New battery recommendations?

[Adrianh1]

Hi, my trusty 190D 2.5 died on my last night. I'm pretty sure it's the battery given up finally. Any suggestions where to buy the best quality batteries, preferably in North/East London. It will need to be a heavy duty type as it's a diesel. If the Home Start people can get it going, I can drive straight to a garage and get a new battery stuck in.

I don't want to go to HellFords!

Bosch?

Suggs appreciated.

Adrian

 

[Wezzel]

One tip I have heard is to buy the battery from a Mercedes Commercial Dealer. The battery used in commercial vehicles use the same part numbers but are considerably cheaper.

Just don't tell them it's for a car.

 

[carabind]

have a look at http://www.eurocarparts.com/default.asp. They have branches in both East and North London and Bosch's were coming up on their web sites

 

[G MAN]

I did just as Wezzel said & got a great deal for my car. £65+vat a couple of weeks ago. High output Varta job from Merc Commercial in Leeds though I'm sure you'll get one locally. Just take part no. if poss. Halfords are clueless & expensive

 

[television]

. Halfords are clueless & expensive

You forgot the word useless

Malcolm

 

[Adrianh1]

I did just as Wezzel said & got a great deal for my car. £65+vat a couple of weeks ago. High output Varta job from Merc Commercial in Leeds though I'm sure you'll get one locally. Just take part no. if poss. Halfords are clueless & expensive

Thanks guys. I will try the Merc commercial dealer route. Does anyone know of how I can find out where a Merc commercial dealer is, and how would I find the part number? Sorry to sound dim, just haven't done this before.

Adrian

 

[Adrianh1]

Thanks guys. I will try the Merc commercial dealer route. Does anyone know of how I can find out where a Merc commercial dealer is, and how would I find the part number? Sorry to sound dim, just haven't done this before.

Adrian

I just used my common sense and got on the MB website for commercial dealers. I live in Hackney, the nearest one is in New Cross, quite a trek. Too much of a trek, plus time lost. I think I'll have to head to my nearest battery specialist and pay the extra...

 

[G MAN]

Do they deliver...? Could be worth a taxi fare in savings alone never mind the guarantee & after sales service, but shop around & whatever you buy dont trust to luck. ask when it was last charged how long has it been on the shelf & will they test & charge if nec. before you take it.The part # ( if orig.) should be on the battery label, if not the spec./ output data should be on the battery itself.Check your handbook too, but most places should have an application catalogue so you won't go too wrong. Don't forget the shape of the terminals...easy to overlook!! Good Luck

 

[television]

Thanks guys. I will try the Merc commercial dealer route. Does anyone know of how I can find out where a Merc commercial dealer is, and how would I find the part number? Sorry to sound dim, just haven't done this before.

Adrian

The MB commercial dealers are all in yellow pages, as are Bosch agents.

Malcolm

 

[Adrianh1]

All this information...Wow. Thanks all. The car has been jumpstarted and taken to my local independent; both the home start and garage diagnosed a worn out alternator and dead battery. Cost for a new Bosch alternator is £140 plus £70 for a heavy duty (720 cold current) Varta battery. Plus labour it is going to cost around £340.

Out of interest I rang my local MB dealer in Edmonton for a price of an alternator; they quoted £394. £394! Not including fitting! If I had taken it to them, the total cost for this repair would have been closer to £800!

Anyway, I don't think I can avoid this cost. Praise be to East End Independents...