nta16

Graham I've not stood the test of my own time very well let alone anyone else's. I think we can agree buses and coaches and their use is a bit different to the average car use, which is often used just for two journeys a day many hours apart, sometimes on very short journeys with all sorts of electric devices used on the car whilst it's going along and then when parked up engine off. If your battery monitoring lead connector is like the one on my wife's car then like many of the other little plastic wire connects on the car they can be awkward to part but those used to it do it so easily on the videos they make you can't see what they actually done. But - here's a challenge for you, even a clumsy idiot like me did manage to disconnect it on my wife's car (second attempt) and I did need to hold my nerve as it didn't exactly just fall apart. See lifted photos from elsewhere.

Even professionals get caught out buying used cars it's just a matter of trying to limit the possibility of a bad purchase and increase the possibilities of a reasonable purchase. Buying cheaply to allow for work is only really effective if you can do the work yourself. Getting a smaller engine and force feeding it obviously puts more pressure and wear and that's before any smart arse tinkering with different injection - unpopular view warning - if you're looking at a German/European maker that's relied on the design and manufacturing, dare I say engineering (oh, I have) engine design, builds safety and comfort manufacturing margins of bigger engines previously then they might not be as experienced as some other manufacturers of smaller engines that have added a turbo and lost a cylinder well back in history. Car life longevity I think has gone passed it's peak point and is sliding back to the levels us old folk can recognised - thank gawd the computer systems are there to improve things, wot could possibly go wrong. 🤣 Making a poor decision on a car purchase can lead to expensive misery - I think I can out-trump most on that so have good (bad) level of experience and knowledge - but it's not recognised with a qualification or certificate, though I could set up my own. 🤣

Totally agree with test driving different engine types (transmissions) but only driving one example of each tells you little about the differences in the engines as you need to drive a few examples of each to try to establish what each different type of engine is like as the examples could each be good, bad or indifferent. Unless you already know you will be learning this about the models for a first time (unless you're old then you have relearn from forgetting). @sepulchrave it's alright for you you've very experience and know what dodger sods you get in the motor trade and engineering but even you once had to learn a first time, after that obviously you're never wrong even if things have changed since you learnt, sorry, first knew. 😉

Stamps in a service book can mean very little. Follow as tootoot has put plus also see if any additional service maintenance has carried out, possibly a few times, coolant, (transmission, steering fluid changes show more care than usual), air filter, any sensors changing or cleaning and wear parts like brakes, tyres, clutch, suspension. There a lot more to servicing a vehicle than just the usual engine oil & filter and "free visual inspections". A car of that age and mileage should have a reasonable file of history. Check the paperwork for the spread of mileage, high mileage isn't a bad thing but it depends how it's spread over the life of the vehicle. Check any history by checking the paperwork, receipts and bills, put them in reverse chronological order and check that they relate to the car you are looking at at the mileage and other details match up to other information on the car (MoT test dates and mileage for, "road tax", for UK cars).

Yes I know, this is what I try to tell others in my charge the battery prevention posts but many can't believe the computers are so battery dependant - including you it seems. 🤣 For you and the very few other viewers a little reinforcement of the message, as Lou Reed almost sang, You're going to reap just what is sown, I found this tonight. 😁 - "Extreme Temperatures Excessive heat can cause sulfation and corrosion inside your battery. You usually notice the problem (trouble with cold starts and poor charge acceptance) during cold weather." https://www.varta-automotive.com/en-gb/battery-test Perfect Day (2003 Remastered) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9UQSLjha9E

That was an interesting video, so much so that I had to see the next video on it. I didn't see too much pain once the basics had been accepted. Good to see it's not just punters that have someone to tell you what you already know but for a cost - £150 to plug in the pooter to be told there's no communication. And the other costs were laughably low even for trade, £200 for a day's specialist work (I'm sure it was a full day but must have hours so still good valve) and on a VW. I saw a VW Bentley stripped down it had lots of fantastic German plastic, not what all but the youngest owners would want to see, 😄

