Best of the Bargain Basement (Vol.3)

Best of the Bargain Basement (Vol.3)

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Discussion

TonyRPH

12,963 posts

167 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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Those lithium starter packs will self discharge over a period of time.

That 'time' depending on several factors, storage temperature, quality of battery, standby current draw (if any).

You do need to charge them periodically, and I suspect the instructions advise as such.


Emeye

9,773 posts

222 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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I wonder how they cope with being left on charge permanently?

TonyRPH

12,963 posts

167 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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Emeye said:
I wonder how they cope with being left on charge permanently?
Most of them should be ok with this, however it is advised to read the instructions.

If the unit contains an intelligent charger, it should simply stop charging once the battery is at full capacity.

Pretty much in the same way you can leave a phone or laptop on charge indefinitely.

However you should allow the battery to discharge (but not completely) on occasion.

This is an extract from a typical instruction manual.

manual said:
Lithium-Ion rechargeable batteries require routine maintenance and care in their use and handling.

Overview
Do not leave batteries unused for extended periods of time, either in the product or in storage.

When a battery has been unused for 6 months, check the charge status and charge or dispose of the battery as appropriate.
The typical estimated life of a Lithium-Ion battery is about two to three years or 300 to 500 charge cycles, whichever occurs first.

One charge cycle is a period of use from fully charged, to fully discharged, and fully recharged again.
Use a two to three year life expectancy for batteries that do not run through complete charge cycles.

Rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries have a limited life and will gradually lose their capacity to hold a charge.
This loss of capacity (aging) is irreversible.

As the battery loses capacity, the length of time it will power the product (run time) decreases.
Lithium-Ion batteries continue to slowly discharge (self-discharge) when not in use or while in storage.
Routinely check the battery’s charge status.

Storage
Charge or discharge the battery to approximately 50% of capacity before storage.
Charge the battery to approximately 50% of capacity at least once every six months.

stewjohnst

2,442 posts

160 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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Galaxy continues to do things well and without much fuss.

I spent £60 on service items, then didn’t get time to fit it all due to nipping to collect some pallets and then going to Scotland in it.

Ticked over 500 miles in it so I’m at about £1 a mile excluding fuel already biggrin



Averaging 32mpg which four up with luggage isn’t too bad for the poor 2.0 to lug around.

Thanks to the average speed cameras the length of the A9, the Galaxy was weirdly the ideal car for the trip, relaxing and floaty and a massive amount of glass area to admire the views.

Reminds me of the time I went on the Glacier Express in Switzerland, I think the galaxy was cheaper all in.





Edit - Just to be clear, I took the pallets out and put the family in before heading to Scotland smile

Edited by stewjohnst on Friday 16th November 19:52

defblade

7,395 posts

212 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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Emeye said:
defblade said:
You need to buy one of the modern lithium battery booster packs - they are small and while they are solid and dense, they are still light enough to carry around in your boot, a bag, etc; hold their charge for months and months (into years, probably); can also charge laptops, phones, etc (at least, mine does); most importantly, they work really well and very easily for getting cars started. Basically, the opposite of the old fashioned big heavy car-battery-in-a-plastic-case type ones in every way.

I believe they are now a vital piece of kit for anyone dabbling in the shed end of the market - it's going to be a case of when you need it, not if... wink
My dad bought one of these lithium starters - it works ok, but it does not seem to hold the charge for that long when unused. Maybe a few weeks.
I didn't buy the cheapest by a price bracket or two, so that may make a difference, but I pop mine on charge about every 3 or 4 months and it's only ever flashing the final light of 5 at me, so there's 80% at least in there if they are proportional. Never failed me, and had maybe a bit more use than I'd like, but that's barging and shedding for you wink

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 17th November 2018
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defblade said:
I didn't buy the cheapest by a price bracket or two, so that may make a difference, but I pop mine on charge about every 3 or 4 months and it's only ever flashing the final light of 5 at me, so there's 80% at least in there if they are proportional. Never failed me, and had maybe a bit more use than I'd like, but that's barging and shedding for you wink
Which one did you buy?

defblade

7,395 posts

212 months

Saturday 17th November 2018
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wsurfa said:
Which one did you buy?
A quick email search says this one, and that the price has dropped a little since 3 years ago when I bought it. Currently living in and doing duty for our old Aygo, which doesn't get driven so much, and can lose the battery if not used for a week or so.

Challo

10,043 posts

154 months

Wednesday 21st November 2018
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Picked this up last night. Volvo 2.0T for all of £900.

124k but full service history, and it's in mint condition inside and out.


Parisien

622 posts

161 months

Wednesday 21st November 2018
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Challo said:
Picked this up last night. Volvo 2.0T for all of £900.

124k but full service history, and it's in mint condition inside and out.

Well done, great engine in these, an award winning one back in the day, best of the range and far less bothersome than some of the diesels

P

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Wednesday 21st November 2018
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I miss the 2.4T I picked up for £700!

Challo

10,043 posts

154 months

Wednesday 21st November 2018
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Parisien said:
Challo said:
Picked this up last night. Volvo 2.0T for all of £900.

124k but full service history, and it's in mint condition inside and out.

Well done, great engine in these, an award winning one back in the day, best of the range and far less bothersome than some of the diesels

P
It's certainly comfy, and I need to get used to having to use a clutch again.

