XSeries-forum

Hi

I'm looking for any discount codes anyone may have for ECP as I want to buy a Bosch Silver S5 (019 100ah) battery

Smee

I've just bought one. Bought through ebay and click/collect at localish outlet.

Cost me £102.

Excellent thanks.

ECP website shows the Bosch Silver S5 019 'reduced' from £140.40 to £123.60 with free delivery The ECP shop on ebay has it as £112.74 reduced to £102.93 with free shipping or as you say click and collect

Here is the interesting part - I asked ECP through their online chat portal how the five year guarantee works. If you buy the battery then keep the invoicing paperwork. Then if the battery fails within five years remove the battery and take it to their local depot (so you will either need a second car or dismantle it in their car park!). They then test the battery - if they deem it be faulty they will give a replacement battery (very vague as to whether it is the same spec even when I push them on it)

But here is the cruncher. They will not give you a new warranty on the replacement battery. So if you get to four years and 11 months and you get a new, albeit unwarranted, battery then that is probably ok and a good deal, but if it packs up after a year then not so good me thinks, albeit packing up after a year is highly unlikely. That said I'm having battery issues now that relate to the same battery fitted 2 years 10mths ago ...... I'm yet to establish whether it is battery drain, alternator not charging or a dud battery .....

How many times has that battery gone flat?  If it's an AGM type (the Bosch ones are, along with many modern ones) then they really do not like going flat.  Every time it happens it shortens the service life.

They are used because they are not 'wet' batteries with loads of electrolyte (sulphuric acid) sloshing about.  AGM uses a fibreglass mat to retain the electrolyte so are much safer to make, handle and in use.  They also have a shorter recharge time (less than 1/2 that if a wet battery).  The downside is they must be treated with care as they are intolerant of any abuse.

Certainly worth checking the charging voltage is no higher than 14.2 - 14.4 as over voltage will overheat the battery too.

That warranty thing is pretty normal.  Any replacement is normally covered under the original warranty terms.

Richard

Hi Richard

The battery has been flattened four times in a year (and three times in the last four months)

I get the warranty thing all im saying is you could be unlucky and have one replaced after a year that then comes with no warranty - if that one last a further year as this one has then you get nothing.
So although you had a five year warranty you may not get five years out of two batteries - worst case scenario but I do think that they should replace the replacement if the combined life of the two batteries is less than five years but ECP said no. So all Im saying is we should be all be aware that five years warranty does not mean that (according to ECP).

Im not trying to get two consecutive five year warranties out of one battery purchase just to be clear - I just want to get five years out of a five year warranty!

CarParts4Less and use their £15 off anything over £100 - bought an S5 last night for £97.99.

[quote="Smeeagain"]
Excellent thanks.

ECP website shows the Bosch Silver S5 019 'reduced' from £140.40 to £123.60 with free delivery The ECP shop on ebay has it as £112.74 reduced to £102.93 with free shipping or as you say click and collect

Here is the interesting part - I asked ECP through their online chat portal how the five year guarantee works. If you buy the battery then keep the invoicing paperwork. Then if the battery fails within five years remove the battery and take it to their local depot (so you will either need a second car or dismantle it in their car park!). They then test the battery - if they deem it be faulty they will give a replacement battery (very vague as to whether it is the same spec even when I push them on it)

But here is the cruncher. They will not give you a new warranty on the replacement battery. So if you get to four years and 11 months and you get a new, albeit unwarranted, battery then that is probably ok and a good deal, but if it packs up after a year then not so good me thinks, albeit packing up after a year is highly unlikely. That said I'm having battery issues now that relate to the same battery fitted 2 years 10mths ago ...... I'm yet to establish whether it is battery drain, alternator not charging or a dud battery .....
[/quote]

Interesting stuff. I'm about to (hopefully) exchange my Bosch after a similar length of time - bought from ECP in February 2012.  Car's failed to start for the last 2 mornings and is showing around 13.6V with engine running but dropping to around 10.5-11v with engine off.