I wasn't suggesting you torture the battery to death but give it a little help. Seems only Northampton got the sustain heat and 100% humidity to worry the batteries. 😊 After a certain point the time and distance of the journey becomes a lot less important, you and the chancellor would be able to work it out better and quicker than I. As before it's if the battery is getting income and over expenditure or excess expenditure. Depends on all the electrical necessary, "necessary" and toys use whilst driving and parked up. A slot meter (coin pre-payment) meter on the electric use of the car would soon bring a better idea of what is used and what uses most, looking for the correct coins and sufficient quantity of them at the necessary times would sharpen the experience. - Or you could get a battery monitor and have colour graphs to a mobile device and see what your car gets up to when driven and when you leave it parked up to its own devices. Three days at least with the car unused is long enough to even put a battery smart trickle/maintenance charger on with the battery still in the car. If you're feeling low do you really want to carry the same load as when you're fit or on a high of some sort. 12.15v is (about) 55% according to Ring's SmartCharger manual so low just driving the car wouldn't get it to it's full present potential or probably hold all of what you do get in it. I hope you're not one of those old family wealthy types with servants that you flog to death and just replace. 😄 Just don't become an AA static by causing your battery to fail this autumn or winter (if not before) - but if you do come back for the virtual flogging. 😁 I'm surprised you've not got a battery monitor of some sort you enjoy the techie side of it, even I liked the pretty colours when rum4mo put up his pictures. 😊

Oh no! I'm not 'aving it! Get that battery on a charger ASAP. We're 'aving at least another couple of years out of it if not more. Despite how it might seem I do virtually nothing with my car batteries, I did once put the charger on my car's battery as I had been using it on a neighbour's battery but for my car it was a waste of time (but bear in mind what I've put about my car, it's not a modern VW), it had very little electrics on it, it did have (self-parking) wipers, added electric pump screen washer (manual pump as standard and pint capacity screenwash bottle), blower motor, added electric cooling fan, and lights, horn, starter and charger electrics - but no modern (or period) extras. Name an extra and I'll see if I've forgot about it, oh it did also have a cabin and boot light which my previous example didn't.

@KenONeill the battery on my wife's start/stop was 6 years old when I prematurely changed it because of the car's use and I'd had enough farting about with my own car to ever want to lay a finger on my wife's car and both of us would sooner it have a new battery as the car was said to be a Dealership courtesy car at some point in the 18 months and 10k-miles before she bought the car. And I think I was hoping (without too much belief) it might sort the wipers fault at the time. I'll let you know if I don't get the replacement battery beyond 3 or 4 years and I do next to nothing with car batteries, you don't need to help them last. I can't remember if it has a 4 or 5 year warranty. IIRC (always some doubt) I've seen on here people state having the battery longer on start/stop cars.

You car's electrics and computers sound hideous to me, you might as well go to a Merc and really suffer, or an Aldi out of warranty (19k patents, remember that) sounds like a lot of potential for drains, errors and faults to me. I wonder how long that lot takes to go to sleep, possibly not as much as reported on some of the later/est cars. I still get ****ed off with the wife's Fabia's front windows needing the ignition on to open or close them. Fully loaded is more wasteful on mpg too. 😉 ETA: btw good to be able to throw in some light-heated comments, joking, ****-taking and have responses without gate taking and a few similar responses.

