This morning i went out to the car as usual turned on my radio, meter, datahead and signed on to the system and waited for a hire, about 10 minutes later 1st hire of the day comes in turn the key and the car is just turning over have to hold the key for about 5 seconds and the car then started, got a fright as thought it was flat, i was talking to another driver today who has a S spec 61 plate octavia 1.6 TDI and he said he had to change his battery as it was not heavy enough for all the taxi equipment and got one from shandons in bellshill who said the battery was not heavy enough think i will be taking a run over there on Monday, anyone else have weak batteries?

Edited 10 March, 201313 yr by racing boy

all over the forum - loads of us have changed battery.... original is poor.

Al.

ChrisR had loads of problem with his Octavia.

In the end a replacement seems to solved the problem - even though i think he said other owners with the

same car had higher power batteries from new ?

yep, Chan's correct, for example, mine was higher than most... still didn't last 3 years tho and it was binned before this winter!

Al.

Mine always started fine (touch wood).

Though at one point was hesitant due to car sitting around for 2days - eeek!

Racing Boy: urs a Taxi - does that have any impact on the battery normally?

Original in my 170 tdi has been poor for a long time. Replaced it two weeks ago with a Bosch s5 from Halfords as Skoda dealer kept saying battery was ok and wouldnt replace under warranty. Halfords tester showed battery at 53% capacity and unservicable.

The new battery has made all the difference, even on very cold starts. Worth every penny! (Car is just under 3 years old)

My original battery is 4+ years old and has never failed or even sounded low. I have "coming home" lights and I thought that cars fitted with those had larger AmpHr batteries?

Ray

Mine always started fine (touch wood).

Though at one point was hesitant due to car sitting around for 2days - eeek!

Racing Boy: urs a Taxi - does that have any impact on the battery normally?

yes mine is a taxi (private hire) and the taxi equipment is wired into the fusebox, but the equipment is a bit heavy and didn't affect my Octavia for 4 years when the battery then went bad, and replaced it with a very heavy duty one and lasted me right through to January when i got rid of it and got the superb with no probs

Edited 10 March, 201313 yr by racing boy

Mine is really sluggish at low temps, almost to the point of not turning the motor over, above 4C it's fine, around -2C as it was this morning it's touch and go, I'll be heading to Halfrauds for a replacement.

Mine is really sluggish at low temps, almost to the point of not turning the motor over, above 4C it's fine, around -2C as it was this morning it's touch and go, I'll be heading to Halfrauds for a replacement.

Don't go to Halfrauds - save yourself some money and buy from somewhere like ECP with the 25% discount and fit it yourself.

Mines getting really tired - Sept 2010 now 83,000 miles. Struggles even after one night. I'll do the same thing as what I did with my Octavia - get the highest capacity battery possible.

The battery in my old Primera crapped out after 12 months and left me stranded in the middle of Luton

Edited 11 March, 201313 yr by dstev2000

Rather getting a replacement - is it worth charging/conditioning the existing battery?

No..Get another Wayne

Mine is far better..but still the same make and ampage

Bosch is the way to go...

Euro Car Parts with this discount:

brisk25

http://www.eurocarparts.com/basket.php

Rather getting a replacement - is it worth charging/conditioning the existing battery?

if you charge it it will only go flat again a bit later, a new battery is really the only option and i think i will be getting the most heavy duty one i can find and sticking it it sometime soon

No..Get another Wayne

Mine is far better..but still the same make and ampage

Bosch is the way to go...

Euro Car Parts with this discount:

brisk25

http://www.eurocarparts.com/basket.php

Chris!

Link not work :-(

if you charge it it will only go flat again a bit later, a new battery is really the only option and i think i will be getting the most heavy duty one i can find and sticking it it sometime soon

My 2nd car battery died after 2month no use.

Re-charged it for 48hrs - now still going strong :-)

Which reminds me to charge/re-condition the Superb battery when i have time!

