21 replies to this topic

[Deaconp]

Ok, so the battery in my new car was clearly failing. One look at the location of the battery and the amount of wiring around it persuaded me that I'd let someone else skin their knuckles on it. Experienced guy at Halfords took 40 mins to do the swap. £10. Result 😁

[turbo2015]

lol i will remember this top tip, does help having another pair of hands when replacing a vx battery.

[oldjoe]

i just did this and the bolts holding the battery retention bracket have been rusted and snapped off a few years ago. Removing the battery without removing that bracket was..... tricky. But i got there in the end, helps that her indoors has little hands when i kept dropping my tools. 

[Mangham54]

i just did this and the bolts holding the battery retention bracket have been rusted and snapped off a few years ago. Removing the battery without removing that bracket was..... tricky. But i got there in the end, helps that her indoors has little hands when i kept dropping my pants 

Edited for accuracy

[GiGo]

I couldn't be arsed to changed my battery once so rang up and booked a replacment with an online company, £60 they said, 2 hours later I had a phone call saying they couldn't do it as it was a "Two Man Job", ordered a battery and did it myself in the end, it is a PITA but once it's done it done, i've replaced 3 batteries in my 5 years of ownership!  Now it's left on trickle charge.

[Nev]

I'd be concerned with the damage a Halford's numpty might do to the whole area. I've learnt over the years to be VERY cautious about who I let work on my cars.

[Nev]

I couldn't be arsed to changed my battery once so rang up and booked a replacment with an online company, £60 they said, 2 hours later I had a phone call saying they couldn't do it as it was a "Two Man Job", ordered a battery and did it myself in the end, it is a PITA but once it's done it done, i've replaced 3 batteries in my 5 years of ownership!  Now it's left on trickle charge.

 

Trickle charging is deffo the way to do things if it's a second/weekend car with infrequent use. So easy to do, just plug the charger into the cigarette point.

Edited by Nev, 23 November 2016 - 08:45 AM.

[siztenboots]

how many still left on oem battery?

[Deaconp]

I couldn't be arsed to changed my battery once so rang up and booked a replacment with an online company, £60 they said, 2 hours later I had a phone call saying they couldn't do it as it was a "Two Man Job", ordered a battery and did it myself in the end, it is a PITA but once it's done it done, i've replaced 3 batteries in my 5 years of ownership!  Now it's left on trickle charge.

  Trickle charging is deffo the way to do things if it's a second/weekend car with infrequent use. So easy to do, just plug the charger into the cigarette point.

Didn't realise that. So with the VX I can just buy a plug in that fits the cig lighter in the centre tunnel?

[Mangham54]

 

 

I couldn't be arsed to changed my battery once so rang up and booked a replacment with an online company, £60 they said, 2 hours later I had a phone call saying they couldn't do it as it was a "Two Man Job", ordered a battery and did it myself in the end, it is a PITA but once it's done it done, i've replaced 3 batteries in my 5 years of ownership!  Now it's left on trickle charge.

  Trickle charging is deffo the way to do things if it's a second/weekend car with infrequent use. So easy to do, just plug the charger into the cigarette point.

Didn't realise that. So with the VX I can just buy a plug in that fits the cig lighter in the centre tunnel?

 

 

Yep

[turbo boy]

Mine is still running on its original 2003 battery 😐

[tibby]

I couldn't be arsed to changed my battery once so rang up and booked a replacment with an online company, £60 they said, 2 hours later I had a phone call saying they couldn't do it as it was a "Two Man Job", ordered a battery and did it myself in the end, it is a PITA but once it's done it done, i've replaced 3 batteries in my 5 years of ownership!  Now it's left on trickle charge.

  Trickle charging is deffo the way to do things if it's a second/weekend car with infrequent use. So easy to do, just plug the charger into the cigarette point.

Didn't realise that. So with the VX I can just buy a plug in that fits the cig lighter in the centre tunnel?

  Yep

If you want to be safe with charging into the cigarette point , make a second one with thicker wires and a direct connection to the battery. Not every charger is the same and it would be not the first car who's electrical system would be messed up. (burned wires etc....) Better safe than sorry..... BTW , it's only a 1 minute job to open the bonnet,lift the watertank out and connect the charger :-)

Edited by tibby, 23 November 2016 - 04:58 PM.

[Wolfstone]

And if you get a ctek it comes with an adaptor that you leave attached to the battery so plug in is a 2 second job.

[tibby]

And if you get a ctek it comes with an adaptor that you leave attached to the battery so plug in is a 2 second job.

This is indeed the BEST solution!!! :-)

[Ian59]

 

And if you get a ctek it comes with an adaptor that you leave attached to the battery so plug in is a 2 second job.

This is indeed the BEST solution!!! :-)

 

 

 

 I'll second that. The ctek was the best £45.00p I ever spent.     

 

Mine charges through one of the two aux points under the dash.

Edited by Ian59, 23 November 2016 - 07:29 PM.

[GiGo]

 

 

And if you get a ctek it comes with an adaptor that you leave attached to the battery so plug in is a 2 second job.

This is indeed the BEST solution!!! :-)

 

 

 

 I'll second that. The ctek was the best £45.00p I ever spent.     

 

Mine charges through one of the two aux points under the dash.

 

 

Yep, defo the best charger:

 

https://www.amazon.c...1&keywords=ctek

 

and this is the easy access ciggy thingy:

 

https://www.amazon.c...6&keywords=ctek

 

My brother-in-law and his mates keep borrow mine, but I do have a spare solar panel charger that I use during the summer, just hook it to the outside of the garage and even better

[Wolfstone]

The quick connector directly to the battery is called the 'Comfort Connect(or)'. Best to check that the one you buy has this included. Not sure they all do.

[ghand]

And if you get a ctek it comes with an adaptor that you leave attached to the battery so plug in is a 2 second job.

This is indeed the BEST solution!!! :-)

It is but if your a lazy sod and can't be arsed connecting it up or opening the bonnet to disconnect and re connect every time you fancy a spin use the cig lighter socket which has a 20 amp fuse and wiring so will eat the job 👍

[Barton]

Been charing mine for 3 years through cig light and never had an issue

[james.a]

Just fitted a trickle charger - as after 124 thousand miles I've decided mine is now a garage princess - run the plug up to the gap between bonnet and windscreen. Can easily be tucked behind when not being used.