IS250 Battery - Cold Start - Halfords

[Gramera flash]

12 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

Tanya is in business, but supplier I previously used seems to be out of business - they were called "battery point" or something.

So £86.76 delivered is a good price then

[normski2]

£84 all in on eBay after a quick search

[LennyLexus]

On 05/03/2018 at 2:34 PM, rayaans said:

Being rated better doesn't necessarily mean its better. It has a 5 year warranty but they tend to go dead just over 5 years. 

These Bosch and Varta batteries, although only having 4 years, tend to last a heck of a long time sometimes. My son's car is running on an OEM Varta battery - its 9 years old!

The car is still running on OEM 12 years later. I doubt a Yuasa is going to go bad after 5 years. As long as the Yuasa fits, there's no point mulling over the finer details, £20 a year for guaranteed Battery performance is a low risk outlay. A £600 set of tyres (could) last as a little as 10k etc.

[LennyLexus]

On 05/03/2018 at 2:59 PM, KenMavor said:

 

Ask you friendly recovery man for a recommendation.  They know the best batteries for each car.  And usually know the best place locally to get one.  They can also supply and fit one for a price....well the AA and RAC can.

He said avoid Halfords own make, but Yuasa are legendary, let Halfords do the speccing and fitting and leave the onus on them.

[LennyLexus]

10 hours ago, Texas said:

The factory fitted Panasonic battery is 257mm X 170mm X 200mm.

Great info, you don't have the size of the tray do you?

[LennyLexus]

On 05/03/2018 at 3:33 PM, Linas.P said:

I would advice to go with anyone, but Halfrauds... 

I had their battery fitted (some sort of Halfords "Platinum" 4 years warranty), it failed after 2.5 years (Diagnosed by halfrauds service themselves - shorting cells) and both Halfrauds Retail and Service declined to replace it under warranty pointing at each other. All in all any on occasions I had to deal with either Halfords Service or Retail they provided appalling customer service every time consistently and nearly worst prices in the market. 

Linas, this is extremely odd and having followed your other Battery posts, I think it's fair to say that you are being a bit unreasonable here. Halfords retail and autocentres are separate businesses, the auto centre arm was brought from Lex autocentres. You contract is with Halfords retail, you lost the receipt two years later and expected a replacement.. how can they be sure the Battery was from the back of a lorry?

Agreed with Bob, some branches have excellent service and competent staff while other have dossing incompetents.

[Rebecca]

3 hours ago, jackcramerr said:

So is it safe to say that Exide 030 will not fit?

ECP lists Exide for Lexus when I put the reg... 

I just like the name Exide than Bosch and Exide looks cooler :)

 

It will fit but it's not the ideal Battery due to the terminals being in the opposite direction and the possibility of causing stress on the wiring loom.

My 250 is still on the original Panasonic Battery. The car is now 7 years old but when the Battery decides to give up the ghost it will definitely be replaced with the Bosch.

[Linas.P]

Halfords retail and Autocentres are both subsidiaries off Halfords Group Plc. So they are the same company... Regarding the receipt it is fair point, according to their terms and conditions that is required. Though manufacturing date is clearly stamped on the Battery and I had invoice (not receipt) with the date the Battery was fitted... The point is that both were pointing to each other - Autocentres looked to invoice and said they have nothing to do with it, because it was Halfords retail which sold it. Halfords retail said that Autocentres should replace it if they found it faulty... We didn't even get to the point where they would look at the receipt, so I am sure exactly the same story would have happened even if I would have had the receipt. The only difference - if I would have had the receipt I would have not shied away from taking them to court (principal), but because I didn't the chances of winning the case would have been very slim, just on the technical point.

One way or another, my experience dealing with Halfords is consistently awful and not only when it comes to Battery and warranty.

Talking about specific price you got (£115) that is pretty terrible as well. You can get Lexus to fit you original Battery for £105. I personally feel OE Panasonic Battery from Lexus is little bit underpowered, but still much better than anything Halfords can offer.... and you will have piece of mind it will last and will be the right one and correctly fitted.

[jackcramerr]

27 minutes ago, Rebecca said:

It will fit but it's not the ideal battery due to the terminals being in the opposite direction and the possibility of causing stress on the wiring loom.

My 250 is still on the original Panasonic battery. The car is now 7 years old but when the battery decides to give up the ghost it will definitely be replaced with the Bosch.

There is also 031 that has terminals the other way round. Same spec...

[LennyLexus]

1 hour ago, Linas.P said:

Halfords retail and Autocentres are both subsidiaries off Halfords Group Plc. So they are the same company... Regarding the receipt it is fair point, according to their terms and conditions that is required. Though manufacturing date is clearly stamped on the battery and I had invoice (not receipt) with the date the battery was fitted... The point is that both were pointing to each other - Autocentres looked to invoice and said they have nothing to do with it, because it was Halfords retail which sold it. Halfords retail said that Autocentres should replace it if they found it faulty... We didn't even get to the point where they would look at the receipt, so I am sure exactly the same story would have happened even if I would have had the receipt. The only difference - if I would have had the receipt I would have not shied away from taking them to court (principal), but because I didn't the chances of winning the case would have been very slim, just on the technical point.