There is a recent thread on batteries Wayne - the Bosch 096 is perfect match, and others have also fitted the slightly taller battery (Bosch 100 IIRC) which has the benefit of slightly more Ah storage. The Bosch S5 batteries are a big step-up from original battery, with 5yr guarantee and more cold cranking amps

If you really need a charger/conditioner (e.g if it is weeks between driving), then get a CTEK charger. Theses are used by the dealers to keep the cars on display topped up. CTEK also make the chargers for Porsche, Aston, Ferrari, Maserati etc but those dealers charge a lot more for replacing the CTEK logo with the car badge. The MXS 5.0 is a good mid-range charger/conditioner, which charges faster and provides more info than the MXS 3.0 (on which the Porsche and other manufacturer chargers are based). There is a 12v socket adaptor you can get for them, which makes it convenient for charging cars that have a permanent live 12v socket. Otherwise you can use the croc clips or terminal nut connectors provided.

But if you're driving the car at least once/twice a week, you probably dont need a charger. Spend the money on the Bosch battery with 5 yr guarantee instead.

Edited 11 March, 201313 yr by JakeBlade

There is a recent thread on batteries Wayne - the Bosch 096 is perfect match, and others have also fitted the slightly taller battery (Bosch 100 IIRC) which has the benefit of slightly more Ah storage. The Bosch S5 batteries are a big step-up from original battery, with 5yr guarantee and more cold cranking amps

If you really need a charger/conditioner (e.g if it is weeks between driving), then get a CTEK charger. Theses are used by the dealers to keep the cars on display topped up. CTEK also make the chargers for Porsche, Aston, Ferrari, Maserati etc but those dealers charge a lot more for replacing the CTEK logo with the car badge. The MXS 5.0 is a good mid-range charger/conditioner, which charges faster and provides more info than the MXS 3.0 (on which the Porsche and other manufacturer chargers are based). There is a 12v socket adaptor you can get for them, which makes it convenient for charging cars that have a permanent live 12v socket. Otherwise you can use the croc clips or terminal nut connectors provided.

But if you're driving the car at least once/twice a week, you probably dont need a charger. Spend the money on the Bosch battery with 5 yr guarantee instead.

Cheers Jake!

I have the CTEK one (and a LIDL one as a backup)! :-)

Sorry Racing Boy, back to your OP ...

Chris!

Link not work :-(

Here: http://www.eurocarparts.com/car-parts

Just put in your car reg and the discount code at the 'Checkout'

was below 0 this morning but it was fine and started no problem but didn't have any of the taxi eqipment on just got in it waited for the glow plugs to go out only took 3 second and started right up,

just got in it waited for the glow plugs to go out only took 3 second and started right up,

Oops!

I know I used to wait for this in the past.

But never have done with my Superb.

Does modern diesel still Ned to wait for glow plugs?

PS: sorry for digressing again Racing Boy!

Oops!

I know I used to wait for this in the past.

But never have done with my Superb.

Does modern diesel still Ned to wait for glow plugs?

PS: sorry for digressing again Racing Boy!

No worry's Wayne, years ago when i drove old fairway taxi they just wouldn't start if it was cold you would have to bump start them and they would be fine the rest of the day, modern diesel's don't really need you to wait on the glow plugs unless its below 4 degrees Celsius and then you are meant to wait on them heating up, but even my nephew in laws old x reg mondeo TD ghia x needed you to wait for the glow plugs no matter what the weather or else you would have to crank it a good bit, and when it was cold you would be holding the key for 15 seconds or so,he got rid of it in december and picked up a 55 plate ford mondeo tdci 150 ST estate and it is a cracker and starts no probs so not that long ago you still had to wait for glow plugs

I used a Ctek since i have a couple since my weekend cars are rarely used , but it is delaying the inevitable really

I always use Tanya.co.uk for my batteries and another recommendation for Bosch /Varta batteries

This is the correct Varta one for the CR170

Damn missed the discount, could have saved myself £20, instead got a Bosch S5 from Halfrauds for £116 fitted myself. This replaced the new Banner 70Ah battery that came with the vehicle last August. It's definately the cold cranking amps, the banner worked fine at 4C and above, but was hopeless below that temp. The Bosch starts at -4C no problem

There is nothing wrong with the charge of the Banner, I checked it off the vehicle with my CteK, it's the cold cranking amps that was the problem (for me at least).