ETA: Pete answered as I was still typing but my post also relates generally so I've left it. And yes if you are serious on buying a particular car get it checked professionally but as these checks cost be sure of the car and you wanting it before paying out on a check and also check there are no outstanding finance on the car or that it's even not stolen or a former write-off or any other thing in your country. And yes go by your gut on the mechanic or anyone else but do bear in mind you do not have to like the person you are buying from or that a very likable person is good to buy from. There are benefits from buying privately but after you have seen a few cars you will see why many people prefer to trade-in and buy from garages and Dealerships hoping for protection on their purchase which they may or may not get to the full extent of what they want or need. Cars sales/purchase are the second most emontional after homes. Pete made a very point so I'd leave the answer to that to him. Generally, it depends what is meant by a service, often most just think of an engine oil and filter change and that is required as far as the engine goes but there is also the quality of the parts and work (thoroughness) in that and the timeliness and frequency. Then the engine also needs clean air so same for the air filter, and the spark plugs, when required the cleaning of other engine components and sensors. That is just the engine of course, remember the more important are brakes, steering, suspension (all three include tyres, safety electrics, lights, wipers, blower, horn, etc.. You can sometimes check history by checking the paperwork, receipts and bills, put them in reverse chronological and check that they relate to the car you are looking at at the mileage and other details match up to other information on the car (MoT test dates and mileage for UK cars). Many mechanics even if they do good or reasonable work for others can be very sloppy and rushed with any work they do on cars they get just to sell on.

Battery monitoring or charging problems were also considered, also perhaps poor electrical connections, but usually best to start with the basic and simple things especially when they're quick, easy and cheap to carry out - even if you are/were an auto-electrician, in fact more so as your mind runs on to more sexy complex things and of course probably a much greater reluctance than the average man (women are generally more sensible) to RtFM. I had to deal with electricians in a previous life so I know what they can be like, as a generalisation. Perhaps you are different, but electrician and motor trade lowers the odds. 😉 I'm often slagged off here for putting the VW computer programs are over-complicated, over-intrusive and intertwined, more so with start/stop, it may have been useful for VW to help hide their diesel cheats. Sorry, the 12.v I meant as a battery reading. I know about dynamos as for about 30 years I ran "classic" cars as 'dailies' and until last week for 15 years owned a 1973 car which had it been made months before would have a dynamo, I changed the alternator to an uprated version to allow for the electric cooling fan instead of the engine driven fan. As an auto-electrician you'll know about the difference on the battery and charging from 20c weather to 30c, 30c+ and the even greater difference to the 40c we had (40.2c here, second highest ever recorded in the country). 140a is great, not that big nowadays, but it don't do much when the engine's not running and will be having to do more if there is a fault(s) in the battery monitoring system, charging system or computer programs or other problems. I have seen on here people having the battery monitoring systems repaired on IIRC Fabias. Personally I'd expect more than 7 years out of a first battery but I've not got your model of car or your use. The second battery may not last as long as the car is 7 years old with the wear/tear, use/abuse and just aging so the second battery will have more to do. You can disconnect and remove the battery from the car to charge it (and in a possibly more stable environment where you can keep also keep more of a regular eye on it, all subject to what are your requirements and those from RtFM. Throw your hat in for Chancellor your maths must be better than at least one potential Prime Minister. 🤣 Let us know how you get on.

A scan tool that has the functions required to check to the level of information you want. The thing you plug in to see error codes and other information about the car from all it's computers and sensors. The mechanic may well have one and be willing to plug it in to show you its results and readings. It could give no error codes before the test drive as there are none or he has took the trouble to clear them beforehand but after the test drive there may be error codes (without any warning lights or messages given by the car). Live data shown on the scan tool is very useful but you do need to know what to look at and for and interpret, a level of knowledge that is generally well beyond me, and probably at the moment beyond you, so don't worry about it unless you have your own tame mechanic with a good level scan tool. It is useful to have a scan tool but not essential as a car can show no error codes and still have problems, big or small. As I put you can still use your senses and brain without a machine to help you. If you are inexperienced with cars then take someone along with you that has more experience or with a car you are sure you want to purchase pay for a professional check of the car. Anything you note or find perhaps worth asking about, or told "they all do that" then ask here as there are a lot of knowledgeable people (this excludes me in anything technical or mechanical). As a total generalisation many of those in the motor trade (people), not all, have a bad attitude towards those that buy cars and have them worked on, they think of these customers (people) as something they have trod in and need to wipe of the the bottom of their footwear. Not all by many in my experience. There are of course also bad customers and car purchasers (people) too I can also assure you of that. Do not go around thinking all in the motor trade or general public are bad just be aware that some are and the motor trade fosters a larger proportion than may be expected. Good luck.

