Kwik Fit Free Car Battery Check
Discussion
My car (2001 VW Golf GTi) is starting upon the first turn of the key but, for several months, has been taking longer each time particularly over the recent cold spell, which is understandable.
Not very mechanically minded but thoughts are car battery, starter motor (and spark plugs?).
Thought I'd get the battery tested first as it is the original one from when the car was manufactured.
Is Kwik Fits battery check service any good or will they always find a fault in order to sell you a new battery?
Not very mechanically minded but thoughts are car battery, starter motor (and spark plugs?).
Thought I'd get the battery tested first as it is the original one from when the car was manufactured.
Is Kwik Fits battery check service any good or will they always find a fault in order to sell you a new battery?
Edited by SpeedBash on Sunday 9th January 23:12
If the battery is now 10 years old, it's likely to be near the end of it's useful life.
Your local Volkswagen TPS is likely to be the best VFM place to source a replacement. They'll offer you three options:
Quantum - around £35
Varta - around £48
Genuine Vw - around £85
They'll all come with a three year warranty. If you use your car every day for a decent mileage, I'd get the Quantum. If you use is for lower miles/short local trips, Varta. If you want to keep the car for another 10 years, genuine all the way.
Good luck.
Your local Volkswagen TPS is likely to be the best VFM place to source a replacement. They'll offer you three options:
Quantum - around £35
Varta - around £48
Genuine Vw - around £85
They'll all come with a three year warranty. If you use your car every day for a decent mileage, I'd get the Quantum. If you use is for lower miles/short local trips, Varta. If you want to keep the car for another 10 years, genuine all the way.
Good luck.
MJK 24 said:
If the battery is now 10 years old, it's likely to be near the end of it's useful life.
Your local Volkswagen TPS is likely to be the best VFM place to source a replacement. They'll offer you three options:
Quantum - around £35
Varta - around £48
Genuine Vw - around £85
They'll all come with a three year warranty. If you use your car every day for a decent mileage, I'd get the Quantum. If you use is for lower miles/short local trips, Varta. If you want to keep the car for another 10 years, genuine all the way.
Good luck.
Appreciate the advice - will take a look into this tomorrow.Your local Volkswagen TPS is likely to be the best VFM place to source a replacement. They'll offer you three options:
Quantum - around £35
Varta - around £48
Genuine Vw - around £85
They'll all come with a three year warranty. If you use your car every day for a decent mileage, I'd get the Quantum. If you use is for lower miles/short local trips, Varta. If you want to keep the car for another 10 years, genuine all the way.
Good luck.
miniman said:
Car battery & starter battery?
Apologies, that should have read starter motor - OP amended.But most importantly, for the love of God, if you do get the battery replaced or decide to get it "tested" - DO NOT go there. Ever.
You WILL walk out with your original battery showing as tested ok, but 4 new shock absorbers, two new exhausts, and 3 new tyres that were 20mm away from being "just on the limit, mate" ...
Buy and fit yourself, or go to a decent local indy.
You WILL walk out with your original battery showing as tested ok, but 4 new shock absorbers, two new exhausts, and 3 new tyres that were 20mm away from being "just on the limit, mate" ...
Buy and fit yourself, or go to a decent local indy.
So called my local TPS who advised they only sell the genuine VW battery at a cost of £86 + VAT.
Did a bit of further research and the Bosch Silver series of batteries appear to be well regarded.
Euro Car Parts quoted £70 all in for an S4 one but Car Batteries Online sell them for £60 delivered.
However, their warranty return policy is a faff if you need to claim so am going to try Costco and, failing that, will go to ECP.
Appreciate the all the advice and hopefully this should solve the problem.
And yes, I may not be too mechanically minded but I also know to steer well clear of Kwik Fit if at all possible.
Did a bit of further research and the Bosch Silver series of batteries appear to be well regarded.
Euro Car Parts quoted £70 all in for an S4 one but Car Batteries Online sell them for £60 delivered.
However, their warranty return policy is a faff if you need to claim so am going to try Costco and, failing that, will go to ECP.
Appreciate the all the advice and hopefully this should solve the problem.
And yes, I may not be too mechanically minded but I also know to steer well clear of Kwik Fit if at all possible.
Carrot said:
But most importantly, for the love of God, if you do get the battery replaced or decide to get it "tested" - DO NOT go there. Ever.
You WILL walk out with your original battery showing as tested ok, but 4 new shock absorbers, two new exhausts, and 3 new tyres that were 20mm away from being "just on the limit, mate" ...
Buy and fit yourself, or go to a decent local indy.
Interesting, in the 3 years I worked at kwik fit I never did this.You WILL walk out with your original battery showing as tested ok, but 4 new shock absorbers, two new exhausts, and 3 new tyres that were 20mm away from being "just on the limit, mate" ...
Buy and fit yourself, or go to a decent local indy.
and the battery tester is a Bosch BAT121, so it will accurately diagnose all manor of starting and charging issues. so you're in pretty safe hands.
SpeedBash said:
So called my local TPS who advised they only sell the genuine VW battery at a cost of £86 + VAT.
Did a bit of further research and the Bosch Silver series of batteries appear to be well regarded.
Euro Car Parts quoted £70 all in for an S4 one but Car Batteries Online sell them for £60 delivered.
However, their warranty return policy is a faff if you need to claim so am going to try Costco and, failing that, will go to ECP.
Appreciate the all the advice and hopefully this should solve the problem.
And yes, I may not be too mechanically minded but I also know to steer well clear of Kwik Fit if at all possible.
From what I've seen Costco have quite good prices on Bosch bateriesDid a bit of further research and the Bosch Silver series of batteries appear to be well regarded.
Euro Car Parts quoted £70 all in for an S4 one but Car Batteries Online sell them for £60 delivered.
However, their warranty return policy is a faff if you need to claim so am going to try Costco and, failing that, will go to ECP.
Appreciate the all the advice and hopefully this should solve the problem.
And yes, I may not be too mechanically minded but I also know to steer well clear of Kwik Fit if at all possible.
cuprabob said:
SpeedBash said:
So called my local TPS who advised they only sell the genuine VW battery at a cost of £86 + VAT.
Did a bit of further research and the Bosch Silver series of batteries appear to be well regarded.
Euro Car Parts quoted £70 all in for an S4 one but Car Batteries Online sell them for £60 delivered.
However, their warranty return policy is a faff if you need to claim so am going to try Costco and, failing that, will go to ECP.
Appreciate the all the advice and hopefully this should solve the problem.
And yes, I may not be too mechanically minded but I also know to steer well clear of Kwik Fit if at all possible.
From what I've seen Costco have quite good prices on Bosch bateriesDid a bit of further research and the Bosch Silver series of batteries appear to be well regarded.
Euro Car Parts quoted £70 all in for an S4 one but Car Batteries Online sell them for £60 delivered.
However, their warranty return policy is a faff if you need to claim so am going to try Costco and, failing that, will go to ECP.
Appreciate the all the advice and hopefully this should solve the problem.
And yes, I may not be too mechanically minded but I also know to steer well clear of Kwik Fit if at all possible.
Saw Costco mentioned in various motoring forum posts but the posts were several months old.
SpeedBash said:
cuprabob said:
SpeedBash said:
So called my local TPS who advised they only sell the genuine VW battery at a cost of £86 + VAT.
Did a bit of further research and the Bosch Silver series of batteries appear to be well regarded.
Euro Car Parts quoted £70 all in for an S4 one but Car Batteries Online sell them for £60 delivered.
However, their warranty return policy is a faff if you need to claim so am going to try Costco and, failing that, will go to ECP.
Appreciate the all the advice and hopefully this should solve the problem.
And yes, I may not be too mechanically minded but I also know to steer well clear of Kwik Fit if at all possible.
From what I've seen Costco have quite good prices on Bosch bateriesDid a bit of further research and the Bosch Silver series of batteries appear to be well regarded.
Euro Car Parts quoted £70 all in for an S4 one but Car Batteries Online sell them for £60 delivered.
However, their warranty return policy is a faff if you need to claim so am going to try Costco and, failing that, will go to ECP.
Appreciate the all the advice and hopefully this should solve the problem.
And yes, I may not be too mechanically minded but I also know to steer well clear of Kwik Fit if at all possible.
Saw Costco mentioned in various motoring forum posts but the posts were several months old.
Cost Captain said:
Interesting, in the 3 years I worked at kwik fit I never did this.
I am surprised you lasted a week with a company attitude like that, your manager must have been seriously slacking.Cost Captain said:
. so you're in pretty safe hands.
Apologies in advance, nothing personal, normally I am very open to opinion and I have changed a lot of my views in the past from statements and other peoples opinions on here on many issues, however there are two motor related companies on this earth that NOTHING will ever change my opinion of.
That is the garage that fits things in a rather kwik manner, and a Nationwide chain of Autocentres that are rather common.
Both need to go out of business, before they harm any more people or their possessions.
As I, and thankfully others, have said on here before, I would rather lose a whole days income than have to go to them (which, once I have actually had to do...)
