battery sticker shock

[itsbob]

anyone bought a battery lately?

been about 6 years since I had to buy one, what the hell happened to the price of batteries? used to get one for 29 bucks or so.
I just spent 119.00 for a die hard for my Lincoln Town Car.
Thats like more than the car is worth.

That's because you didn't buy the battery, you bought the warranty..

I think BG"s battery cost about $35....maybe $40..

 

[huntr1]

Something to think about next time I go to buy a new vehicle. Locate battery.

I never would have thought that I'd have to break out a manual to find the damn battery. With everything installed, you cannot see the battery at all.

 

[desertrat]

I never would have thought that I'd have to break out a manual to find the damn battery. With everything installed, you cannot see the battery at all.

Thats even worse than a Sebring. You can just see one terminal through a little hole in the wheel well.

 

[Oz]

Lead prices have increased tremendously over the last year. Battery manufacturers have increased their prices 3 times (East Penn) during that same period. That said, you could have purchased the right battery for your Town Car in the $60-$80 price range depending on group and CCA rating, had you visited a real auto parts store. (Not one of the chains!)

 

[Bruzilla]

I buy all my batteries at Wal Mart for $40 or so, and the ones for my Crown Vic are the same as for the Town Car. Most people over-buy their batteries anyway. They think that paying more for more amps or more CCAs is going to give them some performance benefit, but unless you are running a lot of electronics, or living in Alaska or Montana, they really don't.

The other benefit of buying from Wal Mart is that is the battery ever goes dead you can get it replaced at any Wal Mart and you don't need to keep the paperwork. All they do is scan the bar code on the battery and they can tell when it was bought, how much warranty is left, etc.

 

[Mousebaby]

I never would have thought that I'd have to break out a manual to find the damn battery. With everything installed, you cannot see the battery at all.

I know how you feel about the weird battery placement. Mine is in my trunk under the carpet where the spare is in my Charger!

 

[Floyd2004]

I know how you feel about the weird battery placement. Mine is in my trunk under the carpet where the spare is in my Charger!

Yup, I think Dodge is trying to toss them all back there.

Grand Prix's and Lluminas are hard to change the batts on too.

 

[huntr1]

I know how you feel about the weird battery placement. Mine is in my trunk under the carpet where the spare is in my Charger!

On the Focus it is right up front, plain as day in the engine compartment. Now if I could only figure out why my AC is draining onto the floor instead of out the hose thru the firewall.

 

[itsbob]

On the Focus it is right up front, plain as day in the engine compartment. Now if I could only figure out why my AC is draining onto the floor instead of out the hose thru the firewall.

Run a shot of compressed air up through the drain hose.. OR straighten up a wire hanger to run up through the hose.. THEN, maybe a little bit of bleach into the "bucket" to kill all the algae..

 

[Nupe2]

Run a shot of compressed air up through the drain hose.. OR straighten up a wire hanger to run up through the hose.. THEN, maybe a little bit of bleach into the "bucket" to kill all the algae..

My son had to do that last week. My battery is under the rear seat (2003 MB E320).

 

[Floyd2004]

On the Focus it is right up front, plain as day in the engine compartment. Now if I could only figure out why my AC is draining onto the floor instead of out the hose thru the firewall.

Your AC drain is clogged... wire hanger works fine

 

[Ponytail]

Your AC drain is clogged... wire hanger works fine

normally is a soft rubber tube hangin from the firewall with a pinched end that is supposed to keep debris and critters from crawling up into it. But works GREAT to catch that stuff and keep it from falling out!

 

[huntr1]

Figured the drain was clogged. Crawled up under the car on Sunday and shoved a piece of really skinny wire up the hose (only piece of wire I could find, and we have no wire hangers in the house). Gonna try w/ heavier guage wire once I find it in the basement. After that, I'll try the compressed air trick. It does not seem to be getting quite as wet since I wired it on Sunday.

 

[Ponytail]

Figured the drain was clogged. Crawled up under the car on Sunday and shoved a piece of really skinny wire up the hose (only piece of wire I could find, and we have no wire hangers in the house). Gonna try w/ heavier guage wire once I find it in the basement. After that, I'll try the compressed air trick. It does not seem to be getting quite as wet since I wired it on Sunday.

It's not nearly as humid as it was though either. you might be able to clear it out just by flexing and rolling the tube and working the stuff outta there. that's what I've always done to my vehicles, though, I've only ever owned three that had AC, and all were trucks. :shrug: