It's NOT true....
Discussion
...all those tales about flat batteries and non-starters after a period of rest. I've just retruned to my '98 450 since leaving it for a business trip on 20 September. Despite having left the boot and bonnet unlatched and the Leven jump leads close to hand 
everything was just as though I'd last driven the night before! Spun up with the same enthusiasam, fired quickly and reached idle speed with not a miss or hesitation. 
So take heart, next time you read yet another thread bemoaning flat batteries/bad starting after just a couple of weeks, here's a bloke with NO battery charger / Accumate / warm integral garage and all is fine after SIX weeks! Newbies take note - they're GREAT cars and if properly maintained as reliable as the best eurobox. Nick.
everything was just as though I'd last driven the night before! Spun up with the same enthusiasam, fired quickly and reached idle speed with not a miss or hesitation. So take heart, next time you read yet another thread bemoaning flat batteries/bad starting after just a couple of weeks, here's a bloke with NO battery charger / Accumate / warm integral garage and all is fine after SIX weeks! Newbies take note - they're GREAT cars and if properly maintained as reliable as the best eurobox. Nick.
Edited by nikman on Friday 2nd November 16:32
Gorvid said:
What size of battery / make, model of car are you trying to jump start from? For how long did you leave it Gorvid? Nick.Gorvid said:
Then you've got a short - probably on the interior light wiring and likely somewhere in the connector for it that connects to the roof hoop.
daz the plumber said:
hi ,how does the trickle charger work ,.does it have to be hard wired thanks
You can plug a trickle charger into the ciggy lighter, they're live all the time on a Chim and the low current of a trickle charger is OK. A decent one (e.g. AccuMate Charger/Optimiser)will switch off when fully charged and just keep it topped up.You can also wire them in somewhere if you want to.
Andy
Nik,
It has a new battery in it :-)
It used to last about 3 weeks.
You should have a 3 year warranty for it in the paperwork somewhere.
Hope everything is going well. I did miss the chimarea in the summer but she has gone to a good home.
I've decided I need another V8 so selling the alfa and I'm picking up a MG ZT260 next weekend!
Aparentely it will do 15mpg but it does sound nice.
It has a new battery in it :-)
It used to last about 3 weeks.
You should have a 3 year warranty for it in the paperwork somewhere.
Hope everything is going well. I did miss the chimarea in the summer but she has gone to a good home.
I've decided I need another V8 so selling the alfa and I'm picking up a MG ZT260 next weekend!
Aparentely it will do 15mpg but it does sound nice.
GF350 said:
Nik,
It has a new battery in it :-)
It used to last about 3 weeks.
You should have a 3 year warranty for it in the paperwork somewhere.
Hope everything is going well. I did miss the chimarea in the summer but she has gone to a good home.
I've decided I need another V8 so selling the alfa and I'm picking up a MG ZT260 next weekend!
Aparentely it will do 15mpg but it does sound nice.
Hi Gareth - good to hear from youIt has a new battery in it :-)
It used to last about 3 weeks.
You should have a 3 year warranty for it in the paperwork somewhere.
Hope everything is going well. I did miss the chimarea in the summer but she has gone to a good home.
I've decided I need another V8 so selling the alfa and I'm picking up a MG ZT260 next weekend!
Aparentely it will do 15mpg but it does sound nice.
Yes, I've still got the receipt from Halfords you handed me but that's dated 16 June, 2006. So that's 18 months old. It's just that so many here on PH seem to have little more than 10 - 14 days (some much less) before they've got a non-starter. So much so that I've seen posts asserting that this is the 'norm'!! I was just correcting that mis-conception but I should have added that I have a fairly new battery. It's hard to believe that a new battery is the simple answer for some who have the problem. I think some cars have wiring issues where there are small shorts and electricity drains through certain components but it's NOT what's "to be expected"!
Sounds like a great swap, the Alfa for a MGV8. Always liked the ZT best of the three they launched at the same time. Good luck with it and email me when you've got it - love to pop round for a look AND listen!!
Nick.P.S. Having driven with you I KNOW you'll get better than 15MPG if you want!Just reading through some old posts, did you win some exterior detailing thing at pistonfest?
Thats fantastic.
I think your right about some being worse than others, the new battery was a lot better though, however your one is doing well what ever way you look at it.
Thats right, I remember I got the new one before I went to LeMans in it, just in case.
Hopefully it will last a while as its a sod to change and when you do remember not to shut the door like I did!
I had to call up Leven to find out how to break into the car :-)
Gareth.
Thats fantastic.
I think your right about some being worse than others, the new battery was a lot better though, however your one is doing well what ever way you look at it.
Thats right, I remember I got the new one before I went to LeMans in it, just in case.
Hopefully it will last a while as its a sod to change and when you do remember not to shut the door like I did!
I had to call up Leven to find out how to break into the car :-)
Gareth.
I'm getting this one
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/279265.htm
The mileage is wrong in the ad its only done 1780 when I saw it!!
PS.
