Discussion
My DB11 was collected on Monday by my local AM dealer. for a service next day. I get a phone call on Tuesday to say that when they went to move the car into the workshop, the battery was completely dead and needed a new one. To be fair, the existing battery was five years old but sits on a trickle charger while resting between trips and had no previous problems. They quoted £487 inc VAT to fit a new one.
I said not prepared to pay that and would get the car collected by my breakdown cover. Oh, hang on a minute, let's see what we can do on the price. It dropped to £320 inc VAT. Halfords one about £200 with fitting. For the sake of £100ish, agreed to have them supply and fit battery, which is an AM one, not from a motor factor. It's not the money, but a principle.
Question- do batteries just die? I had assumed first warnings would be struggling to turn over/start the engine
I said not prepared to pay that and would get the car collected by my breakdown cover. Oh, hang on a minute, let's see what we can do on the price. It dropped to £320 inc VAT. Halfords one about £200 with fitting. For the sake of £100ish, agreed to have them supply and fit battery, which is an AM one, not from a motor factor. It's not the money, but a principle.
Question- do batteries just die? I had assumed first warnings would be struggling to turn over/start the engine
funboxster said:
Thanks for that NM. I was fairly sure AM just added a profit margin onto whichever company's battery they use. The manual recommends a Banner one.
Of course, as does every car manufacturer. Being a higher end car, the markup is also at the higher end too...FWIW, mine died fairly suddenly too when it was 4yrs old (just over a year ago now). I paid £294 from AM main dealer, likewise for the £100 or so markup and having the genuine OEM part I paid up.
NMNeil said:
They do die, and often at the most inopportune moments.
AM don't make batteries, and I can't find out who does, but in all likelihood they are made in China or India for the lowest price.
Agree, my one died in my Volvo, just a clunk sound, RAC man came around checked said it’s dead. New one £180 6 mom that Fo.AM don't make batteries, and I can't find out who does, but in all likelihood they are made in China or India for the lowest price.
For me, it's just too much of a coincidence and far too much of a piss-take on price. I'd be tempted to get the car recovered to somewhere trustworthy and put on a charger. At least that way they'd know not to mess you around in the future. So glad I have no need to use the main dealer network.
funboxster said:
Thanks for that NM. I was fairly sure AM just added a profit margin onto whichever company's battery they use. The manual recommends a Banner one.
AM, like most automobile manufacturers these days, make practically nothing that goes on their automobiles, especially anything electrical where it's ALL made in china. they design most of the exterior and interior, but most companies don't even have stamping plants to stamp out the hoods and fenders, and then hire third party companies to make the stuff. or in many cases they simply buy the exact same goods that other car manufacturers buy and stuff them in their own packaging and charge whatever the market will bear. they don't have plants like ford's "River Rouge" plant where they used to bring iron ore, rubber, and wool in one end of the assembly line and the car comes out the other end completely built.
manufacturers are primarily sometime-designers and assemblers of parts these days from third party companies that in turn have fourth party companies that make the parts in many cases.although as an OEM supplier to chrysler in the 80's i know that they still had foundry, glass, axle and stamping plants here in north america, U.S., Canada and Mexico back then. today? well chrysler has been passed around by a number of suitors since my time, so there's no telling....
but about that battery...
most likely, the service center did not put the battery on a charger overnight like you do, and possibly worked on the car with the door open, or had trouble starting it and the five year-old battery finally showed its age.
Edited by hueyhoolihan on Wednesday 10th November 18:53
The last time my battery went it was the day I was due to take the car in to my local AM MD to have the tracker replaced……the original tracker conked out, caused a few electrical gremlins over the course of a couple of weeks, and decided to fully discharge the battery the very day it was booked in. Just can’t make it up at times!
Best Regards
Minglar
Best Regards
Minglar
I have a couple of oldtimers and as a rule i change the batteries every 3 years despite the fact that they sit on trickle chargers when not in use. I usually go to a Bosch Service garage and they charge around £ 200 for a new battery. That is small money compared to the hassle of sitting in a car with a dead battery somewhere in the sticks. And batteries do „collapse“ suddenly.
F1NDW said:
Does anyone ever rip those sealed for life stickers off and check the battery acid level? No? that's why they last 4 years and are toast.
Well mine's 8 years old, has never been on a trickle charger, is used regularly and still works fine. It might fall over tomorrow but given how simple they are (some lead and some acid) I'm not sure how they would suddenly "die", especially when in close proximity to an AML main dealer workshop
funboxster said:
Question- do batteries just die? I had assumed first warnings would be struggling to turn over/start the engine
Just chipping in with evidence that they do indeed just die. My old diesel V70 just suddenly stopped about 400 yards from home. No warning lights, no indications there was an issue, it just died at the roadside and rolled to a stop. RAC man came out (after the usual wait), diagnosed an alternator problem, and trailered the car to my dealer. Next day the dealer did an investigation, said the alternator was fine (which confirmed my suspicions) but the battery had died and the car just needed a new one. New battery fitted and the car was fine for years after.
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