Skoda have just sent me £100! (+ how much is a battery from a dealer?)

[DRJ]

When I bought my car secondhand in August I elected to have a two year/20,000 servicing package for £299 - this should include two annual inspection services plus a brake fluid change so seemed value for money.

What's surprised me is that in the acknowledgement letter received today from Skoda Finance they've enclosed 2 x £50 "parts, merchandise & accessories" vouchers valid until 31/12/2011.

So perhaps I try a new battery from the dealer? Any ideas how much a dealer would charge?

[DEAN0]

When I bought my car secondhand in August I elected to have a two year/20,000 servicing package for £299 - this should include two annual inspection services plus a brake fluid change so seemed value for money.

What's surprised me is that in the acknowledgement letter received today from Skoda Finance they've enclosed 2 x £50 "parts, merchandise & accessories" vouchers valid until 31/12/2011.

So perhaps I try a new battery from the dealer? Any ideas how much a dealer would charge?

I think the VRS has the same 096 size battery as the Ibiza 130TDi

I got a Bosch S5008 battery with 5 year warranty for £75 - the stealer wanted £151 for the equivalent Varta battery.

i would put the money towards something else - or wait until the service when they WILL find something else that needs doing and put them towards the extra work.

[DRJ]

I think the VRS has the same 096 size battery as the Ibiza 130TDi

Thanks - but mine doesn't - the later ones have a smaller battery - I have made NUMEROUS postings on here trying to find out what battery it is but no one can tell me.(and I haven't succeeded in getting the cover off yet to check in detail!)

Hence my possible use of a dealer to get it replaced...

Edited 21 January, 2011 by DRJ

[martinch]

So perhaps I try a new battery from the dealer? Any ideas how much a dealer would charge?

I think - but don't quote me on this, as I'm typing from memory - TPS want about £75+ VAT for a Varta one, so I guess about £100-£110 would seem to be about right..? Obviously, the best way to find out is to phone your local dealer and ask.

As has been stated, as you've got until the end of the year, why not keep hold of them for a bit, to see if anything shows signs of going wrong? Sod's law you'll spend them and need a new tyre or something ...

Edited 21 January, 2011 by martinch

[DRJ]

Thanks - the alternative is cambelt change parts, since the cambelt is excluded from the agreement - but I wouldn't buy tyres from a dealer...

[Rob.]

I'd hang onto them until the day before they expire my self. And if nothing's been required by then, buy something for the future like the belt parts.

Seems like a nice £100 to have in reserve for pesky Bushes, brakes, etc etc

Edited 21 January, 2011 by Rob.

[rum4mo]

I think the VRS has the same 096 size battery as the Ibiza 130TDi

I got a Bosch S5008 battery with 5 year warranty for £75 - the stealer wanted £151 for the equivalent Varta battery.

i would put the money towards something else - or wait until the service when they WILL find something else that needs doing and put them towards the extra work.

Actually just in case anyone has doubts about choosing Bosch over Varta, they seem to be the same company and cover exactly the same ranges with three (or four if you include the gel option) different qualities but use different colours.

[DEAN0]

Actually just in case anyone has doubts about choosing Bosch over Varta, they seem to be the same company and cover exactly the same ranges with three (or four if you include the gel option) different qualities but use different colours.

Don't get me wrong - I am not saying there is anything wrong with the Varta - My OEM fitted Varta lasted 7 years.

I just couldn't justify double the price for what I consider the same quality of battery.

[DRJ]

So if someone could tell me the relevant Bosch reference for the smaller late vRS battery please...

[DRJ]

See also more recent thread

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/189252-100-of-skoda-vouchers/page__view__findpost__p__2259551

[rum4mo]

See also more recent thread

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/189252-100-of-skoda-vouchers/page__view__findpost__p__2259551

Maybe have a look at the Halfords website and see what they suggest as a replacement - ie a Bosch battery, and see what info you can glean from that and then look on the Bosch website to see what the proper Bosch number is and its dimensions are and compare with what is currently fitted - Halfords tend to stick a label over the Bosch battery so that their stock number and not Bosch's is shown.

[DRJ]

Maybe have a look at the Halfords website and see what they suggest as a replacement - ie a Bosch battery, and see what info you can glean from that and then look on the Bosch website to see what the proper Bosch number is and its dimensions are and compare with what is currently fitted - Halfords tend to stick a label over the Bosch battery so that their stock number and not Bosch's is shown.

Please note I have looked at NUMEROUS online battery replacement websites and NONE of them lists an alternative smaller battery for the late model vRS.

[DEAN0]

Please note I have looked at NUMEROUS online battery replacement websites and NONE of them lists an alternative smaller battery for the late model vRS.

Eurocarparts seem to suggest a Bosch S5007 (type 100 battery ) with the dimensions 278w x 175d x 175h

That makes it 15mm shorter than a Bosch S5008 ( type 096 battery ) at 278w x 175w x 190h

[DRJ]

Please note I have looked at NUMEROUS online battery replacement websites and NONE of them lists an alternative smaller battery for the late model vRS.

