MR2 Roadster Owners Club

The Workshop => Maintenance, Problems & Troubleshooting => Topic started by: househead on March 22, 2020, 10:21

Title: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 22, 2020, 10:21
Mine is looking to be pretty dead by now and I think it's time for a replacement. Jump start and 50 mins spirited driving last night and this morning she doesn't want to start.

I'm not too bothered about getting the best or cheapest or lightest. Just want something that will do the job and won't have me cashing in on a warranty in a years time.

Halfords (unlike eurocrapparts) *should* be open today.

They have a "Yuasa HSB053 Silver 12V Car Battery 5 Year Guarantee" Priced at £100

How does that fare?
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: shnazzle on March 22, 2020, 10:26
Quote from: househead on March 22, 2020, 10:21Mine is looking to be pretty dead by now and I think it's time for a replacement. Jump start and 50 mins spirited driving last night and this morning she doesn't want to start.

I'm not too bothered about getting the best or cheapest or lightest. Just want something that will do the job and won't have me cashing in on a warranty in a years time.

Halfords (unlike eurocrapparts) *should* be open today.

They have a "Yuasa HSB053 Silver 12V Car Battery 5 Year Guarantee" Priced at £100

How does that fare?
It's a bit steep I'd say. I thibk I paid 80 and that was expensive, in Halfords. Online has it for 65 I believe if you dig
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 10:27
Quote from: househead on March 22, 2020, 10:21Mine is looking to be pretty dead by now and I think it's time for a replacement. Jump start and 50 mins spirited driving last night and this morning she doesn't want to start.

I'm not too bothered about getting the best or cheapest or lightest. Just want something that will do the job and won't have me cashing in on a warranty in a years time.

Halfords (unlike eurocrapparts) *should* be open today.



How does that fare?


That's the brand I have, unsure of my ref number. Had that for a few years now, bought the same brand for my daily.
The 2 is trickle charged over winter. As is my daily now, as has been used only once and 2x 7 miles in last 2 weeks.

Cost, I paid around £70 but perhaps 3 years ago so I would go with Halfords as it is readily available.
Maintain social distancing!!

Edit
Yuasa  Silver YBX5053 £54.41 12V  48 AH 430CCA 5 year guarantee. 29/03/ 2016
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 10:47
As above, my 2 is garaged and my ( more expensive daily) is on the drive!
This means that the 2's rear engine/ battery is near the garage door. My front engine/ battery daily is nose up to the garage door.
This means that I can jump start one from the other if needed, and it has been, and currently the daily is on charge with the cable under the garage door.
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 22, 2020, 10:47
They also do a Halfords own brand one for £80 but I figured the branded one would be better.

£65 is a big saving off £100. Maybe I'm best resigning myself to fixing up later in the week.

Yesterday was a bad day ... went from two perfectly working cars to two not quite working ones. Battery done in the MR2 so went for a drive in my golf (had been planning to take the hardtop off the 2 but so be it). As luck would have it, managed to blow a tire on some awful country road and had to change it on a tight 2 way road with a blind bend behind and a blind crest in front.
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 10:52
@househead , I have heard that Halfords sometimes price match, maybe not on line prices , I got mine from a Marina supplier near a local canal. They supply boats and recreational vehicles, is there such a place near you? If there is and they advertise their prices but aren't open today , maybe Halfords would match that.
Maybe!
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: Chilli Girl on March 22, 2020, 10:53
My bike mechanic swears by the Yuasa battery. I've only had to replace mine once in 12 biking years!
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 22, 2020, 10:56
Quote from: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 10:52@househead , I have heard that Halfords sometimes price match, maybe not on line prices , I got mine from a Marina supplier near a local canal. They supply boats and recreational vehicles, is there such a place near you? If there is and they advertise their prices but aren't open today , maybe Halfords would match that.
Maybe!

Not sure if we'd have something like that in Lewisham / surrounding but I'll take a look. Found the same batt on amazon for £60 but the delivery timescale is like last week in April. Not waiting that long :) fair to see I will find it somewhere more suitable for less than £100 though!
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: shnazzle on March 22, 2020, 11:06
I replaced the Halfords HB53 that was in my car with the Yuasa.  It still works, it's in Helen's car now as her's went totally dead. Have a brand new replacement Halfords waiting. 