By all means get it tested but the guarantee isn't that the driver will keep the battery charged enough for it not to fail because it's been drained, there will be conditions of use expected (and expressed no doubt in T&CS) Sorry Graham but you've got to have some fun, just imagine if you breakdown on the way there with battery (well driver's) failure. 😄 And I hope you're not going for the Chancellor's job. 😄 (As you're getting the battery maths wrong.) Just having fun with you - charge the battery on the car if you want, that's fine but charge the battery rather than just relying on driving it to get the battery back, you only need 12.4v if you want. Just read (yeah sorry read) the Owner's Manual (or wotever it's called for your model) and use an appropriate charger (not a booster charger). Or just leave it until next week and see how it goes. Did you used to own a BMW? - sorry couldn't resist, just having fun 😁

Graham think of the battery as a store or a bank account, if there's plenty in there you can draw out lots in big chunks or little chunks or any combination of the two but if nothing goes back in the store or bank account becomes depleted. You could have a brand new battery and empty it, it's just a store. Cut a long story short I was trying to help a bloke with a BMW as his vehicle alarm was going off, done the heat and battery talk suggested he recharges his battery but he tells me his battery is only 6 months old because of previous problems and it shows 14v. I managed to persuade him to show the battery figure with the engine not running, 11.6v. He'd not learnt from his previous experience. Have look at your Owner's Manual, I've no idea what's in/on your car to comment. Generally switchin' compooters off 'n' on agen often helps them get their underwear out of a twist but you might have memory settings(?) you want to save(?). Below is from the 'Operating Instructions' (VW's orders) for my wife's 2015 Fabia - but - I didn't even need to touch the radio or to resynch the window (but I did as I don't trust VWs computer programs overly) - I did however need to rest the time of day clock which surprised me.

Just for info - if you ever want to save virtual ink, and screen space you can shorten the link to end with the full eBay item number. i.e. - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114341271121

Driving the vehicle doesn't really recharge the battery if it is (very/too) low, if you've not recharged your battery with a battery recharger then 12.12v is (for the sake of a figure) only 50% charged so well worth recharging with a charger before getting into greater battery use with approaching cooler/colder/wetter shorter days. The lower your battery the more work your car's charging system has to do so more wear on it and potentially less mpg. Your thread prompted me to put up a thread I'd been thinking about posting. Yesterday I tried to revive a car battery for our next door neighbour and initially it seemed to charge well but it didn't hold its charge so a new battery had to be ordered, he flogged it too much, had he said something a while back I may have been able to get his battery to last another year or two whilst he looks to replace the car (non-start stop).