Eurocarparts seem to suggest a Bosch S5007 (type 100 battery ) with the dimensions 278w x 175d x 175h

That makes it 15mm shorter than a Bosch S5008 ( type 096 battery ) at 278w x 175w x 190h

That's not the problem - all the online sites list a 278mm LONG battery - but I accept the height varies either 175mm or 190mm.

The battery in my car is much shorter - 238 x 170 x 188 as far as I can tell (it depends precisely where you take the measurement)

The cage around it isn't big enough to go over a 278mm long battery - I reckon there's a tolerance of about 20mm maybe a bit more - but not as much as 40mm.

Perhaps no one's ever replaced a later vRS low-powered smaller battery? (except the one person who I think has "bodged" it)

[DRJ]

Just discovered this - http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/148739-battery-question/ - seems it affects other Skodas too... Might be a leader when using comparison sites...

[DRJ]

Now just discovered this - SpecChart02_VartaAndQuantum-03.xls (couldn't readily get a link - Google it)

This lists out VW batteries and one is (some elements omitted):

000-915-105-AD 61Ah 540EN 246x175x190 18.2kg B13 (base hold down)

That's my battery - clearly I was measuring the length at the wrong point.

The next one down appears to be the earlier battery:

000-915-105-AF 72Ah 640EN 278x175x190 19.6kg B13

Update:

I've now found this - VWVartaCatalogue2003.xls (couldn't readily get a link - Google it) and this lists just the 000-915-105-AF variant for the "FABIA 1.9 Diesel Turbo" as expected:

OES Genuine Part No - 000 915 105 AF

Varta Ref - 575 121 072

Short Code - E38

UK Ref - 096UR

Quantum Reference (ZGB…) - [blank field]

... but several other cars have the smaller battery listed:

OES Genuine Part No - 000 915 105 AD

Varta Ref - 562 103 060

Short Code - D15

UK Ref - 027UR

Quantum Reference (ZGB…) - 00Q 105 027

So AT LAST I've found out the specification of the later vRS battery !!!!!

For example:

http://www.tayna.co.uk/Type-027-Varta-Silver-Dynamic-Car-Battery-P3190.html

Edited 30 January, 2011 by DRJ

[DRJ]

Now having found out what the battery is, the task is to find out the highest performing battery in that case size/configuration

The Tanya Varta ones are 63Ah 610EN (£81.55 and a 5 year guarantee) - a useful improvement on 61Ah 540EN - any advance?

Same battery at www.battery2u.co.uk = £71.98

027TE Exide Car Battery X-Tra Plus (XTra Plus) (XP04)

Capacity - 62 Ah

CCA - 640 Amps

4 year guarantee

£74.87 at Tanya

£74.98 at www.battery2u.co.uk

Edit - found this at http://www.motionbattery.co.uk/Premium-027-Auto-Exide-Battery

W027TE Exide Premium Car Battery (EA640)

Leading Technology Exide Car Battery

* 12 Volt

* 64Ah

* 640 CCA (EN)

* 242L x 175W x 190H (mm)

* Old Part Number: XP04

* New Premium Range Supersedes X-Tra Plus Range

- though £84.06 there.

Same battery at www.griffinbatterycentres.co.uk = £78.44

Edited 30 January, 2011 by DRJ

[DEAN0]

Now having found out what the battery is, the task is to find out the highest performing battery in that case size/configuration

The Tanya Varta ones are 63Ah 610EN (£81.55 and a 5 year guarantee) - a useful improvement on 61Ah 540EN - any advance?

Same battery at www.battery2u.co.uk = £71.98

027TE Exide Car Battery X-Tra Plus (XTra Plus) (XP04)

Capacity - 62 Ah

CCA - 640 Amps

4 year guarantee

£74.87 at Tanya

£74.98 at www.battery2u.co.uk

Edit - found this at http://www.motionbattery.co.uk/Premium-027-Auto-Exide-Battery

W027TE Exide Premium Car Battery (EA640)

Leading Technology Exide Car Battery

* 12 Volt

* 64Ah

* 640 CCA (EN)

* 242L x 175W x 190H (mm)

* Old Part Number: XP04

* New Premium Range Supersedes X-Tra Plus Range

- though £84.06 there.

Same battery at www.griffinbatterycentres.co.uk = £78.44

If you search for an 027 battery you should find lots of them. 027 seems really small for a 1.9tdi.

Glad mine is on an 096 battery.

[DRJ]

If you search for an 027 battery you should find lots of them. 027 seems really small for a 1.9tdi.

Glad mine is on an 096 battery.

Thanks - seems you can search on many different things and bring up different lists - but I agree the actual battery parameters appear to match.

Edit - however some of the 027 batteries are less powerful - e.g.

Bosch 12v 027 Heavy Duty Car Battery (S3005) - 56 ah, 480 cca,

Seems like you'd have to go up to at least a:

S5005 / 027 BOSCH SILVER PLUS Car Battery 12V 63Ah, CCA (EN) - 610A

and that's quite a bit more than the Exide W027TE which seems to be the favourite at the moment...

Edited 30 January, 2011 by DRJ

[DRJ]

Update - I've spent the vouchers on a £100 saving on the cambelt replacement. The battery seems fine at present.