Anyway, the Halfords from mine has been in there for as long as I've had the car (5 years?) and probably a good while before that so, they're good. 
The Yuasa is definitely more powerful. Car starts quicker.
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: Topdownman on March 22, 2020, 11:08
Delivery is added at checkout...

https://www.thebatteryshop.co.uk/yuasa-12v-50ah-450a-silver-car-battery-ybx5053-hsb053-8583-p.asp
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 22, 2020, 11:12
Quote from: Topdownman on March 22, 2020, 11:08Delivery is added at checkout...

https://www.thebatteryshop.co.uk/yuasa-12v-50ah-450a-silver-car-battery-ybx5053-hsb053-8583-p.asp

~£66 delivered. I'll probably go with this. More of a pain to return via warranty but I'd be silly to pay 50% more just to get it today and have an easy life returning it.
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: SV-3 on March 22, 2020, 11:45
Quote from: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 10:47As above, my 2 is garaged and my ( more expensive daily) is on the drive!
This means that the 2's rear engine/ battery is near the garage door. My front engine/ battery daily is nose up to the garage door.
This means that I can jump start one from the other if needed, and it has been, and currently the daily is on charge with the cable under the garage door.
Snap 8)
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 22, 2020, 12:12
Quote from: SV-3 on March 22, 2020, 11:45
Quote from: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 10:47As above, my 2 is garaged and my ( more expensive daily) is on the drive!
This means that the 2's rear engine/ battery is near the garage door. My front engine/ battery daily is nose up to the garage door.
This means that I can jump start one from the other if needed, and it has been, and currently the daily is on charge with the cable under the garage door.
Snap 8)

I would do something like this but my garage is over 2 miles away. That's a lot of voltage drop :D
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: Carolyn on March 22, 2020, 12:14
Quote from: househead on March 22, 2020, 12:12
Quote from: SV-3 on March 22, 2020, 11:45
Quote from: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 10:47As above, my 2 is garaged and my ( more expensive daily) is on the drive!
This means that the 2's rear engine/ battery is near the garage door. My front engine/ battery daily is nose up to the garage door.
This means that I can jump start one from the other if needed, and it has been, and currently the daily is on charge with the cable under the garage door.
Snap 8)

I would do something like this but my garage is over 2 miles away. That's a lot of voltage drop :D
Do your new battery a favour and put an isolator on it (if you haven't already!!
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 22, 2020, 12:17
Quote from: Carolyn on March 22, 2020, 12:14
Quote from: househead on March 22, 2020, 12:12
Quote from: SV-3 on March 22, 2020, 11:45
Quote from: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 10:47As above, my 2 is garaged and my ( more expensive daily) is on the drive!
This means that the 2's rear engine/ battery is near the garage door. My front engine/ battery daily is nose up to the garage door.
This means that I can jump start one from the other if needed, and it has been, and currently the daily is on charge with the cable under the garage door.
Snap 8)

I would do something like this but my garage is over 2 miles away. That's a lot of voltage drop :D
Do your new battery a favour and put an isolator on it (if you haven't already!!

I bought one of those way, way back and now even after going through all my tools and purchases to try and gain some order, I can't find the damn thing :( hopefully will turn up eventually or I'll buy a new one, which will force the original one to stop being invisible I'm sure.
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: shnazzle on March 22, 2020, 12:22
Quote from: Carolyn on March 22, 2020, 12:14
Quote from: househead on March 22, 2020, 12:12
Quote from: SV-3 on March 22, 2020, 11:45
Quote from: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 10:47As above, my 2 is garaged and my ( more expensive daily) is on the drive!
This means that the 2's rear engine/ battery is near the garage door. My front engine/ battery daily is nose up to the garage door.
This means that I can jump start one from the other if needed, and it has been, and currently the daily is on charge with the cable under the garage door.
Snap 8)

I would do something like this but my garage is over 2 miles away. That's a lot of voltage drop :D
Do your new battery a favour and put an isolator on it (if you haven't already!!
I never realised how much power the car uses just standing there. The isolator has made a huge difference. Given the current climate, I'm going to put one on mine as well as it's unlikely to be used much now
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: H1GRM on March 22, 2020, 12:43
Sounds good so what isolator is recommended?
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: shnazzle on March 22, 2020, 13:12
Quote from: H1GRM on March 22, 2020, 12:43Sounds good so what isolator is recommended?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163433279770


Does the trick just fine
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 13:17
Quote from: househead on March 22, 2020, 10:47They also do a Halfords own brand one for £80 but I figured the branded one would be better.

£65 is a big saving off £100. Maybe I'm best resigning myself to fixing up later in the week.

Yesterday was a bad day ... went from two perfectly working cars to two not quite working ones. Battery done in the MR2 so went for a drive in my golf (had been planning to take the hardtop off the 2 but so be it). As luck would have it, managed to blow a tire on some awful country road and had to change it on a tight 2 way road with a blind bend behind and a blind crest in front.

As you may know I read about a lot of thoughts and quotations from great people of the past. As yet I have not seen it written that when things are not going  well they will not continue in that downward direction!
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: tricky1138 on March 22, 2020, 14:01
Quote from: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 10:52@househead , I have heard that Halfords sometimes price match, maybe not on line prices , I got mine from a Marina supplier near a local canal. They supply boats and recreational vehicles, is there such a place near you? If there is and they advertise their prices but aren't open today , maybe Halfords would match that.
Maybe!

I also recently bought the Yuasa YBX5053.

Went to Halfords too and it was £100. They now say they won't price match online prices, only local suppliers circa 3 miles I think.

