New battery help/info required please.

[Squiggs]

I need a new battery for my Renault Master camper.
It currently has it's original battery with a Renault logo on it, but I don't want to get my pants pulled down ordering a new one from a main dealer.
Looking at the sticker on the battery it was manufactured by Varta and I can figure out that its 12v - and 95Ah (whatever that is).

But then looking at one website for batteries there seems to be a huge difference in prices for a 12v 95Ah (from £80 to £180)
What am I missing?
Are not all 12v 95Ah batteries the same?
If not what other info from the battery indicates which one I need?
The full info on the sticker reads
12v 95Ah EN
850A
8200 687 749
ETN 595 401 085

[eatcustard]

Pop down to your local halfwits and get them to look and recommend a battery, then go online and buy one much cheaper.

[Jarcy]

I'm no expert, but I understood that a "Leisure Battery" has slightly different characteristics to a normal car battery.
A leisure battery should have a higher capacity and be designed for a slow release of its charge, rather than a high load engine-start event. Leisure batteries tend to be in the range 95 - 110 ampere hours capacity.

Does your motorhome battery also start the vehicle or do you have a separate battery for that?
If the latter, then you want a leisure battery, and best bet is to go to your local caravan supplies shop. Should be about £100 for a decent one.

[Squiggs]

Jarcy said:

I'm no expert, but I understood that a "Leisure Battery" has slightly different characteristics to a normal car battery.
A leisure battery should have a higher capacity and be designed for a slow release of its charge, rather than a high load engine-start event. Leisure batteries tend to be in the range 95 - 110 ampere hours capacity.

Does your motorhome battery also start the vehicle or do you have a separate battery for that?
If the latter, then you want a leisure battery, and best bet is to go to your local caravan supplies shop. Should be about £100 for a decent one.

Sorry I should have said - this is the vans in battery (for starting) which then powers the leisure battery.

[ALY77]

Squiggs said:

But then looking at one website for batteries there seems to be a huge difference in prices for a 12v 95Ah (from £80 to £180)
What am I missing?
Are not all 12v 95Ah batteries the same?

You aren't missing as much as you think. If you buy a 12volt 95ah battery with an 850a rating then you are buying something that will do the job of the now defunct one.

Not all 12v 95ah batteries are the same - Some of the cheaper ones may be a lower rating than the 850a of your dud one. Also, someone with a greater knowledge and more patience than I may be along at any time to explain properly about the merits or overhype of calcium over lead acid for instance.

Beyond that, the variables are akin to any other commercially available product in the world. Brand names are pricier, some retailers are generally pricier and of course some have longer warranties than others, depending on the quality of the materials used in the product.

Bizarrely, after a very quick and far from thorough search, Halfords actually appear to be competitive against Euro Car Parts
Over spec'd with lifetime warranty at £160 http://www.halfords.com/motoring/bulbs-blades-batt...

Exact spec and good brand but £215! http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-batteries/ba...

If the vehicle is never used over winter I'd consider buying one with a lower cold starting capacity, like this one at £100 and with a 5 year warranty http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-batteries/ba...