I think I have to get the x power back boxes, see attached - the normal ones are shown first then thge xpower ones!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXd7LmHshHQ
Hmmm nice...
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/279265.htm
The mileage is wrong in the ad its only done 1780 when I saw it!!
PS.
I think I have to get the x power back boxes, see attached - the normal ones are shown first then thge xpower ones!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXd7LmHshHQ
Hmmm nice...
Edited by GF350 on Tuesday 6th November 20:03
GF350 said:
Just reading through some old posts, did you win some exterior detailing thing at pistonfest?
Thats fantastic.
I think your right about some being worse than others, the new battery was a lot better though, however your one is doing well what ever way you look at it.
Thats right, I remember I got the new one before I went to LeMans in it, just in case.
Hopefully it will last a while as its a sod to change and when you do remember not to shut the door like I did!
I had to call up Leven to find out how to break into the car :-)
Gareth.
Yes, I remember you telling me how they got you back in having locked yoruself out Thats fantastic.
I think your right about some being worse than others, the new battery was a lot better though, however your one is doing well what ever way you look at it.
Thats right, I remember I got the new one before I went to LeMans in it, just in case.
Hopefully it will last a while as its a sod to change and when you do remember not to shut the door like I did!
I had to call up Leven to find out how to break into the car :-)
Gareth.
I have a thing about checking I'm holding the keys in one hand every time I shut the boot with the other!
Thank you - yes, it was Chimfest, the annual meet just for Chimaeras. Won first prize and a cup for "Best External Detailing Chimfest 07" Was very chuffed especially as there were 85 odd other Chims there and I'd driven up to Stafford through a shower or two on the M6!! But of course Gareth - half of the glory was yours for all those hours of appling the Harley wax!! 
Got 2 pictures in the October issue of Sprint - I'll show you if I pop round for a look at your new beast! Nick.
nikman said:
GF350 said:
Just reading through some old posts, did you win some exterior detailing thing at pistonfest?
Thats fantastic.
I think your right about some being worse than others, the new battery was a lot better though, however your one is doing well what ever way you look at it.
Thats right, I remember I got the new one before I went to LeMans in it, just in case.
Hopefully it will last a while as its a sod to change and when you do remember not to shut the door like I did!
I had to call up Leven to find out how to break into the car :-)
Gareth.
Yes, I remember you telling me how they got you back in having locked yoruself out Thats fantastic.
I think your right about some being worse than others, the new battery was a lot better though, however your one is doing well what ever way you look at it.
Thats right, I remember I got the new one before I went to LeMans in it, just in case.
Hopefully it will last a while as its a sod to change and when you do remember not to shut the door like I did!
I had to call up Leven to find out how to break into the car :-)
Gareth.
I have a thing about checking I'm holding the keys in one hand every time I shut the boot with the other! Thank you - yes, it was Chimfest, the annual meet just for Chimaeras. Won first prize and a cup for "Best External Detailing Chimfest 07" Was very chuffed especially as there were 85 odd other Chims there and I'd driven up to Stafford through a shower or two on the M6!! But of course Gareth - half of the glory was yours for all those hours of appling the Harley wax!! Got 2 pictures in the October issue of Sprint - I'll show you if I pop round for a look at your new beast! Nick.
There was probably a cm of wax on it :-)
Looks like your making the most of it, the wedge fest convoy was the highlight for me, I wish I'd done more things like that.
I can see a tunnel run or two with the ZT and the loud exhausts in my future!
Yes, love to come and see the car sometime, I'll be in touch.
Remember to keep that chassis waxoiled, it nearly killed me getting it that clean :-)
PS. Did you keep the armourfend on it, I know some poeple don't like it bit it seemed to work well?
Edited by GF350 on Tuesday 6th November 20:59
GF350 said:
I'm getting this one
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/279265.htm
The mileage is wrong in the ad its only done 1780 when I saw it!!
PS.
I think I have to get the x power back boxes, see attached - the normal ones are shown first then thge xpower ones!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXd7LmHshHQ
Hmmm nice...
Sorry everyone - right off topic here.... but this does have Chim connections as I bought mine from Gareth http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/279265.htm
The mileage is wrong in the ad its only done 1780 when I saw it!!
PS.
I think I have to get the x power back boxes, see attached - the normal ones are shown first then thge xpower ones!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXd7LmHshHQ
Hmmm nice...
Edited by GF350 on Tuesday 6th November 20:03
That ZT 260 looks unbeatable and with 1,780 miles in that condition for that money (or however much less you paid) seems the find of the month! The sunroof would have been a big plus for me too. Not sure there was a big improvement with those x power back boxes though. But limited by the performance of the tinny spealkers on my laptop! Strange how that blue ZT was smoking with the original boxes then not after the x boxes were shown. No, I know they wouldn't affect the emissions like that but it was noticable. Hope that engine was hot on both occasions though! You know, that's a 30 grand + car with under 2,000 miles for a little over £10,000. Even Clarkson was overall complimentary about the ZT (far more than about any TVR (except the Saggie) and wouldn't dismiss it out of hand here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqSYoWOoni8
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