Could You Change a Car Battery?

rorywquin

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Maybe it is the old farts like me that drove cars like 50/60s LandRovers, Minis, Renaults etc etc and were always working on their cars that feel confident to to these little jobs....my mechanical skills were learned because I could not afford to pay anyone else to do the work.....

However, I recently owned a Landcruiser 200 series V8 (which I had extensively modified for travel in the Australian outback) and to be honest, it was quite scary looking under the bonnet but luckily I never broke down.....very expensive getting a tow truck in the middle of nowhere
 

Frontstep

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Cars were more unreliable so someone had to fix them, garages are fine if you have one near but anyone who sits waiting for hours for a recovery person without having a cursory check and even these days on your phone for pointers gets little sympathy from me.
Clearly if you have a flat for example some will find it next to impossible to change physically.
Although I once did assist a wheelchair user who was quite a way through changing her wheel on her own.
Her answer was you get used to working things out when your in one of these.
Nice woman but swore constantly.
 

Westheath

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With customers these days most wait for a light on the dash to illuminate before they decide something needs attention.

The days are gone where you saw car owners in the street with the bonnet up checking oil, water and even tyres, let alone seeing anyone wash their own car of late.

Makes for some embarrassing visits to the workshop here and sometimes costly.
 

DREAMER NO2

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Nisan micra k12 purchased a new Lucas battery from Halfrauds and they said they would not chnge it over for me .I used a power pack connected to the + and - leads before i removed them from the old battery EARTH first
 

rorywquin

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With customers these days most wait for a light on the dash to illuminate before they decide something needs attention.

The days are gone where you saw car owners in the street with the bonnet up checking oil, water and even tyres, let alone seeing anyone wash their own car of late.

Makes for some embarrassing visits to the workshop here and sometimes costly.
Washed mine and the wife's this afternoon. I won't leave my car to anyone else to wash & I like the exercise...
 

John Laidlaw

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All about priorities...
Could I? Yes of course
Would I? Depends on (generally) the priorities of others on my time...these days that means generally no...
 

Craiglxviii

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Guilty!
Just so’s my 6yo twins and 8yo can have me playing taxi....;)

You & I both. My spare time is really precious to me.

Spend all day washing the cars, or........ spend all day with my family?
 

Frontstep

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My compromise was to take youth through hand car wash with me, he used to love it now he would probably just sigh.
 

Westheath

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Well I had 3 drive in customers today (un-booked),

No heater (low coolant).
No washers (empty washer bottle)
Oil light flashing (no oil on dipstick)

None of them knew how to open the bonnet.
 

L John

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Nisan micra k12 purchased a new Lucas battery from Halfrauds and they said they would not chnge it over for me .I used a power pack connected to the + and - leads before i removed them from the old battery EARTH first

You do know that when removing the +ve whilst the -ve is removed ,it will still short the power pack if the spanner touches metal body whilst spannering the +ve?
Best to use an insulated spanner, electricians tape covering the full spanner apart from the business end is effective.
 

umblecumbuz

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I paid my way through college by working at a gas station on an American base.

We were told to ask if we could check oil, etc on each car. A VW Beetle pulled in, and I asked the grunt if he'd like me to check the oil. Went round the back of the Beetle, and it needed a key to open the engine cover. Asked for the key and found that the ignition key didn't fit.
'Never had no other keys,' he said.

120k miles, with the engine not even seen!
 

rorywquin

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You & I both. My spare time is really precious to me.

Spend all day washing the cars, or........ spend all day with my family?

All day to wash two carso_O??

I'm retired :cool: and between my numerous hobbies, pastimes (washing cars is not one of them :)) I have loads of free time to visit family and do all those other good things.....

I hate driving a dirty car and I like the exercise.


Must go...... I'm off to put a fresh coat of sealant on my car.......... ;)
 

davemercedes

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Well I had 3 drive in customers today (un-booked),

No heater (low coolant).
No washers (empty washer bottle)
Oil light flashing (no oil on dipstick)

None of them knew how to open the bonnet.

The motor industry has been trying to get over the idea of a "sealed" unit - I remember one overpaid "export" wrote along the lines that "you wouldn't expect to put oil into your washing machine, so why should you have to put oil in your car! It's all part of the "dumbing down" scene... I suppose in the long run you could plan for a drive-in service line for things like the examples you've give given... could be a nice little earner !
 

rorywquin

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Nisan micra k12 purchased a new Lucas battery from Halfrauds and they said they would not chnge it over for me .I used a power pack connected to the + and - leads before i removed them from the old battery EARTH first


Good thinking.....I have a CTEK charger and it has a setting for that....keeps the car "alive" when the battery is removed....
 

littlebrooklyn

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I have no idea how to change a battery or a tyre, or where to put the screen wash, or how to put air in the tyres. I have enough trouble remembering how to put fuel in :D
 

EmilysDad

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I have no idea how to change a battery or a tyre, or where to put the screen wash, or how to put air in the tyres. I have enough trouble remembering how to put fuel in :D

Emily once phoned me at work to tell me bought screen wash but couldn't find where to put it. We ended up on a Whatsapp video call while she pointed her finger around the engine bay and I said up a bit ..... down a bit .... left a bit .... ala The Goldenshot :D I'll give her her dues, it's not obvious on her Seicento ;)
 

Westheath

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A VW Beetle pulled in, and I asked the grunt if he'd like me to check the oil.
Went round the back of the Beetle, and it needed a key to open the engine cover.
Asked for the key and found that the ignition key didn't fit.
'Never had no other keys,' he said.

120k miles, with the engine not even seen!

Well I doubt it, that air cooled engine uses oil ...... a lot.

Sometimes if the engines been pushed hard on a trip it can use a litre plus.

Some poetic licence being applied there methinks :)
 

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