I didn't drive my GTS for 12 days and now the battery needs replacing!

[Rags]

Thanks all for the feedback. I have got the car back and the dealer (Maranello) have hard wired the Accumate charger/conditioner into the battery in the boot. I have been told to plug it into the mains every time I park the car. Seems a bit excessive so I plan to hook it up when I know I am not going to drive the car for more than two days. By drive I mean at least a journey of 45 minutes.

Does this approach seem sensible or a bit OTT?

The battery on this car does seem a bit weak having totally juiced out in a 12 day period. My car although new was a showroom queen (see pic) for a couple of months so maybe the battery took a beating then. I have nav trak installed which I need for insurance purposes.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Batteries hate being left sideways.

More helpfully, it's probably excessive. They're covering their backsides. I expect being in the showroom for a couple of months won't have helped, although the dealer should still charge them regularly. I tend to stick mine on for a day or so every week or two, regardless of use.

 

[mowlas]

That is OTT. I would ask Maranello if they would ever make that suggestion during their sales process - you need to top up the batteries every time you park the car!

I am sorry that is flat unacceptable! If word got out then about this then I am sure GT sales would be impacted.

I would write to Maserati UK (Paul Green) and ask him if it is acceptable to have to live with a car this way based on the advice of their dealer. I would cc Maranello on your letter.

Seriously, they need to find you a better solution and fork out for a new battery if that's what it takes.

 

[bigbob]

Waste of time looking for a solution.

As you expect to be told, your approach is OTT. Only worth plugging it in if you will not drive the car for a week or more.

These cars have niggles and this is one of them.

 

[mjheathcote]

My old Elise was no different, less than two weeks with a new battery and she was flat!
Due to the alarm system that was never fully turned off, even when unarmed in the garage.

 

[Contigo]

Yep had an S1 Elise and only 10 days and the battery was flat, a proper PITA!

 

[Rags]

To be fair the dealer they are saying that my trips are too short in nature and it puts pressure on the battery. So I am inclined to follow their advice to some degree and thats why I came up with the compromise of plugging it when not driven for two days. Have been told that it won't be covered by warranty next time.

I agree I can't see Maz finding a solution so will just live with it. The car goes into the garage at night anyway.

 

[mjheathcote]

Getting ready for the spring, I have just bought a new Bosch S5 battery and a monitor, so it is easy to check the status of the battery before it is too late:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-LED-b...?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item2eb1979361

 

[CatmanV2]

Batteries hate being left sideways.

Love it
C

 

[Rags]

Batteries hate being left sideways.

More helpfully, it's probably excessive. They're covering their backsides. I expect being in the showroom for a couple of months won't have helped, although the dealer should still charge them regularly. I tend to stick mine on for a day or so every week or two, regardless of use.

Good advice Adam thats what I will probably do.

Knowing Maz prices a new battery is probably like a grand or more.....

 

[mjheathcote]

Good advice Adam thats what I will probably do.

Knowing Maz prices a new battery is probably like a grand or more.....

Nah, top quality premium Bosch S5 for my 4200 was £84 inc. VAT from motor factors Andrew Page.

 

[lofty]

When my battery failed the the warranty team told the dealer to advise me to get a trickle charger, they said I wasn't driving the car enough, (even though the car had been used the previous day) my reply was that I drove the car in exactly the same manner as all my other previous cars and I'd never had a similar problem.There is definitely a problem with them but Maserati just blame the owners.

 

[Rags]

When my battery failed the the warranty team told the dealer to advise me to get a trickle charger, they said I wasn't driving the car enough, (even though the car had been used the previous day) my reply was that I drove the car in exactly the same manner as all my other previous cars and I'd never had a similar problem.There is definitely a problem with them but Maserati just blame the owners.

Lofty - I agree. Will just have to live with it. I love the car - just seeing it back on my driveway today made me feel pretty good!

 

[hodroyd]

You would not buy such as a battery from Maserati, they don't make batteries, just buy them, rebrand them and stick 500% on the price, simples..!!

 

[dem maser]

Battery and brakes.....you buy them from anywhere
Unless your UM haha

 

[Andyk]

Surely it shouldn't fail...Wouldn't it just need charging back up......Trickle charger in future I take it....

 

[sjc]

Either way,Italian foible/quirk or not, it's simply not acceptable on a car costing circa 100K new.

 

[safrane]

Given the amount of electric kit in big luxury cars I am surprised more of them are not equipped in the same way my v6 607 was; it had a battery for the engine and one in the boot for the electronics

 

[Scotty]

You also have to take the time of year in to consideration as the cold weather affects the batteries performance. Also, in winter you tend to use more battery power as you will have heated seats/lights etc on, thus draining the battery more than usual.

I work away so regularly leave mine for 2/3 weeks and I have never had a problem starting however I combated the temperature drop by leaving it on a battery conditioner (Ctek 5.0). My advice would be to put it on charge when you do not plan on using it for 5/7 days and come spring/summer it would be 10/14 days. Having said that though, it's your car so if it's not too much hassle then put it on as often as you want.

In terms of driving it for at least 30 mins then I would tend to agree with this if you want to fully charge the battery. Shorter journeys will still charge the battery and if you use it regularly then I doubt you will have a problem however the battery will not be fully charged. When a battery is initially put on charge it will draw large current but this drops off as the battery starts to charge and drops to a trickle current near the end hence why it takes so long to fully charge a battery.

To the OP, I doubt very much that your battery was dead, I'm sure if the workshop put it on a constant current charger then it would have been fine. Seems to me that they just wanted to charge (no pun intended) you for fitting a new battery, I'm glad you dug your heels in and refused to pay.

 

[Andyk]

Either way,Italian foible/quirk or not, it's simply not acceptable on a car costing circa 100K new.

Would 100% agree....How many times do we use that phrase to justify what clearly isn't acceptable.