 'do batteries have a 'life'? and if replaced (at probably crippling expense) can I guarantee a stress free Winter.. (I know.. very vague.. but then again am exhausted at having to push the car...!) Thanks

[Graham-W]

Yes. Batteries do have a limited life.
No. It shouldn't be too expensive to replace. Most places will give you a free battery check.
Make sure you have your radio code. You'll need it if the battery is disconnected.
Winter should be a dream with a new battery.

[MASS1961]

Yes hippy, batteries do have a 'life' and will need replacing for different reasons. Average cost of £70ish but worth the peace of mind and also your neighbours patience!

[TWR]

There are dim Male drivers as well Hippy, is there a Mr Hippy? get him to check if the battery is of the type that you can top up with distilled water! ( Is there plastic caps (6) on the top of the battery? If so, open them & if need be top up, not to the top, is the car screaming when started? ( Fan Belt ) Do you have a very faint red light coming on your Instrument panel? If so, Alternator, how far are you driving? do you take the car on long runs to put the charge back into the battery? this is the time of year that the battery if faulty will fail, get it checked but NOT BY K.F. unless you want a new engine .

[tonyav]

Yep agree with Graham and Mass, get it sorted ASP, before the real cold weather comes.

[tonyav]

Crossed posts there, TWR.

[ChuckFickens]

If it's playing up now get it replaced before the proper cold weather sets in as it will only get worse.

if the take it to a decent place you shouldn't need the radio code as they keep power to the vehicle while the battery is changed.

[TWR]

Hi Tony, no probs, You had a good day? Sorry Hippy>

[hippyhoppy]

Thanks for you answers... No TWR.. There is no Mr Hippy any longer (thank the lord).. topping up with water.. in a battery? Really...? Well I need to dig out my Haynes manual and probably don a pair of dungarees to boot!!!

[TWR]

My last car Tony, a 92 318! battery orig 14 years, present car 328! 8 years. you can guess where they were made?

[hippyhoppy]

Thats what I was thinking Chuck... can't rely on Steve and Neil every morning... lol .. that sounds so wrong in my head.. I'll get me coat....

[tonyav]

Yeah not bad thanks TWR, you ?.
Hippy you won't be able to put any distilled water in if it is a sealed for life battery.

[ChuckFickens]

I wouldn't take too much notice of the topping up with water thing... it's not the 1980's any more, all batteries are sealed these days and you can't top them up.

[hippyhoppy]

Not that Steve and Neil are a couple... one is in the house next door and the other next door to that....

[tonyav]

Yep, somewhere begining with G, TWR.

[ChuckFickens]

I'm sure Steve and Neil don't mind :)

I was in Derby a few weeks back BTW, If I had more time I would have let you buy me a coffee ;)

[TWR]

These types of batteries are still around Hippy, your journey's! are they short ones? if so you many not be recharging the thing if you have your Lights, Radio/Heater/Demister all the Electrics that take power out of the battery, As said, get the battery checked before winter really sets on, it only takes a frosty morning, that's when your battery will definitely fail.

[TWR]

That's strange Chuck, I've just replaced a battery on my sons car, & it was the top up type? Am I missing something.

[TWR]

Yes Tony, & you know you can top that up as well, well I'll go to the foot of the stairs.

[hippyhoppy]

TWR.. I used it to slog to the Chinese takeaway and back (1 mile!) and then in the morning it didn't work... Usual trip is to work (7 miles or so) so am wondering if the jaunt down the hill and back 'exhausted' the poor old lady... With regard to the electrics.. manual windows, no central locking ergo practically back in 1983...

[tonyav]

I bought a new battery last year and it was a top up type.