Yes but not just motorways, steep hills, twisty roads, test out high and low and very low revs. Ask for the engine to be cold and unstarted before your test as a cold and warming engine - and car - can give good information, using your eyes, ears, smell and brain can tell you a lot. If he's a dodgy mechanic he will have this stuff covered but he might also be lazy and sloppy and not bother - or he might be the much rarer decent person mechanic. Also bear in mind the car is more than just the engine, more important are brakes, steering, suspension (all three include tyres, safety electrics, lights, wipers, blower, horn, etc.. You may also need to note how the clutch and transmission feel as the mechanic might not be the first owner and only bought the car to turn it around with a timing chain tensioner replacement. If you are able to take along an appropriate and level scan tool that might at least tell you if the mechanic was too lazy to delete any error codes. Good luck.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. As per title, best to check your car battery now - but why. The hot, and extreme hot, and humid weather we had wouldn't have been kind to the battery (or charging system) and if the effects of that didn't show up straight away they could still be there to show up a bit later, such as now or particularly this autumn and winter (I'm getting shares in vehicle batteries). Check the battery when the engine hasn't been run for 2 or 3 hours with the engine off, if you don't have a *multimeter just try something like lowering and then raising the two front windows together and see if they go much slower than when you know the battery was in a good state of charge. Just driving the car won't be enough to charge or recover a very weakened battery it'll need a proper recharge with a suitable charger. A long, low, slow recharge is often best and certainly to recover a very low battery, preferably off the car and in a more even and controlled temperature if possible but any charging with just about any charger will help - but NOT a boost charger. A proper recharge of the battery will help regardless but you do need to check it's not putting off the inevitable but also be aware car batteries are probably still one of the most oversold car parts, but also owners not looking after the battery is the most common cause of car breakdowns and roadside assistance. - https://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/advice/top-ten-breakdown-causes A battery kept in a poor state will also make the charging system work harder which means additional wear, think of the alternator and battery as a team if one is weak the other has to work that much harder. Plus the VW computer programs can throw up all sorts of warnings, error codes and strange issues at any time from the car battery being in a low state of charge - even if the car starts and the lights seem bright enough. I've been recharging a few neighbour's batteries in the last few weeks - just coincidence(?). 😄 * Just as a guide figures from my neighbour's Ring SmartCharger - 12.7v-100%, 12.5v-90%, 12.4v-80%, 12.3v-70%, 12.2v-60%, 12.1v-50%, 11.9v-40%, 11.8v-30%, 11.6v-20%, 11.3v-10%.

Unfortunately it's not only the right equipment but someone who knows how to use it and is trustworthy (not so easy in the motor trade I've found). A proper recharge of the battery will help regardless but you do need to check it's not putting off the inevitable but be aware car batteries are probably still one of the most oversold car parts (RAC, cough) but also owners not looking after the battery is the most common cause of car breakdowns and roadside assistance. A battery kept in a poor state will also make the charging system work harder - plus the VW computer programs will make the car owners suffer in all sorts of ways if they let the car battery go low, warnings, error codes and all sort of other punishments. 😆

Check your battery. Check it hours after the car has been run so you're not getting the remaining high from it being charged, do not have the engine running, note the reading. Then if you can note the reading whilst the car is cranking over from starting that'd be good. Then start and stop the car immediately, about ten times and note what the battery reads at rest after that exercise. I think it's best to start simple and cheap before moving on to complex, sexy and mysterious. The very hot and extreme weather and humidity we had wouldn't have been kind to the battery (or charging system) and if the effects of that didn't show up straight away they could still be there to show up a bit later, particularly this autumn and winter (I'm getting shares in vehicle batteries). Just driving the cars won't be enough a proper long, low, slow recharge, preferably off the car and in a more even controlled temperature if possible.

Sorry, not like me to misread something or misunderstand or be wrong. 🤣 I'll leave the post up just to prove I was once wrong. 😉 I'll leave you to your sweating and swearing. Good luck.

I've no idea about these particular bushes and their location but I've often seen that some poly bushes can be a very tight fit. Let chemicals and tools take (most of) the strain. Also check the tools are clean and fully functioning before you use them and lubricated if required. I learnt this a long time back from borrowing a tool and finding it a struggle to use but because I like to returned things borrowed in at least as good a condition as received but better if possible as a thank-you, when I cleaned and lubricated it before returning it I found how easily it should have operated. Did you try something like the suggested homemade tool to pull them in?

Thanks. As I put (even without ever using these mobile devices) I did consider the possibility that the post information might be truncated, but you'll learn sometimes you have to treat like with like. 😉 Anyway I want to see what Engineer's Excuse might be used from their training reference manual, wasn't expecting the revision number or date of but perhaps to speed things up just the reference code to the excuse so it can be looked up if wanted. Nice to see another admission of self-awareness - we'll 'ave 'im 'ugging a tree yet, if not ever house-trained. 😊

It's not stupid for you to have missed something and I did consider that possibility (you decide which or both) but I know you don't like too many words in a post so kept to one thing only. And the information is available, and you didn't ask, you're blaming the OP for your failing(s) in both. If I was jamessharr I'd have replied - because YOU didn't ask! 😁 I'd learn yer. 🤣