I've just dug the invoice out and the strange thing is the battery is an 017 not an 019. Don't know why because it was bought via Click & Collect using my reg number - invoice shows the correct reg and that its for a 2004 BMW X5.

Be interesting to see if they exchange it what they give me - guess it'll be another 017. Not sure what the difference is but might try & get them to swap it for an 019 (might have to pay difference).

[quote="PhilT"]
[quote="Smeeagain"]
Excellent thanks.

ECP website shows the Bosch Silver S5 019 'reduced' from £140.40 to £123.60 with free delivery The ECP shop on ebay has it as £112.74 reduced to £102.93 with free shipping or as you say click and collect

Here is the interesting part - I asked ECP through their online chat portal how the five year guarantee works. If you buy the battery then keep the invoicing paperwork. Then if the battery fails within five years remove the battery and take it to their local depot (so you will either need a second car or dismantle it in their car park!). They then test the battery - if they deem it be faulty they will give a replacement battery (very vague as to whether it is the same spec even when I push them on it)

But here is the cruncher. They will not give you a new warranty on the replacement battery. So if you get to four years and 11 months and you get a new, albeit unwarranted, battery then that is probably ok and a good deal, but if it packs up after a year then not so good me thinks, albeit packing up after a year is highly unlikely. That said I'm having battery issues now that relate to the same battery fitted 2 years 10mths ago ...... I'm yet to establish whether it is battery drain, alternator not charging or a dud battery .....
[/quote]

Interesting stuff. I'm about to (hopefully) exchange my Bosch after a similar length of time - bought from ECP in February 2012.  Car's failed to start for the last 2 mornings and is showing around 13.6V with engine running but dropping to around 10.5-11v with engine off.

I've just dug the invoice out and the strange thing is the battery is an 017 not an 019. Don't know why because it was bought via Click & Collect using my reg number - invoice shows the correct reg and that its for a 2004 BMW X5.

Be interesting to see if they exchange it what they give me - guess it'll be another 017. Not sure what the difference is but might try & get them to swap it for an 019 (might have to pay difference).
[/quote]

So this is an interesting example. You have a battery that is just over 2.5 years old with a five year warranty. You will, hopefully, get it replaced, but no longer with a five year warranty. If it last another 2.5 years then you're fine as it hasn't cost you anything as such. If it packs up in month (god forbid not) you're stuffed. That aint right, fair, big, funny or clever.

Post back and let us know how the conversation goes......

Not that bad as it goes Smee, upon reading the receipt I also discovered it was an S3 so only 3 year warranty - lucky it's gone south now and not afternoon next Feb though.

[quote="Smeeagain"]
Hi Richard

The battery has been flattened four times in a year (and three times in the last four months)

I get the warranty thing all im saying is you could be unlucky and have one replaced after a year that then comes with no warranty - if that one last a further year as this one has then you get nothing.
So although you had a five year warranty you may not get five years out of two batteries - worst case scenario but I do think that they should replace the replacement if the combined life of the two batteries is less than five years but ECP said no. So all Im saying is we should be all be aware that five years warranty does not mean that (according to ECP).

Im not trying to get two consecutive five year warranties out of one battery purchase just to be clear - I just want to get five years out of a five year warranty!
[/quote]

Seems a bit odd in that case - ECP drone not understanding perhaps?

That battery certainly won't be happy, but I would have expected a bit more than that to kill it.  Once you get your meter you'll be able to check the off-line voltage, just wait 4 hours after last engine run, and have the car asleep before you check it.

Richard

Thanks Richard - I was going to wait for the 16 minute sleep mode but what is the four hour thing about ?
Smee

Nothing clever or technical.  It's to allow the battery to settle and stabilise its 'charge state' across all of the cells after being charged.  Imagine shaking a bottle of soda.  You leave it a while to settle down again rather than opening it straight away.

With a battery it means you get a more accurate reading.

Richard

ok, thanks

Smee