DITTRICH
MB Enthusiast
Yesterday my 100Ah varta battery gave up living after 8y3m (it was the original battery supplied with the car). I had noticed that starting was becoming more of an effort over the summer and I guess that the increased demands of batteries during the winter and the colder days have put the last nail in its coffin. The bloke who helped me start the car tested the alternator to see if the battery was charging once started - it was. The new battery cost me £109.99 from MB in Stratford. I managed (and for me who knows less than nothing about cars) to fit it myself after they suggested I might like to pay one of their technicians to fit it for me! I learned several things...
1 The battery weighs a ton. Those little plastic handles are useless.
Lead, I suppose... and alot of it.
2 There is a little clear plastic tube from the battery for venting gases outside the boot. Almost forgot that one.
3 The battery is clamped into the boot. Wasn't expecting that.
4 On reconnecting my one-touch window facility is not working. I must do a search for the resetting method.
5 The battery comes fully charged and I just had to connect it up myself (the red end first I was told)(you can tell I never bought a battery before!)
6 The plastic plug which lifts the boot carpet can hook onto the upper boot sill. Very convenient. Never noticed that before!
7 MB will take the old battery and dispose of it for you.
Question? Is 8y3m a good life for a battery? The new one is guaranteed for 2 years.
MB Stratford appear to be doing deal on servicing older cars. Apparently a B service was around £360 (inclusive I think) and the guy mumbled something about parts 15% discount and 33% labour rate discount. I enquired about booking in the car and they said it could be done any day same day. No waiting list. So not much business there hence the deal. I think I will try them for the B service.
Finally, if you put their postcode into your satnav you might end up at the olympic park construction site! You need to input the street "Rick Roberts Way". Guess how I know that!
So not a completely wasted morning.
Les
1 The battery weighs a ton. Those little plastic handles are useless.
Lead, I suppose... and alot of it.
2 There is a little clear plastic tube from the battery for venting gases outside the boot. Almost forgot that one.
3 The battery is clamped into the boot. Wasn't expecting that.
4 On reconnecting my one-touch window facility is not working. I must do a search for the resetting method.
5 The battery comes fully charged and I just had to connect it up myself (the red end first I was told)(you can tell I never bought a battery before!)
6 The plastic plug which lifts the boot carpet can hook onto the upper boot sill. Very convenient. Never noticed that before!
7 MB will take the old battery and dispose of it for you.
Question? Is 8y3m a good life for a battery? The new one is guaranteed for 2 years.
MB Stratford appear to be doing deal on servicing older cars. Apparently a B service was around £360 (inclusive I think) and the guy mumbled something about parts 15% discount and 33% labour rate discount. I enquired about booking in the car and they said it could be done any day same day. No waiting list. So not much business there hence the deal. I think I will try them for the B service.
Finally, if you put their postcode into your satnav you might end up at the olympic park construction site! You need to input the street "Rick Roberts Way". Guess how I know that!
So not a completely wasted morning.
Les
5 years is probably a good battery life so you have done well. With todays cars so dependant on electronic systems I feel this should be a service advisory item after 3 years anyway. would save an awful lot of heartache and recovery call outs. I will be interested to see how the new Intelligent Alternator Control (IAC) and an Absorbent Glass Mat battery +Auto Start-Stop Function on the new minis works in practice.