Deep down I keep wondering if I should have bought the E46 but I think long term this might serve me better.

TonyRPH

12,963 posts

167 months

Thursday 22nd November 2018
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Challo said:
It's certainly comfy, and I need to get used to having to use a clutch again.

Deep down I keep wondering if I should have bought the E46 but I think long term this might serve me better.
I suspect the E46 would have given you far more problems than this in the short term (and even the long term!) - I reckon you made a good choice. (Speaking as a previous owner of two E46's....)

Emeye

9,773 posts

222 months

Thursday 22nd November 2018
quotequote all
Challo said:
Parisien said:
Challo said:
Picked this up last night. Volvo 2.0T for all of £900.

124k but full service history, and it's in mint condition inside and out.

Well done, great engine in these, an award winning one back in the day, best of the range and far less bothersome than some of the diesels

P
It's certainly comfy, and I need to get used to having to use a clutch again.

Deep down I keep wondering if I should have bought the E46 but I think long term this might serve me better.
Is it an SE? - if the stereo is the same as our XC90 it will sound fantastic, if almost impossible to connect a smartphone to for streaming audio, unless you go FM transmitter.

andburg

7,214 posts

168 months

Thursday 22nd November 2018
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Remember my s60 fondly, as mentioned the stereo is fantastic especially if you get one that has the factory upgrade!

phil_cardiff

7,043 posts

207 months

Thursday 22nd November 2018
quotequote all
Emeye said:
Challo said:
Parisien said:
Challo said:
Picked this up last night. Volvo 2.0T for all of £900.

124k but full service history, and it's in mint condition inside and out.

Well done, great engine in these, an award winning one back in the day, best of the range and far less bothersome than some of the diesels

P
It's certainly comfy, and I need to get used to having to use a clutch again.

Deep down I keep wondering if I should have bought the E46 but I think long term this might serve me better.
Is it an SE? - if the stereo is the same as our XC90 it will sound fantastic, if almost impossible to connect a smartphone to for streaming audio, unless you go FM transmitter.
Does it have a tape deck? I had a 9-5 aero with an upgraded Harman Kardon system but no usb or aux in.

The FM transmitter I tried was terrible but the Phillips aux to tape device delivered surprisingly good sound quality, not as good as the CD player but about level with the FM radio when playing 320kbps mp3s

Challo

10,043 posts

154 months

Thursday 22nd November 2018
quotequote all
phil_cardiff said:
Emeye said:
Challo said:
Parisien said:
Challo said:
Picked this up last night. Volvo 2.0T for all of £900.

124k but full service history, and it's in mint condition inside and out.

Well done, great engine in these, an award winning one back in the day, best of the range and far less bothersome than some of the diesels

P
It's certainly comfy, and I need to get used to having to use a clutch again.

Deep down I keep wondering if I should have bought the E46 but I think long term this might serve me better.
Is it an SE? - if the stereo is the same as our XC90 it will sound fantastic, if almost impossible to connect a smartphone to for streaming audio, unless you go FM transmitter.
Does it have a tape deck? I had a 9-5 aero with an upgraded Harman Kardon system but no usb or aux in.

The FM transmitter I tried was terrible but the Phillips aux to tape device delivered surprisingly good sound quality, not as good as the CD player but about level with the FM radio when playing 320kbps mp3s
It’s an SE with the HU-803 stereo. According to the book it’s the top model, but the drivers speaker is not working properly. It’s got a 4 CD auto changer in the head unit, but ideally would want to connect my phone.

Salmonofdoubt

1,413 posts

67 months

Thursday 22nd November 2018
quotequote all
Challo said:
It’s an SE with the HU-803 stereo. According to the book it’s the top model, but the drivers speaker is not working properly. It’s got a 4 CD auto changer in the head unit, but ideally would want to connect my phone.
Does it have the aux socket in the central arm rest? I had a later one that had one in there, you can then plug in a Bluetooth adapter and bobs your uncle.

BlueHave

4,636 posts

107 months

Friday 23rd November 2018
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Cheap winter hack, the old Mondeo MK3 in Downton Abbey spec.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/jaguar/jaguar-x-type-2.1...

I remember Clarkson hooning through the snow in an estate version many years ago.


TonyRPH

12,963 posts

167 months

Friday 23rd November 2018
quotequote all
BlueHave said:
Cheap winter hack, the old Mondeo MK3 in Downton Abbey spec.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/jaguar/jaguar-x-type-2.1...

I remember Clarkson hooning through the snow in an estate version many years ago.
9 previous keepers!!!!

princeperch

7,911 posts

246 months

Friday 23rd November 2018
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Well I'm coming up to go years ownership with my 300 quid xsara. It's all working ok but the gearbox bearings are making a very faint sound , so how much time I have left with her I don't know. Given I only do 2/3k a year she might rumble on for another year or so, or she might in,y have a few months left.

I'll be sad to see the old girl go.

The missus is angling for a newer and bigger car. The cheapskate in me still can't give up the bargain hunt so I'm currently scoping out Dacia Logan Mcv estates.

Huge boot and a tiny engine. Pick up one that's only 3/4 years old for between 4-5 grand.

or I might not be able to bring myself to do that and get another 300 quid shed.