Battery - Branded or not

[Worker]

Recently sent my car for some repairs , came back with battery proplems.

The w/shop guys must have drained my battery with music on and door lites on !

Fortunately was able to push start , mine is a manual .

 

Now thinking of changing my battery .

Should I go for a non branded one that may last about 2 years or

buy a branded one that is about double the price and last maybe 3 years ?

 

If the latter , any recomendations ?

 

Rgs

[Phochem]

normal ones will do....

[Hoppe]

yeah..normal ones are ok.

[Worker]

The "Maintenance Free" ones last longer right?

I see the batteries advertised in Britain with warranty of 4 years !

 

That would be nice .

 

Rgs

[Phochem]

remember... Britain cold climate country. Heat shortens battery life...

Edited July 26, 2004 by Phochem

[Ghostrider]

Frankly I have very good experience with Varta Blue Top.

 

As I play quite a fair bit of ICE, my battery drain is very bad. My battery usually do not last for more than 1yr odd even though I take good care of it by inspecting if enough battery water every week.

 

Still the very most is that it would last me for more than 1.5yrs.

 

I bite the bullet and paid a little more for the Varta Blue Dynamic and I have no complain about it. It lasted for 2yrs plus and still going (I scrap the car). When it was about 2yrs 3months plus...the car still fired up with one crank and all electricals still going on normal. My volt meter read 12.8V which is remarkable for a 2yrs plus battery.

[Jaason]

I am also evaluating Varta. I know there are 2 types: one blue and one sliver. What's the diff? How about price wise? Where to get in cheap? Suitable for a smaller cc car too i.e. 1.5L car? Other than Varta any other brand worth considering?

 

Shed some light please.

[Yeobh]

Battery is the heart of the engine so go for the best, go for flood type battery. Avoid using maintenance free battery.

Japanese make batteries are the best - it seems they are the one who knows more about the operation condtions in the tropics than the europeans.

Edited July 27, 2004 by Yeobh

[Ghostrider]

Varta Blue Dynamic cost me back then about $90plus...

 

The diff between the Sliver Top and Blue Dynamic is that Sliver Top supposed to have thicker plates so that it is design to take more starts (starting drains the battery the most) and supposed to be more lasting than the Blue Dynamic.

 

The Sliver Top is supposed to be top of the line.

 

You should not have any problems looking for Blue Dynamic at most better battery shops but so far I have seen Sliver Top selling at Autobacc only. The small one (size for the Civic) is retailing at S$115 or something like dat.

 

Last time AC Delco used to offer a 2 yrs warranty....but they retracted it liao cos they kenna claim until MAD !! The other one that my friend used and found it not too bad was the Hoppeck (dunno how to spell). Its green in colour one. He bought it from AA with extended warranty

[Worker]

VARTA for about $90/- ?

I went to a tyre shop to enquire and was quoted about $150 -$180 for my size!

Forgot Blue or Silver .

Out to kill !

Luckily still not desperate yet .

Normally when you have to change battery that means the battery already dead or one foot in the grave ; that's where you pay whatever price they ask !

Opportunists !

 

Rgs

[Ghostrider]

Well...$150 is cut throat price. But I must stress that I bought the battery from a friend of mine who used to run a tyre & batt business. Now no more liao. But it would depend on the size as well. Go to Autobacc and check the price lor...if outside shop priced it higher than Autobacc...then something is wrong.

 

BTW...avoid the shop Balestier Road just before the entrance to CTE AMK. That shop is running 24hrs one...but if you have to go there at night to do anything...GOOD LUCK TO YOU MAN !! My friend told me he paid $200 for a tyre before..and that is for 15' not those high tyres. Baskit. But staing open for 24hrs...I think they have a right to charge a premium...but at what rate is the question.

[Phochem]

Bro, 1st chk with the guy wats e rating of the batt, maybe he gave u a quote based on a higher rating batt...