The battery is a vital component of your car, providing start up power and keeping your on-board electronics running when in use. Every several years, you will need to replace your car battery. The question then becomes: which century battery should you go for? Read on to see what you need to consider when it's time to replace your car battery:
What type of car do you have?
First you need to evaluate the size of your car. The right battery needs to fit correctly and the cables need to reach the terminals without stretching.. Normally different types of cars accommodate different battery sizes. If you're not sure about this, replace your battery with a similar size of what you had before. Be sure to also check where the battery terminals are, some have them at the top and others on the side
How much battery power do you need?
You need to ensure the battery you choose can provide enough power to start your car. Bigger cars have larger engines and therefore need bigger batteries. This means SUVs, 4WDS and trucks will need bigger engines than saloon cars. Check the cold cranking amps, abbreviated as CCA to ensure the battery you're getting can provide enough starting power to your car. If unsure, consult your car manual.
What do you use your car for?
Also evaluate the unique needs of your car. If you use your car for hard driving such as off road driving, look for a battery with a hard casing to prevent vibration damage. If your car mostly makes short trips, your battery may not always have enough time to charge properly. If that's the case with you, choose a battery with higher amp hours or reserve capacity (RC). This refers to how long your battery can keep your vehicle powered without charging. If you go for long periods without using your car or have demanding electronics needs, batteries with Absorbed Glass Matt (AGM) technology will hold charge for longer. This will keep your battery from draining completely.
Low-maintenance Vs maintenance-free batteries
Today, most batteries can be differentiated by whether they need maintenance or not. Maintenance batteries need to be topped up with distilled water periodically. Maintenance-free batteries do not. The choice between these two is purely yours to make. Of course, maintenance-free batteries are more reliable. However, they do cost more than their counterparts.
Battery lifespan
The other consideration you need to make is how long your battery will last. Of course, you want your battery to last as long as possible. Check the lifespan of your battery before purchase. Most are rated to last between 4-5 years. A good indicator is the warranty period which is normally on the battery package.
Once you get your new battery, ensure to have it checked every 1-2 years to avoid corrosion and low-voltage problems.
Share6 July 2015
It's easy to get overlooked when you head into get your car serviced if you are a woman. I have found the trick to getting the auto repairers to take me seriously is to do some research beforehand and look at what the log book says they need to replace this service. I wish I had started doing it earlier because it's also helping me trouble shoot repair issues and I'm saving myself a lot of time and stress this way. I'm keeping track of everything I have learned on this blog so I can share it with other new drivers and help them understand their auto service requirements as well.