New battery

keith

Member
Messages
624
Went to my car today thinking after 4 weeks sat in the garage, given the cold weather I should plug in my Ctek charger in case. Unfortunately I was too late and the battery was flat. After a jump start from the RAC he thought maybe a cell had gone on the blink as his meter showed 11.6v after running for 5-10 mins after switch off,. After he left I left it idle for 15 mins and the dash display then showed 12.2v after switch off. I am hoping, despite a red led on the albeit very inaccurate Ctek battery monitor, that I have dodged a bullet and the expense of a new battery.
However if I am unlucky, anyone have any idea the cost to supply and fit at a dealer a new battery for a Ghibli Diesel?
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
Just go to Halfords, or fit one yourself. It's just a battery. You *really* don't need to pay someone £150 per hour to do a couple of minutes work

C
 

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
Just go to Halfords, or fit one yourself. It's just a battery. You *really* don't need to pay someone £150 per hour to do a couple of minutes work

C

The problem with Halfords is that whilst they can fit a battery, would you really trust them to do it right? I know someone that got Halfords to fit a battery. They managed to screw something up with it and he ended up at the dealers anyway. I'd go to the dealer, especially as you've still got some warranty, but have no idea of the cost I'm afraid.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
The problem with Halfords is that whilst they can fit a battery, would you really trust them to do it right? I know someone that got Halfords to fit a battery. They managed to screw something up with it and he ended up at the dealers anyway. I'd go to the dealer, especially as you've still got some warranty, but have no idea of the cost I'm afraid.

No I'd fit it myself. (But I have trusted them before on the Alfa GT cos it's a pig). Look it's two nuts. It's barely more complex than adding petrol!

C
 

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,952
No I'd fit it myself. (But I have trusted them before on the Alfa GT cos it's a pig). Look it's two nuts. It's barely more complex than adding petrol!

C

Agree, last year I bought a new battery for my TT Roadster from an e bay shop and fitted it myself - really easy.
 

keith

Member
Messages
624
Thanks for the replies, I checked with my dealer they quoted 278 for the battery and 70 for fitting both plus VAT.
I am hoping the existing battery recovers with the Cteck charger. If not wherever be it Halfords or otherwise it's a bill I can do without !!!!
 

hilts uk

Member
Messages
945
Bought a new battery online for the MCV - £150. Called RAC for a flat battery and got them to fit it when they came out free of charge
 

P R

Member
Messages
1,382
Eurocar parts are showing around £200 for a battery so the Maser price doesnt appear tooooo bad.. The fitting however.. ! Its in the boot, can't see it taking more than a couple of minutes
 

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
Eurocar parts are showing around £200 for a battery so the Maser price doesnt appear tooooo bad.. The fitting however.. ! Its in the boot, can't see it taking more than a couple of minutes

It'll be a minimum labour charge.
 

outrun

Member
Messages
5,017
A wee tip.

Eurocarparts often have their products discounted on Ebay via click and collect. So you can buy the battery online and then walk into the store for less than you can just walking in. Crazy, I know!
 

Felonious Crud

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
21,011
Another wee tip for Eurocarparts: check the physical dimensions of the battery rather than only trusting which car it claims to fit. They have previously listed a GS battery for a GT/S. The GS battery is physically smaller. When I replaced mine I bought the battery listed for a QP.
 

keith

Member
Messages
624
I checked this evening. The Cteck was showing green which was encouraging, I disconnected it and the reading on the in car display with the ignition on, so with the various modules powered up climate control fan running etc dropped to 11.7. I then started the car and let it idle for a few minutes then switched off, it was then settled to 12.3. My dealer said to measure the battery with everything off and powered down with a meter, and it should show at least 12.6.
So if anyone can follow the confusion above, do you think with everything off and measuring across the battery terminals I would meet the magic fig the dealer reckoned?
 

keith

Member
Messages
624
Yep, in the menu screen between the dials there is a function that shows battery tyre pressure oil and transmission temp and when next service is due. Also as mines Diesel the Adblue level. You can cycle through the options with the buttons on the steering wheel.
 

P R

Member
Messages
1,382
Mine has the tyre pressure, service interval, oil temp and transmission temp. No battery indicator (and obv no adblu as its a Euro V!)
 

keith

Member
Messages
624
Mine has the tyre pressure, service interval, oil temp and transmission temp. No battery indicator (and obv no adblu as its a Euro V!)

Puzzling... Obviously the Adblue display was only fitted for 16my Euro 6 compliant, but I thought the battery indicator was always included.
Incidentally I am hoping I am in the clear with my battery, as across the terminals after leaving the battery disconnected ftom the charger for about an hour it measured 12.6v.
 

WaveyDavey

Junior Member
Messages
69
How old is the battery? In my experience a healthy battery does't die after going flat once.

You can buy a cheap multimeter from ebay for £5. A useful thing to have. A charged battery's voltage should be in the high 12s. It should sit at 13-14 when charging (engine running). The fact that your fully charged battery drops into the 11s after just a few minutes of light load suggests to me it is not well.

That said, without wanting to be flippant, the most obvious test is simply to see if it works. Leave it a day or two and see if it starts the car!

Please don't pay a dealer £350 to change a battery. The very idea irks me. If you were in Bristol I'd drive round and change it for you for free (well, maybe a coffee and a biscuit)!

Eurocarparts and GSF do big discounts all the time (the latter is something like 40% off every weekend if you sign up for their spam - a sure sign of excessive mark-up the rest of the time). The counter staff are often pretty friendly and knowledgeable (unlike their Halfords equivalents) and would probably size the battery up for you if you paid them a visit.
 

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
Yep, in the menu screen between the dials there is a function that shows battery tyre pressure oil and transmission temp and when next service is due. Also as mines Diesel the Adblue level. You can cycle through the options with the buttons on the steering wheel.

I'm pretty sure I don't have battery. Tyre pressure, oil pressure, oil and transmission temp, and next service. Is the diesel more demanding on the battery?