Could Cost You: $120 - $350
Upsell: “When’s the last time you had your battery replaced? We have a special deal on new batteries right now.”
Batteries are expensive, so they make great things to add onto an RO, repair order in shop language, or ticket to easily increase your bill by $120-$350. Never blindly purchase a battery because you are told it is bad. Always ask why. What is the battery’s resting voltage? What is the voltage with the vehicle running? Use the tips below to see if your battery is really in need of replacement.
What you need to know:
-Your battery’s resting voltage should be between 12.0 and 13.1 volts, and when your car is running, it should be between 13.7 and 14.7 volts
-Use the FIXD app to check your batteries resting voltage and track your battery replacement dates
-Most batteries will last 3-5 years depending on the battery and your vehicle.
-If a shop is recommending you replace your battery, ask them to show you the results of the load test they performed & compare the results to your own personal check using the guidelines below.
-Take a look at your battery, you will see “CCA” followed by a number (this is the cold cranking amps of your battery)
-Divide this number by two on your calculator to get the right load for your battery load test (EX: if the battery label reads CCA 500, then divide 500 by 2 to get 250)
-This is how much load the mechanic should put on the battery and they should show you the results
-If the results of the test are 20% lower than the halfway mark (lower than 200 in our example case), it is time to replace your battery
How to respond:
Your response: “I’m not sure off the top of my head, but my car still starts fine. Did you perform a load test? If so, can you show me the results?”