I got mine from a local one in Durham for £65. Def worth the savings!
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 22, 2020, 14:29
Quote from: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 13:17As you may know I read about a lot of thoughts and quotations from great people of the past. As yet I have not seen it written that when things are not going  well they will not continue in that downward direction!

It actually had me thinking that on balance of probabilities that I was/am now due some good luck. That was, until when explaining the situation to my mother and she came out with the oft overused "it comes in threes" :D

In the end it's just minor stuff to deal with and not a major inconvenience. Given such times as now I'm thankful these are the sorts of things I'm grappling with!
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 22, 2020, 14:33
Quote from: tricky1138 on March 22, 2020, 14:01I also recently bought the Yuasa YBX5053.

Went to Halfords too and it was £100. They now say they won't price match online prices, only local suppliers circa 3 miles I think.

I got mine from a local one in Durham for £65. Def worth the savings!

Ordered it online with thebatteryshop for delivery 1-3 working days @66. I can do without the car for a few days, even if they are sunny ones :(

As for the Golf, that's booked in for 2 fresh rears tomorrow aft. Had the fronts done very recently so fresh rubber all round.
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 17:00
Quote from: househead on March 22, 2020, 14:33
Quote from: tricky1138 on March 22, 2020, 14:01I also recently bought the Yuasa YBX5053.

Went to Halfords too and it was £100. They now say they won't price match online prices, only local suppliers circa 3 miles I think.

I got mine from a local one in Durham for £65. Def worth the savings!

Ordered it online with thebatteryshop for delivery 1-3 working days @66. I can do without the car for a few days, even if they are sunny ones :(

As for the Golf, that's booked in for 2 fresh rears tomorrow aft. Had the fronts done very recently so fresh rubber all round.

Now, that's something ( else) to chew over concerning cars in general.
In the olden day's with front engine rear wheel drive and non radial tyres the wheels were recommended to be changed front to rear to even out wear.
When radial ply tyres became popular together with front engine front wheel drive cars that all changed. I believe it's not recommended now to " even out" tyre wear, and certainly not on or 2's with different sized wheels.
With a front wheel drive car, as many popular cars are today, the front tyres do wear quicker than the rears.
In relatively recent times I have heard " advice that new tyre should be fitted to the rear when changing just two. The theory, apparently that with new tyres on the front the front grips more than the rear so the rear can lose grip and can come around to meet the front.
For those old enough to remember, the phrase "Does the team think "*that new tyres should be fitted to the front , the rear or the driven wheels?

*For the younger readers-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Does_the_Team_Think%3F
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: Topdownman on March 22, 2020, 17:16
The reasons I remember hearing for putting the new tyres on the rear at a tyre place were, most skids are rear wheel ones so makes sense to have the better gripping tyres there. Also that on the front, at least you have steering to have some input if things do get out of shape whereas you have nothing for the rear.

Not so sure about the 2nd one personally as it implies your driver inputs only affect the front rather than the whole car.

Of course stopping/steering ability in an emergency has not been mentioned!
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 22, 2020, 18:01
When I got those fronts done, which is only about 1k miles / few weeks ago, the rears still had >4.5mm tread on them. I was going to have the rears moved to the front and replace the rears but I let a friend talk me out of it. He suggested the driven and steering wheels would be more suitable to have the newer ones. One of the fronts get badly damaged by a naughty kerb and I figured best to replace in pairs. The fronts had more like ~3mm left on them.

Having had all four of them done (by tomorrow) within a few weeks of each other, I get to reconsider what the right approach should be for a fwd. nice fresh start! All four originals were the ones I bought it with, 1yr / 8k miles ago.
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 18:12
Quote from: househead on March 22, 2020, 18:01When I got those fronts done, which is only about 1k miles / few weeks ago, the rears still had >4.5mm tread on them. I was going to have the rears moved to the front and replace the rears but I let a friend talk me out of it. He suggested the driven and steering wheels would be more suitable to have the newer ones. One of the fronts get badly damaged by a naughty kerb and I figured best to replace in pairs. The fronts had more like ~3mm left on them.

Having had all four of them done (by tomorrow) within a few weeks of each other, I get to reconsider what the right approach should be for a fwd. nice fresh start! All four originals were the ones I bought it with, 1yr / 8k miles ago.


Another reason why low mileage doesn't necessarily mean the car has not been driven "hard"😉
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 22, 2020, 18:22
Quote from: Joesson on March 22, 2020, 18:12Another reason why low mileage doesn't necessarily mean the car has not been driven "hard"😉

:D not guilty ... it wasn't brand new. 10k / 2.5 years old when I got it.
Title: Re: Batteries
Post by: househead on March 24, 2020, 16:33
Battery has arrived and is now fitted. It works. Not much else to say :)

Golf has two new tyres as of yesterday. Seems like I was lucky that I sorted it quickly. The garage was going to close tomorrow but I assume after last night's updated measures that they've not been open today.