battery recommendation

[salthepal]

I've decided to replace battery on Sep 2001 E320CDi automatic estate since there has been a problem with automatic gearchange when the vehicle is cold. The alternator and gearbox have been chacked and they are fine.
Does anyone have any makes they can recommend (rather not go to local MB dealer because they are not very good and expensive).
Thanks.

 

[Blobcat]

Hi & Welcome

You could try an MB commercial dealer, alternatively find a Varta dealer. There has been a few posts on this recently, pls have a search on the forum.

 

[television]

The battery has a little effect on the gearbox,other things would show up before the gearbox was effected, since it runs on the alternator.

Malcolm

 

[carabind]

If you want to look at an "economy" option, Macro do Exide batteries under a makro brand.

 

[puter]

My advice is to go for a Fulman. These are manufactured in Germany but are stocked by many battery outfits in UK.
See my post 7 Dec 06.

 

[Iain the gadget]

Try these www.tayna.co.uk

 

[turnipsock]

If you want to look at an "economy" option, Macro do Exide batteries under a makro brand.

I was going suggest Exide batterys, I drove past Macro to get one...doh!

 

[salthepal]

Thanks for all your replies. In the end I went for a Varta with 4 yr guarantee, bought from and fitted by National Tyres. (£109 inclusive).

The most important thing though is that the automatic gearbox is now working perfectly from a cold start. So no longer do I have to stop and restart when engine is cold to get it out of 1st gear.

I suppose that because the car is over 5 years old with 36k and was still running on the original battery, that the logic would be that it would be the cause of the gearbox problem. When tested the battery had one faulty cell.

I shall pop back to the forum when I have another problem (not too soon I hope!) as you have been most helpful.

Thanks again.

 

[television]

Thanks for all your replies. In the end I went for a Varta with 4 yr guarantee, bought from and fitted by National Tyres. (£109 inclusive).

The most important thing though is that the automatic gearbox is now working perfectly from a cold start. So no longer do I have to stop and restart when engine is cold to get it out of 1st gear.

I suppose that because the car is over 5 years old with 36k and was still running on the original battery, that the logic would be that it would be the cause of the gearbox problem. When tested the battery had one faulty cell.

I shall pop back to the forum when I have another problem (not too soon I hope!) as you have been most helpful.

Thanks again.

One dud cell would have taken the voltage down to 10.5v roughly speaking.
4 years is a good time to change,as after this period it could fail at anytime,often in places like Tesco car park late at night in the rain.

Just stressing that this is not an easy fix for all gearboxes,my old car locked up 3 times in a year with a new battery.

Malcolm

 

[justin1820]

had this problem often, seems that when the battery gets lazy the first thing to cause a fault is the gear box? very strange but true, even though the engine starts fine it has cured many problems!