One way or another, my experience dealing with Halfords is consistently awful and not only when it comes to battery and warranty.

Talking about specific price you got (£115) that is pretty terrible as well. You can get Lexus to fit you original battery for £105. I personally feel OE Panasonic battery from Lexus is little bit underpowered, but still much better than anything Halfords can offer.... and you will have piece of mind it will last and will be the right one and correctly fitted.

Retail and autocentres are very separate business arms for the plc with distinct reporting lines. Anyway I would have gone down the credit card claim route if there was such an issue (downside is it takes 8 weeks). 

Lexus fit an OE replacement for £95, but it's a 3 year warranty and only 1 year labour. Yuasa seems to be legendary Japanese brand, more power and a 5 year warranty. £100 including fitting after gold member discount seems like a good deal, I would definitely supervise while they carried out the works.

[LennyLexus]

1 hour ago, jackcramerr said:

There is also 031 that has terminals the other way round. Same spec...

Just google picture'd 030, 031, 068, 069 the 030 and 068 are the correct way around, I guess the even numbers are a clue.

[normski2]

Did you get your Battery? If not, this is quite a deal.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bosch-Car-Battery-12V-70Ah-Type-068-630CCA-4-Years-Wty-Sealed-OEM-Replacement/352218079682?epid=1323058482&hash=item5201d561c2:g:22oAAOSwDEtaF8kp

A Bosch S4 068 for £68.70 delivered.

Tayna are doing an offer now at £78 delivered.

Just stick  S4 026 Bosch Car Battery 12V 70Ah Type 068  into the search bar.

[jackcramerr]

I am always concerned how old the Battery is and how long it has been sitting. These days everything is online and rarely find a store with variety and good enough price.

 

What is A and CCA rating of the Stock Battery?

68 is too cheap. Is this S4 the best bosch Battery for Lexus then? Anything better than this?

[johnatg]

The only specification Lexus publish is 12v and 55 Ah - they don't mention CCA.

The Bosch S4026 is 70Ah.

£68 too cheap for you? You can pay £94 if you like from alternative suppliers (and maybe more). But you'll still get the same S4026 Battery.

Bosch do 5 year warranty batteries (they come in a silver case rather than blue for the 4 year ones) but not in type 068.

I'll repeat for the umpteenth time on this thread - the Bosch S4026 or Varta E23 are probably the 'Best Buy' for an IS250 Battery. You can get better batteries for a lot more money, but Battery life depends quite a lot on how you use the car - no Battery likes standing unused for days or weeks on end, or short journeys. Medium length journeys every day with minimum electrcal accessories in use make the Battery last longer than other types of usage.

[johnatg]

PS Check this - http://www.comparaboo.co.uk/best-car-batteries

Based on an agglomeration of feedback reviews I think.

And mostly for the very common type 063 Battery rather than our rare 068!

Not included there, but maybe the 'best battery' could be the Optima Red Top - but it will cost more than twice the price of a Bosch in 068 size. It's specified as 50 Ah and 815 CCA. They are frequently fitted to SUVs etc. But it won't do any better job in an IS250 than the Bosch.

[jackcramerr]

Lexus sell Battery part 28800yzzjc for 101.32 and that is 70Ah.

 

Agree optima is not worth this car. 68 pounds is good. 

The link normski posted I will just blindly buy it. Too cheap anyway.

I am also looking for toyota red grease but lexus do not sell it. Part 0887-83010

[normski2]

Don't you just love these sites that don't have correct info in their drop down menus?? Nothing like confusing the punters is there?

You get sites pushing you into 069 batteries ... erm NO...its the wrong way round ....it won't fit.

If you put Lexus 2008 is250 into the ECP choices for the 068 Bosch on eBay ... it comes back that it won't fit ...erm YES it does 

jack, it's not too cheap ..they can squeeze their margins to generate sales. You can pay £158 for the same Battery if you really want!

[jackcramerr]

Normski 

How much margin do they keep...

I am being careful as the saying goes, pound foolish penny wise. 

 

[normski2]

Impossible to say.. you're in to the world of conjecture.

You can be sure they are still making good profit regardless. Although sometimes you will see loss-leaders to entice more sales in other areas...that's business.

[jackcramerr]

Got the Bosch Battery. Looks ugly but if it does the job :)

When I got it the voltage across was 12.64. I am charging it now.

Anyone figured out how to find out its age?

[Texas]

Yes, manufacture date code for Bosch is posted in my last post here, https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/107731-best-12v-battery-for-is250/?page=3

[johnatg]

jack - see the thread where Paul posted - Oct 2017.

12.64 volts is perfectly adequate - you risk damaging the Battery if you charge it more unless your charger is an electronically controlled trickle charger. Put it in the car - it will work fine!