A breakers yard will often sell you a nearly new battery for £10-15. Many have a date stamp, so you can tell just how old it is. I've been buying them from my local scrappy for years. I've yet to have a problem.
Alternatively, buy one from your local motor factors (Cafco et al) - they're usually pretty reasonable. Even main dealers can be quite reasonable.
Do not buy from Halfords or Kwik Fit!!
Alternatively, buy one from your local motor factors (Cafco et al) - they're usually pretty reasonable. Even main dealers can be quite reasonable.
Do not buy from Halfords or Kwik Fit!!
The previous winter I took the car in for a battery check at an indy (it's an auto so better be safe than sorry as no bump starting).
The car started fine and was only years old then but it has a tiny battery and does lots of short trips with ac and lights on so I thought best to get it checked.
The indy said it was ok for now but was likely to need replacement as the charge was not 100%. I declined to take a new battery at the time and ran until the summer when the car went into Honda for it's last service under warranty - Honda replaced the a better free of charge under warranty saying whilst it started fine it was not in the best condition- nice result then.
I don't think the Indy was lying to me then and Honda weren't as they paid the bill but it is a bit of grey areas deciding when a battery will fail - it seems that modern batteries are only good for about 3-4 years.
In your case I would shop around for the best deal and replace as you have had good use from it (if it is 10yrs old) and the money spent now will save you some hassle if it does die on you suddenly (unless you have another car that you can use if this one leaves you stranded and are not fussed about hooking up jumper leads or bump starting).
I think the Kwik Fit test result will be 'the battery is ok but as it is old it could go at any time so best replace it'.
The car started fine and was only years old then but it has a tiny battery and does lots of short trips with ac and lights on so I thought best to get it checked.
The indy said it was ok for now but was likely to need replacement as the charge was not 100%. I declined to take a new battery at the time and ran until the summer when the car went into Honda for it's last service under warranty - Honda replaced the a better free of charge under warranty saying whilst it started fine it was not in the best condition- nice result then.
I don't think the Indy was lying to me then and Honda weren't as they paid the bill but it is a bit of grey areas deciding when a battery will fail - it seems that modern batteries are only good for about 3-4 years.
In your case I would shop around for the best deal and replace as you have had good use from it (if it is 10yrs old) and the money spent now will save you some hassle if it does die on you suddenly (unless you have another car that you can use if this one leaves you stranded and are not fussed about hooking up jumper leads or bump starting).
I think the Kwik Fit test result will be 'the battery is ok but as it is old it could go at any time so best replace it'.
Carrot said:
Cost Captain said:
Interesting, in the 3 years I worked at kwik fit I never did this.
I am surprised you lasted a week with a company attitude like that, your manager must have been seriously slacking.Cost Captain said:
. so you're in pretty safe hands.
Apologies in advance, nothing personal, normally I am very open to opinion and I have changed a lot of my views in the past from statements and other peoples opinions on here on many issues, however there are two motor related companies on this earth that NOTHING will ever change my opinion of.
That is the garage that fits things in a rather kwik manner, and a Nationwide chain of Autocentres that are rather common.
Both need to go out of business, before they harm any more people or their possessions.
As I, and thankfully others, have said on here before, I would rather lose a whole days income than have to go to them (which, once I have actually had to do...)
Got two front tyres and tracking done there a few years ago. Steering totaly fecked up and car pulled to the left. 9 goes (yes nine seperate saturday morning visits) to fix it and better but still pulls. They finally gave up and and told me it must be something else rather than tracking (car was fine before they touched it!).
9 months later and the new tyres have the left edge of the tread worn off. Different garage fit two new tyres, and do tracking, the car is magically now fine, and the tyres are still good 2 years later.
Kwick Fit will not even refund me the tracking cost, they say its nothing to do with them.
Cost Captain said:
Interesting, in the 3 years I worked at kwik fit ...
... so you're in pretty safe hands.
Yep, apart from the minor fact you're in K. Fit ...... so you're in pretty safe hands.
I had a runflat replaced (in fact a pair) on my then Mini, they didn't inflate the offside at all ... No I couldn't tell as I'd reset the tyre indicator.
Not only that, when they replaced the tyre the put the next one on the wrong way round ...
Oh, and when I got home, I found they had damaged the wheel rim quite badly ...
... and, when I went to get the the tyre re-fitted the right way round (by a different KF centre) they found the type had been so badly damaged when fitted they were amazed it held air ...
So, yes, you're in safe hands ...
Edited by mph999 on Tuesday 11th January 12:50
Edited by mph999 on Tuesday 11th January 12:53
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