Me again with 406 V6 battery ? prob

[tomcourtney]

Had the car 1 week, started immediately every time

This am 8 mile run (again immed start) to relarive where I spent an hour cleaning the carpets, doors open so obviously warning lights on doors on, windows up and down while cleaning (minimal) , elec seats back and forward and tilted while cleaning carpets and seats.

Tried to start half turn of eng then clicking all dead. Green Flag said I had abused the battery and it was 1.8v down (doesn't seem a lot) , immed start on jump leads, they said alternator ok as 14v going into battery and battery seems fine. 20 mile run stop and battery totally dead again. Green Flag (different guy) again said alternator ok 14v going in but no way of knowing if the battery is ok as it can't be tested unless fully charged, he said could be starter motor problem pulling too many amps..

Have driven to a tyre battery place, 8 miles, (National) round the corner from home and parked it there. Totally dead battery again.

Will go there first thing in the morning and probably put a new battery on as existing one is pretty old, will ask them to test what they can first though.

Any recommendations re battery or checks to make..

tomcourtney

[mbell666]

Sounds like the battery is duff.

had ax couple of months ago as temp car, didn't drive it for day or two went out flat as a fart, put jump start thing on, still won't turn over enough to start. walked down to motor factors (1 mile ish) and got new battery. was fine with the new battery after that. (managed to sell the ax for more than i paid for it and the cost o the battery )

[tomcourtney]

Looked on National's website and they recommend a 'Varta Silver Dynamic 780' battery at £121 gulp !!

tomcourtney

[TooT]

I think when i replaced battery on my V6 it cost somewhere around 70 quid, i got it from my local motor factor dump.

[mbell666]

price of lead has shot up recently, car batteries contain a lot of lead so they have also shot up.

Can actually get money for knackered batteries at the minute the price of lead is so high!

Cost me £40 ish for the cheapest battery i could for the ax. I reckon a year or two ago i would have been looking at £15 to 20 for the same battery.

If your changing the battery its probably worth spending the extra so you don't have to do it again while you own the car! especially with price of them at the minute!

[tomcourtney]

It does come with a 4 year guarantee.and an internet discount of 10% making it £108, I'll try to get this. The halfords recommended battery is £99 but has a 3 yr guarantee and less power, bite the bullet I think
tomcourtey

[mjb]

I've got the wrong battery in my V6 - it's too big for the cover to fit on, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I have every confidence I could leave the main beam lights, foglights, stereo and a microwave on overnight and it'd still turn the starter without fading the lights. Don't ask me to test that though

[steve_earwig]

I think that's one area where stuff is actually cheaper over here, the winters kill batteries though, and I think there's a couple of battery makers over here too. Anyway, when the battery on my 2.1 died I went out and found the biggest one that would fit in the tray, like mjb the lid don't fit on but it's been brilliant.

[tomcourtney]

One of the biggest tyre / battery & exhaust suppliers in the UK-
them - 3 days for the Varta battery for your car
me - No good I need one now
them - we have a Samson 4027 that has the same guarantee and will fit £30 cheaper
me - £30 cheaper is good, whats the 'EN' rating and the 'Ah'
them - don't know we haven't got that info
me - You must have it, you can't sell batteries without the power ratings, I need to know it is suitable for my car.
them - we sell lots without complaint
me - If you went to a shop and asked for a Sony KDL32S3000 - 32'' Widescreen Bravia HD Ready LCD TV - With Freeview and the salesman said we haven't got one but we have an LG television which is the same size and has the same guarantee, would you say that'll do and buy it .
them - 'blank look'

I had to come home and ring Unipart to get their Samson battery specs, then ring Peugeot to get their recommended spec, the Unipart guy was great but he thought I wasn't serious...

[steve_earwig]

One of the biggest tyre / battery & exhaust suppliers in the UK-

Name and shame! Did you get a battery in the end?

[tomcourtney]

'National Tyre & Autocare' - Shame !
I got the battery but with a receipt showing a 'Varta' battery so that when I return from my Scottish Highland tour in 2 weeks I will order the 3 day Varta Silver Dynamic as I do a lot of short cold hops and this battery has superb reviews for this kind of usage and is way over the Peugeot spec (and £27 more expensive). I'm a great believer in 'You get what you pay for' (apart from the occasional bargain).
tomcourtney

[mjb]

I'm a great believer in 'You get what you pay for' (apart from the occasional bargain).

The dealers must love you!