Little flat battery and prudence pays a visit.

[Tinonline]

This wfh has meant the LS400 has collected Sahara dust and Berkshire’s spiders’ webs.

Just as well I checked things out before an hours journey to see my youngest performing in Richard III at a top drama school…top means costs. Flickering of dash instruments and little else.

Lunch break: rapid removal and fast charge for 3 hours. Refit: return journey of a good 2+hours so well charged up. Amazing play btw directed by a duo of top directors. 

A week and more: car whipped into life…I’ll slow charge it overnight in a few weeks time. Battery is over 5 years old.

So Prudence…where does she come in?

With every price and tax heading upwards, well north. I’m adopting a hold pattern…which most airlines can’t even do at the moment…if ever.

My friends here, know I work to stay OEM. This year is hold. I do little mileage but it’s well driven and enjoyed. Drama school is not the same as Uni so grants are from pockets…

My Alfa in Spain…a fab wreck 155 Sport needs work plus a service (I do service) so:

This year I’m servicing the Lexus with Fuchs fully synthetic oil, blueprint oil and air filter plus cabin. But for £80 I also get the Alfa oil, cabin, air filters. One supplier and no postage. I’d say good quality if not excellent…but we can’t tell can we?

I can’t ship a cat converter to Spain but have to shell out over €300 in country as UK ones are not type compliant with Europe…didn’t take long did it? I will have to go through the Spanish parts chain…fitting and labour are nothing…parts prices are painful.

It’s the old car syndrome. Cost and return and even though I can run to OEM there are times to be measured.

Already, I see the distributors shoving up and over playing prices. Upward costs they scream…exactly,  we say, and agree, but we don’t and won’t pay. 🧐😁

What do you say?

[Pauljsy]

20 minutes ago, Tinonline said:

This wfh has meant the LS400 has collected Sahara dust and Berkshire’s spiders’ webs.

Just as well I checked things out before an hours journey to see my youngest performing in Richard III at a top drama school…top means costs. Flickering of dash instruments and little else.

Lunch break: rapid removal and fast charge for 3 hours. Refit: return journey of a good 2+hours so well charged up. Amazing play btw directed by a duo of top directors. 

A week and more: car whipped into life…I’ll slow charge it overnight in a few weeks time. Battery is over 5 years old.

So Prudence…where does she come in?

With every price and tax heading upwards, well north. I’m adopting a hold pattern…which most airlines can’t even do at the moment…if ever.

My friends here, know I work to stay OEM. This year is hold. I do little mileage but it’s well driven and enjoyed. Drama school is not the same as Uni so grants are from pockets…

My Alfa in Spain…a fab wreck 155 Sport needs work plus a service (I do service) so:

This year I’m servicing the Lexus with Fuchs fully synthetic oil, blueprint oil and air filter plus cabin. But for £80 I also get the Alfa oil, cabin, air filters. One supplier and no postage. I’d say good quality if not excellent…but we can’t tell can we?

I can’t ship a cat converter to Spain but have to shell out over €300 in country as UK ones are not type compliant with Europe…didn’t take long did it? I will have to go through the Spanish parts chain…fitting and labour are nothing…parts prices are painful.

It’s the old car syndrome. Cost and return and even though I can run to OEM there are times to be measured.

Already, I see the distributors shoving up and over playing prices. Upward costs they scream…exactly,  we say, and agree, but we don’t and won’t pay. 🧐😁

What do you say?

You need a new Battery 🤔

[Tinonline]

1 hour ago, Pauljsy said:

You need a new battery 🤔

Yep I’m delaying the inevitable…let’s see how long it lasts…

[VFR]

From my experience of Spain.

Yes Labour is a lot cheaper than the UK  “and” garages will not shrug at fitting parts that you supply (have no knowledge of Lexus dealers there) 

 

[BigBoomer]

My LS lives plugged into a Battery maintainer 24/7. Now that I only drive it once or twice per week it's less hassle that way.
The Battery maintainer (a £22 one from Amazon) works well and sits inside the garage, some 20 feet from the car.
The 12v cable I ran through some gravel (used flat mains cable) and up a fence post where the car is parked.
Under the bonnet the 10A fused cable runs from the Battery around the edge to just in front of the radiators where it is cable tied.
All I have to do is pop the bonnet, plug it in/unplug it, and close the bonnet.
If I forget and drive off, the wire from the fence post to the car has a weak link that pulls apart and leaves both ends safe.

[ambermarine]

8 minutes ago, BigBoomer said:

My LS lives plugged into a battery maintainer 24/7. Now that I only drive it once or twice per week it's less hassle that way.
The battery maintainer (a £22 one from Amazon) works well and sits inside the garage, some 20 feet from the car.
The 12v cable I ran through some gravel (used flat mains cable) and up a fence post where the car is parked.
Under the bonnet the 10A fused cable runs from the battery around the edge to just in front of the radiators where it is cable tied.
All I have to do is pop the bonnet, plug it in/unplug it, and close the bonnet.
If I forget and drive off, the wire from the fence post to the car has a weak link that pulls apart and leaves both ends safe.

My Battery is now 5 years old but as George as implied the Battery maintanance is paramount in the longevity of batteries, mine is connected to a golf trolley Battery charger and as been for the last five years and does not look like it is about to give up.

Red light indicated when hooked up and quickly goes green which is the monitoring mode, as my car as a tracker fitted the Battery would be flat in about 10 days.The cycle of charging and discharging is what kills the Battery as sulphate is produced in the process and saturates the plates in the cells ,if one of the cells fails the Battery discharges through that cell. this ultimatley finishes off the whole Battery.

Battery maintanence chargers avoid the discharge and charging because when the engine is running the Battery is not running the electrics on the car, the alternator does that and also recharges the Battery with the power it used to start the engine.

One exception to this scenario is constant stop and start on batteries such as taxis and delivery vehicles, the alternator is not able to keep the Battery at the highest level due to the high amperage required for the starter and sulphate builds up at a greater rate consequently shortening the life of the Battery.

[Malc]

14 hours ago, Tinonline said:

What do you say?

OEM new Battery every time for me......... .  always found the local Toyota Main Dealer ( which next door Lexus showroom uses of course ) provides the best value new Battery ......  and always less expensive than any of the other local suppliers for sure ...  and ask nicely and they free-fit it for you while you're having a freebie coffee too 

It's only 10 mins.

Malc